I've always thought developing a private island off Belize with a pier would be a boon to Galveston cruising. It could be a big destination by itself, a la coco cay, or just a small jumping off point with nothing more than simple beaches and to be able to tender to the mainland. It would allow another option for a port so it's not the exact same 3 each time, and could be a big winner like coco cay has become.
UPDATED 13 February 2024 (Added Allure's return in 2026. Removed Liquor Taxation Section - Have not seen them in the terminals since 2022.)
Galveston is home to Royal Caribbean's newest Cruise Terminal, a state of the art zero energy facility, and was home port for the 2023 President's Cruise on Allure of the Seas. Celebrity Cruises has advised that we should not be surprised to see one of their ships in Galveston at some point.
Galveston is the fourth busiest cruise port in the USA and the 9th busiest in the world.
Cruise ships calling Galveston their home port include:
Harmony of the Seas - 225,282 GT - 5,484 Guests - 7 night sailings (Repositions to Barcelona 16 Mar 2026)
Allure of the Seas - 225,282 GT - 5,496 Guests - 7 night sailings (Arrives 17 Mar 2026 from Fort Lauderdale)
Voyager of the Seas - 137,276 GT - 3,602 Guests - 4-6 night sailings (Repositions to Barcelona 1 May 2024)
Mariner of the Seas - 139,863 GT - 3,344 Guests - 4-5 night sailings (Arrives 6 May 2024 from Port Canaveral)
Jewel of the Seas - 90,090 GT - 2,191 Guests - 8-11 night sailings (Arrives 8 Nov 2024)
Norwegian Prima - 142,500 GT - 3,215 Passengers (Winter Home Port now through Mar 2025)
Norwegian Escape - (Dec 2024 Sailings)
Norwegian Viva - (Winter Home Port starting Dec 2025)
Carnival Jubilee - 182,800 GT - 5,374 Passengers - LNG Powered
Carnival Dream - 130,000 GT - 3,646 Passengers
Carnival Breeze - 130,000 GT - 3,690 Passengers
Carnival Miracle - 88,500 GT - 2,124 Passengers (Arrives 16 Oct 2024 from San Francisco for 9-12 night cruises)
Carnival Legend - 88,500 GT - 2,124 Passengers (Arrives 22 Oct 2025 from San Francisco for 4-14 night cruises)
Regal Princess - (Winter Home Port Sep-Mar)
Disney Magic - (Winter Home Port each year)
MSC - has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Port of Galveston to build a fourth cruise terminal!
Cruise Terminal 10 Information
Cruise Terminal 10 is owned and operated by a 50/50 partnership of Royal Caribbean and Ceres Terminals Inc. on land leased from the Port of Galveston. Ceres helped fund the project and will provide stevedoring and terminal operations. As the world's first zero-energy cruise terminal you can expect to find innovative design throughout this facility in things you see and also things you don't see.
Below is a map of the new terminal area and parking lots operated by the Port of Galveston. In addition to surface parking lots, the Port offers covered and indoor parking. All parking lots have covered shuttle bus stops with buses circulating continuously to the cruise terminal, and there are plenty of covered walkways for a comfortable stroll from the walkable parking areas to the terminal. Electric Vehicle chargers will soon be available to the west of the South Lot. My favorite parking option: North Premium Covered Lot - it's only a few feet from the cruise terminal and it's covered. It's also the highest price option. Go to the Port's parking information page for more information and sign up for their loyalty program. You'll get an immediate $5 discount on your first reservation, the loyalty program equals a 10% discount on future parking, and they will send periodic discount codes that can all be combined for savings. Disabled veterans also get a discount.
Tip: you will find less expensive options by using off-site parking operators which I have listed below in the Parking section of this post, which also has information on other things to consider regarding parking.
Luggage can be dropped off at the terminal on Royal Caribbean Circle (see map above). Upon entering the terminal building, General check in is located up the escalators on the left (west) end of the terminal, while Suites and Pinnacles check in is located up the escalators on the right (east) end of the terminal. The door at the right (east) end of the terminal on Royal Caribbean Circle is also the entrance for Suites, Pinnacles, and Star Class guests. Star Class drop-off is at area 6 (purple columns on Royal Caribbean Circle).
