Hi there! We live across the highway from Webster and I have a few tips. Traffic in Houston is notoriously awful. The trip to Galveston from Bush Intercontinental is 12 miles from downtown, North I-45 is pretty busy all the time, worse at 6-9 a.m. and 4-7 p.m. unless you're riding 2+ to a car to use the HOV (transit) lanes. Out of downtown, Galveston is 49 miles and the traffic is heavy a lot of the time. Again, if you're driving in the afternoon and have 2+ in the car, the HOV lane is your best bet. So, if you're coming from from Bush to Galveston, it's 60 miles to the island. That's basically an hour to hour and a half before allowing for traffic snarls. The best idea, like you said, is plan to come in a day early and stay a day late to miss the traffic from the cruises and rush hours. A few other good places to see in Galveston are the Bishop's Palace and Aston Villa on Broadway (the main street). These are historic houses and have tours. The Bishop's palace was built in 1892 and survived the Great Storm of 1900. It is next to Sacred Heart Catholic Church (which has some interesting architecture) and the Gresham family deeded the home over to the church, hence the name Bishop's Palace. Aston Villa is another home on Broadway, built in 1859 (surviving the 1900 Storm) that was used by Major General Gordon Granger to read the Emancipation Proclamation to the slaves of the island, freeing them on June 19, 1865. This is the origin of Juneteenth. Moody Mansion is another Broadway mansion that is tourable. There are other historical homes and churches on the island, Galveston The Sailing Ship Elissa is docked by the Harbor House hotel. It's tour able and is an original masted ship. There is a seaport museum there as well. Outside of the museum is the video presentation "The Great Storm" that tells the story of the 1900 Storm that killed over 6000 people on the island. There is video in the presentation taken by Thomas Edison during the recovery effort. If you have the transportation, the Galveston Ferry is at the end of Ferry Road. This is a free service of the state of Texas and goes between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula. If it's anytime between spring break and October, your best bet is to park at the ferry terminal, walk on and ride over and back. The ferry is usually full of people going to Crystal Beach and the waits can be very long. By driving in the right lane down Ferry Road, you can pass the line and park. Feeding the sea gulls off the back of the ship or watching for dolphins on the front are two wonderful ways to see a different side of the area. For more info on all the tours and such, galveston.com Those are a few other things I can think of to do on the island before or during the cruise. We have cruised twice off Galveston, on the Adventure of the Seas in 2022 and the first week of May this year on the Allure of the Seas. The new terminal is awesome and everyone is very helpful. Since I am in a wheelchair, the terminal is easier to navigate through than the old one, no steep ramps and plenty of assistance both on and off the ship. The porters are very willing to assist in moving the wheelchair out of the van and inside if needed. Have fun on the cruise and welcome to southeast Texas.
I'm a 75 yr old native Texan and have been going to Galveston for decades, so it's my home cruise port! I want to mention the free Ferry from Galveston over to Port Bolivar, an awesome family experience complete with dolphins and sea birds and it's FREE! You can either walk on or drive your car on the vessel. It's a totally different experience between day and night trips, so I highly recommend both. Also, for good eats, go to Shrimp 'N Stuff (it's where the locals eat & they have 2 locations). Happy cruising, y'all!
We always leave out of Galveston. We live 1 1/2 hrs from port. We ALWAYS park in the park and cruise indoor parking. I usually drop my hubby off with the luggage, and I either walk across or ride the shuttle. We were on The Breeze when Harvey hit. Our captain reversed the itinerary so that we followed behind Harvey. Once we got to Cozumel, final port, we were told that we were going to hang out in Cozumel for the night. So much fun to be able to explore different bars at night, right at port. Once we left Cozumel we were told that the port of Galveston was closed due to Harvey stalling out over Houston and completely flooded Galveston Island. We ended up cruising over to New Orleans to let the passengers off that needed to get back to jobs and their lives all over the U.S. We opted to stay for the long haul. Carnival was so gracious. They gave us bus passes to go to Walmart to pick up needed supplies (i.e. diapers, formula, and other necessities). We were then given bus tours for those that wanted to vibe in New Orleans. We restocked the ship and refueled and hung out on the Mississippi River fir a couple of days. We left Galveston with 3200 passengers but when we left New Orleans, we only had 800 Texans onboard. Talk about a good time, Carnival went above and beyond for us. It was business as usual, none of the dining rooms were closed and they offered lobster for the remainder of cruise. Once the port of Galveston opened we were able to disembark to try and find if our car had been a total loss. To our surprise, the parking guys had moved my 50th Anniversary Camaro to higher ground. As we were leaving the ship, Carnival sent us on our way with bags of waters and snacks, for the ride home. It was scary at times but overall, an amazing time. We were onboard for 13 days and loved every second of it. Carnival did an amazing job keeping us safe and informed. Best cruise, ever.
I just got back from a cruise out of Galveston and I never plan to go back there again.I have left out of NYC several times and New Orleans and once out of Charleston,SC.The others were OK but I have to say,Charleston was the best!In Charleston we stayed at a hotel where we had free shuddle service all over town and we were able to leave our car there for the week without added fees and then they had a service that took us to the ship and picked us up....I can't say enough good things about the people of Charleston..My sister in law even forgot her percriptions at home and the hotel staff helped her get pills to take before we left on the cruise...Really amazing people!!!!
We have cruised out of New Orleans twice and Galveston 3 times. We much prefer Galveston. We are lucky enough to live only 5 hrs away from either. We always go a day early to enjoy some time on the beach. Unfortunately Galveston has become very popular with cruisers and has caused the cost of staying there to increase significantly so now we stay at AirBnB's. The problem with staying off island is that there is only one bridge in and out of Galveston. If there is a problem you may be stuck in traffic for awhile. I-45 south out of Houston is always very busy no matter what time of day. The traffic in Galveston, especially along the seawall is very challenging. We have learned to use the side roads to get around quicker. Our next cruise is in Sept. and will be the first time we have been back since the new cruise port has opened so we expect traffic to be even more a challenge since Galveston is a small island.
Sooooooo glad you are making THESE videos!! We’ve always cruises from New Orleans. Considering cruising from Galveston but that port just seems so complicated!!
It’s wild to hear about my home like this for tourists. I’ve lived near the Webster/League city my whole life. Thank goodness we can just have a friend drop us off at the port.
I cruised about eight times out of Galveston and I'm glad I learned something. I haven't tried Willie G's I'm going on a cruise in September I'm definitely going to go try it
We have done a fly stay cruise package with a hotel near Houston Hobby airport. It was easy peasy. Not expensive at all. Round trip drop off on embarkation and back to airport on debarkation for family of 4 was only $100.00.
@@ChelKook3605 No, I did it all myself. Just google fly stay cruise or fly snooze cruise. The hotel had a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel and then a package deal with a cruise shuttle. We have done this in LA, Houston Hobby, Port Canaveral, and Miami. They also have similar deals if you drive in and stay a night or two prior to cruising.
