Expanded terminal greets cruise passengers on Isle
The bags are packed, the car is parked and just one final building stands between cruise-goers and their tropical vacations. It’s the final chore before the buffet, and the Port of Galveston recently completed a $13 million expansion to make the experience more enjoyable.
“We have to continue to improve and expand our facilities in order to attract these larger ships,” said port director Michael Mierzwa, who plans to retire at year-end. “Because the ships are not getting any smaller.”
The Port of Galveston, the country’s fourth-busiest cruise port, cut the ceremonial ribbon for the expanded passenger area at cruise terminal No. 2 on Wednesday.
The terminal now has two buildings connected by an enclosed, air-conditioned walkway. The space increased to about 150,000 square feet from a little less than 90,000 square feet. Seating increased to 2,000 from 500, allowing more
people to escape the Texas heat, and there are 16 more check-in booths.
“I think it’s going to enhance the cruise experience, make Galveston even more attractive,” said Niels Aalund, senior vice president of the West Gulf Maritime Association.
The expansion was initiated in 2014 by Royal Caribbean International, which promised a larger ship in exchange for an expanded terminal. Construction roadblocks delayed completion of the project to late June, roughly a year later than promised.
Royal Caribbean began sailing its Liberty of the Seas from Galveston in November 2015, and Carnival Cruise Line also wanted the terminal expansion to accommodate an additional ship.
Another aspect of that expansion is a longer dock with extra bollards to secure the ship to the dock. That project, separate from the passenger area, is still ongoing because it hit roadblocks with how the port would protect the shore from erosion caused by ships pushing away from the dock.
There was also an archaeological dig for a 19thcentury Republic of Texas Navy ship that slowed the initial phases of construction, though it was ultimately determined that construction wouldn’t hit a historic ship if one is buried there.
This dock project is expected to cost about $3.5 million and be completed in the summer.
These expansions come as the port continues to increase its cruise business. In 2014, roughly 642,000 people boarded cruises in Galveston. That increased to 834,616 last year and is expected to hit about 875,000 this year and 950,000 next year, Mierzwa said.
“I think that cruise terminal down there is just a great economic engine for Galveston,” Aalund said.