The Port of Galveston’s $156 million Cruise Terminal 16 is on schedule to open in November, according to a press release.

The terminal will debut with MSC Cruises’ MSC Seascape, followed by Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings ships.

The project involves transforming two existing cargo buildings into a 160,000-square-foot terminal, with a new two-story vertical core that will connect the structures with elevators, escalators, stairs, and a passenger ramp.

The new terminal will feature a concourse with two custom-built passenger boarding bridges (PBBs) by ADELTE. The project will also include the port’s first on-site, seven-story parking garage with over 1,600 spaces, plus an area for ground transportation like buses, shuttles, and rideshares. Additional parking lots with 733 spaces, landscaping, a public plaza and upgraded roadways are also part of the complex.

Orion Marine Services is upgrading marine infrastructure to support 5,500-passenger vessels, including new mooring foundations, bollards and fenders.

Construction began in July 2024 with Hensel Phelps managing the project. Key milestones include completed concrete foundations (Dec. 2024), installation of air conditioning (Mar. 2025), and electrical generators (Apr. 2025).