Carnival Cruise Line has reached a significant milestone by becoming the first cruise operator to embark 10 million guests from the Port of Galveston, Texas.
Marsha Taulton of Houston was recognized as the 10th million guest as she boarded the 3,690-passenger Carnival Breeze on May 16, 2024, to sail a 4-night cruise to Cozumel, Mexico.
Taulton and her husband, Paul, were welcomed aboard by Captain Isidoro Renda and Galveston Wharves Port Director and CEO Rodger Rees. An impromptu celebration was held in honor of the milestone.
Said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, “This is an achievement that speaks to the success of our longstanding partnership with the port and the greater Galveston community. We are grateful to our guests who have sailed with us from Galveston over the past two decades, continually driving the popularity of this homeport forward.”
Duffy expressed excitement about Carnival Cruise Line’s bright future in Texas, saying, “We’re delighted to welcome more guests aboard than ever before from this great city. Next stop, 20 million!”
Carnival Continues to Expand Its Presence in Galveston
Carnival launched the first year-round cruise program in Galveston in 2000 with the original Celebration. It continues to offer a variety of itineraries from the Gulf of Mexico, including numerous options extending into the spring of 2026.
Cruises currently vary from 4- to 8-night voyages in both Western and Eastern Caribbean with frequent calls in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico; Belize City, Belize; Freeport, Nassau, and Half Moon Cay, The Bahamas; Key West, Florida; Roatan, Honduras.
Carnival’s achievement follows the substantial $53 million upgrade to Cruise Terminal 25, completed ahead of the introduction of the 6,500-passenger Carnival Jubilee, the cruise line’s new flagship and the first new cruise ship to be christened in Galveston.
The terminal’s renovations included the installation of two new passenger boarding bridges, an expanded dock, a new roof, and a redesigned interior. Additionally, over 500 parking spaces were added to the popular drive-to cruise port, the fourth largest in the U.S.
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Carnival Jubilee, a 182,015 gross ton Excel-class ship, was delivered by the Meyer Werft shipyard in Germany on December 4, 2023, arriving in Galveston on December 20, 2023. The ship features several new amenities, including the first-of-its-kind rollercoaster at sea, BOLT, and a Texas-themed tailgate party.
The ship was named the Best New Cruise Ship of 2023 by Cruise Hive and is currently offering 7-night cruises to Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel.
Carnival’s presence in Galveston will grow further in October with the addition of the 2,124-passenger Carnival Miracle. This will complete a four-ship deployment strategy that also includes the 128,250-gross-ton Carnival Dream.
Carnival Miracle, weighing 88,500 gross tons, is currently enjoying a season in Alaska. It sails roundtrip from its base in San Francisco before arriving in Galveston on October 31 to take passengers deeper into the Caribbean on longer journeys. Its first cruises will take guests on a 12-night adventure to George Town, Grand Cayman; Oranjestad, Aruba; Kralendijk, Bonaire; Willemstad, Curacao; and Ocho Rios, Jamaica.
The 3,646-passenger Carnival Dream is currently sailing 6- and 8-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries.
By the end of 2024, the cruise line’s guest capacity in Galveston is expected to increase by 20 percent compared to last year, with more than 800,000 guests anticipated to sail from the port.
