Charleston Harbor Ghost Cruise: Haunted Narrated Tour
4.6
394 Ratings
Charleston
Explore Charleston Harbor's haunted history on a 1.5-hour ghost cruise. Discover eerie tales and stunning sights aboard the Palmetto catamaran.
Duration: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights

The Palmetto, a 45-foot motorized catamaran certified by the US Coast Guard, accommodates a maximum of 49 individuals. Commencing and concluding at the Charleston Maritime Center on 10 Wharfside Street, the tours are a stone’s throw away from the SC Aquarium in the heart of downtown Charleston. We implore our guests to check-in at the blue and white ticket booth situated on the far-left dock facing the ocean, 30 minutes before the tour’s commencement. Unfortunately, due to construction activity, parking at the Charleston Maritime Center is currently unattainable. Nevertheless, on-street parking provisions are in place and there’s a city parking garage in close proximity to the Aquarium. Well-maintained restrooms are available at the Maritime Center and there’s also a washroom facility onboard. Assorted beverages and prepacked snacks are available for purchase on the boat.

After boarding and settling down, our assistant will brief you on safety protocols preceding the boat’s departure. Revel in the tranquility of an evening sail as you navigate through the waterways of Charleston. The city’s historic forts, residences, and vessels are the inspiration behind several renowned ghost tales from the South. Embark on a journey to sites inaccessible by foot. Embrace the cool gusts from Charleston Harbor and listen to intriguing narratives of lost wealth, pirate vessels, and untimely demise as you traverse in the secretive waves of Charleston. Stories of the city’s past and present devastation caused by pirates, wars, and storms will capture your interest.

Renowned for terrifying encounters and haunted places, Charleston takes the trophy as it is ranked among America’s most haunted cities.

What's Included
  • Embark on a thrilling haunted ghost cruise.
What's Not Included
  • Food and drinks
  • Alcoholic drinks (available to purchase)
  • Gratuities
Additional Information

Ever pondered the possibility of spectral beings in Charleston, SC? Does the mere idea of a ghostly encounter give you goosebumps? Regardless of whether you actually meet a phantom or not, expect an entertaining experience steeped in history and intriguing views from Charleston’s haunted harbor. We offer a 1.5-hour guided tour around the Charleston Harbor on our US Coast Guard Approved 45-foot powered catamaran, the Palmetto. It can host up to 49 guests.

