Transportation to Galveston

[Justaddfun]

We have a group of 17 on RCCL Navigator and I'm shocked by transportation costs to Port Galveston. It is costing our group over $1000 R/T. Keep that in mind when booking a cruise out of TX. I won't do it again. :mad:

Edited June 11, 2014 by Justaddfun

[Loves_Dogs]

Just off Navigator (5/25 cruise) and it was my best cruise thus far. Totally worth the transportation cost. Not sure where all you have looked but check out this helpful link. We Used Cool Tours and would definitely use them again.

 

http://www.galvestoncruisetips.com/how-to-get-to-the-galveston-port-without-a-car/

 

Some cruise ports are easier than others. Much like cruising out of San Juan comes with higher airfare (for me anyway) and very expensive hotels. Galveston transportation is more costly than others I have encountered. Still a great port and after cruising from there not one I would write off. Have a GREAT cruise!

[Galveston Cruiser]

We have a group of 17 on RCCL Navigator and I'm shocked by transportation costs to Port Galveston. It is costing our group over $1000 R/T. Keep that in mind when booking a cruise out of TX. I won't do it again. :mad:

 

That is only $58.83/each:confused:

That is really inexpensive so I don't see your point in making it sound so horrible. Very misleading:rolleyes:

[Loves_Dogs]

That is only $58.83/each:confused:

That is really inexpensive so I don't see your point in making it sound so horrible. Very misleading:rolleyes:

 

WOW.. Looking at that per person cost prompted me to dig up receipts from my Freedom of the Seas cruise in 2011 out of Port Canaveral. Round trip from Orlando Airport (MCO) to hotel near cruise port (Country Inn and Suites) and then post cruise transportation from Port Canaveral back to MCO was $50 per person through Travelynx. $58.83 per person is not a bad price.

Edited June 11, 2014 by Loves_Dogs

[peter1975]

We have a group of 17 on RCCL Navigator and I'm shocked by transportation costs to Port Galveston. It is costing our group over $1000 R/T. Keep that in mind when booking a cruise out of TX. I won't do it again. :mad:

 

Who are you using for transportation for this price?

[tncap]

That is a very good price for RT transportation to Galveston, as others have stated.

[SeagoingMom]

We have a group of 17 on RCCL Navigator and I'm shocked by transportation costs to Port Galveston. It is costing our group over $1000 R/T. Keep that in mind when booking a cruise out of TX. I won't do it again. :mad:

Which cruise line? Does the cruise line offer a transfer? (or is this it?).

 

I "feel your pain" in the sense that in March we precipitously booked a cruise out of Houston without first checking exactly where the port (Bayport) was relative to the airport, and how much it would cost to get to the port! We used a Princess transfer, which was just about the same price as a private van service, but much more convenient for us. But still, we had not figured that extra cost into our cruise planning, and we probably would have chosen a different embarkation port if we had thought to find out about this extra cost.

 

(I had already decided that I would never sail out of Galveston because of the hassle of getting there from Houston, but in my case, I was laboring under the misconception that the Houston port was actually somewhere near Houston!)

 

Live (or should I say "cruise") and learn! :)

[Galveston Cruiser]

What pain:confused:

There is no place one could for less than $60 round trip per person.

 

Anyone traveling anywhere should figure the cost of transportation to/from - home/airport/port.

 

Do not blame the Ports of Galveston or Houston as it is not their fault.

 

We have traveled to many places world wide and always figure in the cost of transportation, be it taxi, train, bus or limo. These are commonly incurred expenses.

 

BTW, the Houston port is in Houston - a very big City.

Sorry the cruise terminals can't be in the heart of every city or at the airport:rolleyes:

 

The Port of Galveston is in Galveston and only 40 miles from Hobby Airport.

[SeagoingMom]

What pain:confused:

There is no place one could for less than $60 round trip per person.

 

Anyone traveling anywhere should figure the cost of transportation to/from - home/airport/port.

 

Do not blame the Ports of Galveston or Houston as it is not their fault.

 

We have traveled to many places world wide and always figure in the cost of transportation, be it taxi, train, bus or limo. These are commonly incurred expenses.

 

BTW, the Houston port is in Houston - a very big City.

Sorry the cruise terminals can't be in the heart of every city or at the airport:rolleyes:

 

The Port of Galveston is in Galveston and only 40 miles from Hobby Airport.

Ouch --

 

"I feel your pain" was simply meant to express comradeship with the poster. (It's a social behavior called "sympathizing.") My post clearly stated that I realized I should have known about these expenses, but it just so happened that I, perhaps like Justaddfun, had not immediately thought of everything! (Obviously that never happens to you, but it happens to some of us. Some of us still have new experiences, and still learn from them, as you must have done at some time in the past.)

