ChucktownSteve

We have decided to park at the port (unless I can find a hotel that does stay and cruise cheaper than $200 for us). Anyone know of a hotel close to port that is descent and $100 or less a night? I'm getting anxious to find one. I don't know anything about the area and I don't want to stay in a bad area.

It's going to be tough to hit your price point of $100 close to downtown unless you try naming your price on Priceline. Select the historic district or Charleston Riverview areas. Keep the stars 3 or greater.

You could look at the Hotels on Lockwood Drive or along Savannah Highway in West Ashley. Another close in area is Mt. Pleasant on Johnny Dodds Blvd area close to the Ravenel Bridge. Those are all good areas.

Has anyone done a Park and Cruise hotel recently in Charleston? I've used the link some posters have given from the Charleston Visitor Bureau but so many of the listed hotels either aren't offering it any longer or not offering shuttles.

Your cruise is in a heavy tourism season. Hotels don't need to fill extra rooms so they're not as willing to package.

Even if there was a Park n Cruise hotel, have you ever noticed that the price difference of the package vs. booking directly without parking then using the port parking are about equal or the package is more expensive?

Then there's the inconvenience of waiting for the return van to pick up your vehicle. On a short cruise I don't believe you'll save with Park n Cruise considering all things.

I've heard lots of people say that they take the ship's excursions because if anything happens to cause a delay, the cruise line will hold the ship. I understand that.

However, I'm wondering if anyone on a private tour has ACTUALLY been returned to the port after your ship has left? I'm not looking for a hypothetical but actual experience of it happening.

Would you mind sharing the details and how did you meet up with the ship later?

Thank you.

What we need is a good ol' fashion recession to bring cruise costs down again. I'm ready. :D

On Western Med. Itineraries, this is resolved by docking in Monaco, which is not part of the EU ( although part of Schengen and Eurozone).

 

Visiting Monaco voids the Spanish and Italian VAT tax when not in their Territorial Waters.

On our W. Med cruise from Italy last fall, we stopped in Monaco then later two Spanish ports. We would have been charged Spain's VAT from entering their waters until we docked in Lisbon because we had a sea day after Spain before disembarking Lisbon.

I said "would have" because we didn't buy anything during that time! :D

Spanish ports are notoriously known for pick pockets. This is just another version however by a legal method. :rolleyes:

While you are allowed to bring back five ltrs of liquor plus one made in the U.S. Virgin Island (total six per person) as long as you visit a USVI. I usually buy 13 Ltr bottles for my DW and myself. I do declare the extra bottle but because the paperwork is more work than the duty they can collect, I've never been charged duty on the 13th ltr. :D

When I got a quote from one of the car services mentioned in this thread, using a specific route from the Robert Treat Best Western to Cape Liberty and then Cape Liberty to EWR, they gave the price and added that the price did not include tolls.

When I inquired what the tolls were, they replied, "Tolls will depend on the route the driver takes." So here's my question, is there a route the driver would take that causes tolls when there is another (better) route where he could avoid tolls?

On a previous visit I used a taxi to go from Manhattan to LGA. He wanted to take me the long route to add fare even though I asked him to use the tunnel.

Do the car services do the same type of thing?

San G has a shop that advertises the best Gelato in the world. It was very good. L.

Yes and almost right next to it is another Gelato shop that says the same thing. lol

Make sure that if you do include San G that you are able to walk steep inclines both up and down.

We did a private van with other role call members that allowed about 1.5 hours to roam San G before traveling to a winery. We saved a lot of money from the cruise excursion.

Yikes $100-$150 RT taxi/van cost for the cruise??? :eek:

My September cruise will be the last time I use Bayonne to get on a cruise. It's just not a convenient/cost efficient port for me. I'd rather drive to FL instead of flying to NJ.

We have FTTF which means we can get off of our Carnival ship early. The itinerary says we get back in port at 8am. I make a Palmetto carriage ride tour for 10:30. Will that give us enough time to get off the ship, get our car and drive there?

 

Thanks!

You should be able to do that.

Do you have a private carriage or are you joining the group carriage? If the latter, you'll just get on the next carriage going out once you arrive. If you're doing a private carriage, let them know you're getting off the ship so there is a slight possibility you may be delayed. I'm sure they will accommodate you. They're great people and one of the most respected carriage companies.

I hope you enjoy Charleston!

I-26 is a great way to get to Charleston. :)

Once there, you'll just have to deal with the only road to the cruise terminal which might at times take about an hour. ;)

LuLu

If it does take an hour, that's only because of other cruise traffic waiting in line to get into the luggage drop off area. It's not because of Charleston traffic. There is a different entrance for taxi, hotel vans & limo drop offs.