When disembarking at Cruise Terminal 10 there is facial recognition for quick passage through Customs and Border Protection. Then you claim your luggage and make your way out of the terminal to the pick up area on Royal Caribbean Way. As you can see on the above map, the embarking passenger ground transportation area (on Royal Caribbean Circle) is distinctly separated from the disembarking passenger ground transportation area on Royal Caribbean Way for better traffic flow.
Planning & Tourist Info
You can't beat this website for information on everything that is happening in Galveston: www.galveston.com
Transportation
Fly into HOU (Houston Hobby Airport) if you can. It's much closer to Galveston than IAH (Bush Intercontinental Airport) and you won't have the Houston traffic to deal with. Tip: my favorite airline option is JSX, a "semi-private" airline that uses private jet terminals at several airports across the country. You can essentially fly "private" and avoid crowded airport terminals, for about the price of a first class ticket. JSX flies to Houston Hobby Airport and disembarks in one of the private terminals.
Here are some options for getting to Galveston from the airport:
Galveston Saltwater Moms - my first choice for transportation to Galveston... a highly rated "personal driver" service. You book by sending them a personal message on Facebook. They are a licensed Transportation Provider with the Port of Galveston, which means they can legally operate at the cruise terminals. They have a $500,000 bond and commercial liability insurance. Give them a try as an alternative to the big guys. I've used them and had a great experience!
Galveston Limo - provides very affordable shared rides from the two Houston airports with either their scheduled service or you can arrange a private car. Owned by a local family of good folks.
Galveston Express
Lyft and Uber - Lyft and Uber are the approved major rideshare companies operating at the Port of Galveston. The agreement with Uber was approved on 24 Mar 2023.
Blacklane - a premium option for upper end vehicles like Black Sedan or Black SUV. You can reserve days or weeks in advance and cancel up to 1 hour prior to pickup time. Rates include gratuities, professional drivers, no "peak" surcharges or port surcharges. Drivers show up when scheduled. A bit more expensive but worth the price to reduce the stress you have with Uber/Lyft drivers canceling or having peak rates when departing the ship. I've used Blacklane in Galveston and Los Angeles with good results. If you use black sedans or SUV's with Uber/Lyft, I find Blacklane to be similarly priced, and sometimes lower priced during peak pickup times.
Enterprise Rent A Car - Enterprise is the only rental car company on the island. You should be able to rent from Enterprise at the airport and drop it off on the Island. The Island location is open on Saturday (before Covid it was also open on Sunday). Check with Enterprise directly for updated hours and shuttle arrangements.
Here are a couple of transportation options for your departure after your cruise:
The pickup zone for Lyft and Uber is at the far northeast side of the terminal on Royal Caribbean Way. When you exit the terminal, turn left, and walk to the Uber/Lyft sign in Zone 1.
If you prefer to take a taxi to the airport, turn right as you exit the terminal, cross the street toward the east side of the covered parking area and there will be several taxis ready and waiting. Here's a photo of the fixed fare rates as of 30 July 2023:
Arriving By Car
I-45 is undergoing several phases of construction that will continue into 2024 and beyond. TxDOT is widening I-45 all the way to Galveston Island so expect some delays and congestion.
I-45 south ends on Galveston Island. When arriving on the island, if you turn off at the "Cruise Terminal" exit (Harborside Drive) you will hit a traffic back-up as you approach the cruise terminals. To avoid this traffic jam, as you drive down I-45 and arrive on the Island, continue straight on Broadway as the interstate ends and follow these directions:
If you've reserved parking through the official Port of Galveston website, continue straight on Broadway as the interstate ends. Continue to 14th street and turn left. Follow 14th and it will take you straight into the entrance to the Cruise Terminal 10 area. This route will avoid the lengthy backup on Harborside Drive. As you enter the Cruise Terminal area, follow the signs to your pre-arranged parking lot or to the drop off or pick up areas.
