It was the last thing Carnival Sunshine passengers expected when they returned to the Port of Charleston on Monday afternoon. Passengers had just endured a rocky cruise to the Bahamas only to come to a flooded parking lot and their cars ruined.
Over the weekend, the East Coast was pounded by severe weather, resulting in gale-force winds, heavy rains and flooding. By mid-day Sunday, Charleston received nearly four inches of rain and the tide gauge reached over nine feet.
When passengers disembarked and arrived at the flooded cruise terminal parking lot, they discovered their vehicles damaged with saltwater, if not totally ruined.
“It was pretty upsetting and very overwhelming,” Kit Herold, a passenger who was onboard with her two teenage daughters, told USA TODAY.
Herold purchased the four-night cruise as a Christmas present. She drove four hours in her new 2023 Kia Sportage from her home in Forest City, North Carolina, to Charleston for the cruise.
People were standing in disbelief, she said. “You could hear people shrieking in tears, their cars wouldn’t start. They didn’t know what to do.”
A spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Lines told USA TODAY in an emailed statement: “We regret that some of our guests’ vehicles parked in the port’s lot were impacted by the recent storm.”
Carnival suggested passengers contact the proper parking authorities while making clear the parking lot was not a company facility. “We assisted in some ways where we could, for instance with helping guests connect with their insurance providers” the cruise line added.
Cruisers were aware of the “astronomical bad weather,” as Herold put it, while on the ship. The rough seas had many passengers feeling like they “had enough of their vacation, ready to get off the ship.”
Passengers were informed the ship’s arrival to the port was delayed due to the “excessive flooding,” but not that there was anything to prepare for, Herold said.
As one of the first groups to arrive at the parking lot, Herold found her new car – which had less than 10,000 miles – with its airbag deployed, four inches of water in the car and the doors unlocked.
“My disbelief hit because it was a brand new car,” Herold said. “I was upset. I cried and my girls were standing with big eyes, they didn’t know what to do.”
Herold said she didn’t receive help from South Carolina Ports Authority nor Carnival staff but two police officers were there.
S.C. Ports Authority did not immediately respond to USA TODAY’s request for comment but provided the following statement to ABC News:
The recent record high tide and unprecedented flooding that occurred throughout downtown Charleston resulted in some cruise passenger vehicles being impacted. The South Carolina Ports team worked closely with passengers to provide assistance from the moment they arrived until the last passenger departed the terminal. Port police ensured passengers had the necessary reports to document damage for their insurance companies. Passengers were not charged for additional days to use the parking lot and are able to leave their vehicles as long as necessary. Port staff worked around the clock to call tow companies on behalf of passengers, assist with jumping vehicles and pumping out water, and helping them find transportation to area hotels.
The entity said it does not assume liability for vehicles or personal property left in the passenger parking areas.
Herold called her insurance provider who said they would set up the towing and a rental car so she could drive home to North Carolina. When Herold took an Uber to Enterprise, they told her they were out of cars and she had to wait a few hours until a car was available.
Herold said she feels “very blessed” her airbag deployed, making her car undriveable. “A lot of people were being told to drive home and breaking down on Interstate 26.”
She does think that S.C. Ports Authority could “step up and reimburse us the money we paid to trust them with our vehicles,” especially since they “didn’t offer any assistance (for) the catastrophic event that occurred.”
She said she’s still waiting to hear back on the state of her car. “I have no idea, I’m left in the unknown.”
Kathleen Wong is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Hawaii. You can reach her at [email protected].
Barbara Terrio is a seasoned business journalist, delving into the world of finance, startups, and entrepreneurship. With a knack for demystifying complex economic trends, she helps readers navigate the business landscape. Outside of her reporting, Barbara is an advocate for financial literacy and enjoys mentoring aspiring entrepreneurs.
