A vacationer from Louisiana became the 1.5-millionth cruise guest to transit the Port of Galveston in 2024, as the growing port careens toward welcoming a record 1.6 million cruise guests before the year turns.
On December 6, 2024, the port received Katrular Buchanan and her family, hailing from Amite, Louisiana, at Cruise Terminal 28, where they were ready to board Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Magic for a 4-night Western Caribbean cruise.
“We’re very happy for the Buchanan family and thank them for sailing from Galveston. We’re also excited to celebrate this milestone with long-time cruise partner, Disney Cruise Line,” said Rodger Rees, port director and CEO of Galveston Wharves.
The 2,700-Disney Magic, which has been seasonally based in Galveston going back as far as 2012, will sail to Progreso and Cozumel, Mexico, on her current itinerary. The ship is sailing 4- and 6-day cruises from Galveston until April 2025, before repositioning to Fort Lauderdale and then Port Canaveral through October 2025.
The Port of Galveston, the fourth-busiest in terms of cruise arrivals, is the largest drive-to port in the south-central US region, with a population of some 30 million within 300 miles.
The port attracts cruise guests from major cities such as Houston, Austin, Fort Worth, and Dallas, Texas, plus Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, and Little Rock, Arkansas.
The fast-growing port in 2025 will open a new cruise complex that will house its fourth terminal. The $156 million project features a 165,000-square-foot terminal and massive parking areas. When completed, the terminal will serve major cruise lines such as MSC Cruises and the brands of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings.
A recently released financial report shows the facility made significant growth progress in 2023, when nearly 1.5 million cruise guests transited the port, sailing from Galveston on 354 ships.
“The port’s continued growth as a home port is great news for avid cruise travelers, for local people who work in cruise-related jobs, and for the entities that benefit economically, including suppliers, maritime services, hotels, restaurants, shops and other businesses,” said Rees.
When the final numbers from 2024 are revealed, it is expected the port will have set a record of 380-plus cruises. In 2025, the port expects 400-plus cruises and 1.75 million cruise guest arrivals.
The predictions bode well for the local population, since the port’s cruise and cargo operations help to support more than 4,500 jobs. Those positions represented, in 2023, $291 million in personal income.
Popularity of Galveston Promises Continued Growth
All of the major cruise lines have a seasonal or year-round presence at Galveston. Carnival Cruise Line, for example, currently has four ships based there — Carnival Dream, Carnival Jubilee, Carnival Breeze, and Carnival Miracle, while Royal Caribbean has Jewel of the Seas, Mariner of the Seas, and Harmony of the Seas. MSC Cruises’ MSC Seascape will begin sailing from Galveston when the new terminal opens in fall of 2025.
Read Also: Galveston Cruise Port: Essential Guide for Your Cruise
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings recently announced a major, long-term pact with the port, under which ships from all three of its brands — Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises — will be based at Galveston.
The 10-year agreement, which will begin when the port’s new terminal is open and has renewal options, was announced in October 2024.
Norwegian Cruise Line will homeport two ships at Galveston, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, beginning in November 2025, and sail Western Caribbean voyages.
