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Houston building a "state of the art" cruise terminal?? (Merged threads)

CruisinOnWheels

By CruisinOnWheels,
in Gulf Coast Departures

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*Mach*

*Mach*

Posted
Posted
Article in today's paper about the terminal:

 

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/biz/5784424.html

 

"Port officials are in talks with Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Mediterranean Shipping Co.'s MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line..."

 

 

I just looked at the article and then noticed the comments at the bottom... Not very encouraging...

Let's hope the situation turns around for Bayport...

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aggieastrosfan

aggieastrosfan

Posted
Posted
I just looked at the article and then noticed the comments at the bottom... Not very encouraging...

Let's hope the situation turns around for Bayport...

 

Yeah, a lot of the locals aren't too happy about it, are they?

 

Hopefully they can sign someone soon! I wonder who the line was that they were close to getting.

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clearlakecruisers

clearlakecruisers

Posted
Posted

Drove down Port Road yesterday and was able to drive into the parking lot of the new Port of Houston cruise terminal. The building is blue and very open and beautiful, the parking seems convenient, the drop off/pick up signs are up and appear to be logical (as opposed to Galveston which has the whole thing backward as far as I can tell). Now ALL WE NEED IS A SHIP (or two)!!!

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Snoozeman

Snoozeman

Posted
Posted
Drove down Port Road yesterday and was able to drive into the parking lot of the new Port of Houston cruise terminal. The building is blue and very open and beautiful, the parking seems convenient, the drop off/pick up signs are up and appear to be logical (as opposed to Galveston which has the whole thing backward as far as I can tell). Now ALL WE NEED IS A SHIP (or two)!!!

....sweet....

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firefly333

firefly333

Posted
Posted
In addition the vessel(s) that do dock there will be limited to the Western Caribbean run which is rapidly becoming old to frequent cruisers.

 

They would be better served by the Carnival and NCL market mentality.:D

 

I guess you are aware that Carnival is trying out a new "east caribbean" itinerary during 2009. They changed over to the every other route and announced it Easter week this spring. Admittedly, Key West and Nassau and Freeport isnt most people's East Caribbean, but they are at least going up the other coast of Florida way.

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yst347

yst347

Posted
Posted
I guess you are aware that Carnival is trying out a new "east caribbean" itinerary during 2009. They changed over to the every other route and announced it Easter week this spring. Admittedly, Key West and Nassau and Freeport isnt most people's East Caribbean, but they are at least going up the other coast of Florida way.

 

Never mind eastern or western, how can an itinerary that never comes within 200 miles of the Caribbean be call a Caribbean cruise? It should be called what it is....a Bahamas cruise.

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Host Kat Holiday Sharing Rare

Host Kat

Posted
Posted
... They changed over to the every other route and announced it Easter week this spring...

Per the thread titled Conquest has another option now at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=749039, the Carnival Conquest so-called "Eastern Caribbean" route will be approximately once a month from February 2009 through April 2010. Just did not want anyone to think they could do a B2B Eastern/Western itinerary on Conquest at any time during that time period.

 

Per the Carnival site at http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/destination/Caribbean/itinerariesE.aspx?subRegionCode=CE&sort=2, their actual so-called "Eastern Caribbean" itinerary dates for Conquest are as follows:

 

2009

02/15, 03/15, 03/29, 05/17, 06/14, 07/12, 08/09, 09/20, 10/18, 11/15, 12/13

 

2010

01/10, 02/07, 03/07, 04/04

 

Again, just trying to help others that may be considering a so-called "Eastern Caribbean" cruise on Conquest out of Galveston.

Kat 070106YA43_prv.gif

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clearlakecruisers

clearlakecruisers

Posted
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Despite some misgivings about cruising on Carnival (we're a bit past the "party-hardy" age), we researched Conquest, saw mostly good reviews, and have already signed up for the "Eastern Caribbean" cruise for March 2009. We're excited about cruising to new ports from Galveston (at last, Cozumel is not on the list!) and the three days at sea also sound great.

 

Also thought it was interesting to note that, according to a list published in today's Houston Chronicle travel section, the Sheraton Grand Bahama Island Our Lucaya, which many on the CC forum mention visiting when the ship is docked in Freeport, was #1 in the ten best beach resorts for families on a budget according to Parents' Magazine. I understand you can spend the day while the ship is docked in Freeport for a reasonable fee.

