Carnival Transfers from airport to pier

[kbalthaser66]

Hello, I have never purchased this before and I am wondering how it works. I am flying in the day before the cruise. I am booking a Carnival Transfer from Hobby (Houston) to Galveston cruise pier. How does this work? Obviously I am going to take the airport shuttle back to the airport the morning of the cruise but here are my questions.

 

1. I want to get to the cruise pier as early as possible since I do not need to wait until my check in time (as per Carnival's website they state that if I purchase a Carnival Transfer I will be allowed to check in immediately after I get off the shuttle). What time is the first shuttle generally arriving at the pier?

 

2. At the airport what do I do? Do I show them my paperwork showing I have paid for the transfer? Do they give me a voucher or something showing that I paid for the transfer which will allow me into check in and enter the terminal prior to my assigned check in time?

 

Thank you all for replying. I am traveling as a solo for the first time so I need to get this all figured out prior to leaving home.

[SuiteTraveler]

I have not taken a cruise shuttle in years because you have to wait on the shuttle until it is full, which could be an hour or so. But what you do, is when you get your luggage in baggage claim, look around for the Carnival representative and show them you have purchased the voucher - the last time I did this, the cruise lines still gave out hard copy ticket books and they contained actual vouchers for this - nowadays, I suspect you get a voucher with your electronic check in that you print just like you print out your luggage tags - they should also have your name on their list. They will show you to the shuttle and then you wait. How long you wait depends on how many people on your ship have already come in or came in on your flight or are coming in on other flights that may be landing soon.

[riffatsea]

IF I wanted to get to the ship early I would not rely on a Carnival shuttle to get me there!

You are stuck with waiting until the shuttle decides to leave and are not on your own schedule!

[camijo]

We used Carnival shuttle to get us to Port Canaveral. We waited about an hour after we landed to actually leave the airport. They knew others were coming in and it was actually the last shuttle of the day. We flew in the day of, (our first time). I'll never fly in the day of again; lesson learned. I wanna get on the ship ASAP. When is your cruise?

 

I should start a shuttle service as I live in Houston, lol.. :D

[Micahs Grandad]

IF I wanted to get to the ship early I would not rely on a Carnival shuttle to get me there!

You are stuck with waiting until the shuttle decides to leave and are not on your own schedule!

 

They have this bad habit of waiting until full before they leave. Good for them not so good for you.

[dan4182]

Hello, I have never purchased this before and I am wondering how it works. I am flying in the day before the cruise. I am booking a Carnival Transfer from Hobby (Houston) to Galveston cruise pier. How does this work? Obviously I am going to take the airport shuttle back to the airport the morning of the cruise but here are my questions.

 

 

 

1. I want to get to the cruise pier as early as possible since I do not need to wait until my check in time (as per Carnival's website they state that if I purchase a Carnival Transfer I will be allowed to check in immediately after I get off the shuttle). What time is the first shuttle generally arriving at the pier?

 

 

 

2. At the airport what do I do? Do I show them my paperwork showing I have paid for the transfer? Do they give me a voucher or something showing that I paid for the transfer which will allow me into check in and enter the terminal prior to my assigned check in time?

 

 

 

Thank you all for replying. I am traveling as a solo for the first time so I need to get this all figured out prior to leaving home.

 

 

 

At Bush airport there is a carnival desk and agent in the baggage claim area. You show him/her your cruise booking paperwork and they take care of the rest.

 

Assume Hobby is the same.

 

 

 

 

 

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[CourtNicole620]

We used them in San Jaun and I will never use their service again. Hail a cab

 

 

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[deetrayn]

Hello, I have never purchased this before and I am wondering how it works. I am flying in the day before the cruise. I am booking a Carnival Transfer from Hobby (Houston) to Galveston cruise pier. How does this work? Obviously I am going to take the airport shuttle back to the airport the morning of the cruise but here are my questions.

 

1. I want to get to the cruise pier as early as possible since I do not need to wait until my check in time (as per Carnival's website they state that if I purchase a Carnival Transfer I will be allowed to check in immediately after I get off the shuttle). What time is the first shuttle generally arriving at the pier?

