Please recommend your favorite cruises out of Galveston

[DEBBO1012]

Multigenerational trip with kids and grandkids planned for summer 2019. We would like to drive to Galveston and spend a couple of days then cruise for 4-5 days up to a week then back to Galveston. We don’t have any particular destination in mind but here are our interests:

 

1. Interesting snorkeling and beach activities

 

2. Historic things to see and do

 

3. Best bang for the buck as we will be needing 3 staterooms and prefer pass through doors between two of the rooms. Balcony a must also.

 

Thanks in advance for any information to get me started planning.

[Clarea]

Check out Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas.  Two different 7-night itineraries out of Galveston.

[lifes-a-beach]

Our experience when we had little ones was that the connecting rooms thing was overrated.  Particularly given that you need a balcony as those are pretty much in a line.  If you get one, the next one or two are balcony rooms as well.  I believe there are connecting rooms with windows if you really need the connecting doors.  If not, consider getting rooms  for the kids across the hall from your balcony room.  That worked for us very well and the interior room across the hall was quite a bit cheaper than our balcony or oceanview. 

 

Any of the Mayan ruins in Belize would fill the bill for something historical.  The beaches in Costa Maya are our favorite but Cozumel has some good beach clubs too.  Grand Cayman has both great beaches and great snorkeling.  There is also great snorkeling at the reef off of Belize. 

 

The best bang for the buck is a 7 day itinerary with inside rooms for all, connecting or not.  That said, there are some 5 day itineraries on Enchantment of the Seas later in 2019 that are great values.  As has been said, Liberty is an awesome ship too.  We have been on her many times since she replaced Navigator and are booked again in April. 

 

Enjoy yourselves whatever you do.

[SuiteTraveler]

Here are your choices through April: 

Carnival: 

Freedom - plenty of balconies

Valor - older not many balconies

Vista - newest, plenty of balconies - they have an area called Havana and special cabins associated with that.

Dream - newer than Freedom, older than Vista

 

Disney:

Wonder - it's Disney.  Cabins and bathrooms are larger than normal.  Ideal if you are sailing with little kids, otherwise, more expensive than other lines.

 

Royal Caribbean: 

Liberty of the Seas - newest of RCCL ships sailing out of Galveston

Vision of the Seas - Older than Liberty

Enchantment of the Seas - Older than Vision

 

1. All cruises out of Galveston offer snorkeling and beach activities.

2.  Not a ton of historic sites on Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries other than Mayan Ruins in Mexico or an old abandoned fort on a few Caribbean islands.  You should look at each island on the various itineraries to figure out if there is anything historical you want to see.

3.  Older ships are cheaper than newer ships, usually.  Almost all ships offer connecting cabins.  Keep in mind that one person over the age of 21 must be in each cabin.  

 

RCCL offers a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom suite which would be big enough for 6 or 8 people and that may actually be less expensive than 3 separate balcony cabins.

Edited December 19, 2018 by SuiteTraveler

[BDRebel]

Seeing as how anything out of Galveston will be doing a Western Caribbean itinerary, the port calls would be very similar.

Your decision would mainly be the ship, which SuiteTraveller pretty well reviews.

The only real difference in itineraries is some go to Belize and Honduras, others go to Jamaica and Grand Cayman. All go to Cozumel.

[DEBBO1012]

Wow! Thanks to everyone for the excellent information. Our group is ages 11-68, all healthy and active travelers. Which is a favorite itinerary for the Western Itinerary? And why?

[Essiesmom]

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Here are your choices through April: 

Carnival: 

Freedom - plenty of balconies

Valor - older not many balconies

 

Carnival Freedom and Carnival Valor are both Conquest class ships with same tonnage and same number of cabins.  Freedom is three years newer.  They have the same number of balconies.  EM

[DEBBO1012]

How do the western Caribbean itineraries differ between the ones going to Belize and Honduras and the others going to Jamaica and Grand Cayman?

Edited December 20, 2018 by DEBBO1012

[DEBBO1012]

We are going in the summer...does that change the ships going?  I noticed the itineraries seem to be through April.

[lifes-a-beach]

There are essentially 3 seven-day itineraries from Galveston, although the order of the stops varies.

 

Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica 

Cozumel, Belize, Roatan 

Cozumel,Costa Maya, Roatan

 

Once in a while there is one to Bahamas and Key West.

 

im not sure what you mean by how do the itineraries differ other than the destinations.  

[DEBBO1012]

For our desires of great snorkeling, history, etc which itinerary would fulfil them better. 

[LuckyStar]

We did the Vision of the Seas out of Galveston last year.  Five days, Cozumel and Costa Maya.  We had a great time.  Cozumel was great for snorkeling and in Costa Maya we took a tour of the Mayan Ruins.  Thoroughly enjoyed both ports. 

[lifes-a-beach]

For a 5 day itinerary I second LuckyStar's recommendation of Vision.  She is one of our favorites.  Unfortunately, she is only sailing out of Galveston 8 more times in March and April before she will be replaced with Enchantment.  There is, however, one 7 day trip on March 11 that goes to Roatan, Costa Maya and Cozumel.  There are ruins near Costa Maya, snorkeling is good in Cozumel and absolutely amazing in Roatan.  Only 4 of the trips are 5 day and only two of those hit Costa Maya and Cozumel; March 22 and April 5. 

[Aquahound]

I prefer Royal Caribbean over Carnival.  I've cruised Liberty of the Seas and Carnival Liberty (sister ship to most of those other Carnival ships) out of Galveston.  Liberty of the Seas blew it away in almost every category.  The ship is awesome, as is the entertainment and activities.  

[DEBBO1012]

Thank you everyone!

[lauren009]

Carnival Vista!! http://laurenofalltrades.blogspot.com/2017/03/on-a-boat.html  (from when Vista was in Miami, but nonetheless)

 

[Kevin308]

Belize checks off your snorkeling and historic things to see.  Lots of Myan ruins.  

[shelly222]

You can't go wrong with any of the itineraries out of Galveston for what you are wanting. I highly recommend taking some time to research each port to see what there is to do and what interests you or doesn't and make your choices off of that. Then see which itineraries will best meet your interest. I just got done doing this for our December cruise in 2019. Doesn't take long to do and lots of great info. I did read through posts on this board as well to get others opinions, but most info came from researching each destination. Fun and very informative making my decisions easy! Good luck and ENJOY! 

[Traveling Mike]

We did the Disney out of Galveston to the Bahama's and loved everything about it.  Disney is more expensive but no cruise line comes close to give you want Disney does.  The other thing that might save you money.  After being on multiple cruises it is my opinion that balconies are a waste of money unless you have kids that have to nap each day.  You are only in your room to sleep.  You will find better places all over the ship to set back and relax.

Just my opinion.

Mike

[clackey]

We have done 6 or 7 cruises out of Galveston with the Liberty of the Seas being our favorite.  It is a gorgeous ship, good friendly crew, decent food and good entertainment.  There is plenty to keep the younger set happy with a water slide that even surpassed my expectations.  We have sailed out of 5 ports and Galveston is our favorite.  One word of caution though, stay away from Mardi Gras 2/22-3/5.