conquest embarkation at galveston

[yellow bird]

Just curious what has been the average wait time from the moment you hand off your luggage to the porter until you step foot on the ship. Will I have a 30 minute wait vs a 2 hour wait. And how much faster is the process if you have filled out your fun pass on line.

[irishgirl]

When I cruised (October 29, 2006), we got to the port around 11:30, stood in line and finally got on board around 1:30.

 

The non-funpass line was shorter than the funpass line. Go figure!!

[yst347]

We have cruised three times from Galveston. On all three cruises we arrived around 11:00 am. Check-in was a breeze with very short lines but we had to wait for the ship to begin boarding. Plenty of seating was available so we were able wait sitting down. Boarding began at noon or a few minutes past and we were on the Lido deck eating lunch by 12:30. Our cabin was available at 1:30.

[Grits53]

I think if you arrive at the port at the suggested time of 1:00, you will have a longer wait than at any other time. On our Nov. 26 Conquest cruise, the line stretched out the terminal door and 3/4 way down the outside walkway at 1:30. The ship had arrived on time, and we saw no obvious reason for the long line except the number of people arriving at the same time. I would suggest arriving earlier, as people who have posted here seem to find shorter lines then.

[cwestbrook]

Is there any reason to wait a little later than 1:00 instead of getting there earlier than 1:00. We have about a 6 hour drive to Galveston.

[yst347]

I don't know what it's like in the terminal but the crowd boarding becomes a thinner stream after 2:30 or so. The only concern I would have with a six hour drive is cutting things close and having a problem en route like a blow-out or unexpected traffic delays. The ships won't wait.:mad:

[QTgas]

We arrived at the pier at 11:00 am and were on board at 12:15. This is with 6 people and 4 Sail and Sign accounts. Very smooth.

[cardinalfan]

We were on the Conquest in March. We arrived at the port about 11:15 and were onboard before 12:00. It was wonderful. I wish I were going again.

[cruise.freak]

We also arrived at the port about 11:00 and were on by 12:15. Everything went smooth!

[GORDONCHICK]

Depends. Great answer, right? Well, it's true. Depends on if the ship came in on time, if clearing customs was a problem, if you get there when the biggest crowd gets there..... It's kinda luck of the draw for the most part. But my experience says that the larger the ship, the bigger your chance is of standing in really long lines, unless you arrive at the port after 1pm. I wouldn't plan to arrive in Galveston by 1. Get to Galveston by 11am and go to lunch or someplace to walk around and kill time. There are lots of outlet stores not far from the pier, and a couple of restaurants, and even Starbucks. If I weren't married to someone who has to get there to get in line, I wouldn't get there until after 1pm. He doesn't want to spring for another meal when there's all that free food sitting on the ship calling his name.......

[Wanna_Cruise]

Just curious what has been the average wait time from the moment you hand off your luggage to the porter until you step foot on the ship. Will I have a 30 minute wait vs a 2 hour wait. And how much faster is the process if you have filled out your fun pass on line.

 

I hope you get there at 1pm or later, that way, all us early birds will get the chairs to wait in while the others, will have to stand in the lines.

 

*bad me .. sorry*

 

There is "going to be" a wait. No matter what time you get there. It just depends on if you had rather spend your wait time sitting in a half comfortable chair, or standing on your feet in a line.

 

The way they do it, the people in the chairs are told to "stay in your chair". When the boarding begins, you will be called from your chair to the front of the line. And they are true to their word, when the processing begins, they come back to where the chairs are and tell everyone seated to follow them.

 

Or at least that has been our past experience. But on the other hand, if you are 3pm, I suspect that you can practically just walk right onboard with no wait whatsoever. Personally, I would probably pee my pants if we cut it that close.

[KaferKruzer]

We have cruised three times from Galveston. On all three cruises we arrived around 11:00 am. Check-in was a breeze with very short lines but we had to wait for the ship to begin boarding. Plenty of seating was available so we were able wait sitting down. Boarding began at noon or a few minutes past and we were on the Lido deck eating lunch by 12:30. Our cabin was available at 1:30.

We had virtually the same experience on both our cruises from Galveston. No problemo!

 

RatherBeKruzin

Len

[sodell]

Would we be able to drop off our luggage wihout checking in; then walk around the pier and come back when it's not crowded?

 

Thanks

[yst347]

Would we be able to drop off our luggage wihout checking in; then walk around the pier and come back when it's not crowded?

 

Thanks

 

As long as the ship isn't running late and things are going as normal, this shouldn't be any problem. I don't know how early porters at the pier begin accepting luggage from the new crop of passengers but I do know that we have given our luggage to porters as early as 10:40 or so. Once the porters have taken your luggage curbside you can do as you like. You just need to take your carry-on luggage with you.

[sodell]

yst347

 

What do you think of the space center for a couple of hours. Haven't decided where to stay the night prior, thought about the Hilton (love those points) near the Center.

Thanks

[clearlakecruisers]

As one who lives near the Johnson Space Center and has had a husband employed there for many years, I think a visit there sounds like a great idea. The only problem is that a "short visit" might be problematical. Go to http://www.spacecenter.org. Tours of the Space Center are only available through Space Center Houston with details on that website.

