Refurbished Royal Caribbean terminal in Galveston?

[Galveston Cruiser]

Is the June 19th date for official ribbon cutting and a soft opening earlier? Hoping for my May 15th cruise.

 

Margee

 

No Margee:

Even the 19th is pushed back a week from the 12th. They had several unexpected delays.

Mary

[margeecruiser]

Oh, well, darn!! We made do with the way it was and were happy. Just wanted to show son and daughter in law a great experience.

 

M

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[ssb]

Oh, well, darn!! We made do with the way it was and were happy. Just wanted to show son and daughter in law a great experience.

 

M

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Still may be good experience with tent still up for holding staging area for check in and hopefully the changes with old building structurely changed and partially completed for baggage and Immigration. Immigrations in my mind would be only real potential problem. Hope RCCL and Port get on Feds to make it a good experience for cruisers using new terminal

Edited May 6, 2016 by ssb

[trpltongue]

Will all the RCCL cruises be departing from a new terminal or is this just a refurbishment of the existing terminal?

 

I'm trying to sort out my driving route for our July 3 2016 cruise and had planned to come down 21st street, but if the Terminal is in a different location...

[Spring]

Will all the RCCL cruises be departing from a new terminal or is this just a refurbishment of the existing terminal?

 

I'm trying to sort out my driving route for our July 3 2016 cruise and had planned to come down 21st street, but if the Terminal is in a different location...

 

The new terminal is just next to the existing one.

[ssb]

Will all the RCCL cruises be departing from a new terminal or is this just a refurbishment of the existing terminal?

 

I'm trying to sort out my driving route for our July 3 2016 cruise and had planned to come down 21st street, but if the Terminal is in a different location...

 

Yes as Ron (spring said) new terminal is next to old and both combined and total revamped make for all new bigger terminal and better procedures for Galveston . Still entrance from Harborsidec to both terminals is At 22nd in same place .

And 21st from Broadway is a good way to go.

 

As I have posted before.

IMPORTANT

cruisers on days with two ships in port do NOT follow signs for cruise ship exit to Harborside from causeway and Freeway .

CONTINUE on Freeway straight into town onto Broadway and turn left on 19th to 22nd back over to Harborside and enter from east rather than from west into Port with little to NO TRAFFIC.

Edited May 26, 2016 by ssb

[JimAOk1945]

As I have posted before.

IMPORTANT

cruisers on days with two ships in port do NOT follow signs for cruise ship exit to Harborside from causeway and Freeway .

CONTINUE on Freeway straight into town onto Broadway and turn left on 19th to 22nd back over to Harborside and enter from east rather than from west into Port with little to NO TRAFFIC.

 

I checked this route on Google maps and it looks really good. I think I will try it in December when we cruise on the Liberty of the Seas.

 

Thanks!

[ceistre]

[JimAOk1945]

[attach]386627[/attach][attach]386628[/attach]

Thanks for posting these pictures. How did your embarkation process go? Was it smooth or a crazy long wait to get aboard the ship?

[ceistre]

embarkation curb to ship 15 min disembarkation ship to curb 30 min

[ssb]

embarkation curb to ship 15 min disembarkation ship to curb 30 min

 

Good news

[JimAOk1945]

embarkation curb to ship 15 min disembarkation ship to curb 30 min

 

Wow! This is incredible! Did you have early disembarkation?

Edited June 5, 2016 by JimAOk1945

[ceistre]

We do self disembarkation with our luggage every year, last year we scheduled off at 10 this year at 8 and have the same experience every year. not sure what the fuss is all about with Galveston and the customs agents never had a problem so far.

 

The times stated are based on from when they scan our badge on ship to standing on the curb and vise versa

 

Also we are C&A society so less line checking in

Edited June 7, 2016 by ceistre

[JimAOk1945]

We do self disembarkation with our luggage every year, last year we scheduled off at 10 this year at 8 and have the same experience every year. not sure what the fuss is all about with Galveston and the customs agents never had a problem so far.

 

The times stated are based on from when they scan our badge on ship to standing on the curb and vise versa

 

Also we are C&A society so less line checking in

Does being a C&A society member mean you can bypass line outside of the terminal and check in inside the terminal?

Edited June 7, 2016 by JimAOk1945

[mareed]

Does being a C&A society member mean you can bypass line outside of the terminal and check in inside the terminal?

 

I was on the 5/29/16 cruise and Platinum C&A and above were able to go right inside and bypass the line where others were being held outside. We were Platinum and got right inside and through security in less than 5 minutes and a very short line to check-in followed by immediate boarding. It was the shortest time from parking lot to being on the ship I've ever had!

 

On 6/5/16 we also had our quickest ever disembarkation with 30 minutes from the time we stepped outside on the ship when our number was called (late 20's, so not early) until we were back at our car at the parking lot. We did use a porter, and that saved a bit of time and hassle of navigating through the crowd outside to get to our parking shuttle. Even though we could have handled our bags, it was well worth the tip for the porter.

[ceistre]

We are only Gold level C&A :(

 

but it's enough to get in a much shorter line during checkin and I'm ok with that

 

 

Side note they had a illustrations of the new terminal throughout the inside of the terminal and a Oasis class ship is depicted in the illustrations. I heard from crew members they moved the Liberty to Galveston due to Navigator being filled almost up every sailing and now the Liberty has been at full capacity almost every sailing they claim a larger ship to Galveston is in the near future. Of course this is just a rumor well see

Edited June 7, 2016 by ceistre

[ssb]

We are only Gold level C&A :(

 

but it's enough to get in a much shorter line during checkin and I'm ok with that

 

 

Side note they had a illustrations of the new terminal throughout the inside of the terminal and a Oasis class ship is depicted in the illustrations. I heard from crew members they moved the Liberty to Galveston due to Navigator being filled almost up every sailing and now the Liberty has been at full capacity almost every sailing they claim a larger ship to Galveston is in the near future. Of course this is just a rumor well see

 

Last night in Galveston, having conversation from someone in the know, was also told Liberty RCL has been sailing full capacity.

 

A couple of months ago an RCL official from Miami here in Galveston rumored the same, RCL needs more capacity in Galveston! !

 

NEW Terminal # 2 should open soon, between now and next couple weeks!:)

[JimAOk1945]

Last night in Galveston, having conversation from someone in the know, was also told Liberty RCL has been sailing full capacity.

 

A couple of months ago an RCL official from Miami here in Galveston rumored the same, RCL needs more capacity in Galveston! !

 

NEW Terminal # 2 should open soon, between now and next couple weeks!:)

 

Thanks for the updated information. We are looking forward to going through the new terminal in December.

 

It would be really great if a ship larger than the Liberty of the Seas made home port in Galveston, but I wonder whether the channel would be deep enough.

[longhorn2004]

Last night in Galveston, having conversation from someone in the know, was also told Liberty RCL has been sailing full capacity.

 

A couple of months ago an RCL official from Miami here in Galveston rumored the same, RCL needs more capacity in Galveston! !

 

NEW Terminal # 2 should open soon, between now and next couple weeks!:)

 

Gives credence to the Oasis class rumors.

[Wilson]

Not sure if I am ready for our "home" ship to be Oasis or Quantum class. We really enjoyed the size of Liberty in April and will reconsider after our Harmony cruise next May.

[jonbgd]

Last night in Galveston, having conversation from someone in the know, was also told Liberty RCL has been sailing full capacity.

 

 

and the prices show it:eek::mad:

[ssb]

Not sure if I am ready for our "home" ship to be Oasis or Quantum class. We really enjoyed the size of Liberty in April and will reconsider after our Harmony cruise next May.

 

Maybe they will bring another second ship for Panama Canal , San Deigo , KeyWest , Cuba , San Juan which has been rumored.

 

Oasis will fit!

Here are some facts I have found:

But for info purposes only:

Comparison of Class Ships:

....................... Overall

Class............. Length Ft*.... Draft Ft

Voyager.............. 1021......... 29

Quantum............ 1142......... 29

Freedom............. 1112......... 29

Oasis.................. 1181......... 31

 

* not at waterline but total width and info relative to turn around

 

Galveston Port Channel :

Narrowest Width 1200 and wider at turning basin

Minimum Depth 45

 

69 ft in length is

difference between Freedom And Oasis Class Ships

 

Up the channel is a turning basin,

between the the Ferry Landing and Yacht Club,

where the ships turn around sometimes now.

There is ample width space and depth there.

Then the ships can back in from turning basin

which some do now.

Edited June 19, 2016 by ssb

[JimAOk1945]

ssb,

 

Thanks for taking the time to compile the ship comparison information. It's exciting to think that Oasis would fit. Maybe one of the mega ships might eventually come to Galveston.

 

Personally, if we wanted to cruise and didn't have any specific destination in mind, we would probably take a cruise on a mega ship just for the experience.

 

On the other hand, a second ship, like Freedom class or smaller, offering some new varieties of itineraries to choose from would be great.

 

It would be nice to have the both at Galveston. :D

Edited June 19, 2016 by JimAOk1945

[longhorn2004]

Galveston used to have two RCL ships. Port Canaveral is getting an Oasis ship, why not Galveston.

[ssb]

Galveston used to have two RCL ships. Port Canaveral is getting an Oasis ship, why not Galveston.

 

There has been talk of Larger ship or adding of smaller ship.

Smaller ship which would be necessary for alternating Routes of Galveston to San Diego back to Galveston .

Then Galveston to Cuba route And back to Galveston and repeat .