Port of Galveston Unveils Ambitious 20-Year Master Plan
by Bruce Parkinson
Photo: Shutterstock.com
The busiest U.S. cruise port outside of Florida is going to get bigger.
A 20-year master plan of the Port of Galveston in Texas has revealed the goal of being able to dock seven ships at once by 2045.
Since the pandemic, the port has been growing quickly, welcoming about 3 million passengers in 2023, 3.4 million in 2024, and 3.6 million in 2025.
The port currently sees visits from seven major cruise lines: Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Disney, Princess, Carnival, MSC Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
As the cruise industry continues to surge forward, the port is looking to serve almost 4 million passengers in 2026 — and it hopes to reach almost 6 million by 2030 and between 7 and 8 million by 2035.
The port now has four cruise terminals. But according to the newly updated 20-Year Strategic Master Plan, it will soon be able to act as homeport for up to seven ships by 2025.
The next big project is the Fifth Terminal (Pier 14, with a target opening date around 2030. This would put the cruise port with a max capacity of 5 ships.
Travel Market Report Canada recently visited Galveston to learn about the opportunities for Canadian travel advisors.
Increased lift is making it easy for Canadians to get there, both for cruise departures and
There are a combined total of approximately 35-40 nonstop flights per week from Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Montreal into Houston, which serves as Galveston’s gateway through George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Air Canada, United Airlines and WestJet are the major carriers.
The visit by TMR Canada editor-in-chief John Kirk also showed that Galveston is a destination offering desirable pre- and post-cruise stays for Canadians.
“Think New Orleans meets Key West, full of Gulf Coast history, live music and fresh seafood, but without the intensity of Bourbon Street,” Kirk said.
