Nike4000

That's a great question & I do not know the answer to it. We do not use the hotel for cruise parking, just the stay. They always ask if we're leaving our vehicle and we choose not to.

Call the hotel, they're super friendly and will give you the best information directly. 

We stay at the hotel, then the morning of the cruise we head over to the Sunflower Bakery & Café for breakfast. After stuffing our faces, we drive to Galveston Park N Cruise, drop off the car & walk to the port. 

We've stayed at a bunch of hotels in Galveston but keep returning to the Best Western Plus Seawall Inn & Suites by the Beach for our pre-cruise stay. They do offer free cruise parking as long as you spend the night before boarding - or at least they did as recently as December 2021. 

If you're looking for the Ritz, this ain't it. But, for $160/night, it's not too bad for a pre-cruise overnight. The staff is super friendly and helpful.

For comparison, a limo from LAX to the Carnival dock in Long Beach runs $170 for 4 adults, including luggage. The limo driver greets you at baggage claim at LAX.

23 hours ago, geonurse said:

Yes- about 45 minutes in that tour bus …..we were a bit wary of it too, but the guide was so engaging it flew right by! Also our LTE on our phones( Verizon) was active the whole ride…👍🏻

Welp, that sealed the deal. My wi... I mean the person in our party who doesn't like long car rides said that there's no way the lobster is worth 90 minutes in a bus. Thanks for the response, looks like we're exploring whatever is near the pier in Ensenada. 

How long was the trip to the lobster lunch excursion? Wife and I are considering that for our upcoming cruise, but one of us abhors being in the car longer than 20 minutes. Based on what we read on the Carnival excursion, it sounds like an hour or so bus ride, is that accurate?

I agree with everything y'all have shared about the daunting bill I'd encounter by only disabling mobile data. 

@brillohead Unfortunately between the 4 of us there are only 2 who use Facebook, so Hangouts it is! 

@SRF Thanks for sharing the video, unfortunately I'm on AT&T so it's going to take me a little time to adapt that video to the settings options I have. Fortunately I have the day off, so it'll be a fun project to confirm that my settings match what the video shows.

Gonna be fun! 

18 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

And it may also yield a huge bill - when out of airplane mode you don't know if the phone may use the ships cell signal for the phone call. To be safe (from charges), try everything using airplane mode only.

Hopefully with Mobile Data turned off, it wouldn't connect to the ship's cell tower, but I don't think I want to be the one to test that! I'm 99% certain I'm going to go with a combination of the WIFI package, Airplane Mode, & Google Hangouts to communicate with my family. Anyone off the ship will just have to wait until I get back - or contact my wife, who has an iPhone.

On 11/22/2021 at 5:48 PM, brillohead said:

If there's a setting or something that you were missing, please post it here so others with that phone will have the fix!

@brillohead Just home from the AT&T store. They said that Android phones do not have the ability to send text messages via WIFI. Per the AT&T rep, Android devices send text messages using the cellular connection and the only way around it is to use a service that pushes the messages through data - like Google Hangouts. He said that Google has a project in the works to shift texting to be data-based on a future version of Android, but for now, texts are still sent using the cellular network. He said that from the beginning, Apple built their messaging platform on a data-based network, which is why the iPhones have zero issues sending text messages over WIFI.

Also, for WIFI Calling, he said that I shouldn't use Airplane mode, and instead turn off my cellular service. To do so, go to Settings > Connections > Mobile Networks and then switch off Mobile Data. He said that should do the trick. We tested it in store & I was able to call the store without any issues while on WIFI - which didn't work when I used Airplane mode with WIFI enabled. 

So, I'm going to have my family install Google Hangouts on their phones so we can test it out on the ship. Everyone has a Gmail account, which "should" make it super easy.

We just booked the Daniel Johnson Monkey & Sloth Hangout tour for our upcoming cruise. At this point we're planning on just using their transportation. However, reading through this thread, it looks like many people recommend booking alternate means of getting to the facility. Is there something I'm missing? Is it unreliable? Unsafe? What?

All we're doing is visiting the Hangout & then heading back to the port. We don't want a tour of the island or to visit any other facility. Let me know if I should be looking for alternate means of getting to Daniel Johnson's.

4 hours ago, alexgtp said:

Make sure WiFI calling is enabled on your Samsung. And make sure your AT&T data plan has WiFI calling as part of your features.

You can use the following guide to enable WiFI calling Android/Samsung

https://www.att.com/device-support/article/wireless/KM1265897/Samsung/SamsungN960U

 

Good luck.

 

Huge fan of WiFi calling for Andriod systems. Use it all the time on my Pixel 3 XL unlocked on T-Mobile network.

1 hour ago, brillohead said:

I would check with AT&T for clarification, maybe go into a local store if you can before your cruise.  I'm not familiar with Samsungs anymore (I've been using Motos for the past several years, much cheaper).  

My concern with turning off Airplane Mode would be making sure that ALL cellular network connections are turned off -- both for voice/text and for data.  You don't want your phone to have any way to connect to the ship's cell towers.  

