All Things Galveston (Updated - 5/21/14)

[ukintheus]

I have posted earlier on this but wanted to get clear advice from anyone who has recently cruised from Galveston. It has been posted the first bus for Hobby leaves at 9am, it is about an hours drive so I can safely assume I can get to Hobby around 10am, correct? If I book a private transfer what is the earliest time people have been able to get off the boat and thru customs? I want to book a return flight out of Hobby at 11:35, it would be close with the Disney transport but I am assuming I could get a private transfer and have more time. Someone with recent experience, could you please tell me what time I can reasonably be at the curb for private pick up if my family is standing at the lobby door waiting for disembarkation to start? Thanks so much for any advice.

We were on the 10/13 sailing and I think you can safely say you could be off at about 8:30 am at the latest. I think you can make an 11:35 am flight out of Hobby. We had breakfast at 8:15 am in Parrot Cay, got off the ship about 9 am and could have easily been to Hobby by about 10:30 am and that's with picking up our car from the parking lot and circling back around to pick up the rest of our group.

 

[chrissybean]

So I have booked the galvez for the day before the cruise when I arrive but is it a mistake to stay for the two days after the disney cruise in downtown houston should I just stay at the galvez again. I was afraid that it might be cold anyways since it is january. Any advice would be appreciated--Thanks

 

[cruisecrasher]

EZ Cruise was super easy for parking the Nov 17 cruise.

 

[cruisecrasher]

Hmmm. Thinking this might be the way to go, whenever they start offering this.

Or for those who can't see the picture:
"The new Disney Cruise Line Motorcoach Transfer Program offers a convenient and comfortable way for you to travel to and from the Galveston cruise terminal. This service operates by picking you up from a number of regional locations.
West Houston: Katy Rosenberg, Sugarland, Pearland, West side of Houston
North Houston: Conroe, Woodlands, Magnolia, Tomball, North side of Houston
Austin: Round Rock, Cedar Park and various Austin locations
Dallas/Fort Worth: Various locations in both cities
San Antonio: Various locations in San Antonio"

Have these started yet? Because I was totally unaware of them and would have loved to use them.

Anybody have experience or reviews?

 

[Chee Chick]

I wanted to report back on the hotel we stayed at 11/16 before our cruise. We stayed at the Holiday Inn on the Beach. We didn't have a great experience at the hotel. The room was dirty and run down IMO. I saw another poster last week complain about the band being loud in the hotel bar. The hotel bar is obviously a local hangout. There was no where to park when we arrived late in the evening. My biggest complaint was the shuttle back from the cruise terminal. We waited way over an hour on the curb. They serviced the Carnival ship first that was also in port. Then when a bus finally arrived, there was no more room for luggage. The shuttle was shared with the Hilton and the San Luis hotels. Just a warning for those staying at these three hotels.

I did see at least two shuttles from the Hotel Galvez and Tremont House while waiting. They shared a shuttle bus and obviously had better service.


We will stay elsewhere next time and park near the port

 

[Gina]

West Houston: Katy Rosenberg, Sugarland, Pearland, West side of Houston

Interesting.... Instead of living less than 30 minutes from Galveston, I suddenly not only live in Houston but in West Houston! Did DCL use iMaps to come up with that?? LOL

 

[cruisecrasher]

Interesting.... Instead of living less than 30 minutes from Galveston, I suddenly not only live in Houston but in West Houston! Did DCL use iMaps to come up with that?? LOL

I think this could be awesome, but could also stink. It all depends on price and time available. I'd love a 8:15 am direct from the Woodlands that arrives around 10. I wouldn't want to arrive later. Or have to stop in all the cities listed for a region, either.
Didn't think of that until after I'd turned in the survey, though.
And anything over $30/seat and its too much for this family of four.

 

[GetGlowing]

We stayed at the Country Inn & Suites in Galveston for two nights before our cruise on Nov 10 and I would recommend it. We had good front desk service, and our room was fine. Plus, when we woke up on the morning of the cruise and looked out our balcony window, we could see our ship waiting for us! Our room had a fridge and microwave, which I always appreciate in a room even if I don't use them. The breakfast was included and had a good variety. The hotel is right on the seawall within walking distance of food & entertainment. I am on the Country Inn email list and was able to book an email-only discount, too, so it was less than $200 for both nights.

View from our balcony (zoomed in)

I'm glad we went to Galveston a day early. It's a great town! I didn't know what to expect. We visited the Railroad Museum and drove through the historical districts. We also had dinner at the Rainforest Cafe since we had a gift card. (Wouldn't have done that otherwise -- fish tacos were really good).

I also snapped some photos of some of the parking locations we saw while touring. We parked at the pier's official parking lot since my dad is a disabled veteran and gets free parking there. (TAs also get free parking -- show your ID at the parking gate and you will have to go to their office to fill out a form and get your parking pass).

It seemed like all the "off-site" parking lots were closer than the pier's own parking lots.

EZ Cruise Parking -- one option for parking your car at Galveston -- across from the Railroad Museum

EZ Cruise Parking

Lighthouse Cruise Parking near the terminal (and Railroad museum)

 

[dittymau]

Off the magic on 11/17 and used Lighthouse parking, mixed review... When we arrived at 10:15am they said one shuttle was broken down so we had to wait 10 minutes for the ex-Hertz shuttle to arrive and unload. They had plenty of help so loading went fast. First stop was Terminal 1 (CCL) where most got off but us and another couple. Then we waited while they stuffed a bunch of people off the Carnival ship, that was a pain. Second stop was Term 2, the DCL stop. Got off (no thanks to the cranky Carnival cruisers) and checked in just fine. When we returned off the boat at 8:50, picked up luggage through customs and on the curb easily in 10 minutes. Left SO and luggage there hoped on the bus where the driver complained they had several call in sick so not much help with the luggage. Picked up the car circled back to pick up luggage and out of the port area by 9:15am.

