Freedom coming to Galveston in 2015??

[Ladysilver]

This is the only reference to the Freedom of the Seas coming to Galveston in 2015 I can find. Does anyone know anything else that would verify this? :confused:

 

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=41038870&postcount=869

[LoneStarJeffe]

I am sure they are in discussions and want to open up for flexibility to use either Voyager or Freedom class ships here.

 

I do think we have an interesting opportunity and danger in 2015 with cruising out of Galveston and the Port of Houston both. There will be a wider selection of ships and cruise lines between both Galveston and the port of Houston but the market might also saturate and nobody sell enough cabins. Houston is a major air hub and a relatively easy reach from across the country but both Bush and Hobby airport airports are not close to the ports. Transferring from the airport to the ship are a real problem for many.

 

I think there is a high percentage of people driving to a cruise today compared to flying into Houston and then transferring. To sustain the higher number of ships and cabins in 2015, people will have to be willing to fly. I think the current drive in market is pretty much at capacity. We shall see.

[estoyer]

We hope not! That would be as bad as putting a Tex Mex restaurant in place of the Dungeon on the NOS....

Edited December 29, 2013 by estoyer

[jonbgd]

The scuttlebutt is maybe an Oasis class after the Freedom of the seas;)

 

 

But with the high airfare and the PITA getting to and from the airport not sure how may pax the 4 cruiselines can get to book weekly:confused:

[TEXASMUNK]

continue.

There is a need for enhanced port facilities, there is a need for dredging and increasing the "turn" area.

 

Filling the ship is NOT a concern. Before the explosion of the Med market awhile back, Galveston supported 2 Carnival ships, 2 Royal Ships, 1 Celebrity ship and a Princess ship while Houston had one NCL ship.

 

Drive radius to Galveston is extensive...Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and some Kansas....plus those that fly.

 

There is a sold base of a market to support Galveston.

[Ladysilver]

continue.

There is a need for enhanced port facilities, there is a need for dredging and increasing the "turn" area.

 

Filling the ship is NOT a concern. Before the explosion of the Med market awhile back, Galveston supported 2 Carnival ships, 2 Royal Ships, 1 Celebrity ship and a Princess ship while Houston had one NCL ship.

 

Drive radius to Galveston is extensive...Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and some Kansas....plus those that fly.

 

There is a sold base of a market to support Galveston.

 

 

I agree. :)

[spookwife]

wait, HOUSTON has a port too?! oh boy. and here I thought I would only have galveston to play with when we move to San Antonio next year....

[funcruiser1234]

I think this would be good for Galveston and make prices competitive.

Edited December 30, 2013 by funcruiser1234

[Tyler80]

We hope not! That would be as bad as putting a Tex Mex restaurant in place of the Dungeon on the NOS....

 

Why would you say that?

[bjkTX]

wait, HOUSTON has a port too?! oh boy. and here I thought I would only have galveston to play with when we move to San Antonio next year....

 

We live in San Antonio and love going out of Galveston. Just being able to drive and not have to spend a night in a hotel (unless you just want to) is great - although I'm getting tired of going to the same ports all the time. We just did a Carnival cruise out of Galveston, we're doing a Royal Caribbean cruise from there in Feb, and we're trying out the new Houston port on Princess in March. You'll have choices :-)

[estoyer]

Why would you say that?

 

Just our opinion..

[ssb]

With the Panama Canal happenings,

it's for sure a game changer in many industries,

for entire Gulf Coast to provide goods and services to the Midwest.

There will be certainly changes in the cruise industry for Galveston.

The nature and extent of theses changes will depend on partners and direction the City and Port

decide to take.

On the island with it's east end flats, pelican island, current port properties

there are a lot options.

There are major decisions to be made on many issues and directions for the future.

[ssb]

We live in San Antonio and love going out of Galveston. Just being able to drive and not have to spend a night in a hotel (unless you just want to) is great - although I'm getting tired of going to the same ports all the time. We just did a Carnival cruise out of Galveston, we're doing a Royal Caribbean cruise from there in Feb, and we're trying out the new Houston port on Princess in March. You'll have choices :-)

 

Do Key West Freeport and Nassau on Magic.

[bjkTX]

Do Key West Freeport and Nassau on Magic.

 

Did that three times on 2 different ships :-)

[jonbgd]

Filling the ship is NOT a concern. Before the explosion of the Med market awhile back, Galveston supported 2 Carnival ships, 2 Royal Ships, 1 Celebrity ship and a Princess ship while Houston had one NCL ship.

 

Drive radius to Galveston is extensive...Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas and some Kansas....plus those that fly.

 

There is a sold base of a market to support Galveston.

When was this Im new to the area.

Being From CA..... Galveston was the least desirable place to fly to .

It is cheaper to fly cross country to FLL/MIA than to fly to IAH/HOU and the cruise fares are more competitive with more choices out of Florida.

