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New Galveston Terminal


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https://twitter.com/cruiseindustry/status/1070029489088868352?s=21

New Galveston terminal coming. Looks like an Oasis class ship will be announced for Galveston soon. And for those that doubted the Houston area could support an Oasis class ship, read where it says ships are operating at 110 percent capacity and maybe two more cruise terminals possibly coming 

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That's great news. Before all of the "Galveston Haters" start dumping on your post, there are several interesting points in the article in addition to the fact that you pointed out that ships sail from Galveston at 110%:

  • Terminal 3 will be a ~$100 million investment by Royal Caribbean and could be a 60-year deal (20 year initial term with four 10-year extensions)... I'm sure Royal has done their homework and know Texas will support the expansion.
  • 70% of passengers drive to the port and 20 million people live within a day's drive.  With the Texas economy being perennially strong I believe there will be plenty of support for the expansion.

By bringing in a new, experienced, Port Director about a year ago, Galveston has taken a key step in expanding their cruise business and brought a fresh vision for the Port.

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Galveston is the 4th busiest American cruise port even ahead of NY/NJ.   Only the top 3 FL ports surpass it.  That says a lot right there.

It makes a lot of sense to home port a ship such as an Oasis class ship in Galveston. 

It would be the closest Oasis class to me and provide a needed diversion to the standard PEV/PC departures we have seen until PoM entered the fray.  

Think about it... four US home ports for the greatest and largest cruise ships in the world.  It's hard not to get excited about that.   

  

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2 hours ago, Twangster Fan said:

I Only See One Problem With Having A Oasis Class Ship There. It Can Only Offer Western Caribbean Voyages. Unless They Have And Oasis Class Ship Do Nine Night Western/Eastern Caribbean Voyages   

True, but Liberty has alternating Western routes every other week.  Oasis can pretty much assume those.

Plus, if they keep other ships in TX then those ships could potentially do some longer itineraries from time to time to mix things up.  

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49 minutes ago, Oliver said:

I would point out that in announcing the short Caribbean intineraries that Enchantment of the Seas will be going to Key West and the Bahamas for 4 different dates in 2020 from Galveston. So you never know. Maybe they can add some Eastern Caribbean.

I'm on the same lines as @Oliver , if they completely add another ship, leave Liberty and bring an O class then I think they can, but if they just replace Liberty (What was hinted to me when I was on Liberty in July by the concierge) with and O class I don't think they will add anything longer than a 7 night.

I love cruising out of Galveston and I love the Liberty and all of the O class ships but all of the itineraries out of Galveston have a common thread, Cozumel, I love Cozumel, even went down and spent a week in 2016, but after 13-14 visit's I'm a little burned out.

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2 minutes ago, tiny260 said:

but after 13-14 visit's I'm a little burned out.

I SO agree with this.  Why in the world they don't do more stops at Costa Maya is beyond me.  The port has always been able to accommodate the O class ships and to me, it is a much better stop.  It's not as "cosmopolitan" as Cozumel but I enjoy it so much more.

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It's official!  Fall of 2021.  Michael Bayley hints at Oasis Class and eventually Icon Class but no definitive ship announcement yet.

https://www.houstonchronicle.com/business/article/Royal-Caribbean-to-build-nearly-100M-cruise-13444607.php#photo-16603325

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I'll be waiting, I'm planning on booking a summer 2021 cruise out of Galveston.

Sadly though I think the next go round of cruise schedules for the Caribbean, which should come out next week, only take us to April of 2021. The article said Fall of 2021.

I'm sure something will leak out.

The Icon also makes sense, Houston/Gulf coast is the beginning and termination points for some of the largest natural gas pipeline infrastructures in the US and soon to be large LNG facilities.

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Just saw the Chronicle article on my Google news feed - happy to see it's already here and generating enthusiasm.  Definitely looking forward to an Oasis class opportunity without having to fly!

I too also hope this means that we get some opportunities for longer sailings to reach some different ports.  Things are definitely looking up!

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5 hours ago, twangster said:

True, but Liberty has alternating Western routes every other week.  Oasis can pretty much assume those.

Plus, if they keep other ships in TX then those ships could potentially do some longer itineraries from time to time to mix things up.  

Maybe Oasis Five To Galveston In 2021. Makes Lot Of Sentence. Wonder If The New Terminal Will Be As Nice As The Terminal In Miami Fl,    

 

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11 minutes ago, Twangster Fan said:

Maybe Oasis Five To Galveston In 2021. Makes Lot Of Sentence. Wonder If The New Terminal Will Be As Nice As The Terminal In Miami Fl,    

 

Perhaps, but I suspect they'll bring any new ship to Miami 1st.  An AMPED Oasis or Allure might make a good fit in Galveston.  

Speculation on my part. 

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1 hour ago, tiny260 said:

I'll be waiting, I'm planning on booking a summer 2021 cruise out of Galveston.

Sadly though I think the next go round of cruise schedules for the Caribbean, which should come out next week, only take us to April of 2021. The article said Fall of 2021.

I'm sure something will leak out.

The Icon also makes sense, Houston/Gulf coast is the beginning and termination points for some of the largest natural gas pipeline infrastructures in the US and soon to be large LNG facilities.

