Galveston Port Questions

[MNMommyof2]

I am looking to get advice on sailing out of Galveston. We will be flying in from Minnesota and doing the one way cruise to San Juan in January 2017. We have sailed out of Port Canaveral several times already and have gotten that port mastered. Feels strange to seek out this new adventure into unknown territory for us. Here are some of my questions:

1. Fly into Hobby Airport - is that the closest?
2. What kind of transportation to get to Galveston (we plan to fly in the day before)?
a. Do you take a shuttle to a Galveston hotel? But then how to get to the port in the morning?
b. Rent a car and then return it prior to boarding - I believe there is an Enterprise there?
3. Any Galveston hotel recommendations that are close to the port that offer a shuttle?

Also, I have read that the Galveston port is a bit underwhelming compared to PC, but if you have any tips to share about navigating it, please share!

Any help from those familiar with this port would be awesome! Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I am looking to get advice on sailing out of Galveston. We will be flying in from Minnesota and doing the one way cruise to San Juan in January 2017. We have sailed out of Port Canaveral several times already and have gotten that port mastered. Feels strange to seek out this new adventure into unknown territory for us. Here are some of my questions:

1. Fly into Hobby Airport - is that the closest?
2. What kind of transportation to get to Galveston (we plan to fly in the day before)?
a. Do you take a shuttle to a Galveston hotel? But then how to get to the port in the morning?
b. Rent a car and then return it prior to boarding - I believe there is an Enterprise there?
3. Any Galveston hotel recommendations that are close to the port that offer a shuttle?

Also, I have read that the Galveston port is a bit underwhelming compared to PC, but if you have any tips to share about navigating it, please share!

Any help from those familiar with this port would be awesome! Thanks!

Just a couple of things.

Yes, Hobby is closer than George Bush, but there aren't DCL transfers available from Hobby. So you'd have to do a rental car, or possibly a private limo/towncar.

The Enterprise office in Galveston closes at 1:00 on Sunday, so take that into account if it's applicable.

It's possible that your hotel may have transfers to the port, check with them.

 

[kittylady1972]

I am looking to get advice on sailing out of Galveston. We will be flying in from Minnesota and doing the one way cruise to San Juan in January 2017. We have sailed out of Port Canaveral several times already and have gotten that port mastered. Feels strange to seek out this new adventure into unknown territory for us. Here are some of my questions:

1. Fly into Hobby Airport - is that the closest?
2. What kind of transportation to get to Galveston (we plan to fly in the day before)?
a. Do you take a shuttle to a Galveston hotel? But then how to get to the port in the morning?
b. Rent a car and then return it prior to boarding - I believe there is an Enterprise there?
3. Any Galveston hotel recommendations that are close to the port that offer a shuttle?

Also, I have read that the Galveston port is a bit underwhelming compared to PC, but if you have any tips to share about navigating it, please share!

Any help from those familiar with this port would be awesome! Thanks!

My DH and I did a cruise out of Galveston a few years ago. Here is what we ended up doing, and it was pretty easy.

We flew into George Bush airport in Houston the night before. There is a little train that runs from the airport to the Marriott that is right there at the airport, so we stayed one night at the Marriott. Just took the train to the hotel for our night stay.

The next morning we took the train BACK to the airport and found the terminal where the Disney Cruise Line shuttle (and other cruise lines as well) pickup area was located. We had pre-arranged the shuttle through DCL. This was the FIRST cruise out of Galveston for the season and so it wasn't a permanent setup but we hung around the general cruise pickup area and eventually the temporary signs and Disney people arrived. We took the shuttle from there (and not it wasn't a cute Disney Cruise Line bus but a nice travel bus with screens that did play some kind of Disney video for the ride) and that dropped us off at the cruise port.

Yes the cruise port at Galveston...again underwhelming yes compared to PC but small and pretty simple. Again our only issue here was that during checkin when we were done we walked away...and realized we had NO onboard ship cards for our cabins. Having cruised before, at least we knew we were missing them and eventually we did get them but that was a big scary. Not sure how we would have boarded without them.

