2026 Reunion FAQ

October 22-25, 2026, at the Hilton Washington Dulles hotel

Many questions are answered here

Last updated: July 31, 2025

Registration form and hotel booking link will be available at a later date.

Q: Who chose Washington, DC?

A: The reunion committee, which is the board of directors of the USS South Carolina Association, chose the location after evaluating several options.

Q: Why did you choose a different weekend than originally announced?

A: The hotel we chose, which gave us the best overall offer, was not available on our preferred timeline.

Q: What is the cost?

A: Registration fees will be determined once we have a complete budget for the event.

REGISTRATION DISCOUNTS AND DEADLINES WILL BE ANNOUNCED LATER

We have negotiated a hotel group rate of $139 per night (plus tax) at the Hilton Washington Dulles hotel, which offered us a preferable rate including complimentary breakfast for two and free parking with each reservation. A link to book our discounted hotel rate will be available when registration opens and will be included in your confirmation email.

Room rate is guaranteed only until allocated rooms are filled or Sept. 1, 2026, whichever comes first.

After that, it is at the hotel's discretion whether to continue offering the reunion rate.

Q: When is the discounted hotel rate valid?

A: The discounted group rate is valid for check-in as early as Wednesday, October 21, and check-out as late as Monday, October 26. Regular rates apply outside those dates.

Q: Can I pay offline, without a credit card?

A: The preferred method of registration is via Ticketspice.com. If you wish to pay by check, please email reunion@socar37.org for instructions. Offline payment will not be accepted after Aug. 31, 2026. If you register offline, Purchase Protection will not be offered and no refunds will be available.

Q: What does my registration fee include?

A: Attendance at the Saturday night banquet and full access to our hospitality suite, as well as the opportunity to purchase other group-rate tickets the association is able to offer, which will be available at the time of registration. Snacks and beverages, including beer and liquor, will be provided. We plan to have a fuller reception on the first day than at past reunions and hope you will join us for all three days.

Q: What is the refund policy?

A: Refunds are not available unless you choose to add optional Purchase Protection at time of registration, or unless the Association or the hotel cancels the event entirely.

When purchasing your ticket(s), you will be offered the option of purchasing a protection plan. A protection plan will refund you 100% of your event fees should you be prevented from attending the reunion due to covered, unforeseen circumstances as defined by the plan. Covered situations include death in the family; emergency health issues; home emergencies, including crime against your family; transportation failure; severe weather and other acts of nature; legal, employment and public service obligations. Purchase Protection cannot be added after completing your registration. Purchase Protection is from a separate company and is optional. Please read Purchase Protection terms and conditions.

In the unlikely event that the reunion is canceled by the Association or the venue, and purchase protection does not apply, you will receive a refund of the amount you paid for registration minus $10 per person (to offset non-recoverable and non-refundable fees paid by the Association).

No other refund options are offered or available. The Association offers no refunds unless the event itself is canceled. You are encouraged to consider Purchase Protection when you register.

Q: Can I cancel my hotel reservation without penalty?

A: Rooms booked at the Hilton Washington Dulles hotel using our group rate may be canceled up to 72 hours before check-in. After that, the hotel will charge your card used to guarantee the reservation for one night’s stay. All cancelations and adjustments must be made directly with the hotel by calling the hotel.

Q: Can I attend the reunion without registering and paying the fee, or without attending the banquet?

A: No. For liability purposes, you must be a paid registrant of the reunion to take part in any activities.

Q: Will there be walk-in sales?

A: No. We must provide an accurate count for dinner prior to the event, and can only make minimal adjustments, with the hotel’s approval, as the date of the event approaches.

Q: Can I bring my own beer/liquor to the hospitality suite?

A: NO. Only alcohol purchased at the hotel may be served in the suite or consumed in public areas of the hotel. Alcoholic beverages served in or carried into the hospitality suite may not leave the room. Any alcoholic beverages you bring to the hotel may be consumed in your private room only. The association will provide beverages, including beer and liquor, in the hospitality suite. You may also purchase drinks at the hotel bar and bring them into the suite.

Q: May I bring memorabilia, such as my cruise book?

A: Absolutely! Please feel free to share your memories of your time onboard — not just cruise books, but photos and other mementos. Neither the association nor the hotel are responsible for damage to or loss of private property brought to the reunion.

Q: When is the hospitality suite open? 

A: The suite will be open Thursday afternoon (time TBD) and Friday no later than 4 p.m. and will remain open until at least 11 p.m. each night. The hospitality room will be open Saturday after the banquet with closing time no earlier than 11 p.m. We encourage those who bring memorabilia into the room to remove it Saturday. Personal belongings not retrieved from the suite will be turned over to hotel lost and found.

Q: What other events are planned?