I doubt we get an Icon class instead of Quantum or Oasis but I guess ya never know 

 

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4 minutes ago, Oliver said:

I doubt we get an Icon class instead of Quantum or Oasis but I guess ya never know 

 

Icon will require specialized LNG fueling systems that are somewhat controversial in Port Canaveral right now.  They are new and a ship can only be home ported and fueled if the itinerary is compatible with a full voyage fuel plan including reserves.  Carnival is also placing LNG ships in PC so with two lines operating LNG ships there is some economy of scale.  If Carnival indicates an LNG ship is heading to Galveston that makes it a lot easier for Royal to place one there and vice versa.  

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3 minutes ago, twangster said:

If Carnival indicates an LNG ship is heading to Galveston that makes it a lot easier for Royal to place one there and vice versa. 

My point was that 2 of the larger LNG processing plants in the US are going to be reality close to Galveston, 1 in Louisiana and 1 in Texas. LNG will eventually one of the larger energy exports for the US in the future. I agree with @twangster , building the infrastructure for any port will be a challenge.

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22 hours ago, twangster said:

Icon will require specialized LNG fueling systems that are somewhat controversial in Port Canaveral right now.  They are new and a ship can only be home ported and fueled if the itinerary is compatible with a full voyage fuel plan including reserves.  Carnival is also placing LNG ships in PC so with two lines operating LNG ships there is some economy of scale.  If Carnival indicates an LNG ship is heading to Galveston that makes it a lot easier for Royal to place one there and vice versa.  

I Heard Port Canaveral Will Get Icon Class Because I Read  From Somewhere That LNG Come From A Barge From Georgia. So Port Canaveral Or Miami Makes A Lot Of Since. If They Can Not Refuel In Any Of Those Port They Could Have The Barge At Perfect Day At Coco Cay. The LNG Will Probably Come From A Barge Because  Having It Being Trucked From Georgia Cost More And A Barge Can Hold More.  

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Galveston and the surrounding area will have the personnel and infrastructure to support a LNG fueling station, and I doubt it would receive the negative reception that Port Canaveral is experiencing.  While I understand the environmental and economic benefits to LNG, I am concerned about the risk.  While it has a very safe record, the potential risk worries me.  A bad result is very unlikely, but that unlikely event could be very, very bad.  For me though, everything in life is a risk, so I would gladly (and hope to) cruise on a LNG powered vessel.  But I do think that an single accident could be so catastrophic that it would immediately end the use of LNG as a fuel, for passenger vessels anyway. 

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I just had another thought. Wouldn’t it be cool if maybe they brought a Celebrity ship to Galveston? At least maybe part time. Just a thought. I have no news or inside info. But I would to love to start cruising Celebrity more once my wife and are done raising the kids and travel more. 

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7 hours ago, Oliver said:

I just had another thought. Wouldn’t it be cool if maybe they brought a Celebrity ship to Galveston? At least maybe part time. Just a thought. I have no news or inside info. But I would to love to start cruising Celebrity more once my wife and are done raising the kids and travel more. 

Distinct possiblity with Celebrity also growing it's fleet.  

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4 hours ago, Texas cruiser said:

1. I believe Celebrity is coming and will use terminal 2 because RCCL still will have the use for terminal 2 based on the new contract.

2. Regarding LNG...Isn't there an LNG plant already in the Freeport area near Galveston.

3. It has been reported that the Symphony of the Seas is the ship that will be coming.

May I ask where it was reported about Symphony ?

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So Of Right Know I Now Think That Galveston Has The Most Likely Chance To Get A Icon Class Ship. Here A List Of All The LNG Existing liquefaction terminals  In North America.I Got This From Wikipedia. 

Kenai LNG, Nikiski, Alaska[18] (first US liquefaction terminal; last export was in 2015. Sold by Conoco Phillips to Andeavor in January 2018).

Cheniere Energy Sabine Pass terminal (Louisiana) [19]

Dominion Cove Point LNG, Maryland terminal (under construction)[20]

Cheniere Energy Corpus Christi terminal, Texas (under construction)[21]

Freeport LNG Terminal, Quintana Island, Texas (start of operations delayed to September 2019)

Cameron LNG, Hackberry, Louisiana (under construction)[22]

Costa Azul LNG near Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Existing regasification terminals

The following LNG off-loading and regasification terminals are located in the United States and Gulf of Mexico:[41]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Proposed liquefaction terminals

Alaska LNG (, in Nikiski, AK), in connection with the State's Alaska Gasline Development Corp

Sabine Pass Liquefaction at Sabine Pass LNG, Louisiana[70]

Freeport LNG Dev in Freeport, TX

Cheniere Energy in Corpus Christi, TX

Jordan Cove in Coos Bay, OR (Federal environmental review (EIS) from FERC expected on 30 September 2015.)[71]

Southern Union in Lake Charles, LA

Sempra in Hackberry, LA

Dominion in Cove Point, MD

Oregon LNG in Astoria, OR[72]

Jacksonville’s, FLA[73]

Rio Grande LNG in Brownsville, TX[74]

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Proposed regasification terminals

Proposed LNG Terminals:[111]

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22 hours ago, Oliver said:

May I ask where it was reported about Symphony ?

I found out by a local cruise forum.

19 hours ago, Oliver said:

Freeport is 46 miles away from Galveston. 

Takes captains no time at all to get from Freeport to Galveston via the intercoastal canal.

19 hours ago, Oliver said:

Freeport is 46 miles away from Galveston. 

 

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