Jump to content

Charleston, SC


SteveinSC

Recommended Posts

Putting the knowledge of this group to the test. I could google, and find out, im sure....but Id rather ask here.  Currently, to my knowledge, only Carnival sails in and out of Charleston, SC. I love the idea of having a port so close to home, and would LOVE for there to be a RC offering out of that port. How are the ports determined, and would it ever be a possibility for there to be an RC offering out of Charleston?  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have NO answer to this question but I am absolutely curious about the answer myself!  I know that they have Grandeur sailing out of Baltimore which is like a 3.5 hour drive for us depending on traffic on 95.  But it would also be nice to have the option to sail out of Charleston, I know that they used to but it sure would be nice if they would return! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On this one.... the ship that sails out of Charleston is one of Carnivals smaller ships.  There are plans in the next two years to expand the port area in this location but not sure what size ship would be able to come to this port.  BUT i am always asking this at sales meetings because I love a driveable port!  Allows you to cruise more often.

And Rock Hill..... My son lives there!  I am there a few times a year.  great place you are at !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Grew up in Charleston and live a short drive away.  I would love for RC to home port there.

The current very old passenger terminal is too small for many of the newer ships.  Currently, Carnival Sunshine is based out of Charleston.  The Sunshine replaced the Ecstasy in the last year or so.

There are plans to build a new passenger terminal with parking.  These plans have been on hold for many years due to obstruction by folks opposed to expansion of the cruise industry in Charleston.

Plans to widen and deepen the channel have been approved this month.  This improvement manly benefits the container-ship port as the current depth and width of the channel is good for most cruise ships.

I believe that Charleston will not see any other ships homeported until a new terminal with parking is constructed.

The old mayor was in favor of a new terminal, but the current mayor is not.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, AnnetteJackson said:

I love a driveable port!  Allows you to cruise more often.

I would think, from a sales stand point, this would be a HUGE benefit to RC.  It would open up cruising to more and more people. Not everyone can afford to pay cruise fare, AND purchase airline tickets. I would think they would want to spread out the options to make it more available to more people. 

 

1 hour ago, AnnetteJackson said:

And Rock Hill..... My son lives there!  I am there a few times a year.  great place you are at !

....and getting better, all the time. Its changed A LOT just in the last few years. You should check out Legal Remedy Brewery, for lunch or dinner, next time youre here. Its by far my favorite spot for beer (they serve a local hard cider, also) and food (pub nachos with pulled pork....amazing). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, SteveinSC said:

I

....and getting better, all the time. Its changed A LOT just in the last few years. You should check out Legal Remedy Brewery, for lunch or dinner, next time youre here. Its by far my favorite spot for beer (they serve a local hard cider, also) and food (pub nachos with pulled pork....amazing). 

You should stop by Dust off Brewing CO - look for the bald bar tender with a beard - that is my son.  Tell Jonathan that his mom and MATT sent you ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, AnnetteJackson said:

You should stop by Dust off Brewing CO - look for the bald bar tender with a beard - that is my son.  Tell Jonathan that his mom and MATT sent you ?

Ive been to Dust Off several times!!!  Awesome place!!!  Ill definitely look for him next time im in there.  

Keep pushing at those sales meetings for them to use Chucktown!!!  Weve decided to stick with RC going forward, to build our Crown and Anchor status....but boy is it hard to pass up a Bahamas weekend cruise where I can be off the boat, and home by lunch at the end. 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a pretty good article that, to me, sounds like local residents are concerned about the "What ifs" and things that will affect them, pertaining to the construction, added traffic, and potential nuisances of being so close to ships and the terminal. Not sure if anything has been determined, beyond this.     

https://www.postandcourier.com/news/how-the-sc-supreme-court-defines-affected-to-determine-charleston/article_5c24c93e-8bc9-11e9-9ba2-2329c72fa493.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I understand their concerns, but the plan calls for the new terminal to replace the existing cargo terminal.  Large cargo ships, trucks and trains are at the current terminal 24/7 along with large cargo cranes that cover the sky line. 

The issue went to the SC Supreme court this past summer.  I do not believe the court has issued a ruling on the current state permits. 

The Army Corps of Engineers permits are being challenged on the federal court side as well.

I believe it will happen, but may take several more years before ground is broke.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, wstephensi said:

Large cargo ships, trucks and trains are at the current terminal 24/7 along with large cargo cranes that cover the sky line. 

