Introduction
Galveston is a city of nearly 50000 inhabitants located on a long narrow island running parallel to the mainland of Texas south from Houston.
The source of the city’s name comes from 1785 when a Spanish ship’s navigator called the island Galveztown in honor of the Count of Galvez, a count from near Madrid in Spain. In 1836 ten businessmen led by Michel Menard from Canada purchased land on the island to construct a city. The city thrived and by the mid 1800s Galveston had become a prosperous city, the home of a large port and affluent business community.
But in 1900 an enormous hurricane struck the island bringing a tidal surge that covered the island, killing over 6000 people and destroying any buildings in the way. To negate the danger of any more storms the city constructed a seawall seven miles in length and up to 17 feet high. The ground level of nearly 500 city blocks was also raised.
Today the city has risen to become a major conurbation with a successful tourist industry and a profitable commercial port.
You Choose The Cruise
Cruise vacations from Galveston visit exciting ports of call including destinations in Mexico, Honduras, Belize and Jamaica. Choose from cruises of 4, 5 or 7 day lengths. You can cruise to a whole number of fascinating places- in Belize experience ever-popular Cave Tubing in the Sibun Caves, in Roatan snorkel in the blue waters of Half Moon Bay Beach, in Grand Cayman amble along the beautiful white sands of gorgeous 7 Mile Beach and in Costa Maya see the amazing rain forest.
Cruises from Galveston shows all the cruise departures from Galveston.
Cruise Terminals Map
Cruise Terminals
The first cruise ship to sail out Galveston was Norwegian Cruise Line’s Southward on a summer series of cruises in 1974. The ship operated from Pier 15. Though it was not until 1990 when the first cruise building, the $2 million Texas cruise ship terminal, was opened at the Mallory building next to Pier 25. The terminal was renamed cruise terminal 1 in 2001. In 1999 Carnival Cruise Lines, the largest cruise line in the world, unveiled a decision to offer cruises from the Port of Galveston. In Sept 2000 Carnival Celebration cruised for the first time out of the port. Then in 2001 Royal Caribbean International signed a contract with the Port of Galveston to homeport a vessel at the port. An unused warehouse was improved to form cruise terminal 2, and an RCI cruise ship was based at the new terminal in 2002.
Terminal 1 at piers 23,24,25 and 26
Carnival and Princess Cruises operate cruise terminal 1. The terminal boasts efficient baggage handling services, an expansive cruise passenger embark and debark floor and fast customs facilities. The terminal services a single cruise ship berth
Terminal 2 at piers 27 and 28
Terminal 2 is operated by RCI, Princess Cruises and Celebrity Cruises.The terminal offers streamlined security, baggage handling facilities and a streamlined cruise passenger embarkation and disembarkation area. The terminal has access to just one ship berth
Secure car parking is offered for both terminals at two large parking lots. There is a free shuttle bus service between the parking lots and the cruise terminals.
For the port website see Port Of Galveston.
Sightseeing In Galveston
Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig and Museum
The Ocean Star Drilling Rig and Museum is housed in a retired rig which served for nearly two decades in the Mexican Gulf. Check out displays and videos explaining seismic exploration, rig operation and oil production. The museum is open to the public daily, and about an hour is needed to tour the museum. The museum is moored at Galveston's Pier 19 at Harborside Drive.
Texas Seaport Museum
Texas Seaport Museum is the home of the famous tall ship Elissa which transported cargo for nearly 100 years, sailing first the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico, then the Baltic sea and North sea, to finish her career in the Mediterranean. In the nearby museum and theater, hear the story of Elissa's last minute escape from the scrap heap and her painstaking renovation. The museum is sited next to the cruise port.
Bishop's Palace
To experience how the ‘other half’ lived towards the end of the nineteenth century drop by at the wonderful Bishops Palace. The house was constructed in 1892 for the railroad magnate Walter Gresham and his extended family. The house is flamboyantly furnished with scores of original items like eleven impressive fireplaces, rare wood paneling and bronze statues. The gift shop in the basement sells a wide range of jewelry, memorabilia and teas. The Bishop’s Palace is located on Broadway Avenue on the southern side of Galveston’s heritage East End district.
Schlitterbahn Waterpark
The Schlitterbahn Waterpark is a complete blast for all the family with its amazing variety of water rides lke the Bahnzai Pipeline twin water flume, the Blastenhoff heated pool with swim up bar, the Cliffhanger near vertical speed slides, the Whitewater beach, the Torrent tidal wave river and the Wasserfest heated pool. The outdoor section is open during the summer months, the Wasserfest indoor section opens year round. The waterpark is adjacent to Scholes airport, around 9 miles from the cruise ship port.
Moody Gardens
Moody Gardens is a huge tourist draw with three major buildings, the blue Aquarium pyramid, the glass Rainforest pyramid and the pink Discovery Pyramid. Enter the Aquarium pyramid and tour the Caribbean, the North Pacific and the South Atlantic. See Rainforest Pyramid with over 1000 species of luxurious plants from the rainforests of Africa, the Americas and Asia. Explore the interesting field of science at the Discovery Pyramid which presents a number of fascinating exhibitions. Moody Gardens is positioned next to Galveston’s airport, about 2 miles from the cruise port.
Traveling To Galveston Cruise Port
By Car
From Houston
Follow I-45 to Galveston Island. Take Exit 1C. Follow the Exit 1C feeder road then make a left onto Harborside Drive (Highway 275). Continue 4 1/2 miles to Kempner/22nd Street, turn left onto Kempner/22nd to arrive at the cruise terminals.
From the East
Follow State Highway 87 West towards Galveston Island. Catch the Port Bolivar car ferry. Exit the ferry on Highway 87/Ferry road. After 3/4 mile turn right onto Harborside Drive/H275 Continue 1 mile next make a right onto Kempner/22nd street to reach the cruise terminals.
From the Airports
There is a lack of public transport from either George Bush or Hobby airports to Galveston, so the only options are to catch a cruise line shuttle coach or hire a car.
