Second cruise - need help choosing!

[Ray3127]

My family got back from our first cruise about a week ago. We did the 4 night Disney Dream out of Canaveral. It was me, my wife, our 3 year old son, and then other family (my parents, etc.). We had an unbelievable time and can't wait to cruise again. I'm sure we will go again with our son (and maybe another child) in the future, but for now we are just looking at one for my wife and me. I can't stop researching this "next" cruise, but am a little overwhelmed.

 

Like I mentioned, we LOVED the Disney cruise. My wife and I are big Disney fans, and I am sure we would thoroughly enjoy another Disney cruise on our own. However, I can’t justify the increased price of a Disney cruise if we don’t have our kid(s) with us (at least not at this stage of our lives). I also think it would make us miss our son a lot. So, I’ve opened up the search to a variety of cruise lines, and it seems impossible to narrow it down. The only thing I know is we are definitely looking at a 7-night cruise, as we found the 4 nights to not be long enough!

 

Our most important features…

- Pool space and nice loungers

- Service level/attentiveness

- Food quality (not really ‘foodies’; pretty plain, but we love a good steak, burger, pizza, etc.)

- Entertainment /stage shows / comedy

- Comfortable beds

- Loved Disney’ split bath, though doubting we will get this anywhere, not as integral.

 

I would rate Disney as very high on all of these except for pool space, but it worked for us just fine. My parents commented that the Disney beds were much more comfortable than Royal Caribbean’s standard bed from their prior cruises.

 

Not as important are all the extra, one-time ‘activities’… ropes courses, the ‘flow rider’, etc… These would be neat, but we aren’t going to do those all day. A couple fun things, like waterslides, would be fun.

 

We are likely looking at the Caribbean, though Alaska isn’t out of the question. One of those two for sure.

 

I’ve mostly looked at Royal and Norwegian, though I’ve also glanced at Celebrity and Princess. It’s just too much to take in, and everybody has an opinion. Without doing them all,I’m trying to figure out what’s right for us.

 

We are 30 & 29 and live in Nebraska. The cruises out of Galveston are very appealing because it’s a cheap flight from here to Houston, though if the ‘right’ cruise is elsewhere we will fly where we need to.

 

Lastly, the ship size is a tough one for me. I’m hesitant to look at anything smaller than the Disney Dream and have focused most of my searching on Royal’s Freedom/Oasis classes and NCL’s larger ships (Getaway, Escape, etc.). However, I’m wondering if what we want may be easier found on a smaller cruise ship (i.e. 90,000 GT instead of 150,000+).

 

Any guidance on a cruise line, ship size, or other recommendations are gladly welcomed and appreciated. Thank you!

[GTO-Girl]

I highly recommend the Oasis of the Seas. We just got off yesterday and we loved it.

 

There is a lot to do....the shows were very good and the 70's Dancing in the Street Party is not to be missed!!! We don't have kids but we still love the Dreamworks parade on the last evening.

 

We have sailed this class of ship twice now and cannot wait to do it again. Please let me know if I can answer any question for you.

 

Happy Sailing!!!

[SuiteTraveler]

If it's just you and your wife, you might like sailing on the MSC Divina from Miami in the Yacht Club (which costs similar to a junior suite on most ships). The Yacht Club is an exclusive area on the ship where you get free drinks, and there is a specialty restaurant for Yacht Club cruisers only and also a private pool and hot tubs and then there is the butler service The butlers on MSC are something else. They actually race each other to help you - it's like they cannot do enough for you. They even escort you off the ship when you go on shore excursions. So the service level is incredibly high. Higher than on any other mainstream line. Also, MSC discourages tipping. As to entertainment they put on a different show in the main theater every night. They are mostly music with Broadway caliber performers- just amazing voices and great ballroom dancers who are so perfectly in sync you will be amazed. In the Yacht club there is a substantial buffet of snacks and desserts 24x7, then by the Yacht club pool, there is also a buffet, but if you want something else, tell your butler and he will get you literally anything you want anytime you want it. If you enjoy taking tea in the afternoon, tell your butler and he will set you up with a linen table cloth and full tea service. In the evening there is always live music in the Yacht Club lounge. Oh and everything in your mini bar is included and it is replenished twice a day - booze, soda, wine, snacks - all included. Really, this whole situation is amazing and you will be very, very spoiled after trying this experience. Food in the Yacht Club restaurant is outstanding.

 

You might read a lot of reviews here of people complaining about MSC, but the Yacht Club is the best kept secret. There were people in there when we went who had been in there 6 times in a year - that's how great it is! Take a look at this:

 

I think it's ideal for a romantic vacation with your wife!

[Essiesmom]

If you really liked that split bath, you will find it on the Carnival Dream class ships, and Carnival Vista. They are Deluxe Oceanview cabins. I also enjoyed Divina, but I think you might find the pool area crowded. I am thinking you might like Celebrity, or the Grand class ships of Princess, with an aft adults only pool. But first, I think you need to decided just where you want to go and then when. Some of the cruise lines take their ships out of the Caribbean in the summer and send them to Europe and Alaska, so the choice is not as great. But I would suggest that you go in the off season (while school is in session) while you have a child that isn't in school yet. Yes, I realize you aren't planning to take him on this next cruise, but in the future it's something to think about. As far as where, go someplace that he would not enjoy but you would. Someplace he wouldn't do well with the long flights...EM

[Aquahound]

We are 30 & 29 and live in Nebraska. The cruises out of Galveston are very appealing because it’s a cheap flight from here to Houston, though if the ‘right’ cruise is elsewhere we will fly where we need to.

 

Lastly, the ship size is a tough one for me. I’m hesitant to look at anything smaller than the Disney Dream and have focused most of my searching on Royal’s Freedom/Oasis classes and NCL’s larger ships (Getaway, Escape, etc.). However, I’m wondering if what we want may be easier found on a smaller cruise ship (i.e. 90,000 GT instead of 150,000+).

 

Because of these 2 paragraphs right here, I highly recommend RCI Liberty of the Seas out of Galveston. The ship was recently refurbished and has GREAT entertainment. Their Broadway rendition of Saturday Night Fever is one of the best shows I've seen on a cruise.

 

Otherwise, I agree with GTO-Girl. Oasis Class cruises are amazing.

[SuiteTraveler]

If you really liked that split bath, you will find it on the Carnival Dream class ships, and Carnival Vista. They are Deluxe Oceanview cabins. I also enjoyed Divina, but I think you might find the pool area crowded. I am thinking you might like Celebrity, or the Grand class ships of Princess, with an aft adults only pool. But first, I think you need to decided just where you want to go and then when. Some of the cruise lines take their ships out of the Caribbean in the summer and send them to Europe and Alaska, so the choice is not as great. But I would suggest that you go in the off season (while school is in session) while you have a child that isn't in school yet. Yes, I realize you aren't planning to take him on this next cruise, but in the future it's something to think about. As far as where, go someplace that he would not enjoy but you would. Someplace he wouldn't do well with the long flights...EM

 

Divina's pool area for the Yacht Club is not crowded at all. The other pool areas are crowded, but not the Yacht Club's pool. That's why I recommended the Yacht Club and not a regular cabin.

[Ray3127]

Thanks to all the quick responses!

 

Suite, your description sounds amazing. However, I am looking at not spending quite so much. One thing I failed to mention in my initial post was that we are also sold on inside rooms, as we had a balcony on the Disney cruise and spent virtually no time out there. The felt we did spend there felt forced because we paid for it. So our strategy is inside room, spending almost all of our time elsewhere. Never thought I’d say that, but here I am. That said, it looks like an excellent value, as you say.

 

I did say we weren’t sure on a location, but I think a Caribbean cruise is most likely. I think we would really enjoy an Alaskan cruise, but also think that is better saved for a full family trip when our kid(s) are a little older. We are looking more for straight relaxation this trip.

