Good news Disney cruise fans. The cruise line just announced several trips departing Galveston during early 2017.

These cruises were somewhat expected since it was already known that the Disney Wonder was sailing from the port in December 2016. However, the announcement makes it official that Disney will finish the 2016-2017 winter season in Galveston.

In total, Disney announced three cruises will sail from Galveston in January 2017. On January 6 and 13, the Wonder will set sail on seven-night trips to the eastern Caribbean. The cruises have stops in Key West, Castaway Cay, and Nassau.

After that, the cruise line sets out for a six-night trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico on January 20, stopping in Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Falmouth, Jamaica in between. This will mark the last cruise of the season for Disney from Galveston.

In the 2014-2015 winter season, Disney opted not to sail from Galveston. However, the port is booming in popularity and the cruise line decided to return both this year and next. This could mark the beginning of annual cruises for the line.

One headwind for Disney in Galveston seems to be cost. The cruise line is by far the most expensive in Galveston or Houston. Meanwhile, the market is dominated by low-cost Carnival, which offers hundreds of trips each year for as little as $300 per person.

As Galveston cruising continues to grow, however, there could be room for Disney to sail from the port year-round, especially if and when the third cruise terminal is completed.

Cruising in Galveston is getting bigger and better.

On November 13, Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas arrives in port, replacing the Navigator of the Seas. The ship marks a new standard in Galveston cruising. As the first Freedom-class ship Royal Caribbean ship to sail from the island, it’s a signal that Galveston is no longer a small-town port.

We’ve looked into the new ship and have all the details of what you can expect when sailing.

The Ship

The Liberty of the Seas is the largest ship ever to sail from Galveston. At 1,112 feet, it is approximately 90 feet longer than the Navigator and carries over 3,600 passengers.

On board you’ll find no shortage of things to do. In addition to the now standard rock-climbing walls and mini-golf course, Liberty has a FlowRider surf simulator, ice-skating rink, full-sized basketball court and even a boxing ring. And don’t forget the staggering 10 hot tubs and pools on board.

As for dining options, you’ll have your standard dining room and Windjammer Cafe (buffet). But you also have Sorrento’s Pizza, Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream, and The Cupcake Cupboard. Of course, premium restaurants like Chops Grille, Portofino and Johnny Rockets are also available.

Some other cool features include the outdoor poolside movie screen, a new 3D movie theater, and a 10,000 square foot casino for adults.

For more on what you can expect on board, check out this video tour:

The Cruises

Liberty of the Seas will sail primarily 7-day cruises to the Western Caribbean year-round, much like the Navigator of the Seas does currently. Trips on the Liberty will visit ports like Roatan, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Falmouth, Jamaica. Most trips sail Sunday to Sunday. In addition, there are a couple of 8 and 9-day itineraries available for those who want longer cruises.

Right now there are very reasonable fares available aboard the ship. Trips departing between Thanksgiving and Christmas are as low as $429 per person. In general we expect prices to be in line with past Royal Caribbean cruises.

What it means for Galveston Cruising

Getting the Liberty of the Seas to homeport year-round in Galveston is a big deal. This is the largest cruise ship to sail from Galveston and a concrete symbol of how much the port continues to grow as a cruise destination.

With the Bayport Terminal in Houston ending cruises for the foreseeable future, the expansion of the second cruise terminal, and the talk of building a third cruise terminal, it’s obvious that Galveston has enormous momentum in cruising. That means the potential for more cruise lines, sailings, and lower prices in the future.

Photo: Roger W.

In 2016, Galveston will have more than 240 cruises sailing from her port. That’s a record amount of departures, which should get anyone who sails from the island excited.

While Galveston cruising is seeing a record amount of passengers (it’s already the fourth-largest departure point in the United States), it’s also seeing a record number of berths given the number of cruises and bigger ships.

Of course, that means the cruise lines will offer some attractive prices to fill up those rooms. Combine that with sailing during the the cheap seasons for cruises and you can find some unbelievable deals.

With that in mind, we went in search to find the cheapest Galveston cruises available for all of 2016.

Three cruise lines sail from the port — Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Disney — over the course of the year. Of those, Carnival offers the cheapest rates, bar none. That’s not to say that every Carnival cruise is cheaper than competitors, but when it comes to the absolute lowest rates, Carnival wins.

In fact, of the 10 cheapest cruises we found, all of them are on Carnival. We’ve put the results below. This list is sorted by the price per day to compare apples to apples. Shorter cruises will generally be cheaper overall than longer ones.

The rates below represent the price per person for an interior room (This is the no-frills “get your butt on the ship” rate.) Keep in mind these rates can and will change. You can check the latest rates at Carnival.com.

We know that not everyone is interested in the price per day, however. They want to see the overall cheapest cruises.

Again, Carnival is the clear winner in this category. In particular, their cheap 4 and 5-day trips that sail to Mexico are the absolute cheapest cruises available. For as little as $299 per person you can get on the ship.

Find a better deal for cruising from Galveston in 2016? Let us know in the comments below.

Galveston is a great cruise port because it is easy to find affordable airfare, and this location can be easily accessed from anywhere in the country. As well, with Carnival and Royal Caribbean sailing year-round, there is plenty of competition for your cruise dollars — meaning the cruise lines often cut prices to get you to sail with them.

If you are planning to go on a cruise in July 2015, then you should consider these cheap itineraries out of Galveston. Keep in mind that the prices are listed based on their price-per-day, so that you can compare the value of itineraries of different lengths. The prices below are for a single passenger in an interior stateroom.

Less Than $100 Per Day
The cheapest cruise itineraries during July can be found at a price of less than $100 per day, which is a great deal since it includes accommodation, food, and entertainment during the more expensive summer months.

• Carnival Freedom, July 11th – 18th: Visiting Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel, this week-long cruise has an itinerary with unique destinations. Climb a waterfall in Jamaica, go swimming in Stingray City, or enjoy a day of scuba diving in Cozumel.

• Carnival Freedom, July 25th – August 1st: With stops in Roatan, Belize City, and Cozumel, there’s something for everyone. This is the perfect itinerary for people who enjoy scuba diving or snorkeling, because all of the ports have great sea life to view. These stops are some of the most popular diving sites in the world.

Less Than $150 Per Day
While the cheapest cruises sail during July for less than $100 per day, there are quite a few Galveston cruises that fall within the $100 – $150 per day price range. Here are a few of our top picks:

• Carnival Triumph, July 18th – 23rd: Visiting Progreso and Cozumel, Mexico. This is the perfect itinerary if you want to get away for just a few days and enjoy the beautiful beaches in Mexico. With two days at sea in this cruise, there is plenty of time for both sightseeing and relaxation aboard the ship

• Navigator of the Seas, July 19th – 26th: This cruise visits Cozumel, Belize City, and Roatan, offering a great itinerary for scuba divers and snorkelers. This itinerary is similar to the cheaper Carnival Freedom cruise, but you will enjoy upgraded amenities aboard the ship. The ship was refurbished in 2014, so the new remodel is only a year old.

• Navigator of the Seas, July 12th – 19th: Visiting Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Falmouth, this unique itinerary shouldn’t be missed! The combination of the good ports of call as well as the beautiful ship (as well as a cheap price from Galveston) is the reason this cruise made it on our list.

If you’re interested in one of the cruises above, you can search Carnival’s schedule here and Royal Caribbean’s here.

Navigator of the Seas is the largest ship ever to sail from the Port of Galveston. Measuring more than 1,000 feet and with the capacity for more than 5,000 passengers and crew, it’s not a joke to call it a floating city.

That can be overwhelming for a first-time cruiser. That’s why we wanted to share the video below with you. It’s an awesome video tour we found on YouTube showcasing all the important parts of the ship. Unlike some video tours, the commentary on this one keeps it fun and interesting, while providing a lot more information.