Galveston Cruise Embarkation - Our Tips and tricks you need to know & will your drink package work
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 1 ส.ค. 2024
- Galveston, Texas is the fourth largest cruise ship port in the US and the largest outside of Florida. It serves Carnival Cruise Line, RCCL, Disney Cruises, NCL and Princess Cruises.
This video discusses the piers and cruise lines at Galveston, Airports and transfers, Parking, Luggage Collection, Things to See and Do In Galveston, Where to Eat in Galveston.
We also talk about how your Drink Package will not work while you are in Texas Waters due to Texas Laws.
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We are both chemical engineers and enjoy doing the analysis for you. We have only been vlogging since June 2023 and please subscribe to follow us. Thank you for watching!
Please feel free to leave comments or ask questions.
Content:
0:00 Intro
0:34 Piers & Cruise Lines
0:56 Airports
1:37 Parking
3:25 Luggage Drop Off
4:46 Hotels and Parking
5:29 What to do
5:39 NASA Space Center
5:53 The Strand
6:10 The Seawall
6:27 Paradise Pier
6:53 Moody Gardens
7:22 Food Scene
8:15 Your Drink Package will not work in Texas Waters
8:48 Bring a Bottle of Wine to use in Port
Port of Galveston: www.portofgalveston.com
Space Center Houston: spacecenter.org
Moody Gardens: www.moodygardens.com
Luggage Tag Holders: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07...
#caribbeancruise #galvestontexas #princesscruise #carnivalcruise #rccl #disneycruise #ncl #ncl #panamacanalcruise #Disneycruise
@princesscruises @celebritycruises @Carnival @RoyalCaribbean @norwegiancruiseline
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The information expressed in this video is the opinion of the creators and is for entertainment purposes only. This is not professional advice. Please consult your travel professional or the cruise lines for advice specific to your booking.
Copyright A Cruising Good Time LLC 2024
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We are from Houston and are familiar with Galveston, but your videos are still helpful. Love your vibes and your videos. Keep cruising!
Thank you for your comment and we are glad you find our videos useful. We are also from Houston and between Beryl and power outages it has been challenging to get videos uploaded this month! Happy Cruising!
Thanks for the information 👍 IT was very helpful. I'm getting so excited for this much needed trip😊😊😊😊😊 😊😊
Thank you for your comment and for watching our video. We have several western Caribbean videos too, please check those out for ports of call. It sounds like a fun cruise. Happy cruising
Liked, Very helpful, thank you!
Thank you for your kind words!!
Always GREAT vids and keeping us CURRENT ! Thank You BOTH !
Thank you for your comment!! We always like your feedback.
Great information. Thank you for putting it together.
Thank you!
Thank you for sharing your experiences ❤
Thank you for watching and your kind words. We are glad you enjoyed it.
This is my first time watching your channel. So helpful! Thank you!
Thank you so much for watching and your kind words. Please let us know if there is any particular subject you are interested in. Happy Cruising!
Thank you for the info
You are welcome! Thanks for watching.
Great suggestions on Galveston, who knew an extra day pre embarkation could be so much fun.
Thanks for watching and leaving a comment. Yes, there is plenty to do for the pre cruise day!!
Great tips for those cruising from Galveston.
Thank you for watching!
Hey guys this is great and quite a perfect coincidence. I keep looking at options for doing a Mexican Cruise and we are going out from either Galveston or Long Beach California. We have never been to Texas and didnt know much about Galveston and this video was very informative really liked all the information on the ports and parking and especially hotel ideas , things to do and where to eat and drink. Too bad about the drink package but we would probably focus on filming the first couple hours anyway! Great video thanks for sharing you are giving us more ideas!
Thank you so much for the kind words. Let us know which cruise you decide on. Happy Cruising!
Went to Galveston earlier this year for family event, not a cruise. Fantastic food, historic area, enjoyed the visit. I called my cousin and told her we have to cruise out of there so maybe 2025 since we have Alaska booked for 2024.
Thank you for your comment and watching. Sounds like you have a good plan for future cruises! 😀
The Tremont House on the Strand in Galveston…. Maybe in my top 5 hotels I’ve ever stayed in!!! And don’t forget to stop by the Nautical Antique Shop on Ship Mechanic Row. And the Witch shop!
