Galveston TX

Cruise terminal locations are Terminal No. 1 at 2502 Harborside Drive and Terminal No. 2 at 2702 Harborside Drive. Terminal 10 entered service in September 2022; the new Royal Caribbean terminal was built to accommodate Oasis-class ships.

For GPS or map programs, use 22nd Street & Harborside Drive for Cruise Terminals, and 33rd Street & Harborside Drive for Parking Lots.

Taxicabs are in especially high demand during peak debarkation hours and may sometimes be unavailable. Be ready to wait patiently during the morning rush while more cabs return to the Cruise Terminals.

Cruise lines commonly run motor coach transfers between the airport and the Galveston cruise terminal, either within air/sea packages or as an a la carte option.

The port is a reasonable walk from both the town and the beaches.

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) is about 70 miles from Galveston, with a taxi costing about $55. Hobby Airport (HOU) is nearer at 42 miles; the trip from either airport takes about an hour and a half, and a taxi costs about $45.

Note: the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission now charges importation taxes on alcohol and cigarette purchases made by cruise passengers during their cruises. This covers purchases at foreign ports of call and onboard duty-free shops. Collection points are near the U.S. Customs secondary checkpoint in terminals 1 and 2 at the Galveston port. Galveston Limousine runs frequent airport-to-terminal services from both airports.

Port parking costs $10 per day. Drop off luggage before parking; the lots are about ½ mile from the terminal, with a shuttle bus available.

For hotels in Galveston, book early: some weekends sell out completely because many other activities and events take place.

Take a printable map with you.

Historic downtown Galveston and its plentiful beaches are key visitor draws. Houstonians, along with visitors from around the world, buy beach homes and condominiums and use Galveston as a second home.

Among Galveston’s other sights are Moody Gardens, the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum, the Galveston Railroad Museum, Schlitterbahn, the Strand and the Lone Star Flight Museum. Historic vessels include Elissa, the official Tall Ship of Texas at the Texas Seaport Museum, together with USS Cavalla and USS Stewart, both berthed at Seawolf Park on nearby Pelican Island.

The island is compact enough to cover many places on foot, although walking is not advised in every neighbourhood, especially outside the historic district, the Strand and the Harborside district.

Island Transit services are still being adjusted following Hurricane Ike damage. Check back from time to time for current operating information.

The Galveston Strand is one of the island’s principal attractions: shops occupy elegant Victorian buildings, horse and carriage rides move at an easy pace, and striking window displays lead into stores stocked with merchandise from around the world. Its art and antique galleries, gift and collectible boutiques, and dining venues can keep visitors exploring the details of The Galveston Strand and Downtown Galveston for several days.

The United States dollar is the official U.S. currency (symbol: $), and ATMs are everywhere.

Visa and MasterCard, along with other major cards, are widely accepted even for purchases of only a few dollars; occasionally, they may be the sole way to complete a transaction. Overseas visitors should remember that displayed prices can seem lower than the final amount because taxes and gratuities are rarely included.

Most states charge sales tax, from 2.9% to nearly 10% of the retail price, with 4-6% being common. It is almost never included in posted prices, except for gasoline and, in most states, alcoholic drinks consumed on-premises; the tax is calculated and added when you pay.

Tipping is both common and expected in America. Americans may debate the right amount and who should receive it, but these are generally accepted standard rates:

• Full-service restaurants: 15-20%. This is often the wait(ress)’s only income; tips may be left in cash or added to the credit card slip. Few restaurants add an automatic service charge, so decide any extra tip yourself and check your bill.
• Taxi drivers, hairdressers and other personal services: 10-15%.
• Bartenders: allow $1 per inexpensive drink; 15% is suitable for the total.
• Bellhops: $1-2 per bag, with a $3-5 minimum regardless.
• Hotel doorman: $1 per bag when they assist, and $1 for calling a cab.
• Tour guides: according to length, group size and the overall quality of guided tours; for half day tours or less, $5-10 per person, and for longer tours, $10-20 per person.
• Private car and limousine drivers: tip 15-20%.
• Hotel housekeeping: $1-2 daily for long stays, or a $5 minimum for very short stays; this is optional.
• Food delivery, including pizza: $2-5, with possibly more for very large orders.

English is overwhelmingly the everyday language in the U.S., although there is no official federal language. Several states name English as their official state language. Spanish is also official and widely used in New Mexico; French is official in Louisiana and Hawaiian in Hawaii, though neither is used on anything like the scale of English and both have official status mainly for historical reasons.

In an emergency, call 911.

In large metropolitan areas such as New York and Los Angeles, many drugstores and supermarkets routinely trade 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Department stores, shopping centres and most other large retailers generally open 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday, with shorter Sunday hours, usually 11 a.m. or noon until 5 or 6 p.m. Stores tend to open on holidays, except major dates such as Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day, when they are generally closed.