Galveston Royal Caribbean Cruises

The Port of Galveston

As the only cruise port in Texas, Galveston is convenient for travelers interested in Caribbean itineraries but who don’t want to spend the first part of their vacation flying across the country to reach the departure port. Just minutes from Houston, the port is only nine miles from the open Caribbean Sea. Cruise ships first began operating from Galveston in 1974, and Royal Caribbean Cruises began offering a variety of sailings from the port in 2001.

Today, the Port of Galveston has two recently renovated and upgraded terminals that can easily accommodate most of the largest cruise ships in mainstream fleets. Royal Caribbean vessels routinely dock at Terminal 2, and free shuttle buses are available to transport guests from the terminal to the secured parking facilities. Parking fees range from $45-80 per cruise depending on the voyage length and whether patrons opt for covered or uncovered parking.

Seeing Galveston

Many travelers enjoy experiencing their departure city either before or after their cruise vacation. Galveston has many sightseeing options, including:

Galveston architecture.

• More than 30 miles of beaches
• City carriage rides and cultural tours
• The Strand District, with more than 100 boutique shops, art galleries, antique stores, and museums
• Moody Gardens, a multi-attraction facility with a two million gallon aquarium, 3D IMAX theater, and a 12-story tropical rain forest
• Dozens of seafood restaurants offering a unique blend of typical western Texas fare with Caribbean and Cajun influences

Many travelers also opt to explore nearby Houston, where some of the most popular attractions are the Houston Astros baseball team, the Texans NFL team, the Houston Rockets basketball team, the Houston Zoo, and the Johnson Space Center.

For travelers interested in seeing both cities, Galveston Royal Caribbean cruises often offer a post-cruise shore excursion that not only visits some of the most scenic areas of the port city, but also highlights notable areas of Houston before delivering passengers to the airport for their homeward flights.

Galveston Royal Caribbean Cruises: Itineraries

Because of its location in the extreme western part of the Caribbean, western Caribbean cruises are the most common offerings for passengers departing from Texas. Cruises range from four to seven nights and visit a variety of Caribbean cruise destinations, including:

• Cozumel, Progreso, and Costa Maya in Mexico
• Georgetown, Grand Cayman
• Montego Bay, Jamaica
• Roatan, Honduras

In each of these ports of call, passengers are offered a variety of adventurous tours in keeping with Royal Caribbean’s active nature. Scuba diving, horseback riding, jeep tours, Mayan ruin visits, and beach excursions are common options.

Because of Galveston’s distance from most major cruise ports of call, cruises sailing from the port typically have a greater number of at-sea days than from departure ports closer to popular sailing routes. This gives passengers an unparalleled opportunity to explore the many features and amenities of their Royal Caribbean cruise ship, such as the signature rock climbing wall and other fun diversions. Currently, Royal Caribbean has based three ships in Galveston: the Rhapsody of the Seas and the Splendour of the Seas, both mid-size vessels, as well as Voyager of the Seas, one of the largest ships in the Royal Caribbean fleet.

Other Galveston Cruise Lines

If the Galveston Royal Caribbean cruises do not appeal to travelers, there are other ships that regularly sail from the Texas port. Carnival Cruise Line has several ships regularly based in Galveston offering itineraries similar to those from Royal Caribbean, while Princess Cruises offers occasional voyages both for Mexican itineraries as well as infrequent transatlantic sailings. Travelers interested in cruising from Galveston should contact a cruise travel agent for updated information.

Contact the Port of Galveston

For more information about Galveston Royal Caribbean cruises and other sailings from this port city, contact the port directly via their official website, www.PortofGalveston.com or by calling (409) 765-9321. Interested travelers could also write:

Port of Galveston
P.O. Box 328
Galveston, Texas 77553

Texas may be an unlikely candidate for beginning a cruise vacation, but Galveston Royal Caribbean cruises are growing in popularity with more options offered every year. From weekend getaways to week-long adventures, travelers can find excellent itineraries and fun cruise ships deep in the heart of Texas.