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Once again just wanted to thank Steve for the invaluable information he has posted here especially steering me clear of Bubba Gump Shrimp Company and instead having dinner at Ocean Grille and Beach Bar. Definitely a local place that should not be missed for dinner!

Always happy to help sir!

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Great information. I was very interested reading this thread as we had a negative experience that I would like to hear other cruisers take on. But let me first tell you a little background, we are from CA and have cruised out of FL for the most part as we love the Caribbean ports. In 2010 my husband and I were lucky enough to have enough points on our RCCL credit card for a free 7 night Cruise. As money was very tight we welcomed the first vacation in years and could only afford a short flight to Texas. We stayed one night in Galveston before the cruise and were very excited to get away from life. As soon as we were on board we noticed a different feel. With no other preconceived options or prejudices there was a less excited more negative outlook from our fellow cruises. I had never experienced more slander talk about other passengers while in common areas. At times the overheard sometimes racial jabs about neighboring states were offensive to say the least. Unfortunately this continued at the dinner table talk and for the rest of the vacation. We still had a great time but we left saying we would never Cruise out of Galveston again. We would love to give it a second chance but are hesitant. I really don't mean to offend anyone, just interested in maybe some background and other opinions.

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I had the complete opposite experience when sailing out of Galveston and with Royal in general. I've sailed with all the major lines and have found Royal cruisers to be the nicest of the bunch. That said, when you have large groups, state-specific discounts, and the like, I could see where the dynamic could change. Also keep in mind the state of the economy back in 2010 as that could have been a factor, too.

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.... As soon as we were on board we noticed a different feel. With no other preconceived options or prejudices there was a less excited more negative outlook from our fellow cruises. I had never experienced more slander talk about other passengers while in common areas. At times the overheard sometimes racial jabs about neighboring states were offensive to say the least. Unfortunately this continued at the dinner table talk and for the rest of the vacation. ....

 

I have sailed from Galveston four times and was on Voyager out of Galveston just a few weeks before you were back in 2010.  Similar to DocLC, this has not been my experience on any of our four cruises from Galveston or any other Royal Caribbean cruises for that matter. Your cruise experience six years ago sounds like an unfortunate encounter with insensitive jerks. I suppose that can happen to any of us, at any time, on any ship, sailing from any port.

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I can't remember where or to whom I promised this recently, but someone asked how large of a cruise ship could call on the Port of Galveston. I promised to research it.  According to this article found by my wife, once the current improvements are complete the Port of Galveston will be able to accommodate an Oasis class cruise ship. Do you think that could/would happen?

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  • 3 weeks later...

Thanks for keeping this post updated Steve.  We cruised out of Galveston in 2015 and are heading there again this July.  It was very helpful to see the changes and also the good advice about hotels, parking and restaurants.   I never thought to stay at the Harbor House until I saw your recommendation.  Glad to hear the terminal situation is much improved.  Thanks again, very appreciated.

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  • 1 month later...

I tried going back through the entire thread but unfortunately, for me, I have a short attention span.  I decided it would be easier to just ask my question than to hope that it might be answered somewhere along the way.

We have rented a car from Enterprise at IAH and will be driving to Galveston to stay the night before our cruise (arriving Sept. 1, sailing Sept. 2).

If Dan drops me and the luggage off at the port and takes the car to the Enterprise location (apparently 4 miles from the Port...this is what we were told), will they shuttle him back to the port ?  Do they offer a shuttle to the port under any circumstances ?

For the record, Enterprise is charging us $150 for the one-way rental, which totally sucks but we want the flexibility of a car as we have some personal biz to attend to in Houston.  We were able to snag a Marriott property in Galveston using Marriott Rewards points even though it is Labor Day weekend.  I was surprised that they allowed it.  YIPPEE !!

 

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1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

will they shuttle him back to the port ?  Do they offer a shuttle to the port under any circumstances ?

Unless something has changed, the rental car places on the island will not typically shuttle someone back to the port.   that being said,  I would give them a call to be 100% certain that hasn't changed.

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If you are staying at the Marriott Courtyard, we have stayed there a few times and used their park and cruise option. They have a free shuttle to take you to the cruise-also done that! The last time we took the shuttle, I don't remember how early it left and you can board the ship super early now-around 9:30. 

