Galveston TX Embarcation Hell

[condorchristi]

Hello. We took our first cruise on Liberty of the Seas last week. We literally were the last to board the ship as it was leaving. Nobody (I MEAN NOBODY) was standing outside the terminal except for workers. They took our bags, showed me where to drop off my new bride, and that was that. Seven days later we returned and saw what I could only describe as chaos as people were there to board the ship, people like me were there to get off the ship, etc...

 

As first time cruisers, I do not think my wife or I would have been able to stand in these incredibly long lines, outside in 80+ degree heat (fortunately it only started raining after we left).

 

My question is this. I am hoping there is a cruise-line that "sells" a better experience than this. I understand there are US Customs involved and that whole apparatus and you have to go through this and that and the other to get on board.

 

Do any of you more experienced cruisers know of a program like this theoretical one I am about to describe:

 

We arrive on the day of the cruise at 9:00 or whatever. Customs interviews us and we basically go to a lounge that is either on the same height as the boarding deck or on the ground to where we can walk on to the ship?

 

Again, that is just an example. But are any of you aware of a more streamlined system that is in place at any port of departure? I'm willing to fly us to another city to avoid standing there in what I feel are dangerous conditions heat-wise/health-wise

 

The same goes for any cruise-line that goes the extra-mile for you getting off the ship. It seems really bizarre to me that in Cozumel and Roatan, you can leave your stateroom, go to the elevator, press #1, and walk off the ship in these foreign nations but in the US (where you're from)...you have this bizarre 800 yard winding path to just to get to customs.

[Shmoo here]

Hello. We took our first cruise on Liberty of the Seas last week. We literally were the last to board the ship as it was leaving. Nobody (I MEAN NOBODY) was standing outside the terminal except for workers. They took our bags, showed me where to drop off my new bride, and that was that. Seven days later we returned and saw what I could only describe as chaos as people were there to board the ship, people like me were there to get off the ship, etc...

 

As first time cruisers, I do not think my wife or I would have been able to stand in these incredibly long lines, outside in 80+ degree heat (fortunately it only started raining after we left).

 

My question is this. I am hoping there is a cruise-line that "sells" a better experience than this. I understand there are US Customs involved and that whole apparatus and you have to go through this and that and the other to get on board.

 

Do any of you more experienced cruisers know of a program like this theoretical one I am about to describe:

 

We arrive on the day of the cruise at 9:00 or whatever. Customs interviews us and we basically go to a lounge that is either on the same height as the boarding deck or on the ground to where we can walk on to the ship?

 

Again, that is just an example. But are any of you aware of a more streamlined system that is in place at any port of departure? I'm willing to fly us to another city to avoid standing there in what I feel are dangerous conditions heat-wise/health-wise

 

The same goes for any cruise-line that goes the extra-mile for you getting off the ship. It seems really bizarre to me that in Cozumel and Roatan, you can leave your stateroom, go to the elevator, press #1, and walk off the ship in these foreign nations but in the US (where you're from)...you have this bizarre 800 yard winding path to just to get to customs.

 

When boarding the ship, you don't got through customs or immigration. You just check in inside the terminal and board the ship. If you arrive just as boarding is beginning (any time around 10:30-12:00) you're going to run into crowds of people. If you wait until a bit later, there are usually very few people in the terminal checking in and boarding.

 

The people getting off the ship and the people getting on the ship do not share the same space. Debarking people must be off the ship before the terminal opens to admit new cruisers. I'm not sure where you're waiting in hot, 80+ degree (outside) weather to board. All cruises I've been on boarding is done from inside the terminal, directly onto the gangway that goes on the ship.

 

When you debark, on all the cruiselines I've been on, everyone goes through the same customs/immigration checks. That "800 yard winding path" is like that because everyone (upwards of 2000-5000 people) are all trying to be in the same place at the same time.

 

Now, possibly, the more upscale (costly) cruise lines may handle it differently, but on the major mass market lines it's pretty much the same.

Edited November 5, 2016 by Shmoo here

[leaveitallbehind]

Hello. We took our first cruise on Liberty of the Seas last week. We literally were the last to board the ship as it was leaving. Nobody (I MEAN NOBODY) was standing outside the terminal except for workers. They took our bags, showed me where to drop off my new bride, and that was that. Seven days later we returned and saw what I could only describe as chaos as people were there to board the ship, people like me were there to get off the ship, etc...

