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What Cruise Lines Port Out Of Galveston Tx

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Carnival Norwegian Cruise Lines Announce Plans To Sail From Galveston

2 Carnival cruise ships return to Galveston

Cruise lines announce sail dates from Galveston

FOX 26 Consumer Reporter Heather Sullivan has more on when two cruise lines will depart from Galveston.

HOUSTONCarnival Cruise Lines hopes to launch what could be the first cruise from the U.S. since the pandemic started in Galveston on July 3rd. And Norwegian Cruise Lines will start sailing from Galveston next year.

Many vacationers and workers are rejoicing that some cruises and jobs are coming back to the Port of Galveston.

The Port of Galveston confirms Norwegian Cruise Lines will sail from Galveston for the first time ever, in the Fall of 2022, as it debuts its new ship Prima in several major ports.

Norwegian is coming out with what theyre calling the Leonardo Class ship, said Port of Galveston CEO Rodger Rees.

Rees says the 3200-passenger Prima will set sail on a 3-day cruise from Galveston on October 27th, and a 4-day cruise from the port on October 31. And Galveston may see more of Norwegian after that.

We are talking. They are looking to come in here in 2023 with a new ship, I can tell you that. That will be the second Leonardo Class to be delivered, said Rees.

Meantime, Carnival Cruise Lines confirms to FOX26 that it hopes its ship Carnival Vista will launch from Galveston on July 3rd, and Carnival Breeze will sail from Galveston on July 15th.

And he expects more cruise lines to return soon.

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Best Cruises From Galveston Texas

On the Gulf Coast of Texas in the USA sits the historic port city of Galveston.

Galveston Port was once a commercial port but now caters mainly to cruises.

From some of the top cruises in the world to more affordable cruises, Galveston has something to offer all lovers of the sea.

Here is our list of the best cruises departing from Galveston, Texas.

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Ships Sailing In October 2021

  • Freedom of the Seas from Miami, Florida
  • Anthem of the Seas from Southampton, England
  • Jewel of the Seas from Limassol, Cyprus
  • Odyssey of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  • Allure of the Seas from Port Canaveral
  • Ovation of the Seas from Seattle, Washington
  • Symphony of the Seas from Miami, Florida
  • Independence of the Seas from Galveston, Texas
  • Harmony of the Seas from Barcelona and Rome
  • Oasis of the Seas from Cape Liberty, New Jersey
  • Liberty of the Seas from Galveston, Texas
  • Serenade of the Seas from Tampa, Florida
  • Adventure of the Seas from Galveston, Texas
  • Quantum of the Seas from Singapore

The major change this month is Liberty of the Seas will restart cruises in the beginning of the month from Galveston.

In addition, Serenade moves from Seattle to Tampa, marking the first Royal Caribbean ship to resume cruises from the Port of Tampa.

Adventure of the Seas wrapped up her summer season in Nassau, Bahamas, and will undergo a quick refurbishment before sailing again from Galveston at the end of the month.

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Hotels Near The Port Of Galveston

The bad news? There arent a ton of hotels right at the port . The good news? Galveston isnt that large, so in reality every hotel is just a few minutes away.

The island has a wide variety of places to stay, from historic hotels like Hotel Galvez to modern-day hotel chains that are abundant on Galveston. There are also a few resorts with large pools, restaurants and more. No matter your budget of what youre looking for, Galveston has something to fit your needs relatively close to the port.

Most Galveston hotels are along the Seawall. After the hurricane of 1900, the entire island was built up, with a protective barrier along the island facing the Gulf of Mexico. Today the main boulevard on the island runs along the Seawall, and hotels next to it offer unfettered views.

There are also hotels on the mainland, just 15-20 minutes from the island. While these dont offer the views or atmosphere of staying in Galveston, they can be affordable and convenient as they are on the way from Houston.

Galveston Hotels With High Ratings

One thing to know is that a number of hotels in the area offer parking at their hotel while you cruise. So stay a night, and you can leave your car there for little or no cost. If youre driving into the port, its hard to beat this deal. .

Cruise Ship Terminal Directions And Parking

Port of Galveston provides service of cruise parking that ...

From East take Highway 87. Board a Port Bolivar vehicle ferry. Exit the ferry onto Ferry Road . Turn right onto Harborside Drive, then continue to Kempner some 20 city blocks. Turn right onto Kempner and follow the signs to the terminal .

From North or West take Interstate 45 South, then Exit 1C, Follow the feeder road to Harborside Drive , then turn left onto Harborside Drive and for ~5 mi / 8 km to Kempner . Turn left onto Kempner and follow the signs to the terminal .

Cruise Parking Rates USD 45 , USD 50 , USD 70 . Parking is guarded, lighted, with 24-hour surveillance and police patrol. Phone number 409 766-6100.

Debarkation: go directly to the Parking Lot to retrieve your car . Then pick up passengers and luggage at the terminal curbside. Depart the terminal via shuttles. The service is provided only in parking lots with luggage drop-off signs.