 

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Enterprise is the only rental car company on the island.  They are open 8 am to 1 pm on Sundays.  I have seen their shuttle vans at their Galveston location on Sunday mornings loading up luggage.  To be certain, I'd give them a call at 409-740-0400.

Labor Day weekend will be very crowded on the island and the hotels will be full... you did well to book with points!  Consider getting dinner reservations to avoid being disappointed and to avoid a long wait due to the holiday.  Enjoy!

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17 hours ago, Mljstr said:

If you are staying at the Marriott Courtyard, we have stayed there a few times and used their park and cruise option. They have a free shuttle to take you to the cruise-also done that! The last time we took the shuttle, I don't remember how early it left and you can board the ship super early now-around 9:30. 

 

We are at the Spring Hill Suites.  It was the only Marriott property that permitted us to use points.  It’s only 1 night...

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On 7/13/2018 at 4:48 PM, Galveston Steve said:

Enterprise is the only rental car company on the island.  They are open 8 am to 1 pm on Sundays.  I have seen their shuttle vans at their Galveston location on Sunday mornings loading up luggage.  To be certain, I'd give them a call at 409-740-0400.

Labor Day weekend will be very crowded on the island and the hotels will be full... you did well to book with points!  Consider getting dinner reservations to avoid being disappointed and to avoid a long wait due to the holiday.  Enjoy!

Galveston Steve has posted such great information about the port, especially concerning restaurants and hotels!  I always like to eat the local specialty food whenever I am traveling, because it is usually something I can't get at home.  If you have the same sensibilities, be sure to eat fresh gulf shrimp.   They come in on ships every day in Galveston and most seafood restaurants buy them in the morning and serve them right away.  They are sweet and large and so much more delicious than the frozen things you get in other parts of the country.   

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11 hours ago, cruise-y said:

I always like to eat the local specialty food whenever I am traveling, because it is usually something I can't get at home.  If you have the same sensibilities, be sure to eat fresh gulf shrimp.   They come in on ships every day in Galveston and most seafood restaurants buy them in the morning and serve them right away.  They are sweet and large and so much more delicious than the frozen things you get in other parts of the country.   

Great advice @cruise-y! My favorites in Galveston are fresh Gulf Shrimp and Red Snapper.  So good!  My only caution is to ask the restaurants if the dish you are ordering is "fresh local seafood".  There are some places on Galveston (Landry's Seafood for example) that are famous for seafood but most of what they serve is frozen or brought in from other areas.  The restaurants I recommend in the original post do use fresh local seafood.  Blvd Seafood for example serves shrimp and Red Snapper fresh from the docks every day (as @cruise-y points out above). Red Snapper at Blvd Seafood is one of my favorites.  It's served with the "Gulf Wild" tag and you can enter the unique number from that tag at www.GulfWild.com to see when, where, and on what boat your fish was caught.

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22 hours ago, Galveston Steve said:

Great advice @cruise-y! My favorites in Galveston are fresh Gulf Shrimp and Red Snapper.  So good!  My only caution is to ask the restaurants if the dish you are ordering is "fresh local seafood".  There are some places on Galveston (Landry's Seafood for example) that are famous for seafood but most of what they serve is frozen or brought in from other areas.  The restaurants I recommend in the original post do use fresh local seafood.  Blvd Seafood for example serves shrimp and Red Snapper fresh from the docks every day (as @cruise-y points out above). Red Snapper at Blvd Seafood is one of my favorites.  It's served with the "Gulf Wild" tag and you can enter the unique number from that tag at www.GulfWild.com to see when, where, and on what boat your fish was caught.

Yes Galveston Steve is absolutely correct and I should have noted not to eat at the national chains!  Eat Local!   I’ve driven to Galveston just to eat the shrimp and I’ve bought it right off the boats on occasion. 

As Steve says, the snapper is a great fresh daily option too (yum) and I’m partial to another local fave -  fresh oyster stew made from plump gulf oysters with a shot of hot sauce.  It’s thin and milk based and may not be available all year round.  Steve can probably tell you when and where it’s best.  (I’m an adventuresome eater.)

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  • 3 weeks later...

Great list.  We live in Texas and have cruised out of Galveston 12 times, so far.  Most of the time we stay either in Houston or Webster but we have stayed in Galveston a few times at hotels that provide parking and a shuttle to the port.  The problem we had was driving down Seawall Blvd with all its restaurants looking for a place to eat so I especially appreciate the list of local restaurants to choose from.  Thanks again!

