Royal Caribbean Opens New Cruise Terminal in Galveston, Texas

Royal Caribbean International officially opened its brand-new zero energy cruise terminal in Galveston, Texas, this week, prepared to welcome hundreds of thousands of vacationers to set sail from there.

The new terminal, a $125 million project, will generate 100% of the energy it needs through onsite solar panels, Royal Caribbean shared with Travel + Leisure. The company estimates the new terminal, which will be home to the more than 5,400-guest Allure of the Seas ship, will see as many as 630,000 travelers pass through each year.

“We are thrilled to take family vacations to a whole new level in Texas. Our new, 161,334-square-foot terminal opens up a world of vacation possibilities for families in the Southwest,” Michael Bayley, the president and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, said in a statement shared with T+L. “Now our unmatched Oasis Class ships, known as the best family vacations in the industry, can set sail from Galveston. Allure of the Seas is just the beginning, and we thank the Port of Galveston, Ceres and all the teams involved for making this bold vision a reality.”

The Allure ship will represent the largest ship currently in Texas, according to the company, and will sail from its new homeport for the first time on Sunday, Nov. 13. The company will offer 7-night Western Caribbean cruises from Galveston complete with visits to destinations like Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico, and Roatan in Honduras.

The new terminal comes ahead of Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas ship, which will arrive next year and sail from Miami. The ship, which will include more than 2,800 staterooms, will feature a waterpark, seven swimming pools, and a private suites-only retreat.

Royal Caribbean currently requires unvaccinated travelers 12 and older leaving from a U.S. or Caribbean port to get tested within three days of embarkation, according to the cruise line. Vaccinated guests are exempt from testing.