Norwegian Cruise Line To Bring Its Prima Ship To Galveston
Amanda Cochran, Specialty Senior Content Editor
GALVESTON, Texas Norwegian Cruise Line is bringing its newest ship to Galveston with cruises starting in 2022.
The ship called the Norwegian Prima will begin with two roundtrip western Caribbean voyages from Galveston: a three-day cruise on Oct. 27, 2022, and a four-day cruise on Oct. 31, 2022 — part of the new ships inaugural year sailing bucket-list itineraries, Houston Business Journal reported, citing Norwegian.
Starting in the winter season 2023 and 2024, the ship will homeport out of Galveston, offering seven-day voyages to the western Caribbean;out of Galveston. The ship will call to Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Harvest Caye, a private island in Belize; and Roatan Island, Honduras.
The ship is 965 feet long, more than 142,000 gross tons and able to accommodate 3,215 guests at double occupancy, according to the cruise line.
The company touted its entertainment options onboard in a news release about the ship, including a three-level go-kart racetrack called Prima Speedway.
The ship will sail on its maiden voyage on Aug. 17, 2022, on an itinerary from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to Reykjavik, Iceland, with stops in Zeebrugge, Bergen, and Geiranger in Norway, and Akureyri and Isafjordur in Iceland, according to Cruise Hive.
Take a look at the ship through these promotional photos from the cruise line.
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Carnival Dream From Galveston
Guests can look forward to a cruise ship with a shiny new paint job when they join Carnival Dream in Galveston this weekend. Number 11 on Carnivals resumption of operations list, the ship is already the third Carnival cruise ship to start operations from Galveston. Carnival Vista sailed for the first time on July 3, while Carnival Breeze started operations from Galveston on July 15.
Carnival Dream will set sail on a 6 Day Western Caribbean cruise from Galveston on Sunday, September 19. The ship will call at Costa Maya, Mexico, after a day at sea, followed by a day in Belize, before she sails back to Mexico for a day in Cozumel. After another fun day at sea, the ship will return to port.
Pier 10 Royal Caribbean Terminal 3
On December 5, 2018, the port authority company signed with RCG-Royal Caribbean Group an MoU agreement for the development and concession of a new cruise terminal. The project was approved on December 11, 2019. This is a long-term lease deal that could be extended up to 60-year exclusive terminal concession rights.
The new Royal Caribbean terminal is sized 14990 m2 and built on 10 acres of land at Pier 10 .
The new passenger terminal has capacity to berth even Oasis-class liners . Cruise Terminal 3 features dedicated bus parking, taxi ranks, large car parking , facial recognition technology.
The construction works on the USD 125 million Terminal 3 were planned to start in April 2020, with scheduled completion in November 2021. However, due to the Coronavirus crisis, in early-March RCG requested a 1-year extension for starting construction works . RCG’s proposal was approved on April 28, 2020. The initial plans included in 2021 to be homeported Allure OTS , but the ship’s homeporting was rescheduled for Nov 2022.
Works on Pier 10’s “Cruise Terminal 3” officially started on August 14, 2021. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by Rodger Rees , Joshua Carroll , Craig Mygatt , Craig Brown .
RCI Galveston Terminal is currently scheduled for completion/inauguration on September 1, 2022. The new facility is co-owned by RCG and Ceres Terminals Inc . Ceres currently provides for RCG similar services at Port Canaveral, Tampa, Port NOLA and Baltimore.
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Royal Caribbean Cruises In October : What To Expect
Fall is in the air, but Royal Caribbean cruises in October are still taking you to places that are plenty warm.
There are many Royal Caribbean cruise ships in operation in October, with one ship returning to service and a couple resuming service in a new market.
This post will share important information what you should know before going on a cruise in October. This month we see the end of cruising in Alaska for the season, but there is still time to see Europe before that season comes to an end.; Meanwhile, Caribbean sailings will start to increase with ships returning to start winter itineraries.
Just like September, October is also one of the best times to get a great price on a cruise. The combination of school in session and the peak of hurricane season makes for some really low rates.; In fact, last minute cruise prices are pretty good if you can take advantage of certain October sailings.
What Carnival Ships Are Sailing This Summer
More Carnival;cruises are set to take off soon, according to the statement:
- Carnival Horizon, is set to depart from PortMiami on Sunday.
- Carnival Breeze is set to sail from Galveston;on July 15.
- Carnival Miracle is set to sail from Seattle for Alaska on July 27.
Additional Carnival ships will;resume service in August.;
While the cruise industry was an early;victim in the pandemic, things are starting to turn around. Carnival Corp.;executives said last month that the company lost more than $2 billion in its latest quarter, but bookings for next year are running ahead of 2019’s pace.
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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 -;pending
- Embarkation: luggage must be unloaded at the terminal curbside prior to parking. Shuttles don’t 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”. Terminal’s 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 2’s 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.
Royal Caribbean Breaks Ground On New Cruise Terminal Announces Fall 2022 Sail Dates Out Of Galveston
Royal Caribbean recently broke ground on a new cruise terminal slated to debut next fall in Galveston.
The opening of the new, $125 million cruise terminal comes just in time for the new fall 2022 sail dates out of the Texas port announced by the cruise line.
According to CultureMap, the terminal will serve as the homeport for Royal Caribbeans Allure of the Seas, which will sail seven-night western Caribbean itineraries starting November 2022.
