EZ Cruise in Galveston

[robc]

If you park here can you drop off your family and luggage at the terminal and then park and walk back to the pier? I would like to save the $20 but have heard of problems with EZ Cruise's shuttle service.

 

Thanks!

[airmanship]

Either way worked great for us last year out of GAL. We dropped off our luggage on departure day with a porter and a good tip and then drove the two blocks to ezcruiseparking to catch the shuttle. Worked great , luggage arrived at cabin fine! On last day of cruise we just caught the EZShuttle with ALL of our luggage(tons, but everyone else had alot too) and they dropped us off right in frount of our car!!

EZ has great service and I would use them again next time I go out of GAL.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We'll be driving our own car to the Galveston pier to meet the Grand Princess. Is there a place to leave our car (long term parking?) nearby?

[Babyblue]

We have sailed from Galveston many times but usually go down a day before and stay at a hotel that offers free parking for the week and free shuttle to the ship.

One of the lots is called the Dolphin parking lot. Sorry I dont have any website to it but you may check out the website www.Galveston.com and it may have info on parking.

It also has webcams so others at home can watch you sail away and wave to you.

Several of the lots give a little discount if you pre-pay also.

Sorry I am no more help than that.

 

Have fun

 

Karen

[Snoozeman]

I've used both EZCruise parking and the Port authority parking. Plenty of parking. Both have websites.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Thanks--all of these ideas will help us out. I figured there would be parking available, just wanted to make sure.

[flyjenn]

Not sure where exactly to post this, but I just returned yesterday Aug. 21 from my cruise from Galveston to Cozumel. I parked at the EZ Parking Lot which offers a rate of $35 if reserved on the internet or $40 if you show up. After we arrived at their main lot, they directed us to their secondary lot a couple of blocks away.

 

Needless to say when we got in from our cruise, first off their bus broke down and were having a hard time transporting us back to the lot. Lighthouse parking was nice enough to take us to our lot. Upon arriving one of the other customers walked up and notified us that if you had parked on the back row of their parking lot that the cars had been flooded. I didn't think too much of it at first until I walked over to my car and saw the damage that was done. It was absolutely disgusting! There was standing water inside my vehicle, and once I got the vehicle started there was water continuously coming out of the muffler like a water spicket. The water level stayed high enough in my vehicle that there is already rust underneath my seats, and the air bag/seatbelt system has completely been compromised as the wiring was all under water.

 

Initially we couldn't get in touch with anyone at the lot, and eventually the owner showed up. They paid to have our cars wet-vac'd and shampooed. They aren't responsible of course either, but I assure you this is not the first time I'm guessing this has happened, and I'm sure it won't be the last. Of course there is still water in my car and it smells like something died in there.

 

Let me note... Galveston only received less than 1 inch of rain on Saturday, but they still experienced a lot of flooding, which I was told made the news. Apparently some areas have poor drainage areas. This lot must be in that area.

 

I wasn't the only car that was effected obviously. There were at least 7 others while I was there that discovered the same thing.

 

I just want people to be careful when choosing where to leave their cars. I had a great time on my cruise, but now I'm dealing with this, and they will most likely total my car that I just paid off two months ago. Also from my understanding Lot #1 is higher elevated then Lot #2 that we parked in. Be careful guys. You don't want your vacation tainted with an experience like this.

[sw6416]

Wow that completely sucks ..... sorry!

[mrBit]

This is with EZ cruise???

[kyrisong1]

Hi there everyone, don't blame the car lot, blame the area!! My uncles are from Houston and they used to send us pictures all the time of cars halfway submerged in the parking lots, it floods there, you're in texas, the ground is clay based and it doesn't absorb like some places (like it does where I'm from) so if you get alot of rain , the water doesn't have anywhere to go, so things flood. So I guess if I were leaving my vehicle for a extended period I'd either have insurance against that sort of thing, or I'd make sure I was in a lot that had upper areas I'd make sure I was as high as I could be. So sorry about your car :(

[aggieastrosfan]

Hi there everyone, don't blame the car lot, blame the area!! My uncles are from Houston and they used to send us pictures all the time of cars halfway submerged in the parking lots, it floods there, you're in texas, the ground is clay based and it doesn't absorb like some places (like it does where I'm from) so if you get alot of rain , the water doesn't have anywhere to go, so things flood. So I guess if I were leaving my vehicle for a extended period I'd either have insurance against that sort of thing, or I'd make sure I was in a lot that had upper areas I'd make sure I was as high as I could be. So sorry about your car :(

 

Okay, I've lived in Houston my whole life, and it takes more than an inch of rain to get to the point of all those pictures. Yeah, it floods quick, but you are not going to see cars submerged with just an inch of rain.

