Cruise ports 101: Charleston, SC cruises for 2009 and 2010

Cruise ports 101: Charleston, SC cruises for 2009 and 2010
July 15, 2009
Keith Cooke
Examiner.com

For most travelers, convenience is a key ingredient in deciding their next vacation. Cruisers are typically the same breed. For those travelers who live in the Carolinas, there is an option for them to be local, yet have the ability to see the world at the same time. Charleston, SC offers one of the best cruise ports in the country, and is only a short drive for most travelers in both states. When you consider the convenience that this lends, a cruise out of Charleston might be the best option for you.

Charleston's cruise port, which is located in the historic district of town, is host to the following cruises over the next year and a half:

2009

Carnival Triumph 5 Night Bahamas - sail date: November 2, 2009 - sails to Freeport, Bahamas and Nassau, Bahamas before returning to Charleston. Prices for this cruise start at $569 per person, double occupancy, not including gratuities and government fees and taxes. This pricing structure (double occupancy, etc.) will be uniform for all cruises listed below.

2010

* Carnival Glory 5 Night Bahamas - sail dates: May 24, 2010 or November 1, 2010 - sails to Freeport, Bahamas and Nassau, Bahamas before returning to Charleston. Prices for these cruises start at $479 per person.
* Celebrity Mercury 10 Night Caribbean - sail date: April 9, 2010 - sails to Key West, Florida; Costa Maya, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Mexico; and Nassau, Bahamas before returning to Charleston. Prices for this cruise start at $899 per person.
* Celebrity Mercury 10 Night Western Caribbean - sail dates: February 26, 2010 or March 19, 2010 - sails to Key West, Florida; Costa Maya, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Cozumel, Mexico; and Nassau, Bahamas before returning to Charleston. Prices for these cruises start at $789 per person.
* Celebrity Mercury 11 Night Eastern Caribbean - sail dates: February 15, 2010, March 8, 2010 or March 29, 2010 - sails to San Juan, Puerto Rico; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; Basseterre, St. Kitts; and Tortola, British Virgin Islands before returning to Charleston. Prices for these cruises start at $999 per person.
* Celebrity Mercury 16 Night Transatlantic - sail date: April 19, 2010 - sails to Cartagena, Colombia; Panama Canal, Panama; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Santa Cruz Huatulco, Mexico; Acapulco, Mexico; Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; and ending in Los Angeles, California. Prices for this cruise start at $1,399 per person.

Please see or call your local travel agent for more details. Also, please stay tuned for more of the cruising experience in future articles. Until then, Bon Voyage!