Refurbished Royal Caribbean terminal in Galveston?

[Wilson]

Great info ssb.

 

Would love to see an additional Royal ship that also offered 4 or 5 night cruises.

[ssb]

:)

According to local report:

Next Sunday June 26th , the new expansion of Terminal Two here in Galveston will open . After a few months of delays, the new terminal area will be open! Bright and fresh it is inside, thanks to a Sneak Preview yesterday for contractors and personnel . Passengers will drop off their luggage at the same existing metal building with portholes and enter same doors, then proceed left all the way to the new expansion building for staging and check in. After check in, they will take a escalator or elevator up to the 2nd floor, where the large Lounge will accommodate them until they board. All aboard for Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas! The baggage claim area is expanded greatly into old check in, and immigration and exit to pick up is in same area off baggage claim area!

 

Valet Parking will be available for passengers sailing on 7 day cruises starting on Sunday, June 26 for $140.00.

Edited June 20, 2016 by ssb

[ssb]

xxxx

Edited June 20, 2016 by ssb

[EntropyGuardian]

I want another ship out of Galveston! The thought of flying somewhere to get on a cruise instead of just driving makes me grumpy.

 

Sailed the Navigator, Emerald Princess, and soon the Liberty all out of Texas.

 

Please bring an Oasis class ship and I'll book it, Royal.

[ssb]

I want another ship out of Galveston! The thought of flying somewhere to get on a cruise instead of just driving makes me grumpy.

 

Sailed the Navigator, Emerald Princess, and soon the Liberty all out of Texas.

 

Please bring an Oasis class ship and I'll book it, Royal.

 

I have mixed feeling feelings :

Larger class ship vs varied itineraries?

 

Better would be larger ship and additional smaller ship!

Edited June 20, 2016 by ssb

[ssb]

Galveston has:

3 carnival ships now

1 RCL ship now

1 Disney Ship now

Princess wants to return

RCL future ?

[JimAOk1945]

Thanks for the new information ssb!

 

I'm really looking forward to using the new terminal. I just wish they had some way of making the luggage drop off area in front of the terminal better. The traffic and mass confusion make it a nightmare! It's a good thing I am a patient man.

[ssb]

Thanks for the new information ssb!

 

I'm really looking forward to using the new terminal. I just wish they had some way of making the luggage drop off area in front of the terminal better. The traffic and mass confusion make it a nightmare! It's a good thing I am a patient man.

 

Please write letter to Port of Houston. And to City of Galveston with your concerns. I have complained with Customs, RCL , City, Port, and posted much on CC over the years.

I'm glad you have patience :) ! The issues are understood by all, but everything moves slow in Government with money, existing leases and political issues.

Edited June 21, 2016 by ssb

[longhorn2004]

Again, at one time RCL had two ships serving Galveston. Whats needed is the aping Carnival on 4 to day cruise, but new itineraries.

 

If Carnival can to Key West and two Bahamas cities and back to Galveston in 7 days, why can',t RCL to Labadee, Turk islands and Nassau, Bahamas in seven days? A new itinerary that doesn't compete with Carnival or the two other niche players in Galveston.

 

Is there room for another RCL in Galveston? With Carnival's three ships, Princess and sometimes Disney and RCL single ship, the weekly calendar is already crowded in the winter.

[ssb]

Again, at one time RCL had two ships serving Galveston. Whats needed is the aping Carnival on 4 to day cruise, but new itineraries.

 

If Carnival can to Key West and two Bahamas cities and back to Galveston in 7 days, why can',t RCL to Labadee, Turk islands and Nassau, Bahamas in seven days? A new itinerary that doesn't compete with Carnival or the two other niche players in Galveston.

 

Is there room for another RCL in Galveston? With Carnival's three ships, Princess and sometimes Disney and RCL single ship, the weekly calendar is already crowded in the winter.

 

Bring RCL on!

[jonbgd]

, why can',t RCL to Labadee, Turk islands and Nassau, Bahamas in seven days? .

I think Labadee is an issue with that Itinerary

it might be too far south from the Bahamas

Edited June 21, 2016 by jonbgd

[jonbgd]

Bring RCL on!

 

wouldn't RCCL have the inside track on another ship over Princess coming back

I would be a great way to use the terminal

 

But with RCCL selling the Legend and Empress committed to Cuba what ship would be moved

[ssb]

I think Labadee is an issue with that Itinerary

it might be too far south from the Bahamas

 

With smaller ship ,

Cuba is the key destination port for RCL out of Galveston to the east ,

and Panama Canal would be key destination to west.

 

What other destination ports are visited would seem irrelevant except San Diego, which RCL is already sailing to from Tampa I think.

Edited June 21, 2016 by ssb

[JimAOk1945]

It would be nice if Princess comes to Galveston, but is it just a rumor?

