Departure time Galveston/Carnival Ecstasy to Airport

[travelingtriumphess]

I was wondering what a good time would be to reserve for a shuttle from Port Galveston to IAH. Our flight from Bush leaves to Denver at 7:00 pm. I can't imagine this will be an issue. But, I've heard it can take awhile to disembark. Our plans are to hop on shuttle and go directly to airport, probably spending some time at the airport. What time should we book a shuttle.

How early were most people able to disembark off Ecstasy?

[GSRDPM]

We got off the Ecstasy on New Years Eve.

 

Normally, if all goes well, "Self Debarkation" (Carrying ALL your own bags), the latest you would be walking off the ship would be about 9:45AM, thereby reaching the curb at about 10:15AM after walking down all the ramps and passing through US Customs. If you leave your bags out during the night before and do the "Relaxed Debarkation" you can leave later and will end up off the ship about an hour, or slightly more, later.

 

Both methods of debarking are handled by the deck your cabin is on. I believe it went in the order of:

1. Empress

2. Verandah

3. Upper

4. Main

5. Riviera

 

Before the above order, Concierge level passengers and passengers with disabilities were allowed off first.

 

It takes about an hour to get to IAH without any traffic. With traffic, all bets are off.

 

For our cruise, we were delayed by fog and by the time the port was opened we did not make it in to the port until about 3:30PM. By the time we were out of the terminal it was about 5PM. (We did self debarkation but were the last to be released as we were on Riviera deck.) It was a minor inconvience for us in that it is a little over an hour drive home for us, but while we were camped out in the ship's library with our bags (An excellent place to wait for debarking BTW!) we met a couple who had booked a 4:30 PM flight out of IAH on Delta and we offerred to take them to the airport as we would be driving right by it. When it became clear that the could not make their flight or even another 2 hours later, they had to pay $250PP to switch to a flight the next morning. We heard of another family of 12 who had to pay around $600PP extra to switch flights (Alaska Airlines out of Seattle).

 

Galveston has had a lot of issues this time of year with fog so keep that (as well as the distance between the port and IAH) in mind when you are planning travel.

 

Good luck!

[firefly333]

We usually are off before 8 am and heading out of town. You got plenty of time. We do self disembark and had a cabin on deck 6 last time (the deck you disembark from).

[GSRDPM]

We usually are off before 8 am and heading out of town. You got plenty of time. We do self disembark and had a cabin on deck 6 last time (the deck you disembark from).

 

Yep, that is something I picked up on this trip. Since deck 6 (EMPRESS) needs to be cleared prior to anyone debarking, you guys get off first!

[Jimbo]

Is fog still an issue in Mid February?

 

Jimbo:)

[firefly333]

Is fog still an issue in Mid February?

 

Jimbo:)

 

Who knew fog could be a issue at Christmas?? It doesnt seem predictable. Im going Jan 22nd, so I hope not.

[GSRDPM]

Unfortunately, I don't know. I never gave it a second thought until witnessing the fog events of the past month.