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

[BearChick]

Thanks!!!

Sure! The Original is more TexMex, Rivera's is more "authentic" and also features Salvadoran dishes. Pick whichever best suits your palate. We ate at Rivera's almost weekly for years.

 

[lovetotraveltx]

Is BOI walking distance to ship? Also, BearChick where would you park for DCL?

 

[suziesas]

We are staying at harbor house the night before our cruise. What is a good restaurant within walking distance with a three year old?

 

[bwallace]

Is BOI walking distance to ship?

their website has a shot that shows you how close it is. it is directly across from terminal 1.

Terminal 2 is only 100-200 yard to the left of terminal 1.

having used them in December , I would definitely use them again.

 

[dpequignot]

I'm going to ck w Z limo also tomorrow since we are flying in night before and staying close to IAH for March 1 cruise but not sure i want the hassle of ground transfers

 

[UmmGooD]

Thank you. Sounds like downtown is not the way to go! I am going to look into the advantage rate. Maybe the price has dropped (which would be excellent). My son would love NASA if we could get a car that would be nice for him. Moody Gardens sounds really interesting as well. Thank you for the help.

Be careful with Advantage. I rented from them for business in Austin once and they don't always honor their reserved prices. I reserved a car and my company booked me to pick up the car at 4p.m. just because that was the default. I showed up at 5:30 to get the car because I went to get it after work and when I got there they said my car was rented and I would have to pay an extra $100 to upgrade because they didn't have anything in my class available. I ended up going over and thankfully Avis still had cars available. I don't know if they would do this if you were going to have a flight registered on your account but I thought it was very shady.

I have never rented from them sense because of that experience. Of course the office in IAH could be completely different than the one in Austin. Make sure you read reviews.

 

[lgajohnson]

Any advice on transportation? We are flying in to Hobby on Friday late morning and need to get to the Hotel Galvez for our 1 night stay before the cruise.

Then after the cruise, I am looking for transportation to the Magnolia Hotel in Houston. We are staying there for 1 night, and then flying out of Hobby in the morning.

So essentially I need:

Hobby to Galveston
port to Houston
hotel to Hobby

Any recommendations?

By the way, is the Magnolia Hotel a good choice for us? I am with my two children (11 and 6). We might just check out the zoo for the day. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[CatDenver]

This is a great thread and I appreciate all the guidance everyone has provided. It's been most helpful as I plan. We're on the Oct 26, 2013 cruise so lots of time but I like to research options and plan ahead.

I haven't booked flights yet as I'm awaiting Southwest to open up bookings for October. Galveston sounds like a fascinating place to visit. We're planning on flying in the day before and we're booked at the Hotel Galvez. We had planned on flying home the day we get back into port. I'm trying to decide if maybe we should stay the night and fly home the day after we get back into port. It's my husband, DS12 and DD9. It's our first cruise and not sure how we'll feel, ready to go home or wanting to extend the fall vacation one more day. Thoughts?

 

[riofriotex]

This is a great thread and I appreciate all the guidance everyone has provided. It's been most helpful as I plan. We're on the Oct 26, 2013 cruise so lots of time but I like to research options and plan ahead.

I haven't booked flights yet as I'm awaiting Southwest to open up bookings for October. Galveston sounds like a fascinating place to visit. We're planning on flying in the day before and we're booked at the Hotel Galvez. We had planned on flying home the day we get back into port. I'm trying to decide if maybe we should stay the night and fly home the day after we get back into port. It's my husband, DS12 and DD9. It's our first cruise and not sure how we'll feel, ready to go home or wanting to extend the fall vacation one more day. Thoughts?

This won't really help you, CatDenver, but for others sailing out of Galveston in December, January, February, and even into March, keep in mind the possibility of fog delays for the cruise ship (especially in January). The January 4 Magic sailing's disembarkation was delayed about 7 hours because the port was closed due to dense fog. About the same thing happened about the same time last year, only we were affected on our departure. We'd just checked out of our hotel at noon, when I got a call from RCCL telling us not to come to the port before 6 PM as their previous cruise had just arrived, about five hours late.

Fortunately, I'd been following the discussion boards over on CruiseCritic.com, so I knew this could happen (we killed time last year by driving over to the Hotel Galvez for their excellent Sunday brunch, and then doing the self-guided carved tree stump tour). We drive to Galveston so it didn't really affect us this year (other than having to cancel a planned brunch with a family member, and do the last 3.5 hours of our drive home in the dark), but a lot of people were negatively affected.

I would strongly suggest that anyone flying out of Galveston in the fog-prone months just plan on flying home the day after the cruise, to reduce the chances of having to reschedule everything. If that's not possible, then be sure to have good travel insurance.

I don't think October is a fog-prone month (I can't possibly sail in October, so I don't know) - maybe someone more knowledgeable about Galveston weather then will chime in. There's lots to do in Galveston no matter what you decide.

 

[pluto1974]

This is an excellent thread. It's the first time i'm hearing about fog at Galveston. We're going on the Jan 26 Magic western carribean cruise. Luckily we're flying out the next day because we wanted to see a little bit of Galveston (going to Pleasure Pier, maybe the duck tour depending on the weather, then checking out Mardi Gras).

