Sponsored Events Include Free Party with Drone Show, Elegant Gala and History Book Release

GALVESTON, TX (July 23, 2025) – The Galveston Wharves is celebrating its 200th anniversary this year with three big events in October, all hosted by the port and funded by bicentennial sponsors, including presenting sponsors Carnival Cruise Line; Royal Caribbean, part of Royal Caribbean Group; and Callan Marine.

Events include a free Party on the Pier presented by Royal Caribbean Friday, Oct. 17, at Pier 21, and the 200th Anniversary Gala presented by Carnival Cruise Line, with entertainment presented by Callan Marine, Saturday, Oct. 18, at Galveston Island Convention Center.

The Galveston Wharves is also publishing a 140-page, hardcover book in collaboration with Galveston Historical Foundation. Filled with rare historical images, the commemorative, limited-edition book recounts the Port of Galveston’s fascinating history of pirates, naval battles, riches, and resilience.

Rodger Rees, Galveston Wharves port director and CEO, said, “Thanks to the generous support of our 34 anniversary sponsors, we’re celebrating our 200th birthday and recognizing our many port partners in a big way, with net proceeds funding maritime scholarships at Texas A&M University at Galveston.”

The port kicked off its bicentennial celebration on May 22 with its annual National Maritime Day event presented by Wallenius Wilhelmsen, with vessel tours, including a U.S. Coast Guard cutter, and a ceremony at Pier 21. More than 300 people, including dignitaries, student groups and port partners, attended the free event.

The celebration continues the weekend of Oct. 17, the official 200th anniversary date of the port’s founding, with the following:

• Friday, Oct. 17 – Party on the Pier, a free public event presented by Royal Caribbean, with dance bands, a drone show over Galveston Harbor, and family activities, 5:30-10 p.m. at Pier 21, 2100 Harborside Dr.
• Saturday, Oct. 18 – Carnival Cruise Line is presenting the 200th Anniversary Gala beginning at 6 p.m. at the Galveston Island Convention Center, 5600 Seawall Blvd., with a 10-piece dance band presented by Callan Marine. Sponsor tables are available now, with individual seats available Aug. 11. Click here to reserve sponsor tables and seats.
• October – The Galveston Wharves will release its 140-page, hardcover history book covering the port’s 200-year history and spotlighting its bicentennial sponsors. Details about book sales will be available in September at www.portofgalveston200.com.

Party on the Pier Presented by Royal Caribbean
What’s a birthday party without cake and dancing? The Port of Galveston’s free Party on the Pier, presented by Royal Caribbean, on Friday, Oct. 17, will feature a spectacular 15-minute drone show, live music, a Jean Lafitte pirate lookalike contest with prizes, food trucks and family fun.

“We are honored to be a part of the Galveston Wharves’ 200th anniversary celebration. This milestone is a testament to the port’s rich history and its vital role in the maritime industry,” said Josh Carroll, Senior Vice President, Destination Development, Royal Caribbean Group. “The friends and families who choose cruise vacations with us are drawn to Galveston’s incredible hospitality, and we are excited to bring the community together for a memorable event that showcases the spirit of Galveston and its enduring legacy.”

Gates for the community celebration will open at 5 p.m. with Rouge Krewe, a 10-member party band from Lafayette, La., kicking off the party at 5:30 p.m. Galveston’s own, The Lineup, will keep everyone dancing until the drone show over Galveston Harbor begins at 9 p.m. During the aerial display, a fleet of 400 drones will create intricate animations and images during a narrated show about the port. Face painters, balloon artists, giveaways and more will add family fun to the pirate-themed party.

Port 200th Anniversary Gala Presented by Carnival Cruise Line
The Galveston Wharves will host an elegant evening of dinner and dancing at the Port of Galveston’s 200th Anniversary Gala presented by Carnival Cruise Line beginning at 6 p.m. at the Galveston Island Convention Center, 5600 Seawall Blvd. The gala will also celebrate Carnival’s 25th anniversary as the first cruise line to homeport in Galveston.

Christine Duffy, president of Carnival Cruise Line, said, “As the first cruise line to sail year-round from the Port of Galveston, we’re delighted to celebrate and proud to support its remarkable 200-year milestone. Over the past 25 years, our presence here has grown immensely, as Galveston has established itself as one of the most popular cruise ports in the U.S. It’s easy to see why 11 million Carnival guests have enjoyed cruising from this beautiful city. With a four-ship deployment, including our flagship Carnival Jubilee that sports a Texas Star on her bow, we honor and build on our great partnership every time a Carnival cruise sets sail from Galveston.”

The evening will begin with a cocktail reception before guests enter a deep-sea blue, nautical-themed ballroom for dinner and dancing. Cadets in the Hearn Honor Guard from Texas A&M University at Galveston will perform the Saber Arch as honorees are announced.

