Take your next cruise from Galveston, Texas

Bishop's Palace and Hotel Galvez

If you haven't ever sailed on a cruise from Galveston Island, it's a port to consider. The city provides the added value of pre-and post-cruise entertainment with the island’s historic downtown district of restaurants, shops, and attractions. With 32 miles of beaches and adventure attractions like Moody Gardens and Galveston Island Historic Pleasure Pier amusement park, you can easily fill a day before or after your cruise.

Ships cruising from Galveston

The Disney Wonder will return to Galveston on November 10, 2016. Experience the magic only a mouse and his friends can bring to children and adults alike.  Disney offers several seven-night and four-night itineraries through the end of the year.

The Drainpipe on Carnival Breeze

Royal Caribbean will continue offering year-round sailings from Galveston, with Navigator of the Seas departing January through November and Liberty of the Seas departing in November and December 2016 to ports in the Western Caribbean.

Add to that Carnival’s newest ship, Carnival Breeze, which repositioned to Galveston in May 2016. The ship offers year-round cruises, departing every Sunday on three different seven-day itineraries: Caribbean cruises calling at either Montego Bay, Grand Cayman and Cozumel; or Belize, Mahogany Bay (Roatan), Cozumel; and a seven-day Bahamas/Florida route with stops in Nassau, Freeport and Key West.

 

Power Drencher keeps cruisers cool.

Great for families who like to have fun, Carnival Breeze offers a multi-dimensional cinema experience called Thrill Theater, the Bonsai Sushi full-service Asian restaurant, and WaterWorks, an aqua park that includes a 312-foot-long slide, a 150-gallon PowerDrencher tipping bucket, the DrainPipe funnel-style attraction, and a splash area for younger cruisers.

Explore the city

Moody Gardens is very near the cruise terminal.

If you can spend additional time in Galveston, plan to check out Galveston’s historic past. Take a tour of a Victorian mansion or walk Galveston’s charming historic downtown, where businessmen once developed this port city into “Wall Street of the South.”



Penguin exhibit at Moody Gardens

Visit sandy beaches and Schlitterbahn Galveston, a thrilling water park. Family-friendly Moody Gardens has attractions for everyone, from boat rides, to tropical gardens, to 4-D theaters. Dolphin tours and a variety of museums are also available. For a chilling ghost tour, explore 103-year-old haunted Mayfield Manor, hear stories related to the harbor, and delve into the tragic history of the 1900 storm, the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. History.

Beach fun with Pleasure Pier in background

On the Gulf Coast, Galveston’s warm climate is great for exploring its natural beauty. Bird watching, fishing, kayaking, and photography attract many visitors. More than 20 art galleries display fine art, sculptures, and photography, and attending an event at the Grand 1894 Opera House is a special experience.

Delicious seafood--what
more is there to say?

Naturally seafood is abundant, but Galveston is a melting pot of many cultures, which is reflected in the food scene. Gaido’sSeafood Restaurant has operated on the island for more than 100 years, winning many awards and serving up some of the best seafood and pecan pie in Texas.

Information and some photos courtesy of Christine Hopkins, Hotel Galvez and Spa. Other photos by Larry and Beverly Burmeier