Galveston, Texas, has a new ship in town as one of the fastest-growing ports in the U.S. welcomed a vessel from the rapidly expanding MSC Cruises. The Lone Star State has officially become a home port for MSC Seascape.
This ship, which first launched just three years ago, can hold over 5,000 passengers, has 11 dining venues and 19 bars and lounges, and is home to everything from a room in the spa where it snows to an adults-only infinity pool, multiple family-friendly waterslides and even a Robotron ride that can flip riders in the air up to 174 feet above the water.
As someone who sailed on MSC Seascape with my kids over the summer from Miami, I can say Texans are in for a lot of fun with this ship — though maybe skip Robotron on its “wildest” mode right after lunch ... unless you’re fearless, like my teen.
On top of all the fun that was already on board, now that it is based in Texas, MSC Seascape has even added some special Texan-approved touches, such as Texas smoked beef brisket with jalapeno barbecue sauce, line-dancing classes, Texas sports on the screens, what it is calling "a Big Texas sailaway party," spicy margaritas, and even an included breakfast option at Hola! Tacos & Cantina.
From its new home port in Galveston, MSC Seascape will operate seven-night Western Caribbean sailings that visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, and Roatan, Honduras.
I was especially excited to see that pricing from Galveston starts at under $400 per person for the weeklong sailings. On top of that budget-friendly starting price, considering all that is included with the kids-sail-free offers, a family of four could have a weeklong vacation starting at just over $1,000 after taxes and fees on some weeks.
On the other hand, if you want an elevated ship-within-a-ship experience, know that MSC Seascape also features a Yacht Club option.
Big expansion for the Port of Galveston
This arrival was a big moment not just for MSC, but also for Galveston, as Terminal 16 was officially opened on the same day, becoming the port's fourth terminal.
And this won't mark the end of the cruise growth in Galveston. Next month, the port will also welcome Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Viva, which is also a relatively new ship that first set sail in 2023 with stylish cabins, exciting entertainment like escape rooms and even an onboard showing of the popular production "Beetlejuice."
When it arrives in December, Norwegian Viva will also operate from Galveston's new Terminal 16.
Speaking of Terminal 16, it is not only new, sleek and comfortable inside, but it notably also has a dedicated adjacent parking garage, which is the port's first. This design makes getting in and out much more convenient and seamless than long walks with bags, or shuttles to off-site lots to start and end your vacation.
At the ribbon-cutting for the new terminal, the port director, Richard Rees, shared that Galveston will serve around 2 million cruise passengers annually (of whom 50% are from Texas), but that about 46 million potential cruisers live within a day's drive of the port, making for a large potential pool of travelers for MSC and the other lines heading to Texas.
He also highlighted how, just 25 years ago, Galveston was a very small cruise port with almost no sailings, and it has grown into one of the largest and fastest-growing ports in the country, with lines such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruise Line, Norwegian and now MSC operating sailings.
Galveston is just a part of MSC's US expansion
If you haven't yet heard of MSC Cruises, despite it being one of the world's largest cruise lines, it is likely because, as recently as 2017, MSC Cruises had just a single ship based in North America.
However, a lot has changed in a short amount of time. This winter, the line will count seven vessels based in the U.S. across four home ports: Miami; Port Canaveral, Florida; New York City; and now Galveston.
This U.S.-based fleet includes MSC World America, a crown jewel in MSC's fleet and one of the world's largest cruise ships, which first set sail earlier in 2025 from the new MSC Terminal in PortMiami, which also happens to be the world's largest cruise terminal.
MSC has the goal of being a household name in the U.S., according to recent remarks in Galveston from the president of MSC Cruises North America, Lynn Torrent.
And given the world-class ships, its new terminals and the line's recent Texas expansion to a centrally located port that easily opens up MSC to millions of additional travelers, the line may well be on its way to being a household name sooner rather than later.
