Our Galveston transfer struggles.... I struggle to want to go back

[alfaeric]

We recently finished a side by side pair of cruises on the Allure and Radiance.  And transportation was.... interesting and frustrating...

 

Two months ago, we booked all of our trips but one with Blacklane- IAH to Galveston, Galveston to JSC, and JSC to IAH.  And assumed getting a taxi to our one night hotel would be easy.

 

Getting to Galveston was a breeze- they were right there, and the long ride to our hotel was easy.  

 

Problem #1, taxi from the Allure to anywhere.  When we got off the Allure, there were no taxis anywhere to be seen.  We had just got in the taxi area as a bunch apparently left- as there was one couple that was waiting.  After about 20 min, one showed up for them, and by then there was a pretty decent long line waiting for a taxi.  It was just over a mile to our hotel, so we walked after calling a taxi company and them telling us that 1) they had nobody available, and 2) they could not enter the port.  What????

 

Getting the taxi from our hotel to the Radiance was reasonably easy, but there was a decent wait.

 

Problem #2- the day before the Radiance arrived back in Galveston, Blacklane canceled our trip.  Claiming that they had nobody who could come out.  Seriously?  We made this reservation well in advance, so it should have been easy for them to make arrangements for ONE driver.  We didn't find out until the morning of arrival, as communications on a cruise isn't that great.  They KNEW we were on a cruise, and this sudden cancelation left us in a terrible position.  So based on that, I'd totally avoid Blacklane for any transportation- as they can not fulfil a reservation made well in advance.  Terrible.

 

Problem #3- getting a Lyft.  We tried to call a taxi, but they could not commit to a specific time.  We went out, and the handful that were there were demanding the same price as a limo transfer.  And we had heard that Uber does not have the permission to get to the port.  So I tried to book with Lyft.  They showed a handful of cars around the port until I actually asked to reserve it, and then it went into a loop.  At one time, we kind of got a person, and then they canceled and it went back into a loop.  Forgive me lyft, but you should be able to tip off your drivers that a ship is coming in and that you are the ONLY ride share that is allowed to pick someone up.  But that's not the actual problem.  We were literally standing next to a driver who was a Lyft driver.  Right there at the port.  He was logged in and was available, we were logged in and were asking for a car.  And in spite of all of that, he was NOT given any of the rides that people were trying to get.  In the end, we made private arrangements for that driver to take us to our JSC hotel.  Come on Lyft- you can do a lot better than that.

 

The next day, Blacklane did pick us up at the JSC hotel, and we got back for our flight home.  

 

But with all of that struggle, I really don't want to sail out of Galveston again.  And for sure we will never use Blacklane again- as reservations mean nothing, apparently.  Royal needs to do a LOT better with ground transportation for their guests if they want us to fly in and cruise there.

[MujerIsla]

Sorry that happened to you. I cringe when people advise people coming to Galveston to just do taxis or rideshares. Everyone's on island time, and that means you can't depend on timely service. Not to mention, there aren't enough employees here to cover all areas of the tourism industry, so it exacerbates the already frustrating problem. I can't imagine having to get here and back from Houston, let alone getting around town, without my own car or renting a car. They make it so difficult. 

[SCBarker]

I wouldn't be surprised if every Uber and Lyft driver in the greater Houston area wasn't working Rodeo Houston for the past 3 weeks. That's big business for them.

 

The Galveston taxi situation is a bit of a conundrum. There not enough business for them other than the few hours of cruise business in the morning. Passengers are also completing with crew. If there's a few ships in port, you should see the taxis waiting outside Walmart, Marshalls, etc, just for the crew that can get off ship to do some shopping. They really pack in those minivan taxis.

[dna1990]

It is a key topic that needs some attention, esp as Galveston cruising only continues to grow with the existing terminals, more so if the fourth location goes live.

 

I think it mimics parking in a way.  Ten years ago we likely made similar comments about parking - shuttles, options, standards, schedules, pricing, etc.  And it eventually got to a much smoother point, the port made some changes to traffic flow and added more shuttle bus slots, competition brought more options and innovations, etc.

 

Now Galveston attracts more and more fly-in guests and not just us Texas and nearby drivers...yes - they need a more solid set of solutions.  What is likely the number one question here and other social media when it comes to cruising out of Galveston - transfers/shuttle service, etc.

 

I saw SSB posted that Uber was in new talks with the Port of Galveston, so hopefully that helps some.  But I worry too that RideShare is not as easy an option like other cities, where there is this constant presence and rolling turnover that makes getting a quick ride an easy task (and for drivers to get their next fare).  Drivers have little to work on outside some narrow cruise turnover days/times.  The distances are long, so only one trip feasible most days.  There are all types of surge pricing models that make it hard for passengers to plan.  And big events like Mardi Gras, Rodeo, Airshow maybe - all can quickly deplete the rideshare pool.

 

And for my eyes, even at the new RCCL terminal with all its nice parking and building amenities - the ingress/egress and shuttle/rideshare pickup zones....are kinda meh.  We still see Harborside and 14th lined up with rideshare/taxi groups, why was this whole concept not better incorporated into the overall terminal experience?

 

 

Look, cruising is an awesome vacation experience for many.  Galveston is a quaint place to visit pre/post cruise.  And even at the world's best-designed airports, nobody "enjoys" the luggage, shuttles, waiting, heat, cold, tired kids, etc - portion of travel.  But we don't have to exacerbate the issue either.  In some industries they call it "last mile" operations, where you focus on the whole journey, and don't skimp out on the last little bit the customer remembers (often not kindly).  Lets find a way that people are content and smiling as they travel back over the causeway headed north.

 

And great kudos to the many private drivers that already make perfect customer experiences week after week with little public praise, we talk about bad news alot - but don't forget there is plenty of good that nobody takes time to sit down and type out.  🤩