A: We are planning to offer for sale discounted attraction passes. A portion of each pass will be paid by the association, and the cost of the pass through the association will represent a significant savings versus the cost of purchasing passes on your own. Among the attractions we are looking into are a 24-hour pass for the hop-on, hop-off bus that serves the National Mall and associated monuments and memorials; a tram tour pass for Arlington National Cemetery; and unlimited-use, single-day passes for Washington's Metro rail system.

We will again hold a silent auction to raise funds for the association.

Q: Will I receive a shirt or other gifts?

A: Members of the reunion committee may provide token gifts. Commemorative items may be available for sale.

Q: Should I bring a guest?

A: Yes! Wives, girlfriends and family members (including children and grandchildren) are welcome, and tickets for guests are discounted. Some of us will come alone, others will not. Some family members enjoy the chance to meet your shipmates and learn more about your time in the Navy — especially spouses and significant others that were not in your life when you served.

Q: Is it true I need special identification to fly?

A: For anyone planning to fly to the reunion, you will need to have an updated REAL ID, U.S. Military ID, a U.S. Passport, or an Enhanced Driver's License (which are issued in only five states). Enforcement of the REAL ID Act began May 7, 2025. Anyone 18 years and older that plans to fly domestically or visit certain Federal facilities will need a REAL ID or another acceptable form of identification. Although REAL ID has been delayed several times, it appears that the law will be in effect for our reunion.

Q: Does the hotel offer shuttle service?

A: The Hilton Washington Dulles Hotel offers shuttle transportation to and from Dulles International Airport. If you fly into either Thurgood Marshall Baltimore-Washington International or Ronald Reagan National, you will be responsible for your own ground transportation.

Amtrak serves Union Station in Washington. You must provide your own transportation to and from the hotel. Washington’s Metro rail system can be used to travel from the station to a station near the hotel, although there is no direct connection nor shuttle service. If you plan to arrive by train, please contact us for more information on ground transportation.

Q: How do I get around in the DC metropolitan area?

A: Washington’s Metro rail system is an easy way to get from the hotel to nearly all of the attractions in the district, including the Smithsonian museums. There is a Metro station at Dulles airport and you may use the hotel shuttle to get to the airport at no cost and board the train there. You also may use the Fairfax Connector bus that stops near the hotel to get to Herndon station ($2.25 each way), or use your own car and park at the station ($4.95 fee on weekdays).

The Fairfax Connector line that stops near the hotel also serves the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy annex. This museum houses a number of significant pieces in its collection, including the Enola Gay, Space Shuttle Discovery and early space capsules. Admission is free, but if you drive parking is $15.

Taxi and ride share (Uber, Lyft) services are available throughout Washington and the surrounding area. Because the hotel is in Virginia, there may be service limitations or surcharges when crossing municipal borders.

Q: Should I rent a car if I fly?

A: That is a personal decision. The hotel offers shuttle service from the closest airport (Dulles) and also offers free parking for our event attendees.

Q: Will there be a “ship’s store”?

A: As at past reunions, some individuals will be authorized to sell commemorative items. In addition, the association is working on opening an online storefront through our website to sell clothing and other items, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the association.

Q: Who is going from when I was onboard?

A: This question is always asked, and we always have the same answer: We don’t control who signs up, or when. You might be the first from your division, or even your era. If you want to see particular groups represented, make that known through the reunion Facebook group or other personal connections — invite them, encourage them to join us. Sign up and YOU will be coming, and we will be glad to see you. Tell the people you want to see again to sign up and you can see them, too. The more, the merrier.

Remember, that person may be waiting on you while you wait on them, and then both of you miss out. Don’t take that chance!

All of us who attended in the past have learned that you will definitely see some old friends, and definitely make some new ones. Trust us, it’s worth coming — the small group that put this together wouldn’t do so if we didn’t believe that.

Q: What will you do with the information you collect?

A: Ticketspice.com and its payment processor, Webconnex Payments, require billing and payment information in order to charge your credit card. Payment information will NOT be shared with the USS South Carolina Association.

The Hilton Washington Dulles Airport Hotel requires billing and payment information for hotel reservation purposes. Reservation information will NOT be shared with the USS South Carolina Association, other than names and the number of room nights Association members have booked.

Any other information you provide to the association will be used only for reunion-related activities. None of your personal information will be shared or sold.

Q: What is the USS South Carolina Association?

A: The Association was formed and incorporated in 2023 to perpetuate the unit’s name and history, remove individual liability and, where applicable, qualify for tax-exempt status to reduce the cost of future reunions. Prior to 2022, all reunions were organized and initially funded by individual crew members who had to risk financial loss to do so.

Q: My question is not answered here.

A: Send it to reunion@socar37.org. We’ll do our best to get you an answer.