Where do you all get your distance estimates from......waaaay off. Hobby is way closer to Galveston than Bush & NEITHER are less than an hour or close to 45mins away. I'm a transport driver @ the port.
In May 2022, we took a cruise out of Galveston. We stayed at a Super 8 near Houston-Hobby for $55 a night. We used RCCL's transfer between Hobby and the Galveston cruise port at a cost of $160 RT for two people. It was fairly convenient. In November 2023, we will take another cruise out of Galveston. We decided that we will be driving from Tucson - Galveston which is cheaper than two round trip airline tickets plus transfers. We have a hotel booked at the Microtel near NASA. We found that we really liked Kemah Boardwalk and found dozens of good restaurants in that area. Driving also allows us to spend a few days in San Antonio and New Braunsfels. I will say that Galveston is one of the most expensive cruise ports due to its distance from the airport.
Greetings: I have shared your video many times. My bride of nearly 50 years lived in Galveston when we worked at UTMB from where I retired. We built out home in High Island in 1982 on the site of my wife's grandparents "JP Richardson" parents of "The Big Bopper". Crazy!!! Your video covers the important things first time cruisers need to know...Thanks for posting it. I retired after 30 years at UTMB in August of 2003 and we cruise often, mostly on Carnival. Thanks again for the great video.
Live in Houston so it’s great for us. One issue we had before RCCL built the extra terminal. Our ship as well as a Carnival ship was delayed 8 hrs. getting into port because of the fog. People that were arriving for the next cruise were unable to park since we were still on the ship. The streets were solid with cars waiting for two ships of people to leave. It was a total mess.
We cruise out of Galveston all the time ,We stay in Texas city which is 10 minutes away for port, Half the price for hotels and a Walmart near by in case you forgot something you want for the cruise, We park at Fallstaff parking and they drop you off and pick you up at the front door.
I lived in Galveston a big part of my life. Staying in a hotel on the Seawall gives you a wonderful view of the water. Of course you’re going on a cruise so that may not be so important.There are a lot of old stores and houses that are great to tour thru. Also a HUGE cost saving tip is be there anytime except summer. ❤❤❤❤
We are booked on a NCL (Prima) cruise in January - Friday to Friday. We are driving in from San Antonio the day before and staying at a B&B with cruise parking and shuttle to port. Will be our first cruise from Galveston in 20 years. The itinerary from the port are so limited. Have lost count of the number of times we have been to Cozumel. But any day on a cruise is better than a day at work.
Great information! We're cruising out of Galveston in June. We've cruised out of there a number of years ago and disembarking was the worst. Luckily, we're in a huge group and will be staying in Houston the night before the cruise and we have procured group buses to take us to the port, so no worries there. We're cruising with Royal this time, so we'll see if it goes better than our Carnival experience.
I have cruised out of Galveston 5 times and I would say your disembarkation experience is mostly based on how well organized the ship is. Carnival dream was the worst and probably violated several fire codes cramming people into the stairwell. Liberty of the seas was okay. I will say the more kids on board the slower disembaration seems to be. Probably because many don't have passports.
Thank you for this vlog! I watched your previous sailing out of Galveston and gained a lot of information from that. We are sailing out of Galveston in July and immediately booked Harbor House and Galveston Express for the day before our cruise! Can not wait for July.
We’re in Houston and have cruised out of Galveston six times. It’s the arriving and parking that is a quagmire. Once you drop off your bags and go park, you’re good to go. The inside of the Carnival terminal moves along fine. But yeah, getting to the terminal in the first place, it’s a long wait. Hoping the new RC terminal will alleviate that. We’ll see. Folks going to the RC terminal should not enter the cruise terminal area via Harborside Rd from I-45, or you’ll have to sit in the Carnival traffic. Look at Google maps and you can see how better to get there. Your video was great. Not crazy about the thumbnail title, but that’s what RUclipsrs do. Staying at a hotel outside of Galveston is excellent advice. Willie’s restaurant is very expensive. Great location though. The Spot is excellent but if you go at lunch or dinner time, the wait in 90 minutes, easy. At Christmas, go to Dickens on the Strand, two blocks from the Carnival cruise terminal. Very festive. Also, if your planning a visit, look at Galveston events online. There are motorcycle rallies and all kinds of things going on that will make getting hotels very difficult, and the traffic will be insane. Galveston is not huge. Visitors are sharing Galveston with lots and lots of Houstonians and neighboring towns. It was busy before the cruise industry hit Galveston. So yeah. 🙂
I agree with all that you said! Do check out other restaurants like Sunflower Bakery, Rudy and Paco’s Mario’s Pizza, etc. The Strand which is a couple of blocks from the port is a wonderful place ( couple of blocks) to shop and find a cool place to eat! Also, besides Dicken’s on the first weekend of December, they have great Mardi Gras celebrations in Feb. 😊
I’ve been on 3 cruises out of Galveston but I do live in Dallas. I have rented a car in Dallas drove there I do park at a place called Indoor Parking your car is parked in covered parking and locked up at night. I’ve parked there on all 3 cruises. They do have a shuttle bus that will pick you up and drop you off very convenient. I spend the night on the sea wall the night before all the restaurants are nearby. Make sure you link your flight and hotel on your cruise yes spend the night after because you might be to tired to flight or drive and you won’t be rushed. Enjoy your cruise
I'm taking a cruise next year with friends, and the ship leaves from Galveston. This will be my first cruise leaving from Galveston, so I really appreciate this advice.
What a fun and informative video! The Pleasure Pier looks fun. I would love to go to Buc-ee's!! I have a brother who has 2 or 3 Bed and Breakfasts out of Eustace and his wife is an amazing cook. It's 4 hours away but I would visit them too. I hadn't known about how far the airports are from the port and I found this video to be very helpful! Thank you for the great ideas for dining and Hotels!
GREAT ADVICE about the Hotels (from a person who handles hotel complaints for a MAJOR Brand) ppl rarely say "check out past guest reviews and photos and NOT the hotels photos" loved hearing that...thanks!!❤❤❤❤
The cheapest and most economical way to do this is is to catch Metro (Harris County Metropolitan Transportation Authority) from either airport to Bay Area Park & Ride. From there catch a Uber or Lyft to the Cruise 🚢 Terminal in Galveston. Also check out Moody Gardens in Galveston. It has a cool aquarium & Schlitterbaun Water Park.
We live in Texas so we drove to Galveston & stayed at the Hotel Gálvez. This was in 2017 & they had a stay, cruise & park program which was great. Took great care of our car & we had supper & breakfast at the hotel with it being very reasonable. A really good place to eat seafood at is the Black Pearl.
Also, try the Galveston Naval Museum. There's a submarine, the Cavalla, and the Stewart. They are not exactly on Galveston Island but on Pelican Island which is east of the port. When you are on board the ship, you can look across the bay and see Pelican island. Another great eating spot is "Shrimp & Stuff". This is were locals go to eat. There are 2 locations. The one closest to the port is newer and better.