Maybe @SRF has some ideas, I know he's been doing Wi-Fi calling for several years, too.  

Thank you both for the feedback, I really appreciate it!

@alexgtp those are the exact instructions I followed, so thank you for confirming that I didn't miss something! As both you & @brilloheadsuggested, I think my next step is to visit my local AT&T store. I did call and confirm that my plan includes WIFI calling, so I've got that going for me. Which is nice! At this point, I'm assuming my device or SIM card are having issues. Not gonna buy a new phone, so keep your fingers crossed that it's a SIM card issue that can be fixed quickly & easily.

On 10/28/2021 at 8:00 PM, brillohead said:

Yes, just set it up right now and leave it turned on.  

You can even test it right now at home.  Set it up, then put your phone in Airplane Mode (which will cut off your cell signal and your WiFi signal) and turn your WiFi back on.  Then place a call like normal, or a text.... or have someone call/text you.  

That's exactly what you'll do on the ship -- turn on Airplane Mode, then turn WiFi back on again.

Oh, and after testing it, be sure to turn Airplane Mode to OFF or you won't get any cell signal when you leave the house the next time!

@brillohead So, I tested it out - confirming that WIFI Calling is enabled, Airplane mode turned on, and I'm definitely connected to my home's WIFI.

I can surf the web on my phone just fine. However, when I attempt to send my wife or kids texts I get a message saying "Can't Send Message. Turn Off Airplane Mode." Then, when I try to make a call, I get a prompt asking, "Turn off Airplane mode to make this call?" with buttons for Yes or No.

My device is a Samsung Galaxy Note 9 on the AT&T network. Any ideas or suggestions?

Thank you all very much for your input!

@cruiseguy1016 you're 100% correct, from a price perspective it's a no-brainer. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something. Or that there were limitations on the 4 device plan I was unaware of.

@Biker19  Thanks for pointing that out, I totally missed that one is Surf & Stream, while the other is Surf only. The "VOOM SURF + STREAM Internet Package - 1 Device" is $15 per person, which makes it even less appealing as an option for each individual family member. 

@SRF Cool, I wasn't sure how it would work once onboard. Great suggestion about having the person log off on one device before signing in on a new one. I'm picturing a Keystone Cops situation where we're randomly getting signed out after someone tries signing in on another device and it just rotates around through the rest of us. 

Any Internet package recommendations for a family of 4 adults? I am debating between buying a single "VOOM SURF + STREAM Internet Package - 4 Devices" which is $36/day and sharing the login so each person can have 1 device at a time, versus purchasing each person their own "VOOM SURF Internet Package - 1 Device," which is $11/day.

Four adults means four different phones in use pretty much all day long for texting between each other and, for the kids, their friends. I'm sure there will be other devices being used as well - computers, iPads, Nintendo Switch, etc.

I'd love your recommendations & suggestions.

@sheila77 and @fethiyeden I hope you guys book and have as much fun as my wife and I did. It was a great excursion & I can't wait to see your own report.

On 10/23/2021 at 6:24 AM, brillohead said:

The only thing is to make sure you enable WiFi calling on your phones NOW, while you're at home.  You have to be connected to the cell towers in order to enable the feature initially -- you can't start it up for the first time on just WiFi.

If everyone sets up WiFi calling on their phones, and then connects to Voom on the ship, you can just call/text like everyone was at home.  Same for people on land -- they can call you and your phone will ring just like you are at home.

@brillohead  I hope you're right about setting up WIFI calling now & texting working while onboard for my Android. When we were on the Carnival Breeze earlier this month, I didn't realize I needed to set up WIFI calling beforehand and could never get texting to work. So, fingers crossed for our upcoming Liberty of the Seas trip that activating it now will do the trick! I'll try to remember to update this when we return, but it's a ways off & my memory isn't what it used to be! 🤪

16 hours ago, jkloni said:

Is beer included in the included drinks options? 

Yes, they had a multitude of beer options at the all-inclusive bar.

On 10/19/2021 at 1:19 AM, fethiyeden said:

Thanks for the update. Can I ask did you book through the ship or was it a private excursion? If private who did you book with?

we are hoping to be in Cozumel in January with Ncl but they only have the catamaran trip to Passion Island.

Thanks.

We booked through Carnival. However, we're looking at doing it again when we return in December with Royal Caribbean, which doesn't offer the excursion at all. So, we might have to book direct - we're also looking at trying the catamaran to Passion Island.

BTW - here was our view that day.

Just now, Ozzie26 said:

You can also call head and they will take care of it for you.  No charge which is unlike Carnival  who charges you for the water. 

You're not kidding. Carnival charged me $3.50 for a gallon of distilled water and then tacked on a $2.00 automatic gratuity for room service.

@zoiebear The spa discounts are 20% off your first service, 30% off your second, and 40% off your third. All have to be booked onboard. Also, the person we booked with, Yulia, took the 40% off of the most expensive service my wife had and 20% off the cheapest, which was very cool.

