Galveston question

[sueernieb]

What is the earliest you have gotten to the port in Galveston. One flight we could book lands at Hobby at 9:30 a.m. The next flight doesn't land until about noon. Going a day early is impossible on this cruise. We are using Royal Caribbean transportation because it is about the same price as others have quoted us. We haven't used their transportation in years. Will we sit there until they fill the bus? My guess would be yes.

 

Sue

[Clarea]

You would be fine getting to the cruise terminal at 10:30am, which is likely the earliest you could get there from a flight arriving at 9:30am.

 

Check out the Gulf Coast Departures forum for alternatives to RC's transfer:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=414

 

I've read postive reports about a shuttle service called Galveston Express.

[ProvoAggie]

We used Galveston Express on our cruise out of there and it worked well. We booked it late so the only time remaining picked us up in Houston at 8:00 with a scheduled drop-off of 9:30 in Galveston. Our driver was notified that the cruise ship was delayed with disembarkment so he let us stop at Bucees for an hour to get snacks and walk around. They ended up dropping us off at the cruise terminal at 10:30 and it was fine. We got right through security and checked in with no wait. We had to wait a little while to get on the ship but it wasn't too bad.

[rum & monkey]

Always get on around 10:30-11:00

[PictureNana]

Last year we did a Galveston cruise and we too used Galveston Express. They were wonderful. Id highly recommend them. I'd be a nervous wreck flying in the day of! I found flying into Houston and having to travel so far to get to the port a real pain. Going to stick with Florida departures. At any rate, I'd arrive as early as possible so you have extra time for unexpected delays. Good luck!

 

 

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[waterfever]

I sailed out of Galveston on Liberty last April. We stayed at a hotel in Houston the night before the cruise. I made arrangements with Royal Caribbean for their transfer from Hobby Airport, so we had to take a cab from our hotel to the airport & meet in the baggage area for the bus. We got a number & they filled the buses according to the numbers. Buses didn't leave for the port until they were full. It worked out pretty well. After the cruise, it took 2 hours to get through customs & out of the terminal. That was HORRIBLE, but I was told that there should be a new terminal by now. Hopefully it will be better for you

[Desert Cruizers]

We would have to drive to LAX in order to fly into Hobby and that wouldn't save us anything so out of our airport in So Calif we fly to IAH which is 1 1/2 hours from Galveston. We will end up going in two days early, stay in a hotel by the NASA Space Center and do a tour next AM, then drive to EZ parking Lot and to the cruise terminal the morning of the cruise, a 30 minute drive. Coming back we will do self disembarking and drive back to IAH for a 2:15 flight, next July.

Edited January 16, 2017 by Desert Cruizers

[Clarea]

We would have to drive to LAX in order to fly into Hobby. ...

No good Southwest flights from ONT or SNA?

[splinkaone]

We are flying in the day before (George Bush airport), staying at a hotel near the airport with a free shuttle to and from the airport. On cruise day we go back to the airport and take Galveston Express (pre booked) to the port.

[Desert Cruizers]

Bob the problem we find to often, is the additional cost of going out of a different airport with added Hotel, food for overnight, offsets the savings with the flight so easier and more convenient to fly out of Palm Springs and return. We are maybe 5 minutes from our airport. An example is our flight to CPH next August. There was a good savings going out of LAX however after the other factors were added in plus we still need to get back to PS, I ended up booking a RT to Boston out of PSP then 1 way to CPH using Air 2 Sea.

 

Gay

[Clarea]

Bob the problem we find to often, is the additional cost of going out of a different airport with added Hotel, food for overnight, offsets the savings with the flight so easier and more convenient to fly out of Palm Springs and return. We are maybe 5 minutes from our airport. An example is our flight to CPH next August. There was a good savings going out of LAX however after the other factors were added in plus we still need to get back to PS, I ended up booking a RT to Boston out of PSP then 1 way to CPH using Air 2 Sea.

 

Gay

Makes sense. No way I'd want to drive from Palm Springs to LAX.

[Desert Cruizers]

Our flight to Boston & home after the TA next August is through DFW so an easy connection for us. Whether we go our of PSP or drive to LAX/Shuttle then home we would still end up paying roughly $1200 for my husband & I round trip. The pp cost of flight vs LAX was maybe a difference of $200, but then we would have ended up with hotel cost, dinner shuttle or 1 way car rental going out of LAX. If we have to use LAX then shuttle service door to door is cheaper then flying the 40 minutes to LAX.

 

Gay