Sailing out of Galveston

[GreenZolie]

You can actually find hotels that are in the fifty to sixty buck a night price range and if you do some research you'll be very pleasantly surprised with the quality.

Our group, the Crazies, have gotten rooms at the Hilton for several years at $99 with no problems. The only issues we had was that we couldn't bring our own drinking supplies to the pool and that internet access was $10 a night...

 

Now I am wondering if the hotels offer discounts for cruisers? The times I have looked up room prices were for regular visits to the island for a long weekend stay, not for a pre-cruise or post cruise stay. If they do offer discounts for cruisers, that would be awesome!

[Quilcruisers]

I would recommend staying in Galveston. There are many many hotels of varying price ranges and amenities. We stayed in galv last year and got the new Laquinta suites fir about 80 night. It was las minute drive.

 

If you stay in Houston or even Texas city or kemah, you might get some traffic congestion on the way up.

 

The seawall has some new and improved items like landrys seafood, rainforest cafe, street vendors an marketplace and is a great place to stay pre and post cruise. You can look up some of the chain hotels then try some discount hotel sites to negotiate best prices, shuttles and parking for your cruise.

 

Can't you tell I am a native houstonian?

[GayleR]

We like Galveston also. You can also go to Kemah in addition to the Seawall. Galveston doesn't have the most beautiful beaches, but there is some great history there.

 

You may want to consider staying a liitle further north on hwy 146 in Kemah instead of Texas City.It's just about 15 minutes further and much more to do.The Kemah Boardwalk is there and there are some new hotels in that area.The new Holiday Inn is right next to the Boardwalk shopping area.Lots of great restaurants within walking distance.

 

 

Kemah is nice and Galveston is a fun town, but the beach....well, let's just say some locals call it the Gulf of Yoohoo as the water is brown. It's because we are on the "dirty" side of the Mississippi. :rolleyes:

[7Flags]

WE live just north of Houston (grew up there) in Nacogdoches and are obviously biased but we love Galveston. Lost to see and do and eat. We are going on Ecstasy in June and staying at the Harbor House and WALKING to the ship. Great place to stay right on the Ship Channel and a block from the Strand. Leaving your car costs $20. Book early though cause it fills up fast.

[bertieboop1]

I just booked With Quality Inn and suites for a few days before and a couple of days post cruise and the price was great $59 for feb 2012!

[ssb]

Main areas to stay

 

On the Gulf (seawall)(many)

On the Bay (Moody Gardens)

Downtown Historic District by Port - (Harbor House and Tremont)

On highway coming into town

 

see INTERNET maps for visual

of Greater Houston Metro

and to get bearings of island

galveston.com ....interact and discover.... maps

 

Houston Map PDF

Download Houston-area map in PDF Format:

Houston Metro

Galveston Island Map PDF

Download Galveston-area map in PDF Format (note: this is a large, 11' wide, print-quality map, so please be patient):

Galveston (B&W)

Galveston (Color Hi-Resolution)

 

In my opinion

San Luis, Hilton, Moody Gardens, Tremont, Galvez and Harbor House

are the better hotels.

Many other nice ones though!

 

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

With a couple of days only

There is plenty to do in Galveston/Kemah/Nasa area

 

There are special events in Galveston area almost every weekend in Galveston area

galveston.com (what to do)(calendar of events) you’re calendar dates

Sign up on Galveston.com for email of weekly events

galvestonhistory.org --------- Galveston Historical Foundation

moodygardens.org ------ just look at site

www.thegrand.com/calendar – 1894 Grand Opera House

Clearlake

nasa space center

· kemah board walk - kemahboardwalk.com

Galveston:

old town Galveston *- on strand and post office streets(lots of shops and ice cream, old army surplus store, fine restaurants)

wineries

many live theater venues

1894 grand opera house * (a must see tour and/or performance)

museums

antique stores and art Galleries

horse drawn carriage rides

fine restaurants

Galveston historical foundation properties

moody gardens (lots to do) a must

schlitterbahn water park

airplane museum

railroad museum

restored tall ship schooner Elisa (wonderful)

1900 storm and pirate jean lafite documentary films at port

walks and shelling on the beach

cruise Ships

fishing (piers and charters)

walking on beach

shopping

dolphin watch and port tour

turtle rescue farm behind San Luis Resort

carved damaged trees tour from storm

kite flying on beach

free ferry ride and cruise

maritime museum

sea wolf park – WWII submarine and destroyer

many historical and Victorian homes

bishops palace (wonderful)

moody mansion (wonderful)

ashton villa (wonderful)

oil drilling rig museum

large souvenir shop over gulf water

duck tour (amphibious boat)

Galveston.com/ interact and discover/cams

 

Better restaurants in Galveston in my opinion are

 

Sunday Brunch at Galvez Hotel

Rudi and Pacos...*white table cloths... no shorts.....

