GALVESTON — Royal Caribbean International’s new US$125 million cruise terminal in Galveston, Texas has officially opened its doors, welcoming the state’s largest cruise ship to date, Allure of the Seas, earlier this week.
An official ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the Port of Galveston to mark the facility’s grand opening as well as the Texas debut of the company’s Oasis Class ship. Allure of the Seas will set sail from the new homeport on its first cruise on Nov. 13.
In attendance were Royal Caribbean executives, and government and port officials, including U.S. representative Randy Weber, Federal Commissioner Louis Sola, Mayor Craig Brown, and Royal Caribbean International President and CEO Michael Bayley. The city of Galveston also marked the day with a proclamation, recognizing the cruise line’s commitment to the city and their 20-year-long partnership.
With the introduction of the Oasis Class, the world’s largest cruise ships, it’s estimated that the new terminal will welcome as many as 630,000 vacationers each year.
Royal Caribbean International’s new $125 million cruise terminal in Galveston
“We are thrilled to take family vacations to a whole new level in Texas. Our new 161,334 square-foot terminal opens up a world of vacation possibilities for families in the Southwest,” said Bayley. “Now our unmatched Oasis Class ships, known as the best family vacations in the industry, can set sail from Galveston. Allure of the Seas is just the beginning and we thank the Port of Galveston, Ceres and all the teams involved for making this bold vision a reality.”
FACILITY FEATURES
The new terminal breaks new ground as the first LEED Zero Energy facility in the world, generating 100% of the energy it needs through on-site solar panels. This is in line with Royal Caribbean Group’s ongoing environmental goals and decarbonization strategy, titled ‘Destination Net Zero.’
Welcoming passengers in the terminal is a new, dynamic art sculpture named ‘Galveston Beach Trio’ by Texas-based artists Brad Oldham and Christ Coltrin of Brad Oldham Sculpture. The cruise line selected the husband-and-wife team for the one-of-a-kind concept that’s inspired by Galveston’s rich musical heritage, which includes the likes of Galveston-native, Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Barry White.
ALLURE OF THE SEAS FEATURES
The Oasis Class ship boasts seven signature neighbourhoods onboard, including the open-air Central Park with thousands of real plants, and the Boardwalk neighbourhood complete with the AquaTheater entertainment venue. Other incredible offerings include a nine-storey-high zipline, two FlowRider surf simulators, rock climbing, ice skating, and original productions that span four stages.
Also onboard are 30-plus restaurants, bars and lounges that serve everything from family-style Italian classics at Giovanni’s Table, to fresh sushi at Izumi. New concepts and dishes are coming to Allure as well, including Wipeout Café featuring El Loco Fresh, where guests can enjoy grab-and-go Mexican favourites like made-to-order quesadillas, tacos and nachos.
Allure of the Seas will sail on new seven-night Western Caribbean cruises from Galveston to sun-soaked destinations like Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, and Roatan, Honduras for the winter 2022-2023 season.
