Houston Instead of Galveston

[ChiefBoats]

I'm sorry but that is not correct. The Houston terminal is actually in Bayport. That is in the LaPorte/Seabrook area. It is not in Galveston. In fact it is 15 minutes from my house. The actual first cruise is in November of this year. The Caribbean Princess will start with a 4 day sampler to Progresso and then its normal 7 day western Caribbean itineraries.

[satxdiver]

We drive in from DFW the afternoon before and always stay in Webster. Much better hotel rates than Galveston and an easy drive the morning of the cruise. Looking forward to Houston as the port of embarkation.

 

As for parking rates, the last time we parked in New Orleans it was much more that $10 per night.

 

We also drive and stay in Webster because the hotels are more reasonable than Galveston, no tourists and there are a plethora of restaurants available. The Galveston port is a short drive south.

[WWCJR]

Houston is a ugly port, but close to Dallas, always liked spending night in Gavelston before cruise

 

Not to worry, you will not be going into the port area just to the entry of it at Galveston Bay. You have probably never been on a boat ride throught the Port of Houston as it is very educational. The Port of Houston offers free tours of the Port on their Boat, the Sam Houston. Here is a ink to the information about it:

 

http://www.portofhouston.com/community-outreach/sam-houston-boat-tour/

 

If you have time before or after a cruise from Houston this might be an interesting thing to do. Did I say that it is FREE and even the parking for it is FREE.

 

The Port is not open to private watercraft any longer and private watercraft are banned from near the San Jacinto Monument on in toward town.

[DebJ14]

Just curious. Where did you get your information?

 

From the Port of Houston website. Google is my friend.

[mcbarbee]

Don't forget to go see the Space Center. That's a great place to go right in the area. Downtown Houston has a beautiful zoo and a great Children's Museum. Pick up an Astro's baseball game or a Dynamo soccer game at their new downtown stadium. See what's going on in the George R Brown convention center. Behind the convention center is a small park that always has something going on called Discovery Green. There are several nice theaters as well as shopping in an underground mall called "The Galleria" where you can ice skate too. Have fun!

[Stevesan]

Don't forget to go see the Space Center. That's a great place to go right in the area. Downtown Houston has a beautiful zoo and a great Children's Museum. Pick up an Astro's baseball game or a Dynamo soccer game at their new downtown stadium. See what's going on in the George R Brown convention center. Behind the convention center is a small park that always has something going on called Discovery Green. There are several nice theaters as well as shopping in an underground mall called "The Galleria" where you can ice skate too. Have fun!

 

You must be a member of "Houston Greeters"!:)

http://www.houstongreeters.org/

[sminfiddle]

We also drive and stay in Webster because the hotels are more reasonable than Galveston, no tourists and there are a plethora of restaurants available. The Galveston port is a short drive south.

 

Fun Fact: Webster also has one of the best live-cast Midnight Movie showings of "Rocky Horror" - every Saturday.

Yeah they still do that. :)

[PrincessE]

We did the trip down the Houston Ship Channel 4 times from the old cruise terminal (2 NCL, 1 Royal Olympic and 1 Premier cruise). It is not that long a distance to get out to the ocean - nothing like sailing from New Orleans. Maybe an hour or so to get to the Gulf.

 

Parking will be more expensive than Galveston since there don't seem to be any off site lots. We're booked on Princess for Jan 2014 since RCI will not have a ship in Galveston in January (Navigator will be in drydock for the month)

 

Here is some info:

Bayport Cruise Terminal

4700 Cruise Road

Pasadena, TX 77586

 

Distance to/from Airport

Regarding William P. Hobby International Airport (HOU):

Approximate Miles: 22

Estimated Driving Time: 34 minutes (depending on traffic)

 

Regarding George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH):

Approximate Miles: 44

Estimated Driving Time: 55 minutes (depending on traffic)

 

Parking Fees

Payable by cash only.

$10 per day (vehicles requiring two spaces will be charged $20 per day)

 

Thank you for sharing this information. Very helpful!

[cwn]

I am a Houston native and sailed a number of times out of the old Houston port in the same area as the new one. We drove and parked right by the terminal which was a glorified tent then. The sail down the ship channel is very intersting and really not that much longer than out of Galveston. You are/NASA on a ship after all!

