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Galveston park and debark


Dan83
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We sailed on Liberty back in October.  First time after many years.  Im curious if what we experienced was normal, as we are returning for Liberty again in March.  I've read conflicting information on this forum and elsewhere about dropping bags off at terminal before before parking.  We tried this last time and was a huge mistake.  Got stuck in traffic for over an hour just to drop off 3 bags.  We parked ezcruise and found that it was an acceptable distance to walk.  I would much prefer just to park and drag luggage as to drive through that line again.  We're going to drag the same luggage back to the parking lot when we self debark.  However I keep reading that it's easy to drop off luggage then park, is there a trick I'm not aware of?  

Also on debarkation, we were delighted to get off the "ship" as soon as we went down to our debarkation spot.  However going thru the terminal and customs took a full TWO hours.  It was rough with two young children.  Others passengers seemed to think this was unacceptable as well.  I wonder if something was going on that day or if this is normal.  I will need to change strategy for next time.  I would rather take my time and not get up super early, but if that puts us behind a 2-3 hour customs line,  we'll just have to get our rear ends up and out of there as early as possible.   So basically for the next trip, I want to try to avoid a long drop off line and customs.  Everything else seemed to go smoothly.  Thanks for any info you can provide.  

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Dan I don’t know where you are coming from but we live on Lake Conroe and make the drive down the morning of departure.  We try to leave by no later than 9 , get to the port by 11 or so, and I always drop off my wife and the bags.  It usually takes about 15 or 20 minutes in the traffic on Harborside Drive.  She gets the bags handed off to a porter and goes through security.  I drive to one of the close parking lots and walk over with my passport and boarding pass.  I meet her in the terminal and it usually doesn’t take over another 15 minutes to be done and walking on the ship.    Perhaps you are getting there later than we do.  Or maybe your October sailing was just a mess.  We are always onboard for lunch.  I hope your next trip goes smoothly.

 

Leaving is always a mess, especially if your cruise went to Roatan.  Evidently drug smuggling is an issue coming from there.  The earlier you get off the easier it is but I would never put our bags out and pick them up in the terminal.  We always carry our bags off.  

Edited by lifes-a-beach
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thanks for the info.  we are driving in from AR the day before and staying somewhere cheap between houston and texas city.  we did go to roatan in october and back again in march.  will try to be earlier on both ends next time.  

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When driving into  to Galveston over causeway. 

Keep straight on I45 on to island . Do not get off for  Harborside exit  following sign to Terminal .

Go straight on 45 past exit sign,  which changes name to Broadway !

Keep going straight  to 22nd street and left on 22nd straight into terminal entrance . 

This route will allow you to avoid traffic jam at turn left into 22nd entrance from Harborside !

 

 

Edited by ssb
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