Future I will drop luggage at terminal first, park car and walk back to term 2, it is not that far...

Cheers

 

[princessmommyx3]

Off the magic on 11/17 and used Lighthouse parking, mixed review... When we arrived at 10:15am they said one shuttle was broken down so we had to wait 10 minutes for the ex-Hertz shuttle to arrive and unload. They had plenty of help so loading went fast. First stop was Terminal 1 (CCL) where most got off but us and another couple. Then we waited while they stuffed a bunch of people off the Carnival ship, that was a pain. Second stop was Term 2, the DCL stop. Got off (no thanks to the cranky Carnival cruisers) and checked in just fine. When we returned off the boat at 8:50, picked up luggage through customs and on the curb easily in 10 minutes. Left SO and luggage there hoped on the bus where the driver complained they had several call in sick so not much help with the luggage. Picked up the car circled back to pick up luggage and out of the port area by 9:15am.

Future I will drop luggage at terminal first, park car and walk back to term 2, it is not that far...

Cheers

Thanks for the feedback. I have Lighthouse reserved for our cruise in Feb and I had already planned for DH to drop off me and our 3 DD's (as you can imagine we will have lots of bags) at the terminal before parking the car, but I am happy to hear that it is within walking distance. I will tell him to just walk instead of messing with the shuttle.

 

[mareed]

We also used Lighthouse parking w/ cruise starting 11/17 and will use them again. No frills, basic, but they were quite nice and helped us with luggage (even though we didn't really need it so I then felt obligated to tip). We arrived shortly after 10:35 and were immediately loaded on the bus which left with only us onboard and were dropped off at DCL terminal less than 10 minutes from the time we pulled into their parking lot.

When we left - again we were a bit behind the other poster looking at times, and we left the ship around 9:20 - got our bags (skipping an enormous long line for those needing porter assistance w/ luggage) and right through customs. Went to the designated Lighthouse parking spot and bus pulled up within 2 minutes and we loaded with a few others and went right to the parking lot.

I think like Disney park buses, it can vary depending on timing and whether you've just missed a bus. Probably also varies depending on whether another ship is in port. On 11/17, DCL was only ship, but for our return on 11/24 Carnival ship was also there but got in later than us, so I think people weren't leaving yet.

 

[Pocahantas]

Has anyone heard of or used Island Cruise Parking?? Looks like they are right across from Terminal 2 on Harborside Drive.

 

[m4travel]

Someone [mareed?] posted yesterday about Lighthouse Parking. They also posted a picture which showed the parking facility and the ship at the end of the street - maybe a couple of blocks?

Didn't find an 'Island Parking' in a Google search.

 

[Pocahantas]

Someone [mareed?] posted yesterday about Lighthouse Parking. They also posted a picture which showed the parking facility and the ship at the end of the street - maybe a couple of blocks?

Didn't find an 'Island Parking' in a Google search.

I did see the info on Lighthouse but somehow also ran across Island Cruise Parking's website. Here is a link:

Island Cruise Parking

 

[m4travel]

Good for you, Pocahantas! I even ran a second Google search for Island Cruise Parking, but didn't turn up anything either.

Ah, well; the mysteries of the internet!

And has anyone used them? We're flying into IAH (from Mexico City) rather than driving - and it's our first time in Galveston - so we have no advice to share.

 

[m4travel]

Looks like its real name is Cruise Park Galvestan (or Galvestan Cruise Park) and it looks like it's just across the street from the piers.

 

[dittymau]

Oh yes, second on that long porter line, I am glad we were able to just wheel our luggage ourselves, a porter would have been a wait, not sure how long...

 

[dittymau]

Oh yes, second on that long porter line, I am glad we were able to just wheel our luggage ourselves, a porter would have been a wait, not sure how long...

My quesstimate is about 1.5 blocks on Harborside and the 1.5 blocks on 29th street from Terminal 2 to Lighthouse Parking.

 

[Irelandsmom]

A question about staying at Hotel Galvez before and using Disney transportation (I booked both through Disney)....how do they know what time to pick you up at IAH the day before the cruise to take you to Hotel Galvez? We are flying in very late 2 nights before the cruise and staying by the airport at a Houston hotel and then taking a hotel shuttle back to IAH to take the Disney transportation the day before our cruise - I called and asked this question and the lady said there will be someone waiting by the luggage pick-up......so there will be someone waiting all day and there is different limos for everyone?

 

[Mastiff]

Irleandsmom, I was just about to ask the same question!

We just purchased transfers from IAH to Hotel Galvez for the night before our cruise and transfers and 1 night at Hotel Galvez after our cruise with transfers back to IAH.

We have our cruise docs but they don't show our transfers or hotel reservation since I booked this later. I do have the DCL reservation confirmation showing transfers and the hotel before/after our cruise but don't I need any type of paper doc?

So when I fly in to IAH the day before the cruise are there DCL people there all day? My TA said that I wouldn't need anything I just look for the DCL people with the Mickey hands and they will get us to the correct place.

For those that have gone this route is this how it works? Same for after the cruise?

Thanks