Galveston flight times

[Jen1000]

I am totally unfamiliar with Galveston and Royal Caribbean. The itinerary has a 7 AM arrival on Sunday January 13. Should I be OK to book out of Hobby at 1:35 PM on Southwest? They will do self debarkation and probably take the cruise line transfers but could do private if it makes a difference.

[reney313]

I just got off the ship Sunday. Unless things change (and I sincerely hope they do), it took quite awhile to get off and I do know of people who missed their flights.

 

If you are doing self debarkation (already have your bags) and walk off, it definitely will be quicker. We were in group 3. Our number was scheduled to be called around 8:30am. It was called more around 8:50am. No problem there. We did have the full family so lots of luggage. We had to wait in the "porter" line, which went VERY slow. They require the porters to go with you to pick up your luggage and then wait with you through the customs line. I have no idea why it is done that way--I have never experienced that before. Because of needing a porter, it took us forever. It was 10:15am when we got outside the building with the 3rd tag! Fortunately, our flight was 2:25. We made it to Hobby around 11:30.

 

This was only the second cruise for the season, so I would expect it to go smoother as time goes on. I do believe those that self disembarked at the beginning made it out much quicker.

[KirkNC]

You should be fine with that time.

[Jen1000]

Did you use RCI's transfer or private?

 

Thanks, Jen

 

I just got off the ship Sunday. Unless things change (and I sincerely hope they do), it took quite awhile to get off and I do know of people who missed their flights.

 

If you are doing self debarkation (already have your bags) and walk off, it definitely will be quicker. We were in group 3. Our number was scheduled to be called around 8:30am. It was called more around 8:50am. No problem there. We did have the full family so lots of luggage. We had to wait in the "porter" line, which went VERY slow. They require the porters to go with you to pick up your luggage and then wait with you through the customs line. I have no idea why it is done that way--I have never experienced that before. Because of needing a porter, it took us forever. It was 10:15am when we got outside the building with the 3rd tag! Fortunately, our flight was 2:25. We made it to Hobby around 11:30.

 

This was only the second cruise for the season, so I would expect it to go smoother as time goes on. I do believe those that self disembarked at the beginning made it out much quicker.

[reney313]

Did you use RCI's transfer or private?

 

Thanks, Jen

 

We were private. We had 9 in our group and needed 2 porters for all of the luggage, which did delay use considerably. We still would have made a 1:35pm time at Hobby, but if we had a later departure time (like tags 7 or later) I'm not sure we would have made it as the lines were much longer when we left than they were when we got there.

 

Again, for you being self disembarking without needing a porter, I doubt you will have any issue. But, I wanted to call it out for others that might be reading the thread and fall into the other category. I definitely was not expecting the delay or the process of getting luggage first and then through customs. There weren't enough porters because they had to wait with you, tieing up the cart waiting in the line. It may have been that way in 2006 when I last went through Galveston and I just don't remember. It definitely has not been that way in my Florida departures or even in Vancouver.