 

To the OP, thanks for the warning. I have two spots reserved with them in October, and I will make sure to refuse to park in that area if at all possible.

[LHP]

Thanks for the info. I would not have ever thought that would happen.

 

Why on earth would they park cars where they know it can flood???

[DannyMac]

Galveston received between 3-5" of rain during that episode. We get "toad stranglers" here in Texas. Sorry but the clay soil has nothing to do with it, the problem is the drainage system. The streets are used to channel the rain water to drainage ditches, to bayou's then on into Galveston Bay. Too much rain = flooding.

[ninex]

The parking lot should at least be elevated up a few feet if this is a common occurance for the area. Or at least have some pumping equipment to move the water to where it will not be getting into people's vehicles.

[brn2crz]

First of all sorry about your car.

 

Secondly,yes 4 inches reported at that airfield..

 

Third...

 

Its an Island people...And its sinking :D

 

seriously...Somewhat long but very informative...

 

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3546961.html

[flyjenn]

Galveston received between 3-5" of rain during that episode. We get "toad stranglers" here in Texas. Sorry but the clay soil has nothing to do with it, the problem is the drainage system. The streets are used to channel the rain water to drainage ditches, to bayou's then on into Galveston Bay. Too much rain = flooding.

 

All the reports I received was that it was less than 1 inch. No rainfall reported on any of the other days my car was there except for this day and this is what the data states:

 

Precipitation

Precipitation 0.83 in / 2.11 cm

Month to date precipitation 3.21

Year to date precipitation 25.14

 

The entire lot didn't flood, just parts of it that were closest to the street, which I was told was do to poor drainage. Yes, I have insurance for my vehicle but you shouldn't have to always wonder whether or not it is safe from flooding. If this is common for the area/lot, there should merely be a posted sign indicating "warning area subject to flooding".

 

For all the people that walked up and were expecting to drive their car home, they didn't go, "oh it's galveston, I should have known". I'm guessing the owners of the new honda accord two cars down from me were just as suprised as I was.

 

From my understanding parking lot #1 is elevated much higher than parking lot #2. I am not saying to blame the parking lot or the owners, but the owner did not act as if this was a one time occurence. You had to be there to know. I was posting this as a warning for others to be cautious where they park. If I had received such warning prior to going I would have reevaluated where to leave my car. I had the option of leaving it elsewhere, but decided to pay for convenience. What I'm going through now is far from convenient.

[brn2crz]

I don't know where you are getting your "reports" from...

 

 

but here...

 

http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=e09e9ca49915e87f

[aggieastrosfan]

I don't know where you are getting your "reports" from...

 

 

but here...

 

http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=e09e9ca49915e87f

 

The rain totals posted above are probably the official totals for the day. The article makes mention of the fact that the official total was low.

 

In that kind of rain, anything and everything floods around here, and it wouldn't surprise me to find my car flooded in that kind of rain in any parking lot around here. Regardless, I would still be highly upset if my car was flooded when it appeared to only be a small portion of the parking lot. This issue should still be addressed somehow if the rest of the lot was okay. ESPECIALLY if this isn't the first time.

[flyjenn]

I don't know where you are getting your "reports" from...

 

 

but here...

 

http://news.galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=e09e9ca49915e87f

 

 

League city received 2-4", League city is not Galveston.

"While official rain totals for Galveston at Scholes International Airport measured less than an inch" (from your link)

 

"The official rainfall total for Galveston County so far this year is 25.14 inches, slightly below the normal — 25.52 —" (from your link)

 

This link below agrees with the 25.14 to date from your report. You will also be able to see here the daily rainfall was .83" or am I reading something wrong???

 

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KGLS/2006/8/19/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA

[aggieastrosfan]

League city received 2-4", League city is not Galveston.

"While official rain totals for Galveston at Scholes International Airport measured less than an inch" (from your link)

 

"The official rainfall total for Galveston County so far this year is 25.14 inches, slightly below the normal — 25.52 —" (from your link)

 

This link below agrees with the 25.14 to date from your report. You will also be able to see here the daily rainfall was .83" or am I reading something wrong???

