Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

Galveston Disembarkation Morning on Navigator of the Seas

JimAOk1945

By JimAOk1945,
in Gulf Coast Departures

 Share

Recommended Posts

JimAOk1945

JimAOk1945

Posted
Posted (edited)

We will be on the Navigator round trip from Galveston in a couple of weeks. We will be driving to the port so transportation is not a problem, and we are not in a hurry to leave.

 

We are discussing the pros and cons of disembarkation. It's been a few years since we cruised from Galveston so it's hard to remember how things are done.

 

Is there a public area where you can wait and leave the ship later in the morning if you want to?

 

For those of you who have driven to the port, what has been your experience and what do you suggest?

 

Thanks in advance for reading and responding.

Edited by JimAOk1945
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ssb

ssb

Posted
Posted (edited)

In January we first had a wonderful casual sit down served full menu breakfast in the MDR and than disembarked quickly and leisurely without a problem .

Edited by ssb
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JimAOk1945

JimAOk1945

Posted
  • Author
Posted
In January we first had a wonderful casual sit down served full menu breakfast in the MDR and than disembarked quickly and leisurely without a problem .

 

This sounds great! I didn't realize this option was available. It's been a few years since we cruised from Galveston on RC.

 

Were you in a full suite?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ssb

ssb

Posted
Posted (edited)
Thanks! We love cruising! :D

 

Yes it is addicting !

No we were in jr suite. Believe breakfast is open to everyone. We are Diamond plus though, but that didn't make a difference .

Edited by ssb
Link to comment
Share on other sites
JimAOk1945

JimAOk1945

Posted
  • Author
Posted
No we were in jr suite. Believe breakfast is open to everyone. We are Diamond plus though, but that didn't make a difference .

 

Great news! We are also in a jr suite. It's good to know breakfast in the MDR is open to everyone.

 

Thanks to letting me know.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Vidakatten

Vidakatten

Posted
Posted

First time cruiser here... We are going to make a reservation for the shuttle back to Houston. Is it realistic to think we are off the ship and done with customs /immigration (non US-citizens) by 10am to catch the shuttle back?

I know its impossible to know for sure and we have no flight to catch, we are just going to pick up a rental car for our upcoming roadtrip.

Next shuttle don't leave until 3pm and it would be great to hit the road asap of course!

Any thoughts or suggestions?

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Starry Eyes

Starry Eyes

Posted
Posted
First time cruiser here... We are going to make a reservation for the shuttle back to Houston. Is it realistic to think we are off the ship and done with customs /immigration (non US-citizens) by 10am to catch the shuttle back?

I know its impossible to know for sure and we have no flight to catch, we are just going to pick up a rental car for our upcoming roadtrip.

Next shuttle don't leave until 3pm and it would be great to hit the road asap of course!

Any thoughts or suggestions?

 

Odds of making it through customs by 10 am are in your favor, though delays sometimes happen (fog delay for example).

 

Is there a reason to go all the way to the airport to pick up a rental car? If I were renting post cruise, I'd check prices picking from the Avis and Budget locations in Texas City and returning wherever you need. If prices and terms from either company work for you, make a cancellable reservation then call the TexasCity location (they share a desk in a Sears store) and ask them to add a pick up at port ($50 fee for entire party). That is likely less than an airport transfer. When you call from port to say you are ready a driver will come down just for you. Just another option to consider.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Vidakatten

Vidakatten

Posted
Posted
Odds of making it through customs by 10 am are in your favor, though delays sometimes happen (fog delay for example).

 

Is there a reason to go all the way to the airport to pick up a rental car? If I were renting post cruise, I'd check prices picking from the Avis and Budget locations in Texas City and returning wherever you need. If prices and terms from either company work for you, make a cancellable reservation then call the TexasCity location (they share a desk in a Sears store) and ask them to add a pick up at port ($50 fee for entire party). That is likely less than an airport transfer. When you call from port to say you are ready a driver will come down just for you. Just another option to consider.

 

Thanks for your answer. We have to go back to pick up the car at IAH since our TA in Sweden couldn't make any other pickup location than IAH. Maybe because we are going to drop off in a different location (FL) Its already arranged and paid for, thats why.....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sross6019

sross6019

Posted
Posted

In the past, they have wanted everyone off the ship by 10:00 so the staff can get ready for the next set of passengers. We were on a B2B and could not get off till after 11:00 because some passengers were sitting around the bar. Staff escorted them off.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sross6019

sross6019

Posted
Posted

We were to go down as a group and go through customs and back on. It was a total mess. The only thing that went as planned was we got off together. It may have been the Explorer. Point is they want all over at a decent time to get ready for the next group of passengers.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
gofeo

gofeo

Posted
Posted

If you have RCCI airport transfers the buses usually leave between 830a until 1000am depending on Customs and Imigration checks. Transfers usually have luggage tags 3 and 4 for getting off ship. Trip from pier to IAH is aprox 90 minutes depending on traffic. When the ship comes from Belize and Roatan in the itinery the process to get off the ship is usually a little longer. It is not recommended to have flight before 1230p. If you are picking up a rental car at IAH, there is a bus from terminal to rental car area for all companies.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
ssb

ssb

Posted
Posted
Hello everyone! OP here. Thanks for all the great input on my question (see #1). We are boarding the Navigator tomorrow and looking forward to a wonderful cruise.

 

Cruising is a great way to travel!

 

Enjoy your cruise !!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Shawna&Kristi

Shawna&Kristi

Posted
Posted
Maybe at Hobby. Some people are off the ship by 8 a.m. and others much later. If you are off at 8 a.m. you could even conceivably make a flight at Bush Airport.

 

 

Yes it's out of Hobby and have super shuttle set up for 825 am .

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JimAOk1945

JimAOk1945

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hello everyone! I'm the OP. We got back from our cruise on the Navigator yesterday. The cruise was great and we really enjoyed it.

 

My wife is sorting through her pictures and hopes to have them organized and on her website by the end of the week.

 

As to the debarkation . . . well it was the usual chaos, but we were prepared with lots of patience.

 

Happy cruising everyone!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing
  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • Hurricane Zone 2024
      • Cruise Insurance Q&A w/ Steve Dasseos of Tripinsurancestore.com June 2024
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Cruise Critic News & Features
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...