Need help - cruises out of Galveston

[cschultz]

I never cruised out of Galveston before. I am from Pittsburgh. What is the best way to get to the port from the airport? If Carnival transfers, what is the cost? There is a flight, day of cruise, arriving at 10:15 am. Will that work? I usually fly in the day before...if so, do I rent a car, where is the best place to stay? Sorry for all of the questions, but I am a newbie at this port.

 

Thanks in advance for all of your help.

 

PS. AirTran flies into Houston Hobby. Is one of the Houston airports preferred over the other?

[sailawaybellaluna]

I'm also a newbie with cruising out of Galveston, but I've done some research for our trip in February on the Carnival Triumph, and here's what I've found:

 

Unless you have 2 people or less, it's my opinion that the cost of Carnival transfers are a bit expensive. You can get a private towncar from the airport to the port and it'll most likely be more reasonably priced than the Carnival transfer. The best pricing I've found is with Z Limo, who quoted me $85 - $90 for 4 people between Houston Hobby & the Port.

 

I'm not one to fly in the day of, but I know lots of people do. We're flying in the day prior and staying at the Harbor House - just a short walk from the pier.

 

Have fun!

[MszKitty]

Houston Hobby is 45 minutes from the Galveston port....Bush International is 90 minutes away. So it will be cheaper to hire a driver from Houston Hobby. We used Extreme Elegance Limo (http://www.extremeelegance.com/). 2 of us in a sedan. $75 + (20% includes gratuity, taxes, airport fees) = $90 each way. We flew in the day before. We asked the driver to make a quick stop at a grocery store along the way so we could purchase our sodas and she did so with no problem. Used taxi from the hotel to the ship.

[Bruin Steve]

First off, this is on the wrong board...should be moved to the Gulf ports board...

 

We just returned from a cruise out of Galveston on Mariner of the Seas...

 

Yes, Hobby Airport is about 45 miles from the port, Bush is about 75 miles...

It takes a LONG time to get from either airport (remember time for landing, getting off the plane, retrieving your luggage and finding your ground transportation...But it is significantly longer (and more expensive) to do this from Bush...

 

We used a limo service to take the four of us from Hobby to the Hilton in Galveston and the ship back to Hobby...The cost? Just under $300 including tip (the quote for just two in a Town Car was $170 plus tip round trip but, with four and luggage, we needed a larger vehicle)...

 

I would NOT take a 10:45 flight in same day as embarkation...not with the chance of flight delays or missed connections or other things going wrong...but, if all goes right, you probably get there (Remember, the cruise lines nowadays want you there and checked in at least 90 minutes before sailing...

 

We flew in the day prior and stayd at the Hilton, ate dinner at a local restaurant and used the Hilton free shuttle to get to the pier...There is something comforting in knowing you are close to the pier already whn you wake up on embarkation day...

 

Good luck...

[Bruin Steve]

I'm also a newbie with cruising out of Galveston, but I've done some research for our trip in February on the Carnival Triumph, and here's what I've found:

 

Unless you have 2 people or less, it's my opinion that the cost of Carnival transfers are a bit expensive. You can get a private towncar from the airport to the port and it'll most likely be more reasonably priced than the Carnival transfer. The best pricing I've found is with Z Limo, who quoted me $85 - $90 for 4 people between Houston Hobby & the Port.

 

I'm not one to fly in the day of, but I know lots of people do. We're flying in the day prior and staying at the Harbor House - just a short walk from the pier.

 

Have fun!

 

Be a little leery of Z Limo...

That is who we used last month and the experience was not exactly great...

 

We would NOT likely go with them again...

 

On the plus side, they were at the airport on time and waiting for us at baggage claim...and they were waiting for us at the pier for the ride home--even though our disembarkation was S L O W ....

 

But here is the problem:

 

When we initially booked, it was just the two of us...so we booked a town car at their advertised rate of $85 each way (Hobby to Galveston)...Fabi asked if we would like to add the customary 15% tip...and I responded "yes"...He charged my credit card for $196 (rounding up a half a dollar for the tip)...no problem...

 

Later, I contacted him to say we needed to change the reservation to a party of four as we had decided to take our kids with us...He said we'd have to change to a "Luxury SUV" as the town car would not be adequate for four...again, no problem...

 

His advertised rate (on his website) for the SUV round trip was $240...again, no problem...

He put another charge on our credit card for $90...

Okay, doing the math, the change from $170 to $240 plus the "customary 15% tip" should have made the total charge $276...

But the total he charged us was $286 ($196 plus $90)...

 

But, I was not going to quibble over ten dollars...

 

So, we arrived at Hobby, met the driver and drove to the Galveston Hilton...After unloading the luggage from the SUV, the driver was clearly looking to me for a tip!! I said, "We paid for everything in advance over the e-mail on the credit card"...

He responded "Not the tip!"...

I told him that yes, we did...

He pulled out his cell phone and showed me his communication from Fabi...It said "Fare paid, credit card, CASH TIP"...

I told him that was wrong...

My family was tired from the trip...They went in to the lobby and checked in while I was forced to stand out in front of the hotel in front of the hotel personnel and other hotel guests and argue with the driver...

 

I finally said, "look, you are coming back next week to pick us up, right? Go ask Fabi...and I will try to find all of my documentation and, if there was no tip, we will take care of it then"...I left and he left...

 

At the end of the return trip, he again brought up the tip issue...

But I was prepared...

I used all of my onboard internet time visiting my credit card website, Z Limo's website and digging up the old e-mails...

 

I put together a file with my credit card statements, Z-Limo's price list and the emails showing the discussion about adding the tip...

 

An absolute unquestionable case...

 

The driver suggested that I still tip him and then take it up with Fabi...

 

I told him that I was not going to be overcharged by $10, forced to pay a duplicate tip...and then have to go back and try to collect it...that HE should take it up with Fabi...I paid my bill (and more)...his collecting his tip was between him and Fabi...

 

...and I left...

 

What steams me is that, especially as the "customer" here...and one who paid his bill and tip and extra all way in advance...I should not have been subjected to having to argue with a driver about a tip...and made to look bad to onlookers at my hotel and at the airport...

 

Both Fabi and his driver were totally out of line...and unprofessional...

 

They will not get my business again...

[SnowBird Cruzer]

For our 2007 cruise, we flew into Bush (from Milwaukee). I don't remember the company nor cost, but I did a lot of research and this was the best option. We flew in a day early and stayed at the Tremont House in Galveston. They had complimentary transport to pier on day of cruise.

It's a great hotel. I'd love to get back to see how they are since we went before their hurricane.

 

After the cruise, we booked an airport hotel via the cruise line and transport was included.