Galveston, Texas, recently became the new homeport for MSC Seascape, marking another milestone for the rapidly expanding Gulf Coast cruise scene. The ship’s arrival also coincided with the official opening of the port’s new Terminal 16.
Launched three years ago, MSC Seascape can carry more than 5,000 passengers and offers an extensive lineup of onboard amenities, including 11 dining venues and 19 bars and lounges. Highlights range from a spa room that creates real snow and an adults-only infinity pool to family waterslides and the high-thrill Robotron ride, which can flip riders as high as 174 feet above the water. A recent sail with my children confirmed that the ship is family-friendly — though you might want to think twice about trying Robotron on its wildest setting right after lunch.
To reflect its Texas base, the vessel has added regionally themed offerings such as smoked beef brisket with jalapeño barbecue sauce, line-dancing lessons, Texas sports broadcasts, a Big Texas sailaway party, spicy margaritas and an included breakfast option at Hola! Tacos & Cantina. From Galveston, MSC Seascape will operate seven-night Western Caribbean cruises that stop in Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico, and Roatán, Honduras.
Sailings from Galveston start at under $400 per person for the weeklong itineraries, and promotions like kids-sail-free can drop the total for a family of four to just over $1,000 after taxes and fees on certain departures. Travelers seeking a more upscale experience can book the Yacht Club, MSC’s ship-within-a-ship premium option.
Terminal 16 is the port’s fourth cruise terminal and brings a cleaner, more modern look to Galveston’s waterfront. It also includes the port’s first dedicated adjacent parking garage, reducing the need for long walks or off-site shuttles and making embarkation and debarkation more convenient.
Growth at the port will continue: Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Viva, which debuted in 2023 and features stylish cabins, onboard escape rooms and productions like Beetlejuice, is scheduled to begin sailing from Terminal 16 in December.
Port Director Richard Rees noted that Galveston expects to serve roughly 2 million cruise passengers annually, about half of whom come from Texas, and that approximately 46 million potential cruisers live within a day’s drive of the port. He highlighted how the port has grown from a modest operation 25 years ago to one of the country’s larger and fastest-growing cruise gateways, now hosting major lines including Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Disney, Norwegian and MSC.
MSC Cruises is expanding across the U.S. as well. In 2017 the line had only one North American-based ship; this winter it will operate seven vessels from four U.S. home ports: Miami, Port Canaveral, New York City and Galveston. The U.S. fleet includes MSC World America, one of the world’s largest ships, which began sailing in 2025 from MSC’s new terminal in PortMiami — billed as the world’s largest cruise terminal.
Lynn Torrent, president of MSC Cruises North America, said the line aims to become a household name in the United States, and investments in ships and terminals plus a Texas homeport are central to that strategy.
Editorial disclaimer: The observations and opinions in this piece are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed or endorsed by any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel.