gina_e123

I wouldn't disturb lounges with towels accompanied by personal belongings, but
half hour should be plenty of time for a stand alone towel I think...
where would you then place said extracted towel....do ya have ta take it back to the turn-in station fer the hog?

I wouldn't disturb lounges with towels accompanied by personal belongings, but
half hour should be plenty of time for a stand alone towel I think...
where would you then place said extracted towel....do ya have ta take it back to the turn-in station fer the hog?

ohhhh...this is not "project icon", so maybe the Icon class name will stick...
maybe the ship names will be celebrity icons like:
Presley of the seas
or
Monroe of the seas
or
Astaire of the seas
:)

I have a story to tell. I just got back from a Panama Canal 14 day cruise, (not RCCL). I ate in the MDR with the same woman 5 different night, she was a solo cruiser like myself. She explained to me that flying was her greatest fear and she refused to do it, so every year she plans a 4 to 5 month cruise, (many different cruise lines, a few hotel stays), to not fly. She has done this for the past 5 years.
 
Her starting point was San Diego, we ended in Miami, from there she was spending a day or two in a hotel and then doing a 4 day RCCL cruise, hotel again, then a 7 day Allure cruise, getting off of Allure and doing a 15 day TA, I think on the Independence, this would take her through most of November. While in London she was doing a HAL cruise of the Mediterranean, 10 days I think, doing another HAL with Spain, Italy, etc. Until at the end of February, beginning of March, she would board a TA that would bring her to Vancouver or Seattle and then a cruise from Vancouver/Seattle to San Diego. On the Panama Canal cruise she had an interior, all other cruises were an ocean view or a balcony.
 
All of this so she doesn't have to fly. My first question, after her cruise itinerary, was "Isn't this expensive" and of course it is, but it is only once a year and she said you told me that you have 6 cruises booked for 2017, with another possibly being booked, (SNAP, she showed me). Next question, "Aren't you seeing a lot of the same ports" and of course she is, so she doesn't get off, she reads, she does needlework.
 
She explained to me she led a very frugal life, she was married, now a widow, had no children, and when her husband passed she sold her home in Denver and moved into the RV that she and her husband vacationed in, after moving the RV to her sister's farm, so no rent.
 
If you were able, would you do something like this? I am not afraid of flying, and to me, it is way too much trouble to set all of this up, just so you don't have to get on a plane, plus being on a ship for 4 months is just mind boggling to me.
 
Sorry to go on and on, but I found this to be so interesting. 
 
Candie

When your wardrobe contains more anchors than the ship's souvenir shop

When your wardrobe contains more anchors than the ship's souvenir shop

Thanks Gina.

re: children's seapass cards...I would secure them yourself while off ship...otherwise
keeping up with a 12 year old themselves will be more of an issue on the ship as they are able to sign themselves in and out of adventure ocean...
no real concern, though...the ships are a safe environment for the kids and my 11yo enjoyed herself immensely...
she would flee from the dinner table asap in order to get back upstairs to that hangout...she had no problem being responsible for the card in her lanyard but for younger children would probably hold on to it myself (I think lanyard should work just fine while they are visiting adventure ocean if it's required to be on their person during that time)....

ohhhh...this is not "project icon", so maybe the Icon class name will stick...
maybe the ship names will be celebrity icons like:
Presley of the seas
or
Monroe of the seas
or
Astaire of the seas
:)

ohhhh...this is not "project icon", so maybe the Icon class name will stick...
maybe the ship names will be celebrity icons like:
Presley of the seas
or
Monroe of the seas
or
Astaire of the seas
:)

Was thinking the class name of "Icon" would most likely convert to another name once all is said and done...
I was hoping for "Galaxy Class" with ship names like: Celestial of the Seas
or Constellation of the Seas.... 'cept Celebrity already has a Constellation...

Well, after a 7-year hiatus, I'm finally back into cruising .....
 
Here are my take-aways ...
 
1)  My wife now understands, it's not just the destination, it's the entire cruise experience.  So much so, we have another one booked (also Vision Class)  and an additional one in the wheelhouse, just working out the details....
 
2)  I LOVE GRANDEUR OF THE SEAS!!!!  I couldn't even think of a negative.... the crew, the food, the fellow passengers... all one big happy family...
 
3) The thrill (the optical illusion) of going under the Key Bridge and the Bay Bridge ..... you just need to see it to believe it.
 
4) The Calypso music ...... there's just something magical about a steel drum on the pool deck.
 
5)  Bermuda is incredible ..... especially the crazy pink buses.  Getting around the island is very easy once you understand the concept of how it's planned out.
 
