Same here. We have to fly in & with flight costs what they are anything shorter than 7 days just wouldn’t be worth the cost. If we lived in Florida we would consider shorter cruises but even then I feel you don’t even get oriented with less than 7 days.
Patriot's Point is in the Town of Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, across the Cooper River from the city of Charleston, South Carolina. It is still in Charleston County, but not in the City of Charleston. I lived there for 5 years and sailed on Carnival Sunshine several times.
Not interested in 3 or 4 night cruises. I would like new destinations and 8 to 12 day cruises. Thank you for another great update. And i love the new podcast. 😊
I live in SC and the rumors here is Charleston has wanted a more exclusive cruise line to sail out of its port. This vote is a mask, it’s not that they don’t want cruising at all. We will see. We either drive to Port Canaveral or fly to cruise ports. I think it’s time for free wi fi on all cruises.
I've sailed both the Carnival Fantasy and Sunshine out of Charleston. It's a very convenient port for us SC residents. I hope it stays or another city builds one here for us to use.
For my first cruise I just went 3 nights…I was worried about being sick and just wasn’t sure if it would be for me. My next cruise is 10 nights in the Med! Cruising is definitely for me 🎉. Thanks for the great video
I live in SC, so Charleston was convenient for a cruise getaway when I didn't want to drive to Florida. I hate to see it go away but I have traveled as far as Miami and Puerto Rico for the opportunity to visit other islands. Norwegian used to sail out of Charleston years ago; l got to visit Bermuda and we were docked there for a few days. It was great while it lasted, nevertheless I will keep cruising 🏝️
Unfortunately, Charleston is becoming full of snobs who predominately don't like cruise ships. Should they lose the ships, they may never get them back!
I wouldn't pay that kind of money for that short of a cruise, but short cruises are great if you're close to a port. We always get the "social" internet, this way we can keep in touch and make everyone jealous!😂 But hey, it's your vacation, if you need to work and need the internet that's great. If you want to totally unplug, that's great too! Whatever works for you. Either way you're on a cruise!
We are only 5 hours from Charleston and enjoyed sailing from there. Once the Sunshine leaves, we’ll have to travel 9 hours to Port Canaveral. We are closer to Norfolk and will be excited to see what the new terminal is going to look like. Hopefully parking and navigating the terminal will be much better than it is now!!!
We get an international plan for our cell phone for the month that our cruise will be in. Then we can call, Text or email when we are in port and off the ship. We don't have a need for internet on the ship. There is plenty to do and i bring a kindle for books. Just sitting on the balcony with the sea, the wind and the stars at night is more than enough for me. Can't imagine being so self important that i have to post on social media while I'm with my husband on a cruise. Friends and family can see our pictures when we get home.
We have cruised on the Sunshine twice, first cruise ever in 2018 out of Port Canaveral and 2nd time last may for our 40th anniversary and platinum cruise! It's been around the block but we still like it!! Thanks for the video!😎👍
We used to put our phones in the safe for the whole week and totally disconnect. Miss those days haha. Now we always get the wifi to stay connected. Work phone stays in the safe though :)
I live in Columbia, South Carolina and 4 of the 5 cruises I've been on have been on the Sunshine leaving from the Charleston harbor. I am pretty disappointed to be losing this access to cruising that was so conviently placed to me locally. By my estimation, instead of the 2 hour drive I'm used to doing to get to Charleston to cruise I now am going to have to drive 4 and a half hours to truck it down to Jacksonville. I know not all people are as close as I've been to a port, but it is disappointing we are losing this luxury of having it so close. What this IS allowing for me though, is now I'm starting to look at other cruise lines. Since Carnival was the only line working in Charleston, I had never really considered any of the other lines. If I'm going to have to start traveling further for travel my curiosity is now going to have me trying other lines since I'll have to be traveling to cruise now anyway. They're lucky they were here for as long as they were because now I'm an addict and I'm willing to do what I have to in order to keep my cruising life alive :)
I live in Charleston, and I will definitely miss the Sunshine. As the Destiny, I was on the inaugural cruise back in the 90's. I wish they would build a new terminal in North Charleston!😢
I agree! The serenity deck on the Sunshine is very nice but overall I thought the ship needed some refurbishment. Since the shutdown, Carnival has let their ships go a bit. They must be saving lots of cash on maintenance costs. I have sailed from Charleston three times.Once on the Fantasy and twice on the Sunshine. It was a very convenient port and I will miss it. Now, off to Jacksonville on the Elation! The Fantasy class vessels are my favorite!
