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Nope I do not suggest 146 that road is actually worst than 59 lots stop and go traffic it takes u through a few small towns that eventually after passing I-10 it takes you right through Baytown with even more red lights and stop and go traffic especially if you attempt this during school times better off on 59 and driving right through Houston or rerouted to Beaumont, 146 used to be a nice little bypass until Baytown expanded to what it is today just follow the roads on Google street view find the rout that's right for you

It would be if he was not coming in through Arkansas or Louisiana borders he will have to drive almost due west another 1-2 hours to connect with 45

I make sure I give them cash thats money in their pockets I never tip extra on receipts. I budget $150-200 dollars for extra tips per week long sailing. I feel I spent thousands whats a little more.

I know we pay automatic gratuities but thats only $14 bucks divided by three people per day per stateroom / Tables thats assigned to them, and you pay a 18% service fee on just about everything you will buy. I feel sometimes a little extra is worth it to me.

I tip porters I give them about or $2-5 dollars per luggage if i only have one bag $5 dollars and if I had 3 bags i just give an even $10 once I gave a 20 for one bag never had a bag arrive so fast.

I tip the room attendant $20-30 on the first day when they greet us in the room. I request things to be done to my stateroom on the first day like extra pillows and an extra blanket put on the bed. I ask for things to be done every day like extra towels. Also let them know i don't need towel animals things of that nature. I tip them because I'm asking them to do more than whats required even tho they should do it anyways with a smile seems to have a lot bigger smile when i give them that little extra on day one and I get much more personable service.

I tip the guy that walks around pool or in one of the lounges asking for drinks $1-5 If I'm going to be in the same place for a few hours they seem to come by more often and ask me for a drink at the right times. If I don't tip I never see them again.

If I see a bartender I plan on using most of the trip like the one in the solarium i'll drop them a $10-15 right of the bat I spend 80% of the cruise in the solarium and same bartender is assigned their during the day and at night when it closes you will see the same bartender wandering the ship either in one of the lounges or in the promenade during events and for some reason they recognize me and I'm never thirsty.

MDR staff I drop $10-15 to each one just a little bump on the first night because I love that cheese bread and tea on the table when i sit down and when I tip on the first day they seem to be little bit more on top of my requests and I see my food arrives before others around the room even before people that were seated before me.

At the end of the cruise you get WOW envelopes I load $20-40 in each envelope or how ever much i got left from my budget and basically divide whats left. For both MDR staff and the room attendant depending on how friendly, personable and their performance as far as service.

Some might not agree personally I think these folks deserve way more than I can afford. For the hours they work every day for 7 months straight without a day off. They stand to make a good living in their countries standards on the ships but not by my personal standards. Those American owned ships are registered in Nassau and Panama for a reason.

Thank you for your opinions!! I am not sure how we will do it. It might depend on where we can find a hotel for 6 the night before our cruise

no problem!

You will save at least 75 bucks a night staying on the mainland than on the island. Galvestons cheap hotels on the island are for the are ok but you get what you paid for on some if you know what I mean. Of course my standards on hotels are in the Fairfield and Courtyard Marriott $100-$150 a night level.

Can you tell me if they have flavored creamer in Windjammer? I can bring the little to-go pods if necessary.

i was on same sailing they had half and half and international delight pods "hazelnut"

Whoops Misread that on cell phone under the impression he was wanting to cut across 59 to I-45 but regardless I'd still stay on 59 or reroute through Beaumont on 69 or 96 those are the best way through east Texas I've found I live in east Texas so I've driven all these roads and offering better options to the question of avoiding Houston sorry if the pictures are not showing in good quality but you get the idea

I travel east Texas a lot

As far as the 45 or 59 decision if it was me stay on 59 all they way into downtown Houston to the 45 south interchange don't get on 610 or beltway 8 loops your going to hit some congestion in downtown but it's on a Saturday so won't be as bad but Houston traffic is annoying people cut across several lanes of hwy in one maneuver so be on guard Houston drivers can be aggressive it's always a pleasant experience to go to Houston also a tip tune radio to 740 am they have frequent traffic updates

If you cut across from 59 to 45 its way more than 20 minutes without traffic but you will run into traffic on 45 north in the Spring "Woodlands" / Conroe area on 45 north of Houston. 59 is a "country HWY" you will know what I'm talking about when ur on it. Traffic on 59 is minimal if none at all until u get inside the loops of Houston

