A Few Galveston Questions

[jewopaho]

The reply above is very helpful for me! We are leaving from IAH on Saturday and plan on taking a taxi. I'm stressed about how long it will take, since our flight lands at 11:15am. Seems like I've been planning worst case scenarios though. BTW, taxi fare for 3 of us will be approx. $150 one way. We are taking a shuttle on the way back because it's cheaper and we won't be pressed for time.

On the way there though, I want to deplane and head straight for the taxi so we don't waste any time!

You should be fine. Assuming that you've gathered your luggage and are ready to go by noon, you should be at the port before 2:00 ... that's when we usually arrive, and we generally breeze through the embarkation process. $50/pp seems reasonable. Have a great cruise!

[natalie2727]

What restaurants would any of you who are familiar with Galveston recommend?

[jewopaho]

What restaurants would any of you who are familiar with Galveston recommend?

Here's a link that will help ...

 

http://www.galveston.com/cuisine/

 

Of note, Gaido's and Casey's are next door to each other, and owned by the same family. The latter is very informal, prices are lower, and there are selections that overlap the Gaido's menu (although ambience and presentation are not the same). Both have been there for years ... and if you're a seafood fan, you'll enjoy them. Have a terrific cruise!

[Aggie71]

We are in a mess. We thought a friend of our daughter was going to get us at LaQuinta near the IAH Airport. We have to arrive the day before because no flights from SF arrive at a good time for catching a ship. So, bad end to this story is the friend cannot pick us up & now RCCL says it's too late to order the bus transfer. We can go to the airport & look for a rep & "try" go purchase a transfer, but no guarantee. Now what do we do? We thought paying $46 was enough, but other transfers will cost us way more than $92 if we have to take a private car.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[ssb]

What restaurants would any of you who are familiar with Galveston recommend?

 

Better restaurants in Galveston in my opinion are

 

Sunday Brunch at Galvez Hotel

Rudi and Pacos...*white table cloths... no shorts.....

central american seafood, and steaks.... 20st Post Office Downtown

reservations recommended

Gaidos ...... *legendary and wonderful ..Seawall

Gaidos-Pelican Club-separate kitchen- if you are members

of your local club, it is reciprocal

Olympia Grill *views are great- wonderful greek food, seafood, and steaks.on Port

Willie G's ..... ...on Port

Shearns on top of Moody Gardens views great....white table cloths

Saltwater Grill .....Seafood assortments, soups, bisques, gumbos

20th Post Office St Downtown

Sky Bar ..... Sushi and Steaks........ 21st Post Office Downtown

Steak Restaurant in San Luis Hotel ....Seawall

Luigi's ......Italian .....Strand downtown

DiBellas....... Italian …..31st and O..... locals haunt and in old house

Le Croys Cajun... Strand

Original Mexican .....14th….Great and Oldest

Sunflower Bakery .... 14th

Mosquito Cafe and new bakery across Street....14th The Best

The Spot .hamburgers and cervezas, PEOPLE WATCHING

Family area and bar next door ---decks view of gulf- biker bar - Seawall

Clarys Seafood

Others:

New York Pizza - Seawall

Benos... Seawall

Shrimp and Stuff.....39 and O

Millers ....Seawall

Fish Tales ....Seawall

Joe's Crab Shack ....Seawall

Landrys Seafood ....Seawall

Saltgrass Steakhouse ....Seawall

Fishermans Wharf ....Port

Rainforest Cafe ....Seawall

Gumbos....Post Office

M&M .....24th

Mod Coffeehouse (Postoffice St, downtown)

Lunchbox Cafe (23rd St, downtown, small eatery that serves locally grown food)

Murphy's Pub (22nd St, downtown, TONS of beer on tap, including Texas favorites; )

LaKings Confectionary (The Strand, downtown; the aforementioned ice cream parlor and candy factory)

top 10 restaurants list in Galveston in the Houston Press:

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating...n_galvesto.php

look on galveston.com/what to do/dining in galveston

[Galveston Cruiser]

We are in a mess. We thought a friend of our daughter was going to get us at LaQuinta near the IAH Airport. We have to arrive the day before because no flights from SF arrive at a good time for catching a ship. So, bad end to this story is the friend cannot pick us up & now RCCL says it's too late to order the bus transfer. We can go to the airport & look for a rep & "try" go purchase a transfer, but no guarantee. Now what do we do? We thought paying $46 was enough, but other transfers will cost us way more than $92 if we have to take a private car.

