Transport to/from Hobby airport and Galveston

[Koz1]

I've booked a cruise from Galveston on RCI Navigator of the Seas in August. I'll be flying with Southwest in and out of Hobby airport. While I'm in the area I'd like to visit the Space Center, either before or after the cruise.

 

I can fly from Vegas to Houston on either Friday afternoon, arriving at Houston at 6.45pm, staying in Houston for two nights and have all day Saturday there before heading down to Galveston to board the ship on Sunday morning, and I could do the Space Center tour on the Saturday. Alternatively I can fly from Vegas to Houston on the Saturday, arriving at 3.10pm and probably then head straight down to Galveston that afternoon, staying somewhere close to the port that night.

 

I leave the ship on the following Sunday morning. Royal Caribbean offer a shore excursion that takes you to the Space Center and then takes you to the airport but it takes you to George Bush airport, not Hobby. It says it's designed for guests on flights departing after 3pm and that it departs at 9am and takes 4hr15, so I wouldn't think that would give you too much time at the Space Center and also I would then have to get from George Bush airport to Hobby.

 

If I don't do the ship tour to the Space Center I would have to arrange transport to a hotel in Houston so I could have my luggage minded before checking in and do the tour that day. I fly from LAX back to Sydney on the Monday night at 10pm so can fly from Houston to LAX on Sunday at 1.50pm or 8.05pm, staying at an airport hotel at LAX overnight, or I can fly from Houston to LAX on Monday at 10.45am or 1.50pm.

 

I've been reading threads here about transfers and it seems that most are not offering shared rides and since I'll be by myself that can make a transfer expensive. Do you know of any shuttle companies that offer shared rides from Hobby to Galveston and / or Galveston cruise port to Hobby airport or to hotels in the Houston area?

 

I'd appreciate some thoughts on whether I'm likely to find it easier to arrange transfers by flying into Hobby on Friday night with a transfer from the airport to a hotel in Houston and then arranging a transfer from the hotel to the ship on Sunday morning, and if I do it this way then arranging a transfer from the ship to Hobby airport on the Sunday at the end of the cruise, or whether to fly into Hobby on Saturday afternoon and get a transfer straight to Galveston to a hotel close to the port, and then when I leave the ship the following Sunday get a transfer to a hotel in Houston and then do the Space Center tour and then fly to LAX on the Monday.

 

Sorry this is so long but I'd appreciate any information and advice you can offer.

[Galveston Cruiser]

First of all, post this on the roll call for your cruise. You may be able to share rides.

Second, I would not take the shuttle to IAH as that airport is a looong way from Hobby and will cost at least $75 -$100, if not more, for a taxi to take you to Hobby airport.

 

Third, read through some of the posts on this thread as there are some shuttle companies that also give tours. I think one is Cool Tours; perhaps from your roll call you could get some others to share with you.

[SailingSiggy]

I've been reading threads here about transfers and it seems that most are not offering shared rides and since I'll be by myself that can make a transfer expensive. Do you know of any shuttle companies that offer shared rides from Hobby to Galveston and / or Galveston cruise port to Hobby airport or to hotels in the Houston area?

 

I used Galveston Limousine Service in 2013 as I went in the day before sailing. A shared van was $45pp one way Hobby to Galveston. I used the ship transfer on disembarking.

[Koz1]

Thanks Galveston Cruiser and SailingSiggy for your replies. Galveston Limousine Service looks to be the best option at the moment as they offer a shared service at a reasonable price.

 

I'm thinking that my best option will be to fly into Hobby on the day before the cruise and then book a transfer with Galveston Limousine Service and stay at a hotel close to the port. Is it easy to organise a transfer to the ship on the morning of the cruise? Are cabs readily available or do some hotels offer shuttle transfers? I've looked at a few hotels online but have not seen transfers to the ship listed on any I've looked at yet.

 

I'd still like to visit the Johnson Space Center and see that it is 17 miles from Hobby airport. I think the best option would be for me to book a transfer from the ship back to Hobby with Galveston Limousine Service and stay in a hotel near the airport that night and then fly to LAX the next day to connect with my flight back to Sydney. What would be the approximate cost for a taxi to take me the 17 miles to the Space Center from the Hobby airport area?

 

I've only just booked this cruise three days ago and am still getting my head around the best options for transfers and hotels before I book my flights so I appreciate any advice you can offer.

[SailingSiggy]

 

I'm thinking that my best option will be to fly into Hobby on the day before the cruise and then book a transfer with Galveston Limousine Service and stay at a hotel close to the port. Is it easy to organise a transfer to the ship on the morning of the cruise? Are cabs readily available or do some hotels offer shuttle transfers? I've looked at a few hotels online but have not seen transfers to the ship listed on any I've looked at yet.

 

Taxis are sparce in Galveston from what I saw the one time I sailed from there. I did not see hotels advertise shuttles however the one I stayed at had them for $7-10 I think the price was. I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express that wasn't very good but served the purpose. My recommendation would be to find a couple of hotels you are interested in and see if they have an email address where you can check on availability of a shuttle.

 

I would have no idea of the cost of a taxi in and around Houston. Sometimes the airport websites will have some taxi info or links to prices.

 

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Forums mobile app

[ssb]

Check with enterprise car rental direct in Galveston.

Word here is they will very soon possibly be staying open

on Saturday afternoons and will be open on

Sunday mornings.

What policies will be I'm not aware of??????

Like one way rentals and drop off fees ???

 

Another possibility if if it fits into your plans.