The program will include the debut of a port history video and a scholarship check presentation. After dinner, the 10-member party band Manhattan will get everyone dancing. To cap off the evening, each guest will receive a gift copy of the port’s commemorative history book.

“As the Port of Galveston celebrates 200 years, we’re proud to have played a role in its legacy. We remain committed to supporting its continued growth and the future of our maritime community,” said John Sullivan, president of Callan Marine.

Rees said, “Thanks to the generous support of our bicentennial sponsors, net proceeds from the port’s 200th anniversary will fund maritime scholarships at Texas A&M University at Galveston.”

Texas A&M’s marine and maritime campus is dedicated to driving the blue economy through education, innovation and training. The campus is home to the Texas A&M College of Marine Sciences and Maritime Studies and the Texas A&M Maritime Academy.

200 Years of Commerce
The Port of Galveston was established by a proclamation issued by the Congress of Mexico on October 17, 1825, while the land known today as Texas still belonged to Mexico. The port has operated as the Galveston Wharves since 1940, when it became a city entity.

Today, the 840-acre port is a thriving commercial center with infrastructure and assets to serve growing cruise, cargo and commercial businesses. The port is the fourth most popular cruise home port in the U.S., hosting five major cruise lines and moving more than 3.4 million cruise passengers a year.

The port also leases and maintains a wide range of cargo facilities on the deep-water Galveston Harbor, which is ranked among the top 40 busiest U.S. cargo waterways.

Visit the port’s bicentennial website, www.portofgalveston200.com, for more information about bicentennial events, sponsors and port history. Email info@portofgalveston200.com to sign up for port news, including bicentennial updates.

ABOUT CARNIVAL CRUISE LINE

Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is the first cruise line to sail over 100 million guests and is proud to be known as America’s Cruise Line, for carrying more Americans and serving more U.S. homeports than any other. Since its founding in 1972, Carnival has continually revolutionized the cruise industry and popularized the cruise vacation as an affordable and fun travel option. Carnival operates from 13 U.S. and two Australian homeports, as well as seasonally from Europe, and employs more than 50,000 team members representing 120 nationalities.

Carnival’s fleet of 29 ships reflects an exciting period of growth that continues with the addition of five ships through 2033: fourth and fifth Excel class ships scheduled for 2027 and 2028 respectively; followed by three additional new ships from an innovative new class currently under development. Carnival’s next new guest offering will be the all-new exclusive destination, Celebration Key, set to debut on Grand Bahama this summer.

Media Contact: media@carnival.com

ABOUT ROYAL CARIBBEAN

Royal Caribbean, part of Royal Caribbean Group (NYSE: RCL), has delivered memorable vacations for more than 50 years. The cruise line’s game-changing ships and exclusive destinations revolutionize vacations with innovations and an all-encompassing combination of experiences, from thrills to dining and entertainment, for every type of family and vacationer. Voted “Best Cruise Line Overall” for 22 consecutive years in the Travel Weekly Readers Choice Awards, Royal Caribbean makes memories with adventurers across more than 300 destinations in 80 countries on all seven continents, including the line’s top-rated exclusive destination, Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas.

Media can stay up to date by following @RoyalCaribPR on X and visit www.RoyalCaribbeanPressCenter.com. For additional information or to book, vacationers can visit www.RoyalCaribbean.com, call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN or contact their travel advisor.

ABOUT WALLENIUS WILHELMSEN AND AMERICAN ROLL-ON ROLL-OFF CARRIER (ARC)

About Wallenius Wilhelmsen
The Wallenius Wilhelmsen group is a market leader in roll-on/roll-off (RoRo) shipping and vehicle logistics, managing the distribution of cars, trucks, rolling equipment, and breakbulk to customers all over the world. The company operates around 125 vessels servicing 15 trade routes to six continents, a global inland distribution network, 66 processing centers, and eight marine terminals. With its head office in Oslo, Norway, the Wallenius Wilhelmsen group has about 9,500 employees in 28 countries worldwide. Read more at www.walleniuswilhelmsen.com.

About American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier (ARC)
ARC provides government services including global logistics and shipping services. ARC and its U.S. affiliates own and manage the largest U.S.-flag Ro-Ro fleet. This includes providing American-owned, managed, and crewed Ro-Ro shipping and intermodal services committed to the requirements of the Department of Defense, other U.S. Government departments and agencies, and commercial customers. Learn more at www.ARCshipping.com.

ABOUT CALLAN MARINE

Callan Marine, LTD. is a Texas-based, family-owned dredging and marine construction business founded in 2009. Callan Marine performs dredging projects for both private and public clients by providing services to restore berthing depths for ship docks, navigation channels, or otherwise facilitate transportation in our nation’s waterways. Find more information by visiting www.callanmarineltd.com.