Thanks for any suggestions.

 

You need to post this ona new thread, not for restauarants.

It is going to cost more, no matter what. Try Galveston Limousine. A taxi will be very expensive. We live here so are not familiar with the overall cost. Enterprise is the only car rental so you may try them.

[Aggie71]

Enterprise will let you rent a car & drop it in Galveston even though the office there is closed on Sat & Sun. We thought we had a great price, $47 with tax for compact car, then found out the agent had quoted the wrong airport! She was doing Hobby. We need Bush (IAH) & the rate has a drop off charge & is $180 for same car!

We will just have to go out to IAH baggage claim at 9am & hope RCCL will sell us a transfer. Super Shuttle said they will do a van for 10 for about $150. Found a limo company that says $55pp + tip in a private car, but we don't want a private car. Guess I'll bring that name with me just in case. We are experienced cruisers but had no idea IAH was such a bad choice. Airfare was much higher to Hobby so I guess it will average out.

Can't wait to be on Voyager!

[ooulio]

I have a quick question. Since we will probably forget the car, is the best place to stay that we can walk to is the Seawall. We found a couple of places on it.

Quality Inn and Suites 5924 Seawall bld or Comfort Inn & suites 6302 Seawall Blvd.

 

Are they decent or what? We figured if we stay on the wall, we could just get around. Any suggestions would help!

[Galveston Cruiser]

I have a quick question. Since we will probably forget the car, is the best place to stay that we can walk to is the Seawall. We found a couple of places on it.

Quality Inn and Suites 5924 Seawall bld or Comfort Inn & suites 6302 Seawall Blvd.

 

Are they decent or what? We figured if we stay on the wall, we could just get around. Any suggestions would help!

 

Anything east of 6000 block (61st) gives you more options. West of 61st there is little beach, though the seawall runs from the east end of the island (1st St) past 89th St.

There are more restaurants within walking distance east of 61st.

[ooulio]

Does anyone know what 2 1/2 stars on Hot wire is that says galveston West and Seawall Area . Shows complimentary breakfast and Internet Accesss. Shows only $80.00. I don't want to take a chance and book it if it is a dump.

[Galveston Cruiser]

All the hotels on Seawall have been refurbished after Ike. You shouldn't have a problem. Though if it is too far west, it will be a long walk to restaurants.

[soakedbythesea]

We will be on Voyager April 10. We are staying near IAH. RCCL charges $47pp each way. How do we hook up with other people to share a van thru Super Shuttle? In other places they fill the van with individuals. Not so in Houston to Galveston?

Also, we can't find any rental cars for the return. We will be flying home the next day from IAH. So if we had a car we could do some sightseeing & also use the car for transfer. The only car agency I found was Enterprise & it said they are closed on weekends. No others drop off at the pier. Help??? It's much easier going to Pt Canaveral, Miami & Ft L. Even Tampa is easy. I'm from the west coast & even Los Angeles with a transfer is much easier.

We selected LaQuinta South near the airport with airport shuttle from 5am & the price was reasonable. All we need is clean & safe with somewhere to eat nearby. But I can't get any ratings on this hotel except from LaQuinta itself. Strange.

 

San Diego was the best - We stayed at Holiday Inn and just walked across the street to the cruise terminal.

Houston actually has a new, modern cruise terminal, but they forgot to get contracts with any of the cruise lines before building it and now it sits empty - in the case of a hurricane, all hands spring into action to use the new terminal, but that's about it - for now.