The Tremont House is a great hotel! Thanks for watching.
Comments based on our November 2023 Regal Princess Cruise:
1) If you are looking for a cheap stay the night before (and you are driving), stay at the Microtel across from NASA. Clean small rooms that are 40 minutes from Galveston. Hotel rooms in South Houston and in Texas City are also very reasonable.There are a lot of great restaurants in the area AND you are real close to Kemah Boardwalk.
2) We used Discount Cruise Parking on 33rd St which was the cheapest option that we could locate. Great customer service.
3) We have used Galveston twice - once on Princess and once on Royal - and have noted that this cruise port really works pretty well and you board quickly.
Thank you for sharing!!
We have never had a problem using the drink package when getting on the ship . The only thing we noticed was some prime liquors could not be gotten until after you pass the 12 mile marker. We have been cruising and are now diamonds and soon diamond plus.
Congratulations on your Diamond status. Each cruise line handles it differently but no matter what the State of Texas will get its sales tax on the drinks while in Texas waters. 😀
Thank you for watching and happy cruising.
You answered my question but I thought of doing just that bringing a bottle of wine to enjoy before the drink package kicks in!
Thank you for your comment and for watching the video.
Idk if all TH-cam videos have the video content with the time stamps that we can click to jump too but I appreciate it!
Thank you for your comment and for watching. We are glad you found the time stamps helpful. Happy cruising!
Gumbo in Galveston!!
On Royal Caribbean you may use the drink package immediately when you board a cruise in Galveston. However, you may only drink alcohol made in the state of Texas until you reach international waters.
Thank you for watching and your comment. This is good information and we are not sure how RCCL skirts the TABC law, but good for them! Happy Cruising!
just got off ncl prima and, yes you can drink with the drink package. they have a limited offering with only the alcohol bought in the state of Texas. you only get charged for the taxes.
@@jasongedzyk7076 Thank you for the report! That is good to know.
We are on the Regal Princess in 2 weeks and will see if Princess has updated their policy.
Happy Cruising!
Great video thanks, but I was curious what you guys thought of The Harbor House.
Hi Thanks for watching and your comment. We have not stayed at Harbor House, but we have had lunch there and it was very good. You can't beat the location for being close to the ships and The Strand! The Tremount House is another good hotel (we have stayed there) that is in that locations. Happy Cruising!
Thanks for video. We're flying in from CA and cruising out of Galveston for the first time on NCL Prima on 29 Dec. Already have flight to Bush, rental car, hotel room at Springhill Suites and reserved parking at pier so we should be good to go. Late flight back on day of return so we may stop by NASA or visit historic Galveston.
Thank you for your comment and watching. That sounds like a great plan and a very fun cruise!! We love holiday cruising!
I'll be on the Prima in January 2024
How was it?!?
Galveston is the port we always use. Lol The last cruise we went on we forgot to pay attention to where we parked the car 😂..A guy in a golf cart was nice enough to drive us up and down each parking lane until we found our car 😂
That is a great story!!😀. Thank you for sharing and for watching!!
We always take a picture of our parked car so that we can find it. It reminds you of the landmarks.
An AirTag left in the car works wonders to find your vehicle in a parking lot
any recent videos of the updated terminal 25 building? Is there a priority waiting area for Diamond, and Suite guests?
Hi and thank you for your comment. We haven’t been through pier 25 in several cruises- we always seem to be at pier 27 which does have the waiting areas. Thanks for watching!
I'm going out on the Jubilee and booked parking in the express lot. I'm driving in by myself. Should I go drop off the luggage before parking or is it close enough to the Jubilee that I should just walk with my luggage? I have 2 bags and a tote that I will be bringing with me. Thanks!
If your bags have wheels then park and walk back. It’s an easy walk if your bags have wheels and you are mobile. Happy Cruising!
Do I drop my bags first at express lot ? Or carry them ?
We have done it both ways and depends on which pier your ship is at. It is maybe a 50 yard walk to Pier 27 so we have parked and walked with luggage there. Pier 25 is maybe 150 yards and we have dropped luggage then one of us parked and walked back.
Thanks for watching and Happy Cruising!