Parking
If you search "Galveston cruise parking" you will see plenty of parking options. I highly recommend making a reservation on line with one of the parking companies, especially if you want an indoor space as these will sell out (especially now, with so many ships sailing from Galveston). Prepaying usually gets you a 5-10% discount and a guaranteed parking space. Things to consider in addition to price:
Elevation - heavy rains can quickly flood the streets of Galveston, and not just during a hurricane. Leaving your car in an elevated spot will provide peace of mind against flooding if an unexpected storm comes in.
Inside Building, or Outdoor Lot? - outdoor surface lots are cheaper, but your car is exposed to the south Texas sun and weather. A building provides better protection and security.
Discounts & Loyalty - there are extra savings if you sign up for loyalty programs online and apply for any applicable discount. Reserve your parking after your account is set up and tagged with the applicable discount. You can combine loyalty and one discount but you can't have multiple discounts. The loyalty programs often mail discount codes to members.
Security - parking lots are fenced and gated. Buildings are enclosed and locked. Some facilities have security cameras. The Port of Galveston claims that the Port Police patrol their lots 24/7 which you won't find at the private parking lots.
Electric Vehicle Charging - more and more lots are offering EV chargers. If you drive an EV like I do, you will appreciate having your car fully charged when you disembark. This perk is currently free at all parking facilities where it is offered. The Port of Galveston will offer EV charging for an additional fee by scanning a QR code and paying online after parking at the charger. Remember that even a 110 volt plug will fully charge your car over the course of several days, so bring you charge cord as some lots offer 110V outlet access.
Here is my comparison of some of the parking options. I have used Port Parking, EZ Cruise, and the Port of Galveston parking all without any issues.
Hotels
Galveston hotel prices are quite variable depending on day of week (weekends obviously much higher), whether there are major events happening, and the season (summer is the busy season here). Booking hotels during Mardi Gras (February), Lone Star Biker Rally (early November), Art Walk (every 6 weeks) and other major events will be much more expensive. Some hotels have a 2 night minimum on weekends. Ever since travel resumed following Covid, hotel prices on Galveston Island have gone way up. I love staying on the island before a cruise, but if the price is too high I stay along I-45 in Webster, League City, or Texas City where you'll find much lower hotel rates. Note that I-45 exits south of Webster can be very congested, especially during morning and afternoon rush hours.
There are a couple of hotels near the port and the historic Strand District in Galveston, but no hotels are near the Royal Caribbean Cruise Terminal 10. It's a great idea to arrive a day or two early and enjoy the island ambiance.
The Harbor House overlooks the port area and Cruise Terminals 25 and 28, and is very convenient to many nice restaurants, museums, and shopping.
The Tremont House is also very walkable to the Strand, nice restaurants, museums, and shopping. This is my preferred pre-cruise hotel and is now a Marriott Tribute property. The Tremont House is located in a beautiful historic building. The Tremont's rooftop bar has wonderful views of the island and port area and has been under renovation with a planned re-opening in the fall of 2023. The lobby bar has live jazz on most Thursday nights.
There are plenty of other hotels on the Island, many along the Seawall facing the Gulf of Mexico. Hotels providing transportation to the port or offer park & cruise options can be found here. Call the hotel that you are interested in to confirm that they provide cruise parking.
Galveston Dining (And A Few Drinking Establishments)
Please avoid the tourist traps and chain restaurants that will leave you disappointed. Eat at these locally owned restaurants that use locally sourced, fresh food, including fresh Gulf seafood right from the docks in Galveston. All restaurants are casual dress unless noted, and all are family friendly (even most of the bars). Many serve craft beer on tap from Galveston Island Brewing. My only connection to these places is that I have personally eaten at them multiple times and I love them all!
Rudy and Paco - 2028 Post Office St (21st and Post Office) - Arguably the best restaurant on the island. Wonderful food with a South and Central American flair. Best service on the island. A little expensive but worth it. We like going for lunch because it's very affordable (lunch served weekdays only). No shorts allowed at dinner. Reservations suggested and are a must on weekends or when The 1890 Grand Theater has an event.
Riondo's Ristorante - 2328 Strand (24th and Strand) - Our favorite Italian restaurant on the island, and they also serve great seafood and steak. Beautiful historic building built in 1895 in the Strand Historic District. "Farm to Fork" sourcing and they make their own pasta. Tell them you "want a table in the vault."
