Galveston cruise parking: lots, shuttle service and real costs

Galveston cruise parking at a glance

For the lowest price with a free shuttle, Lighthouse Parking quoted $145 a week. If you want to walk to a covered spot near the ship, the port’s own garages cost $239.83.

Find your cruise terminal first

The Port of Galveston has four cruise terminals. Royal Caribbean uses Terminal 10. MSC and Norwegian use Terminal 16. Carnival and Disney use Terminals 25 and 28.

Your cruise documents name your terminal. Many private lots still use the old names, Terminal 1 and Terminal 2, so match the street address instead of the number.

Most port lots serve one terminal. The Terminal 16 Garage is the exception. It also runs a free shuttle to Terminal 10.

Port of Galveston parking prices, lot by lot

Port of Galveston lots cost $22 to $35 a day. After a city fee, a service fee and sales tax, a seven-night cruise runs $179.21 to $277.72.

The port runs 14 lots and garages, and its own police patrol them around the clock. All of them take reservations at portofgalveston.com. The port says it is the only parking operation affiliated with Carnival, Disney, Norwegian, Princess and Royal Caribbean.

Walk and ride times are the port’s own estimates from its booking page. Totals cover seven nights and include all taxes and fees.

A few things the price table doesn’t show.

• Two lots didn’t come up for our dates. We couldn’t price the North Premium Lot at Terminal 10 (100 spaces shaded by solar panels) or Lot 1 at Terminal 16.
• Shuttles run about every 5 to 7 minutes, the port says, and many are ADA-equipped for wheelchairs and scooters.
• Lots open at 9 a.m. on most sailing days. A late ship means a later opening.
• The SMP Garage has a 6-foot-8-inch clearance. Lifted trucks and roof boxes belong in a surface lot.
• Looking for the Pier 14 lot? The port’s FAQ and Royal Caribbean’s port page still mention one. For our dates, the booking system showed Pier 10 and Pier 12 lots instead.

What the port adds at checkout

The port adds a $1.15-a-day city parking fee, a $3.50 service fee and 8.25% sales tax. That turns a $22 daily rate into $25.60 a day.

Here’s the receipt the booking page showed for Economy Lot B on a Carnival Dream sailing, November 14 to 21, 2026.

The port bills one day for each night of your cruise. Our seven-night sailing was billed as seven days. A six-night Carnival Jubilee sailing was billed as six.

Private Galveston cruise parking lots, priced for the same week

Private lots near the port quoted $91.41 to $216.15 for a seven-night cruise. The cheapest skip the shuttle. The priciest put your car indoors.

By their own descriptions, these lots sit anywhere from across the street to about a mile from the terminals. The port says it is not affiliated with any private lot and isn’t responsible for cars parked there. Each lot runs its own security and shuttle.

Quotes are for seven-night sailings in November 2026. Lighthouse, Discount Cruise Parking and Park N Cruise showed every tax and fee. EZ, Port Parking and Patriot showed one “pay now” total. Park 2 Cruise showed a subtotal before tax and fees.

Why private shuttles wait to fill up

Port Parking’s FAQ says it pays $25 every time a shuttle enters the terminal. So its shuttles leave every 30 minutes or when full, and the average wait runs about 15 minutes. You’ll see that cost on some receipts, too. Discount Cruise Parking’s checkout added an $11.37 “Port Terminal Access Fee” to our quote.

Lighthouse Parking

Lighthouse quoted $145 for open-air parking and $165 for covered, with a free shuttle both ways. That’s the lowest shuttle price we found.

Open-air parking is at Lot 3, 2801 Market Street. Covered parking is at Lot 1, 325 29th Street. Shuttles serve all four terminals and leave every 30 minutes or when full. Drivers load your bags at both ends. Lighthouse says the price you see is the price you pay, and its quote page showed one flat total.

Its FAQ still lists $11 to $18 a day. Our live quotes worked out to about $21 to $24 a day.

Before you go. Drop-off runs 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and the last shuttle leaves at 2:30 p.m. There are no EV chargers. Cancel at least 48 hours out and expect a $15 fee. In October 2026, codes on its coupons page took $5 to $10 off one spot.

Port Parking

Port Parking had the cheapest quote we found, $91.41, and more choices than any other lot. The catch is that its discount spots come with no shuttle.

The lot sits at 202 37th Street. Here’s what it quoted for a Royal Caribbean or MSC week.

