Galveston Terminal

[BigD]

Hi i have a question about the Galveston terminal is it easy to park at and to get around in we will be sailing on the Ecstasy march 26 and have only sailed out of new orleans so any information will be nice.

[astros fan]

I found this posted on another thread. We will be sailing out of Galveston in Jan.

EZ Cruise Parking (EZCruiseParking.com) is great. We pulled into the lot last Thursday (June 10) about 10:45. The van was at the ship then but was back soon. We were on the dock in the security line by 11:00.
Upon arrival yesterday we only had to wait about 15 minutes. We were one of the last groups to leave the ship and were apparently the last EZ Cruise customers for the day so the ground crew at the dock got on the shuttle with us. One of these was Cindy, the owner. She is very nice. Her older son was driving the van and her two young sons (about nine) were helping on the dock, as was Cindy's brother. The business is a family affair. They are working hard to get started and they are doing a fine job! We were very pleased, as were others in our group who parked there.
By the way, Dolphin parking is trying to rip them off by having signs that say
"Dolphin- EZ Cruise Parking." Dolphin is also stealing road signs that belong to EZ Cruise Parking.
I highly recommend this parking lot. As you come down Harborside Drive for the cruise ship, don't get tempted to turn in at other lots along the way. When you are only a block or so from the ship, turn right on 28th street then left at the next street. You'll see their entrance on the right. Another advantage is that EZ Cruise Parking is only a couple of blocks from the ship, making their shuttle trips much quicker. During peak times, like when there are two ships sailing that day, they run several vans and a bus.

Rent a hotel room for one night - the night before your cruise and keep your car at the hotel and take a cab (I know the Holiday Inn lets you keep your car there plus many, many others). The price of the hotel room will make the price you would have paid for parking a wash and then you don't have to deal with all these hassles.

Parking isn't a serious problem at the harbor, but drop offs are. If you get there early (highly reccomended) you run into the departing traffic alogn with the other arrivals. The whole thing turns into this slow moving, chaotic, nightmare.

[terri910]

I agree with elationismyship and NickP. I would recommend staying a night at one of the hotels in Galveston that allows you to park your car in their lot for free for the duration of your cruise -- and possibly has a shuttle to the pier.

I have been told that there is a nice hotel (Harbor House?) within WALKING distance of the pier. If we were to go out of Galveston again, that's what I would look into.

[BigD]

thanks for the info about galveston i hope that everything runs smoothly for us.

[terri910]

BigD: You'll have a great time! Enjoy!