EZ Cruise Parking in Galveston

[wework2play]

Going on first cruise out of Galveston in 2 weeks. I'm going with a large party, taking several vehicles. None of us have gone out of Galveston before. I'm hoping that someone familiar with this port can tell me if EZ cruise parking is hard to find and if there is any better way to go. If we book it online we will save quite a bit of money. THANKS!

[DannyMac]

EZ Cruise parking is a block or two off Harborside Dr. Lot #1 is within walking distance to the ship terminal. They have a map and directions on their website.

 

We just returned today on the Rhapsody and we had to wait for 35-45 min. for a shuttle back to the parking lot. EZ cruise does a good job but they do not have enough large shuttle buses to move the number of people waiting in line. If you do use them, when you return get a numbered ticket from their guy working the shuttle loading area. Several people stood in line today w/o getting a ticket and they would not let them on the shuttle until all the numbers were called.

 

You can ride the shuttle w/o luggage back to the lot and drive over to the terminal to pickup those cruising with you.

 

The Port Authority does not do them or the other parking lot companies any favors. They allow cabs, cars, trucks and other vehicles to pull in and unload/load right in front of the shuttle pickup area. I have cruised out of Galveston 3 times this year, and the problems are still the same. Traffic flow and the cops standing around doing nothing but collecting their $25.00 an hour.

 

It is my opinion the PA wants you to use their lots, therefore the lack of police supervision in the traffic flow problem. Either way, plan on standing in line and be patient.

[Tigerlily2643]

Do they have more than one lot? Is it feasible to walk instead of waiting for the van if you don't have much luggage?

 

Andrea

[Ali-in-Texas]

We used EZ cruise and had to wait about 15min for the shuttle. Wasn't bad at all. It looks like a couple of blocks from the port. It is walkable but not sure how it would be if you had more than one piece of luggage per person.

[jetskier]

Do they have more than one lot? Is it feasible to walk instead of waiting for the van if you don't have much luggage?

 

Andrea

 

Andrea,

They do have two lots but you have to check in at the one closest to the pier. If that one is full, they escort you over to the second one to park. For us, we dropped off our bags and other travelers first. I then went and parked the car. Once you return from your cruise there is a little bit of a wait for the shuttle but we were on the road within 30 minutes of getting off the ship.

Dave

[Nitra]

I used them last Oct when I cruised and will use them again in May. We came off the ship and it took us longer to find a porter, get thru the customs line and out of the port building than it did waiting for the shuttle.

 

Coming in was easy too, we got there about the same time as a lot were leaving, and I managed to get a space right next to the pick up spot in the parking lot!

 

I have used the PA parking and it took me much longer to get to the ship and back to my car since they did not allow you to take luggage, you had to drop off your people and luggage, go park, take a shuttle, and then coming back you took the shuttle, got the car, came back again to get everyone and the luggage. Besides EZ is much less money.

[DannyMac]

EZ Cruise lot #1 is within 2-3 blocks from the cruise terminal. It is located right behind the Railroad museum. Lot #2 is 5-8 blocks away and would be quite a walk.

 

There is another option, if you can, try the early disembarkation. You have to carry your own luggage off the ship and check through customs. It starts around 7:00am and will get you on your way before the crowd starts to build.

 

One of the issues we noticed today was when a shuttle arrived to pickup disembarking passengers it may or may not have embarking passengers on it. When we arrived at the lot to unload, there were 30-50 people waiting to load and be transported to the terminal, thus the slow down.