As more and more vacationers discover the value of “pleasure cruising” and 
the convenience of sailing from Galveston, that’s exactly what is projected for the Island!
According to Cruise Lines International, more passengers departed the Port of Galveston between January and November, 2015 than in all of 2014 keeping the Port in the status of fourth busiest in the United States. We’ll just let the 3 major ports in Florida jockey for position among themselves – after all, that state accounts for more than two-thirds of all embarkations.
Nonetheless – the Port of Galveston has come a long, long way since welcoming its 10,000th cruiser in the year 2000, to a number expected to reach some 900,000 for the year 2016.
This is great news, not only for the Port, but for the entire Island as it enjoys the “trickle down” benefit of more business for hotels, restaurants, bars, taxi and shuttle drivers, and on any given arrival day, with two ships in port, employment for more than 300 support personnel. Add to that the plethora of ship suppliers who reap the benefit of the home-porting of 4 ships year-round. Besides the obvious task of filling the ship “stores” and refueling its tanks before each departure, the industry also benefits local advertisers, insurers, travel agencies, and technical consultants.
And, as bonus for cruisers, unlike some other ports that seem to be in the middle of nowhere, The Port of Galveston is “cruiser-friendly” in that it is located just a short walk from the Island’s Strand Historical District – with its unique shops, bars, and restaurants (and a really great place to spend the day pre or post cruise.)
So, let’s raise a glass of cheer to a prosperous new year!!!