Galveston Cruise Terminal: 9 Things You Need to Know

Table Of Content

• CRUISE PORTS BY REGION
• MSC Seascape ship to be homeported in Galveston Texas starting Nov 2025
• Popular: 39 Useful Things to Pack (17 You Wouldn't Think Of)
• What’s the cheapest way to park at the Port of Galveston?
• Hotels With Cruise Shuttles For Every Major Port in America
• NCL Makes History With First Seasonal Sailing From Galveston, Texas
• Getting There by Car:

The port is well-known for its convenient access to most major southern cities, as well as for being closer to the ocean than other major ports in the country. Compared to airports, checking-in and security on a cruise ship is a dream. The good news is that it’s fairly simple to drop people off in Galveston. Meanwhile, providing a ride to the port saves a lot of money in paying for a shuttle or having to park during the cruise.

CRUISE PORTS BY REGION

Galveston also offers day cruises for those who want to experience a shorter cruise experience without committing to a longer itinerary. These day cruises are perfect for a quick getaway and offer amenities such as live entertainment, dining options, and casino gaming. Terminal 28 is newer than Terminal 25 and serves Disney Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, and Norwegian Cruise Line. It was opened in November 2017 as part of an expansion project by the Port of Galveston to accommodate more cruise ships. This terminal boasts modern amenities such as larger waiting areas with charging stations and free Wi-Fi.

MSC Seascape ship to be homeported in Galveston Texas starting Nov 2025

If you need to debark ahead of your designated time, you must see the Customer Service desk and arrange a new debarking time/group. If you try to disembark ahead of your group, you will be turned away by security. Even if you do reach the terminal, your luggage will not be offloaded until your group is called. Place your hand luggage on the conveyor belt for scanning and then walk through a security scanner/checkpoint.

MSC Cruises finalizes agreement for Galveston terminal - Travel Weekly

MSC Cruises finalizes agreement for Galveston terminal.

Posted: Wed, 07 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

Popular: 39 Useful Things to Pack (17 You Wouldn't Think Of)

We have all the details on the major modes of transportation on our port transportation page. Below we hit the highlights of the major ways to get to the ships. The Strand Historic District is within walking distance of Terminal 25 and Terminal 28, while passengers at Terminal 10 will want to take a rideshare or taxi. A national historic landmark, The Strand includes buildings from the late 1800s and early 1900s, peppered with eateries, bars and shops. From exploring the city’s rich history to soaking up the sun on the beaches, Galveston offers something for everyone. Galveston’s Historic Strand District features restaurants, bars, and shops in buildings from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

What’s the cheapest way to park at the Port of Galveston?

When completed, the newest/4th MSC Cruise Terminal is expected to generate an additional 925 jobs, ~US$177M in revenues, ~US$21M in local purchases. The project has an estimated cost of $125 million and will provide a state-of-the-art cruise terminal in Galveston. It will be the home port for Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas, which will sail on 7-night Western Caribbean itineraries starting November 2022. It is mainly used by Royal Caribbean although this will change in late 2022 when the new RCL Terminal 3 opens. It is within walking distance of the terminal and parking and there is a shuttle service. Terminal 1 is located at 2502 Harborside Drive, Galveston and is located east of Terminal 2.

I cruised Royal Caribbean from Galveston for the first time. Here's what a cruise from Texas is like. - Royal Caribbean Blog

I cruised Royal Caribbean from Galveston for the first time. Here's what a cruise from Texas is like..

Posted: Mon, 09 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

For fly-cruisers is recommended to use rideshare (larger group travel) services. Lyft is Galveston terminal's exclusive rideshare company (pricing per vehicle /not per person) so Uber is not an option. Taxis are also available from both Houston airports, but the prices are significantly higher (~twice) than the rideshare service. Onsite cruise parking serves cruise terminals 1 and 2 at Port of Galveston. Parking is much more affordable than other cruise ports such as Miami and is charged at a rate per day.

Galveston Cruise Terminals Overview

These include overnight accommodation, cruise parking and a shuttle to/from Galveston cruise terminal for one fixed price. If you’re using a GPS program, input 22nd Street and Harborside Drive to get the most accurate directions to the cruise terminals. However, if you plan to park at the port, input 33rd Street and Harborside Drive in your GPS.

Carnival Cruise Line has the most ship calls in Galveston, with four ships that include the Carnival Breeze and Carnival Vista. The Carnival Dream also sails from Galveston on select itineraries. These ships offer a variety of cruises ranging from four to seven nights in length and visiting destinations such as Cozumel, Belize City, and Costa Maya. Galveston’s warm climate and laid-back atmosphere make it a great place to relax before or after your cruise.

Generated jobs are 20,000 (paying over USD 1,1 billion in total income). Cruise ship vacation-related spending in Texas is accounted for 6,3% of the industry's direct expenditures, and 5,6% of the industry's nationwide overall spending. In January 2014, the port signed a 5-year agreement with Royal Caribbean, generating USD 1,86+ million in annual revenues. The agreement required improvements to be made to Cruise Terminal 2 (Terminal 28) to accommodate larger vessels and more tourists.

The Galveston Ship Channel's authorized min depth is 45 ft (14 m). (Western Caribbean) From Galveston are also offered Mexico-only roundtrips that visit Cozumel (4-days) and Cozumel with Progreso (5-days). In August 2021, Galveston Wharves signed an MoU with Stabilis Solutions to build and supply LNG bunkering/shore-to-ship fueling facilities in 2021. The deal was signed by Rodger Rees (Galveston Port's Director and CEO) and Jim Reddinger (Stabilis' President and CEO). Galveston is the second (after Corpus Christi) LNG bunkering port served by Stabilis (2013-founded, Houston Texas-based turnkey LNG company, part of LNG Investment Company LLC).

The cruise port has 2 terminals (Piers 23-28) with a third 10-acre cruise terminal due for completion late 2022. Checking in for your cruise is much easier than checking in at an airport. While security remains a top priority, you’ll find cruise terminals are well staffed with knowledgeable and helpful personnel who will assist you at every step. Galveston cruise terminals currently serve 2.2 million cruise passengers annually. Ambitious plans are already underway to create a third terminal at the port. This is expected to double the number of cruisers departing from the port from late 2022.

The new development will also include a new cruise parking lot at the terminal for 1800 vehicles. The first thing that you should know — especially if you’ve sailed from Galveston before — is that the terminal is not located right next to the older cruise terminals. So if you’ve sailed on a Royal Caribbean cruise in the old terminal, you’ll need to go to a different spot. From there, renting a car or utilizing shuttle services are convenient choices. Additionally, George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) in Houston is another option, situated about 70 miles from Galveston. Galveston is a Texas tourist hotspot as it offers a lot to do and a completely different atmosphere than the rest of the state.