central american seafood, and steaks.... 20st Post Office Downtown

reservations recommended

Gaidos ...... *legendary and wonderful ..Seawall

Gaidos-Pelican Club-separate kitchen- if you are members

of your local club, it is reciprocal

Olympia Grill *views are great- wonderful greek food, seafood, and

steaks. on Port

Original Mexican .....14th….Great and Oldest

Mosquito Cafe and new bakery across Street....14th The Best

The Spot .hamburgers and cervezas, BEST PEOPLE WATCHING

Family area and bars next door and above

--new decks with new views of gulf

Fishermans Wharf ....Port

Willie G's ..... ...on Port

Shearns - Moody Gardens views great....white table cloths..sunsets

Saltwater Grill .....Seafood assortments, soups, bisques, gumbos

20th Post Office St Downtown

Sky Bar ..... Sushi and Steaks........ 21st Post Office Downtown

Steak Restaurant in San Luis Hotel ....Seawall

Luigi's ......Italian .....Strand downtown

DiBellas....... Italian …..31st and O..... locals haunt and in old house

Le Croys Cajun... Strand

Sunflower.... 14th

Mosquito Cafe and new bakery across Street....14th The Best

The Spot .hamburgers and cervezas, BEST PEOPLE WATCHING

Family area and bars next door --new decks with new views of gulf

Clarys Seafood - Offites Bayou

Others:

New York Pizza - Seawall

Benos... Seawall

Shrimp and Stuff.....39 and O

Millers ....Seawall

Fish Tales ....Seawall

Joe's Crab Shack ....Seawall

Landrys Seafood ....Seawall

Saltgrass Steakhouse ....Seawall

Rainforest Cafe ....Seawall

Gumbos....Post Office

M&M .....24th

Mod Coffeehouse (Postoffice St, downtown)

Lunchbox Cafe (23rd St, downtown, small eatery that serves locally grown food)

Murphy's Pub (22nd St, downtown, TONS of beer on tap, including Texas favorites; )

LaKings Confectionary (The Strand, downtown; the aforementioned ice cream parlor and candy factory)

top 10 restaurants list in Galveston in the Houston Press:

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating...n_galvesto.php

look on galveston.com/what to do/dining in galveston

[ssb]

I was not making a value judgement. I have research this issue before and since. When comparing apples to apple (three star to three star - four star to four star ...) the prices on the island are about double what they are in Houston.

 

Whether or not any price is a good price or not, I am not offering an opinion. I am only comparing prices from one to the next.

 

For example (using a common site geared to hotels) I found the following for late February 2012:

 

In Houston there were 57 three star hotels ranging in price from $73 to $139 with an average of $95.91.

 

In Galveston there were 15 three star hotels ranging in price from $81 to $249 with an average of $126.80.

 

In Houston there were nine 3.5 star hotels ranging in price from $88 to $206 with an average of $124.11. Take out the one for $206 and there were eight 3.5 star hotels ranging in price from $88 to $149 with an average of $113.88.

 

In Galveston I found one 3.5 star hotel for $294

 

In Houston I found 9 four star hotels ranging in price from $103 to $207 with an average of $142.11.

 

In Houston I found one 4.5 star hotel for $199

 

Galveston didn't have any 4.0 or 4.5 star hotels.

 

In Galveston there was one 2.0 star hotel that offered free cruise parking if you stayed two nights. However, the average price was $176 per night.

 

Hotel pricing in Galveston is relative to seasonal and special events

affecting supply and demand on the room rates.

 

It can be very circumstantial!!

 

Galveston for instance, if you were using February for comparison,

you can't reach such general conclusions without all the facts.

 

As an example!

A fact and circumstance about February

is Mardi Gras will usually fall in that month.

A fact according to galvestonmardigras.com

more than 250,000 people attend Mardi Gras Galveston each year.

That event will affect pricing!

 

Also according to Expedia there are four star hotels in Galveston!

Tremont, Moody Gardens,and San Luis.

[Galveston Cruiser]

The Galvez is also a 4 star hotel.

Most of the hotels/motels offer free cruise parking and transportation to the port.

Mardi Gras will be held in Galveston February 10th to 21st in 2012.

Rates always go up for special events as they do in any city anywhere in the world. It's called supply and demand.

[geckog]

Hi. I recently left Galvaston on the Voyager O S-TA and returning on the Magic in Nov.

We took Galveston Limo from IAH took 3.75 hrs to get to the hotel after going round all the terminals at both airports and dropping off people at various hotels.[advertised at 2 hrs] Also talked to a lady who had been on a previous VOS cruise out of Galveston she

said there had been 50 % kids on board running about without parental control, mainly

Mexican nationals.

 

I was on my third trip on the Conquest the week before Easter. Did you leave on Easter Sunday? The week before Easter is Spring Break in Mexico. Our ship had 1500 Mexican Nationals. The kids were no different than during our Spring Break, but everything took twice as long because it was done in both English and Spanish, and customs got severely backed up at debarkation. I won't go again the week before Easter, but I never intended to be on any kind of Spring Break cruise to begin with.

