RCCL Galveston Port Parking

[jennellen]

Have upcoming September cruise and it will be my first one out of the new terminal location for RCCL.  Looking at the map the closest parking seems to be the official Port Parking.  For people who have gone out of the new terminal is the port parking the best, even if more expensive?  And which lot would you recommend.  The new terminal looks amazing BTW and I'm really looking forward to seeing it myself.

[TxShipShape]

I been using EZ cruise for years and have used them for my first two RCCL out of the new terminal.  But I tried port parking for my third trip, and I don't think I will go back to EZ Cruise when sailing RCCL. it saves a bit of time and stress getting parked. Luggage drop off is a lot more efficient and the cost is not that much more.

 

Tip. before going thru the final boarding check get some pictures with the band.

 

BTW I will still always use EZ cruise for my Carnival cruises.  They have always been great.

 

[jennellen]

I've used EZ Parking and then Lighthouse too, and they've both been great.  But with the convenience of the new port parking to the RCCL terminal that's the way I'm leaning.  And really the cost isn't that much more it seems.  Which lot did you park in at the Port Parking?  Did you use the shuttle service?  Thx

[jennellen]

Adding to this to say that if you're going to use the official Port of Galveston parking, if you use the promo code AlexTheCruiser24 you will get $20 off your parking.  I don't know how long this will last. I used it yesterday and it worked.  It also stacked with any loyalty points discount you have.  

[cruiselvr04]

The parking right by the terminal is the easiest.  However they have gone from $18 a day to $23 a day now. It’s more expensive to park there than the San Pedro pier in LA! 

[GoingPlacesSoon]

Have always used Port Parking, getting covered parking is important to me.  Last cruise out of there was a hail storm, and my next cruise is during hurricane season.  They have a loyalty program, and I can't imagine going with other open lots.

[clearlake_cruiser]

Fed up with price gouging...

We live 30 miles from Galveston, but just have to say the Pier 10 (Official Port Parking) prices have gotten ridiculously high 😲

 

Looking at Harmony OTS 8-nighter in September 2024 and the cheapest (not covered) is $202.68. That works out to $25/ day! It goes up from there for closer in North lot uncovered.

EZ-Cruise is $182. Still too high. Plus it is getting to peak hurricane season.

 

Thinking of maybe one way Uber/Lyft to the ship ($42); and for return, take RCCL shuttle to Hobby with a short Uber home. Anybody tried that as a cost effective alternative???

[ssb]

[Inconspicuous]

I finally just bit the bullet and booked covered parking with Port Parking for a 7 night cruise in September.  This same parking option for 7 nights in March 2020 was $75; I went back and looked up what I had paid.  This year, it's $158.  More than a 100% increase in only 4 years, which is absolutely ridiculous.

 

Didn't find any other better options that have good Google reviews.

 

Parking in Galveston is such a racket now.  Not sure if anything can be done to regulate it but there's simply no other option if you're in a position where you have to drive to port, and the parking companies know it.  

[Galveston Cruiser]

Costs have increased exponentially on everything since 2020; taxes, insurance, wages, etc. 

Electricity rates have more than tripled as well as property taxes and insurance.  

It's expensive on the island for all of us.

[ssb]

15 hours ago, Inconspicuous said:

I finally just bit the bullet and booked covered parking with Port Parking for a 7 night cruise in September.  This same parking option for 7 nights in March 2020 was $75; I went back and looked up what I had paid.  This year, it's $158.  More than a 100% increase in only 4 years, which is absolutely ridiculous.

 

Didn't find any other better options that have good Google reviews.

 

Parking in Galveston is such a racket now.  Not sure if anything can be done to regulate it but there's simply no other option if you're in a position where you have to drive to port, and the parking companies know it.  

There is parking competition in Galveston . Try Discount Parking and Ez, Port , and others . Everything is close in Galveston.  

Edited June 20 by ssb

[Inconspicuous]

Discount Cruise Parking is $92, with uncovered parking as the only option.

 

EZ Parking is $160, with uncovered parking as the only option.

 

Port of Galveston Parking Garage is uncovered, $178 or $200 depending on which lot you pick.

 

Lighthouse is $120 for uncovered and $145 for covered (which is just a canopy over the cars, not enclosed like Port Parking is).