The route suggested by the Port was developed through them, the city and cruise line. It routes you so that you don't enter the heavily trafficked downtown tourist area...just the heavily trafficked cruise route.

I'd follow the Port of Charleston directions as the best way. Coming down I-26 exit Morrison Drive which later becomes East Bay Street. Here is a link to the map supplied by them. http://www.port-of-charleston.com/cruises/Documents/Directions_to_Gate.pdf

I've also attached the PDF. You will avoid the most traffic using this route. Just look for the road side signs directing you to the cruise terminal that they put out the morning of the cruise.

Directions_to_Gate.pdf

Well, it was registered! But has since been cancelled.

That was apparently an entertainment company who had it before. It looks like it was a registered logo.

Dead trademark means "Celebrity Edge" is available for filing again.

(I am not an attorney but have been accused of looking like one when I wore suits. I now don't wear suits!)

I agree there's better downtown Lizzie, although I am fond of CCCs food. I'd also recommend exactly what you said if the poster had not specified near their hotel - perhaps ChucktownSteve can persuade their driving friends to leave the car and try Skytraining downtown...?

This is more a meet and greet over dinner pre cruise since they'll be on the ship too. They're coming in a day and a half earlier to be a tourist. We're doing that on the back end. We discussed the downtown area but they are staying there, traveling to our hotel then back downtown to their hotel. So they felt picking us up and driving back downtown would be too much back tracking. Otherwise downtown would definitely have been in the cards. :)

Thankx xlxo & Martincath for your wealth of information and great suggestions! So many restaurants and not enough time. :)

Can you clarify which Richmond hotel so we can target your restaurant options? Are you staying in Storybrooke?

 

BTW.... Dim Sum is a brunch/lunch option. Not available for dinner.

We're staying at LaQuinta Airport but the other couple has a rental car and is picking us up for dinner. So basically that part of town is where we're seeking. One of the other couple has problems when she eats Asian food.

Thankx.

We'll be staying in Richmond Monday night pre cruise. We're having a hard time finding a good restaurant for dinner that isn't Asian or serves dim sum. Someone suggested the Boathouse. Any quick recommendations or suggestions? Thankx. Steve

Handicapped parking is not only free at the port but at all parking meters and city parking garages. Charleston if a friendly city. :D Y'all come back now, ya hear. :cool:

It is a very light continental breakfast. Most go for the free cappuccino, espresso, latte, bloody Mary, mimosa, Bellini. It use to be a buffet but now they just bring you a pre-made plate. It has really gone downhill in food and service.

TY. Now I understand. If I want a real breakfast it doesn't matter that I'm not elite yet. :p With the Classic package I can still get free coffees and the bloody Mary, mimosa, Bellini. :cool:

As I've been reading over a period of time, it seems that the benefit of being Elite has been diminishing and not as special because so many have entered that category. Kinda like the airlines and their miles programs where you then had to fly in undesirable hours or pay double miles. I dropped my Skymiles card for just that reason.

That seems to take away from the loyalty goal of becoming elite status.

If there are SO MANY elites and +'s on board, what would be the private breakfast benefit than elsewhere on the ship? Is the food or service that much better?

To quote a fellowposter here, "what in the world is a lunch experience?!"

A "nooner"

My oh my. I wonder what the other side would tell us about the event?

As we have never visited Charleston as a cruise port we are wondering if we should get a hotel with a Park and Cruise Option or just part at the port. Just checking for different thoughts from those who have done either and advantages and disadvantages.

Hi Chillidog, I hope you have a great visit. Have you priced a room at the same hotel without the park/cruise option? Check the difference in price with what it would cost you to park at the port. The cruise isn't that long.

If you're not going to spend extra time to visit Charleston, then it's just a math equation coupled with the convenience of just getting off the ship and driving home or waiting for transportation to your hotel before you can drive home. Another consideration is your vehicle is locked in a warehouse while you're cruising vs. being in an unguarded hotel parking lot.

I'm not suggesting the hotel will be unsafe. But as everywhere, you never know when something might happen.

I trust that gives you some considerations for your decision.

We will be in Charleston, SC during our Cruise and I have organized a Tour. According to our information, we will be picked up at the corner of Market Street & Concord and wanted to know how far that is from where we Dock and are they any shuttles up & down Concord. According to the map & if I am reading it correctly it looks to be close to 0.5 miles. Thank You. We are arriving on the ROS Oct 31st, 2015

Concord & Market is at the port entrance. The terminal is about one city block walk from Concord. The Customs House is across the street actually. Google Fleet Landing Restaurant which is next to the Cruise Terminal entrance and also at the corner across from the Customs House.