Disney ship to sail from Galveston starting in 2012 Disney's Magic bound for Galveston

Disney Cruise Line announced today that it will bring its vessel, the Magic, to the Port of Galveston beginning Sept. 22, 2012. Disney Cruise Line announced today that it will bring its vessel, the Magic, to the Port of Galveston beginning Sept. 22, 2012. Photo: Disney Photo: Disney Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Disney ship to sail from Galveston starting in 2012 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Disney Cruise Line announced Wednesday that it will bring its Magic vessel to the Port of Galveston beginning Sept. 22, 2012.

As reported Tuesday in the Chronicle, the line has scheduled the 2,400-passenger cruise ship for 12 seven-night voyages to Grand Cayman and Mexico's Costa Maya and Cozumel. Rates start at $840 per person.

The Florida cruise line will add two ships next year, for a total of four. They will operate out of new home ports in Galveston, New York and Seattle in addition to existing ones in Los Angeles and Port Canaveral, Fla., company officials said during a news conference at a downtown Houston hotel.

The 2011 itineraries for the vessels Disney operates now, the Magic and the Wonder, include departures out of Port Canaveral, Los Angeles, Juneau, Alaska, and European ports.

The 2011 itineraries for the vessels Disney operates now, the Magic and the Wonder, include departures out of Port Canaveral, Los Angeles, Juneau, Alaska, and European ports.

"Galveston is a proven cruise port," said Karl Holz, president of Disney Cruise Line.

By the time the Magic sets sail out of Galveston, the island port will have five cruise ships calling regularly.

Although the Port of Houston Authority spent $71 million on a cruise terminal at its Bayport property, no cruise line has made scheduled stops there.

Port Authority spokeswoman Lisa Ashley said Wednesday evening that the port "is still actively pursuing viable options within the cruise line industry."

Holz said the Disney line looked at a number of factors in deciding where in Texas to base the Magic. One factor was that Galveston's terminal is closer to the Gulf of Mexico than Bayport's, he said.

"Maybe at some point and time we would consider Houston," Holz said.

In 2009, a 2010 Cruise Line International Association report estimated that Galveston's cruise industry generated $34.7 million in passenger and crew onshore spending in Texas.

Port of Galveston director Steven Cernak said he hopes Disney extends its stay beyond the cruises scheduled for next year.

jenalia.moreno@chron.com