• $91.41 for a discount outdoor spot, no shuttle
• $106.56 for a discount covered spot, no shuttle ($98.98 for MSC)
• $121.72 for a spot with EV charging, no shuttle
• $152.03 for outdoor with a free shuttle ($159.60 for Carnival Dream)
• $205.07 for indoor with a free shuttle

On the no-shuttle spots, the booking page says “Transportation not provided. Uber, Taxi, or Lyft is suggested.” Subtract two rides from your savings before you book.

Before you go. Check-in starts at 9 a.m. The last shuttle leaves at 2 p.m., and arriving later costs a $25 late-shuttle fee. To cancel, email the lot at least 48 hours before you sail. There’s a $25 fee and no refunds for no-shows. Port Parking takes oversized trucks but not RVs.

EZ Cruise Parking

EZ quoted $197.49 for a covered spot with a shuttle on Royal Caribbean and MSC sailings. Carnival sailings cost less, at $182.34 with the shuttle or $167.18 if you walk.

The main lot is at 2727 Santa Fe Place, two blocks from Terminal 25. EZ says it’s 10 blocks from Terminal 10, too far to walk. It also uses different lots depending on availability and season, so confirm where you’ll park. Shuttles run from 9 a.m., and the last bus leaves at 2:30 p.m.

Its FAQ still quotes $11 to $15 a day. Our quotes worked out to about $24 to $28 a day.

Before you go. Cancel at least 24 hours before you sail. There’s a $25 fee and no refunds for no-shows. EZ, Port Parking and Patriot use the same booking system. When EZ is full, it points you to Port Parking, and Port Parking points you to Patriot.

Patriot Cruise Parking

Patriot, formerly Falstaff Cruise Parking, quoted $174.76 for outdoor parking and $205.07 for indoor, both with a free shuttle.

The lot is at 3402 Church Street, and its booking page still carries the Falstaff name. Patriot is the private lot to call if you drive something big. Its FAQ says the facility is built for oversized vehicles, and it offers EV charging.

Before you go. Cancel at least 48 hours before your reserved time to get a refund minus a $25 fee. Inside 48 hours, there’s no refund unless you bought Patriot’s cancellation insurance.

Discount Cruise Parking

Discount Cruise Parking’s booking page shows $129.99 for a seven-night Royal Caribbean week. At checkout, our total came to $169.34.

That’s 30% more than the posted price. The receipt added a $7.89 service fee, the $11.37 port access fee, the $8.05 city fee and $12.04 in sales tax. The lot sits at 433 33rd Street. Free shuttles run about every 12 to 15 minutes, and attendants load your bags from car to shuttle. The site describes the lot as elevated, fenced and gated, with cameras and an attendant every day.

Before you go. We couldn’t find a posted cancellation policy. Ask before you pay.

Galveston Park N Cruise and Galveston VIP Cruise Parking

These two lots sit across Harborside Drive from Terminals 25 and 28. Park N Cruise quoted $174.66 for gated outdoor parking and $216.15 for indoor on a Carnival week.

Park N Cruise posts “from” rates of $140 outdoor and $175 indoor for seven days. Checkout added a 9.5% convenience fee, the city fee and sales tax. There’s no shuttle. You walk across the street, and a free golf cart helps with bags inside the lot.

Galveston VIP Cruise Parking, at 111 Rosenberg, is indoor only and posts seven-day rates from $193 before fees. VIP was sold out for our test sailing and pointed us to Park N Cruise. Both list the same contact email and booking system.

Before you go. Park N Cruise lets you change or cancel up to 72 hours before check-in, with a $25 fee. It can’t take trailers, so call about anything oversized.

Park 2 Cruise

Park 2 Cruise quoted a $129 subtotal for a Royal Caribbean week, before tax and fees. It’s the cheapest walk-in option we found for Terminals 10 and 16.

The lot is at 101 13th Street, across Harborside Drive from Piers 10 and 16. It serves Royal Caribbean, MSC and Norwegian. There’s no shuttle. You drop your bags and riders at the terminal, park and walk back in 4 to 6 minutes.

Before you go. There are no refunds unless you add the $4.99 SailSafe option when you book and cancel at least 24 hours ahead.

Hotel park-and-cruise deals near the port

Two hotels still park your car free with one night’s stay. Most others charge about $100 a week or fold parking and a shuttle into a cruise package.