6)  And here's the biggest take-away .... which you could never purchase, but is priceless --- The ability to decompress from the world, even when you don't even realize you need to decompress.  It was truly a medicinal experience ....
Plus, the removal of all the hate, politics, Clinton, Trump, Media and all the other negatives that fill the airwaves.  It wasn't until we got off the ship that we were able to grasp how important that was.... We were all one big happy family, regardless of where we all came from, for one brief moment, we were all together..... and I, for one, will be eternally grateful.
 
For a 5-day period, we were off the grid for the most part ...... and it was fantastic.
 
Mark
 
 

When your wardrobe contains more anchors than the ship's souvenir shop

When your wardrobe contains more anchors than the ship's souvenir shop

When your wardrobe contains more anchors than the ship's souvenir shop

When your wardrobe contains more anchors than the ship's souvenir shop

😊

We took the maiden voyage for Liberty of the Seas from Galveston on Nov 13th, a special 9-night cruise.  It was a great ship and here are a few observations from the largest cruise ship ever to sail from Texas:
 
Embarkation
We arrived by car at 9:30 am and dropped our luggage at the pier.  When we returned to check in at 9:45, we walked right in to the terminal, breezed through security, and had a very short wait to check in. We waited in the new temporary tent, a 10,000 square foot air conditioned waiting area with nice restrooms.  This tent is temporary while they finish construction on the new terminal expansion (see photos in the post above). Boarding commenced at 11:00 am starting with Pinnacle Crown and Anchor members, then working their way down to Diamond Plus, Diamond, etc. Walking up the passenger loading bridge to the ship, we had a great view of the terminal construction (see photos in the above post) Ship Impressions
Liberty is a beautiful, very large ship.  She is in excellent condition, even with a full dry dock refurbishment coming in January.  It will be interesting to see her after the refurbishment. As with most ships, we observed a lot of routine maintenance, painting, and cleaning during our voyage.  RCI really takes care of their ship assets. We also observed that a contract crew had begun installing the stack scrubber during our cruise.  The work did not seem to be interfering with any ship activities as it was being done forward of the rock climbing wall and above the Adventure Ocean area.  The new scrubber will remove sulfur dioxide particulate from the exhaust to improve the environment. Promenade Stateroom
We had booked an interior Promenade Stateroom because we got a great price, and we liked that there would be a window overlooking the Promenade to make the cabin feel more open. We had been in much larger Junior Suites on our most recent three cruises.  Although we knew the interior stateroom would be small, my wife was shocked at the lack of space.  Moral of the story: once you taste a larger stateroom, you can't go down in size!  By the end of the cruise we were accustomed to the smaller cabin and I was happy we had saved the money. Our main complaint on the stateroom was the lack of storage space compared to the Junior Suite.  Maybe they will address this during the refurbishment. We heard almost no noise from the Promenade during our cruise.  During the Dreamworks parade we could hear the music a little bit.  We opted to watch the other events from the Promenade itself instead of from the cabin.  This gave my wife a better view of the "macho men" during the Village People songs on 70's night. Dining
When traveling as a couple, without other friends and family, my wife and I have gravitated away from the Main Dining Room.  It gives us more flexibility to "go with the flow" depending on the events of the day. We did My Time Dining but only two evenings.  The service was good and the food was good as well. We ate at Chops for my birthday and really enjoyed it.  We also tried Portofino since we had never done that one before and may never get the opportunity again.  On this cruise we actually liked the food in Portofino a little better.  I think Chops could have done a better job of searing the steak to give it a nice crust, but maybe we have been watching too many cooking shows.   RCI says to allow at least 2 hours for specialty restaurant dining.  Our waiters seemed to be overloaded with too many tables and no assistant waiter.  Our service was slow because of the staffing level in the restaurant and kitchen, not because our waiter lacked any skill or motivation. We also tried Johnny Rockets twice for lunch.  This is a fun alternative for lunch or a snack.  Love their burgers and fries! You really can't go wrong in the Windjammer.  This buffet has so many amazing choices that we ended up here for most dinners on Liberty.  I am amazed at the consistently high quality of food in the Windjammer across all the ships we have been on. We brought two bottles of wine on board.  We brought them to the specialty restaurants where the waiter took care of opening and pouring it for us.  No problem. Entertainment
As usual, the Liberty of the Seas Orchestra was fantastic!  They opened the Welcome Aboard Show with Maynard Ferguson's Gonna Fly Now. This included several trumpet solos by the music director, and that blew me away!  Each of the musicians in the orchestra took several turns at solos throughout the cruise and they were all great. There was also a "Cirque-Style" show with singing, dancing, and flying artists that was amazing.  We really enjoyed this. The musical Saturday Night Fever was good, but not great, in my opinion.  Dining and entertainment are all very subjective and depends on your own likes, dislikes, and opinions. There were also several amazing guitarists on board.  They did some solo shows in various venues that drew a large following of fans. Shore Excursions
Falmouth: We did the Falmouth Food Tour, which we arranged separate from RCI based on a recommendation elsewhere on these message boards.  This was well worth the time and a safe and fun way to see Falmouth on foot without feeling "out of place" in a developing country. Our two knowledgeable guides provided a history lesson along with the local cuisine, and they seemed to know everybody in town. Grand Cayman: we like walking around George Town, so we stopped at a coffee shop to catch up on the internet and pay my American Express bill.  Then we went to a favorite restaurant, Guy Harvey's Restaurant, and ended the afternoon with some shopping. Routan: we were going to stay on the ship here, but we ended up missing this port because of a medical emergency that had us returning to Grand Cayman to save someone's life.  We had a nice day at sea instead. Costa Maya: we did a Mayan Ruins tour through RCI.  There isn't much to do in Costa Maya except shopping in the port area or arrange an excursion or beach visit.  The Ruins tour was pretty good with air conditioned busses and an excellent guide.  It's an hour ride to the closest Ruins, and another tour was two hours.  I'm glad we went to the nearest one because the bus ride was boring with not much to see. Cozumel: I guess this was our food tour cruise, and we did the Cozumel Food Tour which we also arranged separate from RCI based on a friend's recommendation.  They have a couple options for tours or cooking classes.  Highly recommended!  We visited several family-owned restaurants, a bakery, the market, and the chocolate factory.  Food, drinks, and dedicated taxi transportation were included. Other
We took Matt's advice and booked a NextCruise onboard (balcony on Liberty in 2017)!  We had to pay only a $100 deposit, but received $100 onboard credit for our current cruise plus $300 onboard credit for the NextCruise.  I was happy to take the extra $400 just for booking onboard!  Will definitely do that every time from now on! Several big NFL Football games were shown on the big screen by the pool.  Thursday night, all day Sunday, and Monday Night Football were all on the big screen which made a fun way to watch the games. Disembarkation
We did the self-assist disembarkation and rolled our own luggage off.  We met at the appointed location and they started disembarkation at 7:30 am.  It was an easy walk to the terminal where we walked right to an open Customs and Immigration officer.  By 7:40 am we were outside and headed home.