Two things to note about the spa discounts:

1. Discounts are per person. So my massage did not count towards her discount or vice versa.
2. The discounts are based off of the total price of each service. For example, we took a spa tour after doing our muster drill (very important, get that taken care of right away!) and as they introduced us to various people offering different services, they would say, "This treatment is normally $199, but if you book today it will be $149" or similar. The 20, 30, or 40% discounts are off of the $199 price.

Do the spa tour on day 1 to see what services are available. There is a bit of a hard sell going on, but I didn't think it was any worse than the people pushing the drink package on the Lido deck.

Take advantage of the thalassotherapy pool and thermal rooms. They are absolutely fantastic!

@bury me at sea I hope you guys "Breeze it up" in March and have a wonderful time. Leading up to the cruise, my wife and I were a bit nervous. Turns out we had nothing to be nervous about. Everything was wonderful - although I agree with @luckybecky's review of this same sailing that the buffet was not good. After your March cruise, you'll have to let us know if it's improved any.

Awesome review of the cruise! Our combined reviews show just how much variety there is in the cruising experience - exact same sailing, 2 totally different sets of activities! Absolutely love it!

I totally agree that the Carnival experience was outstanding, I highly recommend the Breeze to anyone looking to get back on a boat. The crew was amazing and the whole trip was great fun.

Love the photos!

@luckybecky I'll look forward to reading your review and am glad you guys had a great time as well! 

Interesting about the difference in perspective on masks! My memory might be tainted because every time I stepped into the Cloud 9 spa to make my way to the thalassotherapy pool without a mask, Marko  or Abigail would remind me to put one on. I also witnessed a confrontation between a passenger and crewmember about wearing masks at the entrance to the buffet, so there were definite instances where crew were reminding passengers.

@nlktx49 Thanks for the kind words, I tried to keep my review focused on the important details, not the minutia. I'm so jealous that you're doing a B2B, I still have to convince my wife to try that. 

Honestly, I was worried that the ship was going to feel a bit old and tired, which was the complete opposite of my experience. Everything looked great and, like I said, the crew was constantly cleaning. On all of the cruises I've been on, I've never seen anyone clean the walls in the hallways, but on the Breeze, I saw someone wiping them down every day. 

Let me know if you have any specific questions, I'll do my best to answer!

BTW - my wife is going through serious withdrawals. All day long she's been telling me, "Last Monday at this time we were..." and relating it to the cruise.

@TexasBrit Seems like an easy tradeoff, plus it puts you in complete control of when you arrive at the terminal. I'd rather spend an extra $30 than be standing in front of the hotel waiting for a cab or Uber to arrive. I don't like waiting! 😁

@angiem0217 We had the option of of deck 3 or 4, but it seemed like everyone was at deck 3. In fact, when our forward elevator stopped at deck 4 that morning, there was a big crowd of people waiting to get on with luggage. So, yeah.

Priority groups were able to get off the ship around 8:15, which was earlier than expected. The paperwork we got was that debarkation wouldn't start until 8:45 with the priority groups. After that, people walking off with luggage were released by muster group. We were in one of the very first muster groups and were off the ship by 8:30. If you're checking your luggage, I honestly don't know when you'll get off the ship, I'd recommend walking off with it. 

Also, you might have a tough time getting to the airport in Houston in time. We hit tons of traffic in Houston on Saturday morning. You'll "probably" make the flight, but you might be running to the gate. Someone who has flown out of Houston will be able to provide better guidance on that situation since we've always driven.

@Debifluff Moving around the Cloud 9 spa masks were requested (I'd say required, but that's challenging to enforce) as is the case with all indoor areas. We did not wear masks in the thermal rooms or the thalassotherapy pool. When using the workout equipment, masks are not required, but again, moving around they are strongly encouraged. My wife attempted to go to 2 of the yoga classes, but was the only passenger who attended, so they were cancelled. Because of the non-starts, I don't know if masks were required during classes. Plus, during massages or other spa treatments, masks were not required.

Quick note - we saw numerous people use the workout equipment and not clean it off even though wipes were readily available. So, we ended up wiping off the machines both before and after use for that extra measure of cleanliness. 

@princess76021 Hopefully you can cruise soon! I am addicted to the reviews, although they got harder to enjoy as our cruise countdown got shorter. I think I was tired of living vicariously through others as our date became tantalizingly close. 

@TexasBrit Our family (both sister-in-laws, my dad, etc.)  have all used Galveston Park N Cruise for years, so it's old habit by this point. We book it as soon as we finish booking the cruise itself! Beyond that, no, I would not have felt comfortable leaving my car at that particular hotel for the week. It could be perfectly fine, I just felt $80 for Park N Cruise was an easy tradeoff for a little peace of mind. All that being said, on the cruise we bumped in to 2 ladies who stayed at the same hotel Sunday night & left their car in the lot for the week. They told us that the morning of debarkation, it took them over an hour to get a cab to take them from the hotel to the cruise terminal. They ended up missing their port arrival time and had to wade through the much longer check-in line consisting of people who were early or late to the terminal. As with all things, YMMV.