Staff Report
Published Sept. 17, 2009

Carnival Cruise Lines will begin offering regular cruises from Charleston next spring, setting the first-ever year-round cruise schedule for the port.

Carnival will operate five-, six- and seven-day trips from the passenger terminal in downtown Charleston to the Bahamas and Key West, Fla., beginning May 18.

Jim Newsome, president and CEO of the S.C. State Ports Authority, joined representatives of the Charleston maritime community, the city of Charleston and the tourism industry in making the announcement. (Pictured are S.C. Rep. Chip Limehouse [from left], S.C. Sen. Larry Grooms, Newsome, and Charleston Mayor Joe Riley. Photo/Leslie Halpern)

“This commitment by Carnival underscores Charleston’s cruise development potential and is a testament to the local maritime and tourism community’s hard work,” Newsome said.

Newsome said the announcement was the culmination of work from a variety of parties in the Charleston cruise business, including the local hospitality industry, the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, longshoremen, agents, stevedores and others.

Charleston’s centralized location in the Southeast, as well as the city’s strong appeal as a tourist destination, were key factors in Carnival’s decision, the State Ports Authority said in a news release.

“Charleston is an extraordinary city within easy reach of millions of U.S. residents,” said Gerry Cahill, Carnival’s president and CEO, who praised the efficiency of the cruise terminal here.

The cruises from the Port of Charleston will be aboard the 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy.

“This vessel is a perfect fit for the Port of Charleston and is similar in size to others we have hosted in years past,” Newsome said. “We have enjoyed a successful, long-standing relationship with Carnival, and we are very pleased to extend that relationship with a year-round calendar.”

Previously, Carnival voyages from Charleston have been only seasonal, including two five-day cruises on the Carnival Triumph this year and two planned for the Carnival Glory next year.

Earlier this week, the SPA board hired an urban design firm to update a plan for a nine-acre swath in downtown Charleston that includes the passenger terminal.