Carnival Sunshine bids farewell to Charleston with its final cruise

Published on January 1, 2025

By: Paramita Sarkar

Carnival Cruise Line has officially concluded its operations in Charleston as the Carnival Sunshine embarked on its final voyage from the port on December 30, 2024.

This marks the end of a 14-year partnership as Charleston’s cruise terminal prepares for redevelopment.

The farewell cruise, a five-night itinerary, features stops in Nassau and Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, along with two days of cruising in the Atlantic.

Passengers aboard the 2,964-guest vessel will also celebrate New Year’s Eve at sea. The voyage is set to conclude in Charleston on January 4, 2025.

Following this final sailing, the Carnival Sunshine will undergo a routine drydock before repositioning to its new homeport in Norfolk, Virginia.

Starting in February, the ship will offer year-round cruises ranging from five to eight nights to the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Destinations include Grand Turk, Princess Cays, Bimini, and Amber Cove.

Carnival’s departure from Charleston ends an era of homeporting operations that began in 2010 with the Carnival Fantasy, later succeeded by the Carnival Ecstasy in 2016, and eventually the Carnival Sunshine in 2019. The Sunshine, the largest and most modern Carnival ship to homeport in South Carolina, primarily offered four- and five-night itineraries to the Bahamas during its tenure.

The cruise line faced challenges during its operations, including opposition from locals concerned about cruise activity and delays in plans to redevelop the city’s cruise terminal. While homeporting operations have ceased, Charleston’s port will remain open for ships making transit calls as part of their regional itineraries.

In addition to Carnival, other cruise lines that have visited Charleston in the past include AIDA Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean International, and Crystal Cruises.