 

There is plenty to do in both Houston and Galveston to fill several days, many times over....so staying in the Seabrook/NASA area will make for nice multi pre-cruise vacation options.

 

I have driven to Galveston, parked and sailed from there several times, but am glad that NCL and Princess are coming to the new terminal.

[caribill]

And in the fall of 2014, the Emerald will be coming to Houston.

[caribill]

There are several nice theaters downtown as well as shopping in an underground mall called "The Galleria" where you can ice skate too. Have fun!

 

Although there are underground tunnels downtown with stores and restaurants (tunnels closed on weekends & holidays), the Galleria with the ice skating is a fancy giant mall several miles from downtown.

[Cruzin-K]

And in the fall of 2014, the Emerald will be coming to Houston.

 

That's exciting news. I'm currently booked on the CB for this December, but might be tempted to switch that week to Royal Caribbean and wait and do the Emerald the following year. I've already been on the CB and something just felt "off" about it. Hard to explain really. However, I loved loved loved the Ruby.

[caribill]

And in the fall of 2014, the Emerald will be coming to Houston.

 

25-Oct-14 Sat Emerald Princess E427 17 days Europe Western Europe Passage

LONDON (SOUTHAMPTON), Paris/Normandy (Le Havre), Vigo (for Santiago de Compostela), Lisbon, Azores Islands (Ponta Delgada), Bermuda (West End), Ft. Lauderdale, HOUSTON

[woohooTOO]

From the Port of Houston website. Google is my friend.

Thanks. I found the $10 on two different sites that do not appear to be related to the Port of Houston Authority. Another site says $7. All three say cash (or travelers check) only. I stopped looking at three.

[DebJ14]

Thanks. I found the $10 on two different sites that do not appear to be related to the Port of Houston Authority. Another site says $7. All three say cash (or travelers check) only. I stopped looking at three.

 

The Port Authority runs the only lot at Bayport Cruise terminal and I got the $10.00 figure off their website. The $7.00 may be from an outdated website - that is what they used to charge at the old cruise terminal above Barbours Cut (c 1997-2001).

 

Our local Houston ABC affiliate has been investigating the Port Authority and doing an expose everynight on the 10pm news. Last night the complaint was that they wined and dined the cruise executives to get the contracts - dinner was $300 per person. Some state reps are also questioning paying NCL to come back to the Port. Hopefully, all the investigations will not cause the deals with Princess and NCL to get overturned.

 

That facility has been sitting there empty for years (except for a few months after Hurricane Ike). People forget that when the port was planned we had Carnival and RCI out of Galveston year round, with a second ship doing longer cruises seasonally for RCI, NCL out of Houston year round, Premier and Royal Olympic in the summer out of Houston (both went belly up) as well as Celebrity and Princess seasonally from Galveston. At one point we had a really nice choice of ships out of either the old Houston terminal or Galveston.

 

After 9/11 with everyone afraid to fly, Homeporting was the thing to do. Unfortunately, by the time the Bayport Cruise Terminal was finished Princess, Celebrity and NCL had pulled out completely (Princess only returned to Galveston in the last few years), Premier and Royal Olympic went bankrupt and RCI took away the year round ship in favor of only seasonal service. Galveston was left with a choice of Carnival or Carnival for year round cruising. The intentions were good and the facility is nice, but it took some doing to get NCL and Princess to commit to the facility. It would be nice if they could get HAL and/or Celebrity for at least seasonal service from Houston. We used to be able to get HAL out of New Orleans in the late 90's, but they haven't been there in years. We also could get Commodore out of New Orleans, but they went bankrupt too.

[woohooTOO]

Hopefully, this is the last word on this subject. The following is in response to my email to the port authority:

 

Charges have not been officially set. They will be in the $10.00 - $12.00 /day range.

Regards,

Ricky W. Kunz

Trade Development & Marketing

Port of Houston Authority

[DebJ14]

Hopefully, this is the last word on this subject. The following is in response to my email to the port authority:

 

Charges have not been officially set. They will be in the $10.00 - $12.00 /day range.

