Help From Galveston First Time

[spookwife]

I don't know that enterprise allows after hour drop off and if memory serves they close at noon on Saturday and are closed Sunday

 

 

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they are now back open on Sundays ( or were in December) but the rub there is they often run out of cars to send back to the airports and you can conceivably end up not getting a car until very late( like mid afternoon)

[time4u2go]

If you with Royal on ship and with their transfer they are not leaving without out you. Period.

Yes there is construction but it will not add hours to you're travel time!!!! There can be delays!

We drove it twice last Saturday to/from Spring and Galveston . Spring is way outside of Bush , and drive each way in construction in about 1 1/2 hours! There were two ships in port on Saturday. And Spring Break starting.

 

Actually that's not quite true. If the timing doesn't work out, they will fly you to the next port that you can join the cruise in progress.

[spookwife]

Why would you not trust Royal Caribbean?

 

for THIS port. just due to logistics. also it will be expensive no matter which way you go but the private companies can be less so.

[spookwife]

Thanks for all of the valuable information. Maybe it's just me because I'm used to cruising out of other ports in the past, but it reads like cruising out of Galveston might be a bit more stressful than out of Cape Liberty, Baltimore and most Florida ports???

 

it certainly is NOT friendly to those who have to fly in, no. but for those of us who could drive it was(mostly) painless. (traffic notwithstanding)

[Canadian Tyler]

We found Galveston was a little more difficult than the usual Florida ports but not a deal breaker. I think it is due partly to the distance from the airports, and they don't have the volume of ships that Florida has so the cruising infrastucture (shuttles etc) isn't as developed as Florida ports. Having said that, we would cruise from there again. We just keep in mind that transportation will be more pricey.

 

We found that staying at a hotel near Hobby was cheapest, then we got a limo to the port. On the way back from the cruise to the airport, at the time we found that the Royal Caribbean shuttle was the most cost effective for the two of us.

[M_BA]

it certainly is NOT friendly to those who have to fly in, no. but for those of us who could drive it was(mostly) painless. (traffic notwithstanding)

 

Agreed, my next cruise will be my fifth out of Galveston. I don't mind driving 500 miles in a day, as I enjoy talk radio. Would I drive to Tampa, Miami, Canaveral, or Ft Lauderdale? Depends on if it was just my spouse, or a car full of ankle-biters...

[waterfever]

I'm sailing out of Galveston for the first time on the 27th of March. I'm flying to Houston on Southwest from Milwaukee, WI, the day before & staying at the Marriott in Houston. I'm taking the hotel shuttle back to the airport baggage area on the day of the cruise & taking the RCCL shuttle to the ship. I called Crown & Anchor. They said that we just need to get to the airport baggage area between 11 & 12 to catch the shuttle. Hopefully that will work. I've always sailed out of Florida ports or Baltimore.

[ssb]

Actually that's not quite true. If the timing doesn't work out, they will fly you to the next port that you can join the cruise in progress.

 

Correct timing meaning like air delays.

 

There would have be an extraordinary circumstance

for a traffic delay of many hours of a RCL transfer.

Especially when the normal transfer times door to door are

prox 1/2 to 3/4 hour ride from Hobby

or an 1 to 1 1/2 hour from Bush

to Galveston port.

 

If you are on the RCL transfer, they in all odds will wait!

 

Besides,

there are many alternative highway traffic routes other than I 45

from both airports to Galveston.

 

Private transfer carriers also are up to date on traffic patterns.

 

We were three hours late back to ship on Med cruise, and they waited.

We were somewhere within an hour late arrive for departure on a Florida cruise, and they waited!

I'm not saying cruisers are not left behind , but they do wait in circumstantial situations within RCL control!

RCL transfers and excursions are in their control!

Edited March 13, 2016 by ssb

[time4u2go]

Correct timing meaning like air delays.

 

There would have be an extraordinary circumstance

for a traffic delay of many hours of a RCL transfer.

Especially when the normal transfer times door to door are

prox 1/2 to 3/4 hour ride from Hobby

or an 1 to 1 1/2 hour from Bush

to Galveston port.

If you are on the RCL transfer, they in all odds will wait!

 

Besides,

there are many alternative traffic routes other than I 45

from airports to Galveston.

 

We were three hours late back to ship on Med cruise, and they waited.

We were somewhere within an hour late arrive for departure on a Florida cruise, and they waited!

I'm not saying cruisers are not left behind , but they do wait in circumstantial situations within their control!

 

Actually you did say that cruisers are not left behind:

 

"If you with Royal on ship and with their transfer they are not leaving without out you. Period."

 

I'm just pointing out that in rare occasions, that statement isn't always true.

Edited March 13, 2016 by time4u2go

[hapster85]

For our cruise out of Galveston in October, I opted to stay at a hotel near Hobby, since we are flying into there. Airport pickup is included and (for a fee) they will transport us to the pier.

 

Hotels in Galveston were far more expensive, by 2 to 3 times, for similar accommodations. Not to mention finding one that provided free airport pickup was a rarity.

[pspercy]

Depending upon time of year, come to Galveston early and spend a day or two.

 

http://www.galveston.com/

[CGBCruiser]

Thanks for all of the valuable information. Maybe it's just me because I'm used to cruising out of other ports in the past, but it reads like cruising out of Galveston might be a bit more stressful than out of Cape Liberty, Baltimore and most Florida ports???

 

It's not near as big a deal as some of the posters make it out to be. No reason not to trust Royal Caribbean to transfer you to the port.

Edited March 14, 2016 by CGBCruiser

[George C]

It's not near as big a deal as some of the posters make it out to be. No reason not to trust Royal Caribbean to transfer you to the port.

 

We normally take a town car, but used RCCL to take us back from ship to airport a couple of years ago and service was fine.

[AZCactusCruiser]

We have and will be again flying in to Houston international, yes its further away than bush , but better chance of getting a direct flight for us

 

 

You have Houston International (IAH , George H W Bush) and Houston Hobby (HOU, Hobby). Hobby is closer to Galveston and is primarily served by Southwest Airlines which has direct flights into there. American and other major airlines serve Hobby usually via connections thru one of their hubs and with far less frequency.

 

IAH or George H W Bush airport is the larger airport, but further away. All major airlines (except Southwest) have direct flights into Bush. Bush is usually easier to get to, but takes more time to get to Galveston

Edited March 26, 2016 by AZCactusCruiser

[Texas Tillie]

You have Houston International (IAH , George H W Bush) and Houston Hobby (HOU, Hobby). Hobby is closer to Galveston and is primarily served by Southwest Airlines which has direct flights into there. American and other major airlines serve Hobby usually via connections thru one of their hubs and with far less frequency.

 

IAH or George H W Bush airport is the larger airport, but further away. All major airlines (except Southwest) have direct flights into Bush. Bush is usually easier to get to, but takes more time to get to Galveston

 

IAH is Houston Intercontinental, but you are correct that it's named after GHW Bush.