Taxi vs. NCL shuttle - opinions?

[beason641]

We're crazy and are flying in same day as the cruise. Flying into Hobby, cruising out of Bayport. This is our first cruise and we didn't even consider flying in the day before because we are green and naive. =P

 

Our plan had been to take a taxi from the airport to a CVS and buy some water and soda, then head to port. Our plane is scheduled in at 11:30 and now I'm getting anxious about not having enough time. Should we be taking a shuttle and skipping the CVS? We don't drink enough soda to justify the plan, but we do drink enough that paying per drink will be a little annoying. Does anyone have experience with this kind of timeline? Is a taxi easy to get at Hobby and reasonably priced to Bayport? !pleH

[Starry Eyes]

We're crazy and are flying in same day as the cruise. Flying into Hobby, cruising out of Bayport. This is our first cruise and we didn't even consider flying in the day before because we are green and naive. =P

 

Our plan had been to take a taxi from the airport to a CVS and buy some water and soda, then head to port. Our plane is scheduled in at 11:30 and now I'm getting anxious about not having enough time. Should we be taking a shuttle and skipping the CVS? We don't drink enough soda to justify the plan, but we do drink enough that paying per drink will be a little annoying. Does anyone have experience with this kind of timeline? Is a taxi easy to get at Hobby and reasonably priced to Bayport? !pleH

 

If changing the flights is not workable, then I would book the NCL shuttle.

 

If the NCL tranfer bus is delayed by Houston traffic, NCL has a responsibility (likely meaning keep checkin open and holding the ship until your transfer arrives). OTOH if your taxi is stuck in traffic and you miss check in time (typically 90 minutes before sailing, you are out of luck (travel insurance might or might not cover you, depending upon details of policy!).

 

If water and soda really matter to you, pay the airline to check a box full of it to Hobby so it can take the ship transfer aato come aboard with you. Most likely you will decide it is not worth that much to you, so just plan to buy it on ship plus on port stops. Or drink ship beverages like ice tea and keep refilling a couple water bottles with water from ship's taps; ship water is very good.

[danfiveoh]

We are very experienced cruisers (30 years) and did what you are doing back in November. We normally fly in the day before but couldn't do it this trip. We arrived at 12:30, took the NCL shuttle but had to wait 45 minutes at the airport for the bus to fill. I threw a 6 pack of soda and a few bottles of water in our checked bags. At each port, I just picked up a couple bottles of soda, and I agree wtih Starry Eyes, the ships water is good so we refilled bottles. Traffic shouldn't be an issue on a Sunday (there was very little when we went) and if I were doing it again, I would take super shuttle or a cab. Here is what I wrote just after we returned:

 

November 9th, 2014, 11:25 AM

 

We just returned yesterday. We did an NCL transfer to the ship (same port as Princess) for $35 each. I figured I would play it by ear for the return so didn't book anything in advance. Upon return, there was a long line of cabs and super shuttle "blue vans" lined up. I figured the super shuttle would be cheaper than a cab (when I checked on line, cab rates ranged from $50-$70). I walked up to the first blue van in the long line of vans and asked if he was going to hobby. He said yes and the rate was $23.50 per person. We jumped in and were on our way in about 10 minutes. Others in the van had pre-booked so I'm sure it is cheaper if you pre-pay. The driver said that super shuttle has a desk at Hobby so in hindsight, it would have been better to pre-book transport both ways through super shuttle. Our flight was at 1:20. We were at the airport by 10:00.

Edited January 8, 2015 by danfiveoh

[Starry Eyes]

We are very experienced cruisers (30 years) and did what you are doing back in November. We normally fly in the day before but couldn't do it this trip. We arrived at 12:30, took the NCL shuttle but had to wait 45 minutes at the airport for the bus to fill. I threw a 6 pack of soda and a few bottles of water in our checked bags. At each port, I just picked up a couple bottles of soda, and I agree wtih Starry Eyes, the ships water is good so we refilled bottles. Traffic shouldn't be an issue on a Sunday (there was very little when we went) and if I were doing it again, I would take super shuttle or a cab. Here is what I wrote just after we returned:

 

November 9th, 2014, 11:25 AM

 

We just returned yesterday. We did an NCL transfer to the ship (same port as Princess) for $35 each. I figured I would play it by ear for the return so didn't book anything in advance. Upon return, there was a long line of cabs and super shuttle "blue vans" lined up. I figured the super shuttle would be cheaper than a cab (when I checked on line, cab rates ranged from $50-$70). I walked up to the first blue van in the long line of vans and asked if he was going to hobby. He said yes and the rate was $23.50 per person. We jumped in and were on our way in about 10 minutes. Others in the van had pre-booked so I'm sure it is cheaper if you pre-pay. The driver said that super shuttle has a desk at Hobby so in hindsight, it would have been better to pre-book transport both ways through super shuttle. Our flight was at 1:20. We were at the airport by 10:00.

I thought NCL departs on Saturday, not Sunday. Living in WI, I am certainly not a Houston traffic expert, but locals have warned me that traffic can be bad, even on weekends. Maybe they are exaggerating; like everything is bigger in TX, even the traffic delays?;)?

Waiting for a bus to fill is one of the potential frustrations with a cruise line transfer. Of course, once you have checked in for that bus, they are responsible for getting you to port, so an NCL transfer delay may be less nerve wracking than a taxi delay.

 

In other cities, Super shuttle may group together people going to different destinations. I'll never forget the route they gave my driver from FLL when we were heading to Miami Beach; they sent us on a very long, bizarre route all through Miami area before going to beach. If they do the same from Hobby, the OP could board a shuttle that drops off a passenger or two at each of 2-6 destinations before heading for the port; that can be a slow process, especially if traffic turns ugly too. I'd happily take Super Shuttle from cruise port to airport post cruise, but unless one has a really nice time cushion (and does not mind potentially wasting that time cushion), I would not risk it heading to port on the day of cruise.

[danfiveoh]

Correction, it does leave on Saturday (confused it with our upcoming cruise on Sunday). We saw very little traffic on Saturday. I've read posts stating that a taxi is around $60 so given the very small difference between that and super shuttle, I would just take a cab. The bus was not a great experience, everyone waiting in the bag claim area for close to an hour, then attempting to move as a group across traffic lanes to where to bus was parked, no real line just lots of people worried that we wouldn't fit on the bus. We all fit, then waited for more to arrive.

Also, I've taken super shuttle numerous times on cruises to and from the port and they've never made additional stops. I have also used them for hotel transportation, and in that case they normally do make several stops.

[Starry Eyes]

It may depend upon the Super Shuttle dispatcher and passenger loads. Yours evidently have been smarter or kinder than mine. We took Super Shuttle for LAX to port. Stopped at three hotels before going to port; the hotels were a bit out the way, but not too bad. Straight to port would have been nicer. Personally, I would not use a shared ride service to port unless I had plenty of time to spare. The NCL shuttle waiting and boarding does not sound pleasant.