GALVESTON - TEXAS - USA
PORT INFORMATION
photo courtesy Galveston Island CVB
The Port of Galveston is located on the upper Texas coast at the mouth of beautiful Galveston Bay, just 30 minutes from the open sea and the Gulf of Mexico. It is home to 32 miles of beaches, top resort hotels, a busy downtown area with many antique stores, and a well preserved Victorian heritage in the shape of more than 550 designated historical landmarks on the National Register of Historic Places.
Brief History of Galveston
Located on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, on the north side of Galveston Island, the Port of Galveston began as a trading post in the early 1800s. The port and Galveston itself flourished from those early days and became one of the wealthiest cities in Texas.
The hurricane of 1900 almost destroyed the area, but Galveston rose again, just as it did after Hurricane Ike in 2008.
Protected by a 17-foot seawall, the Port of Galveston today boasts 850 acres of port facilities and serves as a major passenger cruise ship terminal for cruise ships operating in the Caribbean.
Cruise Terminals in Galveston
The two cruise passenger terminals at the Port of Galveston at Piers 25-27 on Harborside Drive (also known as Galveston Wharves) have been expanded and improved in a huge $33 million initiative to improve the buildings, passenger waiting areas and check in facilities.
The airports serving the Port of Galveston are The George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) which is about 68 miles from Galveston and Hobby Airport (HOU) which is about 45 miles from the cruise terminals at Galveston. It takes about 90 minutes from IAH to the port and about an hour from HOU to the cruise terminals.
Long-term, secure parking is available at Parking lots A, B and C and at the Dolphin Parking Lot. Advance reservations are not required. There is a free shuttle service between the parking lots and the terminals.
Cruise Lines using Galveston Cruise Terminal as an Embarkation / Disembarking Port
Using the Port of Galveston as their port of embarkation and disembarking are Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean International offering cruises to the Caribbean and beyond.
Carnival Cruise Line vessels offer 4- and 5-day cruises to locations along the Mexican coast and 7-day cruises to ports in Mexico, Jamaica and Grand Cayman.
Royal Caribbean International offers 7-day sailings year-round to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Jamaica, and Key West. Princess Cruises offers Western Caribbean cruises.
Must See Attractions in Galveston
Moody Gardens: This is the Houston area’s number one tourist attraction and family destination, 242 acres on Galveston Island chock full of some of the most exotic subtropical landscaping in the United States. It features several major attractions: the Rainforest Pyramid®, a one-acre rain forest sitting within a 10-story glass pyramid, showcasing the exotic flora and fauna of Asia, Africa and the Americas, an IMAX 3D Theater, the Ridefilm Theater the Aquarium Pyramid which houses one of the largest aquariums in the world, and the Discovery Pyramid, which has unique traveling interactive educational exhibits and a futuristic movie ride.
Another major attraction at Moody Gardens is Palm Beach, a white-sand, blue-lagoon entertainment center, open throughout the summer. Docked behind Palm Beach is the 800-person-capacity Colonel Paddlewheel Boat, an authentic reproduction of an 1800s paddlewheel that offers daily cruises on Offats Bayou.
Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark: Voted the World’s Best Indoor Waterpark, this is a 26-acre oasis featuring the world’s first indoor/outdoor 70,000 square-foot heated-convertible waterpark area. Schlitterbahn Galveston Island is the third waterpark in the family of parks and features more than 30 attractions designed in the Schlitterbahn tradition of ride innovation. The park also features the next generation of the award-winning Transportainment® river system that combines three unique rivers into one endless floating adventure. The attractions in Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark cover approximately 15 acres. German-style castle spires and architecture provide the visual focal point. The park also offers restaurants, retail shops, changing facilities with showers and lockers, group areas, plus more than 30 state-of-the-art attractions.
Other attractions in Galveston include a host of museums and historic homes open to the public for tours, including the Ocean Star Offshore Drilling Rig & Museum, Lone Star Flight Museum (Home of the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame), Railroad Museum, Texas Seaport Museum, Ashton Villa, Bishop’s Palace, and Moody Mansion. Galveston Island’s Strand National Historic Landmark District/Downtown area offers a host of shops, restaurants and art galleries conveniently located within 36 square blocks.
