Marking a Texas-sized milestone, Carnival Cruise Line has further solidified its leadership in the Galveston market by becoming the first cruise operator to embark 10 million guests from the port. Marsha Taulton of Houston was honored as the 10 millionth Carnival guest to cruise from Galveston aboard the Carnival Breeze.
Taulton and her husband, Paul, were welcomed aboard with fanfare by Captain Isidoro Renda and Galveston Wharves Port Director and CEO Rodger Rees. An impromptu celebration was held to commemorate this significant occasion.
"This achievement speaks to the success of our longstanding partnership with the port and the greater Galveston community," said Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line. "We are grateful to our guests who have sailed with us from Galveston over the past two decades, continually driving the popularity of this homeport forward. The future is certainly bright, as we’re delighted to welcome more guests aboard than ever before from this great city – next stop, 20 million!"
This milestone comes on the heels of an expansion of Carnival’s operations at the port, which began with the introduction of its new flagship, Carnival Jubilee. Notably, the Carnival Jubilee was the first new cruise ship to be christened in Galveston. The expansion continues this October with the arrival of the Carnival Miracle, completing a strategic four-ship deployment. By the end of the year, Carnival's guest capacity in Galveston is expected to increase by 20 percent compared to last year, accommodating over 800,000 guests annually.
Carnival launched the first year-round cruise program in Galveston in 2000 and has since maintained its position as the leading cruise operator, sailing year-round from the port. Carnival's ships offer a variety of itineraries from Galveston, with dozens of options available through the spring of 2026, visiting popular destinations across the Caribbean and The Bahamas.
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