Arriving at Houston - Help!

My husband and I will be arriving at George Bush Airport in Houston the day before embarkation on the Emerald Princess in December. I delayed too long and cannot get the hotel and transfer package, but I did set us up with the transfers both to and from the ship.

We are going to have to get a hotel on the night that we arrive in Houston and then go back to the airport and meet the Princess rep and transfer shuttle at the baggage claim area. I have two questions:

1. If we leave the airport on Saturday evening, will they let us back in to the baggage claim area on Sunday to meet the shuttle without any problems? I would hate to miss the transfer shuttle and have to figure out a way to get to the ship.

2. Any recommendations on hotels to stay at with an airport shuttle?

I'm kind of nervous about this. We usually cruise out of Los Angeles and just drive there. I've never had to fly to get to the ship before and don't want any problems. Thanks for your help!

Can't help you with hotels, but since baggage claim is outside the secured area of the airport, you shouldn't have a problem meeting the rep.

Grey

Thank you! That makes me feel better.

Baggage claim area is accessible by anyone so no problem getting into that area. IAH has multiple terminals with one baggage claim for domestic flights. Marriott has a hotel on the airport property and easily accessible by walking in an underground tunnel. There are many major brand hotels on the edge of the airport and most offer free transportation. You can search for one that meets your budget and since it is overnight only, many will work.

Marriott has a hotel on the airport property and easily accessible by walking in an underground tunnel.

I suggest you try this one first as the access is easy and you do not have to leave the airport.

I did try to get the Marriott, but all the websites say that it is already full. I will try to call them directly.

Relax. This will go smoothly. We had the hotel package at the Marriott and the Princess transfer to the port last March. Met the rep in the hotel lobby. Princess even picked up our bags from our room.

Recognize that your not staying at the Marriott so your arrangements are different. I do remember some discussion before our trip with others who were staying elsewhere and using the transfers. Their experience was also very smooth. Princess does this every week so they've got the system down. You just need to do your part by showing up.

There are a couple of advantages to staying elsewhere. The Marriott, while nice, is older and it is isolated since it completely surrounded by the airport. Other hotels will be cheaper. More options for meals. The Marriott was an expensive place to eat. You'll have options to pick up last minute things like wine which you cannot do at the Marriott unless you take a cab.

Suggest you bring up google maps for the airport and search for hotels close in. Then search around them for places to eat or wine stores, etc. You can use the street view to examine the hotels.

Last year we stayed in Seabrook, at the best western and no problems, actually very nice hotel and they will take you to the port. Most of the hotels in Seabrook offer a shuttle to the port. just call and ask. Seabrook has a few shopping spots if you need/forget anything. target, walmart and a LIQUOR store for you last minute wine and beverage carry ons. Also great resturants. Over all that was a great little town and area.

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Best Western Plus Seabrook Suites

5755 Bayport Blvd

Seabrook, TX 77586

I would tend to suggest getting your own transportation to a hotel in Kemah or Seabrook, and see if they have a shuttle to the port. You might check out the Kemah Boardwalk Inn as they have free cruise parking for drive ins, so I suspect have a free port shuttle, and is likely much nicer than anything you will find around IAH. For the IAH area motels, if you plan on having dinner after you arrive or breakfast most do not have on site restaurants and only continental breakfast and there are very few dining options nearby. The only exception I know of with a half way decent dining option is the steak house at the Holiday Inn IAH at JFK and Beltway 8 (Sam Houston Tollway), it is an older but fairly nice Holiday Inn, popular with the small fly in conference crowd. I have a certification class I go to there every 2 years.

Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions and information. I am really feeling much more confident about this now. I ended up booking a room at Springhill Suites about 2 miles from the airport. They have a free shuttle to and from IAH, and they also include breakfast. It had one of the highest customer ratings of the hotels in the area (I only saw one bad review). We leave in about 3 weeks, so I'm looking forward to the experience.

Thank you, everyone, for your suggestions and information. I am really feeling much more confident about this now. I ended up booking a room at Springhill Suites about 2 miles from the airport. They have a free shuttle to and from IAH, and they also include breakfast. It had one of the highest customer ratings of the hotels in the area (I only saw one bad review). We leave in about 3 weeks, so I'm looking forward to the experience.

Stayed at another Springhill Suites last month and was very favorably impressed.

No problem in getting back into the air port to meet the Princess rep. They usually give those that are not arriving the same day a later time to meet

(it was 11am when we did it last year), but you can show up earlier. They will send off buses as they fill. We arrived about 9:45 and was on a bus leaving at 10, which got us to the terminal a little after 11.

There are a number of hotels around the airport that have free shuttles back and forth to the airport. So check around if you are looking for something less expensive then the Marriott.

Hi the Princess reps at the air port are usually wearing a sea witch scarf with a blue blazer and have a clipboard with the sea witch logo as well. Your cruise personalizer will give you a time and place as to where to meet at the airport. The Princess reps are usually outside the baggage claim area. They are easy to spot. Hope this information helps and you have a great cruise.:)

My sis and I did exactly what you are describing when we were in LA before our Hawaii cruise. We stayed at a hotel that had a free airport shuttle then the morning of the cruise had the hotel shuttle drop us off where the princess transfer was picking up. It was perfect and we had no issues.

I'm not familiar with Houston, but is this a better plan than just staying near the port? That's what I would recommend with anyone planning to sail out of the Port of Los Angeles -- the area around LAX isn't that great (think strip malls in the literal sense:eek:) and having to go back to the airport just to catch the cruise line's shuttle seems like extra trouble to me.

I'm not familiar with Houston' date=' but is this a better plan than just staying near the port? That's what I would recommend with anyone planning to sail out of the Port of Los Angeles -- the area around LAX isn't that great (think strip malls in the literal sense:eek:) and having to go back to the airport just to catch the cruise line's shuttle seems like extra trouble to me.[/quote']

 

IAH has a hotel on site and at least a dozen hotels within a 5-10 minute drive.

 

Transportation from IAH to a hotel near the port is expensive by cab and may not be much less with SuperShuttle. "Near the port" means several miles from it. Not all hotels "near" the port have transportation to the port, so a cab may be needed.