Another boring no photo mariner review=1/13/2013

[BonTexasNY]

Bobkat, superior oceanview balcony cabin does not get priority disembarkation. I still think self-assist would be the quickest for you, even though self assist passengers were on line with me waiting to reach customs after 10am. You'll have time to make your 1:30 flight, I am sure. If you booked RCI transportation to the airport, I hope they do a better job picking you up than they did my friend in Jan.

 

Cindy, I agree with your entire post. SOMETHING has to be done with the disembarkation in Galveston, Roantan stop or not. And yes, it really seemed like the majority of the ship did self assist. If other port terminals can get it together why can't Galveston? Why should one cruise have a 15 min disembarkation process (for non self assist) and another one 2 1/2 hours both from Galveston but at different times?

Can anyone tell us how the Carnival Magic disembarkation is? Do they even have self assist?

 

Maybe a separate line should be available for self assist and suite guests with separate designated customs agents? We never sail in suites but I wouldn't mind our own "steerage" line. Of course personnel would have to be available to throw line crashers out :rolleyes:

[Cindy]

 

Cindy, I agree with your entire post. SOMETHING has to be done with the disembarkation in Galveston, Roantan stop or not. And yes, it really seemed like the majority of the ship did self assist. If other port terminals can get it together why can't Galveston? Why should one cruise have a 15 min disembarkation process (for non self assist) and another one 2 1/2 hours both from Galveston but at different times?

 

Can anyone tell us how the Carnival Magic disembarkation is? Do they even have self assist?

 

 

 

Carnival does self-assist also. I've sailed on Carnival from Galveston three times (once at Christmas and twice for Spring Break) and Princess from Galveston for three Spring Break cruises. I've never seen anything like the disaster disembarking Royal Caribbean in Galveston. Probably the longest disembark I've had with Princess or Carnival was 30 minutes. When you consider that Carnival packs a lot more people on board than Royal Caribbean, it just doesn't make sense that it would take 6 times longer to get off the Voyager or Mariner than it did the Conquest. PLEASE, Royal Caribbean, get this figured out!

I've always thought that Royal Caribbean does a great job with crowd control and Carnival is terrible at it...except for the Galveston disembarkation problem.:( It's like they swap personalities when they pull back in to port!:rolleyes:

[BonTexasNY]

Carnival does self-assist also. I've sailed on Carnival from Galveston three times (once at Christmas and twice for Spring Break) and Princess from Galveston for three Spring Break cruises. I've never seen anything like the disaster disembarking Royal Caribbean in Galveston. Probably the longest disembark I've had with Princess or Carnival was 30 minutes. When you consider that Carnival packs a lot more people on board than Royal Caribbean, it just doesn't make sense that it would take 6 times longer to get off the Voyager or Mariner than it did the Conquest. PLEASE, Royal Caribbean, get this figured out!

 

I've always thought that Royal Caribbean does a great job with crowd control and Carnival is terrible at it...except for the Galveston disembarkation problem.:( It's like they swap personalities when they pull back in to port!:rolleyes:

 

So then it can't be the port, it's the fault of RCI? If Carnival gets it right in Galveston, RCI should do the same. We usually cruse in Jan., but we have reservations about the Magic. I would LOVE to try Celebrity again but darn if Galveston isn't convenient to just drive down.

Didn't I read something about the never used Bayport terminal in Houston being operational soon? Any indication which cruise line/itinerary? If Magic can do Eastern, why can't RCI?

[kwbrad]

So then it can't be the port, it's the fault of RCI? If Carnival gets it right in Galveston, RCI should do the same. We usually cruse in Jan., but we have reservations about the Magic. I would LOVE to try Celebrity again but darn if Galveston isn't convenient to just drive down.

 

Didn't I read something about the never used Bayport terminal in Houston being operational soon? Any indication which cruise line/itinerary? If Magic can do Eastern, why can't RCI?

 

I have sailed with Carnival out of Galveston as well, and have had problems with disembarking, but it is always due to whatever is wrong with the port of Galveston. Everything seems to go smoothly getting off the ship and comes to a complete standstill in the terminal. I have no idea why they have so many problems.

 

Bayport is opening up to Princess and NCL. Princess moves over there sometime this year, and NCL starts in 2014 sometime.