Disney Leaving Galveston?

[LSUfan4444]

Was not Disney looking an New Orleans as a possible port a few years ago? Or was that just a rumor?

Living in New Orleans with people involved with the Port I heard here was definitely conversations but Disney has many conversations with alot of ports. One of the sticking points I heard was that Disney wanted their own terminal and that became an issue.

 

[LullabeeDisney]

It's practically impossible to "fall" overboard. You'd have to work at it to do so. Most of the people who go overboard were doing something stupid (sitting on the railing, or drunk), or did so deliberately.

Fires onboard - Princess has had them, Carnival has had them, Disney has had them. I think you'd be hard pressed to find cruise line that hasn't had a fire onboard at one time or another.

Captain running into a rock, abandoning ship, causing multiple deaths - that was Costa. And really a bad egg captain. Certainly not the norm.

When I looked up the run ashore boat it listed it as an umbrella business of Carnival. I'm not knocking folks who wish to use them (obviously), just that my comfort level with them isn't that great.

Side note- I have diagnosed anxiety, so I realise it can happen on any ship/cruise line, but because of the bad press CC has received, my anxiety goes "nope"

 

[PrincessShmoo]

When I looked up the run ashore boat it listed it as an umbrella business of Carnival. I'm not knocking folks who wish to use them (obviously), just that my comfort level with them isn't that great.

Side note- I have diagnosed anxiety, so I realise it can happen on any ship/cruise line, but because of the bad press CC has received, my anxiety goes "nope"

Yes, Costa, as well as Princess (and Holland America, for that matter) are all under the Carnival umbrella. But all are independently operated companies.

 

[AMusicLifeForMe]

I did one cruise out of Galveston. In many ways, it is some of the most planning I have done for a cruise. My Dad and I couldn't fly to George Bush, because every airline that flew into there was so expensive. We ended up saving money flying Southwest to Hobby and getting a private driver to take us to the port. All of that planning, and we could have visited the same ports by going out of Port Canaveral. In some ways, it could save Disney money not having to sail all the way from Galveston, and they can get more sailings in. I realize the convenience factor for all of us in the Mid-West, but I still prefer to leave for a Bahamas cruise out of Florida after that experience.

 

[cyclenut]

Recently moved to just north of Dallas and have sailed out of Galveston twice. Once on Carnival and once on Disney. Disney was to CC and Nassau and was supposed to include Key West. We liked that itinerary because you can't get that with anyone else out of Galveston. The Carnival Breeze is currently sailing out of Gavleston and Carnival keeps bringing their better product to that port. I hear the Vista is next for Galveston. They also offer attractive pricing. My guess is that they make enough money in Galveston but that they also get people hooked on trying Carnival who may be willing to take their next cruise on a different ship from a different port.

Carnival is doing a really good job of reinventing their brand and these newer ships are very nice. It will be tough for Disney to compete if they are really going head to head in Galveston. There isn't enough "Disney Difference" there. It's also inconvenient to fly into Houston and then shuttle down to the port, for those who have to fly. Hotel options are scattered as well.

Once there are more ships on the water, I'm guessing that Disney will leave the Wonder out on the west coast. It may still do the PC because that is popular, but they are not leaving Alaska anytime soon and the Wonder's size is well suited for those itineraries. Unfortunately the Mexican Riviera is not a big seller, forcing Disney to find alternatives to the west coast during the Alaska off-season.

My conclusion is that once there are more ships on the water, Disney will put the Magic in Europe, the Wonder in the West, with occasional months in Galveston, the Dream may go up the coast to NYC and perhaps one of the newer ships will take the Dream itinerary. Just guesses though.

 

[KalamityJane]

Fwiw, I looked up Grand Cayman port schedule for 2018 and it looks like the Wonder will probably be in Galveston for the end of 2018. I suppose it is possible they would be out of PC, but given the dates, it is looking more probable for Galveston.

 

[Flossbolna]

Fwiw, I looked up Grand Cayman port schedule for 2018 and it looks like the Wonder will probably be in Galveston for the end of 2018. I suppose it is possible they would be out of PC, but given the dates, it is looking more probable for Galveston.

She could also do 7 night cruises out of Miami. I think the Magic did that in 2014: Western and Eastern 7-nights out of Miami. Alternating the other way than the Fantasy and starting on Sunday instead of Saturday.

 

[anricat]

Man I hope they don't leave Galveston. I am in NW Louisiana and the easy drive saves me $1500-$2000 in airfare! It's so convenient and a nice little snapshot of Disney. Plus, they go to Castaway Cay!

You're correct. Some of them do. Out of the 9 currently scheduled, four of them are scheduled to go to CC. That's less than half though. And all of them are the insanely expensive Christmas cruises. The cheapest of which starts at $4100 for an inside cabin for a family 3. For one of those 7 nights, for the same category we had in Alaska (deck 2 oceanview) it's nearly up to the same price we paid for Alaska. That's INSANE.

 

[Dug720]

She could also do 7 night cruises out of Miami. I think the Magic did that in 2014: Western and Eastern 7-nights out of Miami. Alternating the other way than the Fantasy and starting on Sunday instead of Saturday.

I know at least in Feb the Wonder is out of PC - doing that exact thing opposite the Fantasy and leaving on Sunday...minus the Star Wars obsessed.

 

[Flossbolna]

Ok, I did a search, interesting schedule. I took a screen shot of all the Wonder visits to Grand Cayman at the end of 2018:



I searched 9/1/18 to 3/31/19. This is what came up.

