Port of Galveston on the Decline?

[CryogenicSpecter]

As a Texan, I have cruised out of Galveston exclusively. It is simply closer and cheaper for me to do so. Looking at RCI's search results though, it looks like they are all but pulling out of Galveston. The Rhapsody leaves this month and there will be not royal Caribbean ship departing from Galveston until the Voyager arrives right before Christmas. Oddly, it will only be in Galveston until April and then return the following Christmas. That means NO RCI IN THE SUMMER!

 

I looked a bit more and it looks like Princess has already pulled out of Galveston and NCL is leaving Houston.

 

Anyone have any idea why this is happening? The only thing I can think is that they seem to be putting more ships in Asia and until the Genesis is ready, they are just running short. Of course there are other ports with several ships...

 

Anyway, now I have to figure out where to leave from. It seems that I am pretty much equidistant from both Florida and LA, if I drive and flying is about the same price too.... Who knows. Maybe things will change... Or I will suck it up and try Carnival.

[chessbriar]

They send the ships to where they can make the most money. Right now Europe is being flooded. I was reading my stock holder report from RCI and it mentioned 21% of RCCL's capacity it heading to Europe and they are staying longer. To make the most money, they need to look at the world as their customer base and not just America. 18% of their revenue comes from people from the UK. Compare the popluations of the 2 countries, I think we have a lot more people and it's save to say it's more than 4x the people eventhough people from the UK make up about 1/5. With RCI aquiring Pullmantur and being involved with Island Cruises, they are expanding internationally.

 

So ships pulling out of Galveston during the summer months is due more to the places the ship can go during the summer that they can't in the winter. Would you want to cruise Alaska or Norway in December?

 

The Brilliance of the Seas will be doing at least a full year and a half in Europe when it leaves next April/May for Europe.

 

The company is called Royal Caribbean International. Apparently, they are focusing on the International and not the Caribbean.

[frudutx]

As a Texan, I have cruised out of Galveston exclusively. It is simply closer and cheaper for me to do so. Looking at RCI's search results though, it looks like they are all but pulling out of Galveston. The Rhapsody leaves this month and there will be not royal Caribbean ship departing from Galveston until the Voyager arrives right before Christmas. Oddly, it will only be in Galveston until April and then return the following Christmas. That means NO RCI IN THE SUMMER!

 

I looked a bit more and it looks like Princess has already pulled out of Galveston and NCL is leaving Houston.

 

Anyone have any idea why this is happening? The only thing I can think is that they seem to be putting more ships in Asia and until the Genesis is ready, they are just running short. Of course there are other ports with several ships...

 

Anyway, now I have to figure out where to leave from. It seems that I am pretty much equidistant from both Florida and LA, if I drive and flying is about the same price too.... Who knows. Maybe things will change... Or I will suck it up and try Carnival.

 

I feel the same way. We cut our cruising teeth on Rhapsody out of Galveston and we're very sorry to see her leave. Frankly I don't think anyone who has cruised out of Galveston believes for one minute that lack of passengers has anything to do with RCCL pulling out of Galveston year round. We're pretty much in the same boat but, have decided that if we must now start to fly to cruise we'll start to try other lines also.

 

d

[CryogenicSpecter]

Right. Galveston is always crowded, and the cruise prices tend to be higher than in Miami, Port Canaveral, or Ft. Lauderdale (note *3* Florida cities within 20 to 30 minutes of each other!)

 

I understand that RCI is international, but being blunt, I am not and the number of ships that remain in the U.S. indicates that there is still money to be made. I simply do not understand why the decline in Galveston. Was it a change in Port charges?

 

I understand why they left New Orleans, at least temporarily, but I still wonder what the deal is in Texas. It is convienienly in the middle of the country even.

 

Thinking about it more and more makes me really think that... well... maybe Carnival is ... good enough.

[CryogenicSpecter]

I found another post that points out that there is a new terminal being built in Houston / Galveston. Anyone know if this has anything to do with it?

[Lamar Cheeks]

Having cruised twice out of Galveston, I can say we got really, really good prices for Splendour or Rhapsody ... so maybe they had trouble filling up the ships and had to drop prices as the sailings neared (both times in spring).

 

And, I wonder, being the penny-pinching Midwesterner that I am, if folks from the Midwest and Texas who populate those cruises don't spend as freely as folks on the coasts -- or Europeans. Maybe they didn't get as much money spent in the casinos or on the drinks.:confused:

[rsscaptain]

I just want to ask if you work in cryogenics? There was/is a cryogenics in Boston and it fascinates me!

