Galveston and Royal Caribbean Discuss Fifth Cruise Terminal
The proposed facility would place two Royal Caribbean ships alongside each other, though no agreement has been finalized.
The Port of Galveston said it is discussing construction of a fifth cruise terminal with Royal Caribbean as the Texas cruise hub plans for continued passenger growth.
Under the proposal, the terminal would be built beside Royal Caribbean’s current facility at Pier 14, enabling two of the cruise line’s ships to dock next to each other on the port’s eastern side. The port emphasized that the talks have not resulted in a final agreement.
Royal Caribbean and the port previously developed a dedicated terminal at Pier 10, which opened in 2022. A fifth terminal is also included in Galveston’s long-range master plan, which anticipates seven cruise berths into the 2040s. The plan projects the fifth terminal for 2028 and a sixth berth in the mid-2030s.
Galveston expects to handle nearly 2 million passengers in 2026. Its fourth facility, Cruise Terminal 16, opened less than a year ago and hosts several cruise lines, primarily MSC Cruises for seven-day western Caribbean itineraries. Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises also operate from Galveston.