• Galveston, Texas is a popular port destination for vacationers traveling by cruise ship.cruise ship image by Nick Wade from Fotolia.com
  
  Galveston, Texas is a popular port destination for vacationers traveling by cruise ship. People from all across landlocked portions of the United States converge on Galveston's port every week to depart for tropical destinations. As of summer 2010, two cruise lines are operating out of Galveston: Carnival Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines. Three cruise ships call the Port of Galveston home: Carnival's Ecstasy and Conquest and Royal Caribbean's Voyager of The Seas.
  
  

Carnival's Ecstasy

• Carnival Cruise Line's Ecstasy is a resort-style cruise ship that is also kid friendly, making it a popular choice among families. The ship has a number of night clubs, restaurants and shopping venues. For adults, the Ecstasy offers an "adult-only retreat" area, spas and casinos. For the kids, the Ecstasy has a waterpark, a kid's camp and an arcade. The Ecstasy is 855 feet long and has a guest capacity of just over 2,000, not including the 920 staff personnel on board. The Ecstasy sails from the Port of Galveston on alternating Saturdays and Sundays to the Western Caribbean and Mexican destinations such as Progreso and Cozumel. The Ecstasy offers four- and five-day trips.
  
  Carnival Cruise Lines
  
  888-227-6482
  
  carnival.com
  
  

Carnival's Conquest

• The Conquest is a kid-friendly cruise ship that has an entire section, known as Kids' World, dedicated to its younger passengers. The Conquest offers 22 bars and night clubs, has seven hot tubs and can hold just under 3,000 passengers. The Conquest departs the Port of Galveston on Sundays and offers seven-day excursions to the Western Caribbean. Some of the Conquest's ports of call are Nassau, Freeport and Montego Bay.
  
  Carnival Cruise Lines
  
  888-227-6482
  
  carnival.com
  
  

Royal Caribbean's Voyager of The Seas

• When Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines introduced its Voyager of The Seas ship in 1999, it was the largest cruise ship in the world. It has an ice skating rink, rock-climbing wall, conference facilities and accommodations for over 3,000 guests. At over 1,000 feet in length, the Voyager of the Seas is the largest ship in Galveston's fleet of cruise liners. It also departs the Port of Galveston on Sundays and offers seven- to eight-day trips to the Western Caribbean and Mexico.
  
  Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
  
  866-562-7625
  
  royalcaribbean.com
  
  

Anticipated Changes For 2011

• In 2011, the current ships that call the Port of Galveston home will be switched out with other ships. Galveston's present cruise ships will move on to New Orleans and other ports to boost the area's tourism industries. Carnival's Ecstasy and Conquest ships will be replaced by two other Carnival Cruise Lines ships, the Triumph and Magic, in the fall. Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines will introduce another ship in the fall of 2011 in Galveston as well. The Mariner of The Seas will make its Galveston debut sometime in November of 2011.