[frudutx]

Having cruised twice out of Galveston, I can say we got really, really good prices for Splendour or Rhapsody ... so maybe they had trouble filling up the ships and had to drop prices as the sailings neared (both times in spring).

 

And, I wonder, being the penny-pinching Midwesterner that I am, if folks from the Midwest and Texas who populate those cruises don't spend as freely as folks on the coasts -- or Europeans. Maybe they didn't get as much money spent in the casinos or on the drinks.:confused:

 

I had seen that angle on another thread, that those that cruised from Galveston didn't seem to spend as much money as those who cruise from other ports. I spend more when I cruise from Galveston because I don't have to pay for airfare. Last year we actually took our kids on a cruise out of Galveston and booked 3 cabins. That was our forth cruise out of Galveston.

 

d

[CryogenicSpecter]

I do not work in Cryogenics, but they do fascinate me.

 

So, I found this info and it seems that there is going to be a SWEET new terminal in Galveston that is SUPPOSED to be done in 2008. Still, that does not help with the fall 2007 and summer 2008 times for me.

 

I was able to get GREAT deals on the Rhapsody and Splendour this past winter / spring. The best being a window on the Splendour for a 4 day for $220/person and a 5 day for $230/person! (imho those are WAY too short) I noticed that the prices were rock bottom all over though, not just in Galveston. I also noticed that prices on cruises any time of the year are cheaper from Jan to March. I suppose that since RCI is a corporation, they have to show quarterly earnings and have to show sales all the time. It makes sense that those months would be the slowest time for them and any future bookings help that number go up. Just a theory though.

 

Any ideas chessbriar?

 

Regardless, I will likely be cruising Carnival this fall. :( But who knows. I may like it.

[alcheme]

Right. Galveston is always crowded, and the cruise prices tend to be higher than in Miami, Port Canaveral, or Ft. Lauderdale (note *3* Florida cities within 20 to 30 minutes of each other!)

 

I understand that RCI is international, but being blunt, I am not and the number of ships that remain in the U.S. indicates that there is still money to be made. I simply do not understand why the decline in Galveston. Was it a change in Port charges?

 

I understand why they left New Orleans, at least temporarily, but I still wonder what the deal is in Texas. It is convienienly in the middle of the country even.

 

Thinking about it more and more makes me really think that... well... maybe Carnival is ... good enough.

 

First of all, though 20 to 30 minutes apart may be about right for FLL/MIA, Port Canaveral is much farther (about 200 miles from FLL). Port Canaveral has seen some reduction in traffic as well, and part of the problem with that port is that there is not a commercial airport. It's a bit of a drive to get passengers from MCO to the port. Galveston has a similar problem.

 

If you're tied to your home port, though, and there's not a RCI ship there, when you want to sail, there's nothing wrong with trying Carnival.

[CryogenicSpecter]

I am not exactly tied to that port, but I do not have kids, so I can cruise in the fall and spring for half to a third or less of the price as summer, spring break or Christmas. If I fly anywhere else, I am paying as much to fly there as I am for the cruise if not more, so it doesn't make much sense. I would rather just take a back to back cruise. :D

 

Speaking of the savings, the Splendour was sailing from Galveston for 4 days, just to Cozumel and back then a 5 day to Cozumel and Costa Maya. both for about $200 - 250/person I had considered booking back to back, but staying in Cozumel for the couple of days that the ship would be going back to Galveston. I am not sure that I would do this, but has anyone else tried it? It was cheaper than airfare!

[alcheme]

I am not exactly tied to that port, but I do not have kids, so I can cruise in the fall and spring for half to a third or less of the price as summer, spring break or Christmas.

 

:confused: Then why were you complaining about "NO RCI IN THE SUMMER!"??

[gnparend]

If you are in Texas the choice of LA vs FL I would suggest FL you have Miami, Port Canaveral, Ft. Lauderdale, and Tampa. The texas port is limited by distance to the Western Carib whereas in FL you have Eastern and also 10 or 11 day trips. The W Carib is getting old to regular cruisers. I've been to Cozumel so many timesI'm on a first name basis with most of the taxi drivers. It's all about profits. I'm sure all cruise line are trying to market their product and please the guest but they still have to turn a profit and if a markets can not support the ships they will cut back of leave. (i.e. nothing out of Philly next year for RCI hence the trip to Bermuda this year).

 

Also don't forget the San Juan port the airfare may not be much more than the trip to FL and you get 20+ ports in S. Carib.

[CryogenicSpecter]

:confused: Then why were you complaining about "NO RCI IN THE SUMMER!"??

 

It's not that I don't cruise in the summer, it's that flying is as expensive as an off peak cruise.

