$156 Million Texas Cruise Terminal on Track for Fall Opening
While Florida ports may be the busiest in the world, Galveston’s Gulf of Mexico location and proximity to Western Caribbean ports are making the Texas port one of the fastest-growing ports in the US.
And soon, the Port of Galveston will welcome more vessels than ever as its fourth cruise terminal nears completion.
Cruise Terminal 16 and its supporting facilities, which are being constructed for $156 million, will span more than 25 acres and welcome cruise ships from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings and MSC Cruises by November 2025.
“Our new $156-million Cruise Terminal 16 is on track to open on schedule this fall thanks to great work by our port Engineering staff and experienced port partners, including architects Bermello Ajamil and contractors Hensel Phelps and Orion Marine Services,” said Rodger Rees, port director and CEO of Galveston Wharves.
Rees said the port will soon celebrate the homeport arrival of MSC Cruises’ MSC Seascape for her first sailings.
The terminal, which actually is the transformation of two existing cargo buildings into a 160,000-square-foot cruise terminal, includes a newly constructed “vertical core” to connect the structures with elevators, escalators, stairs, and passenger ramps.
A new concourse is being added to take passengers to custom-built boarding bridges.
As a popular drive-to cruise port, Cruise Terminal 16 is part of a much larger complex that will include a new parking lot with 733 spaces and a seven-story garage able to accommodate more than 1,600 cars.
The newly built structure connects to a dedicated ground transportation area, where buses, shuttles, taxis, and rideshares will operate.
Construction on the terminal began in August 2024, and the parking garage will be the first section completed later this month, in April 2025. The terminal is expected to be done in September 2025.
Rees thanks Hensel Phelps, the terminal’s construction manager, for the speedy and on-time project, noting he was also on hand at the Port of Galveston’s new Cruise Terminal 10, which opened in November 2022 and houses Royal Caribbean.
Phelps also oversaw major renovations at Carnival Cruise Line’s Terminal 25, which debuted in December 2023.
“Our hardworking port Engineering staff is coordinating and overseeing this project, along with five major construction projects to expand our West Port Cargo Complex,” said Rees.
“Congratulations to everyone on the progress to date, and keep up the good work,” he cheered.
If You Build They Will Come
When Cruise Terminal 16 is up and running, the port will see MSC Seascape provide 7-night round-trip Western Caribbean voyages from Galveston.
The 170,412-gross-ton vessel will sail with up to 5,877 passengers on an itinerary that calls in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, as well as Roatan, Honduras. MSC Seascape will stay in Galveston through the end of March 2027.
Read Also: Galveston Cruise Port – Essential Guide for Your Cruise
Norwegian Cruise Line’s 142,500-gross-ton Norwegian Viva will also make Galveston home beginning in December 2025, where she will stay through April 2027.
The 3,099-passenger ship will also operate 7-night Caribbean sailings, although its itineraries will include a stop in the cruise line’s private resort destination in Belize, Harvest Caye.
As the port becomes home to more ships and sees an increase in calls, it’s on track to beat its own record-breaking year by the end of 2025.
In 2024, the Port of Galveston saw more than 1.6 million guests pass through its three terminals on over 380 sailings. It is scheduled to receive more than 400 cruises in 2025, anticipating 1.75 million passengers.
$156 Million Texas Cruise Terminal on Track for Fall Opening