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Southwest provides nonstop flights to over 60 destinations, including a smattering of international airports. Houston has two main airports, William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH), both of which host domestic and international flights. Houston Hobby is generally more conveniently positioned, only 45 miles (about 50 minutes) from the port. While it has grown exponentially in recent years, compared to other major cruise ports, the Port of Galveston is much smaller and easier to navigate.
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If you’re going to be one of the many cruise passengers who will sail out of Galveston this year, this guide is for you. The Port of Galveston is a bustling hub of activity for cruise passengers, offering easy access to a variety of popular destinations across the Caribbean and beyond. If you're coming from either airport with a taxi or rideshare, you'll want to assess your arrival and departure options ahead of time, as the most economical options require advance planning. Schlitterbahn Waterpark offers a splashing good time for families seeking aquatic adventures.
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One popular perk is free parking for the length of your cruise in return for a one-night stay. Some offer cruise parking as part of a package, others just let you leave your car while you cruise. Cruise Terminal 25 (Formerly Terminal 1)Cruise Terminal 25 is the eastern terminal when facing the port. It’s right across the street from a number of parking options, making it extremely convenient to get to and from the ship on cruise day. Whether you'll have a better time on one of the other seven cruise ships that regularly sail out of Galveston will depend a lot on the type of traveler you are. The best ship for a cruise out of Galveston with your family might not be your top pick for a couple's cruise or girlfriends' getaway.
Carnival Cruise Line
It was also announced that the port and MSC are negotiating an agreement related to the Pier 16 Terminal. The new passenger terminal has a modern building (height 68 ft/ 21 m) and docking capacity to accommodate even Oasis-class liners (the world's largest). Flight tourists boarding in Galveston fly into one of Houston's two airports - George Bush/Intercontinental (IAH) or the smaller William Hobby (HOU/served mainly by Southwest Airlines). Port's current schedule has two liners leaving on Saturdays, two on Sundays, one on Mondays, one on Thursdays. Every 2 years is conducted ship channel/waterfront dredging to maintain the port's required water depth of 45 ft (14 m). The shipping channel is also regularly deepened to maintain a 150-ft (46-m) wide waterfront marine zone that allows access to piers 10 and 41.
Galveston, Texas
Based in Galveston year-round, the 11-year-old vessel operates short four- and five-night voyages to the Western Caribbean that are often on sale for under $500 per person or less. For off-peak travel, we sometimes see five-night sailings for sale for around $300 per person — or just $60 a night. This is a third of the cost of similar five-night sailings on Disney Magic. Inside Allure of the Seas, you'll find all sorts of family attractions, including counselor-staffed play areas for kids, a teen club and an indoor ice skating rink. Everything’s bigger in Texas, and the biggest, boldest adventure has arrived in Galveston.
Parking at Galveston Cruise Port
Regardless of where you choose to park, drivers should drop off passengers and luggage before heading to the parking lot to reduce difficulty when boarding your ship. There are shuttles to take you to and from the official parking lots for Terminal 25 and Terminal 28, which are Lot A (160 33rd Street) and Lot B (224 33rd Street). There is also an Express Lot at 2702 Harborside Drive that is within walking distance of Terminals 25 and 28. Read on for our breakdown of the Port of Galveston, including address information, cruise line terminals, directions, services and more.
For $30 per person, you can get all-access all-day to this recently renovated nexus of fun, offering food, shops, carnival games, and 15 rides (including a roller coaster!). Galveston, Texas is a vibrant coastal city that offers a variety of fun and interesting activities to enjoy before setting sail on a cruise. Visitors can explore the city’s rich history by visiting museums, historic sites, and beautiful Victorian architecture. Bush-Intercontinental has a superior flight network but is further outside the city and is situated 70 miles (about 75 minutes) from the Port of Galveston. IAH is United Airlines’ second largest hub and offers nonstop travel to over 185 destinations across 28 airlines. Terminal 10 offers several parking options including the North Lot (1142 Royal Caribbean Way), the South Lot (1201 Royal Caribbean Way), and the Pier 14 Lot (1390 Royal Caribbean Way).