[clearlakecruisers]

"So, I found this info and it seems that there is going to be a SWEET new terminal in Galveston that is SUPPOSED to be done in 2008. "

 

 

CryogenicSpecter,

 

That is the Bayport Cruise Terminal of the Port of Houston. It is currently under construction and is located off Hwy 146 at Port Road on Galveston Bay just north of Seabrook. Last date of completion I heard was March 2008 - so it will probably be open by next summer. So far, no ships have been announced but those of us in the area are hoping that our politicians haven't dropped the ball on this one and that "if we build it, they will come".

[wolfganghowell]

As a Texan and a shareholder, I have very mixed feelings.

 

I bought stock at $46, my last statement was at $38. Thank goodness I plan to keep cruising so I'm 6 cruises away from breaking even at current prices. Ugh - get that stock up there please.

 

The demand for Europe is what is sending the ships away. After 9/11 the International market decreased significantly. Now people are once again more comfortable traveling internationally. I'm sure it will settle down and with all the new builds, we should be able to get more ships in American ports in the next few years. Ft Lauderdale is a great port city and airfare is quite reasonable there.

 

Also, let's be realistic. RCCL advertises to the family crowd but the profit margin lives and dies on alcohol and casino charges. While it is great for so many cruisers to "brag" about the $299-499 room rates,the same rooms are being sold much higher out of Europe. And the simple truth is that more kids onboard equals less profit. I've heard from many sources that the Texas ships did have less revenue on casino and alcohol. It could be that because so many people drove to port there was more alcohol smuggling - that's just a guess. The casino one surprises me because we have never really seen any difference - other than the casino being smaller on Rhapsody than the other ships we have been on.

 

I want my investment to pay off and I want a nice ship out of Galveston. It seems that for the foreseeable future I need to cruise on Voyager during her brief visit and prepare to fly again - which we are doing for our December 08 cruise. I feel this is temporary and that RCCL will not abandon Texas.

[Houtx1559]

"So, I found this info and it seems that there is going to be a SWEET new terminal in Galveston that is SUPPOSED to be done in 2008. "

 

 

CryogenicSpecter,

 

That is the Bayport Cruise Terminal of the Port of Houston. It is currently under construction and is located off Hwy 146 at Port Road on Galveston Bay just north of Seabrook. Last date of completion I heard was March 2008 - so it will probably be open by next summer. So far, no ships have been announced but those of us in the area are hoping that our politicians haven't dropped the ball on this one and that "if we build it, they will come".

 

There is one interesting thing to note. If you look at the prices for the Carnival ships out of Galveston this summer, and then look at next summers prices, you will notice that Carnival has much lower prices next summer. You think maybe they know that Bayport will be open, and there will be some competition there (that isn't there this summer)?

 

I have no doubt that NCL will use Bayport, the Captain of the Norwegian Dream told me that they would when I was on that ship out of Houston. Also remember that RCCL has new ships due to come on line in the next year or two. They will replace existing ships, and then those will be free to move to somewhere else, like Bayport.

 

No, nothing is definite yet as far as we know, but Carnival sure seems to expect some competition next year!

[firefly333]

There is one interesting thing to note. If you look at the prices for the Carnival ships out of Galveston this summer, and then look at next summers prices, you will notice that Carnival has much lower prices next summer. You think maybe they know that Bayport will be open, and there will be some competition there (that isn't there this summer)?

 

...No, nothing is definite yet as far as we know, but Carnival sure seems to expect some competition next year!

 

Carnival tends to start lower and gradually raise the prices. If you want to go on Carnival next year.....don't count on those prices still being that low this time next year.

 

The prices for this fall used to be just as cheap as what you are seeing for fall 2008. ....so no I dont think prices being lower for 2008 on Carnival means what you concluded at all :confused:

 

Im with everyone else and will miss RCI out of Galveston.

[Houtx1559]

Carnival tends to start lower and gradually raise the prices. If you want to go on Carnival next year.....don't count on those prices still being that low this time next year.

 

The prices for this fall used to be just as cheap as what you are seeing for fall 2008. ....so no I don't think prices being lower for 2008 on Carnival means what you concluded at all :confused:

 

Im with everyone else and will miss RCI out of Galveston.

 

True, most of the lines vary the price over time, but this is different. A little over a year ago, when there was more competition in Galveston, the DW & DD went on Carnival Conquest, at almost the same price they are showing for next year. Since we live so near Galveston DW has been tracking all the prices out of there for the past several years, and the increase this summer is noticeable. One of the complaints I have heard attributed to RCCL about Galveston was the pricing competition that forced them too low. In any case, I still think the reason for the price changes is competition, but we shall see.