United Kingdom
United States
Asia Pacific
Charleston waves off final homeported cruise departure
Carnival Cruise Line is starting its final departure from downtown Charleston today.
After more than a decade and hundreds of departures from the Union Pier Terminal, the cruise line bids farewell with its final homeport departure today, December 30.
The New Year cruise has long been sold out and calls at Nassau and Half Moon Cay aboard Carnival Sunshine.
It returns to Charleston for the last time on January 4.
The Ports Authority is selling Union Pier to local businessman Ben Navarro who will redevelop the site.
As such, the port authority is not renewing its homeporting contract with Carnival Cruise Line.
“We had to pivot in the way that we were utilizing Union Pier,” said Barbara Melvin, the port’s president and CEO.
“It really reflected nothing about our relationship with Carnival, but just more about what we had decided to do as the South Carolina Port.”
The port area will have new facilities but won’t go back to being a homeporting base for cruise ships.
Learn more about : Carnival Cruise Line ( N. America )
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Mark Jaronski of Explore Georgia on FIFA World Cup 2026
Connecting Small Businesses to Global Tourism Markets: Nate Huff of Tourism Exchange
North Carolina’s Resilience: Wit Tuttell on Recovery and Tourism
Kittipong Prapattong’s Plan for Thailand’s Tourism Growth: Taxes, Visas, and Campaigns
James Jin: Didatravel’s Journey from China to Global Reach and the Impact of AI on Travel
Darien Schaefer on Pensacola’s Evolution: From Small Town to Global Destination
Florida Tourism’s Next Frontier: Dana Young on Expanding Beyond the Classics
Patrick Harrison on Tampa Bay Tourism’s Resilience and Marketing Strategy
Bubba O’Keefe on Clarksdale’s Vibrant Music Scene
Commemorating Elvis and Embracing Tupelo’s Culture with Jennie Bradford Curlee
Craig Ray and the Expansion of the Blues Trail
Presenting Mississippi’s Cultural Trails with Katie Coats
BA suspending all Heathrow to Abu Dhabi flights
Turkish Airlines flight in emergency landing after pilot dies
Unexpected wave rocks cruise ship
Woman dies after going overboard in English Channel
Report: Cruise guest died after ship lashed in heavy storm