One of the world's biggest cruise lines is finally restarting sailings from Texas
After a six-year absence, Princess Cruises is finally back in Texas.
The world's fifth-largest cruise line on Sunday launched its first series of sailings from the Lone Star State since 2016 — a mix of five- to 11-night trips to the western Caribbean that will continue through April 2023.
The voyages are taking place on the line's 3,080-passenger Ruby Princess and are mostly made up of seven-night trips to Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico.
The first of the trips, which began Sunday, is an 11-night sailing set to stop in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands as well as Honduras, Belize and Mexico.
The new sailings come as the market for cruises from Texas heats up. Just last month, Royal Caribbean upped the ante for voyages from Texas by deploying one of its giant Oasis class ships to the Port of Galveston for the first time.
The massive vessel, which can hold up to 6,780 passengers and has more amenities than almost any other cruise ship, will sail to ports in Honduras and Mexico.
The arrival of Allure of the Seas at the Port of Galveston coincided with the opening of a new, $100-million cruise ship terminal at the port capable of handling a ship as big as Allure of the Seas.
Related: The ultimate guide to Princess Cruises
Ruby Princess and Allure of the Seas are joining nearly half a dozen other major cruise ships based in Galveston for the winter. They include Royal Caribbean's Adventure of the Seas; Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Dream, Carnival Vista and Carnival Breeze; and Disney Cruise Line's Disney Magic.
While Florida ports such as PortMiami and Port Canaveral remain the biggest hubs for cruises to the Caribbean, the Port of Galveston has been growing quickly in recent years as a hub for cruises to the region (assuming you don't count the last few years when the COVID-19 pandemic brought a sharp downturn to cruises everywhere).
More than 1 million cruisers passed through the Port of Galveston in 2019, up from 641,650 just five years earlier. Cruise calls over the same period jumped from 181 to nearly 300.
The Port of Galveston is now the fourth-busiest port for cruise ships in North America, after Florida's PortMiami, Port Everglades and Port Canaveral.
Related: TPG's guide to Princess cabins and suites
In many cases, passengers on cruises from the Port of Galveston are "drive-in" customers — people from the surrounding region who reach the port's ships by car instead of flying to Texas for the sailings. It's a type of cruise travel that's expected to grow in 2023 as vacationers look for ways to save due to economic uncertainty.
Cruises from "drive-in" cruise hubs such as Galveston can offer significant savings compared to cruises from "fly-in" cruise hubs that can sometimes require expensive flights to reach.
“Galveston is an important port for Princess Cruises, and [it] provides an exciting and easy-to-reach option for millions of people living in the southwestern U.S. to enjoy the ultimate in classic cruise vacations,” Princess president John Padgett said on Sunday during a ceremony in Galveston marking the new Texas sailings.
Princess this week said it expected around 50,000 people to sail on Ruby Princess out of Galveston over the next four months.
In addition to round-trip sailings out of Galveston to the Caribbean, Ruby Princess will sail two 16-night voyages between Galveston and San Francisco that feature a full transit of the Panama Canal.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.