In the span of a few hours, Princess Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line announced plans to sail from the Bayport Cruise Terminal, located just outside of Houston, Texas.
The 3,080-passenger Caribbean Princess will kick off a season of Caribbean cruises November 5, 2013, with a special four-night sailing to support U.S. veterans. The ship will then offer 25 weeklong Western Caribbean cruises with calls in Costa Maya, Roatan, Belize City and Cozumel.
From fall 2014, 2,374-passenger Norwegian Jewel will launch weeklong Western Caribbean cruises. In a statement, Norwegian, previously known as NCL, said Jewel will be stationed in Houston seasonally for three years, totaling 75 calls, with an option for a two-year extension. Details on the itineraries have not been revealed.