 

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/KGLS/2006/8/19/DailyHistory.html?req_city=NA&req_state=NA&req_statename=NA

 

Did you read the next 3 paragraphs in that article after the one you quoted?

 

Charles Roesler, a meteorologist with the weather service’s local office, said the storms basically skipped over the Gulf side of the island and dumped most of the rain in an area that included Broadway to downtown onto Pelican Island.

 

The heavy rain turned chunks of Broadway, The Strand and side streets into waterways, forcing shops to close and tourists to seek high ground.

 

Donna Pinson, manager of the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory at 22nd and The Strand in Galveston, said she had nearly 3 inches of water come into her store.

 

Just because the official reporting station didn't get rain doesn't mean other areas nearby didn't. EZ Cruise is just a block or two off of The Strand.

[flyjenn]

The rain totals posted above are probably the official totals for the day. The article makes mention of the fact that the official total was low.

 

In that kind of rain, anything and everything floods around here, and it wouldn't surprise me to find my car flooded in that kind of rain in any parking lot around here. Regardless, I would still be highly upset if my car was flooded when it appeared to only be a small portion of the parking lot. This issue should still be addressed somehow if the rest of the lot was okay. ESPECIALLY if this isn't the first time.

 

 

Thank you for your thoughts and response.

 

I am not bashing Galveston, the parking lot, nor the owners... I am merely warning people to be cautious of where you park. Unless you don't mind dealing with a flooded car, having a flood claim on your vehicle, the hassle of being in a rental, dealing with insurance, a smelly car, and the depreciation on your vehicle from having a flood claim. Just be careful. I never thought I would come home to this, much less with such a small amount of rainfall. And of course the entire lot wasn't effected, only parts of it.

[aggieastrosfan]

I am not bashing Galveston, the parking lot, nor the owners... I am merely warning people to be cautious of where you park. Unless you don't mind dealing with a flooded car, having a flood claim on your vehicle, the hassle of being in a rental, dealing with insurance, a smelly car, and the depreciation on your vehicle from having a flood claim. Just be careful. I never thought I would come home to this, much less with such a small amount of rainfall. And of course the entire lot wasn't effected, only parts of it.

 

I don't think you're bashing Galveston. No one should have to come home from a vacation to that. Like I said, if the entire lot wasn't like that, and it's happened before, a smart business move would be to fix the lot so that it's level with the rest of the lot. I just wanted to point out that whereas the official totals don't appear to be much, it looks like that part of town did get some pretty heavy rainfall. I didn't want you to think an inch of rain would cause that. It shouldn't. Of course, if 3" of rain causes it on 7 or 8 spots, that should be fixed as well.

 

I greatly appreciate the warning. I am going to make sure that our cars don't end up in that area. I've never had to deal with a flooded out car, and I certainly don't want to start on October 22nd!

 

Good luck with getting your car fixed/replaced. I can just imagine what a headache that's got to be for you - and after a cruise, no less! :(

[robtx100]

We've used EZ cruise parking on all of our cruises from Galveston. Earlier this year when we got to the lot, they made all the cars wait in the lot and led us to the new parking lot about 8 blocks away. I wasn't at all comfortable about leaving my car there. Next time, I will insist on the higher older lot or park elsewhere. I'm not bashing the neighborhood, just saying I didn't feel my car would be safe at their new lot.

[flyjenn]

We've used EZ cruise parking on all of our cruises from Galveston. Earlier this year when we got to the lot, they made all the cars wait in the lot and led us to the new parking lot about 8 blocks away. I wasn't at all comfortable about leaving my car there. Next time, I will insist on the higher older lot or park elsewhere. I'm not bashing the neighborhood, just saying I didn't feel my car would be safe at their new lot.

 

Yep! This was the lot they led us to as well. Their Lot #1 seems to be in a decent area, and obviously higher elevated. The drive over to lot #2 was into an area that didn't look as appealing. I believe they use Lot #2 for Ecstasy sailings, but it could be random too. Not sure.

[robtx100]

Yep! This was the lot they led us to as well. Their Lot #1 seems to be in a decent area, and obviously higher elevated. The drive over to lot #2 was into an area that didn't look as appealing. I believe they use Lot #2 for Ecstasy sailings, but it could be random too. Not sure.

 

Nope, were were on the Grand earlier this year when they put us in lot 2.