 

My wife is a teacher and I am a university instructor, so unfortunately going while school is in session is not an option :(

 

GTO and Aquahound, Oasis and Liberty were all ships I had looked at before posting this. We loved the private island concept of Castaway Cay, and the itineraries I’m looking at have Oasis stopping at Labadee while Liberty does not. However,I don’t know how Royal’s compares and/or how much weight I should place on that.

 

Liberty would be Galveston, Roatan, Costa Maya, Cozumel.

Oasis would be Canaveral, Labadee, Falmouth, Cozumel.

Both 7 nights,negligible price difference (<$100 total)

 

I had also looked at Harmony, which would go out of Ft. Lauderdale and hit St. Maarten,San Juan, Labadee. Harmony is about $300 more than other options though.

 

Norwegian,Celebrity… no?

 

Thank you again!

[lakelorain]

There are many good suggestions here. I guess you need to prioritize your requirements. In my opinion Royal Caribbean would give you the best entertainment and the Solariums(adults only) will provide you with the comfortable pool area you are looking for. Food is subjective so it's hard to compare cruise lines in that area.

Divina is a great, more adult, line but the pools are small and entertainment is always music, dancing and aerialists(all excellent) because of the number of international guests. However, we cruise often and found Divina to be a refreshing change from the other US based lines.

You are correct in saying it is a difficult choice. There are many good ships out there. Many of them will provide you with a wonderful experience.

[Ray3127]

I've done a lot of research these past few days and have narrowed things down. Please help me actually choose one of these, if you can!

 

First, we are looking at a weeklong cruise leaving March 16 or 17, 2019... I know it is spring break time, but my wife and I teach and that's the only week we can go. It's also so far in advance because of future family additions which are preventing us from cruising sooner.

 

Our main goal is relaxation. To this end, great pools, especially adult only pool areas are the most important. Other adult only areas would be nice. Great food is the other big factor for us. Things like the surf simulator, rock climbing walls, and ice rinks do not appeal to us. Some water slides, a ropes course, and a zip line may be nice for a one time experience, but those aren't super important.

 

As previously stated, we are looking at an inside room. Prices below have been gathered over the last few days and may have changed a bit, but they are approximate. They include all taxes/fees for the 2 of us. All depart March 16 or 17.

 

RCCL Liberty from Galveston, $1,788. Roatan, Costa Maya, Cozumel.

RCCL Oasis from Canaveral, $1,863. Labadee, Falmouth, Cozumel.

RCCL Harmony from Ft. Lauderdale, $2,139. St. Maarten, San Juan, Labadee.

NCL Getaway from Miami, $2,227. Roatan, Harvest Caye, Costa Maya, Cozumel.

NCL Bliss from Miami, $2,198. St. Thomas, Tortola, Nassau.

NCL Epic from Canaveral, $1,791. Tortola, St. Thomas, Great Stirrup Cay.

Celebrity Equinox from Miami, $1,870. San Juan, St. Thomas, Punta Cana, Nassau.

 

There may be a Celebrity Edge sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale; it is not available on Celebrity's website, but it is through Costco travel. It doesn't list any ports of call and gives an approx. inside price of $2,358 total. My best guess would be stops at Key West, Costa Maya, Cozumel, and Grand Cayman, as that would slot between other scheduled cruises on the Edge.

 

So I'm trying to pare this list down and ultimately choose one. I'm sure we would enjoy them all, they are all such great options.

 

Galveston is definitely more accessible/convenient for us than Florida, but there's only one choice for Galveston. If one of the other cruises/ships fits us better, then we would choose something out of Florida, no problem.

 

Everybody seems to like RCCL, but I'm not sure if it's the best fit for us given our preferences. We really just want plenty of space to relax on a pool deck, preferably with adult only areas, and plenty of good food options. Those are our main goals.

 

Can you help me cross some options off the list and/or suggest which would be best for us?

 

Thank you!