Katie's Seafood House - 2000 Wharf Road (On the water, adjacent to the Port of Galveston) - This is the only restaurant in Galveston that catches their own seafood! Enjoy great food, good service, and a wonderful view of the Port of Galveston from their covered outdoor deck. They offer free parking in the lot in front of the restaurant at 20th & Harborside (call the restaurant at (409) 765-5688 and select to option to hear the parking code).
Blum & Co. at the Tremont House - 2300 Ships Mechanic Row (Mechanic Street) - Beautiful historic hotel built in 1879 near the Strand Historic District. An urban bistro, wine bar, and market offering a carefully curated menu that is indigenous of the region. There is a beautiful bar at the opposite end of the lobby with several Galveston Brewing options on tap. Before or after dinner, take the elevator to the top floor, turn left, and walk to the end of the hall to the rooftop bar to cap off the experience. The rooftop bar is being renovated and will re-open in the fall of 2023.
Brews Brothers Brew Pub - 2404 Strand - Huge craft beer selection, creative American bar food. Very casual. You wouldn't expect it for a bar, but the food here is excellent. Burgers (try the "Mission From God"), fresh made chips (try them with Buffalo Sauce & Bleu Cheese), local fish tacos, salads, etc. Order at the bar, grab a table, and enjoy a beer while waiting on your food to be delivered to your table.
Texas Tail Distillery - 2416 Post Office - On-site distillery for whiskey and vodka. Try the honey whiskey and other infusions. Friendly staff, fun place to try crafted drinks with local liquor, or try them all with a flight of shots! New: several food trucks are often located adjacent to their new location!
Blvd. Seafood - 28th and Seawall - One of the best seafood restaurants on the island. There isn't a lot of curb appeal outside but the inside is very nice. The food and service are both quite good and the seafood is all local. The red snapper is amazing and always comes fresh from Katie's Seafood Market.
Shucks Tavern - 414 21st Street - Newer hot spot downtown for oysters, seafood, and drinks. Fresh oysters from the most famous oyster beds in America!
Mama Teresa's Flying Pizza and Italian - 416 21st Street - Next door to Shucks Tavern, this is the place for pizza. These guys hand toss the pizzas so high they almost touch the very high ceilings in this historic building! They also have nice Italian dishes. Convenient to the Post Office Street Arts District for a nice after-dinner stroll.
Grotto Italian - 5222 Seawall (In the San Luis Resort) - Classic Italian restaurant featuring delicious veal, chicken, seafood, pizza, and house made pastas. This one breaks my rule of avoiding the Landrys restaurant chain, but we are convinced it's a great option.
The Cove Poolside Bar - 5222 Seawall (In the San Luis Resort) - Beautiful outdoor poolside bar with a swim-up bar too, all overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. The pool is heated so expect swimmers even in cool weather. Great place to people watch and enjoy a drink with one of the most picturesque views of the Gulf of Mexico on the island.
Koops BBQ Kitchen - 4501 Broadway - the only barbecue restaurant on the island that I would recommend. Very clean, very casual, very good meat and homemade sides. Only open for lunch from 11 am to 3 pm or until they run out of barbecue.
Leland House - 2711 Market Street - a nice neighborhood bistro serving breakfast/brunch, lunch, and dinner. Grab a menu, relax at a table, and order at the bar when you're ready. Closed Monday/Tuesday.
Maceo's Spice & Import Company - 2706 Market Street - Excellent muffaletta's, sandwiches. Simple menu to eat in or carry out in this little spice shop.
Freckleberry Teahouse - 2724 Market Street - this has become a hot spot for a relaxing hot or iced tea or coffee and a light snack. Comfortable seating is plentiful inside or in their large outdoor area.
Red Light Coffee Roasters - 2728 Market Street - popular spot serving locally roasted and sustainably sourced coffee and drinks along with light snacks. Like many places on this list, they are located in a beautiful historic building.
Hey Mikey's Ice Cream - 2120 Post Office Street - Ice cream is made in the store. Unique treats like Ice Cream Nachos (share with a friend) and traditional favorites. You gotta' go here! Note: this place is owned by a nice island family. It is sometimes closed over the winter holidays.