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  • 1 month later...

Well I'm a year away from my Liberty cruise now, so I'm wanting to book my hotel. I think I wanna stay in Galveston because I think it would be cool(first time in Galveston) and I want as easy of a day as possible the first day of the cruise. We will have our 3 kids(12,8,3) which is why I want it to be as easy as possible. I like really clean and nice, but not too fancy for my loud rowdy kids. Pool, breakfast & shuttle to the terminal would be a plus. When I travel with the kids I don't mind paying more for convenience, in fact I prefer it. Anyone have recommendations?

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  • 3 weeks later...

@Galveston Steve Hi there Steve! I have read a few of your posts about parking but they seemed to be a little dated so wanted to check with you about it. Do you know anything about 81st Dolphin Parking? We used EZCruise Parking last year but 81st Dolphin seems to be a little cheaper. I can't find that many reviews online so just wanted to make sure we weren't making a mistake ? Thanks for you help!!

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11 minutes ago, lauraodonnell86 said:

@Galveston Steve Hi there Steve! I have read a few of your posts about parking but they seemed to be a little dated so wanted to check with you about it. Do you know anything about 81st Dolphin Parking? We used EZCruise Parking last year but 81st Dolphin seems to be a little cheaper. I can't find that many reviews online so just wanted to make sure we weren't making a mistake ? Thanks for you help!!

I don't have any info on 81st Dolphin parking but we are using Port Parking www.portparking.com which is indoors and provides shuttles to the terminal.

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On 3/16/2019 at 10:35 AM, lauraodonnell86 said:

@Galveston Steve Hi there Steve! I have read a few of your posts about parking but they seemed to be a little dated so wanted to check with you about it. Do you know anything about 81st Dolphin Parking? We used EZCruise Parking last year but 81st Dolphin seems to be a little cheaper. I can't find that many reviews online so just wanted to make sure we weren't making a mistake ? Thanks for you help!!

Hi Laura! I have not used 81st Dolphin, but I think they would be fine. It’s outdoor, gated, and looks secure. A few months ago I used Port Parking, as mentioned above, and had a good experience. I think you would be fine with any of the providers in Galveston. Several have a park and walk option that saves money if you don’t need the shuttle bus. You can drop your bags at the cruise terminal, drive to the parking lot, and walk back to the ship. Of course the weather may make this option uncomfortable. Have a great cruise!

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2 hours ago, Mathew Jones said:

We are going on Liberty on Cinco de Mayo.  The night before we are staying at the Four Points by Sheraton.  They have free parking at the hotel for cruisers and a $5 per person shuttle.  I reserved early to we got a pretty sweet deal on the room. 

Really?  I stayed at Four Points last year and are staying there again this year and to my knowledge they have no shuttle service of any kind.  It is a $10 Uber ride to the cruise terminal

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On ‎2‎/‎10‎/‎2019 at 11:59 AM, JasonL said:

Well I'm a year away from my Liberty cruise now, so I'm wanting to book my hotel. I think I wanna stay in Galveston because I think it would be cool(first time in Galveston) and I want as easy of a day as possible the first day of the cruise. We will have our 3 kids(12,8,3) which is why I want it to be as easy as possible. I like really clean and nice, but not too fancy for my loud rowdy kids. Pool, breakfast & shuttle to the terminal would be a plus. When I travel with the kids I don't mind paying more for convenience, in fact I prefer it. Anyone have recommendations?

Just an FYI, I had the idea early in February to get reservations at the Galvez for the night before our cruise (Dec. 21) because I knew they had cruise parking and shuttle service. They were totally booked up. So I started down the list of hotels that provided parking and/or shuttle and they were booked up. This was for Dec.21 so I'm figuring they are booked up because it's Christmas? Or kids are out of school on family getaways?  Some big attraction in Galveston at that time? I was surprised. I did find a room on the freeway coming into town and prepaid Port Parking....but it's not what I intended.