 

I thought about that. Literally, every time ive been downtown, there are huge cargo ships there, and the cranes are loading and unloading.  I would think that the cruiseships arent much more, or less, a "nuisance" and the added revenue from added tourism would be welcomed.....buuuuuuuut....I dont have to live there, either. So...... 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There are some other options.  A new cruise terminal could be built up the river in North Charleston.  It would remove many of the concerns of the SNOB's (Slightly North Of Broad Street), but would require buses and/or ferries to move passengers to downtown.  As it is now you get off the ship just a block (blocks in Charleston are very small)from The Market and can walk about anywhere you want downtown.

No work has been done on that solution to the best of my knowledge and would have to start from scratch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We visited Charleston earlier this year on Grandeur, loved it!  We'd go back for a land vacation, definitely.  The port area was pretty small, with not a lot of parking for a large ship.  It may be a good choice for one of Royal's smaller ships, like Majesty or Empress in the future.  I'm not sure though that there is enough parking for two ships to be sailing out at the same time.  But there may be more that I just didn't see.  Wasn't exactly looking for that at the time.  LOL 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, KathyC said:

We visited Charleston earlier this year on Grandeur, loved it!  We'd go back for a land vacation, definitely.  The port area was pretty small, with not a lot of parking for a large ship.  It may be a good choice for one of Royal's smaller ships, like Majesty or Empress in the future.  I'm not sure though that there is enough parking for two ships to be sailing out at the same time.  But there may be more that I just didn't see.  Wasn't exactly looking for that at the time.  LOL 

Yeah, there are currently two more sailings on Grandeur with stops in Charleston.....but I cant locate anymore. Charleston is my favorite city, and my wife and I got married there. Its a FANTASTIC place, full of culture, scenery, and FOOD. What it DOES lack, as you noted, is parking. They would have to build a pretty sizable parking structure, which im not sure a large parking structure is even possible in downtown due to zoning, and desires of property owners.  Charleston is a small, big town. There are a lot of obstacles in place, regarding expanding and growing the cruise terminal. It may just have to remain a dream.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, SteveinSC said:

Yeah, there are currently two more sailings on Grandeur with stops in Charleston.....but I cant locate anymore. Charleston is my favorite city, and my wife and I got married there. Its a FANTASTIC place, full of culture, scenery, and FOOD. What it DOES lack, as you noted, is parking. They would have to build a pretty sizable parking structure, which im not sure a large parking structure is even possible in downtown due to zoning, and desires of property owners.  Charleston is a small, big town. There are a lot of obstacles in place, regarding expanding and growing the cruise terminal. It may just have to remain a dream.....

Grandeur is being replaced with Enchantment, so maybe she will be coming instead.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, KathyC said:

Grandeur is being replaced with Enchantment, so maybe she will be coming instead.

I suspect it will. I was mistaken about the number....not 2, currently at 18 scheduled. This is the itinerary that the stop is on, so I cant imagine they will change it just because of the ship changing.  

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruises/itinerary/8-night-southeast-coast-perfect-day-from-baltimore-on-grandeur/GR08BWI-3213887477?sail-date=2021-04-15&currency=USD

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We did the 7 night Bermuda & Charleston.  So much fun, but didn't like the Sat-Sun overnight in Bermuda. We had 25 hours, but in the Dockyard.  All aboard was 1pm Sunday, which didn't give a lot of time off ship that day.  Ferries and buses start running late on Sundays. ? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, KathyC said:

We visited Charleston earlier this year on Grandeur, loved it!  We'd go back for a land vacation, definitely.  The port area was pretty small, with not a lot of parking for a large ship.  It may be a good choice for one of Royal's smaller ships, like Majesty or Empress in the future.  I'm not sure though that there is enough parking for two ships to be sailing out at the same time.  But there may be more that I just didn't see.  Wasn't exactly looking for that at the time.  LOL 

You are correct.  There is barely enough for one ship.  Much of it in a gravel lot.  The plan for a new terminal would include a parking garage currently where the cargo terminal warehouses are.  With the advent of containerized shipping those warehouses are under used.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Charleston is a great city for a port call.  I've voiced much of my knowledge on a new port terminal.  Would anyone like to know something about Charleston?  

I grew up there, attended The Citadel and MUSC, was a city tour guide and horse cop.  I've flopped, boarded and stayed in many place down town.

Questions?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, wstephensi said:

Charleston is a great city for a port call.  I've voiced much of my knowledge on a new port terminal.  Would anyone like to know something about Charleston?  

I grew up there, attended The Citadel and MUSC, was a city tour guide and horse cop.  I've flopped, boarded and stayed in many place down town.

Questions?

