According to Port Director Rodger Rees, fifteen months ago the spot of land on Galveston’s north side was the site of ships offloading bananas. Today, it’s home to the brand-new $156 million Cruise Terminal 16 and a new cruise line to Galveston — MSC Cruises.
And its ship, MSC Seascape, sets sail from Galveston for the first time today from the new terminal, marking another bit of history for the fast-growing Texas port, and a completely new experience for Texas cruisers.
An Entirely New Terminal Opens for a New Cruise Line
Just 25 years ago, Galveston’s cruise industry was just beginning, operating out of a single terminal. But with tens of millions within a day’s drive of the island and cruising continuing to grow to one of the most popular vacations anywhere, it was the start of something much bigger.
Over the years, Galveston’s cruise industry continued to grow, offering two terminals for years before Royal Caribbean expanded its presence to a dedicated third terminal (Cruise Terminal 10) just three years ago.
On Saturday, the port held the ribbon-cutting for its latest addition — Cruise Terminal 16. This marks the island’s fourth cruise terminal and cements its position as the largest cruise port outside of Florida.
Being built in just over a year, the new terminal features a dedicated onsite parking garage right next to the ship. The 165,000 square foot facility also offers a dedicated VIP entrance for passengers in addition to the traditional boarding entrance.
The all-new port was dedicated in a ceremony on Saturday morning with members of the Port of Galveston, the Chamber of Commerce, Congressional Representative Randy Weber, Texas State Representative Terri Leo-Wilson, Galveston’s mayor Craig Brown, Dan Farkas, the Executive Vice President of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, and Lynn Torrent, the head of MSC Cruises North America all taking part. In addition, hundreds of attendees watched the ribbon-cutting event.
Cruise Terminal 16 will serve as home to Norwegian Cruise Line when it brings Norwegian Viva to Galveston next month, offering seasonal service.
However, the star of the terminal is its new year-round cruise line, MSC Cruises and their first ship to sail from Texas, MSC Seascape.
Texas Cruisers Get to Experience MSC Seascape for the First Time
While most people don’t realize it, MSC is one of the largest cruise lines on the planet, including the largest operating in Europe. Over the years, they’ve pushed to increase their presence in North America and become a household name.
Already the cruise line sails from Miami, Port Canaveral, and New York. Now it can add Galveston as its fourth homeport.
While many lines have tested the waters in new ports with relatively older and smaller ships, MSC Cruises is making a splash by cruising Seascape as its first ship in Galveston.
MSC Seascape isn’t quite the newest or largest ship in the fleet, but it’s near the top in both categories. The 170,000 gross ton ship entered service in late 2022, making it just three years old. And at a cost of roughly $1 billion, you can tell from the moment you enter the ship that no expense was spared.
There’s a big focus on luxury, from the decor to the food offerings to the MSC Yacht Club — a “ship within a ship” with higher-end rooms, butlers, dedicated pool decks and a restaurant only for guests staying in this area.
While the ship feels high-end, don’t mistake it for being unapproachable. For one, it offers some of the least expensive rates you’ll find. Seven-day cruises from Galveston start at as little as $369 per person. For that, you get a lot.
MSC Seascape features 11 different restaurants, nearly 20 bars and lounges, five pools, and a massive outdoor promenade. Especially notable is the large pool at the back of the ship that sits right near the water, giving you a chance to truly experience being at sea instead of the ocean being hidden away on a typical cruise.
Sailing with kids? They’ll have the Pirate’s Cove, a multi-story water feature and playscape or the looping waterslide. There’s also the Hall of Games, featuring tons of arcade options including an F1 simulator, and the dedicated kids areas with video game systems, pool tables, foosball, ping pong, and movies.
Adults have their spots to play too. Seascape features a large casino with everything from slot machines to sports betting. There’s always the performances in the massive theater.
Want to relax? The MSC Aurea Spa can help, offering all the treatments and massages you would expect plus some wild options including a “snow room” where you can get the health benefits of cold immersion, complete with snow on the floor.
And if you’re wanting something more heart-pounding, MSC has you covered there, too. Robotron might be one of the most unique experiences on any cruise ship anywhere. The massive robot arm takes up to three riders at a time, moving them in any direction you can imagine, all done to the beat of music.
Bottom line: MSC Seascape offers something for everyone, all in a ship that’s nicely appointed and luxury focused, while still being affordable to sail.
Seascape will sail 7-day trips from Galveston to Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel. These trips go year-round and prices start as little as $369 per person for an interior cabin, with taxes and fees included.
The ship’s first sailing — and the first sailing from Cruise Terminal 16 — departs November 9.