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12 hours ago, Galveston Steve said:

Hi Laura! I have not used 81st Dolphin, but I think they would be fine. It’s outdoor, gated, and looks secure. A few months ago I used Port Parking, as mentioned above, and had a good experience. I think you would be fine with any of the providers in Galveston. Several have a park and walk option that saves money if you don’t need the shuttle bus. You can drop your bags at the cruise terminal, drive to the parking lot, and walk back to the ship. Of course the weather may make this option uncomfortable. Have a great cruise!

Thanks @Galveston Steve, you are so helpful and awesome!

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5 hours ago, rtread said:

Just an FYI, I had the idea early in February to get reservations at the Galvez for the night before our cruise (Dec. 21) because I knew they had cruise parking and shuttle service. They were totally booked up. So I started down the list of hotels that provided parking and/or shuttle and they were booked up. This was for Dec.21 so I'm figuring they are booked up because it's Christmas? Or kids are out of school on family getaways?  Some big attraction in Galveston at that time? I was surprised. I did find a room on the freeway coming into town and prepaid Port Parking....but it's not what I intended.

The Santa Hustle 5K and Half Marathon is that weekend. It draws a lot of people to the island. 

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On 3/17/2019 at 1:38 AM, rtread said:

Just an FYI, I had the idea early in February to get reservations at the Galvez for the night before our cruise (Dec. 21) because I knew they had cruise parking and shuttle service. They were totally booked up. So I started down the list of hotels that provided parking and/or shuttle and they were booked up. This was for Dec.21 so I'm figuring they are booked up because it's Christmas? Or kids are out of school on family getaways?  Some big attraction in Galveston at that time? I was surprised. I did find a room on the freeway coming into town and prepaid Port Parking....but it's not what I intended.

I think they just book up super fast, because I reserved a hotel 11 months before and I got my 10th choice. All the top hotels were already booked as soon as bookings opened it seems.

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3 hours ago, JasonL said:

I think they just book up super fast, because I reserved a hotel 11 months before and I got my 10th choice. All the top hotels were already booked as soon as bookings opened it seems.

Somebody with a pot of money needs to go down there and build a mess of hotels!

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On 3/16/2019 at 10:32 PM, jce2 said:

Really?  I stayed at Four Points last year and are staying there again this year and to my knowledge they have no shuttle service of any kind.  It is a $10 Uber ride to the cruise terminal

There is a parking option at the hotel.  And the lady It talked to said that their is a shuttle for $5 per person.  Not sure.  I will line this all out when we get there.  

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37 minutes ago, spursfreak21 said:

@Galveston SteveThank you so much for bumping this up.  All of the information is very useful! One question - About how far is the walk from Port Parking to the terminal? 

The Port Parking park-and-walk facility is located at 18th and Harborside in a warehouse building.  It is about a 0.7 mile walk (about 8 blocks) to Terminal 2 where Royal Caribbean docks.  It would be a nice stroll down The Strand Historic District on your way to the ship.  Just make sure to drop your luggage at the cruise terminal before you park.

The Port Parking main facility is at 37th and Harborside in a large warehouse building.  This main facility is not a walkable location but they have plenty of convenient shuttle busses

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On 5/2/2019 at 10:24 AM, kadmgs said:

Hey @Galveston Steve I saw your location is Dallas. Are you BOI or just a frequent life long visitor like me? Your knowledge of the island is awesome!

Thanks for asking... I'm BOI: Born OFF the Island, haha.  But my wife and I lived in Galveston for a number of years before retiring to Dallas.  We lived on the 21st floor of a condo overlooking Galveston Bay and the entrance to the Galveston Ship Channel.  We watched all of the cruise ships come and go on a daily basis, ate the local cuisine, and lived life on the island.  Only kids and a grandchild could tear us away, but we still try to cruise from Galveston when possible.

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14 hours ago, Galveston Steve said:

Thanks for asking... I'm BOI: Born OFF the Island, haha.  But my wife and I lived in Galveston for a number of years before retiring to Dallas.  We live on the 21st floor of a condo overlooking Galveston Bay and the entrance to the Galveston Ship Channel.  We watched all of the cruise ships come and go on a daily basis, ate the local cuisine, and lived life on the island.  Only kids and a grandchild could tear us away, but we still try to cruise from Galveston when possible.

Ah! You're a IBC (Islander by Choice!). I've always wanted to live in Galveston, but I'm a teacher and GISD doesn't pay well. I'm on the north side of the Bay near all the refineries, but east of the tank fire area. 

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