The Port of Galveston currently has two cruise terminals that are sometimes both used on the same days. A common question related to Galveston cruises I have had is regarding which cruise terminal ships usually dock at. Although the cruise terminal assignment can change or vary, this post is intended to be a general guide about which cruise terminal each ship typically or is expected to dock at. 

Quick Overview Of Galveston's Cruise Terminals:
              Galveston's two cruise terminals are located by each other. The entrance to both cruise terminals at the same place and signage directs shuttles and passenger drop-offs to the correct location. Cruise Terminal #1 is home to most of Carnival Cruise Line's departures from Galveston. However, on days that Carnival has two ships in Galveston at the same time Carnival will use Cruise Terminal #2. Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line always use Cruise Terminal #2. There may be exceptions to these general rules, but this is the typical pattern.

Last Updated:  Friday, April 3, 2020

          Today Carnival Cruise Line announced the Mardi Gras' staterooms will have several new and enhanced features. Carnival Cruise Line developed the new style of staterooms in a partnership with DCA Design International. Here are some of the new features and changes that will be on the Mardi Gras' staterooms:

1. Bathrooms With Glass Shower Doors
            The Mardi Gras' staterooms will feature glass shower doors that are foldable. The glass door will open along a track along at the divider between the shower & rest of the bathroom. On Carnival's other ships, the shower was separated from the bathroom by a curtain. From personal experience, this sometimes allowed water to exit the shower and go into the rest of the bathroom. This glass door for the shower should prevent this from happening on the Mardi Gras.

2.  Most Balcony Rooms Will Have Foldable Doors
              Carnival's press release states almost all balcony staterooms will have floor to ceiling slideable doors. On Carnival's other ships, the balcony doors have been non-slideable, which means the doors open like a regular door on hinges. 

3.  Bedside Reading Lamps
                 The Mardi Gras will have lamps by the beds. Although Carnival's other ships have reading lamps, these lamps will be adjustable. All of Carnival's other ships lamps have been fixed in place and not been moveable. The flexibility these lamps will have should allow cruisers to focus a light on a book or magazine without bothering others in the stateroom. 

4. Sofas That Flip Into A Bed
                   In the past, Carnival's sofa beds have involved adding a mattress pad and pillows in order to convert a sofa into a bed. The Mardi Gras' sofas will have the ability to be flipped in order to have another bed in the stateroom. It appears the only thing stateroom stewards will need to do is add a pillow and possibly sheets. 

5.  Additional Electrical Outlets and USB Charging Ports
                    One of my largest complaints about Carnival's staterooms has been the lack of electrical outlets. Typically, each stateroom has one 110V outlet located around the vanity of the stateroom. However, the Carnival Mardi Gras will have multiple 110V electrical outlets as well as USB charging ports. This should make it easier for families or people traveling together to charge multiple devices at once without having to unplug something that's already plugged in. 

              This does not represent all of the changes that Carnival is introducing to the Mardi Gras' staterooms, but these things include the main areas. I recommend checking out Carnival's You-Tube video that shows a look inside a mock-up of one of the Mardi Gras' balcony staterooms. Click Here for Carnival's video on You-Tube.  Another source of information about the new style of staterooms is Carnival's press release. Click Here for Carnival's official press release. Both of these links will take you away from RyG's Cruise Guide.