UPDATED 13 February 2024 (Added Allure's return in 2026. Removed  Liquor Taxation Section - Have not seen them in the terminals since 2022.)
Galveston is home to Royal Caribbean's newest Cruise Terminal, a state of the art zero energy facility, and was home port for the 2023 President's Cruise on Allure of the Seas. Celebrity Cruises has advised that we should not be surprised to see one of their ships in Galveston at some point.
Galveston is the fourth busiest cruise port in the USA and the 9th busiest in the world.
Cruise ships calling Galveston their home port include:
Harmony of the Seas - 225,282 GT - 5,484 Guests - 7 night sailings (Repositions to Barcelona 16 Mar 2026) Allure of the Seas - 225,282 GT - 5,496 Guests - 7 night sailings (Arrives 17 Mar 2026 from Fort Lauderdale) Voyager of the Seas - 137,276 GT - 3,602 Guests - 4-6 night sailings (Repositions to Barcelona 1 May 2024) Mariner of the Seas - 139,863 GT - 3,344 Guests - 4-5 night sailings (Arrives 6 May 2024 from Port Canaveral) Jewel of the Seas - 90,090 GT - 2,191 Guests - 8-11 night sailings (Arrives 8 Nov 2024) Norwegian Prima - 142,500 GT - 3,215 Passengers (Winter Home Port now through Mar 2025) Norwegian Escape - (Dec 2024 Sailings) Norwegian Viva - (Winter Home Port starting Dec 2025) Carnival Jubilee - 182,800 GT - 5,374 Passengers - LNG Powered Carnival Dream - 130,000 GT - 3,646 Passengers Carnival Breeze - 130,000 GT - 3,690 Passengers Carnival Miracle - 88,500 GT - 2,124 Passengers (Arrives 16 Oct 2024 from San Francisco for 9-12 night cruises) Carnival Legend - 88,500 GT - 2,124 Passengers (Arrives 22 Oct 2025 from San Francisco for 4-14 night cruises) Regal Princess - (Winter Home Port Sep-Mar) Disney Magic - (Winter Home Port each year) MSC - has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Port of Galveston to build a fourth cruise terminal! Cruise Terminal 10 Information
Cruise Terminal 10 is owned and operated by a 50/50 partnership of Royal Caribbean and Ceres Terminals Inc. on land leased from the Port of Galveston. Ceres helped fund the project and will provide stevedoring and terminal operations.  As the world's first zero-energy cruise terminal you can expect to find innovative design throughout this facility in things you see and also things you don't see.
  

