The Port Of Galveston

posted by admin on Sep 2

Me and my soon to be hubby, are going on our honeymoon probably about six months to one year after we get married (getting married through court in Dec). Probably before he goes to the military which will be in July or August or after he gets done with BT and Aschool. Anyway, he wants to really go on a cruise and we live in Houston,tx so he wants to leave from Galveston, tx. I have already been on a cruise with Carnival about 5 years ago when I was in HS(for drill team). I already asked if he wants to leave from another departure port and he says NO.

My question is, out of Royal Carribean and Carnival which one would be a good cruise to ship from? Should I buy my tickets from the actually cruise website or a third party? How far in advance? Do you have to pay for the cruise at once or can you set up payment installments? Should we get a suite or balcony or does it really matter? Which cruise is better for couples aged 21-25 on there honeymoon?

Also we are going on a seven day EASTERN carribean cruise, if that matters.
I definently do not want to spend more than $2000…2$500 max.
sorry, $2500…and that includes EVERYTHING!

Those who have said that Royal Caribbean does not cruise out of Galveston are completely wrong. According to Royal Caribbean’s web site there will be cruises leaving from Galveston several times every month starting this year in November 2010. And there are plenty of great cruises that will fit within your budget. Here’s a link to the Royal Caribbean cruises available: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/search/vacationSearchResult.do;jsessionid=0000CNT7fRyTOh0NskCYcB703Ui:13hldcctq?promoType=&cS=EXPVSCH&cruiseTourOnly=false&dest=ANY&duration=ANY&date=ANY&port=GAL&includeAdjascentPorts=Y&ship=ANY&selectedCurrencyCode=USD&price=ANY&hasMilitary=Y&state=&x=64&y=6

The ships that Royal will cruise out of Galveston are its Voyager of the Seas and its Mariner of the Seas. The ship have different names but are identical; they are 2 of 5 of the RC’s Voyager Class of ship. I have cruised on the Mariner and its a great ship. It has just about the most on-board activities that you’ll find on any ship. Only Royal C’s larger Freedom and Oasis class ships have more to do on board. You can take a look at the features of the Voyager at this web link: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ships/class/ship/home.do;jsessionid=0000CNT7fRyTOh0NskCYcB703Ui:13hldcctq?br=R&shipClassCode=VY&shipCode=VY

The Royal C ships do have special pricing for the military and you can get a balcony cabin for about $900 each in January, 2011: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/cruiseDetails/itineraryAndPricing.do;jsessionid=0000CNT7fRyTOh0NskCYcB703Ui:13hldcctq?packageCode=VY07W058&sailDate=1110123&date=ANY&selectedCurrencyCode=USD&promoType=&hasSenior=&hasMilitary=Y&hasFireandPolice=&state=

You can pay more for a suite but I think you will enjoy the balcony cabin just fine. You should book as early as possible so you have a better choice of cabins. You can book on line or call RC at the number on their web site and they will help you get booked. You’ll need a deposit of $250. per person (total of $500) and then you will have until 65-70 days before the cruise to pay the balance. You can make payment (right on line) any time you want. The prices listed do not include taxes and port charges which will be about $100 per person; maybe less. You’ll notice also that the cruise prices vary by date so you can save money by picking a date with the lowest price.

Your other option is Carnival Cruise Line which has the Carnival Conquest doing Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises out of Galveston. You can look at the features of the ship at this web link:http://www.carnival.com/cms/fun/ships/carnival_conquest/default.aspx?shipCode=CQ

These are the winter cruises: http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Search2/Default.aspx?&embkCode=GAL&dur=D2&StateCode=NC&PastGuest=Y&Senior=Y

and these are Spring cruises: http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Search2/Default.aspx?&embkCode=GAL&dur=D2&StateCode=NC&PastGuest=Y&Senior=Y
It also has good prices and that’s as usual because it is the budget cruise line. Note that costs also vary by date. Your deposit about will be about the same and also Carnival will help you with booking.

While the Carnival ship does both Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises in my opinion the Western Caribbean is a much better itinerary. Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Jamaica and Belize are much better port stops than the Bahamas and Key West, the Eastern Caribbean itineraries offered by Carnival.

My recommendation is select a Royal Caribbean cruise because the ship is better and the food, entertainment, and service will also be better.

posted by admin on Jul 10

Im going on a cruise July 1. And the port that we leave is at galveston. I checked the weather and it said it had. 90% chance of rain. Im with Carnival. So im wondering if a cruise can get canceled due to rain?

No. Your biggest chance of getting delayed in Galveston is fog.

posted by admin on Jun 22

We are looking for a scientific identification of this tree– (http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/chinasaurus__/DSC00139.jpg)

It is found here in coastal areas of Texas, locally Port Arthur, Galveston and Corpus Christi. They are very tall with a thin trunk. The leaves are dark green and appear to be in a needle type form. They have that pyramidal form; they have a set of two branches with leaves then a gap. go up a bit, a branches with leaves then a gap.
they are green year round; today it was 48 degrees and all the trees in Galveston were in their winter stage EXCEPT THAT ONE.

