Galveston Cruiser

RCL stated they will make another announcement on August 14th. We will wait and see what protocols have changed, if any, for non U S ports.

We are on the same cruise and also received our Royal Up to a JS from OV balcony!

It can be noisy early in the morning. We had a GS on Vision just back from the WJ entrance; could hear furniture being scraped across floor. Would it keep us from same location? Not necessarily but one needs to be aware. The location was great.

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/07/28/royal-caribbean-will-drop-covid-19-testing-vaccinated-cruisers-shorter-sailings

Hurricane Ike in 2008. The island was raised after the 1900 storm. We don't bring in sand. The Seawall is at 17" then drops a foot every 1100' to the port side which 8' The hurricane pushed water up the bay which came in on the backside of the island. Yes, the island was closed except for residents as there was no power or water and debris everywhere including I45 to the island. Many stories and articles on both storms.

Your plan sounds good. Not sure why Uber would be so expensive as I was quoted $92 from our home in midtown to Intercontinental airport yesterday. Uber cannot pick up at the port, but Lyft can ($102 quote to IAH)

Taxi or Lyft Uber is not permitted in the Port area, but will drop off outside the gate

Not a walkable area; I do not recommend.

Be persistent. We had to cancel 3 cruises that had double points. Took hours on the phone but re-booked other cruises and kept the double points, future cruise credits and OBC.

I recommend staying on he Gulf side (Seawall). Anything you need you can Uber/Lyft to a store. Nothing is far away. You will still need transportation to the port especially if sailing Royal as the new pier facility is many blocks east of downtown and not walkable. I wouldn't walk to the port anyway. Too much traffic, no sidewalks The only walkable hotel is Harbor House if not sailing Royal, though it is not a full service hotel. The San Luis and Hilton are close to a large grocery store on Seawall. Others: Beachfront Palms', Quality Inn, Hampton Inn. Google hotels on Seawall, map will show what else is nearby.

Some have in the past; best to call hotels and ask. Uber is not permitted in the port area but will drop off outside.

Don't let the comments scare you. Houston is the 4th largest city in the U S so there is bound to be traffic which occurs world wide. I've traveled all over the world over decades. Houston is no worse, if not much better, than other major cities.

.There are numerous places in Galveston; too long to list here. google covid testing Galveston. Long list with contact info We always have ours done at UTMB 1003 Harborside (Monday-Friday)

We have never used a transfer as we either leave the car at the airport or friends drive us. You can try Lyft, taxi or one of the local shuttle service (google Galveston to Houston transportation)

When are you sailing? The current terminal in use has no issues, light traffic and many parking lots to choose from. I drive Harborside frequently as we live here and are 20 blocks to the port.

LOL, we're on the same cruise, but we live here. Fog won't be an issue. We will dock at the new terminal which will be state of the art. You could book the RCL transfer, a private service, taxi or Lyft. RCL will be the least expensive since gas prices have increased transportation costs. Hobby is the closest but IAH has the most selection of flights. We fly Southwest frequently to avoid going to IAH though we use both and are accustomed driving to IAH so it takes us a little more than an hour on the toll road. If you walk off with your luggage and have a private service, no issues. November 10th is a Thursday so no other RCL ship. 6-9 AM will have traffic going north to Houston. A car service will use the toll road which really saves time. Hope to meet you on the ship!

At the earliest after 1 PM. It is at least 90 minutes to IAH. When are you sailing? This could have a bearing on weather (fog) and traffic.

Dates would be helpful. Also suggest vacation rentals. Most require a two night minimum. Galveston is a destination. As in any destination, prices are higher than on the mainland.

We drive by the new terminal often; yesterday the latest. Progressing quickly.

Article from Interworld-Pacific.com : April 9, 2022 The newest Royal Caribbean terminal will open in the fall of 2022. The new $125 million home for Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas is planned to launch in autumn 2022. The large 161,300-square-foot terminal, also known as Pier 10, is located on ten acres in the eastern side of the Port of Galveston and will be used solely by Royal Caribbean ships entering or departing from the city. Royal Caribbean International, Ceres Terminal Holdings, LLC, and the Galveston Wharves collaborated on the 125 million USD project. The 68-foot tall building front’s construction began in the summer of 2021, when it broke ground. The terminal’s construction has since risen and will be finished in the autumn of this year. The debut voyage of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ship, Allure of the Seas, from its new island home will take place in only eight months. The new terminal will be a pleasant sight in Galveston and a nice change to the city’s skyline. Colorful blue panels, vertical accent windows, and the trademark Royal Caribbean anchor insignia will adorn the building’s façade. Royal Caribbean provided the rendering. Royal Caribbean’s interior concept depicts a soaring, sun-drenched area with vivid, tropical hues. At the terminal, mobile check-in and face recognition will improve boarding and disembarking. Also read: A Sneak Peek Inside Royal Caribbean’s $125 Million Galveston Terminal Royal Caribbean has committed to build the terminal to LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) accreditation requirements as part of the port’s Green Marine strategy. New Terminal & Cruise Ships Will Be Huge Boost For Galveston Galveston will be severely impacted by the arrival of an Oasis-class cruise ship. Not only will 5,400 passengers board and depart each week, but thousands of staff members will also stop in Galveston for a few hours in between trips. The new Royal Caribbean cruise terminal alone will generate 400 construction jobs, 400 permanent employment, 1.4 billion in local business services, and 5.6 million in state and local tax revenue. Royal Caribbean provided the rendering. Not only that, but there’s more. Carnival Cruise Line has committed the Carnival Jubilee to Galveston, while Norwegian Cruise Line will send Norwegian Prima, a new Project Leonardo Class ship, to the port. Each week, the three ships will welcome around 13,000 passengers to the port. When she sails for the first time from Galveston on November 13, Allure of the Seas will offer 7-day Western Caribbean cruises with stops in Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel. Beginning in November 2023, the Carnival Jubilee will sail the same route and visit the same ports. From December 2023, Norwegian Prima will operate out of Galveston, sailing Western Caribbean routes. Radiance of the Seas will be redeployed to Galveston and New Orleans from October 2022 to April 2023, according to Royal Caribbean International.

Timing can depend on the time of the year. Galveston can be subject to fog. However, we have done multiple self assist and been home by 8 AM; we live 20 blocks to the port. It is your call, but I would opt for the 2PM flight as issues can arise. We have self recognition, but that was non operative last weekend so everyone was delayed having to clear immigration in person.

There will be NO LANE CLOSURES TxDot has reversed their decision and all lanes of IH45 will remain open

IH45 is an ongoing construction project and has been since it was first built as Hwy 75 in1948 becoming IH45 in 1971, Currently, TxDot stated that 2 lanes (north and southbound) will remain open,