RCC is making a very smart (financially wise) move! They are doubling their income in one week! As you said, people will be paying double for a 3- or 4-day cruise! I am not biting.
I hope they vote to keep cruising in South Carolina, I love the sunshine! Charleston is only 5.5 hours away so I love the short distance to the cruise terminal!
Unfortunately, there is no such vote. Many residents such as myself would love to vote to keep cruises embarking from South Carolina. There is only a vote tonight by Mt. Pleasant town council to pass a resolution opposing the state building a terminal at Patriot’s Point which to my knowledge the state has no plans to do and has existing state law preventing.
I live in a suburb of Charleston. I’ve never sailed from here due to the price/itinerary of the cruises in Florida. I sailed the Horizon (the first cruise back after Covid) and I’ve never met so many people saying they cruise from Charleston. It’s a very impt cruise port. Tourists love to come here. I’m all for building another port here. If Charleston doesn’t want it by all means let North Charleston have it. I’ve heard about that law too at Patriots Point. My worry for people in Mt Pleasant voting is that they already have so much traffic. I really want to cruise the Icon and Utopia but I am definitely not paying what they want on Utopia for 3-4 days.
It’s hard for me to imagine someplace not wanting cruising in their city. My dream is to one day retire to a place that’s no more than 1 hour from a cruise port ❤
I feel like 3 and 4 night cruises are for people who it's an easy/quick drive to port. I would never fly (i have to fly no matter what) for less than a 7 day cruise. And honestly, I wish there were more 9+ day options. From a business standpoint RC is just making the most amount of money they can before the cruise bubble bursts. I will never go on a short cruise like that but obviously many will! At least for now. They know they can always switch the itineraries to longer at the point they aren't selling out.
It has already been decided. Cruises embarking from Charleston are done at the end of year. It is possible that someday the state may build a new terminal. Today’s vote by Mt. Pleasant Town Council is trying to prevent that from ever happening at Patriot’s Point. Currently the state has no plans to build a terminal anywhere.
I hope the taxes in Charleston go up so high on business and homes that the people beg for cruise ships to come back 800 jobs will be lost mostly to people that are retired and use the jobs to supplement their income PEOPLE wake up and quit being so selfish thinking about themselves and realize progress needs to happen.
Is there anywhere to suggest itineraries? I would love to see a Florida to Japan and then Circle Japan, and fly back to Florida. 20 days or so. And Hawaii to the south Pacific one way.
I honestly don't think Carnival will put two Excel class ships in the same port. I think the newest ship might go to Port Canaveral and the Mardi Gras would be moved somewhere else, perhaps the West Coast or Europe. I wish Carnival would put a ship in the closest cruise port to me and that would be Boston.
I live in Charleston and your characterization of today’s Mt. Pleasant Town Council vote is off. There are no plans to bring cruise ships to Patriot’s Point and there is already a state law preventing it. The town council is just trying to pass a resolution to further prevent it in case the State ever decides they want build a cruise terminal at Patriot’s Point. As far as I know, the State Port Authority has no plans to build a new cruise terminal anywhere in the greater Charleston area. The existing cruise terminal will remain, but the facilities for embarkation/disembarkation and parking lots are going to be redeveloped. There is no hope to save Carnival Sunshine in Charleston. It is a done deal.
