Charleston seafront houses

Charleston SC Hotels near Cruise Port (Carnival)

Stay close to Union Pier terminal, in historic centre, Mt. Pleasant, …

Places to Stay near Union Pier

Cooper River Bridge in Charleston

The historical and charming city of Charleston is located on the coast of South Carolina, on the banks of the Ashley and Cooper Rivers.

This seaport city, kwown as the “Holy City” because of its many church steeples and spires, is one of America’s oldest cities dating back to 1670.

Book today cheap deals for Charleston sc hotels and affordable motels near Union Pier, departure terminal of mainly Carnival Cruise Line. Stay in downtown, waterfront or near CHS airport.

Ships dock at the cruise passenger terminal at Union Pier, situated in the heart of the historic district at the foot of Market Street on Concord Street. From a downtown hotel or motel, Union Pier can easily be reached on foot or by taxi.

Most hotels in downtown near the port don’t offer car parking for the length of the cruise, but are only a short cab ride away from the port. There are lots of hotels that offer cruise-n-park options. Some of them offer also a shuttle transfer, some not.

Port Address : Entry gate (Gate #2) is near 280 Concord Street, Charleston, SC.

Hotels with FREE Shuttle Service to Charleston cruise port?

While hotels with shuttle service to the cruise port might be very convenient we can advise you to choose hotels on a balance of other factors such as location, amenities, reviews,…. Some hotels are within easy walking distance (no shuttle needed) from the port, other Downtown hotels are a cheap taxi or Uber ride away. Some hotels, mainly further away from the port, offer a package which may include parking and shuttle to the port.

When looking for hotels, the folowing properties are located within easy walking distance or offer a transport service;

1. Indigo Inn ★★★

Distance from Cruise Port : 0.5 miles (10 minutes walk)
Walking Distance

2. The Spectator Hotel ★★★★★

Distance from Cruise Port : 0.3 mile (7 minutes walk)
No Shuttle but within easy walking distance

3. Meeting Street Inn ★★★

Distance from Cruise Port : 0.5 miles (11 minutes walk)
Walking Distance

4. Best Western Charleston Inn ★★★

Distance from Cruise Port : 5.8 miles (14 minutes by taxi/Uber)
$50 plus tax for Cruise Parking, approx. $30/person for round-trip transportation

Bestsellers

Colorful sunset in Charleston

Harborside at Charleston Harbor Resort

Well priced 4 star hotel located outside Charleston SC in Mount Pleasant.

Historic district Charleston

Hampton Inn Charleston-Historic District

Budget friendly downtown Charleston hotel, within easy reach of the cruise port terminal.

Charleston city and cruise port

Motel 6 Charleston North

Cheap motel just north of Charleston International Airport. Stay here and drive the next day to the port.

Charleston

Port of Charleston in South Carolina

From the Port of Charleston several cruise companies offer cruises to the Caribbean islands and Bermuda.

Ships dock at the cruise passenger terminal at Union Pier, situated in the heart of the historic district at the foot of Market Street on Concord Street. Carnival Cruises is the main operator at the port. The Carnival sails to the Bahamas with stops in Nassau, Freeport, Half Moon Cay and Little Stirrup Cay, and to the Caribbean with a stop in Grand Turk.

Some longer voyages will bring you to the Eastern Caribbean with fascinating ports of call such as San Juan cruise port in Puerto Rico, Fort de France in Martinique and Charlotte Amalie on the island of St Thomas.

Union Pier Passenger – Carnival Cruises Ship Terminal

Charleston cruise terminal, called Union Pier, is located in the downtown area, easily reached via several major routes into the city including Interstate 26, Highway 17-South and Highway 17-North.

Entry for all passengers is via Gate 2, at the intersection of Concord and Laurens Streets.

South Carolina Ports Authority Cruise Line

Phone : 843–958–8298

web : scspa.com

email: cruises@scspa.com

Carnival Cruise Lines

Phone: 1–800–764–7419

web : www.carnival.com

Other Atlantic Ocean ports include the port of Jacksonville in Florida, and Norfolk in Virginia (see hotels).

Where to Stay?

A large number of reasonable priced hotels and inexpensive motels are located within close distance of the Union Pier passenger terminal, embarkation point of Carnival Cruise Line. Many hotels offer discounts and free shuttles, mostly properties located just outside the downtown area and in Mount Pleasant.

When staying in a hotel in the heart of the historic downtown district, than you are only steps away from horse drawn carriage tours, museums, art galleries, antique shops, along with world-renowned dining just outside your doorstep. Union passenger pier is situated nearby.

Quite a few of these hotels are located in the Mt. Pleasant area. Several places to stay in the Mt Pleasant area offer a cruise-n-park option. Park your car at the hotel for the duration of your cruise. Some provide a shuttle to/from the cruise terminal. Mt Pleasant is close to Patriots Point, and near Sullivan’s Island.

Another option is staying nearby the airport. A lot of accommodations offer a free shuttle service transfer to/from the airport. CHS, located in North Charleston, is about 15-20 minutes away from the historic downtown. Many feature also an outdoor or indoor swimming pool.

markerHotels in Charleston

Nearest airport – CHS International Airport

CHS Airport — Port of Charleston is well served by Charleston International Airport, located about 13 miles from the pier and downtown.

Transportation from CHS airport to the cruise pier is available either by shared shuttle, taxi, or transfers through Carnival Cruise Lines.

Car Parking

Parking — safe and secure car parking is located close to the pier.

The parking lot, patrolled by Port Police, is access controlled and available only to cruise passengers. Complimentary shuttles services are provided by the port authority from the parking areas to the entry door of the cruise terminal building.

Only smaller carry-on luggage is allowed on the shuttles. Larger luggage is collected at the check-through luggage tent, prior to parking.

Parking is paid upon arrival at the Port on embarkation day. Reservations are not accepted in advance, but there is ample space, so availability is not a problem.

Lovely City with Southern Charm

Charleston in South Carolina is a lovely city attracting lot of tourists with its southern charm, historical architecture and bustling promenade along the waterfront.

Take a horse drawn tour around the old city streets and admire the historic buildings and fascinating colonial architecture. Visit the French Quarter, kwown for its art galleries and old churches. Stroll the city’s cobbled streets and stop at the Old Exchange & Provost Dungeon, one of the most significant colonial buildings in the United States. Nearby is historic Joseph Manigault House, a National Historic Landmark part of the Charleston Museum.

In downtown, St Michael’s Episcopal Church is the oldest church building in Charleston sc. Head to Fort Sumter fortification in the harbour of Charleston, site of the start of the American Civil War when the first shot was fired by Confederate forces. A nice place to rest and enjoy a picnic is Charleston Waterfront Park, close to restaurants and hotels. There is a pleasant pier with incredible views of the harbor and sail boats, some nice fountains and a enjoyable walking path with benches.

Travel outside the city to the surrounding Low Country. Visit Boone Hall plantation, one of the oldest working plantations in the country. Take a look in the old mansion, see original slave cabins or take a tour in an open air coach that takes you around the plantation.

Stay overnight in one of Charleston’s pre or post cruise reasonable priced downtown hotels, close to the passenger port or in a discount hotel or affordable motel near the airport and all the city’s main tourist attractions are just a short stroll away.

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