Edited June 21, 2014 by ssb

[Clarea]

Check with enterprise car rental direct in Galveston.

Word here is they will very soon possibly be staying open

on Saturday afternoons and will be open on

Sunday mornings.

What policies will be I'm not aware of??????

Like one way rentals and drop off fees ???

 

Another possibility if if it fits into your plans.

That would sure make things easier for us fly-in cruisers.:)

[Koz1]

Thanks for everyone's advice here. I will book with Galveston Limousine Service to travel from Hobby airport to Galveston for my Navigator of the Seas cruise in August.

 

For the return trip to the airport on the day we disembark I would appreciate advice on whether there would be any advantage in booking a transfer with RCI rather than going back with Galveston Limousine Service. I've been reading a lot of threads on this forum and see that RCI offer a transfer to Hobby for $32 or $35, and the cost with Galveston Limousine Service is $45 one way and $80 return so the cost would be similar.

 

The reason I ask is that I've read that occasionally there are long delays clearing customs and leaving the terminal, although it seems that most of the time people do depart quickly. I plan to book a flight that departs Hobby at 1.50pm and the Galveston Limousine Service website lists departures from Galveston at 8am and 10am. It does that say that they run additional shuttles on cruise departure days. I'll call them and ask how often they run shuttles on cruise departure days.

 

Would using the cruise company's transfer be an advantage if there are delays leaving the terminal? Do they bring groups out together like when you do ship tours?

[Loves_Dogs]

Thanks for everyone's advice here. I will book with Galveston Limousine Service to travel from Hobby airport to Galveston for my Navigator of the Seas cruise in August.

 

For the return trip to the airport on the day we disembark I would appreciate advice on whether there would be any advantage in booking a transfer with RCI rather than going back with Galveston Limousine Service. I've been reading a lot of threads on this forum and see that RCI offer a transfer to Hobby for $32 or $35, and the cost with Galveston Limousine Service is $45 one way and $80 return so the cost would be similar.

 

The reason I ask is that I've read that occasionally there are long delays clearing customs and leaving the terminal, although it seems that most of the time people do depart quickly. I plan to book a flight that departs Hobby at 1.50pm and the Galveston Limousine Service website lists departures from Galveston at 8am and 10am. It does that say that they run additional shuttles on cruise departure days. I'll call them and ask how often they run shuttles on cruise departure days.

 

Would using the cruise company's transfer be an advantage if there are delays leaving the terminal? Do they bring groups out together like when you do ship tours?

 

You will be given tags with a number to put on your luggage for debarkation. There will also be a document telling where you should go on debarkation day based on your tag number. Everyone using the ships transfer will have the same tag number and will therefore meet at the same place and get permission to debark at the same time.

 

The buses used by RCI are huge. They wont leave until the bus is full which didn't take long on our cruise. It's hard to say whether it would be an advantage to use the cruise company transfer or not. From my limited experience and from what I have read, the key to getting out as quickly as possible is to use a porter. Have a GREAT cruise!

[Koz1]

You will be given tags with a number to put on your luggage for debarkation. There will also be a document telling where you should go on debarkation day based on your tag number. Everyone using the ships transfer will have the same tag number and will therefore meet at the same place and get permission to debark at the same time.

 

The buses used by RCI are huge. They wont leave until the bus is full which didn't take long on our cruise. It's hard to say whether it would be an advantage to use the cruise company transfer or not. From my limited experience and from what I have read, the key to getting out as quickly as possible is to use a porter. Have a GREAT cruise!

 

Thanks Loves_Dogs. I decided to book an RCI transfer from the ship.

 

Thanks for the advice about the porter. How much should I tip them?

[cruisewkid]

Hi - Has anybody booked this "shore excursion"? We planned to kill 2 birds with one stone and see the space center and get transferred by RCCL to IAH for our flight that leaves late on the day of arrival into Galveston.

 

Couple questions...........

1. Do I need to book pre-cruise? I want to use some ship credits we will have and would prefer to book after we get onboard, but since this would be our transportation back to the airport - I don't want it to get messed up. I guess I am wondering if it fills up.

 

2. It does seem like there wont be a whole lot of time at the space center, but is it enough to make it at least worth it? Gotta be better than sitting at the airport!

[Starry Eyes]

Hi - Has anybody booked this "shore excursion"? We planned to kill 2 birds with one stone and see the space center and get transferred by RCCL to IAH for our flight that leaves late on the day of arrival into Galveston.

 

Couple questions...........

1. Do I need to book pre-cruise? I want to use some ship credits we will have and would prefer to book after we get onboard, but since this would be our transportation back to the airport - I don't want it to get messed up. I guess I am wondering if it fills up.

 

2. It does seem like there wont be a whole lot of time at the space center, but is it enough to make it at least worth it? Gotta be better than sitting at the airport!

1. Shore excursions can and do sell out. So, if you will be very unhappy if you cannot get this excursion, I suggest you pre- book it now. If you have not pre paid tips, you can use OBC to cover those gratuities; that always uses a load of our OBC. I have read you can cash out OBC in the casino (some % withheld); you might want to search the main Royal Caribbean board for info about that if you think you many he's more OBC than you can use.

2. I have not been on the excursion, so I cannot tell you if it is enought time. we did really enjoy our visit the Space Center a few years ago, so I would think it would be much better than hanging around the airport waiting for a late flight.

[cruzin lady]

There is always Super Shuttle, not luxurious, but gets you there. They have

shared rides, but I don't know the price.

 

Happy planning.

 

Cruzin Lady