Norwegian Cruise Line To Sail Year-Round from Galveston

October 16, 2024 Randy Young

Galveston, Texas, the fourth-largest cruise port in the U.S. and the largest outside of Florida, is about to see even more growth as Norwegian Cruise Line announces its plans to sail year-round from the port. Long known as a key embarkation point for cruise lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean, Galveston’s significance in the cruise industry has been on the rise. With Norwegian’s latest expansion, the port will become an even more vital gateway for Caribbean and Mexico sailings, offering more options for cruisers who prefer to sail from a U.S. port outside of Florida.

Norwegian Cruise Line Expands Its Presence in Galveston

Norwegian Cruise Line has been sailing seasonally from Galveston since 2022, bringing their newest and most innovative ships, including Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva, to the Texas coast. However, Norwegian recently announced they will now offer year-round sailings from Galveston, marking a significant expansion of their presence in the region. This move solidifies Galveston’s status as a premier departure point for cruisers seeking voyages to the Caribbean, Mexico, and beyond.

As part of a newly signed agreement, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises) has committed to a 10-year deal with the Port of Galveston, with options to extend. “We’ve been working with the Galveston Wharves team for several months, and we’re excited to announce this expanded long-term contract that will also introduce our new Saturday sailings from Galveston,” said Juan Kuryla, Senior Vice President of Port Development & Construction at NCLH.

Norwegian to Share New Pier 16 Facility with MSC Cruises

In addition to Norwegian’s increased commitment, the port itself is expanding. This summer, construction began on Pier 16, a new cruise terminal at the Galveston Wharves. The facility, which is repurposing an existing cargo warehouse, will become the fourth cruise terminal in Galveston and will include a 165,000-square-foot terminal building and a state-of-the-art parking garage.

Scheduled for completion in November 2025, Pier 16 will initially welcome MSC Cruises’ MSC Seascape as the first ship to dock. Norwegian Cruise Line will share this facility with MSC, allowing both lines to increase their operations from the Texas port. This new terminal is part of the port’s long-term strategy to accommodate the increasing number of ships and passengers as demand continues to rise.

Galveston: A Rapidly Growing Cruise Hub

Galveston’s cruise business has experienced tremendous growth since it docked its first cruise ship, the Carnival Celebration, in 2000. In November 2022, Royal Caribbean opened its own terminal at the port, capable of accommodating the massive Oasis-class ships, such as Allure of the Seas, which began sailing from Galveston soon after. Rumors also suggest that Royal Caribbean could bring one of its highly anticipated Icon-class ships to the port in the future, further elevating Galveston’s status.

With the addition of Norwegian’s year-round sailings, MSC’s growing presence, and established lines like Carnival, Princess, and Royal Caribbean, Galveston is now home to a diverse range of cruise lines. While Disney Cruise Line continues to offer seasonal sailings, most major players now operate year-round from this thriving port.

The port’s growth is not only important for the cruise industry but also for the local economy. With new terminals, increased cruise line presence, and a growing list of itineraries, Galveston is poised to become an even more critical player in the U.S. cruise market in the coming years.