We are desperate for an answer as to what it is, because we wish to purchase some for our yard.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!
try this link:

http://i52.photobucket.com/albums/g24/chinasaurus__/DSC00139.jpg

a image removed tree

posted by admin on Jun 15

Okay. I’ve been to galveston when i was younger. And wasn’t to fond of the water. I know im probably expecting alot outta it. But how’s the water in Port Aransas? And i know theirs a beach. But what’s good to do there? I doubt my whole family will go deep sea fishing. But if you know alot about it you can e-mail me more! Thanks

I as a young child did the exact same adventure to Galveston. Now I work in Port Aransas at the Chamber of Commerce – moved from El Paso, Texas to here just 2 weeks ago. I LOVE IT HERE! Wait til you experience Port A – the birding, the fishing, the beaches, shopping, restuarants, the water, you name it – it’s all here!

posted by admin on Jun 5

I would like to take my fiance saltwater fishing down on the texas coast. I’ve been on a 12 hour charter out of Galveston once, but I’m just looking to take her fishing in the bays and off jetties. I know nothing about it though so I would like to know where is the best place to have an exciting few days of saltwater fishing? I don’t really care what kind of fish, but the bigger the better! Do i just pick a random beach and cast out as far as I can? It seems like I wouldn’t get into very deep water that way. Galveston, Port A, South Padre, where should I go? Also, what kind of gear and tackle do I need to get? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I understand the oil spill is not impacting the texas coast hardly at all. Its flowing more northeast.

if you can get to galveston, i would go there. galveston has some of the best fishing on the gulf coast. it really depends on what you want to catch, to what bait you use. since you don’t care what kind of fish you catch, a good bait to use in general would be live shrimp or mullet. if you can, stop at a location that has lots of shells around. red fish will usually be there. just put on a mullet and cast out as far as you can and wait. sooner or later something will take the bait, usually a red fish or shark. as for tackle i would get a 10 foot rod with a spinning reel. the length of the rod can help you cast further. also on the bay side of galveston there is a place called san luis pass, in my opinion it is the best fishing anywhere in texas. just find a lighted pier, wait till night, and buy a pint of live shrimp and you’re good to go, you’ll limit out with trout in less than an hour if its a good night. one time fishing there, i fell asleep in a chair with a rod in my hand, and woke up and there was a 22 inch trout on the line.

hopefully i have helped you a bit, i know my thoughts were all over the place.

good luck

posted by admin on Jun 2

And I was wondering if anyone thinks that the BP oil spill will affect cruise ships leaving out of the Port of Galveston. We are going to Cozumel and Progresso.

Just wondering if I should go ahead and put down the deposit or wait until we know for sure whats going to happen.

You can’t put your life on hold just in case. Bite the bullet, book it and make sure you have travel insurance

posted by admin on May 18

So, I was thinking of taking the Carnival Elation cruise to Mexico. However, When I search for flights (San Francisco > Galveston) I get nothing. all it tells me is to refine my search for no flights were found

According to Carnival’s web site there are two potential airports for Galveston, Tx:

"42 miles from Houston Hobby International Airport; travel time is approximately 60 minutes.
70 miles from Houston Intercontinental Airport; travel time is approximately 90 minutes"

posted by admin on Apr 7

Im going to the Caribbean in March 2010 and there are a couple different Carnival cruises im looking at. Were all in our 20′s and want some nice ports to stop at with good activities and shopping. Which out of the 6 would you recommend?? Also if there are any excursions u recommend, throw those in too =)

#1
Miami, Florida – At Sea – Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands – Roatan, Honduras – Belize City, Belize – Cozumel, Mexico – At Sea – Miami, Florida

#2
Miami, Florida – At Sea – Cozumel, Mexico – At Sea – Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands – Ocho Rios, Jamaica – At Sea – Miami, Florida

#3
Fort Lauderdale, Florida – At Sea – Cozumel, Mexico – At Sea – Puerto Limon, Costa Rica – Colon, Panama – At Sea – At Sea – Fort Lauderdale, Florida

#4
Galveston, Texas – At Sea – At Sea – Montego Bay, Jamaica – Georgetown, Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands – Cozumel, Mexico – At Sea – Galveston, Texas

#5
Miami, Florida – Nassau, Bahamas – At Sea – St. Thomas, Virgin Islands – San Juan, Puerto Rico – Grand Turk Island, Turks and Caicos Islands – At Sea – Miami, Florida

#6
Port Canaveral, Florida – Nassau, Bahamas – At Sea – St. Thomas, Virgin Islands – Philipsburg (St. Maarten), Netherlands Antilles – At Sea – At Sea – Port Canaveral, Florida

I would choose #1 or #5 [toss-up with #6]. I would not do #3 at all, and #4 & 5 would be at the bottom of my list.