How far does the fog go inland and does the fog affect traffic to and from IAH airport? Should we leave extra early for the airport if there is fog?

 

[mmouse37]

Very late coming to the party and I will admit I do not have time to read the whole thread as I may book a last minute cruise out of Galveston and want some info before I actually book......

Is Hobby closer to the port than IAH? How far are both to Glaveston? Would a taxi be feasible from Hobby for just 2 adults?

Thx

MJ

 

[riofriotex]

Is Hobby closer to the port than IAH?

Hobby is MUCH closer than IAH. Southwest flies into Hobby and they are typically a less expensive airline. To get to Galveston from IAH, you must go through downtown Houston, and sometimes traffic can be quite bad.

 

[riofriotex]

This is an excellent thread. It's the first time i'm hearing about fog at Galveston. We're going on the Jan 26 Magic western carribean cruise. Luckily we're flying out the next day because we wanted to see a little bit of Galveston (going to Pleasure Pier, maybe the duck tour depending on the weather, then checking out Mardi Gras).

How far does the fog go inland and does the fog affect traffic to and from IAH airport? Should we leave extra early for the airport if there is fog?

Smart move, to fly out the next day! I'm no expert on fog, but typically, once it's burned off enough in Galveston for the ship to dock, it's probably burned off enough everywhere else to not affect traffic. I don't live in the Houston-Galveston area any more though (grew up there, but that was years ago), so hopefully a current resident will chime in.

 

[mmouse37]

Very late coming to the party and I will admit I do not have time to read the whole thread as I may book a last minute cruise out of Galveston and want some info before I actually book......

Is Hobby closer to the port than IAH? How far are both to Glaveston? Would a taxi be feasible from Hobby for just 2 adults?

Thx

MJ

Thank you....

MJ

 

[tictoc]

We weren't really planning a vacation this spring break. We went to London in September and Los Angeles (including Disneyland) in November so I guess the assumption was we would stay home in March. My husband is also overbooked at work and my oldest son committed to a Scouting Trainers Edge staff position that week.

Fate, however, sent me an email that kids sail free from Galveston. After some research I learned that they do not sail free on the week long trip but I could leave on 3/15 and return on 3/19 which is kinda like spring break. The kids would only miss 2 days of school and the 15th is my younger sons birhday. So I booked it.

I had it all planned to be dropped off at the pier on the 15th and picked up on the 19th. Then I ran smack dab into THIS thread! I became intrigued with all of your posts about the fun in Galveston. I have lived in Houston (Humble) my entire life, but never get out there. So now I have booked the Moody Gardens Hotel on the 12th with a 2 day pass package and the Harbor House on Pier 21 on the 13th and 14th. We will spend the 12th and 13th exploring MG and the 14th on the strand and doing the Harbor Tour. My husband will join us on the last night celebrating my son's birthdayand then we will cruise outta there!

Gina--thanks for starting this thread; and to the rest of you, thanks for feeding my addiction!

 

[tictoc]

Any advice on transportation? We are flying in to Hobby on Friday late morning and need to get to the Hotel Galvez for our 1 night stay before the cruise.

Then after the cruise, I am looking for transportation to the Magnolia Hotel in Houston. We are staying there for 1 night, and then flying out of Hobby in the morning.

So essentially I need:

Hobby to Galveston
port to Houston
hotel to Hobby

Any recommendations?



By the way, is the Magnolia Hotel a good choice for us? I am with my two children (11 and 6). We might just check out the zoo for the day. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

I do nt know that hotel specificaly, but Hoby Airport is in a very bad part of Houston I would nt stay there withmy kids alone.

 

[Gina]

I'm so glad this thread is still helping people! If anyone feels there's something that I should add to the first post, please let me know and I will!!


-gina-

 

[Pocahantas]

We just returned today from the Feb 9th sailing. It was a great cruise. Just wanted to give info on parking. We booked with BOI Valet even though there were very few reviews that I could find. We are very happy with our choice. We easily found the building (even though it has no signs) using the directions on our confirmation. The owner was very nice. We were there very early on the 9th (like 9:30 a.m.) but he told us he was able to park us then without a problem. My husband drove us to terminal 2, we unloaded the luggage and then waited for him to go park the car. He might have been gone 15 minutes at the most. Very easy. When we returned from the cruise we called BOI after clearing customs. My husband walked over and the car was waiting at the curb. He picked us up and we were on our way in less than 15 minutes. Very quick and easy and worth the few extra dollars IMO.

 

[Mageemommy]

So just a word of advice, the Holiday Inn at sunspree does NOT have a "complimentary" shuttle and parking, even after they told me they did. You have to pay 10 dollars a person for the shuttle. But the funny part is, the shuttle only drops off, it will not pick you up! I booked this hotel online after I called the hotel and was told about the free parking and shuttle, only to find out it is not free......and you have to find your own way back to your car after your cruise.

 

[txaggie94gigem]

i stayed at the hilton and it was very nice with free cruise parking and shuttle