Going on my first cruise in February and this has been the most helpful video yet. We are flying in the morning of the cruise and flying out the day we return so this info is greatly appreciated.
I really loved cruising out of Galveston. We stayed at the Harbor House pre-cruise. We could see the ship from there. We got a rental car and it turned out that it was cheaper to just keep it and park at the port. We used Galveston Park and Cruise for 106.00 for the week. The only drawback was walking with luggage. I recommend dropping off and then parking. Post-cruise we stayed at the Galvez. It was under new management when we went so lots of construction and closures. That being said I would still recommend it. The historic hotel did not disappoint. It was all that I wanted it to be and more. Right across from the sea wall, it was a perfect contrast to the pre-cruise hotel by the port. All and all one of my favorite places to cruise from.
We took an Uber from Huston Hobby Airport to Galveston a couple of years ago. There were 2 of us it took 45 minutes and cost $58.00s for both of us. No traffic as we arrived after 5pm.
I am thankful we are within driving distance to New Orleans and Galveston. I want to visit other cruise destinations but I’m overwhelmed with the need to fly, find hotels and rides to the port. In a year or so I will have too because I’m sure I will be over the same Caribbean destinations. Thanks again. I cruise in Aug from Galveston and had to watch this again.😊
We got tired of all the same Caribbean cruises out of Galveston and New Orleans, too. With the internet it is very easy to fly into another port city, find hotel or motel and transportation to and from the port. We have done Seattle, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, and Southampton in the UK and next month Barcelona, Spain. You can do it!
Good information. Luckily we live in the DFW area so we drive in. We stay in Webster or Texas City in a hotel. Lil Daddys Gumbo is a great place to eat in Galveston.
I have cruised out of Galveston 3 times on Carnival and each time I've learned from them on things to see and do. I like staying at the Microtel Inn right across from Johnson Space Center which is about 30 minutes from Galveston. Fort Travis Park is a great place to visit along with Pelican Island for Sea Wolf Park
You didn’t mention spending some time at Moody Gardens before or after a cruise. There’s a hotel, aquarium, rainforest, 3D and 4D theaters, a man-made beach, restaurants, and other attractions.
Your help in where to stay in Long Beach California was exemplary. I'm also gonna take your advice when I cruise out of Galveston next october on the Jubilee😊
I found my only Galveston cruise to be no more difficult than Port Canaveral. Flew into IAH stayed at an hotel near the airport. Ordered door dash in the hotel which was nice enough to hang around for the day. Caught the cruise line shuttle to and from the port. Flew back home. It was easy enough. A huge cruise transportation counter inside the baggage claim terminal. Over planning, trying to maximize every single minute in the trip increases the stress involved.
1/5/24 on Prima. Will b flying in from Duluth/ MSP @ 11:30. Prepaid round trip shuttle $78. Late return 8pm so maybe not hurry off during 1/12/24 disembark. Shopping Temu for everything needed, carry on only. Excited
Another great thing to do in Galveston is Seawolf Park. It has a WW2 submarine and destroyer escort to tour. You can always let us know and we can pick you up from the airport.
Good info! I'd like to add a couple things. 1. Consider staying in Kemah. It's off the beaten path, but not far out of the way. It's close to the space center, has nice hotels, unique shopping, amusements and restaurants. The cost should be lower than Galveston but give a similar experience. 2. Amtrak offers service to Galveston (via thruway bus). It drops off 1 block from the old cruise terminal, which is about 1/2 mile from Royal's terminal 3. MSC has signed a letter of intent to build their own terminal next to Royal. In a few years, Galveston may be significantly busier than today.
Great video I learned much from your presentation. The information you gave was delivered in a clear, and precise manner. Since I live on the East Coast, I will think twice about taking a cruise from Galveston. Thank you .
If all possible I would only fly in and out of Houston Hobby Airport oh, it is about a 30 to 35 minute drive to Galveston. I live in Pasadena is a 45-minute drive to Galveston from me with the traffic and construction on I-45 going to Galveston can sometimes be a challenge but it goes really fast. The hotels around Hobby Airport are okay, but dangerous to walk around at night time in the area there's really nothing to walk around far though. That's just a heads up to keep you safe. I'm down the road going towards Galveston cities called Clearlake or Webster we have a big mall, Baybrook Mall. And of course if you heard of Buc-ee's is right around the area to.
Thanks for sharing this we’re doing your repositioning I think in December and it is going to end up in Galveston. I’ll be taking the prima. This will hopefully help my husband out some. Thanks again!💕💕💕🙏🏼🛳️⚓️🦩
Several commentSeveral comments: 1) On the past several Galveston cruises, we have stayed at Wyndham properties in Texas City or South Houston and paid in the $60-75 range for a more than adequate room. On our last cruise, we stayed at the Microtel Inn across from NASA which allowed us to spend an afternoon at the Houston Space Center. Also, the Houston Hobby Airport has turned the old terminal into a museum that is well worth it. 2) We got off the Regal Princess at 7:30 am in November and were off the island by 8:30 am picking up our car from the economy parking lot. 3) Overall cost wise (hotel, parking, etc.), Galveston is cheaper than Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale or San Diego overall. s
One of the bigger Royal Carribean cruise ship Allure of the Sea is in Galveston now. They have parking in the port. We left our car there for our 5 days cruise
Hi Sharron and Jamie! My husband and I live in TX so we do prefer to sail out of Galveston. We typically spend a night or 2 in Houston before the cruise and park at Port. We just cruised out of Port Canaveral for the first time this year, and I found it to be a hassle.
❤ Love Love, Love Galveston. Great video information. We'll be back to Galveston in January, 2024 for a B2B on The Jubilee and we're so excited about going back. Oh, and we're cruising too, lol. Thanks Sharon and Jamie. 🙏🙏
Thank you for this vlog! We travel with another couple (all from NE) for our annual cruise for many years. 10 years ago we flew into Houston then trek down to Galveston and had a wonderful cruise but before and after our experience was not good. We found Galveston was not cruiser friendly. With that being said… we hoped it had changed and we gave Galveston another try for 2023. It was a little better but the experience was about the same. Still not cruiser friendly. We have been out of Fort Lauderdale, FL and Miami, FL many times and find it so much easier and cruiser friendly. Sorry probably won’t go back to Galveston again.
I'm so glad you did this video! I've cruised out of Galveston 3 times . 4th time time coming up in August. This video is filled with good information! I was so glad to hear restaurant recommendations. It's a girls trip, and we will want a dinner after a long drive from Tulsa. We are staying overnight in Galveston.