• Avenue O Bed and Breakfast (2323 Avenue O). Book at least one night directly with the inn and you park free for up to seven days, then $20 a night after that. The inn also drives you to the terminal and back at no charge. Call ahead, because space is limited and parking needs approval. Cruise parking policy
• Gaido’s Seaside Inn (3700 Seawall Boulevard). Stay the night before you sail and parking is free for the length of your cruise, with no posted day limit. The lot is uncovered, and there’s no shuttle, so plan on a taxi or rideshare. Cruise parking details
• The Tremont House (2300 Ship Mechanic Street, downtown). Marriott’s page lists cruise parking at $100 plus tax for up to seven days, starting the day after you sail. Your first night of valet ($36) isn’t included. The same page also lists “Cruise $160+tax,” so ask which rate applies. The shuttle costs $15 a person.
• Hilton Galveston Island Resort (5400 Seawall Boulevard). Long-term parking costs $100 for seven days, and Hilton lists the parking as uncovered. The hotel’s offers page also shows Hilton’s Park, Stay and Go deal, which pairs one night with up to seven nights of parking and a shuttle. Ask whether the shuttle runs to the cruise port.
• Holiday Inn Resort Galveston-On The Beach (5002 Seawall Boulevard). Guests who leave a car while cruising must book a cruise package. It includes a shuttle for up to four people and parking for one car while you sail. Before we picked dates, the package showed rates from $198 a night with fees.
• The San Luis Resort (5222 Seawall Boulevard). Its Stay, Park and Cruise package includes rides to and from the cruise terminal. The resort doesn’t post a price.

We compare 13 hotels, package by package, in our guide to hotels near the Galveston cruise port.

Have a free afternoon before sailing? Check Baywatch dolphin cruise dates for a harbor outing from Pier 21. Arrange parking with your hotel first. A tour ticket does not include cruise parking.

What "free cruise parking" in Galveston really means

No parking lot near the port is free for a week. In Galveston, “free” usually means a hotel night, a free shuttle or a discount code.

Free with a hotel night

This is the closest thing to truly free. Avenue O Bed and Breakfast and Gaido’s Seaside Inn both park your car at no charge while you sail, as long as you book a room night. It only pays off if you planned to stay the night before anyway. If you didn’t, compare the room rate with the port’s $179.21 economy week before you book.

Free shuttle, paid parking

Every port economy lot and most private shuttle lots include the shuttle in your rate. You pay for the space. The ride is free.

Promo codes and points

• Port of Galveston promo code. The port posts a monthly code on its Facebook page, good on online reservations.
• Port loyalty points. Sign-up is free and gives you 50 points, worth $5. You earn one point per parking dollar, not counting tax and fees, and every 10 points take $1 off. A $154 economy week earns about $15 back.
• Disabled veterans get 15% off port lots, for one vehicle per veteran.
• Private lots run their own deals. Lighthouse posts codes on its coupons page. EZ, Port Parking and Patriot each advertise 10% off when you join their loyalty programs.

Actually free

The only free option is a drop-off. Downtown street parking costs $2.25 an hour, every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., according to the City of Galveston. Nine paid hours a day comes to $20.25. That’s close to the port’s economy rate, with no gate and no guard.

Flying in instead? See every way from Houston’s airports to the Galveston cruise port, with real prices.

Tips before you book Galveston cruise parking

The smoothest embarkation days start with a drop-off at the curb and a card in your wallet. Here’s what else trips people up.

1. Drop bags and riders at the terminal first. The port allows it, and porters wait at the curb. EZ Cruise Parking’s FAQ puts the going tip at about $1 a bag.
2. Book early for busy sailings. The port opens reservations up to 18 months out. At EZ and Port Parking, a ship missing from the list usually means that lot is full.
3. Read the cancellation rule. The port’s reservation page says you can cancel with no fee until 24 hours before your sail date. An older “online special” page on the same site lists a $10 fee, so check your confirmation. The port gives no refunds for denied boarding.
4. Measure your truck. The SMP Garage clears 6 feet 8 inches. Most port spaces are 9 by 19 feet.
5. Ask before you bring an RV. Port economy lots take RVs, but a long one may need two spaces. Email parking@portofgalveston.com first.
6. Plan for ADA parking. The port can’t reserve ADA spaces. Every lot has them, including van-accessible spaces, first come, first served.
7. Bring a card. Port lots take Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. They don’t take cash.