If you have sailed from Galveston...What would you do?

[Mastiff]

We are sailing out of Galveston in December and trying to finalize plans. We will be flying in to Houston, IAH, the day before the cruise leaves. Based on flights we most likely won't get in to IAH until sometime after 3:00 p.m.

So would you:

1. Spend the night at the hotel at the airport and just take the shuttle in the morning to the port?

2. Take the shuttle to Galveston and spend the evening/night in Galveston at a hotel there and be there on the morning we sail?

3. Other suggestions?

Thanks for your help!

 

[stsomewhere]

We are spending the nigh in Galveston.

 

[Centex]

I would stay at a hotel in Galveston. Try to find one that provides free transport to the cruise terminal.

 

[ILuvWishes!]

I agree with the others. Go directly to Galveston and spend a night there. It will be much better than listening to airplanes all night long. Probably a lot more relaxing, too. Plenty of great hotels and restaurants to choice from.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

My boss flew in the DAY OF their cruise, and it was kind of a nightmare for them to get to the ship. They were scheduled to board the ship at 11:30, yet they didn't even get there until 12:30 or after. Better safe than sorry!

 

[justmestace]

I'm not sure, after our cruise out of Galveston, how many hotels provide transport to the terminal. Not many, if any, that I could find.

If you stay in Galveston, you'll have to pay for transport to the terminal, so it might be better to stay near the airport and just take the transportation over (and back) that's provided.

We got to Galveston early, so we stayed at a hotel. We had a town car take us TO Galveston, and come get us after the cruise. But we still had to pay a taxi to take us to the terminal in the morning.

If you fly in that late in the afternoon, by the time you get your luggage and get to Galveston, all you'll be doing is having dinner and going to bed. No time to see the sights.

 

[s232271]

I'm not sure, after our cruise out of Galveston, how many hotels provide transport to the terminal. Not many, if any, that I could find.

If you stay in Galveston, you'll have to pay for transport to the terminal, so it might be better to stay near the airport and just take the transportation over (and back) that's provided.

We got to Galveston early, so we stayed at a hotel. We had a town car take us TO Galveston, and come get us after the cruise. But we still had to pay a taxi to take us to the terminal in the morning.

If you fly in that late in the afternoon, by the time you get your luggage and get to Galveston, all you'll be doing is having dinner and going to bed. No time to see the sights.

there a quite a few hotels that offer shuttles to the port. I know we stayed at the San Luis, the Hotel Galvez and the Holiday Inn and they all had free transportation......and the Harbor House is right next to the ships. If you research I am sure there are MANY others that have free shuttles.

 

[weHEARTmickey]

We stayed in the HI Sunspree. (Of course we left our car there, but it was ONLY $20 for the whole week in a lit & locked parking lot with security cameras.) Free shuttle to the port, but I'm not sure if they charged for those who didn't pay the $20 fee?

 

[Nikkim]

We flew in about the same time as you and booked a rental car. Drove to Four Points by Sheraton in Galveston, stayed there the night and left the car there for the week (for free!!). The rental car was cheaper than shuttles would have been. We then got a taxi to the port for $15 (incl tip) and then got a taxi back to the hotel after the cruise.
Hope that helps.
Nikki
x

 

[m4travel]

If you book your Galveston hotel through DCL, you can arrange to use DCL transport from IAH to the hotel to the ship and then ship to IAH on return. Disney will schedule your travel the day before sailing with a hotel reservation. Day-of transport only without a hotel ressie.

We could have booked the hotel (Galvez) directly for less money, but would have paid more for a rental car than the cost of Disney transfers for us both ($30/pp/each way).

It was simpler to let Disney do the driving.

 

[Pinocchio #1 Fan]

We are leaving from Galveston next October, and we are already planning on arriving two days early. We booked Hotel Galvez through DCL and are using DCL transfers both ways for the airport. This added about $540 to the price of our cruise, but it makes it all hassle free, and to me that's worth more than the $100 or so I may or may not have saved putting it all together on my own.

 

[maryrego]

Hilton in Galveston also has free shuttle to the port
Also we got a 7 pax SUV transfer price from Houston Town Car and Limo for $145. Each Way

 

[TinksMomma]

We spend the night in Galveston after flying into HOU. I would recommend a car service over a rental car because logistically it was a PITA!!

 

[Mastiff]

Thanks for all the great information!

We will for sure be coming in the day before the cruise and we may stay an extra night in Galveston after the cruise.

How long of a drive is it from IAH to Galveston? For some reason I thought I heard 1 1/2 hours? Is that correct?

Thanks again! This is so helpful!

 

[niki2576]

yes, it is about an hour and a half from IAH to Galveston seawall.

I would reccomend staying in Galveston the night you fly in. There can be traffic at any place in Houston at any time. I would not want to risk anything happening.

 

[syrumani]

I would fly in the night before, and then stay in Galveston. That way, any issues with traffic wouldn't affect your getting on board the next day.

We are cruising in May 2013 from Galveston, and we will be driving from San Antonio the day before . .

 

[s232271]

I would fly in the night before, and then stay in Galveston. That way, any issues with traffic wouldn't affect your getting on board the next day.

We are cruising in May 2013 from Galveston, and we will be driving from San Antonio the day before . .

We are on the may 10th cruise and will probably stay at the Hotel Galvez the night before

 

[lovetotraveltx]

I would sleep in Galveston. Pick a hotel that has a free shuttle to cruise ship!

 

[ksucats]

We stayed in the HI Sunspree. (Of course we left our car there, but it was ONLY $20 for the whole week in a lit & locked parking lot with security cameras.) Free shuttle to the port, but I'm not sure if they charged for those who didn't pay the $20 fee?

That is where we will be staying in March. We are actually going to be there 2 days before the cruise. I hadn't looked into where to leave our car yet, but glad to know that we have an option to leave it at the hotel & get shuttled over. Our cruise is only 4 days, so not sure if that makes a difference or not.

 

[m4travel]

We're flying into IAH on May 9th, DCL is taking us to the Hotel Galvez in Galveston, and then transporting us to the ship on the 10th. We've always arrived a day or, depending upon the port, more earlier than sailing.