Carnival Dream Resumes Service in Galveston

Posted on 19 September, 2021 by Spacejunkie2

Another Carnival Cruise Line vessel is resuming service today as the Carnival Dream welcomes guests back in Texas. The 2009-built Galveston-based ship is kicking off a series of six-and eight-night cruises to the Eastern Caribbean and The Bahamas.

On its first cruise, the Carnival Dream is sailing on a six-night Western Caribbean itinerary that features visits to three ports in Mexico and Belize. The first stop is Costa Maya, followed by Belize City and Cozumel.

Cozumel – an island in Mexico’s Quintana Roo region surrounded by coral reefs – is one of the highlights of the cruise.

Carnival Dream’s itineraries through December will include other popular ports in the region, such as Half Moon Cay, Roatán and Key West. Two other Carnival ships are currently homeporting in Galveston: the Carnival Breeze and the Carnival Vista.

First, of a series of three ships known as the Dream Class, the Carnival Dream entered service in 2009. At the time, the vessel ushered a new era in “Fun Ship” cruising, offering a unique host of innovations and features.

Among the ship’s highlights is an expanded Carnival WaterWorks aqua park with one of the longest waterslides at sea. The 3,650-guest vessel also introduced entertainment options such as a comedy club and a half-mile wrap-around outdoor promenade, complete with whirlpools that extend over the ship’s sides.

Other features include 19,000 square feet of space dedicated to children and families, in addition to a wide variety of formal and casual dining options – a made-to-order pasta venue, a 24-hour pizzeria, a sushi bar, and a burrito station.

The Carnival Dream was upgraded with Carnival’s new hull colours when it went into drydock in July. According to the company, the livery is inspired by the design that debuted on the new Mardi Gras, while serving as a homage to maritime tradition with patriotic red, white and blue hues – also the colours of Carnival Cruise Line.

The Carnival Dream is the 10th ship to resume service for Carnival Cruise Line after the COVID-19 operational pause.

It also became one of the three ships to resume service for the company this month. On Sept. 12, the Carnival Pride reentered service in Baltimore, kicking off a series of cruises to The Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean.

Also resuming service today, the Carnival Glory is currently embarking on its first cruise from New Orleans after an 18-month pause.

Galveston Set to Break Ground on New Royal Caribbean Terminal

Posted on 12 August, 2021 by Spacejunkie2

Officials will break ground for the brand new $110 million cruise terminal at Galveston Wharves for Royal Caribbean International on Saturday at 10 a.m. local time.

Galveston Wharves will be represented by Port Director and CEO Rodger Rees, who will be joined by Royal Caribbean Group Vice President of Destination Development Joshua Carroll and Ceres CEO Craig Mygatt.

Also expected are Craig Brown, Mayor, the City of Galveston and Albert Shannon, Chairperson, Board of Trustees of the Galveston Wharves.

The new cruise terminal will cover approximately 170,000 square feet on ten acres of land in the southeast section of the Port of Galveston known as Pier 10.

The facility, which is anticipated to open in fall 2022, will feature state-of-the-art technology to enable mobile check-in and facial recognition to create an expedited arrival experience for guests, according to a press release.

The terminal will be designed and developed sustainably to meet LEED certification standards.

The Newest Caribbean Cruise Port?

Posted on 9 January, 2018 by Spacejunkie2

PHOTO: South Padre Island, Texas might be developed into a Caribbean cruise port. (photo via Flickr/Vince Smith)South Padre Island, Texas may be a cruise port in the near future.

The local city council recently approved a proposal for the destination to receive western Caribbean itinerary calls.

“South Padre Island has been a hidden U.S. jewel for many years,” said Mayor Dennis Stahl, in a press release. “We are looking forward to sharing our unique ecotourism sites, like Sea Turtle Inc., a renowned sea turtle rescue centre, and the Birding and Nature Center, a world-class birdwatching destination, in addition to our pristine beaches and adventure activities.”

SPI Cruise Group—a collaboration of cruise port design, maritime operations and marketing professionals—put forth the proposal. It comes at a time when western Caribbean sailings from the Port of Galveston, Texas are increasingly popular. Meanwhile, there is a concern of abundant tourism in eastern and southern Caribbean ports as cruise lines seek out sustainable alternative destinations.

The lines are specifically looking for those with existing tourism infrastructure, and South Padre Island is primed with adventures on land, sea and sky, including beautiful local beaches.

SPI Cruise Group is comprised of MarketScope Global, IDEA, Cruise and Port Advisors and NewmanPR. The project’s first step of marketing and communicating the plan to raise cruise industry executive awareness of South Padre Island is anticipated to take four months.

Beyond that, getting potential passengers interested to visit might be even easier as travellers love fresh destinations, especially in the Caribbean.

Tried-and-true ports are favourites for a reason, but anytime something new can be added to the equation it drums up excitement. In the case of the cruise lines, it may give them a bit of a competitive advantage to offer something entirely different as well.