There hasn't been a lot of positive news surrounding the cruising industry over the last year. In fact, cruise after cruise, and month after month, family vacations across Texas and the country are canceled due to the ongoing pandemic.

Well now there's a bright side, and as someone who absolutely loves cruising, I'm totally excited about it!

Royal Caribbean is moving full steam ahead on a planned $100 million cruise terminal out of Galveston, set to debut in 2022. The new terminal is in the works to house Royal Caribbean's largest ship to sail out of Galveston - Allure of the Seas.

“It’s a huge shot in that it will not only benefit the port, but also labor, hoteliers and others,” Albert Shannon, chairman of the Galveston Wharves Board of Trustees, which governs the port, told Galveston News. “It’s going to be a great boost to the economy.”

This new terminal will be the third on Galveston island.

With Allure of the Seas headed to the port next year, it's sure to be a crowd-pleaser. The massive ship can hold up to 6,780 passengers, although initially, we're sure to not see sailing cruise ships at full capacity.

On March 9, Royal Caribbean announced that as the company continues to prioritize the health and safety of its guests and crew around the world, it would be suspending its sailings for its global fleet.

Important update on sailings through May 31, 2021. 🔗 bit.ly/RCIOperationsUpdate

Posted by Royal Caribbean International on Tuesday, March 9, 2021

 

Royal Caribbean isn't alone in this move - Carnival Cruise Line has made the decision to cancel its sailings through May 2021.

Important update regarding our operations in the U.S. through May 31, 2021. If you’d like to check if your sailing has been impacted please visit Carnival.com/checkmysailing.

Posted by Carnival Cruise Line on Wednesday, February 24, 2021

I truly hope that with the COVID-19 vaccination rollout, we can see cruise sailings on the horizon again. I can't wait to see all of the detail that goes into Roya Caribbean's $100 million port! While we dream about it, check out this tour of Allure of the Seas, that we'll soon get to enjoy here in the Lone Star State.

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