Yet another major cruise line to sail from Texas as Galveston heats up

Add MSC Cruises to list of lines looking to sail from Galveston, Texas, a port city that has seen increasing popularity with cruisers since the cruise industry restart.

The Europe-based cruise line on Wednesday announced it had begun negotiations with local officials to develop a fourth cruise terminal at the Port of Galveston that would be home to at least one of its vessels.

The negotiations already have led to a nonbinding memorandum of understanding between the line and the port for a new terminal located at piers 16 through 18, according to the line.

MSC didn't give a timetable for when the pier might be built or when the line would begin sailings from Galveston.

Assuming MSC and the port go through with the development, Galveston would become the fourth North American home base for the line, which already sails from Miami and Port Canaveral in Florida. It will add voyages from New York's Brooklyn terminal in 2023.

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For years, MSC has been looking for ways to better delve into the U.S. market, and its recent expansion into new ports is another example of that.

"The prospect of developing a new homeport in Galveston is exciting because it represents a big step in our ongoing North American expansion," Rubén Rodríguez, president of MSC Cruises USA, said in a statement. "Bringing our modern, glamorous ships to Texas would provide even more access and opportunities for guests and travel advisors to experience the future of cruising with MSC Cruises and our unique European style."

The port has recently seen a significant boom in the number of ships it hosts.

"Our popularity as a cruise homeport is reflected in the growth of our passenger counts and sailings," Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO, said in a statement. "In 2023, we forecast a record 362 sailings, the highest in the port's 22 years as a cruise port."

Other lines with ships that have recently begun sailing from the port include Royal Caribbean, with weekly Caribbean departures on Allure of the Seas, and Princess Cruises, which has returned after a six-year hiatus, offering a mix of five- to 11-night Western Caribbean voyages on Ruby Princess. Additionally, Norwegian Cruise Line's newest ship, Norwegian Prima, is also slated to sail a series of weeklong itineraries from Galveston beginning in late 2023.

They join Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas, which was already sailing from there; Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Dream, Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze; and Disney Cruise Line's Disney Magic.

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