Galveston Texas

709 Cruises availables At departure or passage at this port

Carnival Cruise Line (314 Cruises)

Carnival Breeze1

Carnival Breeze

3690 Passengers
130000 tons
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Carnival Dream.

Carnival Dream

3646 Passengers
130000 tons
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Carnival Horizon.

Carnival Horizon

3960 Passengers
133500 tons
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Carnival Jubilee.

Carnival Jubilee

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Carnival Miracle

Carnival Miracle

2124 Passengers
88500 tons
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Carnival Sunshine.

Carnival Sunshine

3002 Passengers
102853 tons
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Disney Cruise Line (34 Cruises)

DISNEY MAGIC2

Disney Magic

1750 Passengers
83969 tons
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MSC Cruises (106 Cruises)

msc cruises msc seascape cruise ship

MSC Seascape

4540 Passengers
169400 tons
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Norwegian Cruise Line (46 Cruises)

Cruise NCL Norwegian Cruise Line Viva Ship

Norwegian Viva

3099 Passengers
142500 tons
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Royal Caribbean Cruises (202 Cruises)

royal caribbean icon of the seas cruise ship

Icon of the Seas

5610 Passengers
248 tons
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Liberty of the Seas.

Liberty of the Seas

3634 Passengers
154407 tons
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Symphony of the Seas ship

Symphony of the Seas

5580 Passengers
225000 tons
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Three ancient masts rise above the port sheds: those of the Elissa, a three-masted barque of 1877 still able to sail, moored steps from the cruise terminals. The image sums up Galveston: an island off Texas facing the Gulf of Mexico, great maritime gateway to the western Caribbean, which preserves behind its quays one of the United States' richest Victorian heritages.

A Port-Call That Begins on Foot

Most passengers board here, but the city deserves better than a direct route to the gangway. From the main terminals, the historic Strand quarter is reached on foot in minutes: streets lined with 19th-century buildings with wrought-iron arcades, galleries, old-fashioned candy shops and pocket museums, all concentrated on a few easily walked blocks. When cotton departed from here to the entire world, this sector was nicknamed the Wall Street of the Southwest.

The City Before the Storm

To understand Galveston, you must know its pivotal date: September 8, 1900, when a hurricane submerged the island and claimed thousands of lives, the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history. The city replied with two titanic projects: a seawall kilometres long facing the gulf, the Seawall, and the complete raising of the island, houses included, hoisted on jacks by the thousands. The dwellings that survived, like the exuberant Bishop's Palace of 1892 or the Moody Mansion, tell of the fortunes of the great families before 1900, ship owners and cotton merchants whose interiors can still be visited.

Landmarks for the Day

SiteWhat You SeeAccess from Terminals
The Strand QuarterVictorian façades, shopsOn foot
Elissa and Port MuseumThree-masted ship of 1877On foot, Pier 21
Bishop's Palace1892 mansion10 minutes by taxi
Seawall and Pleasure PierWaterfront, rides over the gulf10 to 15 minutes by taxi

The Waterfront

On the gulf side, the Seawall boulevard unfolds brown-sand beaches, bike rentals and seafood restaurants on stilts. The Pleasure Pier advances its roller coaster and Ferris wheel above the waves, a frank nod to the amusement piers that drew crowds in the early twentieth century. The water stays warm much of the year, and local surfers contentedly make do with modest swell.

An American History

Galveston also holds a particular place in the country's memory: it was here, on June 19, 1865, that the emancipation of the last people held in slavery in Texas was proclaimed, a founding event of Juneteenth, now a federal holiday. Murals and a small commemorative circuit preserve the trace in the centre, a few streets from the quays. Along those same streets, you encounter the old opera house of 1894, still active, and dozens of buildings saved by a community of heritage enthusiasts.

Dolphins Between the Cargo Ships

In the port channel, bottlenose dolphins regularly accompany tugboats and shuttles, to the delight of passengers waiting on the decks; short observation sorties depart from the Pier 21 sector, between the comings and goings of container ships. The contrast well sums up the island's nature: an industrial port and a beach resort coexisting for 150 years.

Before Departure

When the ship's horn calls passengers back, many regret allowing Galveston only a morning, promising to arrive a day earlier next time. Texas's elder resort has a quiet triumph: it survived America's worst hurricane, reinvented its fortune and kept its wrought-iron lace. It would be a shame to see in it merely a departure car park.

Frequently Asked Questions

At the Galveston cruise terminals on the ship channel, a short walk from the historic Strand district. This is an embarkation port: most passengers start or end their cruise here.
Yes, for the Strand district: its Victorian facades and shops begin a few minutes' walk from the terminals. For the Seawall waterfront on the Gulf side, you need a taxi or the trolley.
An 1877 barque, restored and still seaworthy, berthed near the port sheds. Her masts rise above the roofs and mark the entrance to the historic district; a visit takes about an hour.
The Strand district on foot, the tall ship Elissa, then Seawall Boulevard for the beach. A full day allows adding the Moody Gardens pyramids or a dolphin-watching outing.
Because it changed everything. On 8 September 1900 a hurricane submerged the island and caused the deadliest natural disaster in United States history. The city was later raised and protected by the Seawall.
It was here, on 19 June 1865, that the order proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas was read publicly. That date became Juneteenth, now a US federal holiday.
Yes, all along Seawall Boulevard on the Gulf of Mexico side. The sand is brown and the water cloudy from Mississippi sediment: it is no Caribbean beach, but it is vast and well equipped.
Often, yes. Bottlenose dolphins regularly follow tugs and ferries in the ship channel, sometimes visible from the ship's deck at sailaway.
The US dollar and English, with plenty of Spanish across Texas. Credit cards are accepted everywhere and tipping is expected in restaurants and taxis.
March to May and October to December: bearable heat and lower humidity. Texas summers are stifling and hurricane season runs June through November in the Gulf of Mexico.