GALVESTON CRUISE-PORT TRANSPORTATION TO BUSH AIRPORT 12/18/2022

[mrsmacadam]

Best advice to get to airport from the Galveston cruise-port for 2 people and their bags? Is Uber or Lyft the best choice? Is there a way to share transportation with other members of this forum? We’re planning to take the Ruby Princess from San Fransico to Galveston 12/2–12/18. Appreciate your input. 

[ColeThornton]

Welcome to CC.   I would ask/research this on the Gulf Coast port of call forum.  Link:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/316-gulf-coast-departures/

 

To find others on your cruise look in the Roll Call for your sailing.  Click on "Find You Roll Call" at the top of the page.

[SuiteTraveler]

Because Galveston is so far from the Houston airports, you are best off either taking the cruise line's transfer or a private transport such as https://www.aaalimotx.com/quick-quote?gclid=CjwKCAjw79iaBhAJEiwAPYwoCNjGV_IbDYtKXmR8i6WkLcUV5l-nxl75Sgd--2RTRExKq1A1HSSPzBoCAK4QAvD_BwE

.  

[PaperSniper4]

We're never sailed from Galveston, couple of questions:

Q1 Anyone know what Princess charges IAH-ship-IAH? I've seen rates $30-$200 plus for shuttles. Any personal recommendations?

Q2 For those who have sailed from Galveston after a flight/drive, where did you spend your pre-cruise hotel if applicable? Near IAH or in Galveston?

 

Thanks

 Doug

 

 

 

[WildBlueYonder64]

3 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

We're never sailed from Galveston, couple of questions:

Q1 Anyone know what Princess charges IAH-ship-IAH? I've seen rates $30-$200 plus for shuttles. Any personal recommendations?

Q2 For those who have sailed from Galveston after a flight/drive, where did you spend your pre-cruise hotel if applicable? Near IAH or in Galveston?

 

Thanks

 Doug

 

 

 

1. Airport transfer information can usually be found under shore excursions, so check for your cruise on the princess website. 

We use Galveston Saltwater Moms. They're a private transport, and are great. To book, message them on Facebook.

 

2. If you're flight arrives by the afternoon, then definitely stay in Galveston pre-cruise. There are a lot of great restaurants, and easy to get around with Uber, Lyft or taxi. Just being near the water will get you in vacation mode!

 

[RocketMan275]

Buyer Beware.

 

https://www.ridesharehouston.org/2022/06/24/is-saltwater-moms-personal-drivers-in-galveston-a-scam/?amp

[WildBlueYonder64]

21 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Buyer Beware.

 

https://www.ridesharehouston.org/2022/06/24/is-saltwater-moms-personal-drivers-in-galveston-a-scam/?amp

Interesting, the commercial insurance is a good point. We've used them in the past, and love the personal service, so will continue to do so. But I think I'll send them a message regarding insurance.

[WildBlueYonder64]

4 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

Buyer Beware.

 

https://www.ridesharehouston.org/2022/06/24/is-saltwater-moms-personal-drivers-in-galveston-a-scam/?amp

I heard back from Galveston Saltwater Moms, and they replied that they do carry commercial insurance, and required by the Port of Galveston. 

[RocketMan275]

8 hours ago, WildBlueYonder64 said:

I heard back from Galveston Saltwater Moms, and they replied that they do carry commercial insurance, and required by the Port of Galveston. 

Excellent.

[PaperSniper4]

14 hours ago, WildBlueYonder64 said:

1. Airport transfer information can usually be found under shore excursions, so check for your cruise on the princess website. 

We use Galveston Saltwater Moms. They're a private transport, and are great. To book, message them on Facebook.

 

2. If you're flight arrives by the afternoon, then definitely stay in Galveston pre-cruise. There are a lot of great restaurants, and easy to get around with Uber, Lyft or taxi. Just being near the water will get you in vacation mode!

 

 

Thanks. I have heard lots of good things about "the Moms". However, we are not facebook members and wonder if anyone has a URL for them, or at least a phone number. The later mode of communication is for old people.....like ME! 😉

 

 Doug

[Galveston Cruiser]

8 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Thanks. I have heard lots of good things about "the Moms". However, we are not facebook members and wonder if anyone has a URL for them, or at least a phone number. The later mode of communication is for old people.....like ME! 😉

 

 Doug

We're "old", late 70's and contact them through FB then messenger.  Very easy.

[RocketMan275]

Just now, Galveston Cruiser said:

We're "old", late 70's and contact them through FB then messenger.  Very easy.

There are many who don't want to join facebook.

Wife and I are two of them.

 

 

[Galveston Cruiser]

1 minute ago, RocketMan275 said:

There are many who don't want to join facebook.

Wife and I are two of them.

 

 

Messenger is their mode of communication.

[RocketMan275]

2 minutes ago, Galveston Cruiser said:

Messenger is their mode of communication.

Isn't that part of Facebook?

Many have a sense of aversion to Facebook.

[PaperSniper4]

15 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

There are many who don't want to join facebook.

Wife and I are two of them.

 

 

 And you are not alone......we're another two.😎

 

I think we know it's 'easy' to join facebook or the other "social media" things, but I can think of no earthly idea I'd want to do that.  Well, other than trying to contact SWMs <g>.

I am surprised that an outfit such as SWMs doesn't have a regular URL or email address. I'll keep trying to contact them, as they have gotten good reviews here on CC.

 

I tried finding the cost for the Princess Excursion/airport shuttle at Princess.com and the only one they list has several tourist stops and cost about $99 pp, and I recall that is just one way.

