Choosing Liberty out of Galveston, worth the "hassle"?

I just got off the Liberty but arrived a day early Saturday to avoid the hassle. Stayed at the Courtyard which now serves food in the bar.

I was amazed the port had they’re stuff together.

Check in was easy

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Courtyard does not require min stay and they take you to ship

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I’m actually looking at the Liberty out of Galveston for 2020, to celebrate our 50th anniversary. I see it’s an older ship, being launched in 2007, so I hope that’s not a problem. I heard the ship had some updates in 2016, though. As for seeing Galveston, I would never try to fly in day of cruise. Too many variables that could go wrong. I generally fly in one to two days prior. Anyone have good hotel suggestions in Galveston?

 

 

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Courtyard Marriott

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Courtyard Marriott

 

 

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I already know there are car services available, we used one last time. No plans for another Liberty cruise anytime soon, just wondering. I checked quite a few hotels for the previous trip that provided shuttle service to one or the other, but not both.

I really enjoy going to Galveston, I’m from the Midwest so I have to fly to cruise. I’ve been out of Galveston for the past 2 years and really enjoy Liberty, it’s a beautiful ship with plenty to do. I would also recommend to spend a day or 2 on the island pre cruise. Hotels can be expensive but it’s a vacation. There are also trolleys on the island in the summer, 1 goes from Moody Gardens to the other end by Pleasure Pier I believe and the other one goes through another part of the Island. The driver for that trolley gave a guided tour when I was there last year. I believe it still only costs $1 per person and a free transfer between lines. You really need to stay on the island to get the full experience. My hotel offered a free shuttle to the port, Holiday Inn on the beach. Everyone I met on the cruise was very nice. I actually like country music, but didn’t really hear it on the ship unless in was guitar in the Pub.

There are plenty of shuttles from Houston to Galveston. Many hotels with a shuttle to the pier. I don’t think it’s any harder to get there than it is to Port Canaveral and no pricier. What you will find are friendly, hospitable mostly Texans and southerners are on. A ship that was updated in 2016, and has most of the bells and whistles of Oasis class. Galveston is a cool town with lots of history. The water at the beach isn’t blue like Florida, but you’ll view dolphins and pelicans. Great food at the harbor.

I had a longer wait in the hotel lobby waiting for the shuttle to the pier. There were ALOT of carnival folks at my hotel.

The embark has totally changed with the new terminal. I’m on as fast as any port as I can think of. Have a 600+ seating area up the escalator after check in so you can be comfy until you are called to board.

That should be the one on the island.

None that I know of, Galveston isn’t like Miami/FLL. It’s about a 40 min trip from hobby to the pier. You will need transportation from airports to Galveston or pier. Galveston Limo is good, I’ve used them twice

Is that in Galveston or Houston? I'm assuming Galveston since they will take you to the port. Are there any hotels in the area that pick up at either airport, and also drop off at the cruise port?

 

I already know there are car services available, we used one last time. No plans for another Liberty cruise anytime soon, just wondering. I checked quite a few hotels for the previous trip that provided shuttle service to one or the other, but not both.

I have been trolling the boards and there is a lot of not so great feedback regarding Galveston as a port. I love the Liberty itinerary that includes Honduras and Belize, but with an hour transportation minimum to and from the airport, it is seeming cumbersome and costly. Adding a rental car, and extra hotels on both ends can get quite costly.

 

I LOVE the Oasis class ships, but wanted to try something different. Thoughts?

We've sailed Liberty out of Galveston twice. We've had no issues!

We fly into Houston Hobby the day before and take a shared shuttle bus to Galveston, about $25/$30 each way. We stay at one of the hotels in Galveston that has a free shuttle to the port the next morning.

We usually get to the port around 11 so we have most of the day on the ship before she sails. Coming back, we book a later flight out of hobby so we can catch the same shuttle service from the port back to hobby.

If you Google Hobby to Galveston shuttle service, you'll find several that are very reasonable.

I would sail out of Galveston again any time.

I never said the roads were closed due to fog-

 

the port was-

 

 

 

nor did i say they were delayed for an accident-

 

so not only did you have everybody trying to get off the ship at basically the exact same time but you also had the majority of the oncoming passengers coming in to get on at the same time.

 

 

they walked off the ship 1:45.

 

at 8:30 Pm they finally got north of Houston

 

some of that was waiting for customs, some was trying to get back into the port to pick up the rest of the family and get luggage. and some was traffic.

 

by the time they actually got on the road it was 4:30 PM on sunday night of mardi gras weekend. figure it out

That's EZ to figure out... you should never head to Houston from Galveston at 4:30pm on any day, but Mardi Gras? #forgetaboutit

Actually, I would suggest that one should not cruise out of or back into Galveston on Mardi Gras weekend. There are 50 other weeks available!

That's EZ to figure out... you should never head to Houston from Galveston at 4:30pm on any day, but Mardi Gras? #forgetaboutit

Actually, I would suggest that one should not cruise out of or back into Galveston on Mardi Gras weekend. There are 50 other weeks available!

Don't forget about the 1st week of November where your sharing the island with around 400,00 Bikers :cool:

LoneStar Rally

Don't forget about the 1st week of November where your sharing the island with around 400,00 Bikers :cool:

LoneStar Rally

We learned that the hard way a few years back. Traffic was crazy onto the island plus there was a ton of streets blocked off going to the pier.

December is also bad with the Dickens on the Strand going on all month.

