page_title: Port of Galveston
section_title: Passengers
hierarchical_section_title: Port of Galveston / Passengers
caption_attribution_description: English: MS Navigator of the Seas docked in Galveston in May 2014.
context_page_description: The Port of Galveston is the port of the city of Galveston, Texas. It was established by a proclamation issued by the Congress of Mexico on October 17, 1825, while the land known today as Texas was still part of Mexico. The Port of Galveston is the oldest port in the Gulf of Mexico west of New Orleans.
context_section_description: As of 2018, Galveston is the 4th-busiest cruise ship homeport in North America and one of the top 10 homeports in the world.  Over the years, the port has welcomed ships from major cruise lines including Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, Princess Cruises, Disney Cruise Lines, and Norwegian Cruise Lines.  In 2018, three Carnival ships and two Royal Caribbean ships call the port home year-round, while Disney operates one ship for limited sailings.  An estimated 1 million cruise passengers will sail from the port in 2018, a nine percent increase over 2017.  A 2015 economic analysis estimated that cruise passengers injected $56 million per year into the local Galveston economy, an average of $62 per passenger.
  There are two dedicated cruise terminals.  Unlike many other ports, the cruise terminals are not used for other activities, such as conferences or corporate events.  Terminal 1 was expanded and improved in 2010, as a condition of Carnival Cruise Line placing their then-newest ship, the Carnival Magic at the port.  Terminal 2 was expanded in 2016 to accommodate Royal Caribbean's desire to base their larger Freedom-class ships in Galveston.  The new 150,000 square feet (14,000 m²) facility can accommodate up to 5,000 passengers and allows for simultaneous handling of passengers embarking and disembarking.  Port officials have earmarked $100,000 for the design of a third terminal, but are waiting for definitive interest from a cruise line before beginning work.
  The port receives fees of $11–$26 per cruise ship passenger, depending on whether port employees are responsible for tying the ship down, or for paying the harbor pilots responsible for bringing the ships into the port.  Cruises account for approximately 60% of the port's revenues.
  Unlike other cruise ports in the United States, the port of Galveston can be affected by fog, particularly in late December, January, and February.  This can delay the ships' return to port.  Beginning in 2014, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission began collecting taxes from returning cruise passengers on any alcohol and cigarettes they had purchased onboard or in foreign ports.
caption: The cruise industry has become a major source of operating revenue for the Port of Galveston
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