 

As first time cruisers, I do not think my wife or I would have been able to stand in these incredibly long lines, outside in 80+ degree heat (fortunately it only started raining after we left).

 

My question is this. I am hoping there is a cruise-line that "sells" a better experience than this. I understand there are US Customs involved and that whole apparatus and you have to go through this and that and the other to get on board.

 

Do any of you more experienced cruisers know of a program like this theoretical one I am about to describe:

 

We arrive on the day of the cruise at 9:00 or whatever. Customs interviews us and we basically go to a lounge that is either on the same height as the boarding deck or on the ground to where we can walk on to the ship?

 

Again, that is just an example. But are any of you aware of a more streamlined system that is in place at any port of departure? I'm willing to fly us to another city to avoid standing there in what I feel are dangerous conditions heat-wise/health-wise

 

The same goes for any cruise-line that goes the extra-mile for you getting off the ship. It seems really bizarre to me that in Cozumel and Roatan, you can leave your stateroom, go to the elevator, press #1, and walk off the ship in these foreign nations but in the US (where you're from)...you have this bizarre 800 yard winding path to just to get to customs.

 

There are a few things that I need to comment on regarding your post that make me question your experience. First, if you were literally the last to board and no one was there but workers, then you were very late to arrive for boarding. Boarding typically starts at about 11:00 AM and all must be on board 90 minutes before departure. The only time we've ever seen what you describe is with passengers arriving very close to the 90 minute cut off after virtually everyone else has boarded. That would not be a function of poor cruise staffing - or more accurately port staffing - but rather poor planning on the passenger's end.

 

Second, you do not get interviewed by customs prior to boarding - ever. Clearing customs only occurs when disembarking. As Shmoo here indicated you are checked in at a counter with your ID and boarding information and then proceed to board the ship. And as mentioned those disembarking the ship are never in the same area or process as those boarding.

 

The reason disembarking in ports of call is easy is that the ship maintains customs control of the passengers originating with your check in with proper ID. The passenger manifest is submitted by the ship to the customs agents at each port of call as control of those on board. Customs is cleared at disembarking at the home port to confirm all those on board disembarking are those who originally boarded, which results in the lines you describe.

 

Each port can be different in the infrastructure in place to facilitate the boarding and disembarking of passengers. In fairness, we have never sailed out of Galveston so I have no direct experience there. However we have sailed out of 6 other home ports and have never experienced the lines or conditions you describe, other than with Miami years ago where the lines to get through customs were quite long. But in every case, that took place in doors with some degree of air conditioning.

 

Port Liberty, NJ, Baltimore, MD, Port Everglades, FL, as example, are all very efficient and typically provide 30 minute boarding and disembarking times in our experience. All have lounges for passengers to wait in prior to boarding. Boarding typically takes place on deck 4 or 5 of the ships and there are escalators to take passengers from the ground level check in to the entry points on those decks.

 

We've cruised with RCI for 25 years on 14 different ships from 6 different home ports and from our experience have never encountered that which you describe. I hope you next experience more reflects ours.

Edited November 5, 2016 by leaveitallbehind

[CapeCodCruiser]

The process can be overwhelming for the first time for sure.

 

It is somewhat chaotic outside the terminal with people coming & going at the same time. You can avoid this chaos if you wait to arrive at the cruise terminal until 12:30 or 1 - I hear it is much calmer at that time.

 

Your scenario of arriving at 9am and having to wait in the hot sun would indeed be a horrible way to start off a cruise. The ship doesn't even start boarding until 11am at the earliest. We usually arrive around 10:30 walk right in and check in and are aboard by 11:30ish.

 

The other option is to choose a much smaller ship that doesn't carry 3000 passengers but be prepared to break out your wallet.

 

The reason it is so easy to walk off the ship into a foreign port is the ship has already "cleared" immigration for you - special procedures are in place for cruisers. If you flew into the same port believe me you would have to go through the 800 yard winding path for immigration & customs upon arrival.