The ghost tours in Galveston are really good. We have done multiple times. We live 90 min away so Galveston is our port of choice. And we love weekend trips to Galveston. The tremont, San Luis, hotel galvez are great. Agree with Willie G’s! There’s just so many good food options-too little time
next year in June will be my first cruise we're going with family friends of ours that we met through my Tio and Tia, we live 4 hours away from Galveston.
Excellent information! I’ve never cruised out of Galveston but was considering getting on Carnival Jubilee next year. This video really helped. Thank you!
I learned a tip ahead of time on our last Miami cruise, you can book your Uber 30days out from pickup which is typically cheaper so you don’t pay for peak rates. It also give you peace of mind knowing it’s already arranged.
@@SharonatSeaTravel you are very welcome. It was a great video, very informative! I have wanted to sail out of Galveston for awhile and I had no idea how far the port was from the airports.
Once we arrived in Houston, we got a cheaper hotel near the airport with a free shuttle and then in the morning we ate the free breakfast offered and then took the free shuttle again back to the airport to take our shuttle going to Galveston w/c cost us $30/pp in 2021. We thought of getting a hotel halfway cuz it's expensive in Galveston itself but eventually decided to just stay at an airport hotel cuz we saved on transportation expense rather being halfway & then taking another transport or uber going to the port in the morning.
We have did this exact same thing back in 2017. We flew into Hobby, the Hotel shuttle pick us up, we relaxed, had dinner. The next morning we took the hotel shuttle back to airport, and met up with the Cruise line Shuttle to the port. So, easy and stress free!😊
We flew into Houston and cruised out of Galveston in 2021. We stayed at an airport hotel with a free shuttle, next morning ate the breakfast free with our stay, took the free shuttle again back to the airport where we took the Galveston shuttle going to the port for $30pp. We didn't do the halfway hotel cuz it would have cost more transportation expense with another taxi or uber going to the port.
But using the NCL BOGO flights the Air Support dept. don't guarantee an airport till you get your flights. I am coming from Pensacola FL and my brother is from Newark NJ so they are tight lipped about even a possible NCL flight into which airport!
I am FTW too and still recommend driving down the night before because you know how impossible it can be to get thorough Houston at times and I wouldn't want to miss my cruise because of crazy traffic.
I booked via a company called Galveston Limosine and they have a shuttle service that if you book online is $35/person. It's not personal as you'll have other passengers being dropped on the way too but hey, for $210 my family of 6 will be going from IAH to Galveston so win!
Well we fly into Houston Hobby and take a bus that you can book through your cruise brand. We cruisr RCCL. Just returned from 15 night Panama Canal. We booked transpotaion through RCCL from Houston Hobby to Galveston and Disembarked in L.A and boarded bus through RCCL to LAX. Two of use was 133.00 dollars.
As a LOCAL, may I suggest: Maceo Spice & Import company. I was born in New Orleans, this reminds me of the Central Deli in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It is a Family operation now: the Great Granddaughter is in charge now. In the day this was a stop for the RAT PACK Deano, Frank , Sammy , and Joey Bishop.... And YES they do have Muffalettas
We always stay at Hampton Inn at Webster/Clear Lake. Always clean and staff is friendly for an affordable price. And of course, a stop at Buc-ees the morning of embarkation
Debarkation is no problem with a $39 each from the NCL PRIMA ship to whatever airport it is. Only worried about NCL air support not being concerned with flights being too soon after Debarkation as my flight from Orlando was at 12 noon and the shuttle to the airport got me there 5 minutes late to check my bag!
Hi there! We live across the highway from Webster and I have a few tips. Traffic in Houston is notoriously awful. The trip to Galveston from Bush Intercontinental is 12 miles from downtown, North I-45 is pretty busy all the time, worse at 6-9 a.m. and 4-7 p.m. unless you're riding 2+ to a car to use the HOV (transit) lanes. Out of downtown, Galveston is 49 miles and the traffic is heavy a lot of the time. Again, if you're driving in the afternoon and have 2+ in the car, the HOV lane is your best bet. So, if you're coming from from Bush to Galveston, it's 60 miles to the island. That's basically an hour to hour and a half before allowing for traffic snarls. The best idea, like you said, is plan to come in a day early and stay a day late to miss the traffic from the cruises and rush hours.
A few other good places to see in Galveston are the Bishop's Palace and Aston Villa on Broadway (the main street). These are historic houses and have tours. The Bishop's palace was built in 1892 and survived the Great Storm of 1900. It is next to Sacred Heart Catholic Church (which has some interesting architecture) and the Gresham family deeded the home over to the church, hence the name Bishop's Palace. Aston Villa is another home on Broadway, built in 1859 (surviving the 1900 Storm) that was used by Major General Gordon Granger to read the Emancipation Proclamation to the slaves of the island, freeing them on June 19, 1865. This is the origin of Juneteenth. Moody Mansion is another Broadway mansion that is tourable. There are other historical homes and churches on the island, Galveston
The Sailing Ship Elissa is docked by the Harbor House hotel. It's tour able and is an original masted ship. There is a seaport museum there as well. Outside of the museum is the video presentation "The Great Storm" that tells the story of the 1900 Storm that killed over 6000 people on the island. There is video in the presentation taken by Thomas Edison during the recovery effort.
If you have the transportation, the Galveston Ferry is at the end of Ferry Road. This is a free service of the state of Texas and goes between Galveston Island and Bolivar Peninsula. If it's anytime between spring break and October, your best bet is to park at the ferry terminal, walk on and ride over and back. The ferry is usually full of people going to Crystal Beach and the waits can be very long. By driving in the right lane down Ferry Road, you can pass the line and park. Feeding the sea gulls off the back of the ship or watching for dolphins on the front are two wonderful ways to see a different side of the area.
For more info on all the tours and such, galveston.com
Those are a few other things I can think of to do on the island before or during the cruise. We have cruised twice off Galveston, on the Adventure of the Seas in 2022 and the first week of May this year on the Allure of the Seas. The new terminal is awesome and everyone is very helpful. Since I am in a wheelchair, the terminal is easier to navigate through than the old one, no steep ramps and plenty of assistance both on and off the ship. The porters are very willing to assist in moving the wheelchair out of the van and inside if needed.
Have fun on the cruise and welcome to southeast Texas.
Wow!! Thanks Charlayne!!! Great info....
Thank-u very much. We are cruising in February with Norwegian to the Panama canal.
I'm a 75 yr old native Texan and have been going to Galveston for decades, so it's my home cruise port! I want to mention the free Ferry from Galveston over to Port Bolivar, an awesome family experience complete with dolphins and sea birds and it's FREE! You can either walk on or drive your car on the vessel. It's a totally different experience between day and night trips, so I highly recommend both. Also, for good eats, go to Shrimp 'N Stuff (it's where the locals eat & they have 2 locations). Happy cruising, y'all!
Thanks Cruiznmama!!!