  • Children under 3 are not permitted!
  • Paid parking is available in the SC Aquarium Parking Garage (5 minute walk) or at the parking meters on Concord Street. Please keep in mind that street parking can sometimes be difficult to find. The Charleston Maritime Center (owned by the City of Charleston) sadly does not offer parking to the public. However, passengers are allowed to be dropped off. As you get closer to the water look for the blue & white Sandlapper Tours ticket booth on the left dock. Feel free to call if you have questions or need help. (843)849-8687
Location
Charleston Maritime Center
Wharfside Street
Please check in at our blue & white ticket booth located on the far left pier when facing the water at least 30 minutes prior to tour departure.
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.6
(394 Ratings)
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Barbara_w
May 6, 2024
So glad we did this! - Beautiful boat ride and a gorgeous night. The captain and Chase told wonderful stories and local lore. They were outgoing, fun, energetic and likable.
Review provided by Viator
Arlenera5304dj
May 4, 2024
Lots of Fun - Entertaining and lots of fun. Very enjoyable! Storyteller was so informative. Happy, happy we did this. .,......,..............
Review provided by Tripadvisor
June_m
Apr 21, 2024
Fun evening boat tour. - Loved listening to the 'colorful' stories about Charleston's history. It was a fun night with great weather. I recommend it highly. I would suggest that better instruction be given on parking.
Review provided by Viator
G6117vuzacharym
Apr 11, 2024
Great evening harbor tour - I visit Charleston with my wife often, but have always declined the ghost tours because I thought they were hokey. A colleague recommended this one, and since we were bringing our kids on this trip decided to do it. The tour was wonderful, full of great History, facts, sites, and even the ghost stories were fun. Lee was a wonderful guide.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Robin_s
Apr 7, 2024
Beautiful informative evening! - Lee did a fantastic job narrating the stories. She was incredibly knowledgeable and had first hand experience. We loved it that she is a Charleston local!
Review provided by Viator
Damian_j
May 29, 2024
Fun trip - Fun and unique experience. Enjoyed the tour guide’s stories and narration. I would recommend the night trip.
Review provided by Viator
Kathy_s
Apr 21, 2024
Super cool - The story telling of course ! We had a small group, which made it more memorable. Would definitely recommend
Review provided by Viator
Gloria_b
Apr 3, 2024
Terrible sound. Couldn’t hear stories. - The sound was not good. We sat in the back of boat and could not hear the stories. There was a speaker that kept going in and out. My husband LOVES ghost stories and we were disappointed we could not hear them. Need a better sound system or some way for everyone to be able to hear the stories.
Review provided by Viator
986laurenj986
May 29, 2024
Tour Guide is terrific / Captain has major anger management issues - I hate writing bad reviews and almost never do. The boat tour itself was great as was the tour guide. If we ended on that note it would be 5 stars. However, the Captain completely snapped and lost his mind on my friend to the point I was terrified it would escalate and someone was going to end up in jail. (Should be him but there's always the risk of the authorities taking locals' sides over tourists). First off, I am the daughter of three generations of harbor pilots. I'm on boats all the time. I understand that docking is stressful/ requires concentration and following orders is important on a ship so please don't try to say I don't. I also know that a Captain should be calm and understand that aggression/escalation endangers the safety of everyone. He was totally out of line. My friend has a loud and joyful personality and we were at the end of a great trip. We were having fun. She wasn't being quiet enough for him and he just lost it. We also think he may have confused her with a different passenger who lit a cigarette but I'm not making excuses for this loser. He singled her out, screamed in her face, tried to (or maybe even did put hands on her) before we were able to intervene. This is not a way to get a passenger to be quiet so you can concentrate on docking FYI it's a way to make everything worse. He allowed his anger to escalate to a level well beyond unprofessional which made my friends reaction worse. Since we were on his boat, we were at his mercy and I was just praying I could get my friend out of the situation. WE de-escalated the situation not him. A Captain who is so easily provoked to assault a passenger is just as if not more dangerous than a boating accident. I wish I had caught the guy's name so I could tell everyone which Captain to avoid. Again, the tour guide herself was great and no complaints there. If you're reading this, sir, please seek help or at the very least don't work with tourists trying to have a good time if you can't handle it. There were much more professional, safe, and effective ways to address the situation. This line of work is not for you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Gabriela_n
May 29, 2024
Silence is expected and groups made to feel unwelcome - I want to start this review by acknowledging that while my friends were being loud the way it was handled was completely inappropriate. During Memorial Day weekend, myself and 6 friends decided that we wanted to take a night cruise around Charleston, the only option available was this ghost tour. We thought it was odd as we have never heard of water dwelling ghosts since Charleston is known for its inland haunted buildings but we said why not let’s just see what it’s all about. (Now, if you’ve been to Charleston or are considering vitiating Charleston, you should know there is a big party culture, a favorite for bachelorette parties, long weekends, holidays.) This tour started at 9:15pm and it all started off good we boarded the boat and were offered alcoholic beverages for purchase (sticking to the theme of drinking) and were on our way. Our tour guide, Lee, seemed to really know her history, which we appreciated but seemed annoyed anytime there was a reaction to the story she was telling. Now I’m not going to pretend that the group i was with wasn’t asking a lot of follow up or reacting with whoops or gasps but it was never disrespectful or over done. The cruise went on and we were again able to continue buying drinks. The problem came when the tour was over and we were heading back into the dock. At this point Lee had finished her tour and we were about 5 mins from docking. My friend got on her phone and started sending videos to the rest of our group talking about the tour- we were laughing and chatting not thinking it would be a problem since the tour was over. I want to mention not a single time were we asked to quiet down or stop talking. This so important because had we felt like it was a problem for the staff we would've stoped talking. After about 3 min- once we were already at the dock- the captain, JP, got right in my friend who was recordings face yelling at her to “shut the hell up” “you are annoying me and everyone on this boat” when my friend obviously reacted poorly to being yelled at like that and shouted back saying “you haven’t complained at all” he told us to get off the boat and grabbed my friend by the arm attempting to yank her to the exit. Overall it was so shocking that we just got off the boat but we’re talked to after by others on the tour that it was extremely unprofessional and uncalled for for him to react and treat us that way. I guess I write all this to say- if you want to see some buildings from a distance, hear 3 ghost stories, sit in complete silence, and be treated like trash for trying to engage and make the most out of a boat ride. This is the trip for you. Otherwise, take the haunted carriage ride and a sunset cruise with some music where you could enjoy your time on the water and see some actual views and buildings.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 15 guests
1 Adult
June 2024
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