Grand/Galveston/Porta Maya&Belize

[Mandee]

I will be sailing on the Grand from Galveston 12/24-12/30 for Christmas. I am very excited!

 

I have some questions though. This will be my third Princess cruise, the previous two were on the Golden and CB. How is the Grand looking compared to the other two? Worn down or anything? Is the inside floorplan like the Golden (Vista Show Lounge, Skywalkers, etc)? Anything you can tell me about the condition would be nice. :)

 

Next question...Galveston. Anything nice to do there the night before the ship sails? I've never been to Texas so I'm kind of excited to go there.

 

And - any good excursions/shopping/beaches to check out in Porta Maya or Belize? I've heard Belize is very run down and I'm thinking about just staying on the ship that day.

 

Finally, what is sailing like during Christmas? Do they decorate or have any special things going on?

 

Thanks so much for all your help. 163 days and counting- can't wait!

[spongerob]

We went on the New Year's sailing of the Grand out of Galveston last year. I'd do it again in a heartbeat if they offered those 10 and 11 day sailings again, instead of the 7-day cruises.

 

The ship was nicely decorated, with some really beautiful creations in the atrium. There were little decorations on all the cabin doors and in the dining room. The New Year's Eve menu was specially put together, not one of the standard Princess menus.

 

I thought the ship looked much better than it had during our previous visit. They've gotten rid of all those dented and scuffed metal kick plates by the cabin doors, and replaced them with the fabric covered plates similar to those on Caribbean Princess. It really improved the look of the passageways. The atrium is much plainer than those on Golden or Caribbean Princess, and doesn't have the same visual appeal.

 

There are some great Mayan ruins in Belize. We enjoyed our tour to Cahal Pech, and got to see a lot of the countryside on the way. I don't think Belize looked any worse than other places I've visited. My only complaint about Belize is that the port call there is short and rushed, due to tidal conditions.

 

In Costa Maya, I personally think the most enjoyable thing to do is take the bus to Majahual, about 5 minutes away from the dock area, and just find a place to hang out on the beach. It's very laid back. We found a nice spot, had cold beer and cocktails plus some snacks that included the best salsa I've ever had, all for less than $50 total.

[travellady]

We'll be on this sailing as well. My 26 year old single twin sons have asked if there are many single young woman on board this time of year. Not that they won't have a good time otherwise, but they do enjoy the clubs in the evening (OK, late into the evening) and the more the merrier :)

[magnumcoog]

Grand Princess under went a refurbishment November 2004. We sailed on her March 2005 and she looked like new to me.

[DannyMac]

My wife and I are sailing on the Grand 12-10-05. We sailed on her in March 2005. It is a very nice ship and I think it was refurbished a couple of years ago. Floor plan is the same as the other large ships in their fleet.

 

Galveston, yes it will be very busy. Dickens on the Strand will be in progress and if you plan on coming in the night before your cruise, make your reservation now. Dickens on the Strand is a "period costume" event. Many people attend. If you are in costume admission is free, if not there is a charge.

 

The Strand is the old 1800"s business district of Galveston, many of the buildings have been restored. There are several places to eat or drink, the usual sovenior shops etc. It is within walking distance of the cruise terminal. Moody Gardens is another nice place to visit but it is a couple of miles away from the Strand.

 

You can log on to www.Galveston.com for up to date info on Galveston.

[MSN-Travelers]

...

And - any good excursions/shopping/beaches to check out in Porta Maya or Belize? I've heard Belize is very run down and I'm thinking about just staying on the ship that day. ...

 

Belize, as a port destination, is economically depressed vs. run down. It is still young as a cruise port-o-call and the tourist infrastructure (shops/restaurants) isn't fully established yet.

 

The area does offer quite a few interesting diversions. Granted, we were there on an NCL ship but Princess offers ship excursions that look just like the ones we experienced.

 

The girls opted for the Ray/Shark snorkle outing. The Princess equivalent appears to be the New Waves/Rays & Reef Snorkeling. The NCL excursion was a BIG hit.

 

Us guys did a river cruise followed by a Mayan ruin tour. The Princess equivalent appears to be the Altun Ha & River Cruise. Great way to spend the day, learn about current day Belize, saw quite a bit of the riverside critters and the ancient history of the area.

 

Fellow travels took the cave tubing excursion. All were very excited and had a great time too. The Princess equivalent appears to be the Cave Tubing with various land hikes.

 

Hope this helps.

[LinInTx]

You should try to eat at Gaudo's in Galveston. (Not sure if I spelled it right, but you will see the signs.) It has been there forever and the seafood is wonderful. Don't expect too much from the beach in Galveston...Go to NASA in Houston instead.

[phaelon56]

Belize City itself is indeed run-down and economically depressed but the rest of the country is beautiful, politically stable, English is the most widely spoken language and the preople are friendly. I think cave tubing or any other kind of cave expedition is the best choice for a short visit there and a short stop at the zoo (in or near Belmopan I think) is also worthwhile if you happen to be going by it on the main highway. Snorkleing woudl be further down on my list in Belize.

 

In Costa Maya you can skip the bus - there's usually a wait to get onth e bus that's actually longer than the drive to Costa Maya. Instead, when you get off the ship just head towards the left and find the trail that runs on or parallel to the beach (you'll be heading south). Majahual is ten minutes or less by foot and it's a lovely walk.

