Galveston weather concerns

[pspercy]

http://www.galveston.com/blog/627/post-harvey-update/#disqus_thread

 

Post-Harvey Update

 

By: Leah Cast | Wednesday, August 30, 2017 2:34 PM

The Galveston Island Convention & Visitors Bureau is assessing the impacts of Tropical Storm Harvey on the island’s tourism industry and working to keep our partners informed. Below is an update along with video footage and images taken this morning.

• VIDEO: Galveston's Beaches Today: August 30, 2017
  
• PHOTOS: Beaches, Downtown, Around Town Today: August 30, 2017
  

Hotels

Galveston’s hotels are open and operating. A few hotels have received minimal water and/or wind damage but no major issues have been reported. Several hotel and lodging venues are accepting FEMA vouchers and/or offering discounts to visitors impacted by the storm.

Restaurants & Shops

While some of the island’s restaurants and shops remain closed, many places are open to serve guests and residents. For an updated list of open restaurants and bars, click here.

Beaches

Seawall Urban Park is open and seawall beaches are accessible. West End beach access points are open. Stewart Beach and Dellanera RV Park will open Friday, Sept. 1. East Beach and the West End Pocket Parks are closed due to limited staff.

Attractions & Events

Galveston’s major tourist attractions have made it through the storm with minimal damages. No major issues have been reported. Moody Gardens has remained open. The following attractions have announced reopen dates:

• The Grand 1894 Opera House will open Thursday, Aug. 31.
  
• The Bryan Museum will open Friday, Sept. 1.
  
• Attractions operated by the Galveston Historical Foundation, including Bishop's Palace, 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA, Pier 21 Theater and the Texas Seaport Museum, will open Friday, Sept. 1 with free admission through Sept. 4.
  
• Moody Mansion will open Friday, Sept. 1.
  
• Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark will open Friday, Sept. 1.
  
• The Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier will open Friday, Sept. 1.
  
• The Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum will open Friday, Sept. 1.
  

The following events have been rescheduled:

• BrewMaster’s Craft Beer Festival scheduled over Labor Day weekend has been postponed to a TBA date.
  
• All events scheduled at East Beach for Labor Day weekend will be rescheduled for TBA dates.
  
• Sunday’s scheduled fireworks show over the Gulf of Mexico will be rescheduled.
  
• Wicked Wine Run scheduled for Sept. 22 has been cancelled.
  
• Last Saturday’s cancelled ArtWalk has been rescheduled for Sept. 9.
  
• Last Saturday’s cancelled "Dixie's Tupperware Party" at The Grand 1894 Opera House has been rescheduled for Nov. 10.
  

Port of Galveston / Cruises

The Port of Galveston remains closed to all marine traffic with an expected open date of Friday, Sept. 1 weather permitting. For cruise updates, click here.

• Royal Caribbean has diverted Liberty of the Seas to Miami after being unable to dock in Galveston due to the storm. Liberty of the Seas plans to return to Galveston as soon as possible. http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/itineraryUpdates.do
  
• Carnival Cruise Line ships that sail from Galveston will perform stops in New Orleans to allow guests to disembark if they wish to make arrangements to return home, or to another location. Alternatively, if their schedule allows, guests can elect to sail back to Galveston. Carnival’s ships plan to depart New Orleans between today and Thursday and expect to be in position to enter the Port of Galveston as soon as it reopens, later in the week. See here for updates: https://www.carnival.com/travel-alerts.aspx
  

Cruise Parking

If you would like to retrieve your vehicle or a family member’s vehicle please contact the Port of Galveston Police Department at 409-766-6169.

Transportation

The Galveston-Bolivar Ferry is running. Scholes International Airport remains open. The San Luis Pass Bridge is open. The city’s trolley service has been temporarily suspended.

 

For updates, please check our pressroom at

http://pressroom.galveston.com.

[Cuizer2]

If I am on the ship I will take a photo just for you.

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

Which photo are you going to take? If is the one below, can you take an extra one for me?

 

[spleenstomper]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Cindy]

You are correct some neighborhoods will be cover in water for a least 6 months. Houston is know as the Bayou City. There are ways of getting around, almost all of the major freeways are high and dry. Access to both airports is in place.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

The Sam Houston Tollroad near where it crosses Buffalo Bayou is a glaring exception, and it will probably be an extended length of time before that route is usable.

 

These shots of the toll road were taken off Transtar a few minutes ago. It's not a freeway, it's a lake. The flooding in my area is worsening today because of the reservoir releases. My background music today is helicopters and air boats.[emoji22]

 

Don't judge the whole area by what you see on the TV and social media. Ordinary lives don't make a story.

