2009 NCCS STANDING COMMITTEES, ADVISORY AND EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETINGS
HILTON GALVESTON ISLAND RESORT
HOSTED BY THE ARCHDIOCESE OF GALVESTON - HOUSTON APRIL 20 – 25, 2009
HOTEL RESERVATIONS
:
Reservations at the Hilton Galveston Island Resort may be made by phone at 1-409-744-5000, or on-line at www.hilton.com. In either case, to get our group rates, use our group/convention code: CCS, or “Catholic Committee on Scouting.” Our group rate is $129.00 per night, single or double occupancy, plus 15% occupancy tax. Due to their limited number, guest rooms with gulf view, king-bedded, connecting/adjoining, and non-smoking are offered when available upon check-in and MUST be requested in advance when making reservation. All reservations require first night guaranteed by major credit card.
If you are sharing a room with someone, only ONE person should make the reservation in BOTH names. Failure to have the names of both persons sharing a room on one reservation may result in your roommate not being able to check-in if he/she arrives before you. If you are making the reservation ON-LINE, after doing so you will need to call the hotel with your reservation confirmation number and have them add the name of your roommate to your reservation.
ON-LINE RESERVATIONS: When you reach the www.hilton.com screen,
1. Find “reservations” on the menu bar across the top of the page and click on it.
2. On the “find a hotel” page, enter Galveston, Texas, and the nights you will be staying in the appropriate blanks, and click on “search.”
3. On the next page, click on “view rates” for the Hilton Galveston Island Resort. Complete your information under “select reservation details, and scroll down to “Special Accounts.” In the blank at which you can enter “Group/Convention” code, type in “CCS.”
4. When you click “continue” you will see our group rates and room types to select.
5. Click on continue, and you will reach the page to enter “Guest Information” and “Credit Card” information. Clicking on the “book this reservation” or “continue” button at the bottom of the page will finalize the reservation process and give you a reservation confirmation number.
CANCELLATION POLICY: To avoid cancellation penalties, cancellation of reservations must be made 3 days in advance of arrival.
THE DEADLINE FOR ROOM RESERVATIONS IS SUNDAY, MARCH 15, 2009. After this date, the rooms in our block that have not been reserved will be released back to the hotel as available for reservation at premium rack rates. This is the beginning of BEACH season for our hotel, e.g. college spring breaks, etc.
Reservations received after March 15, 2009, and until April 10, 2009, will be accepted at the group rate based only on availability and if our room block has not already been attained. Early departure fees may apply. Check with the hotel upon arrival and reconfirm your checkout date.
HOTEL LOCATION:
The Hilton Galveston Island Resort is exactly 40.6 miles, door-to-door, by private car from the William P. Hobby Airport and located directly on the Gulf of Mexico on Galveston Island at 5400 Seawall Blvd, Galveston, TX 77551
GETTING THERE BY CAR
I-45 South from Houston will take you across the Galveston Causeway bridge on to Galveston Island. Once on the island, I-45 will soon become Broadway Street, but take the 3rd exit to 61st Street. Turn RIGHT on 61st St and go south all the way to the end at Seawall Boulevard. Turn LEFT on Seawall Boulevard. The Hilton Galveston Island
Resort will be immediately on your LEFT past the Galveston Island Convention Center. Self-parking of private/rental vehicles is FREE at the Hilton Galveston Island Resort (valet parking is also available for a fee).
At this site, you can view a map of the hotel facilities and adjacent buildings/businesses: www.galvestonhilton.com. To download a map of metro Houston and a map of Galveston Island, go to www.galveston.com. Move your cursor over “Visitor Information,” and a drop down menu will appear. Select “maps and directions,” and follow the directions to download these maps. The Metro Houston map shows the location of Hobby Airport and I-45 in relation to Galveston, and the Galveston map can be zoomed to a screen size for the reading of street names.
GETTING THERE BY AIR
The closest commercial airport to Galveston is the William P. HOBBY Airport (HOU), currently served by Air Tran, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and Southwest Airlines. Hobby Airport is the largest hub nationwide for Southwest Airlines. (Virtually unlimited other airlines fly into George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) north of the greater Houston metropolis, but it is also at least a 1.5 hour drive from Galveston).
TRANSPORTATION TO/FROM THE AIRPORT:
SHUTTLE VAN SERVICE: Galveston Limousine Service, Inc., operates a door-to-door shuttle van service that leaves Hobby Airport on a regularly scheduled basis and stops at any hotel on Galveston Island where its passengers are staying. (Because of stops before arriving at the Hilton, or on the return, before arriving at the airport, a one way trip to the hotel or airport could take up to an hour). By special arrangement, Galveston Limousine Service is offering a discounted rate for our meetings participants who make a reservation for their service by April 12:
SHUTTLE SCHEDULE
Depart Hobby Airport Arrive Galveston Hotel Depart Galveston Hotel Arrive Hobby Airport
9:30 AM 10:30 AM 5:00 AM 6:00 AM 11:30 AM 12:30 PM 7:30 AM 8:30 AM 1:30 PM 2:30 PM 9:30 AM 10:30 AM 3:00 PM 4:00 PM 11:30 AM 12:30 PM 5:00 PM 6:00 PM 1:30 PM 2:30 PM 7:00 PM 8:00 PM 3:30 PM 4:30 PM
Fare One Way Round Trip
Reservation made by April 12 $35.00 per person $60.00 per person Reservation made AFTER April 12 $45.00 per person $80.00 per person
SHUTTLE SERVICE RESERVATIONS:
Call 1-800-640-4826 and identify yourself as with the NCCOS Conference. Our discounted rate will be good for transportation between April 18 – 26, but the one-way or round trip reservation MUST be made by APRIL 12.
