Cruise Ships Return To Texas Port For First Time In Over A Year

Things are starting to return to normal along the Texas Gulf Coast as two cruise ships docked in Galveston over the weekend.

Nearly 500 people turned out on Sunday, May 2, to see two Carnival ships dock at the Port of Galveston for the first time since April 2020.

"It is so exciting. It's like we are going home. Our friends are here, we want to get on the ship. We're so excited," Texas City resident Sherry Atkinson told FOX 26.

The Port of Galveston has been quiet after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a "no sail" order in March to curb the spread of COVID-19. The stop greatly impacted the fourth most popular homeport in the U.S., which supported nearly 4,000 cruise industry jobs, according ABC 13.

Eager passengers can't hop on one of the docked ships just yet. Cruises will likely be allowed to restart in mid-July depending on cruise lines' compliance with health guidelines, according to a letter from the CDC.

Carnival is already selling tickets for July trips to the Caribbean that are scheduled to launch from Galveston.

Despite the two month wait, many see the ships' return as a sign of better days ahead.

"(Carnival's) intentions are to stay here, crew up, and do some work on the ships. So they'll be here when it's time to start cruising, and we're hoping that it's quick," Port of Galveston CEO Rodger Rees said last week.

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