Other than that, the cruise on the Wonder out of there was really nice, we would do it again. Coming back, we just arranged for the shuttle again to take us back to the airport and scheduled our flight for that same day, just allowed plenty of time for us to get to the airport.

 

[2prettygirl]

I am looking to get advice on sailing out of Galveston. We will be flying in from Minnesota and doing the one way cruise to San Juan in January 2017. We have sailed out of Port Canaveral several times already and have gotten that port mastered. Feels strange to seek out this new adventure into unknown territory for us. Here are some of my questions:

1. Fly into Hobby Airport - is that the closest?
2. What kind of transportation to get to Galveston (we plan to fly in the day before)?
a. Do you take a shuttle to a Galveston hotel? But then how to get to the port in the morning?
b. Rent a car and then return it prior to boarding - I believe there is an Enterprise there?
3. Any Galveston hotel recommendations that are close to the port that offer a shuttle?

Also, I have read that the Galveston port is a bit underwhelming compared to PC, but if you have any tips to share about navigating it, please share!

Any help from those familiar with this port would be awesome! Thanks!

We are actually taking a different cruise line out of Galveston this coming October and I agree 100%, it just isn't the same as Port Canaveral.

We are flying into Hobby as it is closest. We have reserved Galveston Express shuttle service to pick us up at the airport and take us to our hotel in Galveston. They will then pick us up at cruise port the day we disembark and take us back to the airport....$45/person roundtrip and $35/person for children and seniors. We plan to take a taxi from our hotel to port as it's only a few miles. I have heard that renting a car in Galveston is a pain due to limited resources.

We are staying at Comfort Suites.

 

[dcassetta]

I am looking to get advice on sailing out of Galveston. We will be flying in from Minnesota and doing the one way cruise to San Juan in January 2017. We have sailed out of Port Canaveral several times already and have gotten that port mastered. Feels strange to seek out this new adventure into unknown territory for us. Here are some of my questions:

1. Fly into Hobby Airport - is that the closest?
2. What kind of transportation to get to Galveston (we plan to fly in the day before)?
a. Do you take a shuttle to a Galveston hotel? But then how to get to the port in the morning?
b. Rent a car and then return it prior to boarding - I believe there is an Enterprise there?
3. Any Galveston hotel recommendations that are close to the port that offer a shuttle?

Also, I have read that the Galveston port is a bit underwhelming compared to PC, but if you have any tips to share about navigating it, please share!

Any help from those familiar with this port would be awesome! Thanks!

Here is the Galveston thread which has some good info - http://www.disboards.com/threads/all-things-galveston-updated-5-21-14.2988332/

Galveston Tourism site with hotels that offer shuttles - http://www.galveston.com/parkandcruise/

List of shuttle companies - http://www.galveston.com/maps/


1. Hobby is closer to Galveston, but check prices at IAH also.
2. A one-way rental may not be available. Enterprise is on island, but sometimes will not allow a one-way, and other times charges an huge drop-off fee
3. See list above. You might also look at the Harbor House as is walking distance to the cruise terminal.

 

[MUN]

Here's what we did with our family of 5 for our NYE cruise a couple of months ago. We flew into Hobby (SW serves Hobby) on Saturday night and took a taxi to Springhill Suites in Galveston. I walked over (it is a very short walk from the hotel) to the Enterprise agency on Sunday morning to pick up my rental car so we could explore Galveston for the day. On Monday morning we dropped off the rental car and took a cab to the port. Enterprise explained to me they are not allowed to shuttle people to the port. Logistically, it was more involved that our cruises out of PC, but we enjoyed Galveston quite a bit. There are plenty of fun family-friendly things to do on the island, and the port is pretty cool!

PS, the earlier poster is correct about one-way rentals. They are prohibitive due to the high drop off fee. That's why we didn't rent a car at Hobby.

 

[Hundredacre]

I would book cheapest flight. Neither airport is particularly more convenient.

