I just returned from the inaugural sailing of Allure of the Seas departing from Royal Caribbean’s new terminal in Galveston . Texas is so excited to get a ship of this size sailing for 7 nights!
Allure of the Seas will be joined by four other Royal Caribbean ships sailing from Galveston in 2023:
Royal Caribbean’s new terminal in Galveston was christened and officially opened on November 9th to accommodate all of these new departures. The new terminal, built by Royal Caribbean for their exclusive use, is state of the art and beautiful. One of the most impressive features is that the terminal is 100% solar powered.
We completed all the steps of the online check in through the app. It was literally 10 minutes from drop off to when we boarded the ship during our designated check in window of 11:00 – 11:30 am. They scanned our set sail pass in the app, checked our passports, we walked through the security screening and then scanned our set sail pass to board. Our room keys were waiting on our cabin door.
Allure is the only ship in the Oasis class that has not been refurbed and amplified. She is showing some minor signs of wear and tear. But you know what? So am I. LOL! Allure of the Seas was built in 2012, so it is time for her to get a little love. She is still an excellent option for anyone looking to sail from Texas.
Getting There
One of the big benefits to sailing from Galveston is that airfare into Houston International (AKA: IAH or George Bush) tends to be more affordable than flights to Ft Lauderdale or Miami, especially around holiday sailings. Houston Hobby is a little bit closer to the pier, but flights tend to be more expensive than into IAH.
The transfer time from the IAH airport to the port is an hour and 15 minutes to an hour and a half, depending on traffic. Royal Caribbean charges $70 round trip per person for transfers. If you are flying in the day before the cruise (which you should), Galveston Express offers transfers for $35 per person each way. You can overnight at an airport hotel or head down to the town of Galveston and enjoy some beach time before your cruise. A quick Uber is the easiest way to get from a Galveston hotel to the terminal for embarkation.
Bon Voyage from Royal Caribbean’s New Terminal in Galveston!
It is awesome to have another port option that can handle the big ships. Make sure to check out Royal Caribbean’s New Terminal in Galveston as an option for your next cruise!