 

"Blame" the ports? Huh?? :confused: (I, at least, was 'blaming" myself for assuming the port was somewhere it wasn't, as in "laboring under the misconception..." I guess that was unclear. Even Justaddfun was not "blaming the ports," whatever that means, but offering a word of advice for the uninitiated.)

 

FYI, Bayport is in Pasadena, TX. As I said, we learn as we go...

 

The OP did all of us (well not you, as you say) a favor by reminding us about a detail we might, just might, in our excitement to book a cruise from a port we were unfamiliar with, not have thought of as soon as we should have.

 

Thanks, Justaddfun!

[Galveston Cruiser]

I am commenting on the ire that OP have regarding transportation costs.

A $1000 sounds like a lot until you divide by 17.

 

FYI: Port of Houston is in Houston which surrounds Pasadena. We have many incorporated cities within Harris County. You can see downtown H from Pasadena:p

[Eeyoregon]

Ouch --

 

"I feel your pain" was simply meant to express comradeship with the poster. (It's a social behavior called "sympathizing.") My post clearly stated that I realized I should have known about these expenses, but it just so happened that I, perhaps like Justaddfun, had not immediately thought of everything! (Obviously that never happens to you, but it happens to some of us. Some of us still have new experiences, and still learn from them, as you must have done at some time in the past.)

 

"Blame" the ports? Huh?? :confused: (I, at least, was 'blaming" myself for assuming the port was somewhere it wasn't, as in "laboring under the misconception..." I guess that was unclear. Even Justaddfun was not "blaming the ports," whatever that means, but offering a word of advice for the uninitiated.)

 

FYI, Bayport is in Pasadena, TX. As I said, we learn as we go...

 

The OP did all of us (well not you, as you say) a favor by reminding us about a detail we might, just might, in our excitement to book a cruise from a port we were unfamiliar with, not have thought of as soon as we should have.

 

Thanks, Justaddfun!

 

I agree. There is a particular Galveston-ite on these boards that will attack anyone and everyone who doesn't love every single aspect of "her" cruise port. ;)

 

I also feel your PAIN and the OP's. Live and learn as they say. We're going to end up dropping over $300 just to get to/from Galveston from HOU. That's about $230 more than we have ever spent to get to/from the Orlando airport to Port Canaveral.

 

What baffles the beegeezus out of me is that there are NO car rental places with hours that coincide with the cruises that come and go from Galveston :confused:. We'll have to drop our rental car off in Texas City and pay $50+ for a cab back to Galveston and the same on the return trip. In Port Canaveral, you drop the rental car off 2 miles from the port and you are shuttled for free.

 

I'm still excited about our upcoming cruise and am looking forward to exploring Houston and Galveston but the expensive hassle of getting to/from the ship is a deal breaker for any future cruises out of Galveston.

 

Happy Sailing!

[Galveston Cruiser]

I agree. There is a particular Galveston-ite on these boards that will attack anyone and everyone who doesn't love every single aspect of "her" cruise port. ;)

 

I also feel your PAIN and the OP's. Live and learn as they say. We're going to end up dropping over $300 just to get to/from Galveston from HOU. That's about $230 more than we have ever spent to get to/from the Orlando airport to Port Canaveral.

 

What baffles the beegeezus out of me is that there are NO car rental places with hours that coincide with the cruises that come and go from Galveston :confused:. We'll have to drop our rental car off in Texas City and pay $50+ for a cab back to Galveston and the same on the return trip. In Port Canaveral, you drop the rental car off 2 miles from the port and you are shuttled for free.

 

Absolutely not true!

I have begged OP to write to any entity that will listen regarding the car rental situation in Galveston. I have vociferously complained about Enterprise - the ONLY car rental on the island, to be open on Saturday and Sunday.

Being a franchise, they can do what they want.

Hertz left the Island after Ike.

The drop off fees are outrageous. but being a private business, they can charge what they want. The City of Houston imposed a high fee on rentals from the airports. Unfortunately, Galveston and surrounding areas suffer from these fees.

By researching, OP have found it less expensive to rent a car off the airport premises.

 

I have contacted the Port of Galveston and the City to do whatever it takes to bring additional business to Galveston to make it easier for visitors/cruisers to have affordable transportation.

Have had meetings with the Port and ICE to improve the length of time to clear when arriving at the port. No one should stand in line for hours after a vacation.

Have asked the Port to spend time at the port when ships are in to see the horrendous traffic jams and do something about ingress/egress.

Contacted the City to stop the flashing red lights on Harborside on Sunday as traffic backs up for miles.

 

I do get tired of having the City compared to Orlando/Port Canaveral. They are not the same. Orlando is destination for tourists. Houston is a business City. Not everyone can fly into Hobby airport, which is closer. IAH is 70 miles from the Island.