 

[kiapepito]

I just booked our hotel stay for Galveston in December. I decided to go with Country Inn and Suites:

PRICE:
139.00 US Dollar (USD) Per night Tax excluded For 1 night(s) per room: 159.85 USD

FEATURES:
-Overnight accommodations for one night
-Transportation to/from Port of Galveston Cruise Terminal
-Free parking for the length of your cruise
-Complimentary Breakfast Buffet –includes hot entrees that change daily plus classic favorites
-Complimentary High Speed Internet Access
-Indoor pool & whirlpool
-Fitness Center
-Business Center

INSTRUCTIONS:
1 night minimum stay required.
Guarantee required

 

[bcwife76]

We are cruising out of Galveston in January 2017 as well - the cruise right before yours! We are flying into Houston because it's an international airport and we are flying in from Vancouver BC.
Planning on taking the Galveston shuttle that someone mentioned in an earlier post. I was planning on booking the San Luis Resort but now that @kiapepito has mentioned all this helpful info about the Country Inn and Suites I'm going to check them out!

 

[Hundredacre]

If you are looking for something to do in galveston, look up La King's. They make candy in front of you and have an old fashioned ice cream parlor. Good cappuccino as well.

 

[kiapepito]

It is a great deal and close to the port!!

[Q


UOTE="bcwife76, post: 55397762, member: 539733"]We are cruising out of Galveston in January 2017 as well - the cruise right before yours! We are flying into Houston because it's an international airport and we are flying in from Vancouver BC.
Planning on taking the Galveston shuttle that someone mentioned in an earlier post. I was planning on booking the San Luis Resort but now that @kiapepito has mentioned all this helpful info about the Country Inn and Suites I'm going to check them out![/QUOTE]

 

[bcwife76]

Now if only I could find a great deal on airfare to Houston!!!! Grrrrr......

 

[Hundredacre]

Ever since united bought continental it's been bleak.

 

[sweetpee_1993]

Ever since united bought continental it's been bleak.

Yep. And Southwest from/to Hobby isn't the bargain they used to be. Most of the time they're the same or more than United.

 

[MUN]

Now if only I could find a great deal on airfare to Houston!!!! Grrrrr......

I find that Southwest has good prices to Houston. Most of the time they're the the same or cheaper than United.

 

[bcwife76]

I find that Southwest has good prices to Houston. Most of the time they're the the same or cheaper than United.

Southwest doesn't fly from Vancouver BC. And although they fly from Seattle (where we could also from fly) they don't fly to Houston....or maybe they do but the fliight was even more expensive....for whatever reason, I veto'd Southwest from Seattle lol

 

[SonicGuy]

Just a couple of things.

Yes, Hobby is closer than George Bush, but there aren't DCL transfers available from Hobby. So you'd have to do a rental car, or possibly a private limo/towncar.

The Enterprise office in Galveston closes at 1:00 on Sunday, so take that into account if it's applicable.

It's possible that your hotel may have transfers to the port, check with them.

Piece of advice when using Enterprise - when one sailing coming in and one heading out, Enterprise gets crazy busy. In January the wait for a cab back to the port was over an hour. There were lots of Disney Dads waiting to get back to their families who were waiting to board. A bunch of us shared an Uber back. Family back at the port was getting anxious

 

[bcwife76]

Hmmmm...I seem to be finding better deals for the San Luis Resort than the Country Inn for our dates in January.

 

[MUN]

Piece of advice when using Enterprise - when one sailing coming in and one heading out, Enterprise gets crazy busy. In January the wait for a cab back to the port was over an hour. There were lots of Disney Dads waiting to get back to their families who were waiting to board. A bunch of us shared an Uber back. Family back at the port was getting anxious

I was worried about this for our December 28th cruise out of Galveston. We dropped off our car at Enterprise around 9:30 am and the 5 of us took a cab to the port. I didn't want us to get separated. Fortunately, we had a very short wait and the cab ride cost about $10.

I will add that the Enterprise people in Galveston were some of the friendliest car agency people I have ever encountered!

MUN

 

[undertheradar]

Bump