 

 Doug

[RocketMan275]

10 hours ago, PaperSniper4 said:

 And you are not alone......we're another two.😎

 

I think we know it's 'easy' to join facebook or the other "social media" things, but I can think of no earthly idea I'd want to do that.  Well, other than trying to contact SWMs <g>.

I am surprised that an outfit such as SWMs doesn't have a regular URL or email address. I'll keep trying to contact them, as they have gotten good reviews here on CC.

 

I tried finding the cost for the Princess Excursion/airport shuttle at Princess.com and the only one they list has several tourist stops and cost about $99 pp, and I recall that is just one way.

 

 Doug

https://www.cruisehive.com/how-to-travel-from-houston-to-galveston-cruise-port/31640#h-cruise-lines

 

https://galvestonexpress.com/galveston-taxi-rates-schedule/

Edited November 11, 2022 by RocketMan275

[slyster]

How does Saltwater Moms work?  Do you just arrange a time for them to pick you up from the pier and take you to the airport?  We usually do self-disembarkation so we are one of the first ones off.  

[PaperSniper4]

14 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

https://www.cruisehive.com/how-to-travel-from-houston-to-galveston-cruise-port/31640#h-cruise-lines

 

https://galvestonexpress.com/galveston-taxi-rates-schedule/

Thanks for those links, I have entered them in my cruise planning document. I'll continue to try to try to find a contact for SWMs.

 

 Doug

[PaperSniper4]

10 hours ago, slyster said:

How does Saltwater Moms work?  Do you just arrange a time for them to pick you up from the pier and take you to the airport?  We usually do self-disembarkation so we are one of the first ones off.  

I wonder how it works if we want to go IAH to Galveston hotel instead of to the pier directly. We plan on flying in the night before the cruise. I suppose that could be arranged with any of the shuttles.....hopefully.

 

Doug

[Galveston Cruiser]

On 11/12/2022 at 7:37 AM, PaperSniper4 said:

I wonder how it works if we want to go IAH to Galveston hotel instead of to the pier directly. We plan on flying in the night before the cruise. I suppose that could be arranged with any of the shuttles.....hopefully.

 

Doug

We live in Galveston and use Saltwater Moms to/from airports to/from our home.

[PaperSniper4]

Yeah, transportation now had become more complicated: I booked our air transportation today on Princess EZ-Air. Our MEM-IAH arrives around 1900/7PM and our IAH-MEM departs IAH at 2000/8PM.  So we've tossed out the idea of going to a Galveston hotel upon arrival; just too late. Instead we will find a hotel near IAH then use something, hopefully SWMs the following morning to get to the pier.

 

At our cruise's termination, since we will have around 10 hours to kill before our flight, I am considering (trying to) rent a car in Galveston to drop off at the IAH airport later that evening. We can play tourist on the island, have an early dinner, etc. Really rotten airline flight times.....but good news is they are both non-stop flights.

 

 Doug

[RocketMan275]

13 minutes ago, PaperSniper4 said:

Yeah, transportation now had become more complicated: I booked our air transportation today on Princess EZ-Air. Our MEM-IAH arrives around 1900/7PM and our IAH-MEM departs IAH at 2000/8PM.  So we've tossed out the idea of going to a Galveston hotel upon arrival; just too late. Instead we will find a hotel near IAH then use something, hopefully SWMs the following morning to get to the pier.

 

At our cruise's termination, since we will have around 10 hours to kill before our flight, I am considering (trying to) rent a car in Galveston to drop off at the IAH airport later that evening. We can play tourist on the island, have an early dinner, etc. Really rotten airline flight times.....but good news is they are both non-stop flights.

 

 Doug

On our Princess cruise, we had some late flights too.  That's one reason why I booked a room at the Airport Marriott.  The airport tram stops at each baggage claim area and at the Marriott.  I didn't want to play the waiting game on a hotel shuttle so that seemed a good idea.  Worked well too.

We had Princess transfers to the port.  They used the Marriott as a pickup point so that worked well too.  

Princess had a shore excursion which was a combination of a tour of Houston and airport tranfer.  Worked well.  Good way to kill some time.  I think we got back to the airport around 1300.

The bad news was the airline cancelled our flight but they did pay for our room and gave us a couple of meal vouchers.

[PaperSniper4]

13 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

On our Princess cruise, we had some late flights too.  That's one reason why I booked a room at the Airport Marriott.  The airport tram stops at each baggage claim area and at the Marriott.  I didn't want to play the waiting game on a hotel shuttle so that seemed a good idea.  Worked well too.

We had Princess transfers to the port.  They used the Marriott as a pickup point so that worked well too.  

Princess had a shore excursion which was a combination of a tour of Houston and airport tranfer.  Worked well.  Good way to kill some time.  I think we got back to the airport around 1300.

The bad news was the airline cancelled our flight but they did pay for our room and gave us a couple of meal vouchers.

Thanks, that is useful information for our situation. Was your airport Marriott at HOU or IAH? We'll be at IAH. I didn't realize Princess could pick up at the hotel.  I think that Houston tour is going to be our time killer and airport shuttle also. Expensive, but I don't want to sit around the airport too many hours. I sure hope our late 8PM flight is not canceled that night!😩

 

 Doug

[RocketMan275]

Just now, PaperSniper4 said:

Thanks, that is useful information for our situation. Was your airport Marriott at HOU or IAH? We'll be at IAH. I didn't realize Princess could pick up at the hotel.  I think that Houston tour is going to be our time killer and airport shuttle also. Expensive, but I don't want to sit around the airport too many hours. I sure hope our late 8PM flight is not canceled that night!😩

 

 Doug

Marriott at IAH.  

Since most fly into IAH, Princess should be doing pickups there.

You should remember I'm recounting our experience at IAH which was several years ago.