Regards,

Ricky W. Kunz

Trade Development & Marketing

Port of Houston Authority

 

So, if they are not yet set why is the fee posted on the Port of Houston website?

 

After what we saw on the news tonight it looks like the Port Authority Commissioners will end up being replaced by some who are more careful with the tax dollars. I don't think Channel 13 will let up on them until some action is taken by the Legislature.

[Going Coastal]

It looks like it will be a nice change from Galveston.

[woohooTOO]

So, if they are not yet set why is the fee posted on the Port of Houston website?

 

After what we saw on the news tonight it looks like the Port Authority Commissioners will end up being replaced by some who are more careful with the tax dollars. I don't think Channel 13 will let up on them until some action is taken by the Legislature.

 

Here is the "final" word as quoted on the Port Authority web site:

 

3. Is parking available at the Bayport Cruise Terminal?

We have 800 parking slots and are adding more. Security is provided.

7 day cruises: $80.00 per week / $75.00 per week if prepaid.*

There is no parking fee for disabled American Veterans who present appropriate

documentation.

Princess Inaugural 4-day Cruise in November 2013 (1 time only):

$40.00 / $35.00 if prepaid*

*The ability to prepay through the Port of Houston website is currently under construction. Once implemented, we’ll provide all the detailed information in our website

[ssb]

Thanks for leaving Princess cruise lines!

 

RCL is year around in Galveston now!

Looks to official now!

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findac...uises&state=NA

[txskier]

Thanks for leaving Princess cruise lines!

 

RCL is year around in Galveston now!

Looks to official now!

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findac...uises&state=NA

 

Hey SSB the Royal Caribbean link is dead, did it drop off from their website?

[txskier]

I will take the Bayport Cruise Terminal over Galveston's Terminal #2 any day.

Terminal #2 in Galveston works "ok" for larger ships, but the stars need to be lined up to get the ship docked, unloaded, guests unloaded, incoming guests checked in and loaded. Terminal #2 works more for a 2000 capacity ship. The size of Terminal 2 is small.

I have sailed out of Terminal #2 when it works and when it didn't, I also worked 2 seasons checking in guests for Voyager.

[ssb]

Hey SSB the Royal Caribbean link is dead, did it drop off from their website?

 

A week or so ago

RCCL had the Plan a Cruise page up for a May 18, 2014 7 day Navigator,

indicating it would be in Galveston in May 2014.

Following the logical conclusion also, there will be a year around Navigator since last cruise planned before ended in April.

No previous TA has been announced.

 

A number of CC posters saw the page!

A number of cruisers on the current TA and last 7 day Mariner

.. have been told by a number of crew from Legend and Mariner

.. they are moving over to Navigator

.. and it would be on longer stay in Galveston

.. once back from Europe in 11/2013.

 

We shall see hopefully next week!!!!

 

Also with this report:

The Voyager of the Seas was doing a few short Asian Cruises from Singapore during the Easter period after its repositioning from Australia 10 April 2014. They are not in the booking system anymore. Voyager is due for dry dock May 2014.

Royal has also cut back the number of visits to Japan from China over a territorial dispute.

What affect this may have with changes back over here will be interesting?

[sminfiddle]

One of my Roll Call people has a large group coming for the Nov 30th Caribbean Princess cruise.

I will have her come here to the Gulf Coast Departures board for help from locals!

I don't visit the port area often enough to give much advice...

Rick

 

The hotels are a big issue with my group. :confused::confused:We would like to stay somewhere nice and close to the port of HOUSTON. Now, Kemah Inn looks amazing and I'm hoping to get a reasonable price to stay there, but---- If I can not get a great group price does anyone have a good suggestion on a hotel??? Please can we have the mileage from the Airport and from the port as many of us will need to provide for our own transportation such as taxis.

 

Thank you:D

[CGBCruiser]

Yes, Hobby would be closer but more limited choices of flights, airlines and times. If Southwest is your preferred it is the airpor they use.

 

Southwest, AirTran, Delta, JetBlue, Frontier and American fly out of Hobby. It is much more convenient and easier to maneuver around than Bush IAH.