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December is also bad with the Dickens on the Strand going on all month.

 

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Bad? Awesome

Bad? Awesome

Better?

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We have cruised from Galveston more than a dozen times (we can drive there). Fly in a day or 2 ahead. Do not rent a car ( hardly any place to return it on the Island). Stay at a Hotel where you can walk to attractions, restaurants, grocery etc. & has port shuttle. Check min. night stay as ship usually leaves on Sundays. Check www.galveston.com for tips, also has video cams all around the Island.

Hi leen50!

Do you have a few suggestions for hotels that are the most walkable to restaurants and attractions? Thanks so much!!

Hi leen50!

 

 

 

Do you have a few suggestions for hotels that are the most walkable to restaurants and attractions? Thanks so much!!

There is a new Doubletree and Homewood Suites on the east end that are still walkable to the pier, beaches are nicer on the east end and it’s and easier drive in (less traffic) from that direction on embark day.

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Hi leen50!

 

Do you have a few suggestions for hotels that are the most walkable to restaurants and attractions? Thanks so much!!

We enjoyed the Harbor House hotel, and then walked to the pier.

Driving Hint: drive past the pier, make a series of right hand turns (3), then turn left back onto the road to the pier, now you are no longer in the left turn lane to get into the pier and the traffic flows. Also, if you are parking, EZCruise turn right towards their lot before you get in the long line to turn into the port. Ride their shuttle to the pier, that way you also avoid the long left turn line. Their lot is elevated about 3 feet above street level, so safer in heavy rains.

Thanks for the feedback everyone! Reading more on Galveston, it seems like the ships that sail out of Galveston are targeted more toward the Texas/southern audience? I saw one review that said country music is played by the pools vs. Caribbean steel drum bands etc. I really look forward to the steel drums playing with an umbrella drink in hand :)

 

I should have added that this will be a family cruise, taking a then 6 year old with us. How much does that change the perspective on the port/ease of travel? We loved Disney Fantasy, and I understand that it is comparable in size to the RC Liberty, so the sheer size of the ship is not my determining factor.

 

As you see in my signature, sailing Harmony in March (no children with us), so maybe I will just book an open cruise on board to get the OBC and decide later after the Harmony experience.

LOL,

I think they are mixing it up some. I heard that they now play George Straight songs on the steel drums. Do they issue cowboy boots and hats or do you have to bring your own? Is there a place to tie up my horse while on he cruise or do they allow them on board?

JB

Hi leen50!

 

Do you have a few suggestions for hotels that are the most walkable to restaurants and attractions? Thanks so much!!

The Treemont Hotel is a fabulous hotel right in the heart of shopping and 2 blocks from the food on the pier.

We are doing a back to back.

We've been sailing out of Galveston since RCCL first sailed from there. We sailed on the Rhapsody multiple times, Voyager, Navigator, and Liberty; going on Liberty again in October. We live in Texas and a 4 hour drive as opposed to flying, enables us to upgrade to a Grand Suite. We are older and not port intensive travelers because we've already been there. We LOVE the service we get on RCCL and the Suite Perks. Most of the time we only get off the ship in Cozumel where we go to Nachi Cocum, a private beach resort.

 

I've read tons of posts on this site complaining about the long waits in Customs but we've never had to wait that long. The issue in Galveston Customs always seems to be the folks that carry their own luggage off the ship. It backs up everything but once you get off the ship, into custom, and find your luggage, it's pretty smooth sailing.

 

In the 90's I sailed Holland America with my parents and loved it but we would have to fly to get to any of their departure ports and we just don't like to fly. I've sailed Carnival out of Galveston and RCCL is a much better fit for us. It all depends on what you are looking for and RCCL ticks all the boxes for us!

I agree. We love Royal Caribbean and are glad that it is available out of Galveston. We are looking forward to another cruise on Liberty of the Seas in December over Christmas week. I would like to see more of a choice of itineraries out of Galveston. We often fly to have a variety of itineraries, but for now Galveston is a good alternative.

 

I agree with the previous post that the carry off baggage causes the back up during disembarkation, but there isn't anything can be done about it.

We agree completely with these two posters. While I'd never, ever, E V E R fly in on the day of a trip, I have little issue with pulling out of our garage in Fort Worth at 5am assured we'll make the ship. Likewise, the less-expensive method of travel is what puts us into at least a GS. Fact is, we're still working and there's only so many vacation days. What some would invest in 4 trips in a Balcony cabin, we just roll into that 1 in a Suite.

While more varied itineraries would be nice, geography is the unavoidable is-what-it-is issue. I think when switching form Navigator to Liberty or maybe when the Navigator replaced the Mariner, there was a 9-nighter that hit every port on both routes. We couldn't make the dates work, but it would have been pretty sweet. When we did Navigator is was the last sailing from Galveston before Liberty moved in. At present, we're about 100 days out from our first on Liberty. Would've gone in January, but last September our Air Conditioner had other ideas. This time we're going down a day early and taking advantage of a park-n-stay special at Moody Gardens.

We've also never experienced anything I'd consider ridiculous for customs, our worst experience with that was ironically enough Ft. Lauderdale, where you'd think things were far better sorted. We'd also never taken our luggage off ship. Last time, seriously, the Concierge escorted us down from our Departure Lounge almost all the way. Flagged down a porter, breezed thru customs, it probably took longer to get the shuttle to the car than to get to that point. We were home by lunchtime.