Debarking in Galveston, Any easy way?

[happy cruzer]

Every cruise I have taken out of Galveston has been chaotic at disembarcation time. If you do early disembark, the crowds mob the exits. It you do late, then the lines at Customs are horrible (I usually just have a roller bag so I'm not sure what a porter would port:)). Galveston seems to have very few Customs agents compared to other ports. Plus the lines (what line:) sometimes just a crowd pushing forward) to get to parking lot shuttles can be madness too.

 

The only good disembarcations I have had were on Princess and HAL where they do enforce the zones for exiting the ship. But not Princess in Galveston because of the self disembard mobbing the exit and the customs.

 

Anyone have any good solutions to the madness called disembarcation?

[Galveston Cruiser]

We have disembarked in Galveston, Ft. Lauderdale and Barcelona (twice) and find that all ports are mass confusion.

In Galveston and once in Ft. Lauderdale, we carried our own bags off and were one of the first to get through customs and immigration. In Galveston, we docked at 7am and were home at 7:30.

 

There is no easy way as more than 3,000 people are trying to get to the same place at the same time.

 

Should have been here when we had Princess, Carnival and Royal Carribean disembarking over 9,000 passengers (18,000+ arriving and leaving in one day) before the new terminal was completed.

 

Just don't sweat the small stuff and ruin your vacation at the end. You will get out of the terminal.

[happy cruzer]

So where did you wait to get off at 7 and through customs at 7:30?

 

When we had done self emb, it's a mob in the atrium and stair with people pushing and shoving. That's why I don't think I want to be trying to be first.

 

When we wait to disemb, the mob is at the customs line.

 

This has been the worst at Galveston compared to the other ports we have disembarced from.

 

We can make either early or late work, just wondering if there is a better way.

 

Thanks.

[Galveston Cruiser]

We were up to watch the ship dock, then went to the designated are for immigration, breezed through, then straight off the ship. No one in line at customs, had our luggage with us, walked out and a friend, who I had called when we cleared immigration, pulled up out front just as we walked out.

Our home is 20 blocks to the port.

 

FYI: In Ft. Lauderdale, we arrived from a TA and immigratiom did not release the ship for 3 hours. The same occurred in Galveston, but this time is was immigration who just didn't show up.

 

We just take the good with the bad and there is no bad day on a cruise.

 

The delay in Ft.Lauderdale caused us to miss our flight, and there were NO flights from the east coast to anywhere. We regrouped, caought a flight to Tampa (extra $'s, but worth it) then a flight to Houston,

 

Some were stuck 4 days! We were home a few hours later than planned, but at least we were home

[oldmedic]

Every cruise I have taken out of Galveston has been chaotic at disembarcation time. If you do early disembark, the crowds mob the exits. It you do late, then the lines at Customs are horrible (I usually just have a roller bag so I'm not sure what a porter would port:)). Galveston seems to have very few Customs agents compared to other ports. Plus the lines (what line:) sometimes just a crowd pushing forward) to get to parking lot shuttles can be madness too.

 

The only good disembarcations I have had were on Princess and HAL where they do enforce the zones for exiting the ship. But not Princess in Galveston because of the self disembard mobbing the exit and the customs.

 

Anyone have any good solutions to the madness called disembarcation?

 

we have cruised several times out of galveston and found a system that works well for us... when we get off the ship, my wife locates the luggage while I go get in the porter line... by the time I have a porter, she has the luggage lined up and off we go to the front of the line, bypassing all the self disembark people still waiting in line.... works for us as we are almost always home by noon....

[forwardcabin]

We will only do self-assist now. One time getting off Ecstasy the flimsy tag came off our big bag and, even with security's help, it couldn't be located for about 30 minutes. By then, customs lines were backed up. We have a 6-hour drive from Galveston to get home. Still, it's little price to pay for a really great vacation. We know the drill now.

[sea_u_onboard]

It you do late, then the lines at Customs are horrible (I usually just have a roller bag so I'm not sure what a porter would port:)).

Actually it's to your advantage to get a porter as soon as you get off the ship. You'll get to skip the LONG line and they'll take you over to the SHORTER custom line. Worth a couple bucks. They will probably put over luggage on the cart with yours - but it is worth it.

[bobcattk]

we have cruised several times out of galveston and found a system that works well for us... when we get off the ship, my wife locates the luggage while I go get in the porter line... by the time I have a porter, she has the luggage lined up and off we go to the front of the line, bypassing all the self disembark people still waiting in line.... works for us as we are almost always home by noon....

 

That sounds good, but I don't quite understand. I will be going on my first cruise so I am not familiar with the disembarking process.

 

I know getting a porter means you get to go to the shorter line. So you go straight to the porter line. What does your wife do? Does she find a porter and meet you in your line? Does luggage go in a seperate line?

 

Thanks so much.

[oldmedic]

That sounds good, but I don't quite understand. I will be going on my first cruise so I am not familiar with the disembarking process.

 

I know getting a porter means you get to go to the shorter line. So you go straight to the porter line. What does your wife do? Does she find a porter and meet you in your line? Does luggage go in a seperate line?

 

Thanks so much.

 

please see my post above... luggage will be in areas marked with your debark number #1- whatever... when you get to the actual storage area, one of you go to find the luggage, and the other goes to the porter line.... who ever goes to the porter line will lead the porter to their spouse (and luggage) and then off to the shorter customs line, bypassing hundreds that did the self disembark....

[MicksMom]

We were on the Conquest in January. We also carried off our luggage. We got up early, went to eat breakfast on the Lido, then went back to our room to wait for out floor to be called. We were the 3rd in line for our customs agent. There were problems with the guy in front of us. Seemed like it took a long time but I know it wasnt more than 5 minutes. We were getting in our vehicle around 8:00.

 

It definitely was faster than getting a porter & our luggage which we did the first time.

[ginag]

we have cruised several times out of galveston and found a system that works well for us... when we get off the ship, my wife locates the luggage while I go get in the porter line... by the time I have a porter, she has the luggage lined up and off we go to the front of the line, bypassing all the self disembark people still waiting in line.... works for us as we are almost always home by noon....

 

This is exactly what we do! Works great everytime!

[aggieastrosfan]

The quickest way off the Ecstasy is to self-debark from a cabin on Empress near the lobby. Empress is the first deck they call to self-debark, so you can just wait in your cabin until they call, and you're among the first off.

 

We also waited by the Promenade mid-ship elevators (by the casino), and as soon as they called self-debark, we hopped on the elevators (VIP debark screw-up :rolleyes:). Dumped us out at the end of the line, but it was still short, and we got off fairly quick.

 

ITA about Galveston. Seven cruises and every one has been a mess getting off. :rolleyes: If I had to fly I'd never sail out of there!