[Ray3127]

Update... That Celebrity Edge cruise is "on", it's just sold out through Celebrity directly. Costco apparently has some cabins still available. That is the most expensive cruise, but also most appealing to me given what we are looking for out of this cruise. I like all of the stops it makes, especially Key West. My biggest concern with Celebrity is it being too formal for us, as we are shorts & flip flops all the way... So if that's a big problem on Celebrity, we will look elsewhere.

 

Looking forward to your input!

 

Sent from my Pixel XL using Forums mobile app

[mrsfuzzmo]

If you want INSIDE cabins, but the luxury of an "adult only" (sort of, 12 and up) with private pool are and VERY comfy seating, look into the Carnival Vista in the Havana Area. There are Havana inside cabins that give you access to the private Havana Area (it's open to the public after 7 pm). Very quiet and relaxed area if you want it, and if you want more noise, music, activities, hit up one of the other decks. TONS to do.

 

We've sailed Disney twice, I would NOT recommend RCCL Oasis class ships if you want a similar experience. Disney ships are much more like an ocean liner, and the large RCCL ships are like a shopping mall on the sea. While there is a LOT to do on those ships, I'm not sure you'll love that atmosphere after a Disney ship. I really like the Mid sized RCCL ships (Navigator of the Seas is a favorite), though.

[mrsfuzzmo]

You may also want to check out the new MSC Seaside coming out in December. That's a pretty cool looking ship!! MSC has great prices as well!

[SheehanDJ]

I would narrow it down to Liberty and Getaway. With a hard lean towards Liberty due to extra sea day(relaxation) and you can get a promenade view inside room. So an inside with some light from a window. Also the ice rink, has the ice show, which is usually a favorite among cruisers. Liberty also has a very nice main pool area if you want some entertainment thrown in with your lounging, if not the solarium is just a few steps away. Food, MDR and buffet fair are pretty much the same on NCL and RCCL. Up charge food Liberty has Sabor outstanding for lunch we have never done any other of the upcharge dining.

 

Also we really enjoy that itinerary. The Getaway does stop at Belize but most of the excursions are an hour plus bus ride away, no thanks, NCL did make a private port there so at least there is a reason to get off the ship now.

 

From what you described I think the Liberty hits the most of your requests.

 

That being said, I think you guys would have a much better time on the Getaway. However the pool on the Getaway sucks, period. Spice H2O more than makes up for it, no pool but there is water to cool off in. Also on the Getaway if you upgrade your cabin choice to ocean view you can pick two "free" things drinks and dining package which would include 3 specialty restaurants. The Getaway has MUCH better food options that any RCCL ship we have been on. RCCL has better production value entertainment, live band all that, think college level maybe off off broadway. Getaway has much more diverse entertainment, a lot of it is high school level production some college level, but you can definitely find something to fit your mood. The final thing the Getaway has that makes me think you would have a much better time is the waterfront. The Getaway is definitely sea focused, a few bars and most of the restaurants have a presence on the waterfront.

 

I think either of these cruises would fit your wants and needs

[Ray3127]

Thanks for the details Sheehan (and for the suggestions fuzz). Liberty and Getaway were the two front-runners for us, too, so your breakdown helps. Sounds like either would be good. My biggest concern with the Getaway was the pools, but honestly it would be more laying out and less time in the pool. So maybe that's not such a problem, given the rest of what the Getaway has to offer.

 

We were previously booked in the Escape for last summer, but canceled that for other reasons, so we were 'sold' on NCL at one time. Seemed to fit us.

 

Still looking for some feedback on the Celebrity options.

 

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[Ray3127]

Going to try one more time and make a final decision... I'd send a couple of you PM's, but they don't have those on CC.

 

Leaning towards Liberty, I think that would provide us with a nice mix of everything. 3 sea days does sound nice from a relaxation standpoint; all options below are 2 sea days with 4 stops.

 

Others I am weighing...

- Getaway, especially with the comment stating we would have a much better time on Getaway. My concerns with NCL are the lack of pool areas and lounge chairs. The dining options, entertainment, and the 'Waterfront' look appealing. About $250 more than Liberty.

