The cruise ship business has fully come back from the Covid cancellations. So much so, that now a number of terminals served by the gigantic ships needs more space. The Galveston Wharves will invest $53 million to expand Cruise Terminal 25. The expansion is needed so the two-decades-old terminal can better accommodate Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Jubilee, which arrives in December. Carnival Jubilee is larger than the Carnival ships currently sailing from Galveston. It has a maximum passenger capacity of about 6,500 guests.

The terminal expansion will include gangway modifications, a ramp, two elevators and an escalator, plus a new roof. The port is a huge economic engine for Galveston. In 2022, the port’s cruise activity generated 3,500 jobs, $568 million in local business revenue and $73.5 million in local purchases by passengers and crew. The port is on track to set new records in 2023.

The port will fund the cruise terminal expansion with cash reserves, a proposed bond issue and an agreement with Carnival.