[MandyGirl]

When the OP disembarked he probably saw the next embarkation line outside the terminal with limited awning for shade coverage, which usually doesn't open doors until 11am. This is common in every port with any Cruiseline as some passengers will arrive super early ahead of posted times while an entire ship is trying to disembark. Take Port of Houston for example when she was serving Princess and NCL recently: parking lot would not even open for new cruisers to park until 10am and a car line would often be formed just to get into the single parking lot there (out in an industrial area). Galveston has more parking lots (and remote lots with shuttles) like Port Canaveral, Port Everglades, New Orleans and Miami do when we have cruised from those embarkation ports... so you have people arriving from lot shuttles. Even embarking in cities like Barcelona, Copenhagen, or San Juan, the terminal does not open its doors until around 11 or so that we experienced, so if new passengers arrive early, the local port workers may not have the terminal even open yet hence standing in line. Many cruiselines try to encourage a staggered arrival such as by deck, or with NCL and DCL you choose a port arrival timeframe when checking in online. Is that enforced by local port employees in checking your 15/30 minute arrival window or deck timeframe? Usually not from what I have observed in our years of cruising. (Even in the past 12 months embarking in Galveston, Houston, Miami 3 times, and New Orleans- I don't recall being checked for specific timeframe window, and I know we arrived really early for one of our Miami cruises because we had completed our Global Entry interviews early at MIA since easier to schedule there than DFW) It is also common for all cruiselines to expect all passengers onboard 90-120 minutes prior to the ship setting sail, usually stated in the fine print of Cruiseline documentation (not just RCCL), and they remove many checkin folks after that timeframe has hit since all should be onboard and you don't have runners like an airline does with jetway closing 10 minutes prior to release seats.

 

As far as clearing Customs prior to embarking, we have never done that even in our one-way repositioning cruises between different countries or continents. Showing government documents at checkin or even collecting passports by cruise personnel - yes - but have only had to clear Customs / Immigration onboard for certain ports / itineraries or after disembarking the ship with authorities. They can't let you onboard without checking those things but that is cruise personnel verifying you have that at embarkation, not Customs.

 

For the OP - this is usually the most frustrating time of any cruise - embarkation and disembarkation. Thousands are getting off a ship while thousands are arriving to board the same ship in a quick turn. It's common with any cruiseline and embarkation port, and we've been on several different cruiselines (started cruising in our 20s about 16 years ago). My best advice is to not let it discourage you from cruising again or even from Galveston (my home state). If you arrive after 11am or particularly noon, the terminal is open and the first surge of guests are through security so you are indoors. Disembarking we prefer walk-off / express disembarkation on the different cruiselines and are gone before the next group arrived. That said, we always see someone there to get in line even when we are off the ship by 8am, especially in Miami where some fly in the first flight of the day (or redeye) and come straight from airport.

[condorchristi]

When boarding the ship, you don't got through customs or immigration. You just check in inside the terminal and board the ship. If you arrive just as boarding is beginning (any time around 10:30-12:00) you're going to run into crowds of people. If you wait until a bit later, there are usually very few people in the terminal checking in and boarding.

 

The people getting off the ship and the people getting on the ship do not share the same space. Debarking people must be off the ship before the terminal opens to admit new cruisers. I'm not sure where you're waiting in hot, 80+ degree (outside) weather to board. All cruises I've been on boarding is done from inside the terminal, directly onto the gangway that goes on the ship.

My bad.

 

We were waiting for shuttle busses to take us to the parking lot. The below mentioned 800 yard winding path (aka snake line) was in the same physical space as we were; outside in this hot weather. Part of it was covered by a porch but a lot of people were in the sunlight.

 

When you debark, on all the cruiselines I've been on, everyone goes through the same customs/immigration checks. That "800 yard winding path" is like that because everyone (upwards of 2000-5000 people) are all trying to be in the same place at the same time.

 

Now, possibly, the more upscale (costly) cruise lines may handle it differently, but on the major mass market lines it's pretty much the same.

 

Thanks for the insight.