PAYMENT:
Galveston Limousine Service accepts all major credit cards. Payment can be made by phone at the time of reservation, or when boarding the shuttle van.
RENTAL CAR INFORMATION: If several participants coordinate their airport arrival/departure days/times, they may find it more economical to split the weekly rental rate of a vehicle, and so have transportation on the island all week. The following are the rental car agencies serving Houston’s Hobby Airport (cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information, but it was taken from the Houston Hobby airport website):
RENTAL COMPANY CONTACT
Alamo 713-641-0533
Avis 800-331-1212; 713-641-9300
Budget 800-527-0700; 713-643-3687
Dollar (e.g. compact weekly: $169.00 total) 866-434-2226
Enterprise (e.g. economy weekly: $191.00 total) 800-736-7222; 713-645-7222
Hertz 800-654-3131; 713-948-5300
National 888-826-6890; 713-641-0533
Thrifty (e.g. compact weekly: $169.00 total) 877-283-0898; 713-947-9125
NCCS REGISTRATION INFORMATION:
NCCS Member (Associate or Life Member) – Early Bird Registration Fee before March 8, 2009 is $140.00. Meeting Registration Fee applies to all registrations received after March 8. This fee includes a non-refundable deposit of $65.00. Registration fee is transferable but cannot be refunded after March 31, 2009. Submit requests in writing prior to this date.
NCCS Non-Member – Early Bird Registration Fee before March 8, 2009 is $180.00. Meeting Registration Fee applies to all registrations received after March 8. This fee includes a non-refundable deposit of $65.00. Registration fee is transferable but cannot refunded after March 31, 2009. Submit requests in writing prior to this date.
Spouse / Guest – Early Bird Registration Fee before March 8, 2009 is $85.00. Meeting Registration Fee applies to all registrations received after March 8. This fee includes a non-refundable deposit of $65.00. Registration fee is transferable but cannot refunded after March 31, 2009. Submit requests in writing prior to this date.
Student / Child – Registration Fee is $5.00 for those under 18 years of age. This fee includes credentials and administrative services.
All registrations for the meeting include: Meeting credentials and material, administrative services and the refreshments breaks. All meeting meals must be purchased separately. Limited number of meal tickets may be available on site and cannot be guaranteed after April 7, 2009.
If you require additional registration material, please copy this information or download it from our website at www.nccs-bsa.org. No registration packets will be available through the NCCS Office at the meetings site in Galveston.
DINING OPTIONS
Naturally, the Hilton’s “Palm Court” Café is available for all meals. Within 2 blocks in either direction from the Hilton Galveston Island Resort are several variable priced beachfront dining options, including a “Landry’s Seafood Restaurant,” “Joe’s Crab Shack,” “IHOP,” “Rainforest Café,” and a Kroger’s “Signature” Supermarket with daily hot and cold box deli lunch take-out. Included with this registration package is a listing of over 100 restaurants (by cuisine) in Galveston, from the very low priced to the very high priced. A Taxi, private vehicle, or rental vehicle would be required to reach all but those specifically mentioned above.
GALVESTON TAXI FARES
By ordinance, all Galveston taxis charge $3.00 for the first one-quarter mile and $0.60 for each 1/4 mile
thereafter. Waiting time is $30.00 per hour. Up to three additional passengers may share a ride to the
same destination for an additional $1 each. So, for a trip from the hotel to downtown Galveston
(approx. 3.5 miles), the fare for 1 person riding in a taxi would be ca. $11.00 plus tip, and the fare for 4
persons riding in a taxi would be $14.00 plus tip. Please note that all vehicles are operated by
independent contractor drivers.
GALVESTON MENU
WEDNESDAY – “HEARTY STYLE BREAKFAST” BUFFET
Chilled Orange, Tomato, Apple, or Grapefruit Juice; Freshly Brewed Coffees and Teas; Scrambled Eggs, Omelet Style Scrambled Eggs, Crisp Bacon and Link Sausage; Country Potatoes; Sliced Fresh Fruit; Assorted Breakfast
Pastries, Biscuits and Country Gravy
WEDNESDAY – “BISHOP LUNCHEON”
Deli Plate served with Pasta Salad and Cup of Fruit, Freshly Brewed Coffee, Decaffeinated Coffee and Iced Tea
WEDNESDAY – “NCCS AWARDS BANQUET
Depending on the length of your stay, the following will all be “on your own” meals
Monday April 20, 2009 Breakfast
Lunch Dinner
Tuesday April 21, 2009 Breakfast
Lunch Dinner
Thursday April 23, 2009 Lunch (if not a Scout Chaplain or Clergy)
Dinner
Friday April 24, 2009 Breakfast
Dinner
Saturday April 25, 2009 Breakfast
Lunch Dinner
THURSDAY – “FINANCE RECOGNITION” AMERICAN BREAKFAST BUFFET
Chilled Orange, Tomato, Apple, or Grapefruit Juice; Freshly Brewed Coffees and Teas; Scrambled Eggs, Crisp Bacon, Link Sausage, Country Fried Potatoes or Grits, Freshly Baked Biscuits or Wheat toast by request.
THURSDAY – SPECIAL LUNCHEON FOR scout CHAPLAINS and/or ordained clergy
Cheese Tortellina entrée, served with green salad, and dessert, freshly baked bread and sweet cream butter, Coffee or Ice Tea.
FRIDAY – “HALF-TIME” LUNCHEON
Green Salad with Roma Tomato, Shaved Onion, House Croutons and House Vinaigrette Dressing, Flounder Filets stuffed with Crabmeat Dressing and drizzled with Lemon Butter, Tiramisu, Freshly Baked Bread and Sweet Cream
Butter, Coffee or Ice Tea
