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Galveston Cruise News


The Port of Galveston, is experiencing a lot of change to improve the cruise offerings and experiences for those travelers looking to depart from the Port of Galveston this year.


Left: Ships moored at the Galveston Cruise Terminal (photo: W Porter)




Among the biggest changes at the port are two terminals for two of the port’s biggest and busiest cruise lines, Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Carnival Cruise line is investing $53 million dollars to upgrade terminal 25, which is one of their existing terminals in anticipation for the arrival of the newest addition to the Carnival fleet, the Carnival Jubilee, which is arriving in December of this year.


"Carnival was the first major cruise line to homeport in Galveston, more than 20 years ago. They believed in us then and believe in Galveston's growing prominence as a top cruise port today," said Rodger Rees, the port director and CEO of Galveston Wharves, the port's maritime commercial center, according to Travel Weekly.


Before the Jubilee arrives in December, Galveston Wharves' plans include modifying the terminal's gangway, building a ramp and installing two elevators, an escalator and a new roof. The project will also include mandated improvement for facilities the U.S. Customs and Border Protection uses.

Back end of the Allure of the Seas at the Galveston Royal Caribbean Terminal (photo: W Porter)


Additionally, Royal Caribbean completed a new $125 million dollar cruise terminal last fall to accommodate the larger Oasis Class ships, such as the Allure of the Seas, which is currently sailing from Galveston through November of this year and her sister ship, the Harmony of the Seas arriving in December of this year. The new Royal Caribbean terminal is complete with 30,000 square feet of onsite solar panels, and is similar to the Miami cruise terminal for Royal Caribbean (but better as it’s in Texas!).


Personally, as a travel advisor who has seen the Royal Caribbean terminal first hand, I can assure everyone what a beautiful cruise terminal it is and of the technology incorporated into the design which will allow travelers to park at the terminal and according to Abe Hughes the Royal Caribbean Business Development Manager for Royal Caribbean in our area, “go from car to bar in 10 minutes”.


The port is also in talks with MSC to build a fourth cruise terminal, at Pier 16. MSC is an European Cruise Line increasing their footprint in the US and they are looking at Galveston to be that big step for them in the future.


Galveston is the fourth most popular cruise port in the country and with several cruise lines who depart from Galveston, the cruise opportunities are almost endless. Galveston is a home port to several year round cruises with Carnival, with 4 ships sailing from Galveston, Royal Caribbean which has two ships sailing from the port, Princess Cruise Lines which have one ship based here, and currently has two cruise lines that utilize Galveston at select times of the year, with Norwegian cruise Lines operating on select dates as well as Disney which sails out of Galveston annually around the holidays (usually November through January).


With so much happening at the port, Galveston is poised to set records in 2023, as it expects 255 cruise sailings to depart the port this year. To top off all of those cruises, the destinations for ships sailing out of Galveston include destinations in Mexico, Bahamas, Grand Cayman, the US Virgin Islands, as well as cruises transiting through the Panama Canal with the final disembarkation on the US west coast to name a few.


If you’re looking at a cruise in the future, you should certainly look at what cruises are coming out of Galveston!


Please take a look at the videos below for ships that will, may and have cruised from Galveston…..



Artwork in the departure lounge area of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Terminal (photo: W Porter)

 
 
 

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