Houston Airport to Galveston transportation?

[KimDHR]

Has anyone had experience with the supershuttle execucar (not pay per person shuttle bus but one price car service)? That is what I am looking at, for a cost of $155 round trip.

 

[lilbuddy88]

that's a good point... execucar is what I was looking at and where I found the best price so far. Looking further into renting a car and staying at a hotel which offers free parking is getting pricey (the hotels with free parking are more expensive), and I got a quote of 285 from the cool tours place.

How many people is that for and from which airport?

 

[jeanie1724]

We were quoted $60 per person round trip for DCL transfers from IAH for our Oct 12 cruise. It's $90 now?? We ended up booking a rental minivan for the entire week with frequent flier miles. We did find a rental rate on Hotwire for a minivan for less than $500 (for 10 days since we are staying in Houston for 3 days prior to the cruise). Yes I agree with all that it is a huge headache to plan transport to Galveston. We used to live in Houston so it was always a breeze, but not anymore!

 

[KimDHR]

How many people is that for and from which airport?

there are five of us, 2 adults and 3 kids, flying into Bush.

 

[lilbuddy88]

there are five of us, 2 adults and 3 kids, flying into Bush.

Ok that explains it. It's a little higher per person from IAH.

 

[StephenKay]

Hi All,

I flew transatlantic to Houston to join the Eastbound Transatlantic cruise this May and found this annoying little trip to be a complete pain, I was going to use the public bus however they cancelled it after 25 years a month before. I then was going down the hire car choice, no choice a rip off drop off charge, and they think they are doing you a favour.

I ended up with Galveston Limo, they arrived on time and charged a fair price

[URL="http://galvestonlimousineservice.com/iah.html"[/URL]


A friend took a taxi, and they charged her $210 INCLUDING TIP.

 

[Carrie in AZ]

Execucar is $130 SUV EACH WAY without tip from Hobby to Galveston hotel, then from cruise terminal back to Hobby. This is for our family of four, 2 adults and 2 kids. It states their sedan service will seat only three passengers so that won't work for us.

 

[KimDHR]

Execucar is $130 SUV EACH WAY without tip from Hobby to Galveston hotel, then from cruise terminal back to Hobby. This is for our family of four, 2 adults and 2 kids. It states their sedan service will seat only three passengers so that won't work for us.

did you look online at execucar.com? I called the Hobby airport branch of execucar (cause I couldn't find a number for Bush) and they told me they could pick up at Bush and quoted me $324 round trip. I then went on line for execucar and put in all the information, and with an SUV to seat 5 suddenly the price was 155 roundtrip. Not sure what is up with that. but maybe try the website? I actually just looked it up to go from our house to our airport--the cost where I live with a 40+ mile drive to the airport is 105 roundtrip, which beats what it would cost to park our car for that length of time (132). I may try them out, would rather have car service door to door for less than schlep to the economy parking lot and pay more, and have to drive ourselves home when everyone is tired and cranky late at night!

 

[Carrie in AZ]

did you look online at execucar.com?

Yes, online. I did a dummy booking last week and came up with $130 each way, thought the roundtrip price was too much and decided to use points to book a car and go that way. But, since I have been reading more here, including your quote, I hopped online again and did another dummy booking and it is $130 each way, $260RT. I, too, prefer door to door service but not at that price.

Not sure how you got quoted $155RT but I would check it again to be sure.

Good luck, everyone!

 

[lilbuddy88]

did you look online at execucar.com? I called the Hobby airport branch of execucar (cause I couldn't find a number for Bush) and they told me they could pick up at Bush and quoted me $324 round trip. I then went on line for execucar and put in all the information, and with an SUV to seat 5 suddenly the price was 155 roundtrip. Not sure what is up with that. but maybe try the website? I actually just looked it up to go from our house to our airport--the cost where I live with a 40+ mile drive to the airport is 105 roundtrip, which beats what it would cost to park our car for that length of time (132). I may try them out, would rather have car service door to door for less than schlep to the economy parking lot and pay more, and have to drive ourselves home when everyone is tired and cranky late at night!

I think you may have done what I did. I think That price is not round trip. When you go all the way through the booking you get to the payment screen and the total will 2 times what they show you on that first screen with the car choices. I thought since they asked if it was one way or round trip the first number was a round trip quote but it wasn't.