Edited June 22, 2016 by JimAOk1945

[ssb]

I think Labadee is an issue with that Itinerary

it might be too far south from the Bahamas

 

Carnival now goes to Nassau and Coco Bahamas

[ssb]

wouldn't RCCL have the inside track on another ship over Princess coming back

I would be a great way to use the terminal

 

But with RCCL selling the Legend and Empress committed to Cuba what ship would be moved

 

I would think so for RCL.

?????? Which ship?

Time is on our side. But it will take time!

A new wind is blowing across Galveston Island!

[ssb]

By CHACOUR KOOP The Daily News | Posted 11 hours ago

 

The wait is over.

 

For the first time, passengers Sunday will board their ship through the $13.2 million expansion of Cruise Terminal No. 2, a facility built to accommodate the largest cruise ship to call at the Port of Galveston but marred by months of delays. Royal Caribbean Cruises’ Liberty of the Seas, a 1,111-foot-long ship with capacity for 4,200 people, will be the first vessel to welcome passengers through the two-story, 60,000-square-foot expansion.

 

While the project won’t be complete until late July, the port is using the new part of Terminal No. 2 so it can remodel the original part of the terminal, Port Director Michael Mierzwa said.

 

The expansion includes a check-in area, a large waiting room and a ramp for disembarking passengers, which will be more efficient than the previous exit route — an escalator prone to breaking down, officials said. The existing part of the cruise terminal will have a significantly expanded space for passengers to line up for screening and a separate baggage area for travelers to pick suitcases up after their trip.

 

The port is also rolling out valet service for the first time this weekend. Valet drivers will be available for passengers boarding at both cruise terminals on today and Sunday. In hopes of generating cash from 159 parking spaces at the Galveston Transit Terminal, the port entered a three-month trial period with Sovereign Services, a Houston parking company. Parking will cost $20 per day.

 

If the idea works, the port will put out a bid for valet parking services, Mierzwa said.

 

The cruise terminal expansion and other improvements, which total $16.3 million, has been delayed numerous times.

 

In January 2014, the port’s governing board approved a five-year agreement with Royal Caribbean Cruises that would generate a minimum of $1.86 million in annual operating revenue for the public docks. The deal was predicated on the port making improvements to Cruise Terminal No. 2. Royal Caribbean said the agreement would mean more island sailings and promised a larger vessel — Liberty of the Seas — to replace its Navigator of the Seas.

 

Construction of the expanded terminal was slowed because engineers found problems. Without a substantial upgrade to the supporting piles, soil conditions would have made the foundation in a section of the building subject to considerable settlement. The expansion was supposed to be completed by the first sailing of Liberty of the Seas in November. The cost increased to $13.2 million.

 

To satisfy the cruise line, the Wharves Board of Trustees, which governs the port, approved rental of a 10,000-square-foot tent to keep waiting passengers inside. The tent cost $75,000 a month for the first three months and $35,000 per month after that. The port also bought a $48,000 portable restroom and parked it adjacent to the tent.

 

Renting the tent, which will be taken down after the Fourth of July weekend, cost $434,100, Mierzwa said.

 

Constructing three additional mooring bollards and dockage to secure the Liberty of the Seas was hampered by a search expedition for a 19th century Texas Navy Ship. In September, work on the $2.9 million project was delayed until archaeologists determined the site had no signs of the warship Zavala.

 

In 1842, the Zavala was run aground in a mud flat to keep it from sinking and then allowed to deteriorate, according to historical reports. Because the site is of historical interest, the state required the port to secure an antiquities permit and allow archaeologists to conduct surveys.

 

Contact reporter Chacour Koop at 409-683-5241 or chacour.koop@galvnews.com.

[dna1990]

Crowds and checkin a Breeze this morning at new terminal. Well ok, i guess i meant to say is a great Liberty to be the first thru.

 

Security still same , but checkin was all new and working. New waiting area above.

 

Not sure what later crowd levels will do but we didnt stop once from Lighthouse shuttle to the waiting area. RCI sent note to be here early. I suppose in case new checkin PCs and equipment ran into issue. So i bet we sit here for a while before ship is ready to receive us.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[dna1990]

 

Nothing super fancy or different. Refreshments, vending, restrooms, etc. VERY cold AC.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Wilson]

Thank you for posting. Enjoy your cruise!

[JimAOk1945]

dna1990

 

Thanks for your picture and report. It's nice to see such a large waiting area. We've been there before when the weather was very hot and the line was so long it stretched back to the Carnival terminal.

 

By now you are probably on board. Have a great cruise!

Edited June 26, 2016 by JimAOk1945

[JoMoe]

Does anyone have pictures of the inside or outside of the new terminal? Cruising on RCI Feb 2018 out of Galveston.

Thanks,

Joe

[ssb]

Does anyone have pictures of the inside or outside of the new terminal? Cruising on RCI Feb 2018 out of Galveston.

Thanks,

Joe

There are photos on a few threads of cruise critic. What are you most interested in?