Royal Caribbean Cruisers -- How Are Things Where You Are? (was "Routine" ​ 😁 ​day in lockdown... how was yours?)

[Sea Dog]

11 minutes ago, BonTexasNY said:

 

Greg, last time we stayed in Galveston was in 2018.  I think we stayed at  Quality Inn on Seawall.  Free breakfast, free parking for duration of the cruise and one block from a Kroger supermarket to fill in on stuff we forgot to pack.  Great location on Seawall.  Rooms were ok for the night.  We used points so not sure how much it was per night at that time.  We would not hesitate to book it again.

 

Galveston is a great town. We love to meander up and down The Strand.  Lots of quaint shops.  Walking along the Seawall so close to the sea is very soothing.

 

 

Thank you! Jane has helped me with her good knowledge. The Quality Inn was on my list as well. Looking forward to exploring Galveston since we will be there two days before the cruise.

[c-leg5]

15 hours ago, BonTexasNY said:

Last I checked, Galveston Parking was approx. $90 for the duration of a week cruise.  It's why we always book a hotel pre cruise that keeps our car for no fee for the duration of the cruise.  

 

We're lucky.  We're "only" 6 hours from Galveston with a stop at Buc-ees 😀

 

We are not looking forward to the hassle of flying to Miami and back next year for the Bella cruise. However, we ARE looking forward to the cruise!

 

 

Have you found a hotel in Galveston where you can leave your car for free that has secure parking and a raised lot? There is usually an additional charge for shuttle/uber to and from hotel before and after cruise.

 

We have considered doing that in the past but have never found anything as convenient as the parking lots near the port.

 

 

[lenquixote66]

2 hours ago, DaniDanielle said:

We have been to the  statue quite a few times.  When I was a young my dad took us all over Manhattan.  Also on many school trips to United Nations and various museums and other sites😊

My father also took me all over Manhattan when I was a kid and I also went on many school trips to museums.When I was 8 my father took me to the Museum of National History and and bought me 3 very unusual seashells which I still have.

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, BonTexasNY said:

I took the Staten Island ferry to summer day camp for 9 summers passing the Statue of Liberty.  My parents sailed into NY harbor from Europe so many years ago.  That statue always made me stop and stare at it thoughtfully.  I will never forget the meaning it had for me; freedom and hope.

 

I hope you get to experience that feeling in person one day soon.

Hope those celebrating have a wonderful Easter!!

 

Debbie, you're lucky you have not 1 but 2 ports to  cruise from. I wish the Bella cruise did a different itinerary than W. Caribbean.  Sailing mostly out of Galveston, that's the itinerary most of our cruises took. 

 

We once sailed out of Manhattan for a Canada itinerary.  Even though I grew up in lower Manhattan it was cool to sail along all of the landmarks I was familiar with.

Greg, last time we stayed in Galveston was in 2018.  I think we stayed at  Quality Inn on Seawall.  Free breakfast, free parking for duration of the cruise and one block from a Kroger supermarket to fill in on stuff we forgot to pack.  Great location on Seawall.  Rooms were ok for the night.  We used points so not sure how much it was per night at that time.  We would not hesitate to book it again.

 

Galveston is a great town. We love to meander up and down The Strand.  Lots of quaint shops.  Walking along the Seawall so close to the sea is very soothing.

 

@firefly333Jane would know more about Galveston hotels having cruised a few times very recently.  She does her research well.

My father sailed into Ellis Island from Europe in 1913 and my mother in 1916.I took the SI Ferry to work in the camp that Bonnie was a camper in 

(1959).I have been to Ellis Island several times.

 

[lenquixote66]

1 hour ago, Sea Dog said:

 

Thank you! Jane has helped me with her good knowledge. The Quality Inn was on my list as well. Looking forward to exploring Galveston since we will be there two days before the cruise.

I was in Galveston twice but not for a cruise.The city had great bars and restaurants .

[George C]

1 hour ago, c-leg5 said:

Have you found a hotel in Galveston where you can leave your car for free that has secure parking and a raised lot? There is usually an additional charge for shuttle/uber to and from hotel before and after cruise.

 

We have considered doing that in the past but have never found anything as convenient as the parking lots near the port.

 

 

We like the San Luis and Hilton both high end with free parking not sure about secure, we were going to book Moody Gardens which had a deal with parking. I believe all three have live music. But there not cheap. 

[BonTexasNY]

1 hour ago, c-leg5 said:

Have you found a hotel in Galveston where you can leave your car for free that has secure parking and a raised lot? There is usually an additional charge for shuttle/uber to and from hotel before and after cruise.

 

We have considered doing that in the past but have never found anything as convenient as the parking lots near the port.

 

 

We stayed at the Quality Inn 3 different times and felt secure and never had an issue leaving our car in their lot.  In 2018 a cab to the port from the hotel was $15 one way.  Now much higher, I am sure.

 

Go with your comfort zone.  It's all good.  Peace of mind is an essential stress buster.

