102IAHexpress Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Looks like the Bayport cruise terminal will now open in 2008? But perhaps even later as there is no hurry to complete it as the PoH has no confirmed passenger ships. Is the construction of this much touted terminal a big waste of money? Or will cruise ships call it home in the future? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Looks like the Bayport cruise terminal will now open in 2008? But perhaps even later as there is no hurry to complete it as the PoH has no confirmed passenger ships. Is the construction of this much touted terminal a big waste of money? Or will cruise ships call it home in the future?It's closer to the Houston area airports than Galveston, and considering our geographic location and the connectivity of our airport system, the Houston area is the best-located area to capture Caribbean cruise business from markets west of the Mississippi, especially from Texas. As Texas cities and the southwestern U.S. is growing by leaps and bounds, it looks like a plausible bet to me.Having said that, I am not familiar with specifics or details about who is financing what, so I could be very wrong from a public policy standpoint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vertigo58 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Interior shots: http://www.portofhouston.com/cruiseinfo/cruiseinfo.html and exterior virtual pic: (Sudden urge for a Pina Colada) Oh Yes! Be sure to view the Video Tour of Houston within the link, its something else! I was just going to say that they should have a Chapel on site, they beat me to it there is a wedding reception area inside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
102IAHexpress Posted July 11, 2007 Author Share Posted July 11, 2007 It's closer to the Houston area airports than Galveston, and considering our geographic location and the connectivity of our airport system, the Houston area is the best-located area to capture Caribbean cruise business from markets west of the Mississippi, especially from Texas.Geography would dictate that Houston should dominate the Texas cruise game. But the reality is that this is one of the few instances where Galveston has Houston beat. I have no idea how the two cities cooperate outside of Hurricane emergencies, but I think if Houston would have cooperated with Galveston instead of trying to battle them, we would both be better off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Geography would dictate that Houston should dominate the Texas cruise game. But the reality is that this is one of the few instances where Galveston has Houston beat. I have no idea how the two cities cooperate outside of Hurricane emergencies, but I think if Houston would have cooperated with Galveston instead of trying to battle them, we would both be better off. Technically, the Bayport cruise terminal will be in Pasadena. ...cuz when people think of traveling to our region on leisure, what could possible come to mind more than visiting Pasadena!? Seriously though, I'm not sure that this is so much a matter of competition as it is one of convenience, capacity, and facilities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moni Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Houston, - Simply the best! I like it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I also wish Houston and Galveston had worked together and built on large cruise ship terminal. This one is nice though. We should work together more as a region. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorAggie Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 It's closer to the Houston area airports than Galveston, and considering our geographic location and the connectivity of our airport system, the Houston area is the best-located area to capture Caribbean cruise business from markets west of the Mississippi, especially from Texas. As Texas cities and the southwestern U.S. is growing by leaps and bounds, it looks like a plausible bet to me.Having said that, I am not familiar with specifics or details about who is financing what, so I could be very wrong from a public policy standpoint.It may be closer to the airports in Houston, but I remember a recent Chron article about the cruise ships and terminals and according to the cruise ship companies, Houston's problem is the amount of time it takes to get out of Galveston Bay and into the open sea. It takes several hours to get out of the bay and into the open sea. With that in mind, Galveston will likely always be a better location until the development of faster ships makes Bayport a more suitable location. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wakester Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 I just went on a cruise out of Galveston and the cruise terminal is like an old warehouse. But one thing would be nice about the Galveston would be if they had a train service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 It may be closer to the airports in Houston, but I remember a recent Chron article about the cruise ships and terminals and according to the cruise ship companies, Houston's problem is the amount of time it takes to get out of Galveston Bay and into the open sea. It takes several hours to get out of the bay and into the open sea. With that in mind, Galveston will likely always be a better location until the development of faster ships makes Bayport a more suitable location.From Bayport to the Gulf vs. from Galveston to the Gulf is a 20-mile difference. Interestingly, there is also a 20-mile difference between BW8 & Gulf Freeway and Galveston at 25th & Harborside.Which do you think is preferable? Moving 3,000+ people 20 miles in seperate vehicles down a highway, or moving 3,000+ people the same distance in a single vehicle over water, using the time savings from a shorter road trip to start partying aboardship? By the way, I believe there is a speed limit for large vessels plying Galveston Bay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted July 11, 2007 Share Posted July 11, 2007 Niche, I believe you may have missed the point that GovAg, and ostensibly, the cruise companies were making. The cruise ship has an itinerary, consisting of ports of call at 2 or 3 locations around the Carribean. If the ship spends several hours just getting out of the Ship Channel (and, yes, there is a speed limit), it limits the amount of time the ship can call on the other ports...a major attraction of the cruise. Since they want to be under way as quickly as possible, the shorter the distance, the better.Another HUGE concern of the cruise ships is the insistance by the State of Texas on 14% alcohol tax on beverages served in Texas territorial waters. This cuts into a very large profit center for the cruise line. Because of this rule, the ships only have limited alcoholic beverage service until the ship is 12 miles offshore, when they break out the high profit, untaxed liquor. Leaving from Houston...er, Pasadena...extends the tax on alcohol consumption for several more hours right at the time that cruisers are wanting to booze it up.So, to answer your question which is preferable? Galveston, hands down. Not even close.Oh, and of course it was competition between the Port of Houston and Galveston. You figure out why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 But why do they want to compete? Why don't they work together to build a larger, even better cruise ship terminal? I hate how this region seems divided. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedScare Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Trae, the competition between the Houston and Galveston ports is a long, complicated, and sometimes bitter feud. It would take forever to explain everything that goes into it, but the short answer is money. He who has the bigger port wins the money. Even now, POH is trying to take over the Port of Galveston. It is an uneasy alliance at best, the Hatfields and McCoys at worst.As for a region divided, this region actually does fairly well. Hang out in DFW, and watch the dozens of small suburban cities constantly stabbing Dallas in the back, if want to see divided. Most of them are not even secretive about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
102IAHexpress Posted July 12, 2007 Author Share Posted July 12, 2007 The new Bayport terminal will be closer to the Gulf than the existing Barbours Cut terminal, so will the new proximity significantly reduce the time ships must remain in Texas waters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GovernorAggie Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Here's the Chron article I referred to earlier:http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/travel...ck/4578966.htmlShip Channel traffic was also a reason for the selection of Galveston by Carnival. There's no reason to think that other companies aren't the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalparadise Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Galveston is so much better suited to this business. I'd think it would be in the entire region's best interests to encourage further development of the north side of the island, rather than to try to splinter off some of the business for our ship channel. I've enjoyed embarking on a short voyage or two out of Galveston, overlooking The Strand. It's really nice. The same trip, leaving from the ship channel would suck and would not add to anysense of civic pride. It wouldn't be any more convenient, either.It's only 45 minutes or so down to Galveston. Then, the ship is in open water in about 30 minutes or so. In "Houston time" that's like, 20 minutes, total. That's very nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trae Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 It sure is. I would hate having to come out in the Ship Channel. That's boring. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheNiche Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Niche, I believe you may have missed the point that GovAg, and ostensibly, the cruise companies were making. The cruise ship has an itinerary, consisting of ports of call at 2 or 3 locations around the Carribean. If the ship spends several hours just getting out of the Ship Channel (and, yes, there is a speed limit), it limits the amount of time the ship can call on the other ports...a major attraction of the cruise. Since they want to be under way as quickly as possible, the shorter the distance, the better.Another HUGE concern of the cruise ships is the insistance by the State of Texas on 14% alcohol tax on beverages served in Texas territorial waters. This cuts into a very large profit center for the cruise line. Because of this rule, the ships only have limited alcoholic beverage service until the ship is 12 miles offshore, when they break out the high profit, untaxed liquor. Leaving from Houston...er, Pasadena...extends the tax on alcohol consumption for several more hours right at the time that cruisers are wanting to booze it up.So, to answer your question which is preferable? Galveston, hands down. Not even close.Oh, and of course it was competition between the Port of Houston and Galveston. You figure out why.Ah, ok. Your explanation of the alcohol tax system changes my reasoning pretty dramatically. My thinking was that if you can lower costs to consumers for using the service, that some amount of those cost savings can be captured by price increases, and also that any additional time aboard ship could be spent with bars open and the party in full swing.I would hate having to come out in the Ship Channel. That's boring.If I were on a cruise personally, I'd want to spend hours meandering through the Ship Channel. That's awe-inspiring to me.But Bayport is along Galveston Bay between Shoreacres and Seabrook. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gnu Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 i took a cruise out of Barbours Cut about 6 years ago (whenever they were doing it)It was definately more convenient for me living on the SE side (than driving to Galveston) and since it was so close we had someone drop us off and pick us up.I don't remember the departure down the channel, we may have been checking out the ship more than anything.but i do remember the return, it was about 11pm at night. We were trying to pick out what all the different lights on the coast were. So from that aspect it was pretty interesting.I have taken other cruises from other ports and i must say that if i didn't live here and was flying to Houston to get on my cruiseship, that i would rather depart from Galveston. It has so many shops and cafes right near the port (like a lot of other cruise port cities) that if i were on vacation, I would want to stay a little while and check it out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texas911 Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Whoever wins, I just hope they make the new terminal first class. I went on a cruise that went out of Galveston and their facilities suck. And most of the passengers weren't from Houston or Texas. What a great way to welcome them. Galveston would be my choice of departure because its more scenic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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