[ssb]

The Galvez is also a 4 star hotel.

Most of the hotels/motels offer free cruise parking and transportation to the port.

Mardi Gras will be held in Galveston February 10th to 21st in 2012.

Rates always go up for special events as they do in any city anywhere in the world. It's called supply and demand.

 

Correct - the Galvez is a 4 star hotel,

especially when all rooms floor by floor renovation is complete,

if not already.

It is operated by Wyndham Grand Hotels,

that would not operating anything but a 4 star hotel.

www.wyndhamhotelgalvez.com/hoteloverview

 

- Galvez, Tremont and Harbor House

 

Others:

www.sanluisresort.com

www.moodygardenshotel.com/

www.moodygardens.com

[dfmeeks]

I just booked 2 rooms for 1 night at the Harbor House for $125 each. We're leaving on 3/17/12 on the Triumph!

[kaylahszoo]

we got rooms on Travel**** on lower floors of the San Luis Resort for $121. Looked yesterday and they were still offeing them. Going to have to take a cab to port, but no big deal. Will be seeing ocean for a week, so if we can't see them from our room, so no problem there. Every other site I looked at had a pricetag of $249 or more for the higher floors.

[CGBCruiser]

we got rooms on Travel**** on lower floors of the San Luis Resort for $121. Looked yesterday and they were still offeing them. Going to have to take a cab to port, but no big deal. Will be seeing ocean for a week, so if we can't see them from our room, so no problem there. Every other site I looked at had a pricetag of $249 or more for the higher floors.

 

You will still be able to see the ocean from your room. All the rooms at the San Luis have ocean views, even the one's on the lower level...you just might have a good view of the roof of the restaurant below you as well. That is really a good deal. The San Luis is very nice and has a wonderful pool area!

[rusty0707]

dfmeeks - did you have to call harbor house directly, becuase it is not avaiable online.

[dfmeeks]

dfmeeks - did you have to call harbor house directly, becuase it is not avaiable online.

 

I reserved it off of Priceline.com . I just checked & it's still showing Harbor House for $125/night, at least for March 16th.

[rvsullivan]

And "Mexican nationals" has what do do with Galveston? In my experience, kids are kids, mostly because of their parents, nothing to do with heritage. The "Mecican" kids I know are the most polite kids anywhere, that is the way their parents have raised them.

 

I will say your experience with the "nationals" you meet in Idaho are completely different than our experience here in Texas! I'd love to have you come down and spend some time with the "polite" kids that have been raised so well. I'd be glad to point you in the right direction to spend some "quality" time with some of them.

[CheepWrent]

For our Jan. 8th Carnival Magic sailing, we are staying the night before at the Hotel Galvez. If you have any discount priv's or membership deals check those out, because we did and it saved us alot of money. We are staying at the Hotel Galvez, ocean view for $79 using our government discount. And we are putting our parents up at the newer Hampton Inn & Suites for free, using our frequent points. So it pays to shop around, using any type of discount you may apply for.

 

I've sailed from several other ports and other than Vancouver, B.C. which was the prettiest (of course), the easiest to get in and out of as well as the most laid back, friendly atmosphere has always been Galveston!! :)

[Butlersplace]

We are flying in to HIA due to nonstop. We decided to stay in SpringhillSuites by MArriott near the airport due to its high ratings and atmosphere. Then we do not have to get off a 4 hour flight and then ride in a car for 1.5 hours to Galveston. Plus our price was half what we orig booked in Galveston. Many hotels during high times have two night minimum (the ones by the pier all did) and with a family of 5 our choices were limited.

 

Can someone reccommend a limo service to check prices on from HIA?? That would be very helpful. Thanks.

[Cuizer2]

We are flying in to HIA due to nonstop. We decided to stay in SpringhillSuites by MArriott near the airport due to its high ratings and atmosphere. Then we do not have to get off a 4 hour flight and then ride in a car for 1.5 hours to Galveston. Plus our price was half what we orig booked in Galveston. Many hotels during high times have two night minimum (the ones by the pier all did) and with a family of 5 our choices were limited.

 

Can someone reccommend a limo service to check prices on from HIA?? That would be very helpful. Thanks.

 

I truly hope you are not flying into HIA. HIA is Harrisburg International Airport which is in Pennsylvania - which is a long way from Galveston, Texas.

 

The closest airports are in Houston. IAH is also known as Bush and is in north Houston. It is the major airport for Houston. HOU is also known as Hobby and is in south Houston. Most airlines fly into IAH.

 

Just do a search for Houston limo services and find the one that is best for you.

[crusin okie]

Love Galveston. We've sailed from LA, Miami and Ft. Lauderdale also but Galveston is our favorite. Definitely fly into Houston Hobby and go at least one day early. We've stayed at the Galvez and also the Hilton. The Tremont would be nice if you want to stay in the Strand district. Eat at Gaidos for good seafood. Hotel rates vary so check a number of travel sites Expedia or trip advisor,etc. Galveston is a great City!