- Celebrity Edge, which looks super cool. My biggest concern here is we might not like the entertainment and might feel out of place. We are shorts and (nice) sandals type of people; I only wear pants when it's cold or I'm at work. However, the more 'adult' orientation probably fits us, and the itinerary includes all stops we want to make. About $400 more than Liberty.

- MSC Seaside, based on a poster's suggestion. Stops at Puerto Rico, USVI, Nassau, and Ocean Cay. Looks like a great ship, haven't researched it much. About $500 LESS than Liberty.

 

Again, goals are relaxation, space on pool/sun decks (esp. adult only areas), food options, good entertainment, and good service.

 

Essiesmom or SheehanDJ, or others, if you wouldn't mind emailing me directly, it is my CC name at Gmail.

 

Thanks again for the help everybody.

[Aquahound]

Others I am weighing...

- Getaway, especially with the comment stating we would have a much better time on Getaway. My concerns with NCL are the lack of pool areas and lounge chairs. The dining options, entertainment, and the 'Waterfront' look appealing. About $250 more than Liberty.

 

For what it's worth, I whole heartedly disagree that you would have a better time on Getaway than on Liberty of the Seas. I have cruised Liberty and on Getaway's newer sister, Escape. First, I think the entertainment options on Liberty far exceeds those on Getaway. Like I said in an earlier post, Saturday Night Fever was one of the best shows I've seen on a cruise. Also Liberty has Studio B and the ice shows are amazing.

 

Having sailed RCI and NCL numerous times, I think the free food and service is better on RCI. Getaway has great specialty options for dining and the Waterfront is really nice, but you have to pay for them.

 

One thing you need to know about the so-called "free at sea" promotion. It is NOT free. The "free" booze package comes with a $100 per person service charge. The "free" dining package is about $80 per person.

 

Both ships have waterslides and mini golf. Liberty has a Flowrider and Getaway has a ropes course. Liberty has 2 large pools on the main lido and an adults only pool and cantilevered Jacuzzis just forward of them. Getaway has two tiny soup bowls on the main lido and what is basically only a large shower at Spice H2O.

 

Don't get me wrong. I would cruise Getaway in a heartbeat. I really like NCL's newer ships. I just think Liberty is a better choice.

 

Celebrity Edge - You're right. It does look nice. One thing I'll say about Celebrity is, they have been re-branding themselves and adding really good main shows and late night parties. I recently sailed Eclipse and was really surprised at how well they upped their gamed. Their newer ships are modern/contemporary and the main spot for nightlife is the martini bar. Basically, it's a South Beach feel on board. If you're really considering Celebrity, I suggest taking a much closer look. Of the mainstream lines I've sailed (6), I think Celebrity has the best food and service.

 

MSC - I haven't been willing to pull the trigger yet so can't comment.

[taglovestocruise]

Let me put in my 2 cents worth for Oasis class ships. My wife and I do not use the flow rider, zip line, rock walls, tennis courts, ice skating or indulge in belly flop contests. Leaving all that out there is still more to do on a Oasis class ship than can be done in a week. The specialty restaurants are outstanding, some of the best shows at sea are on these ships. We have done small ships to Oasis class and our favorite is the Oasis class. Have done a transatlantic on Allure, a 7 night on Oasis and have booked Symphony for a 2018 transatlantic. There will be close to 2000 kids on a school break week but the ship will not feel crowded. Go to youtube and check out Oasis tours. happy cruising

[SheehanDJ]

Let me put in my 2 cents worth for Oasis class ships. My wife and I do not use the flow rider, zip line, rock walls, tennis courts, ice skating or indulge in belly flop contests. Leaving all that out there is still more to do on a Oasis class ship than can be done in a week. The specialty restaurants are outstanding, some of the best shows at sea are on these ships. We have done small ships to Oasis class and our favorite is the Oasis class. Have done a transatlantic on Allure, a 7 night on Oasis and have booked Symphony for a 2018 transatlantic. There will be close to 2000 kids on a school break week but the ship will not feel crowded. Go to youtube and check out Oasis tours. happy cruising

 

Our first Oasis class will be on Symphony in the med in 2018, we hope we end up sharing your enthusiasm. Our biggest concern is the ships seem more "inside focused" instead of ocean focused. When we cruise on Voyager/Freedom class we spin our chairs around to face the ocean not the pool.

