First time Carnival cruiser, and transfer from Houston to Galveston Port questions

[JessInNY]

Hello My Fellow Cruisers, 

 

  I am a frequent cruiser on Princess (over 15 cruises), and will be going on my first Carnival cruise in August (Jubilee).  

 

 1.  Any tips for cruising on Carnival?  Any "must know" information?  Anything better or worse on Carnival cruises?

 

  2.  There are 14 of us traveling to Houston the day prior to sailing - what is the best way to get to the Galveston Port?  Have any of you taken shuttle service to the Galveston Port?  We are a large group and want some suggestions to get to the Port the day of sailing (not going from the airport).

 

  Any information, travel or cruise tips are much appreciated!  Thank you so much! - JessInNY

[jsglow]

I've used Galveston Express from Hobby Airport. They also serve Bush. Book in advance and make sure your overnight hotel nearby has an airport shuttle to get back to the terminal in the morning. 

 

You'll see this thread moved to the Gulf Port Departures shortly. There's tons of info there.

[mz-s]

Do you have any specific questions about Carnival? I have no idea what people are asking for when they ask for "tips"

[JessInNY]

Hi Mz-s,   Yes, "tips" is vague!   Something like - you can get free playing cards on Princess if you ask at the service desk.  Princess has an app where you can find your fellow travelers -- can you on Carnival?  Princess has an afternoon tea --does Carnival, if yes, do you recommend it?  I guess I'm asking for "must-do's" and recommendations, the best things to do on a Carnival Cruise.  Thank you very much!  - Jess

[Number12]

Galveston Express will also pick you up from airport area hotels for an additional fee.

[Drazil65]

Welcome to Carnival...my only "tip" would be to be open to experiencing whatever your interests are and have a blast doing it!  Vacation is what you make of it and being that you are with a large group, it is sure to be subjective.  

[starstruck05]

For the Transfer question, a private driving service with a van or a bus would probably be the best option for a group if you don't want to go back to the airport. Neither airport is anywhere near the port so it more so depends on where you are staying.

 

As for must do's on Carnival. I always have a Funship and a Guys burger on embarkation day. Tea Time is on seadays but check the *food* schedule on the Hub App (download before you board but it won't work until you are onboard) as it doesn't show on the events schedule. I love the Serenity Deck. The evening parties are always fun. Themes vary by ship. My favorite thing is Movies Under The Stars on the Lido. I bring my own blanket and curl up in a chair to watch whatever is playing. Sometimes there is popcorn for sale but you can also get delivery to your location most anywhere on the ship. The buffet is usually closed around the late movie times. 

 

Deal or No deal is fun to watch even is you're not playing.

 

Love and Marraige show is probably my second favorite thing onboard.

[JessInNY]

57 minutes ago, jsglow said:

I've used Galveston Express from Hobby Airport. They also serve Bush. Book in advance and make sure your overnight hotel nearby has an airport shuttle to get back to the terminal in the morning. 

 

You'll see this thread moved to the Gulf Port Departures shortly. There's tons of info there.

 

[JessInNY]

Thank you StarStruck 05 -- I appreciate the information, and thank you for taking the time to reply. - Jess

 

[mz-s]

1 hour ago, JessInNY said:

Hi Mz-s,   Yes, "tips" is vague!   Something like - you can get free playing cards on Princess if you ask at the service desk.  Princess has an app where you can find your fellow travelers -- can you on Carnival?  Princess has an afternoon tea --does Carnival, if yes, do you recommend it?  I guess I'm asking for "must-do's" and recommendations, the best things to do on a Carnival Cruise.  Thank you very much!  - Jess

 

Carnival does still offer an afternoon tea on sea days, usually around 3PM. But to the rest, no. 

[Number12]

Make sure you check out the comedy club.

[kdr69]

i used Smith and Gold transport for our transfers and in conversation on the trip they did mention they have done parties that large.  They were very accommodating and their prices were reasonable.

 

[Honolulu Blue]

13 hours ago, JessInNY said:

  2.  There are 14 of us traveling to Houston the day prior to sailing - what is the best way to get to the Galveston Port?  Have any of you taken shuttle service to the Galveston Port?  We are a large group and want some suggestions to get to the Port the day of sailing (not going from the airport).

 

I've taken the Carnival shuttle from the airport a couple of times.  It works fine for me, but I wouldn't recommend it for your group.  First, because you're getting in the day before the cruise, you'd have to all go back to the airport the next day to catch the shuttle.  Second, it would probably cost less to rent a couple of buses or a small fleet of cars than paying for individual seats on a shuttle.  And third, you need to figure out what you want to do with regards to transportation to the port and then work backwards.  Galveston has a few hotels within walking distance of the port, but they're small and expensive.  Houston's airports have some nearby hotels and you can probably get transportation from any of them straight to Galveston's port through a private party.  And there are hotel options in between.  Make sure you choose the right one.  Good luck. 🙂

 

12 hours ago, JessInNY said:

you can get free playing cards on Princess if you ask at the service desk.  Princess has an app where you can find your fellow travelers -- can you on Carnival?  Princess has an afternoon tea --does Carnival, if yes, do you recommend it?  I guess I'm asking for "must-do's" and recommendations, the best things to do on a Carnival Cruise.  Thank you very much!  - Jess

 

Several years ago, I got a pack of used Carnival casino cards from the cashier.  Not free, but it only cost $1.  I'm not sure they now give away packs at the casino or GS, mostly because I haven't tried in a long time.  YMMV.

 

Carnival's app doesn't allow you to find your fellow travelers, but you can sign up for a separate chat program with those you're close to onboard.  The reviews of this aren't great, and I haven't tried it myself, so YMMV on this too.

 

I'll defer to others on the details of the afternoon tea.  I've never attended one.

 

I can't think of many across-the-board recommendations for Carnival.  If you like burgers, you'll probably like Guy's and its fries.  BlueIguana serves good burritos and tacos; don't expect authenticity there.  And there are some quiet places to hide on each ship, though it might take a day or two to discover them.

 

Enjoy your upcoming cruise!

[jsglow]

13 hours ago, Number12 said:

Galveston Express will also pick you up from airport area hotels for an additional fee.

At Hobby? Is that new because it wasn't historically true in my experience.

[Old Fart Cruisers]

14 hours ago, JessInNY said:

Something like - you can get free playing cards on Princess if you ask at the service desk.

 

Free playing cards used to be available on almost all cruise lines (and airlines).  Here are some that I still have around. 

That seems to be a thing of the past.  I asked at guest services about them on each of the last two Carnival cruises that I was on.   I was told that the stopped getting them after the shutdown, but some ships may still have some until supply runs out.

 

My experience on Royal Caribbean recently was pretty much the same. 

 

Last year on NCL, guest services told me that I could 'borrow' a used deck with a $10.00 charge to my card that would be removed when I returned them lol.

[Number12]

1 hour ago, jsglow said:

At Hobby? Is that new because it wasn't historically true in my experience.

I have only flown into IAH so will defer to your experience.

[ARcruisin2]

The adult's Serenity area on Carnival is free...its been years, but if i recall correctly you have to reserve and pay on Princess. 

I think some ships have cabanas to rent...others could provide more info...

But use of loungers and clam shells are first-come basis. 

[JessInNY]

Thanks everyone for your information, and recommendations, much appreciated! - Jess