If you want to avoid Houston all together you have the option to get off 59 in Tenaha Texas take 96 south to Beaumont Tx or continue on 59 to Lufkin Texas and take 69 to Beaumont Tx both Hwys meet in Lumberton Texas and turn into I-10 in Beaumont Texas then you take that south to Winnie Texas from there you can follow I-10 to Houston or go south on 124 towards the Gulf of Mexico then follow towards the west on hwy 87 at High Island Texas to Bolivar Peninsula that will take you to the Galveston Ferry its a free Ferry and added vacation experience plus u can come up harbor side drive from the south and experience much less traffic in Galveston also not sure how much time it adds to your trip probably not too much but it's a more scenic rout you can see the wait times for the ferry on the Texdot website

We are only Gold level C&A :(

but it's enough to get in a much shorter line during checkin and I'm ok with that

Side note they had a illustrations of the new terminal throughout the inside of the terminal and a Oasis class ship is depicted in the illustrations. I heard from crew members they moved the Liberty to Galveston due to Navigator being filled almost up every sailing and now the Liberty has been at full capacity almost every sailing they claim a larger ship to Galveston is in the near future. Of course this is just a rumor well see

We do self disembarkation with our luggage every year, last year we scheduled off at 10 this year at 8 and have the same experience every year. not sure what the fuss is all about with Galveston and the customs agents never had a problem so far.

The times stated are based on from when they scan our badge on ship to standing on the curb and vise versa

Also we are C&A society so less line checking in

embarkation curb to ship 15 min disembarkation ship to curb 30 min

Same drink pricing i found on the Navigator last year our drink bill was $350 for the two of us for 7 nights. No way was it worth it for us to get a "$60 bucks a day" drink package. Especially when they had the beer bucket deal on sea days! We only got one drink that was $14 bucks and was a cup with the led lights flashing all about, dumb ole me didn't ask for the price assuming it was gunna be $5-$10 bucks like all the other drinks. Nope. but sure was good.

What 2 nights are formal on this itinerary? I was on the same cruise last year on the Nav. and forgot. I'm wanting to reserve some specialty dinning for my Liberty cruise in May its the same itinerary.

I too live close to Galveston and wish Royal will drop off another ship in the future to do short cruises cant pull the 7 nighters Royal only offers out of Galveston during the school year due to wifes schedule and I can't come to terms with airline pricing so I reluctantly book Carnival for the short cruises. Better than nothing...... But I'd much rather Royal

This website might help you in the future this is the organization that puts priests on cruise ships.

As of today Carnival does not affiliate with this organization.

http://www.aos-usa.org/

Exactly! our weather in SeTx extreme either hot as hell or freezing cold which can change from day to day I wore shorts on Christmas Eve and coats Christmas Day. For most of us we choose the heat over cold miserable days like the ones we have been experiencing the last few weeks

August is the hottest and most humid month in the whole year which is good for us Southeast Texans. Normally there is not too much rain to dampen vacations altho it might rain. As far as Hurricanes are concerned well thats the gamble you have to take anywheres in the world. Hurricane season actually starts June 1st and runs through November. Normally we don't start seeing hurricanes swing around our parts until Mid August & September sometimes October & November but it has and can happen any month especially with el nino. We normally cross our fingers through September because we got slammed in September several times, but after September we let our guards down. To answer your question in a manner that would give you the best advise in my "opinion" as someone from the area. Would i book in august yes but i would probably lean on early august. Would i book in September well not as much ill name off a few September hurricanes IKE & RITA and many more. but those two might jog your memory call it superstition if you want thats my thoughts. I have a cruise booked in October and not worried about it a bit.

Wow bad-luck wonder why? Did you try any of the restaurants or go through the shops?

[ATTACH]374532[/ATTACH] picture taken on 25th street facing north towards cruise terminal #1 The small ally to the left in the picture is what you will be looking for.

If you have time in your travels the Kemah boardwalk is a good destination. I live near Beaumont and we will drive the hour to go out there to eat dinner and walk around.

I-45 is the best way to go. Houston does have a ton of traffic no denying that. Just plan ahead check road construction and any accidents before entering the Houston area. I drive through Houston often and Get through the traffic easily, mainly by avoiding the heavy traffic times. 5 am to 9am is the morning rush 11-1 lunch rush and the worse is 4-7 pm during afternoon commute. The traffic on the weekends is greater on Fridays and Sunday's. Saturday is much better traffic wise you will normally find heavy congestion at the I-10 to 45 & HWY 59 interchanges and folks getting on and off 610 loop on any day. If you truly want to get on beltway 8 "toll road" you pretty much have to have a toll tag now cost of not having one and getting on the beltway is high they are eliminating toll booths so now they pop your plates if you don't have tag and send you a bill you won't forget happen to me now I got a Txtag. Don't use the 610 loop worse than staying on 45