Mod Coffeehouse - 2126 Post Office Street - comfortable with plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. Live music many weekend evenings. Coffee, tea, espresso, latte, home baked goods.
Waterman's Restaurant & Marina - 14302 Stewart Road - great sunset and water views overlooking Lake Como and West Bay. Steak and seafood. The restaurant was built of long leaf pine salvaged from the 100 year old cotton warehouses that were part of Galveston's glory days. Relatively expensive and a bit of a drive from the hotel areas but this is a unique restaurant with a great ambiance, great service, and great water views.
Jimmy's On The Pier - 9001 Seawall - On the 2nd story above the fishing pier (enter the souvenir shop, exit to the left, and up the stairs). Very casual with great views of the seawall and Gulf. Owner has their own farm and livestock for a true "farm to table" concept; other items locally sourced. Fish tacos, burgers, seafood, local beer, full bar, etc.
Galveston Webcams
Galveston has some great webcams if you want to see what the cruise port looks like, or if your friends and family want to watch you sail away on Royal Caribbean via several live full-motion HD video cameras.
I really hope Royal will offer some longer cruise options out of Galveston which can visit a larger variety of ports than just the standard western ports.
Why they thought that the robot bar was a good idea/replacement is beyond me. It's a gimmick and that is it, does anyone actually go and hang out there?
I've just updated the original post with the embarkation and disembarkation experience related to security, check-in, etc in Galveston. Go to the original post and scroll all the way down to "Embarkation Experience". This is based on the back-to-back that I just completed on Independence of the Seas. The best thing? Facial recognition replaced the face-to-face with a Customs and Border Protection officer and eliminated the long lines to get out of the terminal!
From the Galveston Daily News...
ROYAL CARIBBEAN BREAKS GROUND ON NEW GALVESTON TERMINAL
After more than a year of delay, construction crews this week broke ground at the site of the Port of Galveston and Royal Caribbean Cruise Line’s new $110 million terminal at Pier 10.
It will be months still until the new terminal begins looking like a building. There’s a lot of ground to be broken.
Before upward construction of the terminal can begin, crews need to rip up acre upon acre of concrete at the pier, officials said.
Work removing the old concrete marks a milestone for the terminal that once seemed likely to become a casualty of the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s finally started,” said Albert Shannon, the chairman of the Galveston Wharves Board of Trustees. “After all the preparation, all the negotiation and the pandemic and everything else, they’ve finally started.”
Officials warned the next four weeks of work would mean more traffic on Harborside Drive west of 14th Street as trucks haul away demolition debris. Eventually, trucks will haul in tons of dirt to lay the groundwork for the terminal.
The two-story terminal building will be about 150,000 square feet, and the facility will cover about 10 acres. To make room for the terminal, the port has moved many of the operations conducted by Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics, which imports BMW automobiles and roll-on, roll-off cargo such as farm equipment, to the west end of the port.
Officials have presented multiple concept drawings of the new terminal. The latest designs feature a building with a large rotunda, painted blue, with a covered passenger drop-off area spread out in front of it. The port intends to build a new paid parking area near the terminal, Shannon said.
Royal Caribbean didn’t respond to questions Wednesday about whether it had finalized designs for the building.
Royal Caribbean and the Port of Galveston announced plans to build a third terminal in 2018. In December 2019, they announced the company was on the verge of signing a long-term lease with the port.
But the signing was delayed for a year after the U.S. cruise industry was shut down over the coronavirus pandemic. Royal Caribbean received a year-long extension on its due diligence period for the new terminal. During that time, the company — which lost $56.8 billion in 2020 — could have walked away from the deal.
In April, the port and Royal Caribbean ended the due diligence period and finalized their agreements, allowing construction to begin.
Port officials said from their perspective the deal was never in jeopardy and noted Royal Caribbean continued engineering and analysis work at the terminal site throughout the past year.
Port officials estimate the new terminal will create at least 400 construction jobs.
The terminal is expected to be open by late 2022, although the company has until 2023 to finish the job. When it opens, Galveston also will welcome larger Oasis-class ships, which can hold as many as 5,400 paying passengers on a single trip.
