Mommy Maddie Blog

Cruising from Houston with Teens: What Worked (and What Didn’t)

• 🚢 Cruise ship: Allure of the Seas
• 📍 Departure port: Galveston
• 👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 Traveling with: family + teens
• 📅 Trip length: X nights
• 🌎 Ports: Costa Maya & Cozumel.

We just got back from a 5-night Western Caribbean cruise sailing roundtrip from Galveston.

A group of us actually booked this trip almost a year in advance — the earliest I’ve ever planned a vacation! The price was good and it gave us time to convince friends and family to join.

In the end our group included:

• my parents
• a friend from Dallas
• several other families
• my son’s close friend and his mom

Traveling with a group made the cruise even more fun. Relive the highlights w/me through this video:

1. Getting to Houston (Travel Logistics)

Air Canada Flight

Of course, our flight was delayed; practically all the flights were!

We didn’t land at Houston IAH until around 11:30 PM, which made for a long travel day. Can’t emphasize enough how much we value the TD Aeroplan Visa Prestige card – zone 2 boarding and Maple Leaf Lounge always comes in handy for days like this!

IAH Airport Arrival

We landed at Terminal E , but overheard baggage claim was at Terminal A. All the terminals are connect by their trains but thankfully we only had carry-on luggage so we followed signs for exit.

We needed to find the shuttle to the Rental Car Center, which wasn’t immediately obvious. The shuttle stop was outside at Stand/Stop 6 with a small sign — easy to miss if you’re tired and arriving late at night.

Good to know: All rental car companies operate from the same Rental Car Center, so any rental shuttle will get you there.

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Rental Car Tip

Before the trip I set Dean up with Avis Preferred, and linked it to his Aeroplan TD Visa Infinite Privilege card.

When we arrived, we got a notification that our car was ready. Instead of waiting in line, Dean simply walked out to the lot, found our car, and drove away.

No paperwork. No counter. We easily saved an hour of waiting. There were still 20–30 people lined up inside trying to get their cars.

(One of the reasons we often book Turo when traveling.)

2. Staying at Four Seasons Houston

Getting from the airport to the hotel took about 20 minutes. Since it was close to midnight, there was almost no traffic. Take Lamar Street for easier access to lobby!

When we arrived at the Four Seasons Houston, we were greeted by an incredibly charming bellman wearing a cowboy hat, which felt like the perfect Texas welcome.

Check-in was quick and friendly, and we were soon headed up to our room.

We stayed in a one-bedroom suite, which gave the boys space to share the pull-out sofa. The room was modern and comfortable, and the bathroom was beautifully designed with:

• a glass-enclosed shower
• Diptyque amenities
• sleek, updated finishes

Our room was on the 11th floor overlooking Toyota Center. My husband claims he heard street racing during the night (which he actually found interesting), but I slept perfectly.

The hotel is located right in downtown Houston, close to:

• Toyota Center
• Discovery Green
• restaurants and shopping

One of the best perks is the complimentary house car, which will take guests anywhere within a 2-mile radius. Getting around the area was very easy.

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3. What we did before the Cruise:

Houston Pre-Cruise Highlights:

• Stayed at Four Seasons Houston
• Lunch at The Original Ninfa’s Uptown
• Photos at the Gerald D. Hines Waterwall
• Shopping at The Galleria
• Drinks at Bayou & Bottle
• Dinner at Toro Toro
• Lunch at In & Out Burger
• Twin Liquors
• Quick stop at Buc-ees

Houston Day 1

Since our Paris/London trip, I’ve started a new travel routine: showering at the hotel spa in the morning.

It’s surprisingly relaxing – no rushing, no family waiting for the bathroom, and I actually have time to blow-dry my hair and apply moisturizer properly. Highly recommend! (Thanks Kathy!)

I’m also lucky enough to have a cousin temporarily living in Houston, so we met for coffee at the hotel before heading out for lunch.

Highlights of the Day:

• Lunch at The Original Ninfa’s Uptown for some delicious Mexican food
• The Water Wall – quick stop for photos
• The Galleria, one of US’s largest mall complete w/an indoor skating rink and an official Gashapon store!
• Cocktails at Bayou & Bottle since Dean and the boys’ were exhausted from the mall, my gf (also staying at the Four Seasons) also joined us!
• Delicious feast at Toro Toro inside Four Seasons Houston
  • Highly Recommend:
    • Churrasco
    • Amarillo cevicche

Houston Day 2/Embarkation Day

We chose the latest embarkation time (1:30 PM) so we could enjoy the hotel a little longer and explore Houston before boarding the ship.

First Stop: In & Out Burger. It was good but we’re definitely true ShakeShack fans.

Luckily there was a Twin Liquors across the plaza. The sommalier happened to be working that day and recommended four great wines for us to bring on the cruise. It was also their annual sale which meant I grabbed the bottles along with a bottle opener for $50!

Cruise Tip: each adult is allowed to bring 1 bottle of wine aboard the ship.

