Galveston Cruise Spring Break Guide

Carnival Jubilee Galveston

         Galveston cruises during spring break are a popular time of traveling and cruising. Schools around Texas and surrounding states usually take a week off at some point in March 2024 and this will usually be a week where many families sail on a cruise (the exact week of spring break varies by school). This post will take a look at 2024 Galveston Spring Break cruises and share some tips for navigating the spring break time from Galveston. Since spring break can vary by schools, this post discusses cruises in March 2024 to cover multiple weeks. 

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Galveston Spring Cruise Lines & Ships:
There are numerous options for cruising from Galveston during the spring break timeframe in 2024. Cruise lines from Galveston during this time include Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Princess Cruise Line.
Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line will have 3 ships sailing from Galveston during March 2024. 

• The Carnival Breeze will be sailing 4 & 5 night cruises with departures on alternating Thursdays, Mondays, and Saturdays. 5 night cruise ports of call typically include Cozumel and Costa Maya or Progreso (depends on the exact departure date).4 night cruises typically have one port of call stop in Cozumel. 
• The Carnival Dream will be sailing 6 & 8 night cruises departing on alternating Saturdays & Sundays. 6 night cruises typically have port days at Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Belize. 8 night Carnival Dream cruises typically have ports of call at Key West, Freeport, Nassau, and Half Moon Cay (or sometimes Princess Cay).
• The Carnival Jubilee will be sailing 7 night cruises from Galveston with Saturday departures. Carnival Jubilee's cruises typically stop at Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Mahogany Bay. 

Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean will have 2 ships sailing from Galveston during March 2024. 

• ​The Harmony of the Seas will be sailing 7 night cruises on Sundays. Typical ports of call for the Harmony of the Seas include Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Roatan. 
• The Voyager of the Seas will be sailing 4 & 5 night cruises. 4 night cruises typically have one port of call stop in Cozumel and 5 night cruises typically have ports of call in Cozumel & Costa Maya. 

Princess Cruises
Princess Cruise Line has 1 ship sailing from Galveston during March 2024. The Regal Princess will be sailing from Galveston and primarily will do 7 night cruises during March 2024. These 7 night cruises have scheduled ports of call  in Cozumel, Roatan, and Belize. There is a 12 night cruise scheduled on the Regal Princess that departs in late March that is a repositioning cruise to get the Regal Princess over to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. 

Norwegian Cruise Line
​Norwegian Cruise Line will have 1 ship sailing from Galveston during March 2024. The Norwegian Prima will be sailing from Galveston and primarily will do 7 night cruises during March 2024. These 7 night cruises will have scheduled ports of call at Costa Maya, Harvest Caye (Belize), and Roatan. 

Galveston Cruise Spring Break Parking:
There are parking garages, indoor parking lots, and outdoor surface lots available near Galveston's cruise terminals. Some parking areas are owned by the Port of Galveston and others are owned by private companies. These tips will help you plan for booking cruise parking during this busy time of year:
1. Reserve Parking In Advance 
Reserving parking in advance will allow you to make sure you have a spot reserved for your cruise. Also, some parking lots will offer discounts if you book online and pre-pay. 
2. Be Prepared For Traffic When Getting To Your Parking Lot
Spring Break is a busy time of year in Galveston both in terms of cruising and general travel. You may encounter traffic on I-45 coming into Galveston or at the ferry if you are coming in from the Bolivar Peninsula. Give yourself extra time to get to get to the parking lot on the day of your cruise and make sure you are allowing yourself time to check-in for your cruise on-time.
3. What are some parking suggestions for a Galveston cruise?
Please check out these posts for my suggestions on parking for a Galveston cruise: 
​Carnival Jubilee Galveston Parking Guide
Carnival Breeze Galveston Parking Guide
​Carnival Dream Galveston Parking Guide
Royal Caribbean Galveston Parking Guide
Norwegian Cruise Line Galveston Parking Guide
Princess Cruise Line Galveston Parking Guide

Galveston Cruise Pre & Post Hotel Stays:
If you are staying in Galveston before or after your cruise these tips are for you.
1. Reserve your hotel room in advance to make sure you can get the hotel of your choice. During Spring Break travel to Galveston is busy and some hotels may fill up. For this reason, I recommend booking in advance to make sure you are able to get the hotel you want.
2. Look for hotels that offer a package with cruise parking. These hotels normally will allow you to keep your car in their lot for the duration of your cruise and this can save you money with parking. 
3.  If you aren't doing anything in Galveston before or after your cruise and cannot find a hotel that meets your needs, maybe consider looking off-Galveston island. There are numerous hotels along I-45 in cities nearby such as Texas City, Dickinson, and League City. Just give yourself time to get to Galveston from your hotel on cruise day. 

Things To Do In Galveston Pre or Post Cruise:
Last year I put together a mini listing of some things to consider doing in Galveston before or after your cruise. This post is not a comprehensive guide to all things to do in Galveston, but I hope it can be a starting point for further research.
Click Here For My Post On Things To Do In Galveston Pre or Post Cruise

Beaches in Galveston:
The beaches in Galveston are popular, especially during spring break. Visiting the beach while you are in Galveston may be a fun & relaxing way to spend some time before or after your cruise. RyG's Cruise Guide does not have many articles on Galveston's beaches, but I do recommend reading the Galveston Island Visitor's Bureau website for more information.
Click Here For An Article On Galveston's Beaches (link will take you to the Visit Galveston website and away from RyG's Cruise Guide). 

Weather:
Whether you are doing anything in Galveston pre or post cruise or just coming to Galveston for the cruise, keeping an eye on the weather is a good idea. 

Traffic and I-45 Construction:
There has been some construction along I-45 in various spots in between Houston & Galveston. I recommend checking Houston Transtar's website for any construction closures or detours that may be in effect when you are trying to travel to Galveston. Also, using tools like Google Maps or Waze might be helpful if you want to use these tools to find the quickest route. 

For More Galveston Cruise Tips & Information:
​Please check out RyG's Cruise Guide's Galveston Cruise Guide section where I share a variety of tips, information, and pictures!
Click Here To View My Galveston Cruise Guide