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Galveston......never again!!

Desertbelle

By Desertbelle,
in Gulf Coast Departures

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NancyIL

NancyIL

Posted
Posted (edited)
Really? You may want to tell them that at Port Everglades then.

 

The answer to that question is....maybe. No kiosks. The link to the thread is here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2279028

 

:)

 

I stand corrected! However, even if a GE line had been open at Port Everglades when our ship arrived (and I was told it wasn't) - we didn't have our GE cards with us. Guess I'll bring the cards from now on.

 

http://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/card

 

Using Your Global Entry Card

 

We accept Global Entry cards for lawful U.S. entry at land and sea ports of entry.

 

Global Entry cards have radio frequency identification chips, which enable their use at Secure Electronic Network for Travelers Rapid Inspection (SENTRI) and NEXUS travel lanes when entering the United States at the land borders. You must follow all program rules for SENTRI when using this card at the Southern land border ports of entry.

 

You may use this card for expedited entry into the United States via the SENTRI and NEXUS lanes. The card is not valid for entry into Canada via the NEXUS lanes.

 

Only your passport or lawful permanent resident card are accepted at Global Entry kiosks. The Global Entry card cannot be used at Global Entry kiosks. NEXUS cards are accepted at Global Entry kiosks located on Canadian Preclearance Airports.

Edited by NancyIL
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Bigtex1622

Bigtex1622

Posted
Posted

We have sailed out of Galveston only.

That is 5 times using Royal, with only 2 itineraries.

Even the longest we have had was the last time, when we did not use a porter.

That took about 60 minutes. Using a porter, it was more like 30 minutes.

So I learned to get one, it is worth the $20, I pay them.

.



.

 

.... From getting into line to reaching the customs agent was 70 minutes!! ....

.



.

I spend more time going to and from work on a daily bases, so I guess, things like that do not get to me.

.



.

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The Grumpus

The Grumpus

Posted
Posted (edited)
I stand corrected! However, even if a GE line had been open at Port Everglades when our ship arrived (and I was told it wasn't) - we didn't have our GE cards with us. Guess I'll bring the cards from now on.

 

http://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/card

 

 

The line was so long that no one knew there was a GE line until people started going through the line asking if anyone had GE. When someone would confirm they had it, they we taken out of the line and escorted to the empty roped off line all the way to the front. The porters knew as well and would ask.

Edited by The Grumpus
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MADflyer

MADflyer

Posted
Posted

While I did not need a porter to move quickly outside the terminal, the real shock for me was the very low standard of the area outside the terminal and the poor signage and organization of the port area. There was no seating for the many elderly that were often waiting well over an hour in slow moving transfer lines.

 

Galveston now ranks as the worst port where I have ever disembarked, just below Colon, Panama.

 

On the issue of porters; porters at Port Everglades are no longer allowed to cut the custom lines and I was told that the TSA was involved in that decision. My last arrival was over a year ago on the Oasis TA sailing. I am not sure if this stuck or will be spreading to other disembarkation terminals, like Galveston. I had 2 porters with me for over two hours on arrival at PE.

 

On the issue of Global Entry; I had seen posts here about the card being accepted at a special line without kiosk. The 6 TSA agents that were leaving the terminal at Galveston, where I asked, all stated they had heard nothing about this being the case, nor did they see how it would work without the kiosks.

 

One of the strategies they used to market global entry was signage at poor entry points to the USA, where passengers were most motivated to sign up following a bad experience. This might be the case with the signage at Port Everglades. It would be great if they add kiosks at cruise ports though.

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critterchick

critterchick

Posted
Posted
I stand corrected! However, even if a GE line had been open at Port Everglades when our ship arrived (and I was told it wasn't) - we didn't have our GE cards with us. Guess I'll bring the cards from now on.

 

http://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/global-entry/card

 

We never leave home without our NEXUS cards (which have Global Entry). We also saw the signs, and asked about GE but were told that it's not offered in PE. That apparently isn't true, as I've read of people going to a dedicated line when disembarking from OA/AL. As we (and you) were on a "small" ship (Serenade), I guess they deemed it not worth opening the GE line.

