galveston carnival embarkation/debarkation

[kerrville cruiser]

Last cruise on Carnival out of Galveston embarkation and debarkation was horrendous! Two+ hours of standing in line with luggage both ways! Can anyone tell me if this situation has improved? When the bigger Magic gets there, it could take forever! Thanks.:)

[panoramaofthepast]

Last cruise on Carnival out of Galveston embarkation and debarkation was horrendous! Two+ hours of standing in line with luggage both ways! Can anyone tell me if this situation has improved? When the bigger Magic gets there, it could take forever! Thanks.:)

I've done 2 cruises out of Galveston on Conquest and never had a bit of trouble with embarcation and debarkation. Both times I got to the terminal around 11am and pretty much walked on; leaving we waited in the designated areas and once our number was called, cleared the ship and were on the road [which included getting bags, shuttle to the car, etc] in less than an hour.

The last cruise was this past May, if that helps.

[CGBCruiser]

I've done 2 cruises out of Galveston on Conquest and never had a bit of trouble with embarcation and debarkation. Both times I got to the terminal around 11am and pretty much walked on; leaving we waited in the designated areas and once our number was called, cleared the ship and were on the road [which included getting bags, shuttle to the car, etc] in less than an hour.

The last cruise was this past May, if that helps.

 

I've sailed from Galveston many times and never had a problem. THe longest I've ever had to stand in line was embarking on The Ecstasy and that was no longer than 30 min. I think the reason for that was computer issues! I've sailed from there in Sept, Jan, March and May. Sometimes going through customs is not just a walk through, but that can happen at the airport too.

[MrSnarkyPants]

Shh... when you get off the ship, use a porter to collect your bags and take you to customs. You'll walk past all of the people standing in line and get into a much shorter porter-only line. It's worth every dollar you tip that porter!

[MissRabbit]

Shh... when you get off the ship, use a porter to collect your bags and take you to customs. You'll walk past all of the people standing in line and get into a much shorter porter-only line. It's worth every dollar you tip that porter!

 

that's good to know :)

[CGBCruiser]

Shh... when you get off the ship, use a porter to collect your bags and take you to customs. You'll walk past all of the people standing in line and get into a much shorter porter-only line. It's worth every dollar you tip that porter!

 

I do know about that...it definitely gets you through the line faster!

[ssb]

Shh... when you get off the ship, use a porter to collect your bags and take you to customs. You'll walk past all of the people standing in line and get into a much shorter porter-only line. It's worth every dollar you tip that porter!

 

Unless you walk off with all your bags,

and you walk around everyone to go to customs.

Just depends on your MO!

[txskier]

....as long as you don't encounter a "fog day", arrive at 11am to board and use a porter as another poster indicated to get thru customs.

happy sailing

[nlt46]

I've never had the fog problem... so, I've gotten on and off without a problem. Last time we were there around 11:20 or so... we got right on. The time before that we were later in the day.. say 1:00. It took longer at 1:00 than it did earlier. Go figure.

 

Nancy

[bob7judy]

When we did the self-disembark in March in Galveston, there was a long line at customs for people having birth certificates but a very short line for people with passports. So be sure to look for that line if you have passports. They had 3 customs lines just for passport holders.

[English Tim]

Shh... when you get off the ship, use a porter to collect your bags and take you to customs. You'll walk past all of the people standing in line and get into a much shorter porter-only line. It's worth every dollar you tip that porter!

 

I wonder if that also applies to international pax, as when we were on Conquest we stood in the one available international pax line, for about 90 minutes and the porters were also stuck there and were really hacked off, as presumably they would suffer from reduced tips.

[CGBCruiser]

I wonder if that also applies to international pax, as when we were on Conquest we stood in the one available international pax line, for about 90 minutes and the porters were also stuck there and were really hacked off, as presumably they would suffer from reduced tips.

 

Not sure, but I'm betting that it wouldn't get you through faster. They have changed the security in the last few years and the international pax sure have to go through more intensive processing. I'm sure you already know that and have experienced the delays. At least they did finally set up different lines. They would really cut down on the porters tips to have to wait so long...can't blame them for not being happy with the situation!