Below is a map of the new terminal area and parking lots operated by the Port of Galveston. In addition to surface parking lots, the Port offers covered and indoor parking. All parking lots have covered shuttle bus stops with buses circulating continuously to the cruise terminal, and there are plenty of covered walkways for a comfortable stroll from the walkable parking areas to the terminal. Electric Vehicle chargers will soon be available to the west of the South Lot. My favorite parking option: North Premium Covered Lot - it's only a few feet from the cruise terminal and it's covered. It's also the highest price option.  Go to the Port's parking information page for more information and sign up for their loyalty program.  You'll get an immediate $5 discount on your first reservation, the loyalty program equals a 10% discount on future parking, and they will send periodic discount codes that can all be combined for savings. Disabled veterans also get a discount.  
Tip: you will find less expensive options by using off-site parking operators which I have listed below in the Parking section of this post, which also has information on other things to consider regarding parking.

Luggage can be dropped off at the terminal on Royal Caribbean Circle (see map above). Upon entering the terminal building, General check in is located up the escalators on the left (west) end of the terminal, while Suites and Pinnacles check in is located up the escalators on the right (east) end of the terminal. The door at the right (east) end of the terminal on Royal Caribbean Circle is also the entrance for Suites, Pinnacles, and Star Class guests. Star Class drop-off is at area 6 (purple columns on Royal Caribbean Circle).
  

When disembarking at Cruise Terminal 10 there is facial recognition for quick passage through Customs and Border Protection. Then you claim your luggage and make your way out of the terminal to the pick up area on Royal Caribbean Way.  As you can see on the above map, the embarking passenger ground transportation area (on Royal Caribbean Circle) is distinctly separated from the disembarking passenger ground transportation area on Royal Caribbean Way for better traffic flow.
Planning & Tourist Info

You can't beat this website for information on everything that is happening in Galveston: www.galveston.com

Transportation

Fly into HOU (Houston Hobby Airport) if you can. It's much closer to Galveston than IAH (Bush Intercontinental Airport) and you won't have the Houston traffic to deal with. Tip: my favorite airline option is JSX, a "semi-private" airline that uses private jet terminals at several airports across the country. You can essentially fly "private" and avoid crowded airport terminals, for about the price of a first class ticket. JSX flies to Houston Hobby Airport and disembarks in one of the private terminals.

Here are some options for getting to Galveston from the airport:
Galveston Saltwater Moms - my first choice for transportation to Galveston... a highly rated "personal driver" service. You book by sending them a personal message on Facebook. They are a licensed Transportation Provider with the Port of Galveston, which means they can legally operate at the cruise terminals. They have a $500,000 bond and commercial liability insurance. Give them a try as an alternative to the big guys. I've used them and had a great experience! Galveston Limo - provides very affordable shared rides from the two Houston airports with either their scheduled service or you can arrange a private car. Owned by a local family of good folks. Galveston Express  Lyft and Uber - Lyft and Uber are the approved major rideshare companies operating at the Port of Galveston. The agreement with Uber was approved on 24 Mar 2023.  Blacklane - a premium option for upper end vehicles like Black Sedan or Black SUV. You can reserve days or weeks in advance and cancel up to 1 hour prior to pickup time. Rates include gratuities, professional drivers, no "peak" surcharges or port surcharges. Drivers show up when scheduled. A bit more expensive but worth the price to reduce the stress you have with Uber/Lyft drivers canceling or having peak rates when departing the ship. I've used Blacklane in Galveston and Los Angeles with good results. If you use black sedans or SUV's with Uber/Lyft, I find Blacklane to be similarly priced, and sometimes lower priced during peak pickup times. Enterprise Rent A Car - Enterprise is the only rental car company on the island. You should be able to rent from Enterprise at the airport and drop it off on the Island. The Island location is open on Saturday (before Covid it was also open on Sunday). Check with Enterprise directly for updated hours and shuttle arrangements. Here are a couple of transportation options for your departure after your cruise:
The pickup zone for Lyft and Uber is at the far northeast side of the terminal on Royal Caribbean Way. When you exit the terminal, turn left, and walk to the Uber/Lyft sign in Zone 1.
  