 

If you are thinking of touring JSC, you might want to stay in this area. There is a lakeside Hilton (Nassau Bay Hilton) on NASA Road #1 /NASA Parkway (there is a name change going on currently). There is also a Hilton Reisdence Inn on Bay Area Blvd., as well as lots of other chain motels on both Bay Area and NASA Road #1. This area is convenient to I-45 and only a 30-minute drive from the Galveston cruise terminal. We're also close to the Kemah Boardwalk (http://kemahboardwalk.com), a great place to visit.

[yst347]

Thanks clearlakecruisers, great answers as usual.:)

 

The other idea I would add is Moody Gardens in Galveston. http://www.moodygardens.com/

 

Read through the websites clearlakecruisers posted and through Moody Gardens and decide which looks more interesting to you. The Hilton on Galveston island is close to Moody Gardens.

[Moeve]

If you are thinking of going to NASA have a look at the level 9 tour (it only take 12 people per day!!!

[clearlakecruisers]

I second the recommendation of Moody Gardens by yst347. They have a lot to offer - rainforest, aquarium, Imax. Don't know if you have children in your group, but over the Christmas holidays they offered ($10) a 4-D Imax based on "The Polar Express" and another based on the SpongeBob characters. Both were a real hit with our grandchildren. They also have an indoor waterpark - haven't tried it yet.

[sodell]

Thanks everyone.

 

It's mom dad & 17 yo ds. Since it's low odds that we would revisit Houston soon, we wanted to see something that we couldn't see elsewhere & thought JSC would be it. There's a Hilton down the road & I don't think we will be coming in until Saturday afternoon. Is 3 or 4 hours enough? Moody Gardens and Kemah Boardwalk looks like an all day event. Sunday/day of cruise we thought we could drop our luggage off mid AM & walk around the Strand for a few hours,or until the line gets short :)

 

Just an offside....you guys (Texans) are terriffic. You really earned your reputation. I really feel welcomed & I can tell you want to share your state/town with us. Big thanks to you guys!!!!!

[Host Kat]

... Just an offside....you guys (Texans) are terriffic. You really earned your reputation. I really feel welcomed & I can tell you want to share your state/town with us. Big thanks to you guys!!!!!

The TO TEXAS! sign is turned on at all times!

 

Happy trails to you...

 

Kat

[clearlakecruisers]

You could certainly get through a lot of the JSC/Space Center Houston tour in 3-4 hours - and perhaps it would be just enough to get you back to visit us again! If you are at the Nassau Bay Hilton, you're only a few blocks to the east and, in fact, will pass JSC on NASA Parkway on your way to the hotel.

If you did want to visit the Kemah Boardwalk (it's a 10 minute drive east on NASA Parkway and south on Hwy 146) you could go there for dinner. There is great seafood (non- chain) at the Flying Dutchman Restaurant. (Go to the more casual and cheaper downstairs area, order the seafood appetizer platter which will be enough to fill all of you, and watch the sailboats pass on their way in and out of Galveston Bay)

Your Sunday plan sounds just like what I would recommend. The Strand area is just adjacent to the cruise terminals and is a great place to spend a bit of time waiting for the ship to sail.

Thanks for the kind comments. I wasn't born in Texas but, as the bumper sticker around here says, "I got here as fast as I could" and it is my belief that Texans are extremely friendly. We're also very proud of our area here and want everyone to see it at its best.

Hope you have a great cruise - is there any other kind??

[clearlakecruisers]

Thanks for the kind words. I wasn't born in Texas but, as the local bumper stickers say, "I got here as fast as I could" and I do believe that Texans in general are among the most friendly and most helpful people.

 

JSC/Space Center Houston in 3-4 housrs should at least give you a good taste of what it offers - and perhaps give you a reason to come back and visit us again.

 

If you are at the Nassau Bay Hilton, Kemah Boardwalk is about 10 minutes away and would be a dinner possibility. Try The Flying Dutchman Restuarant (downstairs is more casual and cheaper) for non-chain seafood. The fried seafood appetizer platter will feed all of you.

 

Sunday on the Strand is just what I would recommend. Close to the terminal and lots of see.

 

Hope you have a great cruise - is there any other kind??

[clearlakecruisers]

Well, that's interesting..... the first posting said it didn't go, so I tried again and now you have more of me than you could ever want. Sorry about that!!

[southbayer]

ROFL !!!! Carmen, are you sayin, your married to a tightwad ?? hehe

Depends. Great answer, right? Well, it's true. Depends on if the ship came in on time, if clearing customs was a problem, if you get there when the biggest crowd gets there..... It's kinda luck of the draw for the most part. But my experience says that the larger the ship, the bigger your chance is of standing in really long lines, unless you arrive at the port after 1pm. I wouldn't plan to arrive in Galveston by 1. Get to Galveston by 11am and go to lunch or someplace to walk around and kill time. There are lots of outlet stores not far from the pier, and a couple of restaurants, and even Starbucks. If I weren't married to someone who has to get there to get in line, I wouldn't get there until after 1pm. He doesn't want to spring for another meal when there's all that free food sitting on the ship calling his name.......