 

I had an fantastic conch seviche there. It's a fishing village so the fish is generally very in all the cafes (I think there are two or three). We did find the souvenir vendors there to be extremely pushy but it's great place to eat and hang out. The facilities at the Costa Maya pier and the "Mayan cultural show" were a bit glitzy and fake for my tastes - we skipped the pier area after a quick look.

[TEXASMUNK]

Costa Maya: A new port, so there is no local service to Uvaro Beach..but it is a great day. Also at Uvaro, on the ship you can sign up for a two person speed boat and snorkel a pristine, spectacular reef just off shore (you cannot swim to this reef).

 

Belize: Try Shark-Ray Alley..A really spectacular reef dive

 

Galveston: Quieter in the winter than in season, but you will still find lots of night life...the Strand area

[cruisinqt]

Houston is just a short drive from Galveston and you can do a tour of NASA. My brother did this recently and really enjoyed it. Plus, the hotels in Houston are much cheaper if you shop around.;)

[OCruisers]

We had the very best of days in Costa Maya at the beach and beach bar!!!! :) Here's what we did:

 

Review: Majahaul (the little fishing village) "OnOurOwn" (posted on ports of call board or just Click Here)

 

Hope you will enjoy your time there as much as well did.

 

Happy Sailing! OCruisers :)

[katcruiser]

Howdy Mandee! Since I live in Galveston, maybe I can help you out. Dickens on the Strand is the first weekend in Dec., so you won't have that to deal with at the hotels, but you might run into a 2 nite minimum most places, since it's a holiday. Check out galveston.com for lodgings & call them direct for their options. Most hotels & B&B's (my preference) have parking & shuttle services for cruisers. The Strand area & historic East End neighborhood where I live will still be decked out for the holidays. There are several B&B's in the East End and the seawall is not far...the Island is only 2 miles wide! Lots of good restaurants in the Strand area and we'll have our new water park, Schlitterbaun, opening Dec. 10. It will be part indoor & part outdoor, so the indoor part will be open. It's at Moody Gardens, which is a great place to visit as well.

 

We've sailed to Belize twice & did the Cave tubing in the rain forest & loved it. Other than that, there's not a lot to do there.

 

Hope this helps & let me know if you have more ??'s about Galveston. :)

[CruiseKing]

Mandee,

As I'm not sure where your interests lie I can talk about the snorkeling in Belize. It is absolutely fabulous. I have been 2X and done 2 different excursions. The first was at Rendezvous Cay. A tiny speck of an Island off the coast. I mean 10 Palm Trees, 12 Pelicans and 1 resident sand crab. It's a 45 minute snorkel around a colorful reef teeming with beautiful tropical fish. The second for the more adventurous was Shark Ray Alley. This is a boat snorkel about 5 miles off the coast of Belize city. Approximately an hours ride. It is like the previous mentioned snorkel 45 minutes, reef and fish. But with the addition of many Rays and Nurse sharks. Very exciting. Both were great. Follow the link to check out some pictures.

Good Luck

[Mandee]

Thanks for all the great information!

 

I really want to try the cave tubing in Belize. Snorkeling really isn't my thing... But the rest of my family might be interested in that. They enjoy snorkeling, I'm to odd man out.

 

And beach bar/beach at Costa Maya/Majahual sounds fantastic!

 

Thanks katcruiser for the Galveston tips. I'm about as excited to come to Texas as I am to cruise! I've never been west of Illinois and I've always really wanted to come to Texas. So I'm going to take in as much as I can.

 

And as for the Houston NASA tour, sounds fun but my opinion of NASA has seriously diminished the past few years.

 

travellady- I'm 19, but I'll be in the club and hanging out so maybe I will see them :) And contrary to popular belief, not all 19 year olds are immature, irresponsible and have need for special security...

 

Now I am really excited! Only 139 more days!

[houstoncruisers2001]

You should try to eat at Gaudo's in Galveston. (Not sure if I spelled it right, but you will see the signs.) It has been there forever and the seafood is wonderful. Don't expect too much from the beach in Galveston...Go to NASA in Houston instead.

 

Sorry to disagree. Gaido's is about 10 years past its prime. We use to drive from Houston to Galveston just to eat there. Not any more.

 

Galveston as a whole has seen its better days. The cruise lines, I think, have saved the town. The Strand area is nice and worth a visit, but the rest of the island leaves alot to be desired.

[katcruiser]

Galveston as a whole has seen its better days. The cruise lines, I think, have saved the town. The Strand area is nice and worth a visit, but the rest of the island leaves alot to be desired.

 

I gotta' disagree with that Lin. I've lived on the Island 15 years & it's done nothing but grow & get better. We've got multi-million $ investers building condos, retail venues, restaurants and more all over the Island. The historical areas are seeing incredible restorations. And yes, the cruise line industry has been a huge shot in the arm, but that's not what's driving the investors. They're seeing great potential for future growth. Residential property costs have gone thru the roof the last few years & we're all very proud of the improvements everywhere.

 

Mandee, you'll have a great time on the Island, regardless of your age. We've got 2 major universities here, so there lots of young people everywhere. I know you'll have a blast on the GRAND...what a great way to celebrate Christmas!!

 

If you want a great meal the nite before, check out Rudy & Paco's at 21st & Post Office....Post Office is where all the action is at nite with lots of bars and live music. Then of course there's several spots in the Strand and Harborside areas, and the Seawall is full of clubs & restuarants. HAVE FUN!