Thought they will take bottle of wine and hold it till end of cruise if you bring it on board
Carnival corp lines will allow one bottle per person at embarkation for you to use onboard. Thank you for watching and your comment.
So will the drink package work the first evening ? I have heard conflicting information about it . Some say it doesn’t “kick in” til 6am on the first sea day( technically day 2) ?
Hi. Great question and it seems to be somewhat dependent on the cruise line. Carnival and Princess is once the ship leaves Texas waters- about 1 to 1.5 hrs after leaving. Rccl somehow still uses the beverage package while in port but only a limited selection of drinks. We don’t know about either NCL or Disney but I guess they could have the policy of the second day.
Thanks for watching and happy cruising.
Carnival’s website says 6am the next day. Any idea how free drinks in the casino work the first day?
Carnival begins on Day 2. When you purchase the Cheers package it does not include Day 1.
We arrive in Galveston on Xmas for a cruise on the 27th Any ideas what restaurants might be open that day?
Thank you for watching and your comment. We think by the 27th most places will be open. Happy cruising!
No we actually arrive on the 25th for a cruise on the 27th, hoping there are restaurants open on the 25th!
@@barbarajaynebudar8280 I don’t what will be open on Christmas. Check some websites closer in. Happy cruising!
How much is shuttle bus from Hobbies and G. Bush airport to cruise terminal ?
Hi Thank you for your comment. Check with your cruise line to be sure on the cost. The last time I checked it ranged from $20 to $40.
Happy cruising and thanks for watching.
Can alcohol be bought at a local store and drank in the hotel? If a hotel or restaurant has a bar can they sell ALL Drinks?
Yes, Galveston County is not a dry county so alcoholic beverages can be served and purchased.
Royal Caribbean you can use your drink package but they limit they type of drinks you can get!
Thank you for the update!
Bringing bottles of wine onboard with a drink pkg there is NO corkage fee. Otherwise the corkage fee is $15/btl
Our experience is the same - if you consume the wine outside of the dinning room there is no corkage fee. Inside the dining room there will be a corkage fee.
No NCL transportation the day before a cruise.
Some Cruiselines may offer transportation/hotel packages the day before. We make our own hotel and ground transportation arrangements outside the Cruiselines.
@ACruisingGoodTime when I comment I am on NCL and I know others may have been more flexible for their guests. It seems often NCL is not so guest friendly at times. I guess NCL thinks it's too difficult to work with us. What NCL told me is that their transportation can only provide movement of people on days when the ship is in port! Sorry for not making it clear in my original comment that I was referring to NCL.
comment, thanks
Thank you for the Comment!! 😀
Correction. You are allowed to use your drink package in Texas waters. You will not be allowed to drink certain products. But you will be able to use your drink package
Thank you for watching and for your comment. Each cruise line has different rules. For instance, Carnival’s website states their drink package will not be activated until day 2. Our video was also based on our experience sailing out of Galveston five times on various cruise lines. Happy Cruising!
I really hate when TH-camrs put out false statements! On Royal Caribbean drink packages start as soon as you board in Texas!
Thank you for your comment. We strive to be accurate. The state of Texas does require sales tax when a ship is in Texas waters. We know that the drink package does not work in Galveston on both Carnival and Princess cruise lines. Each of them handle the situation slightly differently. On my last sailing on RCCL from Galveston we did not get the drink package. I apologize we were not clearer regarding this subject in our video. Happy cruising.
The way you mentioned the drink pkg and the Texas laws sounds like you don't get free drinks! I was told that on NCL there would only be sales taxes until you are away from texas waters. Why are you making it sound like you can't get alcohol at all covered by the drink pkgs? Specifics matter. Another source said that ships can only serve beer and wine! What's the truth?
Thanks for your Comment. Different Cruiselines handle it different ways. The issue is Texas collecting sales tax on the beverage sales. Carnival Corp disallows the drink package and drinks are sold individually with tax added to the room charge. RCCL tracks the tax of drinks consumed and probably have the tax added to the room. I don't now how NCL or Disney track the drinks but if they track the tax per drink like RCCL, then what you say about tax being added to your room is correct.
When onboard the bartenders Saud they were restricted to only certain drinks. Till we were away from Texas and that didn't take long. Not as bad as New Orleans.