Galveston gets another cruise ship in 2021: This is where it's headed

GALVESTON – Carnival Cruise Line has announced it will have four ships, carrying an estimated 900,000 guests, in Galveston beginning in 2021. 

The newest ship to join the Galveston-based fleet in 2021 will be the Carnival Radiance after undergoing an extensive bow-to-stern $200 million renovation next year.

Carnival Radiance will undergo a $200 million renovation before joining the Galveston-based fleet in May 2021.

"As North America's fourth busiest cruise port, the Port of Galveston is pleased to welcome the Carnival Radiance. Since Carnival made Galveston its home port almost 20 years ago, more than 7.5 million Carnival Cruise Line passengers have embarked from our wharves," Galveston Wharves CEO and Port Director Rodger Rees said. "As we grow we'll continue to focus on delivering great service to Carnival and its passengers."

Carnival Radiance will join the Galveston-based fleet in May 2021, launching a new schedule of five to 14-day voyages from the Port of Galveston. Destinations include: Cozumel, Progreso, Costa Maya, Limon (Costa Rica),  Panama, Key West, Grand Turk, the private Bahamian island of Half Moon Cay and Nassau, Grand Cayman, Mahogany Bay (Isla Roatan) and Belize.

Carnival Radiance will undergo a renovation next year that will add all the cruise line's food, beverage and entertainment innovations.

Carnival Cruise Line features fun amenities on its ships such as the thrill-seeking SkyCourse that allows guests to navigate ropes above the deck.

The renovation will add a host of new food and beverage outlets including Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse created by Food Network star Guy Fieri and the first Big Chicken restaurant created by Carnival's chief fun officer, Shaquille O'Neal.

Carnival Breeze will return to Galveston from Port Canaveral, becoming the newest and largest ship to operate a short cruise program from Galveston. The program will offer four-day long "weekend cruises" departing Thursdays.

Carnival Dream will shift to six- and eight-day Caribbean voyages while Carnival Vista will continue its week-long Caribbean cruises.  

"Carnival is already the most popular cruise line from Galveston attracting vacationers from all across the Southwest and beyond. With these enhancements, we're providing our guests with more voyages, more destinations and more choices from Texas than ever before," president of Carnival Cruise Line Christine Duffy said.  

All four ships and their new itineraries open for sale on Oct. 15, 2019. 

 


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