Buc-ees: Several people told us we had to visit Buc-ee’s there were right! in! Imagine Costco meets Bass Pro – with tons of gas pumps!

Inside included:

• tortilla making machine
• huge walls of beef jerky
• chips and snacks
• tshirts, caps, bathing suits, hoodies
• endless travel food

It’s honestly worth the stop just to experience it!

4. Embarkation Day/Cruise Time!

Our embarkation time was 1:30 PM and departure was updated to 2:30 PM (typically it’s later in the afternoon so we were a bit panicked but the process is quite seemless.

Once you arrive, staff guide you through the process after checking your passport and cruise check-in.One odd thing is that they direct you into lines that sometimes feel like you’re cutting in front of others, but that’s just how their system works.

You go through security, declare any alcohol you’re bringing onto the ship and you’re done!

Important: Power bars are not allowed and they will confiscate them. You can bring multi-USB chargers, but each stateroom only allows two outlets.

After Boarding:

1️⃣ Go to your muster station to check where you would meet in an emergency.
2️⃣ Head to your stateroom. Your room keys will be waiting on the door.

Your key card becomes your:

• room key
• ship ID
• payment method
• boarding pass when leaving/returning to the ship.

Instead of the old in-person safety drill, you now watch a short safety video from your stateroom.

Our Room

We were assigned a Junior Suite through Royal Caribbean’s “Choose for You” option, which ended up being Room 8226. It had plenty of storage, which made unpacking easy.

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A few things that make cabins much more organized:

• Magnetic hooks (the walls are metal)
• Over-the-door shoe organizer
• chargers and cables easily accessible

Good for holding:

• sunscreen
• socks
• phones
• small accessories

We unpacked everything right away and then headed out to explore the ship. Refer to my March Break Post for packing lists and more!

5. Life on the Cruise (Activities & What We Loved):

• 5 PM dining is the more popular one with especially with kids which worked out to be the best time to do any activities such as ziplining, rockclimbing the abyss slide; just beware that they might not let you dine too late past your seating time; good thing there are other options!

Shows and entertainment

• The entertainment on this ship was surprisingly high quality. The main shows included:
• Blue Planet
• Mamma Mia
• Aqua 80
• Blades (ice skating show)
• All were very well done, but Aqua 80 was my personal favorite.
  

One thing I liked compared to Disney cruises is that the shows felt more flexible. Even if you didn’t have a reservation, you could often walk in if there were seats available.

Mamma Mia was a full production lasting about 2.5 hours, but there’s an intermission if you want to step out or catch other activities.

Activities on the Ship

There was no shortage of things to do onboard. Activities included:

• Ice skating (reservation required)
• Laser tag
• Escape rooms (extra fee)
• Zip lining
• Rock climbing
• The Abyss dry slide
• Three waterslides
• Toddler splash pad
• Kids splash area
• Three pools

We definitely didn’t get to everything!

Dining Times & Options

The 5 PM dining is the most popular option, especially for families with kids. We chose this time and quickly realized most other families did too. Because of that, the early dinner slot actually turned out to be the best time to do activities like zip lining, rock climbing, or the big dry slide — the lines were much shorter.

This cruise was also more strict about dining times than we expected. My parents arrived around 5:30 PM one evening and weren’t allowed in. If you miss your seating, you have to use “My Time Dining,” which means lining up for the later seating around 6:45 PM.

Some friends chose the 8:30 PM seating, which felt a bit late for us. That said, many of us who ate at 5 PM ended up grabbing a snack around 8:30 anyway, so either dining time can work depending on your schedule.

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Diamond Member Perks

My parents are Diamond members, which includes four drinks per day per person. We ordered soda at dinner, and interestingly it didn’t seem to count toward the drink limit after the first couple of days.

Diamond members also have access to the Diamond Lounge (or Crown Lounge), which is a quieter space with better coffee machines, cappuccinos, latte macchiatos, snacks, desserts, and appetizers throughout the day.

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Coastal Kitchen (Suite Dining)

Suite guests get access to Coastal Kitchen, which was one of our favorite dining experiences on the ship. It’s a smaller, quieter restaurant with more elevated food and excellent service.

The meals were noticeably better than the main dining room — hot plates, freshly prepared dishes, and a more relaxed atmosphere. Pinnacle members can dine there anytime, while suite guests need reservations for dinner if space is available.

We ate there three times during the cruise, usually around 7:45–8:30 PM, and every meal was fantastic.

6. Ports of Call

Costa Maya

Our friends left the ship early and headed straight to The Krazy Lobster. By the time we got ready and made our way off the ship, we grabbed a taxi intending to go there as well.

The taxi drivers tried to convince us not to go, saying it was extremely busy since it’s a free beach club and that we might not get a seat even after paying for the taxi. Instead, they suggested another beach club for $25 per person with a “better beach.”

When we checked with our friends, they had heard the exact same pitch earlier, so it seemed like a common upsell tactic. We decided to go to Krazy Lobster anyway — and it turned out totally fine. There were plenty of seats, and our friends had saved us some spots as well.

