Pre-cruise hotel and transfers to/from Galveston port

[Wisteria]

Hello knowledgeable travelers!

I've done a lot of searching for information on the logistics of taking a cruise on the Wonder from the Galveston port, but I'm still left with some questions. All my other cruises have been through Port Canaveral, so they all went really smoothly when it came transportation. What I'm wondering is the following:

1.) I know that DCL offers transportation from IAH to port. We plan on flying in the day before, staying at the Marriott, and then using the DCL transportation the next morning. Does the hotel offer luggage pick up in the morning? (i.e. your bags are picked up from your hotel room the day of embarkation and you don't see them until you get to your stateroom on the ship). If not, what do you do? Are there porters that I need to bring tips for?

2.) I've read a lot about possible delays due to fog. If we book our flights through DCL, will they take care of changing flights if needed?

3.) Does DCL offer on-board airline check in at the Galveston port? Are you able to leave your bags outside your stateroom for pick up to be delivered directly to the airline? If not, what are the options for luggage the day of disembarkation? What is procedure for using DCL transportation when you disembark?

4.) Anything you can recommend or suggestions!


Sorry for the long list! I'm not good with 'the unknown' Thank you in advance!

 

[apathetic]

Comment deleted since it wasn't useful.

 

[blabadie]

I'm not knowledgeable about the DCL transfer questions, but I can second an above poster's advice that fog is unlikely to impact flights at the Houston airport.

We live in the Houston area and have never had flights impacted by fog (at either airport). I suppose it could happen, but it's not a common concern. I think the fog must be more of a Galveston port thing.

 

[clten]

I don't think the OP was asking if there would be problems with fog delaying the flights. I think it was more, if the ship is delayed in docking because of fog and my air was booked with DCL, would they help reschedule my flights once the ship finally docks.


OP, I don't have first hand experience with Galveston so don't want to present anything as carved in stone. But my experience with Air/Sea departments of cruise lines is that pretty much once they have ticketed you, they aren't much more help than the airline representatives will be. If you are thinking there would be someone onboard that would be contacting the Air/Sea department on your behalf, that generally doesn't happen, especially since the situation won't be resolved until you are actually docked and they wouldn't know when an appropriate flight time would be. You may be able to contact them to assist you but I wouldn't be dependent on them to have the situation straightened out for you. And if you are disembarking on a weekend, they will be less help yet. Those departments are typically Monday - Friday jobs.

 

[MichelleCanada]

I can tell you #3 is a no. They don't do Onboard Airline Checkin in Galveston. You put your bags out the night before, but you claim them in the terminal. Then you transfer them to your ground transportation. The main drawback of Galveston compared to PC is that the terminal is smaller and you might have to wait a while before your luggage group is called. They can only put out so many at a time.

#2 My understanding is that Disney helps with travel delays. The fog issue mainly affects Galveston port. I don't think it is as much an issue for airports in Houston. We were in the major delay in Jan 2017 and people were getting in by air, but the ship was unable to dock.

We were on that same cruise with the major delay. It was our first cruise

There are porters to take your luggage. We even used one of our luggage tags to attach to a case of water and it got delivered to our room.

We rented a car and parked it at the port. It was less expensive than transfers both ways for the 3 of us.

 

[Wisteria]

I don't think the OP was asking if there would be problems with fog delaying the flights. I think it was more, if the ship is delayed in docking because of fog and my air was booked with DCL, would they help reschedule my flights once the ship finally docks.

Thanks, that's what I was trying to ask. My concern is since we are sailing in winter that if there was a fog delay and we couldn't make our scheduled flights, DCL might be able to change them. Since this doesn't seem to be the case, I might get travel insurance for this particular trip!

 

[ukintheus]

Hello knowledgeable travelers!

I've done a lot of searching for information on the logistics of taking a cruise on the Wonder from the Galveston port, but I'm still left with some questions. All my other cruises have been through Port Canaveral, so they all went really smoothly when it came transportation. What I'm wondering is the following:

1.) I know that DCL offers transportation from IAH to port. We plan on flying in the day before, staying at the Marriott, and then using the DCL transportation the next morning. Does the hotel offer luggage pick up in the morning? (i.e. your bags are picked up from your hotel room the day of embarkation and you don't see them until you get to your stateroom on the ship). If not, what do you do? Are there porters that I need to bring tips for?

2.) I've read a lot about possible delays due to fog. If we book our flights through DCL, will they take care of changing flights if needed?