[condorchristi]

There are a few things that I need to comment on regarding your post that make me question your experience. First, if you were literally the last to board and no one was there but workers, then you were very late to arrive for boarding. Boarding typically starts at about 11:00 AM and all must be on board 90 minutes before departure. The only time we've ever seen what you describe is with passengers arriving very close to the 90 minute cut off after virtually everyone else has boarded. That would not be a function of poor cruise staffing - or more accurately port staffing - but rather poor planning on the passenger's end.

 

Second, you do not get interviewed by customs prior to boarding - ever. Clearing customs only occurs when disembarking. As Shmoo here indicated you are checked in at a counter with your ID and boarding information and then proceed to board the ship. And as mentioned those disembarking the ship are never in the same area or process as those boarding.

 

The reason disembarking in ports of call is easy is that the ship maintains customs control of the passengers originating with your check in with proper ID. The passenger manifest is submitted by the ship to the customs agents at each port of call as control of those on board. Customs is cleared at disembarking at the home port to confirm all those on board disembarking are those who originally boarded, which results in the lines you describe.

 

Each port can be different in the infrastructure in place to facilitate the boarding and disembarking of passengers. In fairness, we have never sailed out of Galveston so I have no direct experience there. However we have sailed out of 6 other home ports and have never experienced the lines or conditions you describe, other than with Miami years ago where the lines to get through customs were quite long. But in every case, that took place in doors with some degree of air conditioning.

 

Port Liberty, NJ, Baltimore, MD, Port Everglades, FL, as example, are all very efficient and typically provide 30 minute boarding and disembarking times in our experience. All have lounges for passengers to wait in prior to boarding. Boarding typically takes place on deck 4 or 5 of the ships and there are escalators to take passengers from the ground level check in to the entry points on those decks.

 

We've cruised with RCI for 25 years on 14 different ships from 6 different home ports and from our experience have never encountered that which you describe. I hope you next experience more reflects ours.

 

Thanks for the help. I think my next cruise will be out of Florida. 30 minutes sounds about like how much it should take.

[condorchristi]

When the OP disembarked he probably saw the next embarkation line outside the terminal with limited awning for shade coverage, which usually doesn't open doors until 11am. This is common in every port with any Cruiseline as some passengers will arrive super early ahead of posted times while an entire ship is trying to disembark. Take Port of Houston for example when she was serving Princess and NCL recently: parking lot would not even open for new cruisers to park until 10am and a car line would often be formed just to get into the single parking lot there (out in an industrial area). Galveston has more parking lots (and remote lots with shuttles) like Port Canaveral, Port Everglades, New Orleans and Miami do when we have cruised from those embarkation ports... so you have people arriving from lot shuttles. Even embarking in cities like Barcelona, Copenhagen, or San Juan, the terminal does not open its doors until around 11 or so that we experienced, so if new passengers arrive early, the local port workers may not have the terminal even open yet hence standing in line. Many cruiselines try to encourage a staggered arrival such as by deck, or with NCL and DCL you choose a port arrival timeframe when checking in online. Is that enforced by local port employees in checking your 15/30 minute arrival window or deck timeframe? Usually not from what I have observed in our years of cruising. (Even in the past 12 months embarking in Galveston, Houston, Miami 3 times, and New Orleans- I don't recall being checked for specific timeframe window, and I know we arrived really early for one of our Miami cruises because we had completed our Global Entry interviews early at MIA since easier to schedule there than DFW) It is also common for all cruiselines to expect all passengers onboard 90-120 minutes prior to the ship setting sail, usually stated in the fine print of Cruiseline documentation (not just RCCL), and they remove many checkin folks after that timeframe has hit since all should be onboard and you don't have runners like an airline does with jetway closing 10 minutes prior to release seats.

 

As far as clearing Customs prior to embarking, we have never done that even in our one-way repositioning cruises between different countries or continents. Showing government documents at checkin or even collecting passports by cruise personnel - yes - but have only had to clear Customs / Immigration onboard for certain ports / itineraries or after disembarking the ship with authorities. They can't let you onboard without checking those things but that is cruise personnel verifying you have that at embarkation, not Customs.

