A Complete Guide to All-Inclusive Charleston Cruise Packages

If you're searching for all-inclusive cruises out of Charleston, SC, here's what you need to know first: big-ship cruises no longer start or end in Charleston. Carnival ended its Charleston homeport in early 2025, and the downtown Union Pier terminal welcomed its final cruise ship on June 30, 2026. You can still cruise from Charleston, though. Small-ship coastal cruises with genuinely all-inclusive pricing sail from the city to the Georgia and Florida sea islands, and three big-ship ports are within a day's drive. Here's how each option works and which one fits your trip.

What Changed at the Port of Charleston

For about 14 years, Carnival sailed round-trip cruises from Charleston, mostly to the Bahamas. That contract was not renewed, and Carnival Sunshine left Charleston for the last time in January 2025. The South Carolina Ports Authority then sold Union Pier for redevelopment, and the last ship docked there on June 30, 2026.

Some ships still visit Charleston as a port of call, using a commercial berth at the Columbus Street Terminal, but those are stops on longer itineraries. No large ocean cruise ships currently begin or end their voyages in Charleston, so any "3-day Bahamas cruise from Charleston" you see advertised for 2026 or 2027 is worth double-checking.

The Cruise That Still Starts in Charleston: Southeast Sea Islands Small-Ship Cruises

American Cruise Lines, a U.S. small-ship line, runs Southeast Sea Islands cruises between Charleston and Amelia Island, Florida, in both directions. These are about a week long and sail the Intracoastal Waterway rather than the open ocean.

Typical ports: Charleston, Beaufort and Hilton Head Island in South Carolina, Savannah, Jekyll Island or St. Simons Island in Georgia, and Amelia Island, Florida.
When they sail: mostly in late winter and spring (February through May) and again in late fall and the holiday season (November and December).
What's included: this is one of the few cruise styles where "all-inclusive" really means it. Meals, onboard entertainment, gratuities, alcohol, and port charges are typically included, and many shore excursions are too. Confirm the inclusions for your specific sailing.
Price range: listings for 2026 and 2027 sailings have started at roughly $6,000 per person and up, depending on date and stateroom.
Who it suits: travelers who want history, food, and scenery over waterslides and casinos, and who like the idea of a small ship with no long sea days. Because it's one-way, plan how you'll get home from Amelia Island (or to Charleston, if you sail the reverse route).

4-Day, 5-Day, and 7-Day Cruise Packages for Charleston Travelers

Because big ships no longer leave Charleston, the 4-, 5-, and 7-day cruises most Charleston travelers book now sail from Jacksonville (about 4 hours by car), Port Canaveral (about 6 hours), or Norfolk (about 7 to 8 hours). The one week-long option that starts in Charleston itself is the small-ship sea islands cruise described above. Fares below are recent per-person listings for an inside cabin, based on two people sharing; they change often, so treat them as a starting point.

4-Day Cruise Packages

Plan options: 4-night Bahamas round trips from Jacksonville on Carnival Elation, usually calling at Carnival's Celebration Key and Nassau. Port Canaveral also has 4-night Bahamas sailings with a similar route.
Typical costs: 4-night fares vary by date, so price them side by side with the 5-night sailings on the same ship before you book. Daily extras such as gratuities cost the same per day whatever the trip length.
Best for: first-time cruisers, a long weekend, or anyone who wants the old Charleston-to-Bahamas trip with the shortest drive.

5-Day Cruise Packages

Plan options: 5-night Bahamas round trips from Jacksonville on Carnival Elation, usually with two island days, such as Half Moon Cay and Celebration Key. Norfolk's sailings start at about five nights and add Bermuda as an option.
Typical costs: recent Jacksonville 5-night listings have started around $325 to $365 per person for an inside cabin, about $425 for an ocean view, and roughly $800 or more for a balcony or suite.
Best for: the best balance of sea days and port days without taking a full week off.