 

Patriot Cruise Parking is $152 for covered, $111 for uncovered, but their Google reviews were just awful about 5-8 months ago when I first started looking.  Seems like they've improved, but $16 more for a place I had a good experience with previously and has a hookup for our EV is worth it.    

 

Still unbelievable rates - and if the local government in Galveston had something to do with it, then they should unwind whatever they did.  However, from reading around, it sounds like these companies saw what RC was charging for their parking when their new terminal opened up, and saw that customers willingly paid it, and thus increased their rates as well to follow suit.  

[Galveston Cruiser]

4 hours ago, Inconspicuous said:

Discount Cruise Parking is $92, with uncovered parking as the only option.

 

EZ Parking is $160, with uncovered parking as the only option.

 

Port of Galveston Parking Garage is uncovered, $178 or $200 depending on which lot you pick.

 

Lighthouse is $120 for uncovered and $145 for covered (which is just a canopy over the cars, not enclosed like Port Parking is).

 

Patriot Cruise Parking is $152 for covered, $111 for uncovered, but their Google reviews were just awful about 5-8 months ago when I first started looking.  Seems like they've improved, but $16 more for a place I had a good experience with previously and has a hookup for our EV is worth it.    

 

Still unbelievable rates - and if the local government in Galveston had something to do with it, then they should unwind whatever they did.  However, from reading around, it sounds like these companies saw what RC was charging for their parking when their new terminal opened up, and saw that customers willingly paid it, and thus increased their rates as well to follow suit.  

The Port of Galveston controls the parking at RCL terminal.  Don't blame RCL and don't blame the Port.  

It costs to build parking lots with required infrastructure.

Supply and demand is in every business model.

And, as stated above, being on the island is expensive.

Spend thousands on a cruise yet complain about parking costs for your EV???

[Inconspicuous]

1 minute ago, Galveston Cruiser said:

The Port of Galveston controls the parking at RCL terminal.  Don't blame RCL and don't blame the Port.  

It costs to build parking lots with required infrastructure.

Supply and demand is in every business model.

And, as stated above, being on the island is expensive.

Spend thousands on a cruise yet complain about parking costs for your EV???

 

Doesn't matter that it's an EV, it's a car just like any other.  It's nice that Port Parking has EV hookups, but they had them 4 years ago and for the most part, vehicles parking at them aren't pulling all that much power from those hookups.  Just a one time boost up with essentially no power draw after that.

 

Spend thousands on a cruise...and then what?  What's a reasonable parking rate?  It's a separate cost.  Should Disney cruisers pay more for parking because they pay more for their cruise?  

 

Supply and demand certainly plays into this, but cruises were sailing plenty full prior to COVID.  What's changed?  Of course labor costs have gone up, and apparently utility and taxes have gone up as well, but enough to justify over 100% increase?  I'm sure there was a ton of demand once cruise lines got back up to full capacity and it makes sense that demand would boost those parking costs up.  When do they come back down?  Answer is they won't, because the parking companies there saw all that money roll in and they know cruisers are stuck having to pay it.  

[ssb]

2 hours ago, Inconspicuous said:

 

Doesn't matter that it's an EV, it's a car just like any other.  It's nice that Port Parking has EV hookups, but they had them 4 years ago and for the most part, vehicles parking at them aren't pulling all that much power from those hookups.  Just a one time boost up with essentially no power draw after that.

 

Spend thousands on a cruise...and then what?  What's a reasonable parking rate?  It's a separate cost.  Should Disney cruisers pay more for parking because they pay more for their cruise?  

 

Supply and demand certainly plays into this, but cruises were sailing plenty full prior to COVID.  What's changed?  Of course labor costs have gone up, and apparently utility and taxes have gone up as well, but enough to justify over 100% increase?  I'm sure there was a ton of demand once cruise lines got back up to full capacity and it makes sense that demand would boost those parking costs up.  When do they come back down?  Answer is they won't, because the parking companies there saw all that money roll in and they know cruisers are stuck having to pay it.  

Guess you have answered your own thoughts and questions . Enjoy your cruise . 

Edited June 21 by ssb

[Texas Tillie]

11 hours ago, ssb said:

Guess you have answered your own thoughts and questions . Enjoy your cruise . 

 

The person complaining about parking costs sounds like that crazy politician whose line was "the rent's too damn high"!!😁