10/30 is a Tuesday, 11/5, 12/3 and 12/24 are Mondays and 1/6/19 is a Sunday.

Oh, and look at the times, when she is in port. 10/30 she arrives earlier and leaves earlier.

 

[KalamityJane]

Ok, I did a search, interesting schedule. I took a screen shot of all the Wonder visits to Grand Cayman at the end of 2018:

View attachment 232644

I searched 9/1/18 to 3/31/19. This is what came up.

10/30 is a Tuesday, 11/5, 12/3 and 12/24 are Mondays and 1/6/19 is a Sunday.

Oh, and look at the times, when she is in port. 10/30 she arrives earlier and leaves earlier.

Yeah, it's weird, right? I think the 10/30 is the stop on the EBPC.

^^If so, the EBPC leaves 10/19.

 

[Flossbolna]

Yeah, it's weird, right? I think the 10/30 is the stop on the EBPC.

^^If so, the EBPC leaves 10/19.

I guess you are right.

This is the 2017 cruise calls that we know about which cruises they belong to:



The 11/7 cruise call is part of the EBPC. It's a Tuesday. Then 11/13 and 12/4 are Mondays. Seems like she is doing the same cruises in 2018 that include Grand Cayman as in 2017. To me this looks good for Galveston.

 

[KalamityJane]

http://disneycruiselineblog.com/cruise-planning/itineraries/ship-sailing-schedule/?ship=2

I started counting out and if the EBPC was 10/19, stopped at Grand Cayman 10/30, and did the 7 night Western from Galveston after, that would put her back in GC on Nov 5. The other 2-3 dates don't match up with the rest of the schedule, unless they are doing more Westerns though.

 

[KalamityJane]

I'm trying to figure out if they are going to do Hawaii again... that's an earlier EBPC than the last couple of Halloween EBPCs.

 

[cmph]

I guess I'm not sure why Galveston is seen as less convenient than Port Canaveral. MCO isn't that close to the port, roughly the same as Hobby to Galveston's port, plus you have the extra option of IAH - which, while 15min or so further away from the port, gives you two airport options to Orlando's one. Sure, you have reduced DCL transportation options - but that is so pricey per person that many families avoid it anyway and rent cars or non-DCL shuttle services. If you're just cruising, no interest in a parks/cruise combo trip, then Galveston ought to be about as convenient as PC. Maybe I'm missing something. I hope it doesn't go away, personally.

And now I definitely want to take the Vista out of there!

 

[Dug720]

I guess I'm not sure why Galveston is seen as less convenient than Port Canaveral. MCO isn't that close to the port, roughly the same as Hobby to Galveston's port, plus you have the extra option of IAH - which, while 15min or so further away from the port, gives you two airport options to Orlando's one. Sure, you have reduced DCL transportation options - but that is so pricey per person that many families avoid it anyway and rent cars or non-DCL shuttle services. If you're just cruising, no interest in a parks/cruise combo trip, then Galveston ought to be about as convenient as PC. Maybe I'm missing something. I hope it doesn't go away, personally.

And now I definitely want to take the Vista out of there!

Because for those of us who don't rent cars, MCO to PC is infinitely more convenient thanks to Disney's transportation. I've seen pics of Galveston courtesy of my sis when they put her on the Wonder for a few weeks on her last contract. ZERO desire to go there.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Yeah, it's weird, right? I think the 10/30 is the stop on the EBPC.

^^If so, the EBPC leaves 10/19.

So you are able to Ebpc stops at grand cayman 10/30 for 2018? Are you able to see when wbpc is in 2019?

 

[cmph]

Because for those of us who don't rent cars, MCO to PC is infinitely more convenient thanks to Disney's transportation. I've seen pics of Galveston courtesy of my sis when they put her on the Wonder for a few weeks on her last contract. ZERO desire to go there.

But DCL does have transportation. It's just from IAH, not Hobby, and the only real reason to choose Hobby over IAH is if you're flying Southwest, as far I could tell. We stayed one night in a hotel on the beach, and it was gorgeous. It was WDW moderates priced, but nicer, with a great heated pool complex (with slide and swim-up bar). The terminal itself was nothing exciting, but we blitzed through it so quickly that that didn't really matter to me.

I swear it wasn't a dive! Our view stank compared to my parents higher up floor, but this is all I took.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

But DCL does have transportation. It's just from IAH, not Hobby, and the only real reason to choose Hobby over IAH is if you're flying Southwest, as far I could tell. We stayed one night in a hotel on the beach, and it was gorgeous. It was WDW moderates priced, but nicer, with a great heated pool complex (with slide and swim-up bar). The terminal itself was nothing exciting, but we blitzed through it so quickly that that didn't really matter to me.

I swear it wasn't a dive! Our view stank compared to my parents higher up floor, but this is all I took.

View attachment 232649

Great photo. Dcl has transportation from IAH?

 

[Dug720]

But DCL does have transportation. It's just from IAH, not Hobby, and the only real reason to choose Hobby over IAH is if you're flying Southwest, as far I could tell. We stayed one night in a hotel on the beach, and it was gorgeous. It was WDW moderates priced, but nicer, with a great heated pool complex (with slide and swim-up bar). The terminal itself was nothing exciting, but we blitzed through it so quickly that that didn't really matter to me.

I swear it wasn't a dive! Our view stank compared to my parents higher up floor, but this is all I took.

View attachment 232649

Fabulous.

If I had any interest in going to Houston.

No thank you. Texas is NOT on my "places to visit" list. I might have been born there, but my parents were only there because of my dad's job and we escaped when I was 2.