 

For the OP - this is usually the most frustrating time of any cruise - embarkation and disembarkation. Thousands are getting off a ship while thousands are arriving to board the same ship in a quick turn. It's common with any cruiseline and embarkation port, and we've been on several different cruiselines (started cruising in our 20s about 16 years ago). My best advice is to not let it discourage you from cruising again or even from Galveston (my home state). If you arrive after 11am or particularly noon, the terminal is open and the first surge of guests are through security so you are indoors. Disembarking we prefer walk-off / express disembarkation on the different cruiselines and are gone before the next group arrived. That said, we always see someone there to get in line even when we are off the ship by 8am, especially in Miami where some fly in the first flight of the day (or redeye) and come straight from airport.

 

She really wants to do it again with her mom and sister. So we are doing it again. What I don't understand is if you can go from stateroom to elevator to deck #1 and walk off the boat in Cozumel; it would seem as though you could walk onto the boat in Galveston on deck #1, go to an elevator, then go up to deck 8 (we were on the 8th deck of the LOTS) and enjoy your cabin. :confused:

[condorchristi]

The process can be overwhelming for the first time for sure.

 

It is somewhat chaotic outside the terminal with people coming & going at the same time. You can avoid this chaos if you wait to arrive at the cruise terminal until 12:30 or 1 - I hear it is much calmer at that time.

 

Your scenario of arriving at 9am and having to wait in the hot sun would indeed be a horrible way to start off a cruise. The ship doesn't even start boarding until 11am at the earliest. We usually arrive around 10:30 walk right in and check in and are aboard by 11:30ish.

 

The other option is to choose a much smaller ship that doesn't carry 3000 passengers but be prepared to break out your wallet.

 

The reason it is so easy to walk off the ship into a foreign port is the ship has already "cleared" immigration for you - special procedures are in place for cruisers. If you flew into the same port believe me you would have to go through the 800 yard winding path for immigration & customs upon arrival.

 

Thanks for the input. We really hit the jackpot getting there as late as we did. We joke about it now... "See, just as I planned" I tell her.

 

Again, this is (I am sure), my inexperience talking but it would seem to me that the cruise lines would appeal to my "snob factor" and allow you to avoid the gangway and these lengthy ramps and offer "red carpet boarding" on deck 1 to where you basically drive up to the terminal and walk on board like you were getting on Amtrak at the platform. Like when we visited the Empire State Building; I purchased the "gold ticket" or whatever they called it. We were escorted past the hundreds in the lines to the elevators and sent to the top pronto. When we left, we again avoided the lines and rode down with the employees.... If looks could kill, we would have been murdered 50 times over by those watching us prance past them.

 

Anyway, thanks for the information. It looks like they are just going to be some punches you have to roll with if you're going to cruise.

[Texas Tillie]

Thanks for the input. We really hit the jackpot getting there as late as we did. We joke about it now... "See, just as I planned" I tell her.

 

Again, this is (I am sure), my inexperience talking but it would seem to me that the cruise lines would appeal to my "snob factor" and allow you to avoid the gangway and these lengthy ramps and offer "red carpet boarding" on deck 1 to where you basically drive up to the terminal and walk on board like you were getting on Amtrak at the platform. Like when we visited the Empire State Building; I purchased the "gold ticket" or whatever they called it. We were escorted past the hundreds in the lines to the elevators and sent to the top pronto. When we left, we again avoided the lines and rode down with the employees.... If looks could kill, we would have been murdered 50 times over by those watching us prance past them.

 

Anyway, thanks for the information. It looks like they are just going to be some punches you have to roll with if you're going to cruise.

 

If you need to feed your "snob factor", I suggest a line like Crystal, not sailing with over 4000 of your new best friends on a line like Royal Caribbean. Yes, you will pay for it! Also, you will find as you experience more ports that you don't always embark/disembark on deck one. This varies by tides, the set-up of the docks, etc.

Edited November 5, 2016 by Texas Tillie

[leaveitallbehind]

When the OP disembarked he probably saw the next embarkation line outside the terminal with limited awning for shade coverage, which usually doesn't open doors until 11am. This is common in every port with any Cruiseline as some passengers will arrive super early ahead of posted times while an entire ship is trying to disembark.

 

I am not trying to take this out of context from the balance of your post but want to use it for the OP to reinforce the boarding and disembarking process in general for the departure ports in our experience.