I do want to promote Galveston, but also want the City to get its act together and make it affordable for visitors to get here. Easier and more affordable transportation costs will bring more visitors and more will return.

[SIENA6334]

We are doing the Carnival Freedom repo cruise in Feb. leaving Ft. Lauderdale and ending in Galveston. I too was a little taken aback at the price to get to the Hobby Airport. We are staying a couple days after the cruise to enjoy Galveston. I inquired with Cool Tours about transportation to airport but evidently they had to sign an agreement with cab drivers assn. that they can only transport groups of 4 or more. There is only 2 of us and if we cannot find anyone at hotel leaving around when we are we are at the mercy of the cabs.:confused:

[ssb]

We are doing the Carnival Freedom repo cruise in Feb. leaving Ft. Lauderdale and ending in Galveston. I too was a little taken aback at the price to get to the Hobby Airport. We are staying a couple days after the cruise to enjoy Galveston. I inquired with Cool Tours about transportation to airport but evidently they had to sign an agreement with cab drivers assn. that they can only transport groups of 4 or more. There is only 2 of us and if we cannot find anyone at hotel leaving around when we are we are at the mercy of the cabs.:confused:

 

There are a number of limo services in addition to cabs to provide the service.

They can be found on this board!

[train460]

Damn. makes me want to rent a bus and deliver on my off days.

michael

[mistshar]

Absolutely not true!

I have begged OP to write to any entity that will listen regarding the car rental situation in Galveston. I have vociferously complained about Enterprise - the ONLY car rental on the island, to be open on Saturday and Sunday.

Being a franchise, they can do what they want.

Hertz left the Island after Ike.

The drop off fees are outrageous. but being a private business, they can charge what they want. The City of Houston imposed a high fee on rentals from the airports. Unfortunately, Galveston and surrounding areas suffer from these fees.

By researching, OP have found it less expensive to rent a car off the airport premises.

 

I have contacted the Port of Galveston and the City to do whatever it takes to bring additional business to Galveston to make it easier for visitors/cruisers to have affordable transportation.

Have had meetings with the Port and ICE to improve the length of time to clear when arriving at the port. No one should stand in line for hours after a vacation.

Have asked the Port to spend time at the port when ships are in to see the horrendous traffic jams and do something about ingress/egress.

Contacted the City to stop the flashing red lights on Harborside on Sunday as traffic backs up for miles.

 

I do get tired of having the City compared to Orlando/Port Canaveral. They are not the same. Orlando is destination for tourists. Houston is a business City. Not everyone can fly into Hobby airport, which is closer. IAH is 70 miles from the Island.

I do want to promote Galveston, but also want the City to get its act together and make it affordable for visitors to get here. Easier and more affordable transportation costs will bring more visitors and more will return.

 

I appreciate everything you do to try to make it more enjoyable to visit Galveston and to make it more economical and more pleasant to cruise out of there. It is much easier for us because we do drive to the port and I can understand the frustrations of people who fly in but Galveston is a wonderful city with many things to do. I hope you find that it is worth it to fly in.

 

Hope everyone has a wonderful cruise and that you have a good time in Galveston.

[jonbgd]

We'll have to drop our rental car off in Texas City and pay $50+ for a cab back to Galveston and the same on the return trip.

 

!

I don't know how long you are renting the car prior to your cruise but sometimes it is cheaper to keep it for the week and pay for parking

[SIENA6334]

There are a number of limo services in addition to cabs to provide the service.

They can be found on this board!

 

I do realize there are other options but cool tours was the most reasonable. I guess it doesnt help we will be there during mardi gras. Didn't even know Galveston had mardi gras! Regardless, I do plan on enjoying my stay in galveston and certainly won't let cab costs ruin my stay.

[Galveston Cruiser]

I do realize there are other options but cool tours was the most reasonable. I guess it doesnt help we will be there during mardi gras. Didn't even know Galveston had mardi gras! Regardless, I do plan on enjoying my stay in galveston and certainly won't let cab costs ruin my stay.

 

Have a wonderful time!

Mardi Gras began in 1867 in Galveston and was celebrated until 1941. The war years ceased the big celebration.

Mardi Gras was revived in 1985 by George and Cynthia Mitchell and has grown to over 250,000 revelers visiting the City over 2 weekends.

[rubrrick]

I have found Galveston Limousine online, and their senior round trip price from Houston Hobby to the cruise port in Galveston is $60.00.

 

For a one hour trip each way, I find that to be very reasonable.

 

I'll be speaking with a rep tomorrow, as they are closed this evening, but if their posted web page is what the going rate is, I think it's an excellent deal.