[taglovestocruise]

Our first Oasis class will be on Symphony in the med in 2018, we hope we end up sharing your enthusiasm. Our biggest concern is the ships seem more "inside focused" instead of ocean focused. When we cruise on Voyager/Freedom class we spin our chairs around to face the ocean not the pool.

 

You might consider a balcony. Other than being outside on decks 15 and above there is nowhere on the ship that has a view of the ocean other than the jogging track. MDR and Windjammer are the only restaurants with windows, Dazzles has a slight view. Unlike Freedom and Voyager class the Champagne bar, Schooners and all inside bars have no windows to view the ocean. Even Johnny Rockets has no view of the ocean. I may make it sound like a cave but it is still my favorite class. happy almost oceanless cruising. To all the cc police, yes I know it's not a word...

[luv2trvlnow]

Don't want to make things harder for you, but 1 thing you want to consider is how you get from the airport to the port. For cruises from Port Canaveral you will probably fly into Orlando and need to arrange transportation to Port Canaveral about an hour away.

If going out of Galveston you will fly into Houston. If you fly into Hobby you are about an hour away. If you fly into Bush you are more like an hour and a half away. Many people complain about getting to the port in Galveston. You might want to check the homeport Gulf Coast Departure forum and see the suggestions there before making a decision. We always driven there and stay the night before near Hobby because the hotels in Galveston are expensive and sometimes require a 2 night stay. Also your time frame is very close to spring break in Texas, Oklahoma and the surrounding areas and that adds to the hotel problem in Galveston. We were there one time at spring break ending for Texas and beginning for Oklahoma and the Motel 6 in Galveston was going for $250 a night.:eek:

[Bonnie J.]

We love the Carnivals' Sunshine. They spent $155,000,000 re doing the old Destiny and they did! The Serenity area is 3 decks! The Serenity decks are for adults only and no smoking- of any kind. All the chairs, chaises, etc. have thick pads on them. Deck 11 has chaises and some with umbrellas. And a pool with a waterfall that comes from deck 14!

On deck 12 there are small padded sofas in the shade under deck 14 and chairs with padded foot rests in the sun over looking deck 11.

On deck 14 you can get towels (so you don't have to bring them from your cabin), there is a full bar and huge hot tub. this is where they have almost like a full size bed, much bigger than a chaise, sofas, hammocks and regular chaises. There is both shade and sun here.

 

And the best cabins are on deck 5!. This is the Promenade deck. The only cabins are right past the back elevators. All the cabins are for 4, with a sofa & pull down, except a few inside. So, these cabins are usually blocked unless 4 are booking one. There are outside cabins, inside then a hall with only a couple of insides, then insides and outsides. We have two inside-inside cabins booked for next November & New Years but check because we have been able to book outsides on deck 5 as there are cancelations and there is just two of us.

 

Past the back elevators are the Ocean Club with a huge dance floor and nightly music, the Martini Bar, the Red Frog Bar, the Taste Bar where they also have a simple breakfast & lunch, then the computers, the coffee bar and the casino then some shops before the theater.

 

The back elevators take you right to the buffet and Havana Lounge- where we take our buffet meals. There is Latin music here at night.

 

Give the Sunshine some thought. It sails from PT. Canaveral from mid November until mid may. Then does 2 or 3 from Charleston on its way to NY for the summer.

 

I am retired from the school system so I know about planning during school breaks. Maybe Thanksgiving, taking Monday & Tuesday off -personal days? Easter break?

