As the 4th-busiest cruise port in the United States, the Port of Galveston, Texas, is gearing up for another year of expansion. Coming off a record-breaking 2023, the port is set to welcome new ships and cruise lines to maintain its growth momentum.
The arrival of Norwegian Prima this month marked a historic moment as it became the first time the world's third-largest cruise company offered regular sailings from Galveston. Prima, accommodating ~3,200 passengers, is scheduled to make 20 trips from Galveston between December and April.
This strategic move by NCL-Norwegian Cruise Line follows its plans announced in 2021, coinciding with the opening of the new RCI-Royal Caribbean cruise terminal in Galveston. The additional berths made available by the new terminal prompted a competitive atmosphere between Royal Caribbean and CCL-Carnival Cruise Lines, both vying for a dominant presence in Galveston.
In response to Royal Caribbean berthing the Allure of the Seas, the largest ship to sail from Galveston, Carnival, the world's largest cruise line, introduced its new megaship, the Jubilee, adorned with a Texas-style star on its bow. The Jubilee commenced her first sailing from Galveston this month.
With the addition of these two ships, Galveston now hosts seven ships simultaneously, including Royal Caribbean's Voyager of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas, Norwegian's Prima, Carnival's Jubilee, Breeze, and Dream, and Princess Cruises' Regal Princess.
These new vessels contribute to a record-breaking year for the port in terms of cruise business. Through November, Galveston saw 318 cruises, carrying 1.3+ million passengers, surpassing the entire year of 2022, which had 324 cruises carrying about 1.04 million passengers. Cruise-related revenue, including parking, accounted for over half of the Port of Galveston’s revenue, generating US$14.8 million from passengers and US$20.1 million from parking through November.
Buoyed by this success, officials are optimistic about another record year in 2024, with 389 cruises already scheduled. The port is also planning a 4th cruise terminal at the waterfront location of Del Monte Foods, aiming for construction to begin next year and completion by 2025, with an estimated project cost of US$69 million.