RC PLEASE bring more ships to Galveston!

[dixie54]

I am ready to go on a cruise and after Sunday... there will not be a ship back in Galveston until Late OCT/NOV:(!

[lrn2cruise]

Amen to that! I am a Texan too and RCI really needs a ship there in the summer that is family friendly. Why not bring either the Allure or Oasis there instead of 2 huge ships out of Florida, but then again, I know nothing about running a cruise line.

 

Carnival is bringing The Magic. There are all ready billboards here in San Antonio advertising.

[GoldenRose]

We're with you on wishing they would have a longer Galveston season. I'd also like to see some longer and more varied routes. We did a partial transit Panama canal cruise 8 years ago, and we've wished for years to see that one done again.

 

We haven't cruised with them as often since they shortened the season; it just hasn't worked for our schedule. (We've considered doing one next year, though, we do like the Belize/Honduras route more than another Jamaica/Grand Cayman, which we've done way too many times at this point.)

[dixie54]

I have only cruise RC. I am thinking about trying Carnival though. they are there all year. I hear some other cruise lines are also coming to Galveston too. Why does Florida have most of the ships??

[nativetexan]

Love to see RCCL in Galveston over the summer!! Princess is coming. I really have no interest in Carnival. My family would LOVE RCCL in Galveston - nothing like driving to the port!

[GoldenRose]

I'm with the no interest in Carnival crowd, but yeah, RCCL is going to have some serious competition in Galveston in 2012. Both Princess and Disney will have ships here in 2012. (And we've booked on Disney for the first time because of it.)

 

Honestly, we like RCCL. We were planning to cruise with them next cruise season in Galveston (late 2011 or early 2012), but we're currently waffling about it now that we've booked DCL for late 2012.

[Cya@Sea]

Would also love a Ship in Galveston.

[dixie54]

Do you know when the Disney ship will be here? Will it be here all year? RC prices have gone WAY up too this year. They need a little competition in Galveston.

[CodyC815]

It's incredibly hard to get anyone to take a cruise with me because they don't want to fly. They've tried to talk me into the Ecstasy but I won't have it. I just wish they would at least send a Vision class down here to do something, the Legend would be great. Not gonna lie, unless we get something soon I'm going to have to try the Magic.

[slawrence]

I'm right there with yall since I live in Houston, would be easy to jump on one last minute.

 

DW and I are flying to Florida in June for our cruise since RCCL doesnt have a ship here and we've already done all the Carnival ships in port.

[matj2000]

As a resident of Houston, I find it cheaper to fly to Florida(with airfare price included) than go on the Galveston cruises. Plus the Galveston ships only go to the same tired places...

[NovCruisin]

As a resident of Houston, I find it cheaper to fly to Florida(with airfare price included) than go on the Galveston cruises. Plus the Galveston ships only go to the same tired places...

 

Please tell me how!!! We live in the Dallas area and would love to go to Florida for a change of itinterary but the flights + the price of the ship are always more than driving down to Galveston.

 

Share your secrets? :D

[crazy4themouse]

Do you know when the Disney ship will be here? Will it be here all year? RC prices have gone WAY up too this year. They need a little competition in Galveston.

 

 

Price out a DCL cruise, and you will feel waaaaayyy better about RC's prices, lol. And I am an avid DCL fan!! But the reality is, they ain't cheap. :eek:

 

 

 

[Carguylee]

As a resident of Houston, I find it cheaper to fly to Florida(with airfare price included) than go on the Galveston cruises. Plus the Galveston ships only go to the same tired places...

 

Yes, please do telll how it works out cheaper?

[jewopaho]

We all want to see a greater RCI presence in Galveston ... unfortunately, it won't happen, at least in the immediate future (in cruise talk, that's after 2013). It's pretty simple to figure it out ... they're following the money, which is in Europe right now. About half the season here, half overseas, with two transatlantics thrown in.

 

Demographically, there simply isn't enough business to support more than one year-round ship, especially since Carnival's new Magic holds 3600 passengers. Most people sailing out of Galveston drive to the port ... and unless the others fly into Hobby, it's both lengthy and expensive to get to and from IAH. Add the fact that the itineraries are nothing special, and Florida becomes a more favorable option.

 

But we're doing just fine here ... the Disney Magic will be here on 9/22/12, and the Crown Princess arrives on 12/21/12 (we're seriously thinking about the 20-night transatlantic leaving Venice on 12/2 ... fabulous itinerary). That's five ships from four cruise lines ... can't get any better. Let's enjoy what we have ... we're very fortunate!

 

Al

[Camlott]

Yes, please do telll how it works out cheaper?

 

I can't wait to find out this trick either, I would love to go out of Florida for less than it costs out of Galveston!!!!!!!!!

[Cuizer2]

I am ready to go on a cruise and after Sunday... there will not be a ship back in Galveston until Late OCT/NOV:(!

 

At least you have one full time. Out here on the West Coast there are no Royal Caribbean ships - period.

[Carguylee]

We all want to see a greater RCI presence in Galveston ... unfortunately, it won't happen, at least in the immediate future (in cruise talk, that's after 2013). It's pretty simple to figure it out ... they're following the money, which is in Europe right now. About half the season here, half overseas, with two transatlantics thrown in.

