Disney to start sailing out of Galveston in 2012

More cruise magic is coming to Galveston.

Disney Cruise Line will announce Wednesday morning that the Disney Magic will sail 12 seven-night cruises from the Port of Galveston to the Western Caribbean beginning Sept. 22, 2012. Ports of call include Grand Cayman and Mexico's Costa Maya and Cozumel.

Rates for the seven-night Western Caribbean cruise itinerary departing from Galveston will start at $840 per person for a standard inside stateroom, based on double occupancy, according to a Disney news release. One travel agent said not to expect sales for passage aboard the ship that sleeps up to 2,700 passengers.

"Mickey does not go on sale. That cheese is way too expensive," said Steve Cosgrove, owner of Dallas area Dynamic Travel.

Disney's Magic will join the Carnival Cruise Lines' ship called Carnival Magic, which begins sailing from Galveston on Nov. 14. Carnival's Triumph will also begin sailing out of Galveston on Oct. 6. Carnival's Ecstasy and Conquest now sail out of Galveston but will be repositioned to New Orleans.

Royal Caribbean International's Voyager of the Seas also calls on Galveston. And in December, Princess Cruises' Crown Princess will also sail out of Galveston.

Meanwhile, the Port of Houston Authority's $71 million Bayport Cruise Terminal still doesn't have a ship regularly calling on the facility that was built in 2009.

Cruise lines are more interested in sailing out of Galveston because its downtown shopping, hotels and Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark appeal to travelers while the closest major tourist attractions to Bayport are Kemah and NASA, said Cosgrove.

jenalia.moreno@chron.com