 

 

Edited April 17, 2022 by BonTexasNY

[c-leg5]

6 minutes ago, George C said:

We like the San Luis and Hilton both high end with free parking not sure about secure, we were going to book Moody Gardens which had a deal with parking. I believe all three have live music. But there not cheap. 

Finding a hotel isnt a problem- it is finding one with a secure lot that we have found difficult, plus the hassle of getting back to hotel after cruise. 
 

Last time we spent the night and moved to Lighthouse parking because it was cheaper to use points for hotel and move to pay for secure parking. 
 

We have almost always used Lighthouse although I was surprised to hear @firefly333 say she had water there last time. Not sure if she was in covered lot or not? 
 

We have noticed the shuttles for Lighthouse haven’t been quite as efficient since the restart but that is hopefully just a sign of the times and reduced number of cruisers presently. To be fair we were on the 5 day sailings which were on quiet off days.

[BonTexasNY]

17 minutes ago, George C said:

We like the San Luis and Hilton both high end with free parking not sure about secure, we were going to book Moody Gardens which had a deal with parking. I believe all three have live music. But there not cheap. 

Quality Inn is definitely not high end but for one night it was exactly what we wanted.  If we didn't have hotel points, we would still have stayed there.

I remember reading quite a few cruisers stay at the Harbor House next to the cruise pier, but $$$

 

 

[Ocean Boy]

[BonTexasNY]

11 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

Finding a hotel isnt a problem- it is finding one with a secure lot that we have found difficult, plus the hassle of getting back to hotel after cruise. 
 

Last time we spent the night and moved to Lighthouse parking because it was cheaper to use points for hotel and move to pay for secure parking. 
 

We have almost always used Lighthouse although I was surprised to hear @firefly333 say she had water there last time. Not sure if she was in covered lot or not? 
 

We have noticed the shuttles for Lighthouse haven’t been quite as efficient since the restart but that is hopefully just a sign of the times and reduced number of cruisers presently. To be fair we were on the 5 day sailings which were on quiet off days.

We have friends that cruise regularly and always garage their car at Lighthouse.  Never a problem.  Unfortunately, ship happens.

[c-leg5]

2 minutes ago, BonTexasNY said:

We at the Quality Inn 3 different times and felt secure and never had an issue leaving our car in their lot.  In 2018 a cab to the port from the hotel was $15 one way.  Now much higher, I am sure.

 

Go with your comfort zone.  It's all good.  Peace of mind is an essential stress buster.

 

 

We have stayed overnight but generally drive down “on the day”. Not keen on leaving a car that isn’t moved for two weeks unattended in hotel lot.
 

Whilst the hotels advertise “free parking” the overnight rate is generally higher.

 

A lot depends on time of year when you are cruising, but in general it is a matter of weighing up expense and convenience. Week-long cruises out of Galveston leave on a Sunday and often require a two-night booking, especially if there is a weekend event.
 

We were thankful that we stayed overnight in February for our mid week sailing during the freeze. Glad we didnt have an early Friday morning ride through Houston in icy conditions. We used points for the hotel and moved to parking in the morning.

[c-leg5]

5 minutes ago, BonTexasNY said:

We have friends that cruise regularly and always garage their car at Lighthouse.  Never a problem.  Unfortunately, ship happens.

Yes we have used that lot for years. I was surprised to hear and wondered whether it was flood water,  or wind damage.

[firefly333]

31 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

We have almost always used Lighthouse although I was surprised to hear @firefly333 say she had water there last time. Not sure if she was in covered lot or not? 

 

We have noticed the shuttles for Lighthouse haven’t been quite as efficient since the restart but that is hopefully just a sign of the times and reduced number of cruisers presently. To be fair we were on the 5 day sailings which were on quiet off days.

Did you read it was a cat 1 hurricane 100 mph last sept that some water seemed to have managed to get thru the cracks in my doors at lighthouse where I was parked outside. I was not in covered. Covered for light house was just a awning

 

Actually I also lost my 6 month car in hurricane Ike. Carnival wouldnt let us cancel and rebook without losing our money. I was on conquest and we left sunday. Friday, last 24 hours hurricane Ike took a dog leg and hit Galveston.  Water up to my sun visor inside. Port had 17 feet of water and threw cars around. We got dumped at new Orleans to make our way home. 

 

Though you would think I would never again park close to the port which I know is lower than the beach side and prone to flooding. The beach has trucked in sand and higher so all the water floods the port. 

 

I've been going to Galveston for about 40 years, though not cruising all that time. Love Galveston. Not booking it any more going forward in sept. ... I was at ezcruise parking when Ike hit. Now jason and cindy are on my friends list I called them so many times before allstate got down there. Allstate was very late. Never saw that car again. ..though cindy seemed to have turned ezcruise over to jason her son.

 

This is twice a hurricane got me in sept. I dont think it matters where you are if you are by the port and a hurricane hits. To me lighthouse covered isnt really much.

 

Sorry I reacted ...

Edited April 17, 2022 by firefly333

[DaniDanielle]

I don’t think they think you made it up.  They said they were surprised.  I could be wrong though.