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MJonTravel

MJonTravel

Posted
Posted

At the risk of hijacking a Galveston thread, I'll share my experience with Global Entry at Port Everglades on November 6, arriving on the Allure T/A. I saw the sign. Another gentleman asked the lady standing at the sign if this was the Global Entry line? Answer was yes, but you can only access it if you have your Global Entry card. We went over and were sent directly to the front of the line to clear customs. The customs agent advised that it wasn't "Global Entry" in the classic sense of the word...as in using a kiosk. But local authorities had made the decision to offer expedited clearance, basically a cut to the front of the line, to those who have Global Entry.

 

It was the first time the physical card has proven useful to me. A few days later, Port Everglades tweeted that this was now offered in all their cruise terminals. For what it's worth, I blogged about it here.

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chadbeck

chadbeck

Posted
Posted
Well, that was very nice for you, but all the porters cutting the line in front of us was one of the reasons it took so long for the rest of us. :(

 

 

The porters get priority when exiting so they can get back in and help the next set of travelers. Once custom officers told me that I get them all the time at every port.

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NancyIL

NancyIL

Posted
Posted
We never leave home without our NEXUS cards (which have Global Entry). We also saw the signs, and asked about GE but were told that it's not offered in PE. That apparently isn't true, as I've read of people going to a dedicated line when disembarking from OA/AL. As we (and you) were on a "small" ship (Serenade), I guess they deemed it not worth opening the GE line.

 

Thanks, Jean. I knew we were told "no" about GE when we asked about it in the PE terminal, so I'm not crazy! :D Fortunately, the line to go through Customs moved pretty quickly when we disembarked the Serenade.

 

I have sailed from Galveston only once, and that was for a Disney Transatlantic in 2013. There's a definite lack of rental car companies that service Galveston for one-way rentals from Houston airports, but Enterprise worked for me. Galveston itself is a lovely port town.

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DebJ14

DebJ14

Posted
Posted
We ALWAYS get a porter and sail through customs.

 

Same for us.

 

I don't understand the attraction of lugging all your baggage off the ship and through the terminal. We always put it out the night before for collection and get a porter as soon as we get in the terminal.

 

It does take a little longer if the ship does the Roatan, Belize route because that requires a full Immigration inspection. They actually swipe passports and type in all the info from birth certificates, which takes much longer. When you do the Jamaica, Grand Cayman run they usually just look at the passports.

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minn0315

minn0315

Posted
Posted

Never again for us. A pain for those of us that fly in and out of Houston to actually get to Galveston port.

 

Secondly, the goofy rules about Texas liquor and unable to get decent drinks until the ship is in international waters. Also, when you do disembark in Galveston the duty-free items you bought are subject to Texas liquor laws and you have to pay a tax.

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StrikeEagle

StrikeEagle

Posted
Posted (edited)

Disembarkation was a Royal Mess! Walking off the boat was easy, but the mass confusion and wait following was enough to make even me mad. We found our luggage fast but then there were 3 or 4 confused lines funneling into one, massive, slow line!! From getting into line to reaching the customs agent was 70 minutes!! 70 minutes of snaking around the building lugging all your baggage. Our cruise had 1350 kids onboard, so you can imagine the issues those parents had keeping their kids occupied (they actually did a stellar job and I commend all those parents). I have no idea why the long lines, all the customs booths were open....I guess they need to make the port larger and get more agents because that is too long to wait! Getting outside was also horrible. We got through the line around 11 am, which is when people were arriving for the next cruise...what a mess! In 24 or so cruises I can't remember another experience like it.

 

I was on the same cruise sailing on the Liberty for Thanksgiving week. I agree with you completely. Everything was smooth but Disembarkation is a nightmare. My luggage tag number is 8, and my number was called to leave at 8:50 am. I picked up my luggage at about 9:00 am. At the terminal there were a large crowd, I couldn't even know where is the end of the line and manuvering through the big crowd with all my luggage helping my family with their luggage is a nightmare. Didn't exit through immigration until around 10:15am.

 

I think the problem here is previously this terminal is accommodating the smaller Voager class ship with a lesser passengers, now Liberty is a larger ship with with alot more passengers. The bottleneck on disembarkation day is going through immigration agents. Now with a larger ship they should have more immigration agents and more lanes to to through.

