Featured Itinerary: Galveston 7 night Western Caribbean Cruise on Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
Right now, the MOST popular itinerary for a Royal Caribbean cruise out of Galveston is on Harmony of the Seas. This 7 night Western Caribbean itinerary has something literally for everyone with options for beach time, culture, adventure, animal interactions, nature and so much more.
Royal Caribbean Cruise out of Galveston Texas (Day 1)
Before we get any further about this itinerary, I want to talk about Royal Caribbean’s BEAUTIFUL port terminal in Galveston, because it is absolutely part of the cruise experience and makes the first day of your cruise and embarkation a pleasant one!
The Terminal
This 161,300 square foot Pier 10 terminal is exclusive to Royal Caribbean and opened in November of 2022. 7 of our MAT Advisors were on the inaugural sailing out of the brand new port on Allure of the Seas, and it was such a vastly better experience from other Galveston terminals. The building is big, beautiful, bright and very well maintained. Parking at the Royal Caribbean Galveston terminal is such a breeze too! Talk to your MAT Advisor about getting a promo code for Galveston port parking!
The Boarding Process
We’ve been to other ports where it took HOURS to board, which is a less than ideal way to start a vacation! The boarding process for the Royal Caribbean Galveston terminal utilizes mobile check-in and facial recognition, and it was so incredibly fast and easy, this terminal is complete game changer for cruising! We went from the parking lot to drink in hand in 15 minutes. Incredible. Having a boarding process that is fast, efficient and smooth helps our MAT client families to the fun even faster and allows you to start your cruise without frustration or drama. That’s Mom Approved.
The Convenient Location
With Galveston, Texas being a convenient central US location, it is so much easier to sail when you don’t have to worry about flights! You will find many cruisers from Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana simply drive in to Galveston.
The Galveston Royal Caribbean port experience is SO good, it should weigh into your sailing choice.
Days at Sea on Royal Caribbean Oasis Class ships (Day 2 & 3)
Besides an incredibly fast boarding process, the new Galveston port also brought Texas the ability to dock larger ships. Enter Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class ships! Allure of the Seas was here for the inaugural season, but Harmony of the Seas replaced Allure in November 2023.
Harmony of the Seas will stay in Galveston until March 16, 2026 when she will head to Barcelona on a 16 night Transatlantic repositioning cruise, and will be an incredible value if you have the time off! But don’t worry, Allure of the Seas will be replacing Harmony of the Seas starting March 22, 2026 and she will take over the Oasis class Galveston itineraries.
What does an Oasis class ship mean for your cruise days at Sea? Bigger ship, bigger fun, with plenty of space for everyone to play or relax!
The Oasis Class Neighborhood Concept
At Mom Approved Travel, we LOVE Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class ships for families. They are designed with ship “neighborhoods” including a dedicated zone for the kiddos filled to the brim with entertainment. Great dining options, chill and thrill activities that will keep everyone on a multi-generational cruise having fun their way!
Adventure onboard Harmony of the Seas
Some of the thrill you will find on Harmony of the Seas is a rock climbing wall, ice skating rink, surf simulator, carousel, zipline, Splashaway Bay water park, 3 Perfect Storm water slides and The Ultimate Abyss, a 10-story dry-slide if you are brave enough to try!
Note: Allure of the Seas is set to be retrofitted with Splashaway Bay, The Ultimate Abyss, Perfect Storm and a redesigned Adventure Ocean space before returning Amplified to Galveston during its next update.
Royal Caribbean Oasis Class ships have much larger, and far more robust youth and Adventure Ocean kids club programming for kids and teens over the smaller ships in the fleet.
Adventure Ocean youth program kids clubs are broken into 3 different age groups:
Aquanauts for 3-5 years old, Explorers for kiddos 6-8 years old and Voyagers 9-12 years old. Each of these groups will experience age appropriate fun that is engaging and memorable with fun counselors.
Teens have their own areas of fun andare broken into 2 groups, 12-14 years and 15-17 years so they can enjoy exclusive areas, activities and fun with other teens their age.
Roatan, Honduras (Day 4)
For your first port stop, you will be able to experience the beauty of Roatan, Honduras from approximately 8 am to 5 pm. Roatan is home to white-sand beaches, dense jungles, mangrove forests and the world’s second largest coral reef – a location loved by divers and snorkelers!