If you plan to fly to Galveston, you will arrive at either Hobby Airport, HOU, or George Bush International Airport, IAH, you have to rent a car or take a cruise line shuttle. There is no public transportation to Galveston from the airports in Huston. Galveston Limousine offers service to Galveston cruise ship terminal for USD 30. Taxi fares are USD 100 from George Bush Intercontinental and USD 75 from Hobby Airport.

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Cruise Ship Terminals 1 And 2

  • Terminal 1 address 2502 Harborside Dr., Galveston, TX 77550
  • Terminal 2 address 2702 Harborside Dr., Galveston, TX 77550
  • Terminal 1 is for docking of Princess and Carnival ships.
  • Terminal 2 is for docking of Disney and Royal Caribbean ships.
  • location some 40 mi / 70 km from Houston Hobby International Airport , some 70 mi / 110 km from Houston Intercontinental Airport
  • GPS coordinates â pending
  • Embarkation: luggage must be unloaded at the terminal curbside prior to parking. Shuttles dont handle luggage during embarkation.

On November 30, 2016, the port completed a USD 13 million project that expanded the passenger area at Cruise Terminal 2. Terminals both buildings are now connected by an enclosed, air-conditioned walkway. The passenger area was increased from around 90,000 to 150,000 ft2 . Seating was increased from 500 to 2000 seats, baggage holding-, customs- and waiting areas were expanded, and 16 more check-in booths were installed.

Terminal 2s expansion works started in 2014, financed by Royal Caribbean. However, construction roadblocks delayed the project with roughly a year. The expansion also included longer docking pier with extra bollards . The dock project cost around USD 3,5 million and was completed in 2017. The expanded Terminal 2 now has capacity to handle up to 5,000 passengers at a time.

Cruising From Houston Or Galveston: Bottom Line

When selecting whether you want to cruise out of Galveston or Houston, youâll need to decide what is most important to you.

For the most cruise line and itinerary choices, both in terms of destination and cruise length, choose Galveston.

If youâre flying in, want to get on your cruise ship as soon as possible upon arrival and donât mind waiting for some of the shipâs venues to open, youâll want to sail from Houston. If, instead, you really want all the shipâs services to open up as near to sailaway as possible and donât mind two hours of transport to the ship, choose Galveston.

Also note that both Galveston and Houston are subject to fog, which can severely affect the start or end times of a cruise sailing â sometimes by as much as a day. In a typical year, a handful of cruises will be affected by heavy fog resulting in some people getting back later from their cruise or ending up with a shorter cruise than anticipated. The ports are equally impacted, so weather is not a reason to choose one port over the other.

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Other Deployments For Royal Caribbean Ships

In addition to the big news for Galveston, other Royal Caribbean ships will have new homeports in the coming years.

San JuanIn another homeport first, Enchantment of the Seas will make San Juan, Puerto Rico its winter port after summering in Galveston. Enchantment will sail 7-night voyages to the Southern Caribbean, including Barbados and Dominica. Freedom of the Seas, which will undergo refurbishment in March 2020 as part of the Royal Amplified fleet modernization program, will continue to homeport in San Juan year-round.

FloridaExplorer of the Seas will unveil her facelift with a summer season in Europe before returning to Miami. Explorers Miami-based voyages will include 5- and 9-night cruises sailings to Aruba, Bonaire, and Curacoa. The ship will also visit Royal Caribbeans private destination in Labadee, Haiti as well as Royal Caribbeans private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, in the Bahamas.

Independence of the Seas returns to Fort Lauderdale in November 2020, sailing 4- and 5-night cruises to the Western Caribbean and Nassau. Select sailings will call on Perfect Day at CocoCay. Vision of the Seas will also sail out of Fort Lauderdale. The ship will offer 10- and 11-night cruises to the Southern Caribbean, including St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Thomas, San Juan, Antigua and St. Maarten.

The Return Of Cruising

[4K] Galveston Cruise Ship Port – Where You Go When Cruising From Galveston, Texas

I wasnt at all surprised to see Harry Sommer enjoying the cruise with his family, as I knew he was aboard the Encore to celebrate the comeback cruise. I even had a chance to sit down with him for a few minutes where he shared his excitement about returning to cruising. Sommer had already sailed with the Greek cruise comeback, but his wife insisted they enjoy the Alaska cruise, too.

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More On Cruising From Galveston

Getting to the Port of Galveston Need transportation options from airports and the Galveston area to the cruise port? Heres everything you need to know to get to the port and start your vacation.

Galveston Cruise Guide Sailing from the island for the first time? Read this guide to familiarize yourself with everything from location to transportation, hotels, cruise lines and more.

Galveston Hotels with Cruise Shuttle Need a ride to the port? Weve rounded up the options for places to stay near the port that also have shuttle service on cruise day.

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Cruise Lines Operating From Galveston

In 2021, three major cruise lines have ships using Port of Galveston as their home port. More ships are likely to be based there once the third cruise terminal is fully operational. Currently, Galveston is home port to Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean and Disney cruise ships.

Terminal 1 operates from Piers 23-26. It is used by Carnival Vista with 7-day cruises departing every Saturday. Terminal 2 operates from Piers 27-28. It is currently used by RCLs Independence of the Seas, Liberty of the Seas,and Adventure of the Seas.

