Carnival Cruise Line has emailed guests booked aboard the March 25, 2023 sailings of Carnival Vista and Carnival Dream that a significant road closure leading to Galveston may impact travel times to the cruise terminal.
Guests setting sail this weekend should adjust their travel driving or rideshare plans to ensure they reach the cruise terminal at an appropriate time.
Traffic Alert for Two Carnival Cruise Ships
Guests sailing aboard Carnival Vista or Carnival Dream this weekend should plan extra travel time to reach the Galveston cruise terminal, due to a local highway closure. Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to guests to notify them about the potential difficulty.
“Officials in Galveston have informed us that a planned road closure is taking place along I-45, southbound to Galveston,” the email read. “Please allow ample time to commute to the cruise terminal for prompt arrival within your pre-selected arrival appointment.”
Guests who have arranged transfers through Carnival Cruise Line may also have their travel plans impacted, though the cruise line will make adjustments to account for delays as necessary.
“For guests who have purchased Carnival’s transfer services, we are working closely with our transportation provider to offset any potential delays,” the email explained.
Guests who have made independent rideshare or shuttle arrangements should contact their transportation providers to adjust pick up times if needed, while guests who are driving to the port themselves should plan to leave earlier than anticipated to allow ample time for traffic delays.
Carnival Vista‘s Saturday, March 25 departure isa 7-night Western Caribbean cruise visiting Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico. Carnival Dream‘s sailing is an 8-night Eastern Caribbean cruise to Key West and three ports of call in The Bahamas – Freeport, Half Moon Cay, and Nassau.
No changes to the ships’ departure times have been announced, nor should their itineraries be impacted by the highway closure.
About the Road Closure
Interstate 45 is a major traffic artery in Texas, connecting not only Houston to the Galveston area, but also continuing north to Dallas. The southbound closure will dramatically impact travel times from those metropolitan areas as well as major airports, potentially causing congestion and delays for many cruise travelers.
Read Also: How to Travel From Houston to Galveston, TX Port
According to local Texas news reports, the road closure will begin at 9 p.m. Friday, March 24, and will continue through 5 a.m. Monday, March 27, and will also impact several ramps in the immediate vicinity.
The closure is due to striping work and overall highway renovation that will eventually increase the number of southbound lanes on 1-45. The most heavily impacted area will be between the NASA Bypass and FM 518, a stretch only 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) long, but traffic may be backed up significantly ahead of the closure.
The closed area is approximately 28 miles (45 km) from the Galveston cruise terminal.
Impacts on Other Galveston Cruises
In addition to the two Carnival ships, Royal Caribbean International’s Adventure of the Seas is also setting sail on Saturday and guests may be impacted by the traffic congestion. That cruise is a 5-night Western Caribbean itinerary to Costa Maya and Cozumel.
Sunday sailings may also have traffic difficulties. Princess Cruises’ Ruby Princess and Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class Allure of the Seas are both departing from Galveston that day.
The closure should be finished by Monday morning when Radiance of the Seas and Carnival Breeze return from their latest sailings, but as guests do not debark until approximately 7-7:30 a.m. and the road should be reopened by 5 a.m., traffic problems that day should be minimal.
All cruise guests, from any homeport, should always stay in close contact with their cruise line with updated email, phone, and text contact information to be notified of last-minute delays, traffic alerts, and other information as they prepare to set sail.