Something ive discussed with a friend of mine from the low country : The flooding in Charleston when heavy rains come.....more frequent than it used to be, or more media coverage than there used to be? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Just now, SteveinSC said:

Something ive discussed with a friend of mine from the low country : The flooding in Charleston when heavy rains come.....more frequent than it used to be, or more media coverage than there used to be? 

Oh. boy!!!  The flooding at high tide and with rain storms has always been a problem.  And when both happens it is a real problem.  I do not believe it is any more so than 30 years ago.

1st find a map from say 1780 of the peninsula of Charleston.  Then compare to a map from today.  You discover two things:  1. Much of the current city is constructed on waist fill dirt. 2. Many of the current streets and roads sit on tidal creeks as mapped in 1780.

Walk around some of the newer buildings in MUSC area and you will notice 2-3 feet of subsidence of the parking lots around the buildings and you can see under the buildings (large buildings like hotels and hospitals).  Those buildings are build on pilings to a minimum depth of 33 feet some more.  The buildings stay but the parking lots sink under the weight of the asphalt.

Some of the streets are build on fill as well and many are built on colvert that contains the tidal creek under the street and acts as the storm sewer.  Thus heavy rain and high tide means storm sewer flows in reverse.

In approx 1992 or 1994 Mayor Riley enacted a flood control fee of $4 per month to pay to solve the flooding.  The fee is much higher now.  His plan was to pump the excess water underground during flooding and pump back into the ocean at low tide.  A deep hole was constructed over 20 years and no improvement.  (Currently a new bigger deeper hole is being constructed).  Why no improvement?  Because there is not a hole big enough or deep enough to pump the entire ocean into and that is what has to happen.  Remember the tidal creeks flood the city and are fed by the ocean.

I had this discussion with an engineer for the third firm hired by the city to solve the problem in 2005.  He agreed with me.  

The only thing that would have a chance of working is to construct a dike/levee around the city.  Then you could pump storm water out of the bowl.  Like in New Orleans.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, wstephensi said:

A deep hole was constructed over 20 years and no improvement.  (Currently a new bigger deeper hole is being constructed).  Why no improvement?  Because there is not a hole big enough or deep enough to pump the entire ocean into and that is what has to happen.  Remember the tidal creeks flood the city and are fed by the ocean.

I had this discussion with an engineer for the third firm hired by the city to solve the problem in 2005.  He agreed with me. 

 

So you're telling me: they thought digging a "deep hole" would displace enough water....OCEAN WATER? lol

As far as the New Orleans comparison, we've seen that doesn't always work, though it's probably the most effective method. Probably even more effective than N'awlins since Chucktown isn't BELOW sea level (I think)? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

With a little traffic light luck, I'm 10 minutes from the terminal.

 

As to the ports and cargo ships - there is a HUGE new cargo terminal being built on the old Charleston Navy Base that 

hopefully divert a lot of traffic from downtown.  SCDOT is currently in the middle of an entire new interstate connector 

that should be finished in a few months.  

 

I would LOVE to be able to leave out of Charleston, but I'm skeptical that it will be done.  Carnival just signed a new lease,

and I'm sure they enjoy being the only dog in the kennel, not to mention the downtown bluebloods who simply hate the

idea of "more tourists" in their town.  I have a lot of friends who cruise out of Charleston, but to me, it's worth the 6 hour

drive and hotel stay in Port Canaveral to sail on Royal.  I'm not even interested in a Carnival cruise.

 

Here is a link to the new terminal website if anyone is interested.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, SteveinSC said:

So you're telling me: they thought digging a "deep hole" would displace enough water....OCEAN WATER? lol

As far as the New Orleans comparison, we've seen that doesn't always work, though it's probably the most effective method. Probably even more effective than N'awlins since Chucktown isn't BELOW sea level (I think)? 

Charleston is much smaller than New Orleans and much of it is at or above mean high tide.  Road flooding is the real issue with little damage to homes or business.  Lower Market Street (eastern most market) shops flood from time to time and I have seen the water there knee deep and deeper in spots.  Wife got a nasty infection in her toe back in the summer of 1990, when we were dating, walking through the water on Market Street on her way to work.  I forgot to mention that the storm sewers still have some household and business waste/sewage that leaks in from pipes dating back to the late 1800's.  Please don't walk or play in Charleston's flooded streets.  It is not just rain water.

Medical side note: if the brackish water is warm (80+F) it can grow Vibrio vulnificus, which can cause a nasty infection if you have an open wound, scrape or scratch and wade in the water.  This organism killed many folks who waded in the waters following Katrina in New Orleans.  Originally their deaths were reported as caused by Vibrio cholerae or cholera. 

