Charleston's Union Pier: The End of an Era for Cruise Ships

The time is running out for cruise ships in Charleston. By July 4, 2026, the last cruise ship will leave Union Pier. This is a big change for a place that has seen cruise ships since the 1930s. The Oceania Vista will be the last ship to dock at Union Pier. It will arrive on July 4, 2026, after a long trip from London to Miami. Before that, other ships like the Vision of Seas and Norwegian Jewel will visit. The Norwegian Jewel will visit 11 times between April and June 2026. In total, eight ships and 26 cruises are planned for 2026. This is more than in 2025. But after 2026, no more cruise ships will come to Union Pier. Ben Navarro bought Union Pier for $250 million. He plans to stop all cruise ship activity there by summer 2026. This is part of his plan to change what happens at Union Pier.Cruise ships have been part of Charleston since 1937. The first ship, the New Northland, brought 122 travelers to Charleston. Over the years, more ships came. In 2010, Carnival made Charleston a home port. But in 2023, Carnival left, and the number of ships started to decrease. Some people were not happy with the cruise ships. They said the ships caused problems for the environment and the historic areas. So, the ports authority decided to stop cruise ship activity at Union Pier. The ports authority will still look at new requests for cruise ships. But most cruise lines plan their trips far in advance. So, it is unlikely that any new ships will come to Union Pier after 2026.