We always leave out of Galveston. We live 1 1/2 hrs from port. We ALWAYS park in the park and cruise indoor parking. I usually drop my hubby off with the luggage, and I either walk across or ride the shuttle. We were on The Breeze when Harvey hit. Our captain reversed the itinerary so that we followed behind Harvey. Once we got to Cozumel, final port, we were told that we were going to hang out in Cozumel for the night. So much fun to be able to explore different bars at night, right at port. Once we left Cozumel we were told that the port of Galveston was closed due to Harvey stalling out over Houston and completely flooded Galveston Island. We ended up cruising over to New Orleans to let the passengers off that needed to get back to jobs and their lives all over the U.S. We opted to stay for the long haul. Carnival was so gracious. They gave us bus passes to go to Walmart to pick up needed supplies (i.e. diapers, formula, and other necessities). We were then given bus tours for those that wanted to vibe in New Orleans. We restocked the ship and refueled and hung out on the Mississippi River fir a couple of days. We left Galveston with 3200 passengers but when we left New Orleans, we only had 800 Texans onboard. Talk about a good time, Carnival went above and beyond for us. It was business as usual, none of the dining rooms were closed and they offered lobster for the remainder of cruise. Once the port of Galveston opened we were able to disembark to try and find if our car had been a total loss. To our surprise, the parking guys had moved my 50th Anniversary Camaro to higher ground. As we were leaving the ship, Carnival sent us on our way with bags of waters and snacks, for the ride home. It was scary at times but overall, an amazing time. We were onboard for 13 days and loved every second of it. Carnival did an amazing job keeping us safe and informed. Best cruise, ever.
I just got back from a cruise out of Galveston and I never plan to go back there again.I have left out of NYC several times and New Orleans and once out of Charleston,SC.The others were OK but I have to say,Charleston was the best!In Charleston we stayed at a hotel where we had free shuddle service all over town and we were able to leave our car there for the week without added fees and then they had a service that took us to the ship and picked us up....I can't say enough good things about the people of Charleston..My sister in law even forgot her percriptions at home and the hotel staff helped her get pills to take before we left on the cruise...Really amazing people!!!!
From a native Houstonian, near Webster, thank you for promoting the island!
I'm lucky enough to live very close to the Galveston cruise port and I thought your information was spot on!
Wow!!! Thanks Wendy!!!
We have cruised out of New Orleans twice and Galveston 3 times. We much prefer Galveston. We are lucky enough to live only 5 hrs away from either. We always go a day early to enjoy some time on the beach. Unfortunately Galveston has become very popular with cruisers and has caused the cost of staying there to increase significantly so now we stay at AirBnB's. The problem with staying off island is that there is only one bridge in and out of Galveston. If there is a problem you may be stuck in traffic for awhile. I-45 south out of Houston is always very busy no matter what time of day. The traffic in Galveston, especially along the seawall is very challenging. We have learned to use the side roads to get around quicker. Our next cruise is in Sept. and will be the first time we have been back since the new cruise port has opened so we expect traffic to be even more a challenge since Galveston is a small island.
Thanks for the info Gary!!!
Nothing will convince me to sail from Galveston again!!!!! 🥵🥵🥵Getting to and from the airport was hell!!!!
Sooooooo glad you are making THESE videos!! We’ve always cruises from New Orleans. Considering cruising from Galveston but that port just seems so complicated!!
You can do it!!!!!! Thanks PRTEEGRL!!!
I live in San Antonio and drive the morning of usually to Galveston for my Royal Caribbean cruises. Never had an issue.
It’s wild to hear about my home like this for tourists. I’ve lived near the Webster/League city my whole life. Thank goodness we can just have a friend drop us off at the port.
Thanks for letting us crash out in your city the night before the cruise!!!lol
I cruised about eight times out of Galveston and I'm glad I learned something. I haven't tried Willie G's I'm going on a cruise in September I'm definitely going to go try it
The new Royal Caribbean terminal was just plain "easy-peasy" for our most recent cruise from Galveston
Great to hear Martin!!!
We have done a fly stay cruise package with a hotel near Houston Hobby airport. It was easy peasy. Not expensive at all. Round trip drop off on embarkation and back to airport on debarkation for family of 4 was only $100.00.
Did a travel agent help you book the package? More details please 🙏🏻
@@ChelKook3605 No, I did it all myself. Just google fly stay cruise or fly snooze cruise. The hotel had a free shuttle from the airport to the hotel and then a package deal with a cruise shuttle. We have done this in LA, Houston Hobby, Port Canaveral, and Miami.
They also have similar deals if you drive in and stay a night or two prior to cruising.
Do you remember the hotel that you used?
@@kimberlylovestotravelhotel name please..
Where do you all get your distance estimates from......waaaay off. Hobby is way closer to Galveston than Bush & NEITHER are less than an hour or close to 45mins away. I'm a transport driver @ the port.
In May 2022, we took a cruise out of Galveston. We stayed at a Super 8 near Houston-Hobby for $55 a night. We used RCCL's transfer between Hobby and the Galveston cruise port at a cost of $160 RT for two people. It was fairly convenient.
In November 2023, we will take another cruise out of Galveston. We decided that we will be driving from Tucson - Galveston which is cheaper than two round trip airline tickets plus transfers. We have a hotel booked at the Microtel near NASA. We found that we really liked Kemah Boardwalk and found dozens of good restaurants in that area. Driving also allows us to spend a few days in San Antonio and New Braunsfels.
I will say that Galveston is one of the most expensive cruise ports due to its distance from the airport.
Greetings: I have shared your video many times. My bride of nearly 50 years lived in Galveston when we worked at UTMB from where I retired. We built out home in High Island in 1982 on the site of my wife's grandparents "JP Richardson" parents of "The Big Bopper". Crazy!!! Your video covers the important things first time cruisers need to know...Thanks for posting it. I retired after 30 years at UTMB in August of 2003 and we cruise often, mostly on Carnival. Thanks again for the great video.
Live in Houston so it’s great for us. One issue we had before RCCL built the extra terminal. Our ship as well as a Carnival ship was delayed 8 hrs. getting into port because of the fog. People that were arriving for the next cruise were unable to park since we were still on the ship. The streets were solid with cars waiting for two ships of people to leave. It was a total mess.
We cruise out of Galveston all the time ,We stay in Texas city which is 10 minutes away for port, Half the price for hotels and a Walmart near by in case you forgot something you want for the cruise, We park at Fallstaff parking and they drop you off and pick you up at the front door.
Thanks for watching Tracey!!!
I lived in Galveston a big part of my life. Staying in a hotel on the Seawall gives you a wonderful view of the water. Of course you’re going on a cruise so that may not be so important.There are a lot of old stores and houses that are great to tour thru. Also a HUGE cost saving tip is be there anytime except summer. ❤❤❤❤
Galveston is my homeport and you offered great information. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much Karen!!!