[Lionesss]

Decided to start building up our endurance for our cruise in 26 days. Now the DH does not like reddi whip. So I just decided I’ll take it. 
 

Love frozen strawberry daiquiris. 
 

[dani negreanu]

1 minute ago, DaniDanielle said:

I don’t think they think you made it up.  They said they were surprised.  I could be wrong though.

 

That was my understanding too.

 

@firefly333

Jane, pls. don't take it "literally". I'm absolutely sure it was not intended as such.

 

[firefly333]

5 minutes ago, dani negreanu said:

 

That was my understanding too.

 

@firefly333

Jane, pls. don't take it "literally". I'm absolutely sure it was not intended as such.

 

I agree. I have a cruise booked this sept and probably will leave it at a hotel further from the port. It was already booked when I got back from last sept cruise or I wouldnt have booked those dates. 

 

I was also so mad at carnival i swore i would never cruise with them again. .. and i broke that promise to myself. They gave us one phone call after standing in line. Not enough outside phone lines. I had to call twice and stand in line twice to rent a car. My sister is disabled and she brought a disabled friend I had to cope with getting her and her non foldable walker home. It was a very sleepless night and then I drove the rental 10 hours trying to stay awake. My sisters friend refused to chip in on gas for rental. 

 

So I guess I'm still mad . ..I think carnival is awful in a emergency. 

 

Last sept was just a 100 mph wind reminder of what carnival did. 

[jagsfan]

15 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

💜💜💜

 

Thank you. I've been checking in randomly every few days. Not much time to post but I try to "like" as many posts as possible to let people know I'm still around. 

 

Last year, Easter was April 4th, the day that my life changed.  Both dates are not easy.  Very solem & melancholy.  

 

On a positive note, my stepdaughter, for those that remember I picked up from Texas last December for a 1-2 month stay, is still with me 4 months later & has decided she would like to cook Easter Dinner for the entire family. 🥰

Even though we don’t see you often, we still think about you and your wife. 
How blessed you are with your stepdaughter!!

Edited April 17, 2022 by jagsfan

[Keksie]

1 hour ago, BonTexasNY said:

Quality Inn is definitely not high end but for one night it was exactly what we wanted.  If we didn't have hotel points, we would still have stayed there.

I remember reading quite a few cruisers stay at the Harbor House next to the cruise pier, but $$$

 

 

We have stayed at Harbor House.  There is a Starbucks across the street.  A short walk to the terminal.  If you get up really early you can watch the ship slide by.  I always felt the car was safe and unless there is a hurricane fairly safe from high water.  

[BonTexasNY]

2 hours ago, firefly333 said:

 

I've been going to Galveston for about 40 years, though not cruising all that time. Love Galveston. Not booking it any more going forward in sept. ... I was at ezcruise parking when Ike hit. Now jason and cindy are on my friends list I called them so many times before allstate got down there. Allstate was very late. Never saw that car again. ..though cindy seemed to have turned ezcruise over to jason her son.

 

This is twice a hurricane got me in sept. I dont think it matters where you are if you are by the port and a hurricane hits. To me lighthouse covered isnt really much.

 

Sorry I reacted ...

Do you mean not booking the garage or not booking Galveston cruises?

 

I hesitate cruising during hurricane season.  We generally book in Jan anyway so no worries on hurricanes.

[BonTexasNY]

16 hours ago, HBE4 said:

 

💜💜💜

 

Thank you. I've been checking in randomly every few days. Not much time to post but I try to "like" as many posts as possible to let people know I'm still around. 

 

Last year, Easter was April 4th, the day that my life changed.  Both dates are not easy.  Very solem & melancholy.  

 

On a positive note, my stepdaughter, for those that remember I picked up from Texas last December for a 1-2 month stay, is still with me 4 months later & has decided she would like to cook Easter Dinner for the entire family. 🥰

Although you might not post often, you are thought of by many in here with affection.  Count me among them.  You're my Rockland County connection!!

 

So glad your stepdaughter decided to stay.  I'm sure Easter dinner was delicious.

[A&L_Ont]

 

On 4/16/2022 at 3:32 PM, DaniDanielle said:

DIL made it to the hospital, they kept him alive waiting for her.  Looks like all is over now.  I am happy she got to Jersey so quickly. Thanks all for listening.

 

I’m so sorry to read this.  I am glad that they made it to say their goodbyes before he passed. I hope that them making it will one day give them some comfort.

Edited April 17, 2022 by A&L_Ont

[mets07]

6 hours ago, Sunshine3601 said:

I was on Jan 9th sailing, were you too?

Jan 20th .... wasn't that the one you were supposed to be on, but had the technical issues? 

[Sunshine3601]

2 minutes ago, mets07 said:

Jan 20th .... wasn't that the one you were supposed to be on, but had the technical issues? 

Yes, we were supposed to do a b2b but had VPN issues with work laptop.  I would have loved to stay on for another 11 nights but it wasn't meant to be.

  Royal was wonderful trying to get it fixed.   It was fixed for our March b2b.