Cruise line a boost for Charleston business

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Cruise line a boost for Charleston business
February 15, 2010
By Nicole Johnson
live5news.com

CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) - Cruise season kicks off with the Celebrity Mercury embarking for an 11-day cruise to the Caribbean from Charleston. Before the ship sets sail, it brings in a lot of money to Charleston businesses.

"It's been a great adventure so far. We came yesterday and spent the night in Charleston and then got on the ship today, and walked into town, and we're going back, it's great," said Harry and Carole Thranhardt of Southport, NC.

The North Carolina couple spent money on a hotel room, dinner, tours and shopping during their stay.

Market vendors like it when cruise ships come because Market Street is walking distance from the cruise terminal.

"People have extra time before they get on the boat so they come wandering through, and they don't want to go too far from where the cruise terminal is, so the market for them is really convenient," said Wendy Frederick of Shirley's in the city market.

Over at Moon Pie, tourists came in wave after wave with just one question.

"They come inside and usually they don't know what a Moon Pie is. They are really big in the South. Usually the first thing they ask is what's a Moon Pie? I have to explain to them what a Moon Pie is and that it's a really big Southern treat," said Jack Seal.

Passengers boarded the Celebrity Mercury for about four hours. More than 1,800 people came to set sail for San Juan, Puerto Rico. This voyage will be the first of seven for the Celebrity Mercury from Charleston. Each cruise is expected to bring about $323,000 in direct spending.

"Whenever there's a cruise ship here, we definitely see an increase," said Seal.

"Me, I make a lot of money off the cruise ships when they come and they go," said Frederick.

"Having a cruise ship here with 2,000 people really will help the economy," said Thranhardt.

The cruises go on until April. The State Ports Authority has a new plan to shift traffic in a way that gets cruise-goers to the terminal as easily as possible. Watch out for closures on Concord Street on cruise days.

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