Getting from airport (Hobby or Houston) to Galveston, TX

[cruisinggrandma57]

I need some help, I booked a cruise out of Galveston, Tx for next year? I hear it's a hassle to get to Galveston from airport and the hotel prices are expensive? Can anyone give me some advice please?

[easyboy]

You can get more information on this previous thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2409131

[Clarea]

I need some help, I booked a cruise out of Galveston, Tx for next year? I hear it's a hassle to get to Galveston from airport and the hotel prices are expensive? Can anyone give me some advice please?

Also check the Gulf Coast Departures forum, much info there:

 

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

[lajbec]

We went a few years ago. Rented a car and visited NASA and tolled around. Drove to Galveston and parked it in an off site lot right off the expressway. We were picked up upon disembarking by the lot , grabbed our rental car, and we we on our way back to Hobby. I think I priced it at the time and it was only slightly more than transfers from hobby to hotel to galveston and back. We liked the freedom of being able to leave when we were ready and having to wait to any of the shuttles/buses to fill up. I will warn you. We had the longest wait in customs that we've ever experienced. Be prepared. (We did self assist)

[Akulakat]

Booked in advance, the island hotels aren't too bad, we were late for our upcoming cruise and am booked by Nasa at the Marriott for $80. Its a 20 min drive. From Hobby, Galveston is less than 30 minutes. Add 45 min most days to Bush.

[Clarea]

Booked in advance, the island hotels aren't too bad, we were late for our upcoming cruise and am booked by Nasa at the Marriott for $80. Its a 20 min drive. From Hobby, Galveston is less than 30 minutes. Add 45 min most days to Bush.

We found that some hotels on the island require a two night stay on the weekend.

[pspercy]

We found that some hotels on the island require a two night stay on the weekend.

 

Depends on events and time of year. If so then you can stay "upstream" on I-45. Near Webster or around the NASA exit is often very reasonable as stated above.

 

For airport transfers take a look at: http://www.galveston.com/airporttransfers/

[tonyweir]

Galveston Limo has great rates.

[Lordnlkon]

We always stay at the Hilton NASA and it's usually around $100 a night.

[Clarea]

Last time we stayed at the Residence Inn in Clear Lake, which was $98. Nice area.

[waterfever]

We sailed on Liberty out of Galveston last April. As someone said, getting off the ship & through customs was horrible! It was as least 2 hours, but I heard that they were in the process of building a new terminal to accommodate the larger ships. We flew into Hobby & stayed in Houston the night before the cruise & took the RC shuttle to the ship. We stayed near the airport & had to take the hotel shuttle back to the baggage area of the airport to get on the RC shuttle on the day of the cruise. I don't think I'd sail out of Galveston again. The cruise price was cheaper, but it was a hassle.

[TNcruising02]

We always stay at the Hilton NASA and it's usually around $100 a night.

 

 

This looks like a nice hotel in a good location. How did you get from the airport to the hotel and also from the hotel to the port?

[39august]

As someone posted, you will get a lot more information by going to the Gulf Departures board. Galveston is no more hassle than Port Canaveral if you do your homework. New terminal means much less hassle debarking than a couple of years ago.

[bilyclub]

As someone posted, you will get a lot more information by going to the Gulf Departures board. Galveston is no more hassle than Port Canaveral if you do your homework. New terminal means much less hassle debarking than a couple of years ago.

 

 

Except for the fact rentals are dirt cheap in Florida with no one way charge and that PC has all the rental companies who are all open on Sunday.

[time4u2go]

Except for the fact rentals are dirt cheap in Florida with no one way charge and that PC has all the rental companies who are all open on Sunday.

 

 

And PC has hotels that don't require 2 night stay.

[Cel_cruise]

I have not had issues with the 2 night stay requirement...if there is a hotel you want advertising that - try calling them and booking direct.

 

 

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[TNcruising02]

cruisinggrandma57, I just booked with Galveston Limousine. They have an online special for $30 one way (IAH to the port) or $50 round trip.

 

I was going to stay at the hotel at the IAH airport or even the Hilton Nasa (which looks nice), but changed my mind and booked Hotel Galvez in Galveston. They offer a free shuttle to the port, so that's covered. I am taking Galveston Shuttle from IAH to the hotel, but am unsure about booking them from the port to the airport because I don't know what time I am getting off of the ship. I currently have the RCL booked for return, but they are more expensive. Has anyone walked off of the ship with their luggage and used Galveston Limo? If so, what time did you book it for?

[39august]

Yes, calling the hotel direct to book one night instead of two should work for some hotels. I have done so.And some do not require two nights. Saying no more trouble than Port Canaveral, I was thinking of including a shuttle to Cocoa Beach. bilyclub is quite correct about car rentals, however.

Edited March 5, 2017 by 39august
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[jamesr3939]

We have sailed three times from Galveston and always done a car service from IAH to the island. This last time we stayed at the Hampton Inn and it was reasonable. Directly across from a huge Walmart in case you want to pick up something. They offer a shuttle, but it looked very crowded on pick up day.

 

We have always used a taxi, which is cheap since the island's not that big and the ride is short.

 

By all means have dinner or lunch at the Cajun Greek. The food is outstanding and very reasonable. If you want a fun place to have a drink go to Woody's, no food just good drinks and fun place to hang out with a great view.

[George C]

We sail from here almost every year, prices for hotels have increased by at least 100 a night for the better hotels and many need a 2 night stay, used to book Hilton or San Luis both now require 2 night stay every time we look and are about 300 a night. Last few years we just booked a hotel by Hobby- doubletree which was nice and half the cost. This April we are trying Moody Gardens which was over 300 a few months ago but we booked it last month for under 200

[Desert Cruizers]

This July, we are flying into IAH, renting a car for the week and spending the weekend at the Marriott Courtyard by the NASA Space Center and tour on Saturday, then leave for our cruise Sunday morning and park at the EZ Lot. We return the car that afternoon back to IAH before our flight home. We will do self disembarking.

[Skippy]

My parents are flying to Hobby to meet us on the cruise and they are staying near the airport and hopping a shuttle from the airport to the port.

[TEGL]

we are using Galveston Limo which is $50/RT PP.

[MrSnarkyPants]

I'm close enough to drive to the port, so I don't have firsthand experience with the shuttles. Galveston Limo has been around forever and people trust them. Hobby is much closer to port. IAH is on the opposite side of the earth.

 

Uber and Lyft are now available in Galveston. When you Google that you will find news articles from 2015 saying they left. As of May of this year both services are back.

[Desert Cruizers]

This past July, we rented a car from Bush and drove as far as the NASA Space Center and booked two nights at the Marriott, took the tour on Sat then drove the 30 minutes to the EZ Lot on Sunday and were shuttled to the terminal and back to our car. Others will leave the car directly across the street and walk over.