 

2. At the airport what do I do? Do I show them my paperwork showing I have paid for the transfer? Do they give me a voucher or something showing that I paid for the transfer which will allow me into check in and enter the terminal prior to my assigned check in time?

 

Thank you all for replying. I am traveling as a solo for the first time so I need to get this all figured out prior to leaving home.

 

I have used Carnival's transfer a few times, but do not prefer it for taking me to the cruise port on embarkation day.

 

There will be an area near baggage claim for anyone taking Carnival's transportation to the port. They will have your name on a list of passengers scheduled to ride with them. They will leave when the bus is full, so getting to the pier as early as possible will not be an option if you ride with them.

 

On our group cruise this past Sept on the Freedom, me and my family used Galveston Express, but some of our friends used Carnival's transfer service. All of us left from Houston Hobby. We arrived at our destination first both times (the port on cruise day, and the airport afterwards). They had to wait until the Carnival bus was full before leaving.

[cruisemein]

I might be confused but you say you are flying in the day before the cruise....why would you want to go to the pier straight from the airport if it's the day before the cruise?

[ddgg]

I might be confused but you say you are flying in the day before the cruise....why would you want to go to the pier straight from the airport if it's the day before the cruise?

 

This is my question as well. Are you spending the night at the airport?

[ddgg]

What cruise are you on? Check out Galveston Express. I am flying in a day before my Feb 18 cruise on the Freedom and I'm using them to get me from the airport to my Galveston hotel. The next morning, the hotel has a shuttle to the pier.

 

I cruise solo a lot and love it. Feel free to ask me anything.

 

Diane

[deetrayn]

I might be confused but you say you are flying in the day before the cruise....why would you want to go to the pier straight from the airport if it's the day before the cruise?

 

This is my question as well. Are you spending the night at the airport?

 

I think she means they are spending the night in Houston.

[cruisemein]

My wife and I are flying in on the 24th, cruising out on the 25th, do you normally use Galveston Express for your return trip to the airport?

[ABQrobin]

We have used the Carnival transfer from Galveston, Hobby airport twice. Not a problem either time. Didn't have to wait long either. They have a print out with names and cabin numbers on it. You just show up, tell them your name. They make sure you have luggage tags on each bag, then they start loading the bus. It really isn't bad.

[springs741]

We used them in San Jaun and I will never use their service again. Hail a cab

 

 

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Not from Hobby to the island. That would be very expensive.

[springs741]

I think several of you missed that OP is traveling alone.

 

She is coming in a day early to be safe.

 

A cab is about $100.00 vs Carnivals $30.

 

If it were me I would be back at the airport around 8 or 8:30 to ensure I was on the first shuttle. Take a book, relax and let things unfold.

 

FYI, I did a B2B on the Breeze in November. On that second leg we were walking up the gang way and it was almost noon. So even though you can check in when you get there you cant control when you will get on.

[Banditswife]

We used Carnival transfers from Hobby to the port of Galveston in September of 2016. It really wasn't that bad. Like others said: the Carnival reps are near the baggage claim area & have your name on a roster if you've purchased the transfer. I think when you print your boarding pass, it will show up there too. They have you wait in the baggage claim area until they have a fairly full bus load, then start loading those with disabilities 1st. The others follow soon after.

 

Be aware that the ride from Hobby to Galveston is 45+ minutes long. Once we arrived at the cruise terminal, porters took our checked luggage, then we were escorted to check-in. I think we were given zone 14, while they were calling zone 12- so it wasn't a long wait at all. I would do it again. I enjoyed getting to know a few fellow passengers while riding the CCL bus.

[kbalthaser66]

I think she means they are spending the night in Houston.

 

That is correct, we are staying at a hotel near the airport the night before the cruise.

[ddgg]

My wife and I are flying in on the 24th, cruising out on the 25th, do you normally use Galveston Express for your return trip to the airport?

 

I usually use the ship's shuttle, but this time I decided to try Galveston Express from ship to airport. I was not happy with the shuttle on my last trip. Also, Galveston Express is cheaper. Round trip from IAH to Galveston hotel and ship to IAH is costing me $65.