If you prefer to take a taxi to the airport, turn right as you exit the terminal, cross the street toward the east side of the covered parking area and there will be several taxis ready and waiting. Here's a photo of the fixed fare rates as of 30 July 2023:

Arriving By Car

I-45 is undergoing several phases of construction that will continue into 2024 and beyond. TxDOT is widening I-45 all the way to Galveston Island so expect some delays and congestion.
I-45 south ends on Galveston Island. When arriving on the island, if you turn off at the "Cruise Terminal" exit (Harborside Drive) you will hit a traffic back-up as you approach the cruise terminals. To avoid this traffic jam, as you drive down I-45 and arrive on the Island, continue straight on Broadway as the interstate ends and follow these directions:

If you've reserved parking through the official Port of Galveston website, continue straight on Broadway as the interstate ends. Continue to 14th street and turn left. Follow 14th and it will take you straight into the entrance to the Cruise Terminal 10 area. This route will avoid the lengthy backup on Harborside Drive. As you enter the Cruise Terminal area, follow the signs to your pre-arranged parking lot or to the drop off or pick up areas. 
Parking

If you search "Galveston cruise parking" you will see plenty of parking options. I highly recommend making a reservation on line with one of the parking companies, especially if you want an indoor space as these will sell out (especially now, with so many ships sailing from Galveston). Prepaying usually gets you a 5-10% discount and a guaranteed parking space. Things to consider in addition to price:
Elevation - heavy rains can quickly flood the streets of Galveston, and not just during a hurricane. Leaving your car in an elevated spot will provide peace of mind against flooding if an unexpected storm comes in. Inside Building, or Outdoor Lot? - outdoor surface lots are cheaper, but your car is exposed to the south Texas sun and weather. A building provides better protection and security. Discounts & Loyalty - there are extra savings if you sign up for loyalty programs online and apply for any applicable discount. Reserve your parking after your account is set up and tagged with the applicable discount. You can combine loyalty and one discount but you can't have multiple discounts. The loyalty programs often mail discount codes to members. Security - parking lots are fenced and gated. Buildings are enclosed and locked. Some facilities have security cameras. The Port of Galveston claims that the Port Police patrol their lots 24/7 which you won't find at the private parking lots. Electric Vehicle Charging - more and more lots are offering EV chargers. If you drive an EV like I do, you will appreciate having your car fully charged when you disembark. This perk is currently free at all parking facilities where it is offered. The Port of Galveston will offer EV charging for an additional fee by scanning a QR code and paying online after parking at the charger. Remember that even a 110 volt plug will fully charge your car over the course of several days, so bring you charge cord as some lots offer 110V outlet access. Here is my comparison of some of the parking options. I have used Port Parking, EZ Cruise, and the Port of Galveston parking all without any issues.

Hotels

Galveston hotel prices are quite variable depending on day of week (weekends obviously much higher), whether there are major events happening, and the season (summer is the busy season here). Booking hotels during Mardi Gras (February), Lone Star Biker Rally (early November), Art Walk (every 6 weeks) and other major events will be much more expensive. Some hotels have a 2 night minimum on weekends. Ever since travel resumed following Covid, hotel prices on Galveston Island have gone way up.  I love staying on the island before a cruise, but if the price is too high I stay along I-45 in Webster, League City, or Texas City where you'll find much lower hotel rates. Note that I-45 exits south of Webster can be very congested, especially during morning and afternoon rush hours.
There are a couple of hotels near the port and the historic Strand District in Galveston, but no hotels are near the Royal Caribbean Cruise Terminal 10. It's a great idea to arrive a day or two early and enjoy the island ambiance.
The Harbor House overlooks the port area and Cruise Terminals 25 and 28, and is very convenient to many nice restaurants, museums, and shopping. The Tremont House is also very walkable to the Strand, nice restaurants, museums, and shopping. This is my preferred pre-cruise hotel and is now a Marriott Tribute property. The Tremont House is located in a beautiful historic building. The Tremont's rooftop bar has wonderful views of the island and port area and has been under renovation with a planned re-opening in the fall of 2023. The lobby bar has live jazz on most Thursday nights.  There are plenty of other hotels on the Island, many along the Seawall facing the Gulf of Mexico.  Hotels providing transportation to the port or offer park & cruise options can be found here.  Call the hotel that you are interested in to confirm that they provide cruise parking. Galveston Dining (And A Few Drinking Establishments)

Please avoid the tourist traps and chain restaurants that will leave you disappointed. Eat at these locally owned restaurants that use locally sourced, fresh food, including fresh Gulf seafood right from the docks in Galveston. All restaurants are casual dress unless noted, and all are family friendly (even most of the bars). Many serve craft beer on tap from Galveston Island Brewing. My only connection to these places is that I have personally eaten at them multiple times and I love them all!

Rudy and Paco - 2028 Post Office St (21st and Post Office) - Arguably the best restaurant on the island. Wonderful food with a South and Central American flair. Best service on the island. A little expensive but worth it. We like going for lunch because it's very affordable (lunch served weekdays only). No shorts allowed at dinner. Reservations suggested and are a must on weekends or when The 1890 Grand Theater has an event.