We are booked on a NCL (Prima) cruise in January - Friday to Friday. We are driving in from San Antonio the day before and staying at a B&B with cruise parking and shuttle to port. Will be our first cruise from Galveston in 20 years. The itinerary from the port are so limited. Have lost count of the number of times we have been to Cozumel. But any day on a cruise is better than a day at work.
Thank you Sharon and Jamie. Yea...that RCCL terminal is amazing! Aye!! Yes... fog in January and February can be bad.
The Fog goes well with the ghosts in the Tremont Hotel!!! Thanks Slinky!!
Great information! We're cruising out of Galveston in June. We've cruised out of there a number of years ago and disembarking was the worst. Luckily, we're in a huge group and will be staying in Houston the night before the cruise and we have procured group buses to take us to the port, so no worries there. We're cruising with Royal this time, so we'll see if it goes better than our Carnival experience.
Hoping for smooth travels Toni!!!
I have cruised out of Galveston 5 times and I would say your disembarkation experience is mostly based on how well organized the ship is. Carnival dream was the worst and probably violated several fire codes cramming people into the stairwell. Liberty of the seas was okay. I will say the more kids on board the slower disembaration seems to be. Probably because many don't have passports.
Thank you for this vlog! I watched your previous sailing out of Galveston and gained a lot of information from that. We are sailing out of Galveston in July and immediately booked Harbor House and Galveston Express for the day before our cruise! Can not wait for July.
Thanks Joanne..make sure to get up early and watch the ship pull in!!!
Great info guys. We loved sailing out of Galveston. Your tips will help our next sailing go a little smoother!
Hi Sue!!! Thanks so much!!!
I personally like the Baymont by Wyndham right off the seawall. Clean and free breakfast. Easy to get to the terminals
Hey there TTG!!! Thanks for watching!!!
We’re in Houston and have cruised out of Galveston six times.
It’s the arriving and parking that is a quagmire. Once you drop off your bags and go park, you’re good to go. The inside of the Carnival terminal moves along fine.
But yeah, getting to the terminal in the first place, it’s a long wait.
Hoping the new RC terminal will alleviate that. We’ll see.
Folks going to the RC terminal should not enter the cruise terminal area via Harborside Rd from I-45, or you’ll have to sit in the Carnival traffic.
Look at Google maps and you can see how better to get there.
Your video was great.
Not crazy about the thumbnail title, but that’s what RUclipsrs do.
Staying at a hotel outside of Galveston is excellent advice.
Willie’s restaurant is very expensive. Great location though.
The Spot is excellent but if you go at lunch or dinner time, the wait in 90 minutes, easy.
At Christmas, go to Dickens on the Strand, two blocks from the Carnival cruise terminal. Very festive.
Also, if your planning a visit, look at Galveston events online. There are motorcycle rallies and all kinds of things going on that will make getting hotels very difficult, and the traffic will be insane.
Galveston is not huge.
Visitors are sharing Galveston with lots and lots of Houstonians and neighboring towns.
It was busy before the cruise industry hit Galveston.
So yeah. 🙂
I agree with all that you said! Do check out other restaurants like Sunflower Bakery, Rudy and Paco’s Mario’s Pizza, etc. The Strand which is a couple of blocks from the port is a wonderful place ( couple of blocks) to shop and find a cool place to eat! Also, besides Dicken’s on the first weekend of December, they have great Mardi Gras celebrations in Feb. 😊
How much is parking for four nights and is it safe
We always drive there from Phoenix we love Galveston
I’ve been on 3 cruises out of Galveston but I do live in Dallas. I have rented a car in Dallas drove there I do park at a place called Indoor Parking your car is parked in covered parking and locked up at night. I’ve parked there on all 3 cruises. They do have a shuttle bus that will pick you up and drop you off very convenient. I spend the night on the sea wall the night before all the restaurants are nearby. Make sure you link your flight and hotel on your cruise yes spend the night after because you might be to tired to flight or drive and you won’t be rushed. Enjoy your cruise
Thank you. How much did you pay for parking. I am staying for 4 nights
We stayed in a VRBO in November when we were there. It was reasonable n right on Seawall Blvd.
Jamie recently did an airbnb/vrbo with some buddies..but we haven't gone that route yet. We might have to check it out. Thanks Jen!!!
@@SharonatSeaTravel oh yea, I saw that video…. Guys trip. That one was really nice for sure!!!!
Drove the 11hrs from Ks 2 days early. Straight home after the cruise. Would do again! Avoiding airports 👍
I'm taking a cruise next year with friends, and the ship leaves from Galveston. This will be my first cruise leaving from Galveston, so I really appreciate this advice.
Thanks Regina!!!
Cruising from Galveston in November, thanks for video.
Thanks Chelsea!!!
What a fun and informative video! The Pleasure Pier looks fun. I would love to go to Buc-ee's!! I have a brother who has 2 or 3 Bed and Breakfasts out of Eustace and his wife is an amazing cook. It's 4 hours away but I would visit them too. I hadn't known about how far the airports are from the port and I found this video to be very helpful! Thank you for the great ideas for dining and Hotels!
Hi Wendy!! Thanks, see you soon on our next cruise!!!
GREAT ADVICE about the Hotels (from a person who handles hotel complaints for a MAJOR Brand) ppl rarely say "check out past guest reviews and photos and NOT the hotels photos" loved hearing that...thanks!!❤❤❤❤
Thanks skindeepgurl!!!
So do I, this was helpful thank you
The cheapest and most economical way to do this is is to catch Metro (Harris County Metropolitan Transportation Authority) from either airport to Bay Area Park & Ride. From there catch a Uber or Lyft to the Cruise 🚢 Terminal in Galveston. Also check out Moody Gardens in Galveston. It has a cool aquarium & Schlitterbaun Water Park.
I live close to galveston. Thank you for the positive review. Yes! Royals new terminal. Beautiful
We live in Texas so we drove to Galveston & stayed at the Hotel Gálvez. This was in 2017 & they had a stay, cruise & park program which was great. Took great care of our car & we had supper & breakfast at the hotel with it being very reasonable. A really good place to eat seafood at is the Black Pearl.
So very helpful. I will be celebrating my 60th birthday in March of 2025 on the Jubilee. I know I will watch this again before then 😂
Thanks Lisa!!!
Also, try the Galveston Naval Museum. There's a submarine, the Cavalla, and the Stewart. They are not exactly on Galveston Island but on Pelican Island which is east of the port. When you are on board the ship, you can look across the bay and see Pelican island. Another great eating spot is "Shrimp & Stuff". This is were locals go to eat. There are 2 locations. The one closest to the port is newer and better.
We’ve used Galveston Saltwater Moms before and they’re AMAZING!!!!! I highly recommend them!
Thanks!!!
Going on my first cruise in February and this has been the most helpful video yet. We are flying in the morning of the cruise and flying out the day we return so this info is greatly appreciated.
Be careful going to Bucee's the day of because you might miss your cruise 😂 if you know, you know!😂😂
We’re sailing out of Galveston march of next year, this was super helpful!