 

You are typically required to be off the ship at the end of your cruise by 9:30 - 10:00 latest, with passengers disembarking to clear customs commencing around 7:00 AM. By 9:30 most are off and gone. As the next itinerary's boarding doesn't typically begin before 11:00 and continues usually until about 3:00, there would not usually be large crowds waiting in line during the disembarking process. And most terminals have the departing passengers leaving through one area and arriving passengers entering through another. Luggage retrieval and customs are in one location with luggage drop, check in and waiting areas in another.

 

While there may be a number of early arrivals, that number would be relatively small to the total boarding total and would typically not likely be on site before 10:00. My guess is the crowds the OP experienced were mostly departing from his itinerary, not arriving for the next unless, similar to his statement of being the very last to board, he was among the very last to leave.

Edited November 5, 2016 by leaveitallbehind

[LHT28]

Try some of the smaller ships to satisfy your snob factor & dream embarkation/disembarkation

 

Windstar, Seadream Silversea, Seabourn

 

If still cruising main stream ....

arrive about 2-3 hr before sailaway ..avoid the crush

do not plan flights after the cruise until late afternoon then you can disembark with the last group about 9-10am

book a top suite with priority disembarkation ..they will escort you off past the crowds

[cb at sea]

The level on which you embark or disembark is different at different ports....it simply depends on what height the dock is! There are exits on all of the lower levels...and it can vary from place to place WHICH deck you'll enter onto..or exit off of.

 

You generally get on the ship on boarding day on deck 4-5.... (depending on the ship), and in ports we've exited on every deck from level 2 to level 5...

 

It is what it is!

Edited November 5, 2016 by cb at sea

[luv2trvlnow]

She really wants to do it again with her mom and sister. So we are doing it again. What I don't understand is if you can go from stateroom to elevator to deck #1 and walk off the boat in Cozumel; it would seem as though you could walk onto the boat in Galveston on deck #1, go to an elevator, then go up to deck 8 (we were on the 8th deck of the LOTS) and enjoy your cabin. :confused:

In the ports of call you are generally exiting right onto the pier. You do not have to get checked in or go through customs. When embarking or disembarking it is generally through a building since they have workers to check you in or have customs workers to clear you. They don't want to be sitting out on a pier with their computers. It is also nice not to have to stand outside exposed to the elements while you are waiting to embark or disembark. I would much rather be sitting on a chair in the terminal while waiting to get on.

[ray98]

I don't get where some people come up with their expectations.

[Texas Tillie]

I don't get where some people come up with their expectations.

 

To be fair, it was the OP's first cruise. However, he did have luxury expectations for mass market prices. Live and learn!:D

[Shorex]

What I don't understand is if you can go from stateroom to elevator to deck #1 and walk off the boat in Cozumel; it would seem as though you could walk onto the boat in Galveston on deck #1, go to an elevator, then go up to deck 8 (we were on the 8th deck of the LOTS) and enjoy your cabin. :confused:

 

Re Cozumel: there are no formalities of immigration/customs to enter/depart Cozumel on a cruise ship. The simple explanation is that you are on a "closed loop cruise." Just google "closed loop cruise" if you want to understand more.

 

OTOH, when you board the ship for the first time in your US port of departure, there are definitely formalities. You must show proof of identity, attest to your health, present a credit card for on-board purchases, have a picture taken for ship security (not the silly picture you can purchase, but the one that shows up on the computer when you have your card scanned to leave/re-board the ship), have your carry-on luggage scanned, etc. Procedures may vary according to the cruise line, departure port, and destination port, but there are definitely formalities.

 

There are ways to jump the queue -- some lines have a fast track for penthouse guests and so forth but you can read all about that on your cruise line's website. Even so, while you enjoy lunch or lounge by the pool after boarding around noon, your stateroom will generally not be available until about 3 pm. Once again, the time when you can get into your stateroom varies according to a number of factors.

[Bizmark'sMom]

Thanks for the input. We really hit the jackpot getting there as late as we did. We joke about it now... "See, just as I planned" I tell her.