Riondo's Ristorante - 2328 Strand (24th and Strand) - Our favorite Italian restaurant on the island, and they also serve great seafood and steak. Beautiful historic building built in 1895 in the Strand Historic District. "Farm to Fork" sourcing and they make their own pasta.  Tell them you "want a table in the vault."
Katie's Seafood House - 2000 Wharf Road (On the water, adjacent to the Port of Galveston) - This is the only restaurant in Galveston that catches their own seafood! Enjoy great food, good service, and a wonderful view of the Port of Galveston from their covered outdoor deck. They offer free parking in the lot in front of the restaurant at 20th & Harborside (call the restaurant at (409) 765-5688 and select to option to hear the parking code).

Blum & Co. at the Tremont House - 2300 Ships Mechanic Row (Mechanic Street) - Beautiful historic hotel built in 1879 near the Strand Historic District. An urban bistro, wine bar, and market offering a carefully curated menu that is indigenous of the region.  There is a beautiful bar at the opposite end of the lobby with several Galveston Brewing options on tap. Before or after dinner, take the elevator to the top floor, turn left, and walk to the end of the hall to the rooftop bar to cap off the experience. The rooftop bar is being renovated and will re-open in the fall of 2023.

Brews Brothers Brew Pub - 2404 Strand - Huge craft beer selection, creative American bar food. Very casual. You wouldn't expect it for a bar, but the food here is excellent. Burgers (try the "Mission From God"), fresh made chips (try them with Buffalo Sauce & Bleu Cheese), local fish tacos, salads, etc. Order at the bar, grab a table, and enjoy a beer while waiting on your food to be delivered to your table.
Texas Tail Distillery - 2416 Post Office - On-site distillery for whiskey and vodka. Try the honey whiskey and other infusions.  Friendly staff, fun place to try crafted drinks with local liquor, or try them all with a flight of shots! New: several food trucks are often located adjacent to their new location!
Blvd. Seafood - 28th and Seawall - One of the best seafood restaurants on the island. There isn't a lot of curb appeal outside but the inside is very nice. The food and service are both quite good and the seafood is all local. The red snapper is amazing and always comes fresh from Katie's Seafood Market.
Shucks Tavern - 414 21st Street - Newer hot spot downtown for oysters, seafood, and drinks. Fresh oysters from the most famous oyster beds in America!
Mama Teresa's Flying Pizza and Italian - 416 21st Street - Next door to Shucks Tavern, this is the place for pizza. These guys hand toss the pizzas so high they almost touch the very high ceilings in this historic building! They also have nice Italian dishes. Convenient to the Post Office Street Arts District for a nice after-dinner stroll.
Grotto Italian - 5222 Seawall (In the San Luis Resort) - Classic Italian restaurant featuring delicious veal, chicken, seafood, pizza, and house made pastas. This one breaks my rule of avoiding the Landrys restaurant chain, but we are convinced it's a great option.
The Cove Poolside Bar - 5222 Seawall (In the San Luis Resort) - Beautiful outdoor poolside bar with a swim-up bar too, all overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.  The pool is heated so expect swimmers even in cool weather.  Great place to people watch and enjoy a drink with one of the most picturesque views of the Gulf of Mexico on the island.
Koops BBQ Kitchen - 4501 Broadway - the only barbecue restaurant on the island that I would recommend.  Very clean, very casual, very good meat and homemade sides. Only open for lunch from 11 am to 3 pm or until they run out of barbecue.
Leland House - 2711 Market Street - a nice neighborhood bistro serving breakfast/brunch, lunch, and dinner. Grab a menu, relax at a table, and order at the bar when you're ready. Closed Monday/Tuesday.
Maceo's Spice & Import Company - 2706 Market Street - Excellent muffaletta's, sandwiches.  Simple menu to eat in or carry out in this little spice shop.
Freckleberry Teahouse - 2724 Market Street - this has become a hot spot for a relaxing hot or iced tea or coffee and a light snack. Comfortable seating is plentiful inside or in their large outdoor area.
Red Light Coffee Roasters - 2728 Market Street - popular spot serving locally roasted and sustainably sourced coffee and drinks along with light snacks. Like many places on this list, they are located in a beautiful historic building.
Hey Mikey's Ice Cream - 2120 Post Office Street - Ice cream is made in the store. Unique treats like Ice Cream Nachos (share with a friend) and traditional favorites. You gotta' go here! Note: this place is owned by a nice island family.  It is sometimes closed over the winter holidays.

Mod Coffeehouse - 2126 Post Office Street - comfortable with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Live music many weekend evenings. Coffee, tea, espresso, latte, home baked goods.
Waterman's Restaurant & Marina - 14302 Stewart Road - great sunset and water views overlooking Lake Como and West Bay. Steak and seafood. The restaurant was built of long leaf pine salvaged from the 100 year old cotton warehouses that were part of Galveston's glory days. Relatively expensive and a bit of a drive from the hotel areas but this is a unique restaurant with a great ambiance, great service, and great water views.
Jimmy's On The Pier - 9001 Seawall - On the 2nd story above the fishing pier (enter the souvenir shop, exit to the left, and up the stairs). Very casual with great views of the seawall and Gulf. Owner has their own farm and livestock for a true "farm to table" concept; other items locally sourced. Fish tacos, burgers, seafood, local beer, full bar, etc. 

