Is the Port of Galveston picturesque?

I remember our first cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale was so fun because people would wave from the beaches as we were taking off, and looking back at the sunset and the cityscape as we were pulling out was breathtaking. We are taking some cruise newbies with us this time and I was hoping for the same experience, but from the pictures I'm seeing, the whole area looks like a dive. Is this true?

The port area itself is a working port, and therefore not tourist-y. However as you pull out and move toward the main channel it's much prettier- sandy beaches, nice views. We even had a few people waving at us from the shoreline!

It definitely not on a par with departing Miami or Port Canaveral (where you will have an entire restaurant- Fish Lips- standing and waving to you!).

Mind you- give them a drink of the day, put them on the Lido deck for Sailaway party and they'll love it!

Unfortunately no, it's industrial and the water is not pretty at all. Pales in comparison to the beauty of Miami. But it's still a great port to sail out of!

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Here's a link to the Galveston web cams site:

http://www.galveston.com/cruisevideocam/

This link is set to come up on the cruise terminal camera but there are quite a few others you can use to look at various locales in Galveston (the "Select Webcam" link below the current web cam view). The ones in particular focused on the cruise port will show you that indeed, it is "industrial."

Edit: if you go there right now, there's a Disney ship about to cast off and the camera will follow it out of the harbor.

The port itself is not the most pretty, but there are really cute shops one block from port called "The Strand." They sell cute boutique stuff in them. Also an old time candy store, cute picture locations and some good restaurants a little further away from that area. The water is not blue like Miami--looks like chocolate milk. But, Galveston is really changing for the better.

The port itself is anything but pretty during the day; however, we saw many dolphins from our balcony as we sailed away. The last night as we sailed back, the lights were lovely.

Although it isn't a pretty port, it is very interesting. It can also be very foggy at times.

It is nicer than Port New Orleans...

Galveston has some scenic spots. The port area is not one of them. :)

As to the water at Galveston - the silt that comes from the Mississippi River heads west as it comes out into the Gulf of Mexico. So, the water along the Texas coast is not pristine. We get all the "dirt" from Minnesota to Louisiana!

Galveston is an island time tourist destination. It has the second largest historic preservation society and number of Victorian homes in the US .

See

galvestonhistory.org

Galveston.com

Bryan museum a must

Moody gardens

Pleasure pier

Railroad museum

Oil and gas industry drilling rig museum

1894 grand opera house

Tall ship schooner Elissa

Short films are maritime museum

Moody mansion

Bishops Palace

Lone Star Flight Museum

Two convention centers

32 miles of beach in Gulf of Mexico

Free cruise on ferry

La kings confectionery

Dolphins tours

City tours

No!

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no!

 

 

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lol

When departing you will pass the 1877 Barque, Elissa, several restaurants and the drilling rig museum before entering the channel to the Gulf.

Galveston is a working port and has been since the 1830's.

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The port itself is not the most pretty, but there are really cute shops one block from port called "The Strand." They sell cute boutique stuff in them. Also an old time candy store, cute picture locations and some good restaurants a little further away from that area. The water is not blue like Miami--looks like chocolate milk. But, Galveston is really changing for the better.

Is there a store to purchase soda and or wine in this Strand area?

Do you have car or not?

As others have mentioned, it is an industrial port, not post card pretty but DW and I still enjoyed it. We saw at least 50 plus dolphins right along the ship as we left port, it was fun to watch and we were on a cruise so overall as Tony the Tiger says, "IT'S GREAAAT!!!"

This is our first time with a balcony, so I'm really hoping we get to see some dolphins. We are on the starboard side. What side of the ship do you think we would we need to be on to see any dolphins? I will go to one of the top decks if need be. :)

The port itself is anything but pretty during the day; however, we saw many dolphins from our balcony as we sailed away. The last night as we sailed back, the lights were lovely.

 

Although it isn't a pretty port, it is very interesting. It can also be very foggy at times.

Sorry, I'm not very good at cc. I didn't know if you would see what I wrote unless I directly replied to you. So I'm going to ask the same question again. We have our first balcony and it is on the starboard side. What side of the ship would give us the best chance of seeing some dolphins? We will make sure to be on that side when we sail away.

Sorry, I'm not very good at cc. I didn't know if you would see what I wrote unless I directly replied to you. So I'm going to ask the same question again. We have our first balcony and it is on the starboard side. What side of the ship would give us the best chance of seeing some dolphins? We will make sure to be on that side when we sail away.

Both sides of ship.

And for others there are two port tours that include dolphin watching. One private and one by Galveston Historical Foundation at the Maritime Museum/Elissa tall Ship .

Also There are three Historical short films at Maritime Museum. 1900 Great Storm , Pirate Jean Lafitte, and Gaveston as a major Immigration Center.