Thanks Caleb!!!
Great information. My husband and I were just looking at cruises out of Galveston, so this is very helpful.
I really loved cruising out of Galveston. We stayed at the Harbor House pre-cruise. We could see the ship from there. We got a rental car and it turned out that it was cheaper to just keep it and park at the port. We used Galveston Park and Cruise for 106.00 for the week. The only drawback was walking with luggage. I recommend dropping off and then parking. Post-cruise we stayed at the Galvez. It was under new management when we went so lots of construction and closures. That being said I would still recommend it. The historic hotel did not disappoint. It was all that I wanted it to be and more. Right across from the sea wall, it was a perfect contrast to the pre-cruise hotel by the port. All and all one of my favorite places to cruise from.
Thanks Vivienne!!!
We took an Uber from Huston Hobby Airport to Galveston a couple of years ago. There were 2 of us it took 45 minutes and cost $58.00s for both of us. No traffic as we arrived after 5pm.
I am thankful we are within driving distance to New Orleans and Galveston. I want to visit other cruise destinations but I’m overwhelmed with the need to fly, find hotels and rides to the port. In a year or so I will have too because I’m sure I will be over the same Caribbean destinations. Thanks again. I cruise in Aug from Galveston and had to watch this again.😊
We got tired of all the same Caribbean cruises out of Galveston and New Orleans, too. With the internet it is very easy to fly into another port city, find hotel or motel and transportation to and from the port. We have done Seattle, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Port Canaveral, and Southampton in the UK and next month Barcelona, Spain. You can do it!
Good information. Luckily we live in the DFW area so we drive in. We stay in Webster or Texas City in a hotel. Lil Daddys Gumbo is a great place to eat in Galveston.
Gumbo? You've got our attention!!! Thanks Recon1a!!!
I have cruised out of Galveston 3 times on Carnival and each time I've learned from them on things to see and do. I like staying at the Microtel Inn right across from Johnson Space Center which is about 30 minutes from Galveston. Fort Travis Park is a great place to visit along with Pelican Island for Sea Wolf Park
I am so ky ky to live 30 minutes away from Galveston that cruising from Galveston it’s very easy for us. 😊
You didn’t mention spending some time at Moody Gardens before or after a cruise. There’s a hotel, aquarium, rainforest, 3D and 4D theaters, a man-made beach, restaurants, and other attractions.
Just got back from new Jubilee ship,2/10/24,drove,stayed at Days Inn( 147.00)plus 20.00 to park for the week… wonderful time
We're in texas and it's only a 4 hr drive for us. We still get there a day before so we can enjoy the area.
Your help in where to stay in Long Beach California was exemplary. I'm also gonna take your advice when I cruise out of Galveston next october on the Jubilee😊
I found my only Galveston cruise to be no more difficult than Port Canaveral. Flew into IAH stayed at an hotel near the airport. Ordered door dash in the hotel which was nice enough to hang around for the day. Caught the cruise line shuttle to and from the port. Flew back home. It was easy enough.
A huge cruise transportation counter inside the baggage claim terminal.
Over planning, trying to maximize every single minute in the trip increases the stress involved.
we live in New Mexico near El Paso Texas and we fly to Galveston same day. as sail away we get here uber easy and our Uber is $53.00 one way
1/5/24 on Prima. Will b flying in from Duluth/ MSP @ 11:30. Prepaid round trip shuttle $78. Late return 8pm so maybe not hurry off during 1/12/24 disembark. Shopping Temu for everything needed, carry on only. Excited
Thanks for watching Connie!!!
Helpful. Thanks for sharing. I was in Galveston last month and I have another cruise in January.
Thanks Blue!!!
Another great thing to do in Galveston is Seawolf Park. It has a WW2 submarine and destroyer escort to tour. You can always let us know and we can pick you up from the airport.
Thanks Rob..will the ride from the airport include some local pizza? Asking for a friend.
@@SharonatSeaTravel Of course it includes pizza 🍕.
Good info!
I'd like to add a couple things.
1. Consider staying in Kemah. It's off the beaten path, but not far out of the way. It's close to the space center, has nice hotels, unique shopping, amusements and restaurants. The cost should be lower than Galveston but give a similar experience.
2. Amtrak offers service to Galveston (via thruway bus). It drops off 1 block from the old cruise terminal, which is about 1/2 mile from Royal's terminal
3. MSC has signed a letter of intent to build their own terminal next to Royal. In a few years, Galveston may be significantly busier than today.
Thanks Steve!!!
Great video I learned much from your presentation. The information you gave was delivered in a clear, and precise manner. Since I live on the East Coast, I will think twice about taking a cruise from Galveston. Thank you .
If all possible I would only fly in and out of Houston Hobby Airport oh, it is about a 30 to 35 minute drive to Galveston. I live in Pasadena is a 45-minute drive to Galveston from me with the traffic and construction on I-45 going to Galveston can sometimes be a challenge but it goes really fast. The hotels around Hobby Airport are okay, but dangerous to walk around at night time in the area there's really nothing to walk around far though. That's just a heads up to keep you safe. I'm down the road going towards Galveston cities called Clearlake or Webster we have a big mall, Baybrook Mall. And of course if you heard of Buc-ee's is right around the area to.
Waving hi from Friendswood! I agree about the hotels around Hobby, it's much better to move more south to the Clear Lake/Webster/Dickenson area.
Thanks Pam!!!
Thanks for sharing this we’re doing your repositioning I think in December and it is going to end up in Galveston. I’ll be taking the prima. This will hopefully help my husband out some. Thanks again!💕💕💕🙏🏼🛳️⚓️🦩
Thanks Deborah!!!
We also stay at harbor house! Be a little different this time since Royal has the new cruise port! But I love watching ships come in early morning!
Several commentSeveral comments:
1) On the past several Galveston cruises, we have stayed at Wyndham properties in Texas City or South Houston and paid in the $60-75 range for a more than adequate room. On our last cruise, we stayed at the Microtel Inn across from NASA which allowed us to spend an afternoon at the Houston Space Center. Also, the Houston Hobby Airport has turned the old terminal into a museum that is well worth it.
2) We got off the Regal Princess at 7:30 am in November and were off the island by 8:30 am picking up our car from the economy parking lot.
3) Overall cost wise (hotel, parking, etc.), Galveston is cheaper than Los Angeles, Fort Lauderdale or San Diego overall.
s
Schlitterbahn is an incredible waterpark in Galveston!
We sail out of Galveston in May on the Jubilee. Thanks for all the tips!
One of the bigger Royal Carribean cruise ship Allure of the Sea is in Galveston now. They have parking in the port. We left our car there for our 5 days cruise
do they charge you to park in the port?
@amandajapanda134yes9
Hi Sharron and Jamie! My husband and I live in TX so we do prefer to sail out of Galveston. We typically spend a night or 2 in Houston before the cruise and park at Port. We just cruised out of Port Canaveral for the first time this year, and I found it to be a hassle.
