Never cruised out of Galveston before.....help please....

[TonyBuzz]

Just the two of us. Car needs to be large enough for a few bags and a wheelchair.

[tigresslea]

Just the two of us. Car needs to be large enough for a few bags and a wheelchair.

Yea, I think it's more beneficial with more passengers. There's 4 of us so a car winds up being less expensive than transfers for all 4.

[Domergirl]

Well...now I'm in a jam. First, we were planning on using Uber. But of course the new ordinance nixed that. So then, I'd been planning on using Galveston Express. But now that I went to book them, I found out they are all booked up on the day of our return. UH OH!!!

 

I checked with LadyBird, and they have availability, but now we're up to $300 round trip. Wow...this is making me wish we hadn't booked out of Galveston!!!

[snowcamper]

Well...now I'm in a jam. First, we were planning on using Uber. But of course the new ordinance nixed that. So then, I'd been planning on using Galveston Express. But now that I went to book them, I found out they are all booked up on the day of our return. UH OH!!!

 

I checked with LadyBird, and they have availability, but now we're up to $300 round trip. Wow...this is making me wish we hadn't booked out of Galveston!!!

 

There is some help on http://www.galvestoncruisetips.com/how-to-get-to-the-galveston-port-without-a-car/

 

Which cruise line are you on: have you checked their transfers? I also saw a long list on one of the threads, I'll see if I can find it.

[turboteacher]

I would love to do that - Will you share which rental company you found, please?

 

Thrifty. And we chose the option, where they choose the SIZE of the car. There are only 3 of us (2 adults and a child) so we can make due with the smallest car if necessary...but maybe we'll be upgraded ;) I think that made a difference in the price...

[Domergirl]

Deep breaths...OK...I'm all done feeling sorry for myself now!!! :D:D:D

 

I think I'm actually going to go with yellow cab...their towne car service. I can book a taxi, in advance, from my hotel to the port. The online quote I'm getting for my travel date (4/3) is just under $100, for a minivan. Soooo....that is a steal.

 

Tricky part about all of this is that we are a family of 5...but we don't take up as much room as 5 adults...my kids are tiny skinny little things (all girls), and they are 12, 11 and 5. So it's always hard for me to wrap my head around paying for 5 full-size people!!!

 

If anyone has had any experience with Yellow Cab Houston or their related company Towne Car Houston...please let me know. Otherwise, I'll come back and give y'all a report when I'm back from my cruise!!!

[BLCLAB]

We chose Galveston Limousine and they have great rates

[robin13]

I don't understand what the aversion to driving is. We live in Fort Worth and have driven to Galveston twice (will be doing it for the third time in a couple of weeks). It's not a bad drive 4 and half to 5 hours tops. You don't have to wait around for a plane, etc. When you get off the ship, you get in the car and drive home. Last year, after our Carnival Magic cruise, we were in the car by 9 and home by 2 (and that wasn't with Self Assist).

 

Plus, you have the chance to make the obligatory stop at Buc-ee's!

 

At first I didn't want to drive but now in order to save lots of $$ that is probably what I will do. The funny thing is that I am traveling with my best friend and her husband. She wants to drive to save the $$ but he is against it. He just doesn't like being in a car at all which is really strange to me but whatever. So she told him that he can fly and that we will drive and meet him at the hotel. We are hoping that by September he will change his mind but if not then we will just meet him at the hotel.

 

I also heard that there is now a toll road that takes you around Houston so you are not in the horrible traffic. If that is the case then there is more reason to drive from Dallas.

[Galveston Cruiser]

At first I didn't want to drive but now in order to save lots of $$ that is probably what I will do. The funny thing is that I am traveling with my best friend and her husband. She wants to drive to save the $$ but he is against it. He just doesn't like being in a car at all which is really strange to me but whatever. So she told him that he can fly and that we will drive and meet him at the hotel. We are hoping that by September he will change his mind but if not then we will just meet him at the hotel.

 

I also heard that there is now a toll road that takes you around Houston so you are not in the horrible traffic. If that is the case then there is more reason to drive from Dallas.

 

IMHO, there is absolutely no point in driving the toll road. It is a circle and traffic can be as bad. Now, the Hardy toll road just past the Woodland to 610 to 59S to 45S is my favorite. it is currently closed on weekends due to construction. Even so, drove from Galveston to the Woodlands and back on Saturday - 45 all the way - about 1 1/2 hours each direction.

Traffic depends on what time you are driving through Houston.

[Raxter54]

Picking up a lot of useful information for our first cruise out of Galveston.

 

Our first two cruises have both been out of NOLA, one on RCI and the last one on Carnival. We've decided this time we want to do an Eastern Caribbean (Key West/Freeport/Nassau) out of Galveston. Since we try to limit our costs, we've always driven instead of flown from Illinois.

 

For trips to NOLA, we usually drive I70/I57/I55/I10 to the port in NOLA. For this trip, we will be driving I70/I57/I55 to Memphis then thru Little Rock and Texarkana then south to Houston on 59, then 45 to Galveston. Has anyone else taken these roads, and if so, how is the traffic on them?

 

We're stopping in Marshall TX which leaves us a 4 hour drive to port, plan on arriving around noon. Anyone have experience with Houston traffic on a Saturday morning?

 

I must say that I am loving Google Earth for planning my travel routes. Combined with Google Maps, I can not only plan my routes, but get an idea of what eating establishments are located around my hotels, and can actually zoom in and read the signs at the exits I will use. This interwebz thing is nice :D

Edited March 12, 2016 by Raxter54