The fourth cruise terminal has officially opened at the Port of Galveston. The occasion was marked in Texas with a ribbon-cutting and welcoming ceremony for the terminal’s first homeported ship MSC Seascape.
Galveston Wharves port director and CEO Rodger Rees officiated alongside Galveston mayor and other stakeholders. “This is a tremendous milestone in the port’s history. We welcome MSC Cruises as a new cruise partner, as well as a Norwegian Cruise Line which has committed to more sailings from Galveston,” Rees said. The Norwegian Viva will sail seasonally from the terminal beginning in December.
Both MSC Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings inked contracts with the port authority last year. The $156 million terminal project houses a 165,000-square-foot terminal, a large $55 million parking garage funded by the port, and two boarding bridges.
CEO Rees expects the Port of Galveston to welcome about 445 sailings during 2026 with about four million passenger movements. “We’re growing year over year due to our large drive-to market and the growing popularity of cruise travel,” Rees added.
MSC Seascape Starts Year-Round Sailing
MSC Seascape set sail at the weekend on year-round, seven-night cruises from Galveston. Scheduled port calls include Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico, and Roatan, Honduras.
“Expanding our North American footprint to Galveston is an exciting step. We’re grateful for the partnership we have with the Port of Galveston, which makes it easy and convenient for millions of new guests to enjoy the MSC Cruises experience,” said Lynn Torrent, president of MSC Cruises North America. Galveston is MSC’s fourth US homeport.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings signed a 10-year contract with Galveston with options for renewal. Norwegian Viva arrives next month and sails seasonally through April 2026. It is targeting potentially expanding to year-round cruising in Galveston.
This growth trajectory is not new, the port has consistently broken its own records.