3.) Does DCL offer on-board airline check in at the Galveston port? Are you able to leave your bags outside your stateroom for pick up to be delivered directly to the airline? If not, what are the options for luggage the day of disembarkation? What is procedure for using DCL transportation when you disembark?

4.) Anything you can recommend or suggestions!


Sorry for the long list! I'm not good with 'the unknown' Thank you in advance!

We live in Houston and have cruise DCL out of Galveston quite a few times. While I don't have personal experience with the airport, I've been part of a lot of groups so I have a good "idea" of the answers.

1) The Marriott at IAH does not offer the same in-room luggage pick up service that they do at the Hyatt MCO. You will take your luggage down with you to the cruise transfer bus the morning of the cruise and they will handle it from there. You will need to pick up your luggage in baggage claim and ride the inter-terminal train to get to the Marriott the day that you land, but the DCL bus leaves from the Marriott.

2) I don't believe that DCL will handle flight changes for you automatically but I think guest services onboard can help you somewhat, although at that point you are probably in line with a ton of other people, so my expectation is that the help is limited.

3) Yes, DCL does offer on-board airline check in, it works very similarly to Port Canaveral/MCO and is very easy.

4) Have a great time - no real suggestions other than just be aware that the Galveston cruise terminal isn't "as pretty", but it get's you on the ship and that's all that matters. I've written trip reports for most of our cruises out of Galveston (links are in my sig) if you want to get a bit of info on boarding.)

 

[Wisteria]

Thanks!! So much good information from everyone!

3) Yes, DCL does offer on-board airline check in, it works very similarly to Port Canaveral/MCO and is very easy.

So with the on-board airline check in, since it was mentioned before that they don't pick up your luggage the last night on the cruise, what does it do? I assume that they check you in for your flight and receive your boarding passes, but do they also take care of your checked luggage fee for the airline and charge it to your room you you don't have to do that at the airport?

I know you said that you don't have experience with the airport so maybe someone else can answer?

 

[Dug720]

Thanks!! So much good information from everyone!



So with the on-board airline check in, since it was mentioned before that they don't pick up your luggage the last night on the cruise, what does it do? I assume that they check you in for your flight and receive your boarding passes, but do they also take care of your checked luggage fee for the airline and charge it to your room you you don't have to do that at the airport?

I know you said that you don't have experience with the airport so maybe someone else can answer?

If you are doing onboard airline check-in, you get your boarding passes and luggage tags from the airline. You put the tags on your bags and leave them out by the earliest deadline they give. You will not see them again until you get to your home airport. If there are baggage fees they are charged to your account.

 

[Wisteria]

If you are doing onboard airline check-in, you get your boarding passes and luggage tags from the airline. You put the tags on your bags and leave them out by the earliest deadline they give. You will not see them again until you get to your home airport. If there are baggage fees they are charged to your account.

I guess that I am still confused, because someone said earlier (I think they deleted their post) that you had to take your own luggage off of the ship, that at the Galveston port there isn't the option of having DCL deliver your checked luggage to the airport. At Port Canaveral I am used to doing the on-board airline check in, but I'm confused to if any of its convenience is available in Galveston.

 

[Dug720]

I guess that I am still confused, because someone said earlier (I think they deleted their post) that you had to take your own luggage off of the ship, that at the Galveston port there isn't the option of having DCL deliver your checked luggage to the airport. At Port Canaveral I am used to doing the on-board airline check in, but I'm confused to if any of its convenience is available in Galveston.

If they offer onboard airline check-in that should be the whole shebang. Otherwise why bother using it? In my experience (Miami and Port Canaveral) it is as I described it. Luggage goes out and you do not see it again. It may be that people are using an airport not supported with Disney transfers.

 

[Dug720]

I guess that I am still confused, because someone said earlier (I think they deleted their post) that you had to take your own luggage off of the ship, that at the Galveston port there isn't the option of having DCL deliver your checked luggage to the airport. At Port Canaveral I am used to doing the on-board airline check in, but I'm confused to if any of its convenience is available in Galveston.

In what I am seeing on the DCL website there is no Onboard Airline Check-In offered out of Galveston. So yes. You would have to get your bags and do your own schlepping and your own checking into your airline.

 

[Snowwhyt]

Has anyone used DCL for air and hotel for Galveston or San Juan? What did they recommend for airline or hotel? I want to call but not this week, I’m sure things are still nuts.

 

[chinarider]

following as we plan to cruise in December