Marking 22 years of operations, Galveston is now the fourth most popular cruise port in the U.S. and handles more than 1 million passengers a year, according to Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves Port director and CEO.

“This year we’re poised to set new records with five cruise lines, 13 ships, more than 350 scheduled sailings and an estimated 1.3 million-plus passengers,” Rees said.

“Today, Galveston’s cruise industry positively impacts the Texas economy with $1.6 billion in direct economic benefits, including 27,000 jobs and $125 million in passenger and crew onshore spending,” he said.

Over the years, Carnival, Royal, Princess, Disney, Norwegian and Celebrity have sailed from Galveston. The port has continued to invest in improvements at its cruise terminals and expanded port-operated cruise parking, Rees said.

“In November 2022, we celebrated the opening of our third cruise terminal, a $125 million, state-of-the-art facility built at Pier 10 in partnership with Royal Caribbean,” he said. “The terminal is home to Allure of the Seas, the world’s largest class of cruise ship, and other Royal Caribbean ships.”