Help in Charleston, SC

[Copper_beeches]

I'm cruising out of Charleston on the NCL Majesty 4/05. We're probably going to be getting down there by train, and will get in at 4 in the morning of the day we are to depart (we leave at 5 PM). Does anyone have any suggestions for storing our luggage for the day? Do you know if you can rent a car that early at the train station, and return it at the pier (or return it at the rental agency and have them drive us to the pier)? Is it possible to check your luggage in super early at the pier?

 

Not sure how we're going to manage this one! I figure we can board around 1, so that leaves from 4AM-1PM for us to manage.

 

Also, since we'll likely have several hours, what should we see while we're in Charleston? Is there a particular museam or arts complex, or a specific historic district (I love antique houses, and have read about the old Charleston Homes)? Will we need a car to get around, or is there easy public transportation??

 

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!

[imkimpossible]

I don't really have any suggestions about storing your luggage for your stay. Most of the rental agencies will not be open at that time of the morning. Here is a link to the Charleston Visitors bureau http://www.charlestoncvb.com/visitors/index.shtml

 

There is so much to see in this beautiful city, especially in April (The azaleas will be gorgeous) There is public transportation (a trolley type system) but most of the historic district can be walked, which I prefer because you get to glance in the courtyards. There are many house/museums available for tour that are definitely worth seeing. If you have time take a horse carriage tour that will give you a great overview of the city and walk down the slaves market in the middle of the historic district. (not a place where slaves were sold, but a place where there was an outdoor market). Today it is lined with flea market type booths and ladies making the famous sweetgrass baskets.

 

Enjoy your time in this historic city. It is truly one of my favorite places in SC.

[kitty1]

The best way to see the city is to walk. Charleston is a beautiful city. You will get the most out of it my walking. Walk down to the battery and up rainbow row and admire the architecture, and gardens. We visit Charleston every year when we go to SC.

[wwinfl91]

If you like history there is a museum a few blocks from where the cruise ships dock on the bombardment of Ft Sumter. There is also an arquarium there. You can buy tickets for a harbor cruise and then a tour of the fort. Here is a link for the cruise.

 

http://www.spiritlinecruises.com/sumter_overview.asp

 

Here is the National Park service web site for the fort.

 

http://www.nps.gov/fosu/index.htm

 

We visited it when our ship, the Maasdam, visited Charleston last year and enjoyed it.

 

As far as luggage and getting around town, I have no idea what so ever. Arriving at that time in the morning many things will not be open. You might check with Amtrak and see if they could hold your luggage until later in the day. Good luck in finding a solution.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[BlueHerons]

Are you taking Amtrak? They are notoriously late. My family took Amtrak from Charlotte to Penn Station NY and their train (hubby and I flew) was 4 hours late.

 

Charleston is so beautiful that you can just walk around for hours and look at the city.

[98Charlie]

We sailed the Majesty out of Charleston in November. Flew into Charleston the day of the cruise but spent the day after disembarkation at the Marriott in the Historic District. I remember there was a couple from England who rented a ``day room'' at the Marriott where they stayed until their flight left later that evening.

 

The Marriott is within walking distance of almost everything in the Historic District, including the beautiful market area where you can enjoy the full beauty of sweet grass baskets and the people who weave them.

 

There are a few other hotels in the area as well. Try a search engine search of hotels in the historic area (you're only a few long locks of the pier in this area), find some phone numbers and call to see if they have a partial day rate.

 

We found taxi fares to be quite nominal from airport to hotel, hotel to pier. Don't know about the train station but remeber passing the station while we were on a carriage tour of the historic district.

 

Charleston is one of my favorite port cities right now after 11 cruises. You will find southern hospitality at its best in Charleston and as a northerner invading the beautiful port city, I was amazed at how friendly and helpful everyone was for any question or need we had.

 

Make some phone calls. You might be as surprised as we were with what you receive in return.

 

Dianne