Current experience with Carnival Shuttle from HOU to Galveston? Recommendations?

Looking for current experience with either using Carnival Shuttle round trip from HOU (Houston Hobby Airport) to Galveston vs other private services.

Looking for current experience with either using Carnival Shuttle round trip from HOU (Houston Hobby Airport) to Galveston vs other private services.

We only used the Carnival shuttle from the port to HOU. Shuttles were available all morning. Since we had a 6:00 PM flight, we stayed on the ship until the cruise director implored the remaining passengers to "please get off the ship" at 10:30. The shuttle ride was about one hour.

When we did leave the ship, we retrieved our luggage and went to customs. There were two areas: one for passports and one for birth certificates. The passport line had about 20 people in it. The bc line was about 300 people long.

Hi,

Try Galveston Express. I have used them over Three times now and enjoyed their service.:)

Good Luck!!

Mike mpdog42

Be aware if you use Carnival transfer from airport to port pre-cruise, that any type of priority embarkation that you may be entitled to (FTTF, platinum, diamond) will be moot. In my experience, you will wait until Carnival can fill a bus before you can get on the Carnival bus and then wait to leave the airport for various possible reasons, before you will actually leave for the port. In my experience, that means you will embark the ship long after other priority embarkation guests.

IMO that means that Galveston is not a good port to book if you plan to purchase FTTF or are platinum or diamond flying in.

We've used the Carnival shuttle and Galveston Express both, and I prefer the Carnival shuttle. We waited FOREVER to depart HOU with Galveston Express, and also the carnival shuttles/buses are MUCH roomier than the vans that GE uses. It's about a $20 savings roundtrip per couple using GE, but to me it wasn't worth it.

So, from the responses it appears that both Carnival shuttle and Galveston Express may cause us to wait forever to depart. Our ship (Carnival Breeze) is set to depart Galveston at 4pm. We did purchase the FTTF. However, we will be arriving at Houston Hobby the day before departure and I hear the shuttles start in early in the morning. Therefore:

Does anyone know what time the shuttles (Carnival or GE) start departing from Houston Hobby?

What time should we plan to get on a shuttle to head toward Galveston in order to take advantage of the FTTF?

So, from the responses it appears that both Carnival shuttle and Galveston Express may cause us to wait forever to depart. Our ship (Carnival Breeze) is set to depart Galveston at 4pm. We did purchase the FTTF. However, we will be arriving at Houston Hobby the day before departure and I hear the shuttles start in early in the morning. Therefore:

 

Does anyone know what time the shuttles (Carnival or GE) start departing from Houston Hobby?

 

What time should we plan to get on a shuttle to head toward Galveston in order to take advantage of the FTTF?

We also come in the day before, and always go back to Hobby about 8 AM the morning of the cruise. With the Carnival shuttle, they start departing around 9 AM. You get a number to board the shuttle with, so the earlier you arrive the better boarding number you'll get. With Galveston Express, you choose your departure time when you book, but again, we waited forever to depart. With FTTF, you'll be able to check in whenever you want, starting about 10:00 AM.

Has anyone used Lyft or Uber for transport from HOU to Galveston? Wondering about the cost difference.

Galveston express($34round trip).only time we had to wait was people did not show up for return trip.we finally left after waiting 20 minutes.depends on staggered check in time for the ship.we have been picked up iah and hotel .never a problem.will be using them again in jan.2018 carniaval breeze b2b.

We've used the Carnival shuttle and Galveston Express both, and I prefer the Carnival shuttle. We waited FOREVER to depart HOU with Galveston Express, and also the carnival shuttles/buses are MUCH roomier than the vans that GE uses. It's about a $20 savings roundtrip per couple using GE, but to me it wasn't worth it.

This was not my experience. I flew into HOU a day early and spent the night at an airport hotel, and then used the hotel shuttle to return back to the airport early the next day thinking I'd get on the first Carnival shuttle to the port. That turned out to be a bad decision because it just left me sitting in the baggage claim area for hours before the very first Carnival shuttle left for port. As I stated before, embarkation was well underway before I arrived at the port via Carnival transfer.

We have used Houston Custom Transport several times. He is AMAZING. I think it was $140 for 7 of us RT from Houston Hobby to the port. One trip we used them (we had called a cab and 45 minutes later we were still waiting Dave from Houston Custom Transport showed up to get other cruisers and put us with the group) from a hotel on Seawall to the port for $20. :You will not be disappointed. He will even stop along the way to pick up last minute items, soda, etc. We had him stop at Buc-ees. If you have not been there, it is a great little / big convenience store/gift shop. Fun Place!!!!!

Take Uber. It's under $50 from Hobby to the port for up to 4 people. Don't have to wait for others. They can also pick you up from the port back to Hobby.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

Take Uber. It's under $50 from Hobby to the port for up to 4 people. Don't have to wait for others. They can also pick you up from the port back to Hobby.

 

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk

We have never used Uber. If we have 2 adults and 2 large luggage, would an Uber X be appropriate? Can't find much info about luggage online.

We have never used Uber. If we have 2 adults and 2 large luggage, would an Uber X be appropriate? Can't find much info about luggage online.

I take Uber a lot.. Uber X vehicles in Houston are usually 4 door sedans or SUV's. So yes enough room.

Sent from my SM-N910P using Tapatalk