Galveston is gearing up for a surge in seafaring traffic, as the Port of Galveston unfurls the welcome mat for new cruise ships, shiny terminal upgrades, and down-right tempting travel deals. In what can only be called a boon for beachside business and globetrotters alike, the Port has announced a $142 million revamp, sprucing up Terminal 16 to host the lavish MSC Seaport from 2025 onwards, as reported by FOX 26 Houston.
Striking a deal with MSC Cruises, Galveston's port honchos are said to be constructing an impressive 165,000-square-foot terminal complex. This new development envisages catering to the MSC Seascape's needs once it starts its voyages from the revamped pier come November 2025. Complete with converted cargo space, a parking garage, and other improvements, this project is cranking Galveston up the global rankings, making it the eighth-largest cruise port on the planet, Chron.com elaborates.
The Port Authority's chief, Rodger Rees, in a statement obtained by Chron.com, said, Adding MSC to our family of cruise lines offers our cruise guests an elegant, European-style family cruise experience,” He hammered home the massive strategic advantage of the move, which is aimed at reaching millions more cruise passengers, centrally located stateside.
Carnival Cruise Lines isn't being left in the wake either. They hauled in the new and grander Jubilee, posted a $50 million upgrade to Terminal 25, and booked big-name Gwen Stefani to christen the ship this February 24, according to details from FOX 26 Houston. The ceremony might be an exclusive affair, but the streaming sails forth on Carnival's Facebook page for folks to dock into the festivities virtually.
And as if new terminals and celebrity-endorsed ships weren't enough, cruise lines are dangling deals up to 60% off. As Julie Ramhold from DealNews points out, being flexible with dates and cruise lines can lead to some serious savings. In a scoop she gave to FOX 26 Houston, Ramhold mentions, "If you're planning to do anything off the boat when there's a docking, it's worth seeing if there's a special discount on particular excursions that you might be interested in, or if you can get a group discount," Pre-paying for parking at the Port of Galveston gets you more bang for your buck too.
Galveston's port is all hands on deck, aiming to exceed 1.6 million passengers this year alone, as anticipation for the journey ahead reaches full steam.