Galveston Webcams

Galveston has some great webcams if you want to see what the cruise port looks like, or if your friends and family want to watch you sail away on Royal Caribbean via several live full-motion HD video cameras.
 

I hear they are on Anthem at cafe Two70, can't wait. I recomend trying a few with their horseradish, also good.

sunrises...
sunsets....
and kummelwecks...plenty of roast beef kummelwecks
 
...pls tell me café promenade on Freedom OTS has the roast beef kummelweck :unsure:

We will be sailing in January on freedom of the seas in a family panoramic room. I was SO excited about the room when booked it.. but now im even more excited about.. drinking. I know it sounds terrible, but Im SO looking forward to just having drinks!! we got the ultimate package, and you can bet I will use it to its full potential! We have 3 young kids and I work in a cardiac unit in a hospital, so if its not the loudness of my kids around me, its the constant beeping of heart monitors. Today, on my lunch break, I was actually planning which drink I would have throughout my days on the cruise LOL I think this mommy needs a break!
 
what is everyone else looking forward to?

Day 8- Debarkation
 
Well, until the day that I'm able to retire on a cruise ship, this day must come. It was a great cruise and I felt fulfilled and good about our trip when it was time to go. Not to mention, I was ready to soak in my tub at home and get my pillow back.
 
I spent a lot of time planning this morning before we left. We were only allowed one duffel bag and backpack each. I was going to push the stroller with Kenzie with my backpack underneath. On my back was her car seat in a carrying bag and I was pulling a duffel. My husband was pulling two duffels and had his backpack. We walked out the room at 6:40 and were like aaahhh the ship is soon quiet and we are going to walk right off. Take the elevator door down to 4 and BAM! Found all the people. Now we had to navigate through the casino with all of this stuff, around people's bags and casino chairs to find the end of the line. No one was helpful. Someone was kind enough to light up a cigarette about 5 feet away from my daughter. It was by far the worst part of the cruise.
 
Once the line started moving though, everything was fast. Love the ramp in the terminal. It was just under 20 minutes from the line starting to move to us waiting for our private transportation.
 
We had booked through Town Car Now from recommendations on here and great reviews on Facebook. I would give them a 3.5/5. The rate was good and communication beforehand was excellent. I personally feel that a private transportation should be there 5-10 minutes early with a sign with our name on it. This man was 5 minutes late and we had to truck through bushes with all of our stuff to get to the car. The car was clean, but there was a terrible rattle and at one point I noticed the check engine light on and another alert light on the dash. I was honestly worried about our safety with the baby in the car and if something happened if we would miss our flight. At one point, we definitely smelled oil burning. Luckily, we made it safely to the airport, but I'm not entirely sure the driver made it home.
 
We arrived at MCO with plenty of time to spare. We were able to get some breakfast, speed through TSA pre check (the best $85 I have ever spent), and then had to entertain Kenzie in the gate area. She stayed awake through the whole flight to AUS, but luckily slept on the 2 hour drive home. All in all, a successful trip home.
 
While the early flight made the beginning of the day somewhat stressful, I totally appreciated getting home relatively early on a Sunday. I have the laundry done, groceries bought, and I don't feel behind starting the week tomorrow.
 
Tomorrow I'm going to go back and add photos to all my posts and give my overall impressions of the ship, plus some pointers that I picked up with traveling with Kenzie. Stay tuned!

Day 7- Sea Day
 
Well, it's the last day of the cruise. Of course, part of me is sad, but this has been a very successful trip for us. I am ready for a couple of comforts of home too.
 
Kenzie woke up right at 7, and I decided to give my husband some time to sleep in. We hit the Windjammer nice and early again with minimal crowds. We walked around the ship and sectioned off a corner in the R Bar to serve as her jungle gym. When it hit 9:00, I brought her up to the open play area in Fuel. We certainly loved the large open play area on Oasis that was open 24 hours a day, but they do a nice setup here too.
 
My husband texted me shortly thereafter and said the nursery called with a cancellation and we could now do the guacamole class. We dropped her off, went downstairs 45 minutes before the class, told us no problem, and then told us they were full. We tried to figure out something else to do for lunch, but Giovanni's Table wasn't open for lunch. We booked Giovanni's Table for dinner instead. Then, Sabor contacted us and said they could squeeze us in. So we ran back down just in time for the guacamole making class to begin.
 