 

Rick

[sunshine66]

I agree. There is a particular Galveston-ite on these boards that will attack anyone and everyone who doesn't love every single aspect of "her" cruise port. ;)

 

I also feel your PAIN and the OP's. Live and learn as they say. We're going to end up dropping over $300 just to get to/from Galveston from HOU. That's about $230 more than we have ever spent to get to/from the Orlando airport to Port Canaveral.

 

What baffles the beegeezus out of me is that there are NO car rental places with hours that coincide with the cruises that come and go from Galveston :confused:. We'll have to drop our rental car off in Texas City and pay $50+ for a cab back to Galveston and the same on the return trip. In Port Canaveral, you drop the rental car off 2 miles from the port and you are shuttled for free.

 

I'm still excited about our upcoming cruise and am looking forward to exploring Houston and Galveston but the expensive hassle of getting to/from the ship is a deal breaker for any future cruises out of Galveston.

 

Happy Sailing!

 

I must agree, as my cruise is 42 days away and the hotel alone is a bit of a challenge. I learned early on most hotels are sold out and the ones that are not are very expensive for what they are worth. I have traveled a lot over the world and I agree, transportation is an issue for sure. No car rentals, no public transportation and very expensive rates. I would have considered renting the car for a week, but it is 1 week and 1 day so it is not worth it.

 

I am also excited for my cruise and will live and learn but of all the places I have cruised, this has been the most labor intensive getting to the port.

 

I am sure Galveston is lovely and I almost wish I had stayed longer, but if I ever do it again, I will plan 2 years out so I can find affordable accommodations.

 

While I appreciate being proud of where you live and being a port town ( I live in Boston) it is never helpful when you are defensive and critical. It is always helpful when you can give insightful suggestions. I do like cruisecritic but will never understand why people take it so personally. These are opinions and not facts, lets keep it in perspective after all we all love cruising!!!

[sunshine66]

Just off Navigator (5/25 cruise) and it was my best cruise thus far. Totally worth the transportation cost. Not sure where all you have looked but check out this helpful link. We Used Cool Tours and would definitely use them again.

 

http://www.galvestoncruisetips.com/how-to-get-to-the-galveston-port-without-a-car/

 

Some cruise ports are easier than others. Much like cruising out of San Juan comes with higher airfare (for me anyway) and very expensive hotels. Galveston transportation is more costly than others I have encountered. Still a great port and after cruising from there not one I would write off. Have a GREAT cruise!

 

Thanks for this website, It may just save my bacon..

[ssb]

Since the thread has rolled to third page of posts on RCL board

And the information is relative to Galveston

It is included here on this Galveston thread on Gulf Coast departures

 

 

bugsof5

Cool Cruiser

 

Join Date: Dec 2013

Posts: 6

Travel to/from Galveston NOS 6/22/14

Just off NOS 6/22 sailing. Family of 5 flying in from Ohio. Since travel to/from Galveston from those of us living outside of Texas seems to be a hot topic, here are my thoughts. We flew into Hobby Saturday evening and stayed at Drury Inn near airport. Hotel was in ok shape. Staff was very friendly. Location is iffy. Not surprised from reading reviews. Best advice from previous posts was to eat before leaving airport. There is nothing much around. Hotel served its purpose as a stopover for main event. After looking around the area, the Doubletree closer to the airport may have been a better choice.

We contracted with Galveston limo for transportation from hotel then back to airport in private van. Cost was 300 round trip plus tip for the 5 of us. Driver arrived 15 minutes before our schedule time on 9:30 and we were on our way to port.

We arrived at port at 10:15 and proceeded to wait in line outside until terminal opened for incoming guests at 10:30. As has been reported, the wait outside is without seats and limited shade. We were under cover and it was fine. We were through check in by 10:40 and seated waiting to board as departing passengers were finishing disembarkment. We were one of the first aboard around 11:15am. All in all very very smooth and easy process with none of the horror stories I have read previously.

Disembarkment was pretty smooth as well. We were group 19 (out of 28 total) and our estimated departure call was 9:45. Our group was called about 9:15. The terminal needs some signage and direction, but once we figured out where to go it was fast and easy. We did not use a porter as they were plentiful but busy. A nice employee (and maybe one of two there to help?) directed us to the "non porter" line and off we went. Through customs by 9:55. Outside the terminal is very hectic and needs a good organizer. No problems though and we were picked up promptly off we went.

Shoot any questions. We also had the drink package on board and can answer those as well!

Edited June 30, 2014 by ssb

[Galveston Cruiser]

While I appreciate being proud of where you live and being a port town ( I live in Boston) it is never helpful when you are defensive and critical. It is always helpful when you can give insightful suggestions. I do like cruisecritic but will never understand why people take it so personally. These are opinions and not facts, lets keep it in perspective after all we all love cruising!!!

 

Please read post #12