Royal Caribbean sets sails year-round for Galveston

GALVESTON – Royal Caribbean, which for years has sailed only seasonally from Galveston, agreed to deploy the 3,114-passenger Navigator from the island year-round beginning in November 2013.

Royal Caribbean had sailed year-round from the island from 2001 to September 2007 before reducing its cruises to a seasonal schedule. Navigator’s year-round sailings from the island mean more revenues for the port from passenger fees and cruise-ship parking.

The Navigator, which will replace Mariner of the Seas, will sail seven-night western Caribbean itineraries from the island from November until early January, then go into dry dock for extensive renovations before emerging in February.

Based on experience from the Mariner, the port projects passenger counts on Navigator to be 106 percent of the 3,114 capacity, or about 3,300 passengers each sailing.

Royal Caribbean in 2014 plans 49 ship calls to Galveston. In 2015, it expects 52 ship calls.

Royal Caribbean agreed to sail year-round on the condition the Port of Galveston expand the 81,000-sf Cruise Terminal No. 2 to accommodate an expected increase in passengers. The port plans to add 60,000 sf onto the cruise ship terminal. Currently, the terminal can seat 800 people, but the port would like to increase capacity by 50 percent.

Carnival Cruise Lines’ Triumph and Magic also sail from the island year-round.

Citing shortage of berthing space, Princess Cruises a year ago announced it would take its winter 2013-14 business to rival Port of Houston.