[vickiw0318]

I was previously concerned myself about flying into Orlando and heading to Port Canaveral. Turns out that there are several great shuttle companies that can get you there easily and relatively quickly. I had booked afternoon flights thinking that it would take FOREVER to get to the airport and ended up spending lots of time waiting there.

 

If you do choose Galveston, it is easier to get to the cruise port from Hobby.

 

There are going to be some "cons" no matter what line/itinerary you choose. My advice is pick one, get excited about it and don't look back/second guess yourself. You are just starting your cruising career - lots of opportunities and good times ahead.

[Ray3127]

I fly in/out of Orlando for the Disney Dream cruise a few weeks ago, so I am familiar with that process/distance/etc. We travel to Florida all the time. From Omaha, there are several nonstop options to Houston (including Hobby). Southwest usually offers nonstop flights for $90 pp each way to Hobby. That's $360 roundtrip, no baggage fees. Sometimes we can get to Orlando on a nonstop, but usually we have stops. Either way the Orlando flights are likely to be double the price at a minimum. Being from the midwest I know that spring break in Galveston is a big deal, but I'm sure we can snag a room an hour or so away (if needed) for a reasonable price. I've also spoken with a couple experienced Omaha cruisers who comment on how much easier it is to travel out of Houston than anywhere in Florida, simply due to flight availability/pricing. Houston is 1,000 miles away, Canaveral is 1,500.

 

Our Canaveral experience was great, and I wouldn't hesitate to cruise out of there again. But it would still cost us more and take more time versus traveling to Texas. Aside from that, the other cruises I'm looking at are all out of Miami or Ft. Lauderdale... we have one nonstop option to Miami, but it is usually $500 pp round trip, plus bags. Otherwise we have stops, and the price is still very high. And from what I gather, the ports in Ft. Lauderdale and Miami and not as easy as Canaveral.

[SuiteTraveler]

Hotels in Galveston are extremely expensive. You can definitely count on paying $250+. We have stayed in that Motel 6 and had to deal with a giant cockroach running around in our room (Yuck). We've stayed in the Hilton - which is beat up and in terrible condition with inexplicable service (ever order breakfast and when they bring it, no one gets anything anyone at the table ordered? The maintenance man giving guests chocolate candy after he fixed the toilet (Double yuck but the look on my husband's face was priceless.) Some of the hotels, such as the San Luis Resort (the best place to stay) have a minimum 2 night stay. Also, you need a way to get to the port as taxis are not plentiful if available at all. The cheapest hotels nearby would be in Texas City (an industrial area). But at spring break, they will probably be fully booked too with college and high school kids going to the Schlitterbahn Galveston and other attractions there.

 

Having cruised out of Galveston, I can say for certain I prefer to cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, New Orleans, Manhattan, Barcelona, Southampton, Seattle, Vancouver, Puerto Rico or just about ANY other port in the world. After our first experience at the port in Galveston (a port we can easily drive to) my husband said "We are never doing THAT again." Between the heavy traffic, long, long, long lines in the hot sun it was just not a very enjoyable experience to board a ship there. The situation was so crazy you would think that the port had only just opened, not that they had had cruises from there for years. They seemed drastically under-staffed. At least getting off the ship was not quite so bad - we did early self disembarkation. There was still a long line coming back in through customs and immigration (I think there were only 2 officers working) and then once we got on the bus to the parking lot these two women got in a big argument with the driver of the bus who told them to move to the back of the bus, that she fills her bus from back to front and they had to move back. They argued with her extensively and then were saying things under their breath and the driver was yelling at them not to disrespect her on her bus. She was talking about calling the police (Not another delay!) This went on for the entire 15-20 minute bus experience. She was so fired up I was almost scared to tell the driver when we needed to get off the bus in the parking lot. It was a huge relief to get off that bus for sure.

 

Having never seen any such goings on at other ports, not even NOLA (which actually worked quite well), not in Europe, it was our worst cruise port experience EVER. Some are lucky and things go well. I just felt lucky to get away from there.