Now most of the time for those that drive it is cheaper to sail from Nola than Galveston. Currently the NAV is really cheap

Do Key West Freeport and Nassau on Magic.

So when are you and Mary going to do a Carnival cruise with us:p see y?ou tomorrow at peir 21

[ssb]

When was this Im new to the area.

Being From CA..... Galveston was the least desirable place to fly to .

It is cheaper to fly cross country to FLL/MIA than to fly to IAH/HOU and the cruise fares are more competitive with more choices out of Florida.

Now most of the time for those that drive it is cheaper to sail from Nola than Galveston. Currently the NAV is really cheap

 

So when are you and Mary going to do a Carnival cruise with us:p see y?ou tomorrow at peir 21

 

Probably will not do carnival at least with our current cruise plans.

We are diamond plus with too many benefits on RCCL.

 

Tomorrow we and others have birthday plans for another to go to

Stingaree Restaurant on Bolivar for oysters, oysters and more oysters.

Otherwise love to see y'all .

 

If anything changes

We will let you know.

There is a good happy hour at Olympia !

Edited December 30, 2013 by ssb

[pspercy]

With the Panama Canal happenings,

it's for sure a game changer in many industries, for entire Gulf Coast to provide goods and services to the Midwest.

There will be certainly changes in the cruise industry for Galveston.

The nature and extent of theses changes will depend on partners and direction the City and Port decide to take.

On the island with it's east end flats, pelican island, current port properties

there are a lot options.

There are major decisions to be made on many issues and directions for the future.

 

 

Is Tilman Fertitta still pushing to redevelop the cruise terminal area ?

[jonbgd]

Probably will not do carnival at least with our current cruise plans.

We are diamond plus with too many benefits on RCCL.

 

Tomorrow we and others have birthday plans for another to go to

Stingaree Restaurant on Bolivar for oysters, oysters and more oysters.

Otherwise love to see y'all .

 

Im JK I didn't expect you guys to do Carnival after being loyal to RCCL all these years :p:D

We will be back down after the HH gets done

just ask on the local boards about it as the local sherriff doesn't like us to communicate;) and will delete my review if someone doesn't ask a question first:confused:

 

I look forward to the Freedom or a larger ship coming to Galveston in the future

[Topo Gigio]

If she comes it will be interesting to see if it's year round or seasonal.

[PuterMonkey]

While this is only our third cruise, I have to admit that Galveston has been the most work of any of them in terms of organizing the transportation. It was also by my calculations more expensive to fly into and drive around than any of the Florida ports would have been. I wanted the itinerary but the only real reason I could justify the cost was because the cruise itself was on a discount at the time. So for people flying in, that's also something they'll be considering.

[Rewind]

I'm the same way. Being in Ohio I'm flying to just about any cruise port (Baltimore is 7 hours and the only comfortable one to drive). I'm sailing on the Navigator in April because I wanted that ship and found a great rate. With all the problems I've had organizing transportation between the airport and Galveston, I will go out of my way to not sail from there again.

 

Heck, it's easier and cheaper for me to sail out of San Juan, Puerto Rico most of the time.

[BillOh]

Well, if it is, its after 4/26/15. That is usually when ships do their repositioning. Maybe I can do a B2B and go from Port Canaveral to Galveston.

[ssb]

Im JK I didn't expect you guys to do Carnival after being loyal to RCCL all these years :p:D

We will be back down after the HH gets done

just ask on the local boards about it as the local sherriff doesn't like us to communicate;) and will delete my review if someone doesn't ask a question first:confused:

 

I look forward to the Freedom or a larger ship coming to Galveston in the future

 

That's a compliment to you

for you have a wealth of information

about Galveston and Houston to be helpful

to travelers.

[BillOh]

I'm the same way. Being in Ohio I'm flying to just about any cruise port (Baltimore is 7 hours and the only comfortable one to drive). I'm sailing on the Navigator in April because I wanted that ship and found a great rate. With all the problems I've had organizing transportation between the airport and Galveston, I will go out of my way to not sail from there again.

 

Heck, it's easier and cheaper for me to sail out of San Juan, Puerto Rico most of the time.

 

Tampa was 14 hours and not a terrible drive in April ;)

[ssb]

Did that three times on 2 different ships :-)

 

I see that now on signature. Sorry!

Yes our hope is more eastern and southern carribean

and new panama route reaches with bigger and more efficient ships.

Time is on our side.

 

If Mitchell, Fertitta, Moody, Sealy and other families of like and a major world wide operating partner such as RCCL even would

work together in the cruise industry

Something major could get done in Galveston .

RCCL is investing heavily all over the world in ports and destinations.

Besides just ships!

 

With bigger ships we have major airport for bigs planes already.

And might get a car rental company.

 

Houston tried to get control of Galveston Port

But that didn't happen. It has great potential and value.

I did not agree with a deal with Houston.

Edited December 30, 2013 by ssb