 

Again, this is (I am sure), my inexperience talking but it would seem to me that the cruise lines would appeal to my "snob factor" and allow you to avoid the gangway and these lengthy ramps and offer "red carpet boarding" on deck 1 to where you basically drive up to the terminal and walk on board like you were getting on Amtrak at the platform. Like when we visited the Empire State Building; I purchased the "gold ticket" or whatever they called it. We were escorted past the hundreds in the lines to the elevators and sent to the top pronto. When we left, we again avoided the lines and rode down with the employees.... If looks could kill, we would have been murdered 50 times over by those watching us prance past them.

 

Anyway, thanks for the information. It looks like they are just going to be some punches you have to roll with if you're going to cruise.

That easy gold ticket experience is available, at a price. Lindblad and Crystal both spring to mind.

 

If you want to pay mass market prices, you get what you experienced. (The only reason people would be lined up outside is if they showed up early. Wait until the terminal opens, and the whole process is done indoors.

[capriccio]

Even so, while you enjoy lunch or lounge by the pool after boarding around noon, your stateroom will generally not be available until about 3 pm.

 

Princess seems to be the exception with passengers able to access their cabins immediately. Boarding normally starts at noon and on every Princess cruise we have taken (over 20 on 9 ships) we have always been able to go directly to our cabin - although I have read about a few embarkations on the Regal Princess last year requiring a wait until 1 pm. In order to accomplish such a fast cabin turnaround disembarking passengers much vacate their cabins by 8 am.

[WupperAV]

Why not Cruise and get paid for it. Join the Navy Sub Fleet and the gangplank will be down to the deck instead of up. there are plenty of cruises with less crowds. You google them, I don't have time to look them up for you.

[leaveitallbehind]

Even so, while you enjoy lunch or lounge by the pool after boarding around noon, your stateroom will generally not be available until about 3 pm.

 

Not sure which cruise line you are referring to but the OP is talking about RCI and with them the staterooms are available between 1 - 1:30 latest. Never waited longer than that on any of our RCI cruises - suite or standard stateroom.

[Aquahound]

This isn't a cruise line specific thing. This is a port thing. The port of Galveston SUCKS, especially if there is more than 1 ship in. They funnel everyone through 1 entrance to the port, causing a line of stop-and-go traffic that stretches down the road for about a mile. To make matters worse, the port's parking lots are not walkable. You have to take a shuttle to and from. Galveston is not set up like Miami or Ft Lauderdale, with good traffic flow and multiple parking lots near each ship. It's a mess.

[leaveitallbehind]

This isn't a cruise line specific thing. This is a port thing. The port of Galveston SUCKS, especially if there is more than 1 ship in. They funnel everyone through 1 entrance to the port, causing a line of stop-and-go traffic that stretches down the road for about a mile. To make matters worse, the port's parking lots are not walkable. You have to take a shuttle to and from. Galveston is not set up like Miami or Ft Lauderdale, with good traffic flow and multiple parking lots near each ship. It's a mess.

 

Yeah I figured it had to be something like that. As mentioned in an earlier post that is one port we have never sailed out of and it sounds completely out of step with our experience at the other ports along the east coast.

[MandyGirl]

She really wants to do it again with her mom and sister. So we are doing it again. What I don't understand is if you can go from stateroom to elevator to deck #1 and walk off the boat in Cozumel; it would seem as though you could walk onto the boat in Galveston on deck #1, go to an elevator, then go up to deck 8 (we were on the 8th deck of the LOTS) and enjoy your cabin. :confused:

 

 

Yay! We worth doing again for sure :) we embark Celebrity (sister company to RCCL) on Wednesday for Panama Canal. Already learned our disembarkation will be a full onboard customs inspection and to not plan on anyone disembarking before 9am... later than scheduled... And pushed flight recommendations to later. But we are looking forward to trying the RCCL Liberty in March roundtrip Galveston so I have been following the Liberty posts :) Congrats to you and your bride on your first cruise!

[JimAOk1945]

Aquahound's description is spot on in every detail. Galveston really does SUCK! We have cruised out of there a few times because it's driving distance. No matter what time we arrive, the lines are terrible.

 

My wife took a few pictures of our wait while we were in line to get into the terminal. We joined the line at approximately 1:52 pm thinking that we would avoid the crowd. Wrong!

 

Take a look at the link below

 

Cruising Round Trip From Galveston

Edited November 6, 2016 by JimAOk1945