In just a few days, Allure of the Seas will sail from Royal Caribbean’s new, state-of-the-art cruise terminal at the Port of Galveston. It will be the first time an Oasis-Class cruise ship homeports in Texas.
The $126 million, 161,334-square-foot Galveston Cruise Terminal opens officially on November 9, 2022, with Allure of the Seas arriving on the same day. The terminal is the most environmentally-friendly in the United States and can handle up to 630,000 guests annually.
Royal Caribbean Galveston Cruise Terminal Opens This Month
Royal Caribbean International is putting the final touches to its newest cruise terminal in Galveston, Texas, and should be fully ready to welcome the first guests next week when Adventure of the Seas sails on November 10 and Allure of the Seas makes its maiden call on November 9.
The Oasis-class Allure of the Seas is the biggest cruise ship ever sailing from the homeport in Texas. The cruise ship has a capacity of 5,484 passengers at double occupancy and a maximum capacity of 6,780 guests when fully booked. The 225,282-gross-ton vessel is just one of several sailing from the brand-new cruise terminal this coming winter cruising season.
Construction on the new terminal started on November 17, 2021, making for a short one-year build period. Once the terminal is officially opened next week, it will be able to handle 630,000 guests per year and offer employment opportunities for some 800 people.
“This new cruise terminal is a game-changer,” said Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO. “This much-anticipated project will bring 800 new jobs, $1.4 billion in local business services revenue, $5.6 million in state and local taxes, and incredible business development opportunities.”
Despite the short build period, the cruise terminal build has been a massive undertaking for Royal Caribbean International and the Port of Galveston. The terminal is a vast 161,300 square feet in size and covers 10 acres at Pier 10, at the eastern part of the Port of Galveston.
A showpiece of the terminal will be a larger-than-life Galveston Beach Trio sculpture, designed by local artists and drawing attention to regional cultura and history.
The Royal Caribbean International cruise terminal is the first in the United States to generate 100% of its needed energy through on-site solar panels. The total cost of the build is anticipated to be around the $126 million mark.
Guests departing from the new terminal will be able to enjoy a straightforward check-in process. There is a cruise parking lot that can hold 1,800 vehicles so guests can drive to the port, as well as a mobile check-in facility and facial recognition technology to provide a smooth and efficient customs and border experience.
Adventure, Radiance & Allure of the Seas
Initially, two Royal Caribbean cruise ships will be based at the new terminal beginning next week. Adventure of the Seas will be the first to set sail on November 10. The 138,193-gross-ton, Voyager-class cruise ship will be sailing a series of Western Caribbean four and five-night itineraries to Cozumel and Costa Maya, Mexico.
On November 13, Allure of the Seas will make her long-awaited debut from Galveston. The Oasis-class cruise ship will sail seven-night cruises to Roatan, Costa Maya, and Cozumel through the end of the year. From January, Allure of the Seas will start offering four and five-night cruises to Costa Maya and Cozumel.
Radiance of the Seas will also be sailing from Galveston’s newest cruise terminal. Starting January 30, the 2,501-passenger Radiance-class cruise ship will operate nine and ten-night cruises to the Western Caribbean, Southern Caribbean, Colombia, Panama, and the Bahamas.
