Families and kids aboard
Families and kids aboard
What families should know before taking children on the Charleston dinner cruise: strollers, tickets, the menu, the late finish, steps and the open deck.
Reserve a table on the dinner cruise ↗Are children welcome?
The operator's pages give no age limit for the dinner cruise. They do say that every guest, child or infant, is charged the same rate as an adult, with no exceptions, so a family books a full seat for each person. Whether the evening suits a child depends on the child: it is a seated dinner of about two and a half hours with live music, on a boat that stays within the harbor.
Strollers and gear
Strollers are prohibited on board for safety reasons, and weapons and sharp objects are not allowed. If you travel with a baby, plan on a carrier and leave the stroller in the car or at the hotel. Bags are searched before you board, so keep what you carry small. The operator also says that guests who arrive intoxicated will not be allowed to board, which applies to every member of a party.
What children can eat
The dinner is a four-course plated meal made to order, and the fall sample menu offers soup, salad, and a choice of short rib, chicken, salmon, shrimp and grits or a vegetarian squash dish, then a choice of two desserts. There is no separate children's menu on the sample menu. The kitchen is not nut-free, shellfish-free or gluten-free, so tell your server about any allergy when you order.
The late finish
Boarding begins at 6:30 pm, the boat sails at 7:00 pm and the cruise ends at about 9:30 pm. After that you walk back to the car and drive home from Mount Pleasant, which can mean a child asleep by the time you leave the lot. For younger children, the 90-minute history cruise from downtown is an easier fit, since it is shorter and runs by day or at sunset.
Steps, decks and the open air
The operator says accessibility is very limited and that steps are required. The dining decks are enclosed and air-conditioned, and the upper deck is open air. Keep children close on the stairs and on the open deck, where the wind off the water can be strong. If a child is likely to want to climb, sit near the stairs so you can follow. Steps are part of boarding, so allow time.
What to wear and bring
The dress code is resort casual, and the operator suggests flat or low-heeled shoes for the boat and a light jacket in cooler months, because it can be breezy on the water. Bring a card, since the bar takes cards, not cash. No outside alcohol, music or speakers are allowed, pets are not allowed apart from service animals, and every dinner cruise is non-smoking. Leave anything you do not need in the car, because bags are searched before boarding.
Booking for a family
Book everyone on one booking and count a full fare for each child. The booking offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before and the choice to reserve now and pay later, which helps when school and travel plans are uncertain. Pick a date between mid-March and early October if you want daylight and the sunset during the first part of the sailing; at other times of year the whole evening is after dark.
Parking and the walk
Parking is paid and run by a separate company, so budget for it. The visitor lot at Patriots Point is on Club House Road, and you walk from it to the dock and the ticket window to collect your boarding pass. Allow extra time for a family to cover that distance, and aim to be at the dock before boarding begins at 6:30 pm rather than at the last minute.
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