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Snoozeman

Snoozeman

Posted
Posted
Never mind eastern or western, how can an itinerary that never comes within 200 miles of the Caribbean be call a Caribbean cruise? It should be called what it is....a Bahamas cruise.

 

Don't disagree at all, but seems to fit existing Conquest marketing concept. Perhaps misleading, but people have become used to alternating routes now and since the existing is a Western Caribbean, what should they have called the new route? Perhaps Eastern Atlantic, but doesn't exactly match the other route. What they are calling it doesn't bother me. As a geography nut myself I appreciate your point.

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TDM516

TDM516

Posted
Posted

It will be interesting to see what happens in Houston, but even though Galveston is not the most convenient of ports in terms of getting to it, I will have to say that when we cruised out of Galveston last winter it was the most efficient and friendly check-in we have ever experienced! From the time we walked into the terminal after leaving the shuttle bus to the time we were onboard could not have been more than 20 minutes, and we have talked about going back there and sailing on the Voyager. Port Canaveral takes a little while to get to from the airport as well, and it hasn't seemed to hurt it. Maybe the money could have been better spent by improvements for Galveston?

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Host Kat Holiday Sharing Rare

Host Kat

Posted
Posted
It will be interesting to see what happens in Houston... Maybe the money could have been better spent by improvements for Galveston?

The money for the Bayport Cruise Terminal came from the Port of Houston Authority http://portofhouston.com/cruiseinfo/cruiseinfo.html and a bond issue passed by voters. The Port of Houston Authority has nothing to do with the Port of Galveston http://www.portofgalveston.com/about/. They are separate entities and miles apart.

Kat 070106YA43_prv.gif

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clearlakecruisers

clearlakecruisers

Posted
Posted
The money for the Bayport Cruise Terminal came from the Port of Houston Authority http://portofhouston.com/cruiseinfo/cruiseinfo.html and a bond issue passed by voters. The Port of Houston Authority has nothing to do with the Port of Galveston http://www.portofgalveston.com/about/. They are separate entities and miles apart.

Kat 070106YA43_prv.gif

 

 

...and, despite the opinions of a lot of people who urged for some cooperation - and a joint Cruise Port of Houston/Galveston or Galveston/Houston - each Port Authority continued on their plan to have THEIR OWN COMPETING FACILITY. Some cooperation/coordination could have, in the opinion of many in the area, resulted in more ships, more efficent airport to terminal transportation, and greater promotion of other attractions in the Greater Houston/Galveston area. But then who ever went wrong when underestimating the intelligence of our public officials when they are "protecting" their fiefdoms???

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*Mach*

*Mach*

Posted
Posted
It will be interesting to see what happens in Houston, but even though Galveston is not the most convenient of ports in terms of getting to it, I will have to say that when we cruised out of Galveston last winter it was the most efficient and friendly check-in we have ever experienced! From the time we walked into the terminal after leaving the shuttle bus to the time we were onboard could not have been more than 20 minutes, and we have talked about going back there and sailing on the Voyager. Port Canaveral takes a little while to get to from the airport as well, and it hasn't seemed to hurt it. Maybe the money could have been better spent by improvements for Galveston?

 

 

Carnival has plans to invest more money in the Galveston cruise terminal. They previously invested about three million dollars and I'd expect this newest investment will be about the same...

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Snoozeman

Snoozeman

Posted
Posted
...and, despite the opinions of a lot of people who urged for some cooperation - and a joint Cruise Port of Houston/Galveston or Galveston/Houston - each Port Authority continued on their plan to have THEIR OWN COMPETING FACILITY. Some cooperation/coordination could have, in the opinion of many in the area, resulted in more ships, more efficent airport to terminal transportation, and greater promotion of other attractions in the Greater Houston/Galveston area. But then who ever went wrong when underestimating the intelligence of our public officials when they are "protecting" their fiefdoms???

;) yup

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satex

satex

Posted
Posted

I just viewed the video tour and it was last updated in April. It sounds like the terminal will be completed soon and they hope to have ships departing in the fall of 2009. It sounds good to me since we live in San Antonio and Houston is closer then Galveston.

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