Royal Caribbean's Navigator of the Seas docked in Galveston
Cruise port

Cruises from Galveston 2026–27

Eleven ships sail regularly from Galveston over the next year. You can take a four-night Carnival trip or a week on one of Royal Caribbean's biggest ships. Each line has its own terminal, and the line-up changes in 2027.

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All ships
Checked October 29, 202611 ships, 5 main linesIcon of the Seas from Aug 2027

Port of Galveston · Photo: Ahecht / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Credits

The short answer

Ships sailing from Galveston, November 2026 to October 2027

Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas and Carnival Breeze sail most often. Disney and Norwegian leave in spring. The sailings figure counts each ship's entries in the Port of Galveston's cruise calendar, and those include one-way departures as well as round trips you can book. The list shows the ships with regular sailings in this period, and the new arrivals follow below it. The port's calendar has no ports of call: see Carnival itineraries for Carnival, and each line's own site for the others.

Which terminal is where?
  1. Liberty of the SeasRoyal CaribbeanTerminalTerminal 10Trip lengthMostly 4–5 nights; 9 nights from August 12, 2027SeasonAll yearSailings to Oct 202777
  2. Carnival BreezeCarnivalTerminalTerminal 25 or 28Trip length4, 5 or 7 nights; 14 nights on October 16, 2027SeasonAll yearSailings to Oct 202763
  3. MSC SeascapeMSCTerminalTerminal 16Trip length7 nightsSeasonAll yearSailings to Oct 202753
  4. Carnival JubileeCarnivalTerminalTerminal 25Trip length6 or 8 nightsSeasonAll yearSailings to Oct 202750
  5. Symphony of the SeasRoyal CaribbeanTerminalTerminal 10Trip length6–8 nights; the last trip on August 8, 2027 is 10 nights one-way to Fort LauderdaleSeasonUntil August 8, 2027Sailings to Oct 202741
  6. Carnival HorizonCarnivalTerminalTerminal 25Trip length4–5 nights, plus one 8-night tripSeasonFrom May 19, 2027Sailings to Oct 202736

Other ships, including the new ones from autumn 2027: Margaritaville at Sea, from October 4, 2027, mostly Terminal 28; Carnival Spirit, 6 sailings from October 11 to November 18, 2027, Terminal 25; Norwegian Escape, from November 4, 2027, Terminal 16; Carnival Sunshine, from November 17, 2027, Terminal 25; Regent Seven Seas Splendor, 3 longer voyages from November 30 to December 28, 2026, Terminal 28. Source: Port of Galveston cruise schedule, read on October 29, 2026. Cruise lines can change their schedules.

2027

New ships and departures in 2027

  • Icon of the Seas starts sailing from Terminal 10 on August 16, 2027. Symphony of the Seas leaves for the last time on August 8.
  • Carnival Horizon arrives in May 2027, as Carnival Miracle (May 6) and Carnival Dream leave. The first Horizon sailing is an 8-night trip on May 19. From May 27 it runs 4- and 5-night trips. Dream's last round trip runs May 8 to 15, and from May 16 the ship sails from New Orleans. All Carnival ships and trips.
  • Disney Magic sails from Galveston from November 20, 2026 to April 25, 2027 and comes back on November 18, 2027. Norwegian Viva sails until April 10, 2027, and Norwegian Escape takes over from November 4, 2027.
  • Margaritaville at Sea and Carnival Spirit start in October 2027, and Carnival Sunshine follows on November 17, 2027.
  • Carnival cancelled nine Carnival Jubilee sailings between August and December 2027 but is adding ships, not leaving. The cancelled dates.
  • In 2028 Norwegian sails from Galveston in summer for the first time: Norwegian Prima, 7-night Western Caribbean trips from April to October 2028.
The Carnival Breeze leaving the Port of Galveston
Carnival Breeze leaving Galveston. Only Liberty of the Seas sails from here as often.Galveston Channel · Photo: Jackhayes1 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Dates from the port's calendar on October 29, 2026, Carnival's and Royal Caribbean's itinerary pages, Disney's port page and Carnival's announcements. Norwegian Prima: Cruise Industry News, August 18, 2026. Cruise lines can still add or move ships.

By cruise line

Cruise lines and their terminals

All four terminals are on Harborside Drive, and each has its own entrance and parking lots.

  • Carnival

    ShipsBreeze, Jubilee, Miracle, Dream; Horizon from May 2027What to expectMore departures than any other line, from 4- and 5-night trips to week-long sailingsParkingLots across the street

  • Royal Caribbean

    ShipsLiberty, Symphony; Icon from August 2027What to expectThe line's biggest ships, from a terminal built for themParkingTerminal 10 parking

  • MSC

    ShipsSeascapeWhat to expectWeek-long trips all yearParkingTerminal 16

  • Disney

    ShipsMagicWhat to expectMostly 4–5 nights, November to April; back from November 18, 2027ParkingTerminal 28

  • Norwegian

    ShipsViva until April 10, 2027; Escape from November 4, 2027What to expectWeek-long tripsParkingTerminal 16

Typical routes and what's on board

One typical itinerary per ship and a few things found on board, from each line's own pages, read on October 29, 2026. The ports change from sailing to sailing, so check yours.

Before you book

Season, trip length, documents and who doesn't sail here

Sources: Port of Galveston cruise schedule, read on October 29, 2026; Travel Market Report on Princess; CBP travel document FAQ.