The class was a good price point I thought. It is normally $35/person but they were running a special of $30/person. This included make your own guacamole, a margarita making demo, a margarita (and later they offered a second), lunch, and an avocado slicing tool per couple. The ingredient that surprised me the most in the guacamole was the fire roasted tomatoes. I think it definitely adds that extra flavor that we have come to love. I'll add pictures on Monday. Tons of fun.
 
After 2 margaritas and a fully belly, I needed a nap. So we napped until I had to go back to the spa because the eye lash lift did not hold like it was supposed to. They offered to redo it for free. Very nice of them. I am definitely more pleased with the results this time.
 
When I was done, we picked up Kenzie, spent some time in the open play area, got milkshakes from Johnny Rockets, and a slice of pizza from Sorrento's for Kenzie. We had some time before dinner, so we decided to go ahead and do most of our packing.
 
We wound up cancelling Giovanni's table for dinner and sticking with the MDR. Dinner was pretty good tonight and Nick ordered the up charge steak from Chop's for dinner. He really enjoyed it. I had the Turkey and Dressing, but it was the smallest portion of dressing I had ever seen! I ordered more :-)
 
We dropped Kenzie off at the nursery one last time after dinner, met some group cruise folks at the Schooner Bar, quickly lost $20 in the casino, had a glass of our favorite wine at Vintages, took a trip out to the helipad, and had one last drink at the Schooner Bar. I was getting pretty tired so we decided to head back to the room.
 
Tomorrow we have a pretty early flight out of MCO (10:30), so we will be doing express walk off. This entails taking all of your luggage off with you. I didn't think we would have time to wait for a rental company to open at 8 and drive ourselves, so we have private transportation that is supposed to pick us up at 7:30. Tight time frame, but hopefully everything goes smoothly.
 
Tomorrow I'll post some final thoughts on this cruise and hopefully edit the old posts with some pictures. Let me know if you have any questions, specifically about traveling with a toddler.

Day 6- Cozumel
 
Mackenzie woke up bright and early this morning, and since we didn't have to be off the boat until later on, I left with her to allow my husband to sleep some more. We walked around Deck 12, scoped the sunrise, and wound up in the Windjammer. Before the sun comes up is the perfect time to go to the Windjammer. After we ate, I went out to the helipad with her. I was surprised at how calm it was up there. Definitely a new favorite spot on the ship. She managed to break the screen on her iPad, so we headed back to the room to tell dad the wonderful news
We called home and took our time getting ready as we watched the ship dock in Cozumel. As I said yesterday, we had big plans today for a food tour. We dropped Kenzie off at the nursery and headed on shore. The line was the cabs was extremely long and hot, but we eventually made it. We had to meet our tour guide at the Mega near downtown Cozumel. It wasn't quite time to meet him yet, so we decided to find a geocache in the area. For those who aren't aware, geoaching is where someone puts a cache (anything from a keybox all the way up to an ammo can) hidden in an area and publishes the GPS coordinates and hints to help you find it. This one was at a bar across from Mega and the staff knew all about it. We dropped off a travel bug in the cache, grabbed a beer from the bar, and enjoyed the scenery. We walked around Mega until it was time to meet up with our tour guide.
 
I'm going to do a whole post on the food tour (and will link to it), but it was fabulous! We got a great taste of local culture and food and our tour guide was super great as well. Our cab driver for the day dropped us off at the ship and we headed back on board. We picked up Kenzie from the nursery and headed back to the room to shower.
 
We decided to head up to the rock wall when it opened. I haven't done rock climbing in a really long time and my post baby body wasn't really cut out for it. I got half way up the wall and got nervous and came down. Oh well, I tried. We took Kenzie to the open play toy area in Fuel and let her burn off some energy and then down to Sorrento's for a snack. Annette, the group cruise coordinator, was down there and we sat and had a wonderful conversation with her and her husband.
 
We had to run upstairs real quick and change clothes for dinner in the MDR. Tonight was Italian night, which everyone raves about. Unfortunately, it wasn't my favorite. We've really enjoyed the MDR and the staff works so hard to interact with Kenzie.
 
After dinner, we went to Sabor to cancel our guacamole making class for tomorrow. We are super bummed about this, but the nursery is fully booked up. We are on the waiting list, but it doesn't look good.
 
And just like that, the day was over. Long day, it was hot, and we are ready for bed. Just one more sea day and then it's back to reality.
 
Some interesting things today:
- Many places in Cozumel did not want you to flush the toilet paper down the toilet. I didn't realize this until after I threw it in. Whoops. Complete habit
- I am surprised the nursery has been so booked up (completely booked tonight too). On our Christmas sailing, they were never full. If you know you need a specific time, go ahead and book it right then. I goofed by not booking tomorrow earlier in the week
- Our waiter told us tonight that they are taking the lamb chops off of the Jasmine menu very soon. This is disappointing to me- this was probably the best food I had in the MDR