I grew up being told not to play or wade  in the flood waters.  My wife who grew up in Rock Hill (did you catch that) was attending the College of Charleston in 1990 and did not know better.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, wstephensi said:

Please don't walk or play in Charleston's flooded streets.  It is not just rain water.

Literally, every photo I see on the Post & Courier's website, when it floods, is of someone IN the flooded streets. YUCK. Ive never been there while theyve been flooded, so thank you for this info. I have kids, who love nothing more than playing in puddles.....RAIN puddles.

Ill be down there for a wedding, staying over at Patriots Point, the weekend before Thanksgiving. Then, back down for camping on the Yorktown with my boys Scout pack on Dec. 7th. Looking forward to that one! Charleston really is a great town. Thanks for sharing it with us.  

@WAAAYTOOO Rock Hill....I tell ya.....were going to be a tourism hot spot before long....people curious from the RC Blog, alone!  ?  Not sure I can provide as much amazing info about Rock Hill as @wstephensi and others have about Charleston....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On a more positive note, here is some Charleston trivia:  Charles Towne was first settled in 1670 by the British on the west bank of the Ashley River.  Currently the location is known as Charlestowne Landing State Park.  It includes a replica of the original settlement and 17th century sailing vessel, a zoo of native animals, and the plantation that was owned by Dr. and Mrs. Waring.  Mrs. Waring deeded the land to the state upon her death.  Dr. Warring was famous for his painless injections and the MUSC historical library is named after him.  He was also brother to Federal Judge J. W. Waring famous for beginning school desegregation cases that would lead to Brown vs Board of Education.  The Waring House would become known as the Governor's House after the plantation was deeded to the state.

If you are in Charleston, Charlestowne  Landing is a great place to start your tour.  It is not down town but only 10 minutes by car or taxi, Uber, Lyft, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, wstephensi said:

On a more positive note, here is some Charleston trivia:  Charles Towne was first settled in 1670 by the British on the west bank of the Ashley River.  Currently the location is known as Charlestowne Landing State Park.  It includes a replica of the original settlement and 17th century sailing vessel, a zoo of native animals, and the plantation that was owned by Dr. and Mrs. Waring.  Mrs. Waring deeded the land to the state upon her death.  Dr. Warring was famous for his painless injections and the MUSC historical library is named after him.  He was also brother to Federal Judge J. W. Waring famous for beginning school desegregation cases that would lead to Brown vs Board of Education.  The Waring House would become known as the Governor's House after the plantation was deeded to the state.

If you are in Charleston, Charlestowne  Landing is a great place to start your tour.  It is not down town but only 10 minutes by car or taxi, Uber, Lyft, etc.

Have to check it out! Seen the signs, but never been there. Best starting point for a "vacation" for me, driving in, has been to come in on Ashley River Rd. and hit the plantations.  Some beautiful properties and grounds, with some sad and rich history. Charleston, overall, just oozes history....which is a large part of its appeal, for me. I would think, if stopping on a cruise, there would be excursions? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

More Trivia:  Charleston is home to the oldest museum in the USA and the oldest municipal college in the US and oldest college in SC, The College of Charleston.  

The City was the sight of the first major defeat of the British in 1776.

The first shots of the Civil War were fired on the Federal supply ship Star of the West, then later Fort Sumter.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you come to Charleston walk down town and take a tour.  See a plantation or three .  Middleton, Boone Hall and Magnolia are all great.  Take in a museum.  Walk along the Battery and rest in the shade of White Point Gardens.  Do a house tour or two.  Tour the Old Customs House and Dungeon.  Learn about pirates.  Visit Fort Sumter and Moultrie.  If it is Friday afternoon get over to The Citadel and watch a dress parade.  Get out of the City and hike the Francis Marion Forest.  See ancient oyster mounds, wolves, raptors.  Lots to do.

Try fried green tomatoes, red rice, shrimp and grits, okra, she crab soup, seafood of all kinds.

I hope you enjoy your stay.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, SteveinSC said:

Ill be down there for a wedding, staying over at Patriots Point, the weekend before Thanksgiving. Then, back down for camping on the Yorktown with my boys Scout pack on Dec. 7th. Looking forward to that one! Charleston really is a great town. Thanks for sharing it with us.  

The BSoA have been camping on the USS Yorktown for decades.  In college I'd sneak on the ship after hours with dates knowing that the security would think I was with the BSoA.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...