Although many cruisers expect to watch South Florida's skyline disappear into the horizon during sail away, a fast-growing port is making waves on the Gulf Coast.
Galveston, Texas, is quickly becoming one of the nation's top cruise departure ports. With major cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and MSC Cruises investing in new terminals, Galveston is being transformed from a regional favorite into a massive cruise hub.
Carnival, for example, built its newest ship, Carnival Jubilee, exclusively for the Texas market. And don't worry — there are plenty of odes to The Lone Star State onboard, from special Texas-themed merchandise to the Texas state star proudly displayed on the bow.
Moreover, Royal Caribbean built a new $125 million, 161,000-square-foot terminal capable of handling large Oasis Class ships. Through April 2027, vessels like Allure, Harmony, Symphony, Liberty, and Mariner of the Seas are scheduled to offer sailings from Galveston.
Guests can even embark on a 16-night Transatlantic cruise aboard Harmony of the Seas in March 2026, showcasing how the port is devoted to more than just Western Caribbean itineraries.
Recently, Disney Cruise Line announced their plans to sail from Galveston year-round, following companies like Carnival and Royal Caribbean. Since 2012, Galveston has been a seasonal port for Disney.
"The cruise business, as I mentioned, they're expanding exponentially down here in [what] we call the Caribbean, the Western Caribbean," said Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves Port Director and C.E.O., "They're putting a lot of money into that. Because of that, Disney is expanding to full-time here in Galveston starting in '27."
Disney Cruise Line's website currently has sailings out of Galveston available for booking through November 2025 and early April 2026.
The voyages all take place on Disney Magic, the cruise line's oldest ship that debuted in 1998. Although they've done a great job at keeping the Magic as up-to-date as possible with revamped dining options and enhanced kids' clubs, there's no denying that she's one of the smaller ships in Disney’s fleet and comes with limitations.
Rees was asked if Disney plans to keep the Magic in Galveston year-round. To his knowledge, he thinks the plan is for Disney to bring in a newer, bigger ship.
Disney Magic, for instance, measures at around 83,900 gross registered tons (GRT) with a passenger capacity of 2,400 at double occupancy.
Comparatively, even a vessel like Disney Dream, which launched in 2011, would be an upgrade. The Dream comes in at around 129,000 GRT and can accommodate 4,000 guests.
Read more: What it's really like in a $500-a-night, 185-square-foot stateroom on a Disney Cruise
MSC Cruises is starting up operations in Galveston, Texas, in November
MSC Cruises' operations in North America are at an all-time high. The European cruise line brought its first ship to North America in 2019. By April 2025, they had built the world's largest cruise terminal in Miami and christened the line's first purpose-built ship designed for Caribbean voyages.
That's not all on the agenda for this year, either. MSC Cruises is building a new terminal in Galveston, Texas, that's set to begin welcoming passengers in November. The $151 million complex at Pier 16 will include a 165,000-square-foot terminal and a $55 million parking garage.
MSC Seascape will start sailing from the new terminal in Galveston on November 9, with construction set to finish before the inaugural cruise.
Read more: The Cruise Line That’s Quietly Taking Over the World
The 170,412 GRT ship will offer 7-night Western Caribbean cruises to Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, and Roatán, Honduras, departing weekly on Sundays. Because the ship is sailing from Texas, the Caribbean cruises don't visit MSC's private island in the Bahamas.
MSC Seascape debuted in 2022 and is one of the line's newest ships. Sailings start at $444 per person for an interior cabin.
“November will be a major milestone in the port’s 200-year history. We’ll open our fourth cruise terminal and welcome a new cruise partner. We’re honored that MSC Cruises chose Galveston as it expands its U.S. presence," said Rees.
"Having MSC, the world’s third largest cruise line, homeporting in Galveston says a great deal about their confidence in the Port of Galveston and [the] mid-America cruise market. This is also great news for our community, cruise guests, and port partners. This beautiful new terminal will create jobs, spur economic growth for the region, and offer an exciting new cruise choice for our market. MSC Cruises is a family-owned company that fits well into the family atmosphere in Galveston.”
Could Galveston welcome an Icon Class ship in the future?
Galveston officials really want Royal Caribbean to deploy an Icon Class ship to Texas. Although nothing is confirmed, Rees claims the port "can handle it."
If Royal Caribbean brings an Icon Class ship to Galveston, it'll likely be the third or fourth vessel in the class.
Icon of the Seas currently sails out of Miami to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. When Star of the Seas launches in August, she'll call Port Canaveral home. Finally, after wrapping up a short stint in Europe, Legend of the Seas will relocate to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Still, Galveston remains high on the list of potential homeports for future generations of Icon Class ships.
"As the fourth most popular cruise port in the U.S. — and one of the fastest growing — Galveston would be honored to welcome the Icon of the Seas to our state-of-the-art Royal Caribbean Cruise Terminal," Rees said, "We’re one of the few cruise ports in the country that can accommodate this class of ship."
Plus, with the news about Perfect Day Mexico and the Royal Beach Club Cozumel, it makes sense that Royal Caribbean might want to deploy a new ship to target these exclusive destinations in the Western Caribbean every week.
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she traveled frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas during her freshman year of high school. Having sailed on over 30 cruises across different lines, including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, MSC, Margaritaville at Sea, and Princess, she loves sharing her insight and expertise on all things cruising!