For anyone interested, here is the itinerary for the Oct. 31, 2022 Cruise on Norwegian Prima
Day 1 Galveston
Day 2 At Sea
Day 3 Cozumel
Day 4 At Sea
Day 5 At Sea
Day 6 Oranjestad, Aruba
Day 7 Willemstad, Curacao
Day 8 Kralendijk, Bonaire
Day 9 At Sea
Day 10 At Sea
Day 11 Great Stirrup Cay (NCL Private Island)
Day 12 Miami
I believe Jill to be right. They are having a tantrum they can't control the whole world. Today the Congress added a bill to the Senate one trying to bring this to an end. It doesn't bod well to have multiple states suing then bills from both house and senate looking to clip their wings. Bahama numbers very low. Their peak came in October with five times as many active cases as they have now (2500 vs 450). Most days have no deaths. About 40 new cases a day nation wide... CDC are behaving like spoiled children who's toys are being taken away...
No it’s a scare tactic in my opinion. They had one small spike in cases 3 days ago (129), last 2 days zero cases. Sounds like a testing dump. Their numbers go from high to zero multiple times.
This ^
The entire CSO was supposedly the CDC not saying "no" anymore. How's that working out?
Is anyone here a parent? What do you tell your kids when they won't take no for answer? "We'll see", or "I'll think about it".
It's just a way to stop a child from asking the same question over and over even though you know there is absolutely no way you are going to let it happen.
CDC spokeswoman - that's a contradiction if I've ever seen one.
They've been missing in action for six months saying nothing and now they have a voice?
Any. Day. Now.
Trust nothing the CDC says.
Didn't take long for Carnival's president to backtrack.
“While we have not made plans to move Carnival Cruise Line ships outside of our U.S. home ports, we may have no choice but to do so in order to resume our operations, which have been on ‘pause’ for over a year,” Christine Duffy, president of the company’s namesake Carnival division, said in a statement Tuesday.
Just last week she tried to make Royal look un-American by moving ships out of the country.
You are exactly correct. Representatives from the Battleship Foundation said they got about 40,000 visitors a year (before they closed down for Covid). They expect 250,000 visitors a year if located in Galveston. The increased ticket and souvenir revenue would fund the development of the facilities in Galveston and would also help pay off the loan necessary for the refurbishment.
...and I totally agree with your recommendation for Katie's Seafood. The food is great and they will have a great view of the battleship!
Great news about the Battleship. She's currently a "stone's throw" from my house (maybe 8 miles as the crow flies), but I'm glad they are moving her to a location that will see more traffic. They need the funds to repair her and more visitors will help with that.
If you choose to visit the Battleship once she's there or the offshore museum, I highly recommend Katie's Seafood House at Pier 19. The location used to be Hill's at Pier 19 for OG Galveston people. Katie's is super fresh, delicious seafood (like caught within hours of being on your plate.) They are attached to Katie's Seafood Market and they supply many of the non-chain restaurants in Galveston. http://www.katiesseafoodhouse.com/
Here's an update from this month's Port of Galveston Trustees meeting...
CLIA held a conference call with the Mayor of Galveston, Galveston's U.S. Congressional Representative, the head of the Longshoremen's Union, and the Port. CLIA is meeting with all of the cruise ports in this manner to ask them to put pressure on the CDC to allow cruising to restart.
Project representatives from Royal Caribbean have been holding bi-weekly project update meetings with the Port to coordinate the new cruise terminal construction.
Next thing to happen for the new terminal: Royal Caribbean will have test piles installed to confirm the load bearing capacity to be used for the new terminal foundations.
Representatives from the Battleship USS Texas, currently moored as a museum near the ship channel in Houston, are working to get agreement on moving the ship to Pier 20 in Galveston (adjacent to the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Museum). If everything falls in line, this would be excellent news for Galveston and for the USS Texas and would be another centerpiece of history near the cruise terminals. The USS Texas fought at Normandy, North Africa, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. She has a fascinating history, including a visit to the Port of Galveston in 1914, and in 1915 joined 3 other battleships to rescue 230 passengers off the damaged Holland America Ryndam.