#1 has interesting ports, some of which aren’t yet completely overrun with cruise passengers [Roatan and Belize] and two of which are very easy to do excursions on your own [Cayman and Coz].

#5 would be interesting if you haven’t been to San Juan before or if you have enough port time to go to the rainforest or the bioluminescent bay [ONLY on ship tours for both]. San Juan itself is fun to walk around, or there’s an evening tour that’s supposed to be nice. Grand Turk has nothing interesting, but it’s a "hanging out at the beach day". Nassau I’m not crazy about, but people like to go over and see Atlantis.

#6 would be good if you like relaxing sea days. St. T. and St. M. you can do on your own, too, but St. T. may be crowded with ships, so you should check on how many will be in port that day. Also, there are two docks there, one [Havensight [sp?] much more convenient than the other. If you are in port until at least 5 pm, you would have time to go over to St. John, which is beautiful. You can hike the Linde Point Trail to two virtually-deserted beaches [see NPS website or postings at Cruise Critic - URL below].

I don’t like Jamaica, wouldn’t want to cruise from Galveston, and the ports for #3 are very sketchy, from what I’ve read.

If this is your first cruise, go to your library or bookstore and get a book on cruising, which will give you a general idea about what’s in store and will also help you understand some of the many, many options from which you will have to choose. Also look for a book on Caribbean ports of call. There are also websites that have info about cruising and/or ports: vinow.com [Virgin Islands], Frommer’s and Fodor’s, and tourism sites for any of the ports [do a search].

A wonderful source of info about all things related to cruising is CruiseCritic.com. Click on "Reviews" and read "Member Reviews" for any ships you’re interested in. Click on "Cruise Styles" to read about the demographics and other issues for each cruise line. Click on "Boards" to find discussions about every conceivable topic on cruising. You should check "Ports of Call", the "Carnival" board, "First Time Cruisers" and any other topic that piques your interest. Just browsing through those boards can give you a ton of info, although it may be a bit overwhelming if you don’t have a general knowledge about cruising.

Hope you find just the right cruise!

posted by admin on Apr 1

We are leaving from Galveston – 7 days – ports of call are Montego Bay Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. The ship excursions cost a fortune per person!!! I have been looking up some stuff from different websites and have found companies that charge less and work around the cruise arrival and departure times (because I know people are scared of getting left behind). What should I do? Should we book with the ship? Outside the ship? Just hang on the beach and not book a thing? HELP!! The cruise was $2,000 for My husband, me, and our 11 year old – not bad I thought, but we just can’t spend a fortune (please no more than $500) what do you all think? 1st time cruise, nervous! Any tips would help:)

Very reliable and cheaper guides off the ship. They usually charge about $25.00 per person and you don’t pay until the end so you know you aren’t being ripped off. They are very careful to get you back on time as they rely on the ships for a large part of their business. You can always say I want to go back now if you get too nervous.

posted by admin on Mar 13

I first thought it was the composition of the sand, as I was directly comparing Gulf Coast beaches in Northwest Florida such as those in Pensacola, Destin, and Panama City (which all have sugary-white sand), to the beach at South Padre Island, Texas (which has darker beige sand). But then I looked at photos of beaches near Northwest Florida but in the adjacent states of Alabama and Mississippi — Dauphin Island/Mobile and Gulf Shores in Alabama and Biloxi in Mississippi. Those beaches have the same nice white sand that the Florida beaches do but the water colour is different. In Northwest Florida, the water is a tropical emerald blue-green colour, as you’d find in the Carribean or the Bahamas, while the water in Alabama and Mississippi (and Texas) is mostly a dull, dark blue-brownish colour. It seems like the proverbial God has blessed Florida with better beaches than the other Gulf Coast states, even when these other states’ beaches are just miles away from the beautiful ones in Florida. What’s the deal? The muddy Mississippi River empties out southeastward in Louisiana west of all the beaches in Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida, so I’m not sure it greatly affects those beaches, and South Padre Island in Texas is far, far south of the Mississippi River’s mouth (and away from the direction that it empties out), so it would seem unlikely that the river would have much impact on the colour of the water in Texas. South Padre Island is even Texas’s most beautiful beach (which still doesn’t compare to those in Northwest Florida), with beaches farther north on the state’s Gulf Coast such as Port Aransas and Galveston being uglier and browner. Why have Texas, Alabama, and Mississippi been shafted when it comes to beach beauty while Florida has taken all the blessings? Obviously, this has to do with Mother Nature, but Nature seems to have been very unfair to all the Gulf Coast states but Florida, if we are to judge.

Actually the beaches in Alabama are normally quite beautiful. There are times, based on currents and weather in the Gulf, when the water is a bit murky or brownish, but most of the time it is extremely blue and occasionally emerald green. I have been to Destin when it was murky as well, I suppose it is more rare in that spot than in Alabama, but you can check out my pictures and see some pretty water on the Gulf Shores beach.