Grounds transport Bush IAH to Galveston BREEZE cruise

[glrounds]

My ex will appreciate this. I've completed my research on transportation from Bush IAH airport to the cruise port in Galveston and back for the October 23rd cruise on the BREEZE. Maybe it'll help others traveling this route for the first time. We leave Vegas around midnite and arrive Bush IAH around 5:00am.

 

Carnival's transportation @ $94 pp rt might be fine, but it doesn't make it's first trip to Galveston until 10:00am (assuming the bus will completely load immediately). Traffic should be light and Mapquest has 1:11 for the trip. That would work. Would this allow me to get there early enough to take advantage of my PLATINUM status and board early though ?

 

Trying to pinch pennies and since there will be three of us (meeting my ole cruising buddy landing from LAX) around 6:30am, I looked into renting a car for the week and parking it at the cruise port; about $200 per week plus $60 parking at the cheapest location with an interesting walk or cab ride to the cruise port. Add the fuel costs and maybe not all that great plus about the same as Carnival's transportation.

 

Soooooooooo, I thought I'll rent the car for 1 1/2 hours to the cruise port and rent another one for the return a week later with Enterprise, the ONLY car rental company that has an office in Galveston by the cruise port. Well, that would be $46 for the day with a whopping $100 charge for dropping it off at a different location! That's $292 plus the gas and one of us has to take a cab from the car rental location 3 miles to the ship ! I'm sure I would be elected. :rolleyes:

 

Not to be deterred, I located a shuttle service; Galvestonexpress.com. You have to share the van with others from other airlines as they pick up other passengers (did this from JFK to cruiseport all the way across Manhattan for $17 instead of a cab for $70), but their cost is pretty good. $70 pp rt with $5 off for seniors, which I think we all are. :rolleyes: The most important element to me is they schedule from 7:30 and 9:00 and on and on. But for some reason they show the trip length as 2 hours ? :confused:

 

Does anybody have any insight as to the Galveston Express ? Would really appreciate it. I'm leaning toward good ole dependable Carnival, personally.:) Thanks.

Edited September 5, 2016 by glrounds

[Christine in MO]

Check out galvestonlimo.com I have not used them but am booked with them for next month. Most reasonable priced I have found.

[mpdog42]

OP...I used there services back in March and I enjoyed their services. Have already booked them for my next cruise (rt). Its about $30+ One way........I know that you already know this, but if all possible fly in the day before and spend the night....Airlines are Cooko Now!!..Check out Trip Adv...For Reviews!!:)

 

Have a Great Cruise

 

Michael

[Blondebomb]

We get on the Breeze next Sunday. We will keep it nice for you!

 

When I read your thread about transportation, the car rental etc I had to laugh outloud. That would be me!

Skip the parking garage part though.

I am just now making arrangements for our shuttle also. Late in the game this cruise but doing this cruise kind of last min. Stressed out taking care of my 90 yr old dad,( who is doing good. Just need a break!!

 

Susan from Indiana just hope the weather doesn't act up for us.

[DannyMac]

Can't help with ground transportation but there is construction on I-45S around the NASA 1 area. That might account for the 2 hour estimate by Galvestonexpress.

[Galveston Cruiser]

Construction is complete on 45 South at Nasa 1.

They are allowing a fudge factor of traffic in Houston. This is normal for transportation companies.

[glrounds]

Just found my thread which was moved here from the main menu.

 

Thanks all for your help . . . I really appreciate it.

 

Just got an email from my cruiser buddy in LA that is joining us and he said not to worry he's going to buy a car at the airport park it in Galveston and sell it back when we get back to the airport. Turns out he was just joking, but the kind of mover and shaker he is I actually thought for an instant that is something he would do. He just called saying he was being facetious.

 

He did mention Uber, though. Any info on that ?

 

We'll probably go with Carnival's transport even though it costs more as this way there can then be no "Murphys" in the mix. If my ex complains about it, then maybe I'll have to remind her she's my ex.:rolleyes: After all, she's getting a FREE cruise.:D

 

Thanks again to all who helped out.:)

Edited September 6, 2016 by glrounds

[MaiTaiMary]

 

He did mention Uber, though. Any info on that ?

 

 

Others have mentioned that it's not available to Galveston. I can't confirm that, though. But I've read it here multiple times.

[glrounds]

Others have mentioned that it's not available to Galveston. I can't confirm that, though. But I've read it here multiple times.

 

I've heard that also in that they are NOT allowed to pickup at the airport.

 

I can understand this. I drove a Yellow Cab in LA for four years while going to school and any cab could drop off at the airport, but ONLY Yellow Cab could pickup at LAX.

[Galveston Cruiser]

Others have mentioned that it's not available to Galveston. I can't confirm that, though. But I've read it here multiple times.

 

Uber is not licensed to operate in Galveston.

The licensed ride service is "getme".

[MHE]

Just got in to Galveston for our Carnival Freedom cruise. Found a local taxi driver recommendation here on Cruise Critic. Contacted him before arrival and gave us great info about the Island. When we needed a ride, I called him and we were his next customer. When we wanted to get back to our hotel, called him and we were his next customer. PLEASE give him your business when on the Island. Who is he? Galvestonn Taxi Kent. His number: 409. 497. 5117.

 

I'll be using him to get us to the port as well. Can't give you any stronger recommendation than this.

 

We also used Galveston Limo to get from IAH to our Galveston hotel. No problems with that either. I used their Online special of $25 per person, each way.

[Desert Cruizers]

Thank you for your review and recommendations. For our July 2017 cruise on the LOS, we will be renting a car from IAH Bush and coming in 2 days early so we can visit the NASA Space Center in the morning before driving to our hotel in Galveston. After considering a shuttle from Hotel to cruise terminal & back to hotel to pick up our car, we will park the rental car at the EZ Parking Lot which provides a shuttle to the Terminal. this way after getting off the ship, get the EZ shuttle back to our car and on the road to Bush to return the car before our flight home.