Located south of Houston on the Texas Gulf Coast, Galveston is a major cruise ship home port. Galveston Cruises use four cruise terminals with plenty of nearby parking. Perched within an hour’s drive of one of the largest cities in the U.S., most cruisers drive to their cruise, eliminating the hassle of flying. Best of all, Galveston and the historic Strand offer plenty to do before embarking, so arrive early and enjoy a seafood platter overlooking the Gulf of Mexico.
Which Cruise Lines Sail Out of Galveston
In total, 3.9 million passengers with 445 sailings are projected for 2026. In 2025, a new cruise terminal opened and Galveston welcomed MSC Cruises, a European cruise line.
March is the busiest cruising month, with 52 sailings scheduled. Other top months are December, November and January. In all, Galveston is the fourth busiest home port in the U.S.
Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line and MSC sail out of Galveston year-round. Carnival Cruises sets sail with 197 cruises in 2026 and uses Terminal 25 primarily. Royal Caribbean leads with 126 sailings on several ships out of its dedicated Terminal 10.
Disney Cruise Line offers 32 sailings in January, February, March, April, November and December. It cruises to the Western Caribbean on 4 and 5-day itineraries on the Magic for 2026.
Princess Cruises sails 16 dates in 2026. Norwegian Cruise Line will offer 22 sailings on its ship, Viva.
MSC Cruises started to cruise out of Galveston in November 2025. It will offer 50 sailings in 2026 and uses the brand-new Terminal 16.
With four cruise terminals, the Port of Galveston offers a convenient departure point. Not just limited to the Western Caribbean, travelers will find cruises to the Eastern Caribbean, like the Bahamas. Cruisers will find 4-night, 5-night, 6-night and 7-night Western Caribbean cruises with ports-of-call like Cozumel, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; along with Grand Cayman, Jamaica and Belize.
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MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises is the world’s third-largest cruise line, headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. With a fleet of 23 ships, it is a favorite among European travelers. In November 2025, MSC Cruises departs from Galveston on the Seascape for your Galveston Cruise Vacation.
Using Pier 16, MSC Cruises Seascape will add another dimension to the Galveston cruise offerings. Its parking garage is the closest to any cruise terminal.
I cruised on the Seascape in September 2024 and November 2025. I found the experience a balance of European sophistication on the Yacht Club level, with the glitz of New York City, its design inspiration.
The Seascape features 19 decks in total. However, guests use decks five through 20. There is are four-story atrium with staircases with 10,000 Swarovski crystals. I found 11 restaurants onboard.
During my cruises, I stayed on the MSC Yacht Club Level. The experience was luxurious, the service was attentive, and the cabin was well-appointed.
For 2026, it will offer a 7-night Western Caribbean cruise with stops at Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico and Roatan, Honduras. The MSC Seascape can accommodate over 5,000 passengers.
My Review of MSC Cruise Seascape Yacht Club Experience
Royal Caribbean Cruises
Royal Caribbean Cruises sails 4-night, 5-night, 6-night, 7-night, 8-night, 9-night and 10-night cruises to the Western Caribbean. It uses the Jewel of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas and Mariner of the Seas out of Galveston.
It also offers longer cruises with ports of call like Jamaica and The Bahamas, including Coco Cay, its private island. One of Royal Caribbean’s largest ships, Harmony of the Seas, departs from Galveston for some sailings.
Royal Caribbean built a new 125-million-dollar cruise terminal in Galveston. It boasts a LEED Zero Energy ranking, the first in the world.
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line sails out of Galveston with 4-day, 5-day, 6-day, 7-day, 8-day, 9-day and 10-day Western Caribbean. It also sails 7-day, 8-day, 10-day, 11-day and 14-day Eastern Caribbean cruises. Carnival sails Panama cruise itineraries out of Galveston and a transatlantic out of Barcelona.
Carnival Cruise sails the Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream, Carnival Jubilee and Carnival Miracle. It uses two cruise terminals at Galveston, so extra care is needed when departing, especially on Saturday when two ships depart.
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises is sailing out of Galveston in 2026. It sails 4-day, 6-day, 7-day, 8-day and 10-day Western Caribbean cruises out of Galveston. It also offers a 12-day Southern Caribbean cruise that departs from Galveston and returns to Fort Lauderdale.
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Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line sails the Magic out of Galveston. The popular Very Merrytime Cruises feature holiday decorations and activities, along with your favorite Disney characters, for your Galveston Cruise Vacation.
Travelers will find 4-night cruises to Mexico. For longer Western Caribbean cruises, Disney offers 5-night, 6-night and 7-night Western Caribbean cruises with ports-of-call in George Town, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.
Norwegian Cruise Line
The Norwegian Cruise Line will use the Viva out of Galveston in 2026.
Popular ports of call include St. Maarten, the British Virgin Islands, the U.S.V.I., St. Kitts, Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.
Norwegian will also sail 7-day Western Caribbean cruises with stops in Harvest Cay, Belize; Roatan, Honduras; and Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.
Port of Galveston
With three cruise terminals and a new one opening at the end of 2025, the Port of Galveston offers a convenient departure point for your Galveston Cruise Vacation. However, due to construction, visitors might notice new street names and terminal numbers.
Since this area is compact, when in doubt, look for your ship. There will be directional signs on the day of departure, too.
Royal Caribbean International uses Terminal 10 at 1028 Harborside Dr.
Terminal 25 is located at 2502 Harborside Dr. Carnival Cruise Line departs out of Terminal 25.
Several cruises use Terminal 28, located at 2702 Harborside Dr. Norwegian Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line and some of Carnival Cruise Lines usually depart from Terminal 28.
Terminal 16 is located at 1401 Harborside Dr. MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line will use the new terminal.
Make it easy and reserve your parking ahead of time for your Galveston Cruise Vacation.
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