Carnival Cruise Line’s Jubilee has arrived in Galveston, Texas, ahead of its maiden voyage set to depart on December 23.

The ship was greeted with a water salute as docked at Galveston Wharves’ Terminal 25 for the first time on Wednesday, December 20.

“The Texas star on her bow isn’t just decoration, it’s a symbol of our gratitude to our guests sailing from Texas who’ve made us the number one cruise line in Galveston, and our commitment to the future of cruising from this great city and state,” said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. “When we cut the ribbon to welcome our first guests on this ship this weekend, we’ll be celebrating the beginning of a new era of operations here.”

The Carnival Jubilee will also introduce the use of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) in Galveston and enhancements were made at the port to accommodate the use of LNG.

Ahead of the ship’s arrival, the port invited the public to don cowboy hats and wish a warm welcome to Carnival’s newest ship.

“This is the first brand-new ship to homeport in Galveston since we became a cruise home port 23 years ago,” said Port Director Rodger Rees. “We hope to have a great turnout for this historic event so the Jubilee crew and Carnival staff see how happy we are to welcome this beautiful ship.”

The Carnival Jubilee is set to embark on its inaugural seven-day Western Caribbean cruise, visiting Mahogany Bay as well as Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.