Krazy Lobster is essentially a restaurant with access to a small enclosed beach area. Unfortunately, the seaweed (sargassum) was pretty strong that day. It doesn’t harm swimmers, but it had a noticeable smell, so some of us skipped the water altogether.

The food, however, was great. They had $20 buckets of Coronas (5 beers) and really delicious fish tacos. We spent a couple of relaxed hours there before heading back to the ship to get ready for dinner.

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Cozumel – Playa Corona Snorkeling

The next day in Cozumel, we didn’t have a firm plan. Dean did a bit of research and we narrowed it down to two options:

• Playa Corona – a casual beachfront restaurant with snorkeling access
• An all-inclusive beach club with lagoons and amenities for about $25 per person

Since we had a big group, we chose Playa Corona, which only has a small minimum food spend.

When we arrived, the water looked really windy and rough, which made me nervous to get in. But my friend and her fearless eight-year-old showed us the way.There’s actually a clear path through the rocks that leads out to a calmer snorkeling area. It’s not deep and doesn’t take long to reach, and once you’re past the rocks, the snorkeling is fantastic.

My son spotted a boxfish, which was really exciting. Dean and I saw schools of striped fish and several larger ones swimming through the coral.

The food was also excellent. We ordered a variety of ceviche, fish tacos, fries, and drinks. Despite the name, they didn’t have Corona beer, but everything was fresh and really good. At first I was skeptical because of the wind, but once we settled into the loungers, it actually turned into a very relaxing afternoon.

Getting on and off the ship was incredibly easy. You simply scan your cruise card, and although they recommend bringing ID, your photo is already in their system.

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7. Disembarkation Day

Disembarkation was surprisingly smooth and organized.

Through the Royal Caribbean International App, you’re assigned a time to leave the ship. They also leave luggage tags in your room if you want to have your bags delivered to the exit hall.

Since we only had carry-on luggage, we kept everything with us. We had to be out of our room by 8 AM, which was tough for the boys who normally wake up much later. I grabbed coffee early and some quick breakfast items, but it turned out unnecessary because we were able to sit down for one last breakfast together in the main dining room before leaving.

The gangway opened around 7:30 AM, but we waited until about 9:30–10 AM to avoid the rush.

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8. Amazing Pitstops en route to the IAH Airport

We had parked at Port of Galveston, which cost about $125, but we found a coupon code that saved us $20.

Before heading to the airport, we made a few stops.

Target:Our first stop was Target. We didn’t buy anything but wandered around and checked out some snacks while killing time.

Next we drove to Kemah Boardwalk. It was quiet since it was Sunday morning around 11 AM, but it’s a really pretty waterfront area with rides and restaurants.

Individual rides cost about $7, or you can buy an all-day pass for around $30, which seemed like a good deal if you plan to ride several attractions.

Instead of Tex-Mex, we discovered it was the start of crawfish season, so we stopped at Crazy Alan’s Swamp Shack, which came highly recommended.

The restaurant had a quirky dive-bar vibe with lots of taxidermy on the walls, which made Dean a bit skeptical at first. But when the 5-pound crawfish special with shrimp arrived, it was incredible.

Even Ethan — who normally avoids messy foods like wings — ended up loving the crawfish.

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9. Leaving Houston – TSA and Getting Home

We were a little nervous heading to the airport because our friends had left earlier and warned us that the TSA lines were extremely long, especially with the recent staffing shortages being reported at many airports.

Dropping off our rental car was easy. We simply drove up, handed the car back, and took the shuttle to the airport.

When we arrived at George Bush Intercontinental Airport, the airport looked overwhelming at first — there were lineups everywhere. After a bit of navigating, we found the correct TSA PreCheck line. There are actually several variations now, including PreCheck, CLEAR, and digital identity options, which can make things a little confusing.

Luckily, once we were in the right line, we only waited about 20 minutes to get through security. The TSA staff were working hard and moving people through quickly, which we really appreciated.

This airport is massive, with tons of restaurants and shops. One thing I loved is that you can use the Skyway train or the underground subway to move between terminals after security, which makes it much easier to explore the airport.

We took the train between terminals to look around and grab some food. The boys had açai bowls and snacks, I tried Steak ‘n Shake for a burger, and Dean found a Wendy’s.

Eventually it was time to board. The pilot initially told us we’d be arriving early into Toronto, but with some traffic on the tarmac we ended up taking off later than expected and landed about an hour behind schedule.

Once we landed, we cleared customs using NEXUS. The process took a bit longer than usual but was still relatively quick.

After that, we grabbed our car, dropped my parents off at home, and finally made it back ourselves.

Before leaving for the trip, I had completely cleaned out the fridge thinking it would be helpful when we got back. In hindsight, that probably wasn’t necessary — we arrived home tired and with nothing to eat.

We ended up making some eggs, unpacking a bit, and getting everyone to bed since the kids had school the next morning.

Overall, it was an amazing trip, and we’re already looking forward to the next adventure.