7-Day Cruise Packages

Plan options:
- Port Canaveral: the widest choice of week-long Eastern and Western Caribbean sailings from several lines, with ports such as St. Thomas, San Juan, Amber Cove, and Nassau.
- Norfolk: Carnival's longer Bahamas, Bermuda, and Eastern Caribbean sailings. Through mid-May 2027 these run five to nine nights; after Carnival Freedom arrives they shift to mostly 6- and 8-night trips.
- Charleston: the week-long small-ship Southeast Sea Islands cruise to Amelia Island, the only one of these that starts in the city.
Typical costs: recent 7-night Caribbean listings from Port Canaveral have started around $430 to $670 per person for an inside cabin, including taxes and fees, rising to about $600 to $860 for an ocean view, $670 to $1,000 for a balcony, and $1,100 to $1,700 for a suite. Summer and holiday weeks cost more. The small-ship sea islands cruise from Charleston starts at roughly $6,000 per person, but it includes far more in that price.
Best for: travelers who want more ports, a more relaxed pace, or a Caribbean trip beyond the Bahamas.

What "All-Inclusive" Really Means on These Cruises

The phrase means very different things depending on the type of cruise, and that difference has the biggest effect on your total cost.

Big-ship cruises (Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, Norfolk)

Included in the fare: your stateroom, meals in the main dining room and buffet, many casual eateries, shows and live entertainment, pools, water slides on many ships, fitness areas, and kids' clubs. Many listings now quote fares with taxes and port fees included; check whether yours does.
Usually extra:
- Gratuities: Carnival's daily gratuities are $17 per person per day in standard cabins and $19 in suites as of April 2026, charged for every day of the trip.
- Drinks: alcohol, specialty coffee, and soda cost extra unless you buy a package. Carnival's unlimited soda package is $11.99 per adult per day plus a 20% service charge, and its alcohol package costs considerably more per day.
- Everything else: specialty restaurants, Wi-Fi, spa treatments, shore excursions, port parking, and travel insurance.
How to build an "all-inclusive" package: add prepaid gratuities, a drink package if you'll really use it, and Wi-Fi if you need it. Some lines and travel agents bundle these into promotional fares, so compare what each quote includes rather than the base fare alone.

Small-ship cruises from Charleston

On the Southeast Sea Islands cruises, the price typically includes meals, onboard entertainment, gratuities, alcohol, and port charges, and many shore excursions are included too. You pay much more up front, but there are few extras to add.

Sample budget: a 5-night Jacksonville cruise for two

Fare: about $650 to $730 for two in an inside cabin, based on recent listings.
Gratuities: about $170 (two people, five days, $17 per day).
Drinks: about $145 for two adults on the soda package for five days including the service charge, or far more with an alcohol package.
Getting there: fuel for a roughly 4-hour drive each way, plus port parking.

Even with extras, a short Jacksonville cruise is usually the lowest-cost way for Charleston travelers to get to the Bahamas. If you'd rather not drive, see our guides to Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, and Norfolk cruise packages for port-by-port details.

How to Compare Your Options

Total trip cost, not just the fare: add fuel or flights, port parking, and a hotel night before departure if the drive is long. A cheaper fare from a farther port can cost more overall.
Read every inclusion list: two quotes at a similar price can differ by hundreds of dollars once gratuities, drinks, and parking are added. Our guide on what to know before choosing an all-inclusive cruise package explains how to compare.
Trip length and pace: Jacksonville and Port Canaveral suit short getaways; Norfolk and the small-ship sea islands cruises suit a full week.
Passports: a passport is strongly recommended for Bahamas, Bermuda, and Caribbean sailings, and may be required on some itineraries. Domestic small-ship cruises along the Southeast coast don't leave the U.S.
Season: hurricane season runs June through November and can change Bahamas and Caribbean itineraries, so consider travel insurance for those months.

Prefer to Fly?

Flights from Charleston International Airport reach the major Florida cruise cities, so pairing a flight with a cruise from Miami, Fort Lauderdale, or Port Canaveral is often easy. Some lines and travel agents bundle airfare into the package; see all-inclusive Caribbean cruises with airfare.

The Bottom Line

You can't take a big-ship cruise from Charleston anymore, but you still have good choices. For a truly all-inclusive trip that starts in the city, look at small-ship Southeast Sea Islands cruises to Amelia Island. For a classic Bahamas or Caribbean cruise, Jacksonville is the closest port, Port Canaveral has the most options, and Norfolk is your best bet for Bermuda. Confirm current schedules and inclusions with the cruise line before you book.