icon of the seas

World's largest cruise ship to set sail from Galveston in 2027

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, is coming to Galveston to embark on dozens of coastal getaways during the 2027-2028 travel season.

The Icon will offer three dozen six-to-eight-day cruises to popular destinations like Cozumel and Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico; Roatan, Honduras; and Royal Caribbean's private island Perfect Day at CocoCay in The Bahamas. Vacationers who travel to Cozumel also get to visit the new Royal Beach Club Cozumel, which is scheduled to open in 2026.

The gigantic 1,196-foot-long ship boasts a capacity for 7,600 passengers, and features eight themed "neighborhoods" to offer curated experiences for travelers of all ages. Couples who want to relax and connect with nature will enjoy the "Central Park" neighborhood that features an open-air garden with thousands of live plants, while families with young children can take advantage of "Surfside Neighborhood's" splash zones and kid-friendly activities.

"From thrills like Category 6, the largest waterpark at sea, to unmatched chill across seven pools on board and more than 40 places to dine and drink, families are in for a combination of the best of every vacation with experiences for all ages," a press release says.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas cruise ship Category 6 is the largest waterpark at sea, according to Royal Caribbean.Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean

The first expedition setting sail from Galveston in 2027 is a six-night "Western Caribbean" cruise departing on August 16. The trip includes one day each in Puerto Costa Maya, Roatan, and Cozumel before finally returning to Galveston on August 22.

Travelers who want to spend as much time at sea as possible can book an eight-day "Perfect Day at CocoCay & Caribbean" cruise, which will stop in Cozumel, Puerto Costa Maya, then the Bahaman private island.

Here is the full schedule of Icon of the Seas cruises departing from Galveston that are available to book in 2027:

August 16-22 – 6 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
August 22-28 – 6 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
August 28-September 5, 2027 – 8 Night Perfect Day at CocoCay & Caribbean Cruise
September 5-11 – 6 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
September 11-19 – 8 Night Perfect Day at CocoCay & Caribbean Cruise
September 19-25 – 6 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
September 25-October 3 – 8 Night Perfect Day at CocoCay & Caribbean Cruise
October 3-9 – 6 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
October 9-17 – 8 Night Perfect Day at CocoCay & Caribbean Cruise
October 17-23 – 6 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
October 23-31 – 8 Night Perfect Day at CocoCay & Caribbean Cruise
October 31-November 6 – 6 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
November 6-14 – 8 Night Perfect Day at CocoCay & Caribbean Cruise
November 14-21 – 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
November 21-28 – 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
November 28-December 5 – 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
December 5-12 – 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
December 12-19 – 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
December 19-26 – 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise
December 26-January 2, 2028 – 7 Night Western Caribbean Cruise

Seven-night Western Caribbean cruises are scheduled to depart from Galveston beginning January 2, 2028. These trips will take place weekly, departing on a Sunday and arriving back in Galveston on the following Sunday through April 23, 2028.

Icon of the Seas cruises departing from Galveston (starting at $988 per person for a six-night vacation) can be booked on the Royal Caribbean website.

Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas cruise ship

Photo courtesy of Royal Caribbean

Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship in the world.

More cruise news
Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas announcement is the second major Texas cruise news of November: MSC Cruises' MSC Seascape launched its inaugural voyage from a new $156 million Galveston terminal on Sunday, November 9.

As previously reported in CultureMap, the ship's voyages feature a unique upgrade option, called the MSC Yacht Club, which offers guests a 32,000-square-foot private "ship-within-a-ship" experience complete with a dedicated pool, restaurant, lounge, plus butler service, an on-ship concierge, and much more.

Based in Geneva, Switzerland, MSC Cruises is the world’s third-largest cruise line. Departures from Galveston can now be booked through the website.

REVIVING THE ALAMO

Texas landmark the Alamo reclaims historic cannon from private ownership

Photo by Gower Brown/ Unsplash

A 90-pound cannon used in the Battle of the Alamo is returning to its San Antonio home.

It turns out the Alamo's original 1836 cannons are good for more than just defense — they also make a sturdy birdbath. After serving as a garden ornament for Samuel Maverick’s descendants, an authentic piece of San Antonio history is finally returning home to the revered mission.

According to an Alamo announcement, the swivel cannon weighs 90 pounds and is approximately three feet long. The relic was originally found in 1852 when Maverick built a home near the northwest corner of the battle’s site.

The lawyer and land baron was saved from death when he was urged by William Barret Travis to ride to the Texas Declaration of Independence convention in Washington-on-the-Brazos to send reinforcements. Returning to the Alamo’s grounds, he found a cache of cannons buried where the Hotel Gibbs sits today.

From there, the cannon wound up at the Maverick family’s Sunshine Ranch on the Northwest Side, where it was eventually incorporated into the garden DIY project. In 1955, the cannon was removed from the ranch, and the current location remained a mystery until the Alamo received a call from a Maverick relative in Corpus Christi.

Alamo cannon This Alamo artifact gives an idea of what the cannon will look like once restoration is complete.Photo courtesy of the Alamo.

“The relative graciously donated the cannon to the Alamo,” wrote a rep from the mission. “Alamo Senior Researcher and Historian Kolby Lanham and Head Conservator Pam Jary Rosser drove down the very next day to take this piece of history home to the Alamo.”

Although the artillery is mostly intact, it is missing its trunnions (the pivot-point protrusions on the sides of the barrel) and cascabel (the knob and neck assembly at the rear of historic muzzle-loading cannons). The parts were removed by the Mexican army to make the cannon inoperable.

Once preservation is complete, this cannon and the Alamo Collection’s other battle cannons will make their way to the upcoming Visitor Center and Museum, where they will be joined by rocker Phil Collins' collection of Alamo artifacts. The Alamo is in the midst of a $550 million preservation project, which includes conserving the Alamo Church, Long Barrack, and the mission’s original footprint. The museum is on track to debut in late 2027.

history museums artifacts texas history the alamo

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REVIVING THE ALAMO

Texas landmark the Alamo reclaims historic cannon from private ownership