 

[chrisrunty]

To clarify my experience from IAH to port in May: We used a private car service on the way down, and used Disney transportation on the way back. Disney picked us up at Hotel Galvez the morning of the cruise and put us on a bus for all of 2 miles to the port. When the cruise was over Disney bus transported us to the airport. (that was only returned transportation with Disney) We are going again in November but doing Disney transportation both ways. They do indeed if you book the hotel with them as a package deal pick you up at IAH day before, drive you to your hotel, pick you up the morning of the cruise and transport you to the port, and on the return back to the airport. I agree Galveston is a logistical pain compared to other ones. But for us Disney was at least simple.

 

[KimDHR]

I think you may have done what I did. I think That price is not round trip. When you go all the way through the booking you get to the payment screen and the total will 2 times what they show you on that first screen with the car choices. I thought since they asked if it was one way or round trip the first number was a round trip quote but it wasn't.

I bet you're right. I didn't go all the way to the payment screen, but entered that it was round trip. That makes much more sense. Sigh. Doesn't help any of our pocket books! I am going to call the galveston cool tours and book transportation with them. I'm tired of looking and for the convenience, I think that will be the best option for my family.

good luck everyone!

 

[Alexander]

I loved our cruise out of Galveston, but the logistics of getting to and from the port have me reconsidering if I'd ever do it again! They need more rental car agencies on the island. They actually had them until Hurricane Ike hit in 2008. The island is still rebuilding and trying to recover.

 

[alaskanabbott]

I loved our cruise out of Galveston, but the logistics of getting to and from the port have me reconsidering if I'd ever do it again! They need more rental car agencies on the island. They actually had them until Hurricane Ike hit in 2008. The island is still rebuilding and trying to recover.

This! We loved the actual cruise, but getting to and from airport to port was a nightmare. And we didn't care for Galveston. I would cruise from there again if the price was right, but I wouldn't book more than one night previous in town. DH however says no way, and he gets final say

 

[Carrie in AZ]

I talked to Steve at Cool Tours and he was so nice, but they are booked for our dates Oct 4 and 12 so we can't use them. He seemed great! Good luck everyone!

 

[KimDHR]

I talked to Steve at Cool Tours and he was so nice, but they are booked for our dates Oct 4 and 12 so we can't use them. He seemed great! Good luck everyone!

Yes, he was very nice and easy to deal with. We are set for our cruise--it may have helped us with flexibility because we come in the day before and we don't need to be back to the airport until Saturday evening. Now I just need to sort out a hotel for the night and our plans will be set.

 

[lilbuddy88]

Yes, he was very nice and easy to deal with. We are set for our cruise--it may have helped us with flexibility because we come in the day before and we don't need to be back to the airport until Saturday evening. Now I just need to sort out a hotel for the night and our plans will be set.

He was very hospitable. I get the impression its a small business. I'm glad someone was able to use the info.. Let me know how it goes. We don't cruise until November 30.

 

[KimDHR]

He was very hospitable. I get the impression its a small business. I'm glad someone was able to use the info.. Let me know how it goes. We don't cruise until November 30.

I will definitely come back and update our experience. We cruise Oct 12. As we have pretty much all day on Saturday after debarkation, cool tours is going to hold our luggage for us on the condition that we take their hop on hop off city tour. Which works since we'll have the day and no way to get around. We'll explore Galveston most of the day and head to the airport around 4pm.

Now I just need to find a hotel... hopefully that will be a trifle easier!

 

[hurleysweety]

For anyone reading this thread and looking for options for getting to the port, don't rule out renting a car for the week. We are booked on the Oct 26th cruise and booked it back in June. At that time a rental for the 9 days we'd need it (coming in 2 days early) was almost $500.

By following and sharing updates with my fellow cruisers, I was able to use a USAA discount to get it down to $279. And due to following the rates, mostly in late August, I now have a rate down to $155 for a standard size car (through Alamo)! We were quoted by multiple agencies (cabs, limos, shuttles) anywhere between $100-$120 for the 2 of us for a one-way transfer (plus tip, of course).

In addition, we found a great rate for parking and a very reputable place too (could park at our hotel for free, but wanted the convenient option for disembarking). Bonus for the trip that we'll have a car which we enjoy (grab last minute items at the store, drive around a new area, restaurant options outside of walking distance, see the sites, etc).

So just keep checking! If you're anything like us, you like knowing that if you want to go somewhere, or see something, or just simply forgot something, you have a car to get there.

 

[KatMeows]

Some one found this great deal for Hobby .... http://www.lq.com/lq/coolsavings/packages/detail.jsp?ident=20110110014546

could be HUGE savings for some!