Questions about cruising from Bayport, NCL

[NMLady]

We are looking at possibly cruising on Jewel from Bayport April 11.

 

We will fly into Houston's Hobby airport. I know that if we fly in same day we can do NCL transfer for the two of us but we prefer to fly in day ahead of time in case of flight problems, plus we could get a non-stop flight. So, my questions

 

Is there hotel with shuttle from HOU airport and then to port next day?

 

If not, what hotel would you recommend? Have seen recommendation for Kemah Boardwalk but doesn't seem to have shuttle service, plus pricey.

 

For shuttle someone had recommended Houston Travel Zone but it evidently is no longer servicing Bayport?

 

Now that NCL has been using Bayport for awhile I hope there are some experienced answers.

 

Also, for Platinum cruisers is there a special lounge?

 

Thank you.

[1025cruise]

Due to the distance, you are unlikely to find a hotel that will offer both an airport shuttle as well as a port shuttle.

 

You could just stay at an airport hotel, take their shuttle back to the airport and take the transfer that way.

[NMLady]

Due to the distance, you are unlikely to find a hotel that will offer both an airport shuttle as well as a port shuttle.

 

You could just stay at an airport hotel, take their shuttle back to the airport and take the transfer that way.

 

In order to get NCL transfer from airport they want flight arrival, same day as embarkation, so that won't work.

 

Is their any hotel in a town near Bayport that has transfer to port?

[Texas Tillie]

In order to get NCL transfer from airport they want flight arrival, same day as embarkation, so that won't work.

 

Is their any hotel in a town near Bayport that has transfer to port?

 

Just give them a flight number arriving the morning of departure. No one is going to check if you are on that flight. It's done all the time.

[NMLady]

Just give them a flight number arriving the morning of departure. No one is going to check if you are on that flight. It's done all the time.

 

Thanks anyway but last time we tried that we ran into complications so won't be trying it again.

 

I'll try to find a hotel in the area and then take a cab to the port if no shuttle. In an old thread here someone mentioned Comfort Suites on Bayport so I'll research that.

Edited February 3, 2015 by NMLady

[pms4104]

Thanks anyway but last time we tried that we ran into complications so won't be trying it again.

 

I'll try to find a hotel in the area and then take a cab to the port if no shuttle. In an old thread here someone mentioned Comfort Suites on Bayport so I'll research that.

What was a Comfort Suites in Bayport now is Best Western Plus - Seabrook Suites ... free shuttle to pier and within 5 miles of hotel.

Edited February 3, 2015 by pms4104

[GradUT]

Another option would be to stay at a Hobby airport hotel and then take a taxi the next day to Bayport. This worked out well for us on our recent Princess cruise. The hotel where we stayed, SpringHill Suites, offered shuttles from the airport as well as to anyplace within 5 miles of the hotel. We were able to go out to dinner and to pick up last-minute items (e.g. wine) at Walmart. We took Pasadena Taxis from the hotel to Bayport and the fare, before tip, was around $50.

[TruckerDave]

Thanks anyway but last time we tried that we ran into complications so won't be trying it again.

 

I'll try to find a hotel in the area and then take a cab to the port if no shuttle. In an old thread here someone mentioned Comfort Suites on Bayport so I'll research that.

 

What complications could there possibly be? :confused:

 

The cruise line doesn't check the airline manifest, just pick a Southwest flight that arrives at about 10am and take the hotel shuttle back to the airport at about 9:30 and walk down to the baggage claim area when "your" 10am flight arrives. I have done this in Ft Lauderdale, Miami and Tampa. It really couldn't be any easier.

[NMLady]

What complications could there possibly be? :confused:

 

The cruise line doesn't check the airline manifest, just pick a Southwest flight that arrives at about 10am and take the hotel shuttle back to the airport at about 9:30 and walk down to the baggage claim area when "your" 10am flight arrives. I have done this in Ft Lauderdale, Miami and Tampa. It really couldn't be any easier.

 

Even though they don't check manifest, they evidently do track arrival times of flights and have your name on the bus list for the time for that flight. If that flight is delayed several hours your name is on the list for a later bus, not the earlier. THAT is the complication. Our names were not on morning bus list, we couldn't take first two morning buses, since our "flight" had been delayed until afternoon. We claimed we'd taken different connecting flight. No luck since our names weren't on the list for that bus which bus was full with names the rep had, so we took taxi despite having paid for NCL transfer. No refund from them would be given. So we won't be trying that again.

Edited February 5, 2015 by NMLady

[NMLady]

Delete. Duplicate post

Edited February 5, 2015 by NMLady

[NMLady]

Another option would be to stay at a Hobby airport hotel and then take a taxi the next day to Bayport. This worked out well for us on our recent Princess cruise. The hotel where we stayed, SpringHill Suites, offered shuttles from the airport as well as to anyplace within 5 miles of the hotel. We were able to go out to dinner and to pick up last-minute items (e.g. wine) at Walmart. We took Pasadena Taxis from the hotel to Bayport and the fare, before tip, was around $50.

 

Thanks for the suggestion. Hubby and I had discussed this possibility but decided against it for personal scheduling reasons. We'll take a taxi or private shuttle from airport to a hotel in Seabrook.

 

What was a Comfort Suites in Bayport now is Best Western Plus - Seabrook Suites ... free shuttle to pier and within 5 miles of hotel.

 

Thanks. That is actually the hotel site I''d bookmarked from my google search for hotels in Seabrook after finding how close Seabrook is to the port.

Edited February 5, 2015 by NMLady

[TruckerDave]

Even though they don't check manifest, they evidently do track arrival times of flights and have your name on the bus list for the time for that flight. If that flight is delayed several hours your name is on the list for a later bus, not the earlier. THAT is the complication. Our names were not on morning bus list, we couldn't take first two morning buses, since our "flight" had been delayed until afternoon. We claimed we'd taken different connecting flight. No luck since our names weren't on the list for that bus which bus was full with names the rep had, so we took taxi despite having paid for NCL transfer. No refund from them would be given. So we won't be trying that again.

 

So just pick a DAL-HOU flight....there is only about 12 of them a day and they land about every hour.

[gcjstri]

Hi NM Lady,

 

 

I am going on the April 4th to 11th NCL Jewel Cruise with Hubby DD SIL and 2 GS's we are flying into Hobby airport om April 3rd we have a Supper shuttle booked to take us all to the Best Western Plus in Seaport. The BW has a Shuttle which will be taking us to the ship and we booked the Super Shuttle to take us back to Hobby airport on April 11th.

 

cindi :):)

[NMLady]

Hi NM Lady,

 

 

I am going on the April 4th to 11th NCL Jewel Cruise with Hubby DD SIL and 2 GS's we are flying into Hobby airport om April 3rd we have a Supper shuttle booked to take us all to the Best Western Plus in Seaport. The BW has a Shuttle which will be taking us to the ship and we booked the Super Shuttle to take us back to Hobby airport on April 11th.

 

cindi :):)

 

Thank you. We did book the Best Western in Seabrook so will take their free shuttle to the port. Someone who did the cruise last week also stayed at BW and posted in Jewel Review thread on NCL forum that their taxi from HOU to BW was $58. So we'll probably just take a taxi to BW.

They said that besides taxis at port there are also plenty of the super shuttles available. They were able to use one for the return from port to HOU even though they hadn't reserved one. But I might reserve one from port to HOU just to be sure we have one even though there's just the two of us.

 

I appreciate your information. Thank you.

Edited February 12, 2015 by NMLady