Galveston gone up in price?

[momof4girls]

Since I've only sailed out of Galveston one time, I'm not sure if it's an accurate observation. When I'm looking at cruises, they seem to be much higher than NOLA and almost more than Florida. The last time I cruised out of there it was 2011. Unfortunately, unless we take a 2 day drive, we are limited to either port.

[Texas Trekker]

I price cruises fairly frequently and I have come to the same conclusion. New Orleans seems to always have better prices. I think the Galveston port is very popular therefore they charge a higher price. Just my thoughts.

[Purvis1231]

You correct noted that Florida ports are cheaper that also any other one. It is the law of supply and demand. The are five ports in Florida and all but on has multiple ships. But like think the travel coast will offset the Galveston price difference.

[Badfinger]

I price cruises fairly frequently and I have come to the same conclusion. New Orleans seems to always have better prices. I think the Galveston port is very popular therefore they charge a higher price. Just my thoughts.

 

Supply and Demand. Four of the eleven biggest cities in the country are within a easy 5-hour drive of Galveston. They can up the prices because it would still be cheaper for that population to pay extra for the cruise than fly or take two extra days to drive to/from another port. They are having no problem filling the ships.

[sanmarcosman]

Can't understand the thinking to Carnival's higher Galveston Fogged in Fares.

[Badfinger]

Can't understand the thinking to Carnival's higher Galveston Fogged in Fares.

 

Again, supply and demand. Most won't let a little fog get in their way of a cruise. And again, with many/most driving to the port, flights are not a big part of the equation when fog is involved.

[momof4girls]

I didn't think about the fact that it was so close to the major cities. I can get cheaper flights to Florida if I drive to my sister's house in Biloxi and fly out of New Orleans. Trying to fly out of any of our "nearby" airports is crazy! I like to try different ships and see different ports so I may just resort to the long drive to my sister's house and fly out of NOLA. I know I could hop on the Dream and it'd be cheaper, but I will have gone on it twice by the end of next year. Would really like to see what it's like cruising out of some of the major Florida ports.

 

I was looking at a surprising my girls for a cruise during spring break of 2019, and while the Dream is affordable during that time, the Freedom is much too high and the Vista, well, fuhgeddaboudit! :rolleyes:

Edited January 24, 2017 by momof4girls

[sanmarcosman]

Again, supply and demand. Most won't let a little fog get in their way of a cruise. And again, with many/most driving to the port, flights are not a big part of the equation when fog is involved.

Again, it's foggy, no demand from us which was my point.

[RMcoolX]

I price cruises fairly frequently and I have come to the same conclusion. New Orleans seems to always have better prices. I think the Galveston port is very popular therefore they charge a higher price. Just my thoughts.

 

New Orleans does have better prices, but the price difference is smaller than it was years ago. We used to sail out of NO on a regular basis, as it was worth the drive from Houston even though Galveston is 4hrs closer. We would save $500 on a balcony when doing so. For the past couple of years, however, similar Carnival cruises were priced only about $200 apart on avg for 2 passengers. The one I have coming up in May leaving Galveston is actually cheaper than one leaving the same weekend in NO. Needless to say, I no longer need to go to NO to save a buck!

[riclop]

Since I've only sailed out of Galveston one time, I'm not sure if it's an accurate observation. When I'm looking at cruises, they seem to be much higher than NOLA and almost more than Florida. The last time I cruised out of there it was 2011. Unfortunately, unless we take a 2 day drive, we are limited to either port.

 

Everything has gone up in $$$.

[BallFour4]

Can't understand the thinking to Carnival's higher Galveston Fogged in Fares.

 

They are thinking clearly about a ten arrivals and departures a year total being delayed and how five ships here in 2017 can sail full.

 

They aren't thinking the same about San Diego.

 

.

Edited January 24, 2017 by BallFour4

[sanmarcosman]

 

They are thinking clearly about a ten arrivals and departures a year total being delayed and how five ships here in 2017 can sail full.

 

They aren't thinking the same about San Diego.

 

.

We only cruise in winter and we don't sail exclusively from San Diego nor do we sail from ports known for fog.

They are gambling with Mother Nature in winter from gulf ports. 10 is their best guess and Mother Nature knows best.

Edited January 24, 2017 by sanmarcosman

[AussieOmni]

Again, it's foggy, no demand from us which was my point.

 

 

No demand from you = no demand from everyone?

 

I live in TX so Galveston makes sense I've not found FL any cheaper, especially when you factor in the cost of flights. They have no issues filling them so why would they lower prices?

 

 

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[ABQrobin]

Galveston is usually only foggy in Jan-Feb.

 

For us, Galveston is still much cheaper as if we fly to Florida, we have to go the night before, stay in a hotel and eat dinner out.

[JaniceB]

I feel the same way about my home port of Baltimore, it always seems higher but have to factor in the travel costs to other ports.