Currently, Galveston, the sole cruise port in Texas, houses Royal Caribbeans Independence and Liberty of the Seas.
This new cruise terminal is a game-changer, said Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO, according to CultureMap. This much-anticipated project will bring 800 new jobs, $1.4 billion in local business services revenue, $5.6 million in state and local taxes, and incredible business development opportunities.
According to CultureMap, the new cruise terminal will boast modern technological features such as mobile check-in and facial recognition.
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Galveston Tours Shore Excursions Hotels
City Tours and Shore Excursions
During you stay, Galveston can offer plenty of activities for any age. You can enjoy tropical rainforest adventure or rest at the sunny beach. If you prefer, you can visit amusement places near the Galveston cruise port terminal like:
- Texas Seaport Museum
- the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum
- the Moody Gardens
What Will Be The Protocols
For both Carnival Dream and Carnival Glory, all guests age 12 and up should be fully vaccinated. The cruise line is making exemptions possible in some cases for under 12s and for those with medical conditions that prevent vaccination.
Unvaccinated guests will need to show a negative PCR test before boarding, taken at least three days before the cruises start. Those guests who have been vaccinated will need to be tested two days before the start of the voyage, although a rapid test suffices in this case.
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What To Expect For Carnival Breeze
After the successful cruises onboard Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon, expectations are high for Carnival Breeze. Carnival Vista sailed on July 3 from Galveston and concluded her first cruise, the same counts for Carnival Horizon, which concluded her first voyage from Miami just days ago.
The third Carnival ship to resume sailings will be setting off on July 15 on a 4-day itinerary that will see her sail from Galveston with a call in Cozumel and two fun days at sea. Carnival Breezes season will see her sail on 4- and 5-day voyages from Galveston. The 5-day itinerary also includes a call in Costa Maya or Progreso, Yucatan.
As weve seen with both Carnival Vista and Carnival Horizon, the ship will be sailing under a fully vaccinated pathway, which means that 95% of the guests and 98% of the crew members must be vaccinated. Cruises on the Dream-class vessel will not be fully booked though; Carnival is sailing her vessels at 70% capacity.
For guests not vaccinated, there will be a surcharge of $150 to do mandatory testing during and before the end of the voyage. Although this will put a damper on the excitement for those unvaccinated guests as the charge also applies to all children not vaccinated. Brand Ambassador John Heald made the announcement last week saying:
We know that this puts an expense on the cruise that you probably didnt account for when you booked the cruise, but we have to keep everybody safe.
Cruise Ship Terminal Directions And Parking
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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Royal Caribbean Back In Texas
Royal Caribbean is back in Texas now that Independence of the Seas has started its operations from Galveston on August 15. The 3,600 passenger, 154,407 gross ton Freedom-class cruise ship is the former largest cruise ship in the world. She is sailing on a seven-night Western Caribbean itinerary from Galveston and calling in Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel, with a sea day at the start and end of the cruise.
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The ship completed her test sailing earlier this month when she sailed a 4-day cruise from Galveston on August 1. It has been a tight schedule for Independence of the Seas. With her first cruise scheduled for August 15, Royal Caribbean only received the Conditional Sailing Certificate the ship needed to set sail with guests at the last minute.
Cruise ships need to perform these simulated or test cruises to show the CDC that all protocols and requirements onboard work and provide a safe environment for guests and crew members.
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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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Carnival Norwegian Cruise Lines Announce Plans To Sail From 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.
HOUSTON – Carnival 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 they’re 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. ;
Cruising From Houston Or Galveston: Bottom Line
When selecting whether you want to cruise out of Galveston or Houston, you’ll 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 you’re flying in, want to get on your cruise ship as soon as possible upon arrival and don’t mind waiting for some of the ship’s venues to open, you’ll want to sail from Houston. If, instead, you really want all the ship’s services to open up as near to sailaway as possible and don’t 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 — 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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Two More Carnival Cruise Ships Will Resume Operations This Sunday
Two more Carnival cruise ships will restart operations this weekend with Carnival Glory from New Orleans and Carnival Dream from Galveston.
After a short break, Carnival Cruise Lines restart operations continue from two ports this weekend. New Orleans and Galveston will be the home for Carnival Glory and Carnival Dream respectively, when they both set sail this Sunday, September 19.
Carnival Glorys first scheduled cruise had been canceled due to Hurricane Ida, and the vessel has served as the home for emergency responders in New Orleans for the last week or so. Carnival Dream, which received a shiny new livery just weeks ago, will restart cruises from Galveston this weekend, becoming the third Carnival Cruise ship to sail from Texas.
Cruise Lines That Stop At The Port
The Port of Galveston recently announced that starting in the Fall of 2013, Royal Caribbeans Navigator of the Seas will sail year-round out of the Port of Galveston. The Navigator of the Seas will be the largest ship ever home ported in Galveston.
In addition, Disney Cruise Lines and Princess Cruise Lines also now sail from the Port to destinations in the Caribbean and the Bahamas. Disney Cruise Lines sails the Disney Magic from the Port in the fall and winter seasons. Princess Cruises sailed the 951-foot Crown Princess to the western Caribbean from January to April 2013. Later in 2014, Princess will sail from the Houston Bayport Terminal, via the Caribbean Princess.
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