Latest time to board (Carnival Dream/Galveston)

Hello all. I was wondering what is the latest time one could possibly board for a 4pm sailing out of Galveston? I am a teacher and am looking to book a cruise for the last day of school, which is a half day and I will be done around noon. The school is about 90 min (maybe a little less) from the port and I would obviously go right there, but I'm always afraid of traffic problems. Which leads me to the question of when is the latest I can board without getting turned away?

Check your documents but it “should be” 3/330

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My ticket for the Dream out of New Orleans states:

“Reservations will be held until 30 minutes prior to departure.”

So it appears you need to be at the ship ready to board by 3:30 at the latest, in New Orleans at least.

Check your documents but it “should be” 3/330

Thank you! I don't have documents yet. I'm waiting to book the cruise to make sure that this is all possible.

Just be advised that all checked in luggage must be at the terminal by 2pm or you will have to carry it on.

I would call Carnival to be sure... I'd heard that in Galveston they expect you onboard by 3... could be wrong so I'd go directly to the source.

Just be advised that all checked in luggage must be at the terminal by 2pm or you will have to carry it on.

I would probably plan on packing light if you're trying to rush straight from the last day of school to a cruise, and then plan to carry on your luggage. Your room will be ready by the time you board, so you could go straight there.

I'm surprised this is even an option. I know around here the teachers have 1-2 more days than the kids, for in-service/cleaning their classroom/professional development/whatever.

I would probably plan on packing light if you're trying to rush straight from the last day of school to a cruise, and then plan to carry on your luggage. Your room will be ready by the time you board, so you could go straight there.

 

I'm surprised this is even an option. I know around here the teachers have 1-2 more days than the kids, for in-service/cleaning their classroom/professional development/whatever.

Our plan is for my wife to be waiting outside like it's a getaway car. My final is multiple choice and similar to a scantron, but instead of printing their grades on the sheet it uploads it to a website. So I can easily run them through the machine and run, and get my final grades in while my wife drives (thank you hotspot from my cellphone and laptops). Full disclosure, that day that the teachers are there after the finals is just to turn in our keys and other school property and clean the classroom. I can easily take care of that before hand.

Remember that the only limitation with respect to carry-on luggage is that it has to fit through the scanner so that's what I'd plan for. IF a longshoreman is collecting bags out front, you can be sure that's still an option. Of course a nice tip is in order. I'd already have those Carnival tags attached.

I've been to the Galveston port but don't know the parking situation. You'll want to investigate that.

My instincts tell me your good but certainly check with Carnival regarding your firm cutoff. Seems like a reasonable 'bad case' for you is arriving at 2p. Enjoy.

Thank you! I don't have documents yet. I'm waiting to book the cruise to make sure that this is all possible.

Please read the post you are responding to more Carefully. It talks about what happens in New Orleans not Galveston.

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Having lived in Houston, I would not even try this because you never know what can happen with the work (what if a parent shows up with some kind of problem) traffic delays, road construction, and accidents unless you plan on calling in sick that last day.

I hope you can work it out- we really enjoyed the Dream.

We live off SH 6 & US 90. It use to take us 50 minutes from our house to the Galveston terminal. With the build up down Hwy 6 towards Galveston it now takes us up to 1 1/2 hours just to get to the terminal. Add another 20-30 for parking, etc.

Okay gar, here's what's going to happen. Some posters will suggest that Scotty can Star Trek beam you to the cruise terminal and that you'll be able to get there and on the ship from the front door of your school in a microsecond. Others will tell you that because there's a chance of a flat tire or that some kid will develop the plague that you should really leave for Galveston at least 48 hours before your cruise to avoid the stress of missing the ship. Nobody knows exactly where you work and nobody can judge your comfort level as you approach a hard time cut-off.

But the bottom line is to study and know your exact 'most likely' and 'worst case' scenarios. That manifest cut-off is firm and the ship will leave you at the pier if it has to.

That's awfully risky... I work on the island, and you just flat-out never know what's going to be going on in either direction. One day recently there was a fatality accident going northbound that had the entire causeway closed -- no way to get off the island for a good 4+ hours. This past Friday, 45 southbound was closed right at rush hour because someone either fell or jumped off an adjacent bridge. Seriously, you just never know how it's going to be down here.

Consider travel insurance. I know my CSA insurance covers canceling cruise if my School dates change

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Please don't risk it. They will lock lhe doors in Galveston and sail off without you if you are late.

Just a heads up the Port of Baltimore used (Dec'17) to state on their website that they would allow passengers that arrived at the terminal 1 hour prior to boarding to do so. Recently they changed their time to 2 hours prior to departure. While on Carnival's website it does say they allow boarding as long as your arrive 90 minutes prior to departure for this port. (Trust me the port authority is setting the personnel schedules, so their info will more indicative of if you can process in.)

I do realize this is not your port of departure but it does illustrate the fact that the port &/or the cruise line can change the acceptable arrival time with little to no notice. Also since the ship has no control over the cruise terminal scheduling their personnel I would not believe that the time they list is correct for any terminal check-in time, always check what the port itself has on their website and keep checking on occasion right up to your departure date for changes. Many times when a cruise line states "arrive by" they might mean stepping on board by such-n-such time.

My boarding pass says 3:00 pm from Galveston

Last boarding time is 3:00 PM from Galveston. That gives you enough time to make it, but I would buy insurance that covers travel delay for traffic accidents en route. People have various comfort levels. This isn't an ideal situation, but it is definitely possible.