Cruise ships Carnival Breeze,Carnival Dream and Disney Wonder operate out of both Terminals 1 and 2. Galveston cruise terminals are well-positioned for offering 4/5 night and 7-night cruises in both the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

Western Caribbean cruise itineraries offer thrilling ports of call including Cozumel, Mexico Belize Roatan Montego Bay, Jamaica Grand Cayman Costa Maya and Yucatan .

Carnival also offers cruises to the Bahamas/Eastern Caribbean, stopping at Key West, Princess Cays, Freeport and Nassau. It just shows what a variety of cruises sail from Galveston cruise terminals!

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Carnival Cruise Lines From Galveston Texas

On a Carnival cruises out of Galveston, its not hard to take it easy. Whether youre a family of performers, a calm-loving couple, or a bunch of water lovers, on a Carnival cruise youve already arrived at your perfect destination. In fact, the toughest part is choosing whether to lie back in a hammock, spread out on a deck chair, or curl up in one of our many pods with a loved one and a cocktail or two. Carnival Cruise Lines brings you outstanding value for the money in addition to an extraordinary experience where its Fun for All, All for Fun. Adults, kids, grandparents, theres always something for everyone onboard Carnival Cruise Lines.

Carnivals ships are known for their Las Vegas-style decor and entertainment. A Fun Ship cruise features means day and nighttime entertainment from traditional napkin-folding classes, Vegas-style revues and kitchen tours to belly-flop pool contests, stage shows, musical performances, casinos as well as water slide races. All of Carnival ships also offer size-appropriate spa and fitness facilities and have multiple pool areas. Most of all, Carnival Cruise Lines will put a smile on your face and leave you with countless memories.

Getting There By Uber/taxi Or Private Car

Port

Another option for getting to Galveston Island is by taxi, Uber or by hiring a private car service. If you are cruising as a family or group, these options can sometimes work out cheaper than paying a price per person for the shuttle.

All these options allow you to sit back and enjoy the ride while the driver navigates right to the drop-off point ship-side. Drivers are also happy to assist with your luggage. It starts your luxury cruise in a relaxed and comfortable way.

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Getting To The Port Of Galveston

As weve mentioned, sailing from Galveston is easy and convenient if you live in the area. If you have to fly in for your cruise, then youre looking at another 45 to 75-minute ride to get to the cruise port. Thats because the nearest major airports are in Houston.

Not to worry, however. 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.

Driving to the PortOne of the reasons that Galveston is such a popular cruise port is that millions live within a few hours drive of the port. That makes it convenient to get to the cruise port and not having to deal with airports or flying. As well, having your car means you can get to the port when you want, leave as soon as you get off the ship, and not have to meet anyone elses schedule.

One good thing about driving to Galveston is that there is ample parking right near the port thats extremely affordable. See details in the parking section below.

Cruise ShuttlesGiven the distance between Houston and Galveston, an industry of shuttles have popped up that provide rides from the airport to the cruise port. Typically these shuttles offer shared rides at affordable rates and leave at set times from both locations. There are also private car options available that can give you a ride for a bit more money, but offer direct service and can even make any stops youd like.

Heavy Investments In Health And Safety Upgrades

Cruise ships are not alone in making upgrades to accommodate the CDCs demands on the various factors that make a cruise a success. As such, the Port of Galveston has invested more than $100,000 in health and safety measures. It is also reviewing the necessary changes required to port terminals, parking areas, and other operations.

As with the cruise lines, the various ports in the United States are waiting for updates from the CDC on what is expected of them, something that is taking far longer than anyone in the industry expected, Rodger Rees:

To date, weve voluntarily invested $100,000 in health and safety upgrades in our cruise terminals. We continuously monitor updates from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to develop the guidelines that ports will follow for cruise terminal, parking and other operations.

Perhaps against better judgement, the Port aims to have everything ready for a return of cruising by July. However, Rees clarifies that the current expectation is cruising to resume by the end of the summer or early fall of this year. Something that is hurting the local economy, as it has done in Florida and Alaska.

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Carnivals Policy Regarding Drink Packages And Alcohol In Galveston

First things first. If you purchase a drink package on a Carnival cruise departing Galveston, it will not be in effect until the next morning. So if you sail away on Sunday, you wont be able to use your drink package until Monday morning. Dont worry, you arent charged for this day. So a drink package on a 7-day cruise actually gets charged for six days.

This policy is clearly laid out on Carnivals website, which says Due to state laws, we cannot sell CHEERS! until the second day of the cruise for voyages departing from our Texas and New York home ports. Drinks purchased on the first day of the cruise will be charged to the guests Sail & Sign® card in the usual manner. When purchased on the second day of the cruise, guests are charged for the remaining days only .

The good news for cruise passengers?

You can still purchase alcohol when you first get on the ship. However, you should know that the menu is limited until the ship sails beyond Texas waters. According to a statement from a company representative:

Carnival offers special drink menus that are in compliance with Texas state laws for the time we are sailing in Texas waters.

Youll still find plenty to drink during this time, but if you like a specific brand, it may not be available until the ship leaves state waters.

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