Thanks for watching Suzie!!!
Thank you for the video, now the hubby and I have to decide on were to stay at , going on a cruise the end of November for this year
Thanks Latasha!!!
Great information, I love cruising out of Galveston!
Thanks Hillary!!!
❤ Love Love, Love Galveston. Great video information. We'll be back to Galveston in January, 2024 for a B2B on The Jubilee and we're so excited about going back. Oh, and we're cruising too, lol. Thanks Sharon and Jamie. 🙏🙏
Thanks Ronnie and Shirley!!!
Thank you for this vlog! We travel with another couple (all from NE) for our annual cruise for many years. 10 years ago we flew into Houston then trek down to Galveston and had a wonderful cruise but before and after our experience was not good. We found Galveston was not cruiser friendly. With that being said… we hoped it had changed and we gave Galveston another try for 2023. It was a little better but the experience was about the same. Still not cruiser friendly. We have been out of Fort Lauderdale, FL and Miami, FL many times and find it so much easier and cruiser friendly. Sorry probably won’t go back to Galveston again.
Thanks Vickie!!!
I'm so glad you did this video! I've cruised out of Galveston 3 times . 4th time time coming up in August. This video is filled with good information! I was so glad to hear restaurant recommendations. It's a girls trip, and we will want a dinner after a long drive from Tulsa. We are staying overnight in Galveston.
Have a great cruise, SCM!!!
Thank you. We are doing a b2b on Carnival Dream in December. It will be our first time out of Galveston and appreciate the info.
Thanks Stacie!!!
Thank yooou so much I have been trying to get more info on cruising out of here. Hope you guys do one for long Beach also thank you
If you.need a room the night before, Texas City or LaMargue is just over the bridge from Galveston
Thank you for this information as I will be sailing from both cruise lines soon.
Thanks Blue!!!
The ghost tours in Galveston are really good. We have done multiple times. We live 90 min away so Galveston is our port of choice. And we love weekend trips to Galveston. The tremont, San Luis, hotel galvez are great. Agree with Willie G’s! There’s just so many good food options-too little time
Thanks Amber!!!
next year in June will be my first cruise we're going with family friends of ours that we met through my Tio and Tia, we live 4 hours away from Galveston.
Great video ❤❤❤❤ I live next to Galveston ❤❤❤❤
Thanks Linda!!!
@@SharonatSeaTravel ❤❤❤❤
Excellent information! I’ve never cruised out of Galveston but was considering getting on Carnival Jubilee next year. This video really helped. Thank you!
Thanks Sandy!!!
I learned a tip ahead of time on our last Miami cruise, you can book your Uber 30days out from pickup which is typically cheaper so you don’t pay for peak rates. It also give you peace of mind knowing it’s already arranged.
Thanks for watching NST!!!
@@SharonatSeaTravel you are very welcome. It was a great video, very informative! I have wanted to sail out of Galveston for awhile and I had no idea how far the port was from the airports.
Once we arrived in Houston, we got a cheaper hotel near the airport with a free shuttle and then in the morning we ate the free breakfast offered and then took the free shuttle again back to the airport to take our shuttle going to Galveston w/c cost us $30/pp in 2021. We thought of getting a hotel halfway cuz it's expensive in Galveston itself but eventually decided to just stay at an airport hotel cuz we saved on transportation expense rather being halfway & then taking another transport or uber going to the port in the morning.
We have did this exact same thing back in 2017. We flew into Hobby, the Hotel shuttle pick us up, we relaxed, had dinner. The next morning we took the hotel shuttle back to airport, and met up with the Cruise line Shuttle to the port. So, easy and stress free!😊
This is a good idea🎉
Solid plan.
For anyone coming out of state book a flight with Southwest airlines to Hobby Airport you'll be somewhat close to Galveston.
Very informative thank you so much. We were considering flying in for a cruise out of Galveston.
Thanks Teresa!!!
Wish I had seen this before booking cruise (Dec. 2023) out of Galveston! Good info.
We flew into Houston and cruised out of Galveston in 2021. We stayed at an airport hotel with a free shuttle, next morning ate the breakfast free with our stay, took the free shuttle again back to the airport where we took the Galveston shuttle going to the port for $30pp. We didn't do the halfway hotel cuz it would have cost more transportation expense with another taxi or uber going to the port.
Always use Hobby... it's not far from the island. I would book a hotel on the seawall at San Louis Hotel or Hotel Galvez... very nice hotels.
Perfect timing and great info for those sailing out of Galveston! I shared this with my friends who are sailing from TX in the Fall.
Thanks D!!!!!
As a Houstonian, if you can fly into Hobby Airport, then do it. A lot less hectic and closer to Galveston.
We agree Megan!!!
But using the NCL BOGO flights the Air Support dept. don't guarantee an airport till you get your flights. I am coming from Pensacola FL and my brother is from Newark NJ so they are tight lipped about even a possible NCL flight into which airport!
I live in FTW area and this info was terrific - thanks for the research
I am FTW too and still recommend driving down the night before because you know how impossible it can be to get thorough Houston at times and I wouldn't want to miss my cruise because of crazy traffic.
Thanks Kathleen!!!
I booked via a company called Galveston Limosine and they have a shuttle service that if you book online is $35/person. It's not personal as you'll have other passengers being dropped on the way too but hey, for $210 my family of 6 will be going from IAH to Galveston so win!
Well we fly into Houston Hobby and take a bus that you can book through your cruise brand. We cruisr RCCL. Just returned from 15 night Panama Canal. We booked transpotaion through RCCL from Houston Hobby to Galveston and Disembarked in L.A and boarded bus through RCCL to LAX. Two of use was 133.00 dollars.
Not bad Steve..sounds like a great cruise!!!
As a LOCAL, may I suggest: Maceo Spice & Import company. I was born in New Orleans, this reminds me of the Central Deli in the French Quarter of New Orleans. It is a Family operation now: the Great Granddaughter is in charge now. In the day this was a stop for the RAT PACK Deano, Frank , Sammy , and Joey Bishop....
And YES they do have Muffalettas
Thanks Chuck!!!
We always stay at Hampton Inn at Webster/Clear Lake. Always clean and staff is friendly for an affordable price. And of course, a stop at Buc-ees the morning of embarkation
Right!!! Thanks Baby Beans!!!
you guys need to try landry's next time you're in town ... amazing food and atmosphere
I assume you mean Landry's.
Awesome tips. ❤
Thanks so much Sandy!!!
Debarkation is no problem with a $39 each from the NCL PRIMA ship to whatever airport it is. Only worried about NCL air support not being concerned with flights being too soon after Debarkation as my flight from Orlando was at 12 noon and the shuttle to the airport got me there 5 minutes late to check my bag!
One thing to keep in mind is that they are doing construction at IAH. That means it will probably take longer to transit around the airport.