Disney Cruise Line is reinforcing its commitment to the Texas market. The line will operate year-round from Galveston starting in 2027.
Port Director and CEO of Galveston Wharves, Rodger Rees revealed the line’s plans at a recent joint meeting of Galveston City Council and the Wharves Board.
Larger Ship Expected for Year-Round Deployment
Disney Cruise Line has been sailing seasonally from the port for more than a decade.
The Disney Magic returns to Galveston for Western Caribbean cruise itineraries between November 2025 and April 2026.
These include 4- to 7-night sailings with stops in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica. It will also introduce themed Marvel Day at Sea cruises for the first time.
Rees added that Disney is looking to deploy a newer, larger ship in Galveston for the year-round sailings.
He added that this is part of an overall cruise industry investment of about $200 million in Galveston in the coming years.
“The cruise business is expanding exponentially here. They’re putting a lot of money in. Because of that, Disney is expanding to full-time here in Galveston starting in 2027.”
Fourth Terminal Opens Later This Year
The Port of Galveston is set to officially open a fourth cruise terminal in the fall.
Designed to accommodate larger ships, the $150 million Pier 16 terminal opens with the debut of MSC Cruises’ Seascape from Galveston.
MSC will sail week-long Western Caribbean cruises calling at Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, and Roatan, Honduras.
“November will be a major milestone in the port’s 200-year history. We’ll open our fourth cruise terminal and welcome a new cruise partner. We’re honored that MSC Cruises chose Galveston,” Rees said recently.
The Port of Galveston, the busiest US cruise port outside Florida, welcomed a record number of cruise passengers last year and port officials are confident 2025 will see another all-time record.