 

Demographically, there simply isn't enough business to support more than one year-round ship, especially since Carnival's new Magic holds 3600 passengers. Most people sailing out of Galveston drive to the port ... and unless the others fly into Hobby, it's both lengthy and expensive to get to and from IAH. Add the fact that the itineraries are nothing special, and Florida becomes a more favorable option.

 

But we're doing just fine here ... the Disney Magic will be here on 9/22/12, and the Crown Princess arrives on 12/21/12 (we're seriously thinking about the 20-night transatlantic leaving Venice on 12/2 ... fabulous itinerary). That's five ships from four cruise lines ... can't get any better. Let's enjoy what we have ... we're very fortunate!

 

Al

 

Where do you find this kind of demographic information? I Would like to see it.

[Raptor2010]

As a resident of Houston, I find it cheaper to fly to Florida(with airfare price included) than go on the Galveston cruises. Plus the Galveston ships only go to the same tired places...

 

Not sure how you can figure that because if a balcony room on the Voyager (when it IS in Galveston) is around $1,000 and the same balcony on the Freedom is $1,000 but I am spending $600 to fly to Orlando and only gasoline to Galveston from Houston, how is flying to Florida cheaper?????

[39august]

I am paying just under $1300 pp for a GS on Marner next Feb from Galveston. I am paying just over $1800 for a GS in Sept. on Freedom from Pt. Canaveral and paying $360 airfare. Please tell me how I can cruise from Florida for less than from Galveston!

[kyriecat]

I would love to see more ships in Galveston, but I would really love to see better itineraries! I don't care for Costa Maya or Cozumel.

 

When I was comparing cruises a few years ago for Serenade vs. Voyager, I found a balcony on Serenade ran around $800 pp vs. Voyager for $1000 pp. That was before airfare skyrocketed so I was able to get tickets from Houston to San Juan for around $300 pp. For about $100 pp more than Voyager, I was able to do a S. Caribbean cruise, which in my opinion has better ports and is worth an extra $100 pp. Since airfare has increased in the past couple of years, I don't know if I could find that kind of deal again.

[slawrence]

If you book at the right times it can be cheaper (both flight/cruise and if you take a Carnival Cruise out of FL).

 

When I have taken Galveston cruises the cruise cost is usually a lot more than similar Florida departures.

 

I'm going on our first RCCL cruise in June out of Florida instead of taking another Carnival Cruise out of Galveston. Yes its costing more but the ship has so much more to do on it (FOS).

[NovCruisin]

If you book at the right times it can be cheaper (both flight/cruise and if you take a Carnival Cruise out of FL).

 

When I have taken Galveston cruises the cruise cost is usually a lot more than similar Florida departures.

 

I'm going on our first RCCL cruise in June out of Florida instead of taking another Carnival Cruise out of Galveston. Yes its costing more but the ship has so much more to do on it (FOS).

 

Yes, Carnival is like $650 for a balcony 7 night cruise on the Liberty I think it was, and RC is $1,000 for a balcony 7 night cruise on the Oasis....but I want to go on the Oasis :rolleyes:

 

Maybe once the Oasis is a little older the prices will go down....but I don't think it would ever be cheaper to fly to FL than drive to Galveston!

[Texas Teen]

We all want to see a greater RCI presence in Galveston ... unfortunately, it won't happen, at least in the immediate future (in cruise talk, that's after 2013). It's pretty simple to figure it out ... they're following the money, which is in Europe right now. About half the season here, half overseas, with two transatlantics thrown in.

 

Demographically, there simply isn't enough business to support more than one year-round ship, especially since Carnival's new Magic holds 3600 passengers. Most people sailing out of Galveston drive to the port ... and unless the others fly into Hobby, it's both lengthy and expensive to get to and from IAH. Add the fact that the itineraries are nothing special, and Florida becomes a more favorable option.

 

But we're doing just fine here ... the Disney Magic will be here on 9/22/12, and the Crown Princess arrives on 12/21/12 (we're seriously thinking about the 20-night transatlantic leaving Venice on 12/2 ... fabulous itinerary). That's five ships from four cruise lines ... can't get any better. Let's enjoy what we have ... we're very fortunate!

 

Al

 

I agree with Carguylee. Where did you get this info and that Galveston can only handle one ship??? Carnival has 2 year round ships now. If Galveston couldn't handle the two ships they have in the summer now, Carnival wouldn't be replacing them with even larger ships.

 

 

Oh, and did y'all know that prices for most sailings on Voyager from Venice this upcoming summer are the same and in some cases are even cheaper than sailings for Mariner from Galveston this upcoming winter? Something's seriously wrong with that picture! :eek: Prices should naturally be higher during the summer for any ship from any destination. Most of Mariner's prices this upcoming winter from Galveston are $600+, and Voyager's prices this upcoming summer from Venice are in the $500-600 range. Heck, even Carnival Conquest's fares from Galveston are higher than some of RCCL's fares in Europe. And Carnival is usually cheaper than Royal Caribbean!

[spencercoop]

Do you know when the Disney ship will be here? Will it be here all year? RC prices have gone WAY up too this year. They need a little competition in Galveston.

 

Nope just in the fall/winter. Disney will be in Gal from Sept-Dec