[Crusin Hogs]

We live in Little Rock ,cruise mainly from Galveston , only a 6.5 to 8 hr drive , Most here drive to Galveston , Interstate to Texas ,then Texas has a 75mph speed limit Texarkana to Houston ... NO is a little closer , but no direct interstate or direct state highways to get you there .. all roads go thru small towns with low speed limits NO is about 8-10 ride

[RMcoolX]

We live in Little Rock ,cruise mainly from Galveston , only a 6.5 to 8 hr drive , Most here drive to Galveston , Interstate to Texas ,then Texas has a 75mph speed limit Texarkana to Houston ... NO is a little closer , but no direct interstate or direct state highways to get you there .. all roads go thru small towns with low speed limits NO is about 8-10 ride

 

Are you sure you don't have that backwards? My wife is from Shreveport so we travel between there and Houston regularly, and we've also driven to NO from there a couple of times. I can't speak for what you have to go through to get from Lit Rock to Shreveport, but I can tell you that once you get to Shreveport, you can go almost all interstate (49S and 10E) from there. From Shreveport to Houston, the quickest route is state highways (mostly 79 and 59) all the way to Houston, but you'll encounter several towns and a couple of speed traps. If you go all Interstate (20W to Dallas then 45S), it will still take longer. But you're right though, 75mph damn near all the way no matter which way you go towards Houston/Galv.

[TruckerDave]

We live in Little Rock ,cruise mainly from Galveston , only a 6.5 to 8 hr drive , Most here drive to Galveston , Interstate to Texas ,then Texas has a 75mph speed limit Texarkana to Houston ... NO is a little closer , but no direct interstate or direct state highways to get you there .. all roads go thru small towns with low speed limits NO is about 8-10 ride

 

You are not going 75mph from Texarkana to Galveston. You can take the new interstate from Texarkana to Shreveport then it is US79 to Carthage then US59 to just north of Houston (where is magically becomes I69) then you can have interstates to the island...BUT there is NO chance of you doing 75 the whole trip. A few stretches maybe. (i have been driving the route from Houston to Memphis on a regular basis for almost 20 years. and know just about every bump along that route).

 

As far a getting to NOLA from LR...I40 east to Memphis to I55south to I10 east to downtown NOLA......ALL interstate.

[JLee1973]

Think Galvastan is high try Long Beach......I live 3 1/2 hours from the port. I am flying to Ft. Lauderdale in October. Cost of the cruise with airfare is the same as just cruise cost on the west coast.

 

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[sharonna3]

Actually.....Galveston had the cheapest cruise price when I booked. Being from NY we had to fly to wherever we chose. Florida, New Orleans or Galveston. Galveston by far had the cheapest cruise prices. Much much cheaper than it is today. Now airfare is another story.:eek:

[Saint Greg]

I've kept an eye on Galveston and New Orleans for the past couple years...and I've been looking at the next couple years. Galveston is always more expensive.

Edited January 31, 2017 by Saint Greg

[Saint Greg]

Are you sure you don't have that backwards? My wife is from Shreveport so we travel between there and Houston regularly, and we've also driven to NO from there a couple of times. I can't speak for what you have to go through to get from Lit Rock to Shreveport, but I can tell you that once you get to Shreveport, you can go almost all interstate (49S and 10E) from there. From Shreveport to Houston, the quickest route is state highways (mostly 79 and 59) all the way to Houston, but you'll encounter several towns and a couple of speed traps. If you go all Interstate (20W to Dallas then 45S), it will still take longer. But you're right though, 75mph damn near all the way no matter which way you go towards Houston/Galv.

 

 

You'll save about 30mins on your New Orleans trip if you get off the interstate in opelousas and take hwy 190 to 415, then get on I-10.

[deetrayn]

Since I've only sailed out of Galveston one time, I'm not sure if it's an accurate observation. When I'm looking at cruises, they seem to be much higher than NOLA and almost more than Florida. The last time I cruised out of there it was 2011. Unfortunately, unless we take a 2 day drive, we are limited to either port.

 

 

I'd say supply and demand. Also, the ships sailing out of Galveston are newer than the ones there when you last sailed. With the Vista moving there next year, I doubt the prices will be going down.

[RMcoolX]

You'll save about 30mins on your New Orleans trip if you get off the interstate in opelousas and take hwy 190 to 415, then get on I-10.

 

Yep, and we have gone that way too. I just didn't bring it into the conversation since the earlier poster wanted all interstate, plus I could not remember the highway number. We were riding with my bro n law who primarily went that way for the cracklins he was looking for at one of the gas stations. It was a good (and tasty) short cut. lol

[watermelonqueen99]

Galveston is our home (closest) port. We definitely have paid more for our Galveston cruises than our Miami and New Orleans cruises.