Considering one of the cruise ships departing from Galveston?

Cruises departing from Galveston, Texas have become very popular due to the price and the places they travel to. Many travelers choose to leave this port to visit the Caribbean, Mexico, and a few other tropical areas in between. There are many good reasons to choose one of Galveston’s cruises.

These cruises are much more affordable than cruises departing from more popular ports. Plus, you still get the big names like Carnival and Royal Caribbean. In fact, they have been so successful in the port of Galveston that two new cruise ships will move into the port in 2012, including a Disney cruise ship.

What are the cruises that depart from Galveston?

1. Royal Caribbean International

One of the most popular cruise ships out of Galveston is the Royal Caribbean International. They have four trips in December and travel the rest of the year as well. Royal Caribbean will take you to Roatan, Honduras, Falmouth, Jamaica, Cozumel, Mexico, Belize, Costa Maya and the Grand Cayman Islands.

They offer seven and eight day cruises and passengers will spend three or more days aboard the “Mariner of the Seas” ship. In fact, they have decided to expand their cruise line in Galveston and will be offering a fifth voyage in December 2012. When you choose Royal Caribbean, you’ll have plenty of shore excursions to choose from, including submarine tours, scuba diving, bottom fishing, ziplining. lining, helicopter rides and more.

2. Carnival Cruise Line

Carnival is offering 11 cruises on the “Carnival Triumph” and “Carnival Magic” ships in December 2011. There are seven different itineraries to choose from and you can see areas of the world such as Key West, Florida, Montego Bay, Jamaica, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Belize , Bahamas and Yucatan Peninsula. These trips range from four to eight days and you will spend between one and four days on board the ship.

They are also expanding in December 2012 to 13 sailings with very similar itineraries. However, they will be adding Mahogany Bay, Roatan Island to their list of destinations. When you choose to sail with Carnival, you can choose from shore excursions like visits to Mayan ruins, scuba diving, kayaking, horseback riding and historical city tours.

3. Disney Cruise Line

Another option coming in 2012 for cruises departing from Galveston is the Disney Cruise Line. This is a perfect addition to help families enjoy a cruise together, as Disney cruise lines cater to children and adults alike. They will begin sailing from Galveston in September 2012. There will be a total of five sailings in September aboard the “Disney Magic” ship to the Western Caribbean.

Disney cruises will be between six and eight nights and passengers will spend three to four days on board the ship. They will sail to Grand Cayman, Key West, Florida, Costa Maya and Cozumel. Disney will also offer the Atlantis Underwater Expedition, Dolphin Encounters, Scuba Diving, Kayak Tours, Golf Expeditions and Mayan Ruins Tours as its shore excursion packages.

4.Princess Cruises

The latest cruise line to set sail for the first time from Galveston in December 2012 is Princess Cruises. They will add cruises departing from Galveston and offer two seven-day voyages in December 2012. They will visit ports such as Belize, Costa Maya, Cozumel and Roatan. There will be a total of two days at sea and many excellent shore excursions will be offered with Princess cruise ships departing from Galveston.

Why you should book cruises departing from Galveston

Many of the cruises that depart from Galveston cater to adults, but with the addition of Disney Cruise Lines in September 2012, this port will also have cruises for families. This is good news because these cruises are already less expensive than those leaving from Florida ports.

Saving money on your cruise is just one of the benefits of departing from Galveston. If you’re not from the area and flying or driving to your cruise, you can stay a few nights in Galveston, Texas and enjoy the historic city. There is much to do in the Galveston area.

After you’ve spent a couple of days and nights in Galveston, you can board your chosen cruise ship and set sail for multiple tropical destinations. Cozumel and the Grand Cayman Islands are two of the most popular destinations, and nearly every cruise out of Galveston will go to one or the other.