 

 

You're right...you can't judge the whole area by what you see on TV and in social media, because TV and social media just barely scratch the surface.[emoji22] The reality can't be believed, and can't adequately be portrayed. Please don't try to minimize this catastrophe just because people are starting to try to get out and put their lives back together.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[meadowlander]

Unfortunately, I feel this thread is likely to be shut down. Now a discussion about Houston and those displaced. It is horrible what has happened but not sure it is relevant to Galveston and Royal.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

If you feel the topics being discussed have become irrelevant, you can choose to stop reading/posting and not worry about it being shut down.:D

[LadyFureya]

Carnival has announced they ARE planning to sail on September 2nd. Given that they've been a little bit more on top of things than Royal has, I'd assume that if they're going on Saturday, then the Royal sailing on September 3rd sailing is definitely not being cancelled.

 

Source on Carnival: https://www.carnival.com/travel-alerts.aspx

[Wanna Be Retired]

The Royal Caribbean Meteorologis is on board Liberty now sailing with us. He boarded Liberty last night in Miami. Captain James has asked him to watch the roads to see if they are safe for us. Everyone seems to believe the ports will be open for us to disembark and new cruisers to get on. I believe we will be able to leave and new cruisers will get on and have the vacation they dreamed about when they first began their plans.

 

I am going to think positive. This maybe was not what I planned when I first got on the ship, but a lot of people went out of their way to make us comfortable.

[ace1zoe2]

The Royal Caribbean Meteorologis is on board Liberty now sailing with us. He boarded Liberty last night in Miami. Captain James has asked him to watch the roads to see if they are safe for us. Everyone seems to believe the ports will be open for us to disembark and new cruisers to get on. I believe we will be able to leave and new cruisers will get on and have the vacation they dreamed about when they first began their plans.

 

 

 

I am going to think positive. This maybe was not what I planned when I first got on the ship, but a lot of people went out of their way to make us comfortable.

 

 

 

Glad to hear the RCI has taken care of you guys. This trip will make for some great stories later on. Be safe on your travels home.

 

I'm hoping to board LOS on Sunday.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[spleenstomper]

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[kathy49]

if there are no flights to Houston by one of the major air carriers (and I assume others) I am curious how can they sail? Do cruise lines still sell the air/sea package and have control of the air? Will they then have to refund these bookings?

[LadyFureya]

if there are no flights to Houston by one of the major air carriers (and I assume others) I am curious how can they sail? Do cruise lines still sell the air/sea package and have control of the air? Will they then have to refund these bookings?

 

A lot of people drive to the port, so they'll have passengers. I'm expecting the ship won't be as full as they were expecting, given all the chaos. Some people probably also used their travel insurance to cancel.

[Wanna Be Retired]

Glad to hear the RCI has taken care of you guys. This trip will make for some great stories later on. Be safe on your travels home.

 

I'm hoping to board LOS on Sunday.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Be prepared to have a lot of fun! I had so much fun at Quest! The shows were great! Drew Devine I'd hysterical in his morning shows! Coffee from room service is really good coffee! I always had it delivered as I woke up every morning!

 

If you ordered the photo package prior to boarding and the price is cheaper at boarding, they will issue a credit to your account.

 

Check for Gina every morning in the Windjammer as you come in! You will recognize her because she will be telling you, "No washy washy no yummy yummy". She has little paper boats and will thank you for smiling! We just loved her!

 

They serve sushi in the Windjammer at night if you love sushi. A lot of people went to get it on a plate and brought it to the MDR to enjoy with their dinner.

 

They have Dr Pepper in all the places that you can buy soft drinks. Yes, you can bring cases of water on the ship. Just attach your luggage tag.

[caribill]

Note -- this was yesterday's information. Conditions are better today.

 

Although the island of Galveston had largely escaped the worst of the weather, on Tuesday fire chief Mike Wisko said there had been 15 to 20 calls for rescue.

"We do have water in some houses, but it's minimal and we have nobody in any life-threatening situation," he said. By noon, five reportedly homeless people had been saved from the waters and taken to the Salvation Army.

"We have not taken anybody out of their house at this point," he said.

"My message is for Galveston residents to shelter in their homes, stay off the street. If they feel they need help, call 911."

When asked which parts of the island were flooded most severely, Wisko said: "All of them."

[sblair]

Oh yes....RCI's singer/songwriter/meteorologist. This guy has lost almost all credibility with people on the ship currently. His forecasts were an outlier and didn't match ANY prediction from any other credible source. He was saying only 1-2" Saturday night was going to fall when it was one of the worst nights. I know Mr. "Sunny Outlook" is the best Meteorologist they could find in their Entertainment Dept, but he's a joke.