This Holiday Inn offers competitive rates to stay, as well as only $8 per night for long-term cruise parking for the first five nights. After the maximum of $40 is reached, your car will remain parked for free. Not only is the parking rate super reasonable, but the Holiday Inn Resort Galveston also offers a free shuttle to the cruise port.
Hotels & Condos
There are various hotels for all budgets near the Galveston cruise terminals. These include more than a dozen offering complimentary shuttle service to your cruise ship. 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 you’d like.
Disney Cruises bring every child’s imagination to life and provide an opportunity for the entire family to reconnect and unplug from the chaos of everyday life. Highlights include kids’ pools, Broadway-caliber musicals, a Marvel Superhero Academy, and a range of eating options. The following cruise lines offer departures from the Port of Galveston. Galveston's fourth/newest cruise terminal project was unanimously voted at the Board's October 31st meeting and was included in the Port's "20-Year Strategic Master Plan" (2019-adopted).
An Icon-class ship could be in Galveston's future - Travel Weekly
An Icon-class ship could be in Galveston's future.
Posted: Thu, 25 Jan 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
There are also a number of options for all ages so whether you have a toddler or a teenager, they will find a lot to do at Schlitterbahn Galveston. There aren’t a ton of hotels right at the port (but there are a few). Galveston isn’t that large, so in reality every hotel is just a few minutes away. From there, you enter the terminal and check your boarding documents with the cruise staff. Once they ensure you’re in the right spot, you’ll head through security. Here, you place your bags on an x-ray machine and you will walk through a metal detector.
RCI Galveston Terminal was initially scheduled for completion/inauguration on September 1, 2022, but was officially opened on November 9th. The new facility is co-owned (50-50) by RCG and Ceres Terminals Inc (provider of stevedore and terminal management services, part of Ceres Terminal Holdings LLC). Ceres currently provides for RCG similar services at Port Canaveral, Tampa, Port NOLA/New Orleans and Baltimore. The construction works on "Terminal 3" were planned to start in April 2020, with scheduled completion in November 2021. However, due to the COVID crisis, in early-March RCG requested a 1-year extension for the construction's start (rescheduled for April 1, 2021). The initial plans included in 2021 here to be homeported Allure OTS (starting November 10th), but the ship's homeporting was rescheduled for Nov 2022.
Using MarineTraffic.com’s tracking map, we’re able to show where the cruise ships that call Galveston home are at any given moment. To save money (but miss out on beachfront views), there are also mainland hotels between Houston and Galveston that are only a short drive from the island. These might be a good option for travelers coming from Houston, as they are affordable and dotted along the route to the island. The Port of Galveston’s three cruise terminals are some of the most advanced and well-equipped cruise facilities in the world.
Port of Galveston welcoming new ships, eyeing record-breaking growth in 2024 - Houston Chronicle
Port of Galveston welcoming new ships, eyeing record-breaking growth in 2024.
Posted: Wed, 13 Dec 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]
The port itself sits on the northern side of the island, protected from the Gulf of Mexico. Its location makes it a convenient spot to set sail as it only takes minutes for the ships to get out to the open water. The shortest sailings that the 10-year-old Princess Cruises ship operates out of Galveston are seven nights in length. Looking for a cruise out of Galveston that isn't jammed full of families with children?
Compared to airports, checking-in and security on a cruise ship is a dream. Cruise Terminal 28 (Formerly Terminal 2)Cruise Terminal 28 was the home to Royal Caribbean ships before they moved to the new terminal. If you’re walking to the terminal, it’s a bit farther than Terminal 25, but if you are taking a shuttle, they will drop you off right at the entrance. Passengers sailing from Galveston usually don’t have far to go to get to the cruise port and head out on vacation. The Houston area — home to about 8 million people — is just about an hour away. Meanwhile, other large Texas cities including San Antonio, Dallas, and Austin are only a few hours’ drive.
The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Galveston, Texas. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link. Set sail from a historic jewel in the Gulf of Mexico on Carnival cruises out of Galveston, Texas.
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