This all started because supposedly there is a lobbyist for the cruise industry that has proposed to state leaders building a cruise terminal at Patriot’s Point. Patriot’s Point is owned by the state, but is in the hoity-toity town of Mt. Pleasant. The NIMBYs of Mt. Pleasant are never going to let a cruise terminal happen. The best hope of a cruise terminal in Charleston would be somewhere in North Charleston where the state has lots of land and is also very convenient to the airport. The issue with North Charleston that the existing Downtown terminal and Patriot’s Point wouldn’t have is the Ravenel Bridge whose center span is only 187’. This would limit which ships could call on a North Charleston cruise terminal.
Update, the Mt. Pleasant town council passed the resolution unanimously reiterating that existing state law bars cruises from Patriot’s Point. I did some further reading on the issue, there was a Viking Ocean ship that tendered in Charleston. Some of the tender boats dropped passengers off at Patriot’s Point. This is another reason Mt. Pleasant felt it necessary to pass this resolution. They felt like tendering passengers to Patriot’s Point was in violation of the existing state law.
It’s a no for me on paying the same price for 3 or 4 nights as I would for a week. It’s a lot for me to go on a cruise so it has to be at least a week. Once you’ve paid for airfare and hotel, 4 days just isn’t worth it for me.
You say the Sunshine may stay in Charleston, but we are already booked on her out of Norfolk in both 2025 AND 2026.. I have heard of itineraries changing, but entire ships ?
There is zero chance that Sunshine will stay in Charleston past the end of this year. Someday it or some other ship may come to Charleston if someday the state builds another terminal, but there are no plans for that currently.
One thing about cruising... its not the same for everyone. Anyone who is upset about someone else's activity when it is not affecting them make no sense to me.. I don't need internet when I cruise. I need a cool drink and a nice view. To each his own..
The existing cruise terminal in Charleston will remain to be used as a port of call. There will no longer be any cruises embarking/disembarking from the Charleston cruise terminal after Sunshine finishes her run at the end of the year. The State Ports Authority is redeveloping the parking lots and buildings Carnival uses for these sailings.
Sailed the Sunshine last year and the specialty dining was really good onboard. There were roaches on my balcony tho… Mardi Gras should start doing 3/4 day rotations just like Utopia! Hope you get on Utopia this year! I will sail on Utopia on Valentine’s Day 2025
I like to listen to Jason and Travis Kelce its calls New Heights I hope they vote for yes it would do good for them. I am glad they do have internet god forbid if something happen to the ship you can call your family tell them you are alright or what is going on and yes alot of crew members need that because thats their second home while they are away. I rather go on a smaller and older ship for four day cruise and bigger ships i would go on the upper class ship or mid size ship
But who can afford it? It's crazy expensive and not worth it to me. I am a Carnival lover least I thought I was to the last cruise. That's so good anymore.
no way do I use my phone on a ship.....after a LARGE phone bill because my phone "slipped off airplane mode".....I have been cured.....phone goes right in the safe as soon as the ships horn blows til we come back in!
3 and 4 night cruises, are a tease. You just get on, and the cruise ends. That is depressing. Minimum I book is 7 nights. Royal has to stop building anymore Oasis class ships, and get on it, building that new Discovery class of ships. Royals fleet has 13 ships 20 years or older, and the vision class are going to hit 30 years in the next 3 to 5 years. They have fallen behind keeping up, replacing their older, small ti mid size ships.
I'm one of those people who need Internet to communicate with the caregivers who cover my elderly mother for me so I can get free to go. I wish people would be less judgmental and critical of others because none of us know what others deal with in their lives. Unplug if you wish and let others make the Internet choice that works best for them.
I just wish that Jacksonville would build a cruise terminal at Mayport. Its a blited area. But the people are afraid it would kill the shrimp boats business. I think they could both benefit. That way we could get bigger ships. Our port authorities are truly missing out.