There is a wide variety of Roatan shore excursions to choose from, so there is something for everyone at every activity level! In Roatan you can:
- plop on a beautiful beach on on a beach break
- snorkel a shipwreck
- explore the ocean with an underwater motor scooter
- scuba dive
- experience the local culture on a guided tour
- ride an ATV through the jungle
- visit an Adventure Park
- interact with Monkeys, Sloths and Iguanas in a wildlife interaction or visit one of the many wildlife preservation parks
- sail on a catamaran
- see and taste chocolate in a way never before on a cacao plantation
- and so much more!
Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico (Day 5)
For your Puerto Costa Maya port stop, you will be able to experience the ruins, jungles and beaches of Mexico from approximately 8 am to 5 pm. There is a variety of Costa Maya shore excursions to choose from, so you will be able to find something everyone can enjoy! In Puerto Costa Maya you can:
- visit Mayan ruins
- enjoy a beach break
- swim with dolphins
- visit Balacar and the beautiful 7 colors lagoon
- swim in a cenote
- snorkel
- ride on a glass bottom boat tour
- and more
Some of our MAT Client families also like to take advantage of using this port day as a day to enjoy the ship to enjoy an empty ship and great spa deals!
Cozumel, Mexico (Day 6)
For your final port stop, you will visit one of the most popular ports in Cozumel, Mexico from approximately 7 am to 4 pm. Cozumel has so many cultural, adventure and relaxation excursion options available, everyone will find something they love!
Playa Mia Grand Beach is one of the most popular options for a family beach break as it offers relaxation, a family-friendly water park, pools, kayaks and while this location is popular it does not feel too busy! Beyond a beach break, there are many other fun ways to spend the day in Cozumel:
- snorkeling the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef
- dolphin encounters
- culinary adventures
- explore the island with an ATV tour
- visit the Chichen Itza Ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage site
- and more!
Back at Sea (Day 7)
Your last full cruise day will be spent at Sea and you can take advantage of all the fun activities on your Oasis class ship on your Royal Caribbean Cruise! Some of our favorite ways to enjoy a Harmony of the Seas day at sea:
- enjoy a meal at Wonderland
- visit the spa
- watch the Broadway hit, Grease on stage
- try to improve our skills on the Flowrider
- spend time longing in the Solarium, the adult exclusive area
- participate in game shows, trivia
- watch an outdoor movie while we relax in the pool
- have an adulty beverage at the Bionic Bar
- try to escape the Rubicon
- play a round of mini golf at sea
- dance at the silent disco
- play a little pickleball
- and more!
We love the versatility of activities that our MAT client families have to choose from on a day at sea no matter their mood or where their whims take them, there is something for kids, teens, parents, grandparents and couples so everyone has a great time!
Return to the Port of Galveston (Day 8)
After your 7th night, it will be time to head back to reality and start planning your NEXT Royal Caribbean cruise with your Mom Approved Travel Advisor! While you will likely feel a little sad (totally normal) leaving the ship, the disembarkation is a very smooth to soften the blow.
Don’t worry, you have plenty of time to grab breakfast either at the buffet or in the main dining room, which is my favorite last day tradition.
Also, when you disembark, if you want a bit of a giggle- notice how many irons, steamers and other curiosities waiting to be picked up by guests as they leave the ship on the “table of shame” (that’s not the real name) that were confiscated from passengers who did NOT read the what not to bring list or have a Travel Advisor to guide them!
Galveston Cruising with Mom Approved Travel
I hope you love this itinerary as much as we do, the 7 night Western Caribbean is a favorite among our MAT client families, as well as MAT’s Texas Travel Advisors and their families.
When you book your Royal Caribbean Cruise vacation with Mom Approved Travel, not only do you have the assistance of a Professional Travel Advisor to craft the perfect cruise for your family, you also get our Royal Caribbean Mom Approved guide customized for your people to make your vacation even easier!
Whether you would like to try this itinerary, a shorter one, or a port out of Florida, Alaska or Europe- we can help make it happen, simply click here to start the conversation!
