Princess Cruises’ Regal Princess arrived in Galveston on November 5, marking a milestone as the largest Princess cruise ship ever to homeport in Texas.
The Regal Princess will operate roundtrip sailings to the Western Caribbean from now through March 24 with an anticipated 75,000 passengers sailing aboard the ship.
To celebrate the milestone event, a traditional maritime plaque exchange took place in the presence of Princess Cruises Chief Commercial Officer Terry Thornton, Regal Princess Captain Aldo Traverso and Celebrations Ambassador Jill Whelan and Galveston Wharves Board Vice Chairman Jeff Patterson. The event started with a festive performance by Galveston’s local Ball High School Drill Team Tornettes and school mascot Tuffy.
“We first started sailing out of Galveston nearly 20 years ago. Princess loves Texas and we know Texans enjoy the convenience of having the Love Boat so close by offering a hassle-free drive or convenient fly option to enjoy the beautiful destinations in the Western Caribbean,” said Thornton.
“As we celebrate the arrival of Regal Princess, we extend our deep appreciation to the Port of Galveston for their ongoing partnership, and we’re excited to welcome aboard the only premium cruise experience from Galveston.”
The Regal Princess will sail a total of 21 voyages from Galveston, ranging in length from seven to 12 days, with calls in Cozumel, Costa Maya and Roatan, among other destinations. Guests can also choose special holiday sailings for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s. The ship will also offer a “Love and Romance Celebration” themed cruise with Love Ambassador and bridal fashion icon Randy Fenoli, departing on December 3. Fenoli will host special events, share his personal success story, offer tips on how to choose the right wedding dress and even debut the “Randy” cocktail.
“Princess Cruises is an iconic cruise line and we’re delighted to welcome guests from Regal Princess, the largest Love Boat to ever sail from Galveston,” said Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO. “Regal Princess will visit beautiful ports throughout the western Caribbean while expanding the array of attractive and enticing cruise vacation choices from Galveston, America’s fourth most popular homeport.”
