We went to Galveston the day before our cruise departure. Hurricane Wilma had moved west and allowed us to not have any changes in departure times. We stayed at the Hilton Beachfront, it was a great hotel, super nice staff, and they also take you anywhere you want to go on the island. They also provide free shuttle service to your cruise terminal. Great choice.

On Embarkment day we arrived at the terminal at 1:30pm thinking that would be a good time, and the lines would be moving. They did not even start loading the ship until 2pm. The terminal was packed and people were crammed in like sardines. It was not fun, but once the lines began then we got on fairly quickly. When you embark prepare for long lines and waits, be patient.

We went to our stateroom and made sure that our sign and sail cards worked. They did and we had no problem with them at all. Read more