When to sail
Ships sail all year. Hurricane season runs June to November, when a storm can delay boarding or change the ports, so check the weather and your line's messages in the days before
Shortest trips
4 nights, on Carnival, Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas and Disney Magic. The port's calendar to October 2027 has no 2- or 3-night cruises
Visiting a ship for the day
Not possible: only booked passengers get through terminal security. To watch the ships leave, ride the free Bolivar ferry in the late afternoon or go to Seawolf Park, where they pass close by
Princess and Celebrity
Neither sails from Galveston at the moment. Princess's last Galveston season ended in March 2026, and it cancelled the Majestic Princess trips planned for 2026–27. Celebrity has no sailings in the port's calendar
Passport or not
On a closed-loop cruise (it leaves from and returns to Galveston and stays in the Caribbean and Mexico), US citizens can sail with a passport book, a passport card, an enhanced driver's license or a birth certificate with a government-issued photo ID. Some ports of call may still ask for a passport, so check your cruise line's documents page. A passport book is safer: without one you can't fly home from a foreign port if you miss the ship. One-way trips need a passport book, for example Disney Magic to San Diego (April 25, 2027), Symphony of the Seas to Fort Lauderdale (August 8, 2027) and Carnival Miracle to Lisbon (May 6, 2027)

Can you bring wine or alcohol on board?

Every line in Galveston except MSC lets adults bring a little wine on boarding day. Spirits aren't allowed on any of them, and only Disney allows beer.

  • Carnival

    What you can bring1 bottle of wine or champagne (750 ml) per guest aged 21+, in your carry-on on boarding day. No beer or spiritsCorkage fee$15 in restaurants and bars, none in your cabin

  • Royal Caribbean

    What you can bring1 bottle of wine or champagne (750 ml) per adult on boarding dayCorkage fee$15 in restaurants, bars and lounges

  • Disney

    What you can bringSince June 3, 2026: 1 unopened bottle of wine (750 ml) or six 12-oz beers per guest 21 or older, in your carry-onCorkage fee$20 in the dining rooms

  • Norwegian

    What you can bringWine and champagne only, no boxed wineCorkage fee$15 per bottle anywhere on board, your cabin included, unless you have a drinks package

  • MSC

    What you can bringNone. MSC lists alcohol among the items it takes off you at boardingCorkage fee–

From each line's own rules or the reports linked under each line's name, read on October 31, 2026. The lines change these rules every few years, so check yours before you pack.

Sailing day

Getting to the ship

Lots, terminals and airport transfers each have their own page:

Terminals Cruise parking Airport to port

Drive in on sailing day
Most port lots open at 9 am. Drop your bags at the terminal, then park
Fly in
Hobby (HOU) is about an hour away by car and Bush Intercontinental (IAH) about 1.5 hours if traffic is light, plus time at baggage claim. Count back from the arrival time in your cruise documents. A sailing-day flight leaves little room for delays, so consider flying in the day before
The night before
Book a hotel near the port with a shuttle or a cruise parking deal and you skip the morning rush and the search for a space
Check your terminal
It's in your cruise line's documents. At the port, signs send each terminal's traffic to its own entrance
The night before

Two hotels close to the ships

Both are less than a mile from all four terminals. We compare ten more on shuttles and parking in hotels near the cruise port.

Harbor House at Pier 21 with a cruise ship docked nearby
Park by the port

Photo: Expedia

1 / 7

Photos: ExpediaCheck prices on Expedia
Harborside, Pier 21

Harbor House at Pier 21

Fall asleep on the harbor and walk ten minutes to Terminal 25. Every terminal is under a mile by car, breakfast is free, and your car stays in the hotel lot for $15 + tax a day while you sail.

To the terminals
Walk 0.46 mi to Terminal 25 (about 10 min), or drive 0.34 mi
Shuttle to the ship
Not needed for Terminal 25: it's a 10-minute walk
Parking while you sail
$15 + tax a day in the hotel lot
Beach
A short drive south
Pets
Not allowed. Service animals are welcome
Also
Free continental breakfast. Harbor views. Check-out 11 am. You must be 21 to check in

Good for

  • Cheap parking right by the port
  • Any terminal: all are under a mile away

Skip if

  • Your pet is coming
  • You want a pool at the hotel
Check prices on ExpediaFull hotel guide

Sources: Harbor House amenities, Harbor House cruise page, Harbor House FAQ, Harbor House policies

The Tremont House on Mechanic Street with its marquee sign
5-minute walk to Terminal 25

Photo: Expedia

1 / 7

Photos: ExpediaCheck prices on Expedia
Strand district, downtown

The Tremont House

Wake up on the Strand and walk five minutes to Terminal 25 with your bags. Dinner and the bars are outside the door the night before, and $160 + tax keeps your car safe for up to 8 days while you sail.

To the terminals
Walk 0.25 mi to Terminal 25 (about 5 min) or 0.55 mi to Terminal 28
Shuttle to the ship
$25 per person for the round trip, booked at check-in
Parking while you sail
$160 + tax for up to 8 days, then $18 a day
Beach
A short drive south
Pets
Pets up to 40 lb, $150 per stay
Also
Rooftop bar over downtown. Check-out 12 pm. You must be 21 to check in

Good for

  • Carnival and Disney sailings: walk to the ship
  • Dinner on the Strand the night before

Skip if

  • You want a pool or a beach day before you sail
Check prices on ExpediaFull hotel guide

Sources: Tremont House FAQ, Marriott overview, Tremont House, Port of Galveston page