 

During one of the Captain's Corners over the weekend someone asked what happened to him because he had seemed to disappear after we diverted when before we had his constant updates on the TV that everything was fine and the storm was passing and we'd be docking on schedule. The Captain's response was "I guess he must have gone back to College." For some reason they brought him on the ship with us when we docked in Miami, we've got a new headliner show tonight so maybe they are letting him try his hand at comedy too....

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Rasvar]

Weather isn't going to be an issue at this point. I think some people won't be able to make the cruise either because they got stuff damaged or just can't get a flight in. I would put the odds of the ship sailing on time at about 95%

 

If you can fly in the day/evening before and get a place to stay, you are in best shape. I'm not too sure there won't be delays from just slowness of operations that might force some delays. So flying in on day of cruise should be ok early but trickier if arriving around noon or later. I would also buffer in an extra long delay on transport to the port. Hard to predict detours for emergency repairs and the such.

 

Hope everyone who wants to make it is able to make it. Just pack extra supplies. No one wants to hear this but from the latest Tropical weather outlook:

 

1. An area of low pressure could form over the southwestern Gulf of

Mexico by the weekend. Development, if any, of this system is expected to be slow to occur as the low moves slowly northward.If this system does develop, it could bring additional rainfall to portions of the Texas and Louisiana coasts. However, any rainfall forecast is uncertain at this time range and it is too soon to determine any specific impacts. Interests in these areas should monitor the progress of this system for the next few days.* Formation chance through 48 hours...low...near 0 percent. * Formation chance through 5 days...low...20 percent.

[Coopdog08]

Oh yes....RCI's singer/songwriter/meteorologist. This guy has lost almost all credibility with people on the ship currently. His forecasts were an outlier and didn't match ANY prediction from any other credible source. He was saying only 1-2" Saturday night was going to fall when it was one of the worst nights. I know Mr. "Sunny Outlook" is the best Meteorologist they could find in their Entertainment Dept, but he's a joke.

 

During one of the Captain's Corners over the weekend someone asked what happened to him because he had seemed to disappear after we diverted when before we had his constant updates on the TV that everything was fine and the storm was passing and we'd be docking on schedule. The Captain's response was "I guess he must have gone back to College." For some reason they brought him on the ship with us when we docked in Miami, we've got a new headliner show tonight so maybe they are letting him try his hand at comedy too....

You think his credibility is bad on the ship you should check out all the people who were following him and made it to the area only to be now stuck. Guy should be fired! On his twitter he is playing it off like nothing happened. Obviously RC isn't holding him accountable as they to continue to take the heat.

[Cuizer2]

if there are no flights to Houston by one of the major air carriers (and I assume others) I am curious how can they sail? Do cruise lines still sell the air/sea package and have control of the air? Will they then have to refund these bookings?

 

If you are planning to fly in? You can always fly into Dallas or San Antonio. Then rent a car and dive to the port.

[Cuizer2]

Weather isn't going to be an issue at this point. I think some people won't be able to make the cruise either because they got stuff damaged or just can't get a flight in. I would put the odds of the ship sailing on time at about 95%

 

What data did you use to compute this figure?

[ukcats1996]

well we just got a email from united saying our flight to Houston on the 3rd was cancelled. call air to sea and they have no info on the cancell flight

[Traciewatson]

I tried to get on multiple flights from Phoenix to Houston over the weekend to go out on liberty of the seas and all my flights were canceled. Ended up flying in Saturday morning to Dallas, renting a car, and driving down to the port. Anyone from Texas have any recommendations on freeways to take that maybe less flooded to get from Dallas to Galveston? Thanks for the help!

[3monkeys4me]

I tried to get on multiple flights from Phoenix to Houston over the weekend to go out on liberty of the seas and all my flights were canceled. Ended up flying in Saturday morning to Dallas, renting a car, and driving down to the port. Anyone from Texas have any recommendations on freeways to take that maybe less flooded to get from Dallas to Galveston? Thanks for the help!

 

 

Someone that is local may be able to give you more help, but you can try drivetexas dot org. It should tell you route closures.

[yetidog]

You only need to cancel your cruise prior to the ship leaving port to use your insurance, so, personally, I would wait until the very last second to cancel.

 

Cancel for any reason generally requires a 48 hour notice of intent to do so computed on 12:01 am to 12:01 am periods.

[lbjen]

Mayor Turner just said the two ships are expected in on Friday (I assume there is still a Carnival ship out there too).

[cujosmom]

well we just got a email from united saying our flight to Houston on the 3rd was cancelled. call air to sea and they have no info on the cancell flight

 

I'd believe United. If they say the flight is cancelled, then the flight is cancelled. I wouldn't trust one word from Royal.

[lbjen]

I believe I-10 in from San Antonio is clear, as is 290. I have friends that come through Waco to get to and from Dallas.