 

This is my 3rd time sailing from Galveston terminal #2, 1st two time on Voyager class, embarkation is a nightmare, but disemarkation was smoother. That temporary tent they setup helped alot to smooth out on embarkation process for the larger Liberty, now RCI have to do is to improve the disembarkation process and this port will be perfect.

Edited by StrikeEagle
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StrikeEagle

StrikeEagle

Posted
Posted (edited)

It was the first time the physical card has proven useful to me. A few days later, Port Everglades tweeted that this was now offered in all their cruise terminals. For what it's worth, I blogged about it here.

 

That Global Entry Card remind me of the movie The Fifth Element. "MultiPass".

 

it's good to have MultiPass Need to get myself one :D

Edited by StrikeEagle
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Galveston Cruiser

Galveston Cruiser

Posted
Posted

There are numerous problems with the Port of Galveston and RCCL. But - a BIG but, this is NOT the City of Galveston creating this.

 

First: Makes no difference the size of ship - 3800 passengers or 3200 - still a lot of people who want to get off/on all at once. Years ago we had 3 ships arriving and departing on same day (18,000 passengers)

Second: ICE - Goes to Carnival FIRST with only a few agents at RCCL until Carnival is finished. Why? Don't have a clue.

Third: RCCL was doing numbered departure - which worked perfect when the Liberty arrived on 11/13 - called #, off and cleared ICE in 10 minutes. Waited longer for our ride to go home 20 blocks!

Fourth: Porter or not, ICE is a huge problem in Galveston for not supplying enough agents - this is a Federal Government issue which will not be resolved no matter new terminal or not. More agents are needed!

 

We have sailed in/out of Galveston 30+ times. Some closed loop, most transatlantic. Closed loop always takes more time due to the Caribbean, drugs and number of non-U.S. citizens.

 

Majority of the time have been off the ship and home in a matter of minutes. However, a Caribbean cruise last year had us waiting for 3 hours before clearing ICE.

 

As to the new terminal, there were two issues - one, it was thought an historic vessel was sunk near the dock (nope), second, the ground needed extra reinforcement for the new structure. Again, this is not the City.

However, I can't believe an engineer did not understand this island is a sand bar and doesn't have firm ground - anywhere!

 

Am I going to let waiting in line ruin a cruise or never return to a port/City - No.

Stuff happens everywhere. Instant gratification has no part in traveling. Have waited hours in Civitavecchia (Rome) in a hot tent prior to boarding; waited hours in airports due to bad weather, have had flights re-directed and nearly missed a cruise due to horrendous weather in Florida (no longer fly in same day) this is all part of life and one can't control every everything.

 

Galveston is a great City with so much to do and see that it is a shame one lets a dock override all the good stuff.

 

Merry Christmas everyone:)

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Galveston Cruiser

Galveston Cruiser

Posted
Posted

I am going to add one more item:

RCCL issues numbered luggage tags specifying departure time. However, there is no control with passengers departing the ship.

Basically, if 1,500 passengers disembark at 8am, with or without luggage; they are the ones that create the boondoggle.

 

An organized departure, with all obeying the rules, will see an organized and expedient process.

Will this occur? Only if RCCL passengers must show the assigned departure time when disembarking.

I hate to say the chances are slim and none as a majority feel rules don't apply to them.

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted
I am going to add one more item:

RCCL issues numbered luggage tags specifying departure time. However, there is no control with passengers departing the ship.

Basically, if 1,500 passengers disembark at 8am, with or without luggage; they are the ones that create the boondoggle.

 

An organized departure, with all obeying the rules, will see an organized and expedient process.

Will this occur? Only if RCCL passengers must show the assigned departure time when disembarking.

I hate to say the chances are slim and none as a majority feel rules don't apply to them.

 

Are you in favor of stopping the self assist program, or does that not apply in Galveston?

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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

Posted
Posted
The issue is Belize and, during holidays, more non-U.S. citizens than average.

Texas is well known as having illegal drug problems.

We have even had a drug raid on the ship prior to leaving the Port of Galveston!

 

Yea, I remember a TV show called Galveston Vice. ;)

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