[jewopaho]

San Diego was the best - We stayed at Holiday Inn and just walked across the street to the cruise terminal.

Houston actually has a new, modern cruise terminal, but they forgot to get contracts with any of the cruise lines before building it and now it sits empty - in the case of a hurricane, all hands spring into action to use the new terminal, but that's about it - for now.

Actually, the cruise terminal was an afterthought ... a throw-in aimed at placating the taxpayers, so that they'd approve a huge bond issue for the Port of Houston. To that extent, it was a success. The secondary motive was to lure cruise lines to that brand-new state-of-the-art facility, given that Galveston's terminal is far from ideal in terms of amenities. This has been a monumental flop for several reasons:

 

The terminal is located in the midst of one of America's busiest cargo ports (#4 as I understand it), with no place to stay, and absolutely nothing to see or do pre- or post-cruise.

 

Capacity: one (count' em, one) ship!

 

It is at least a two-hour navigation through the Ship Channel (could be longer, depending on the freighter traffic) to/from the Gulf of Mexico, requiring an onboard pilot. That's a hassle both departing and returning ... and it's two hours of no casinos, no open shops, no additional revenue.

 

It's no closer to Hobby International Airport than Galveston, and is actually further away than Bush Intercontinental.

 

Itineraries would be the same.

 

Galveston is an established (and highly profitable) cruise venue. Given all that's involved with the new terminal, there' absolutely no reason to consider a change. It's simply not a viable option. The Port Authority members must have been watching "Field of Dreams" while under the influence. I run into POH employees at networking functions ... off the cuff, they've pretty much abandoned the search for a gullible cruise line, and are seriously investigating "alternative uses" for the building. The trend of thought is toward a repair facility.

 

We love cruising out of Galveston ... and with five ships from four cruise lines, it's all good!

 

Al

[ssb]

San Diego was the best - We stayed at Holiday Inn and just walked across the street to the cruise terminal.

Houston actually has a new, modern cruise terminal, but they forgot to get contracts with any of the cruise lines before building it and now it sits empty - in the case of a hurricane, all hands spring into action to use the new terminal, but that's about it - for now.

 

 

 

 

You can stay at Tremont or Harbor House Hotels

and walk within two blocks to terminal in Galveston.

 

Both of these hotels are better ones in Galveston

and owned and operated by same!!!!

They also own Galvez.

 

90 percent of rest of hotels and motels in Galveston

are within two to three miles of terminal on Gulf of Mexico

and on Seawall They are easily accessible to terminals also.

 

There are four main areas to stay in Galveston

 

On the Gulf. (Many)

On the Bay (Moody Gardens)

On freeway close to bay entering Galveston

Downtown Historic District by Port - (Harbor House and Tremont)

 

see INTERNET maps below

for visual of Greater Houston Metro and Galveston.

These will give you bearings of trip to and of island

Also go to

galveston.com ....interact and discover.... maps

 

Houston Map PDF

Houston Metro

Galveston Island Map PDF

Galveston (B&W)

ENJOY YOUR CRUISE

 

We live in Galveston

and feel free to ask questions

[hillbillycruisers]

Mark us down as people who would MUCH rather cruise out of Galveston than Houston. We really like Galveston, and wouldnt even consider Houston, unless the price was really lower...I'd gladly pay a little extra to stay with Galveston than Houston ( dont tell the cruiselines that!!! ):)

[jewopaho]

Mark us down as people who would MUCH rather cruise out of Galveston than Houston. We really like Galveston, and wouldnt even consider Houston, unless the price was really lower...I'd gladly pay a little extra to stay with Galveston than Houston ( dont tell the cruiselines that!!! ):)

You don't have a thing to worry about. There will never be a cruise ship sailing out of Houston. In contrast, by 2012 there will be five ships (two of Carnival's, and one each from Royal Caribbean, Princess and Disney) cruising out of Galveston. This increased activity effectively places the final nails in the coffin of the Houston cruise ship initiative.