Fourth-largest seaport in the U.S. Access to the Gulf of Mexico. Thirteenth busiest port in the world. Sounds like a natural for a cruise terminal, doesn't it?
As the cliche goes…Hello, Houston. Is there a problem?
The problem has been well-documented. The cruise ship terminal that cost $100 million was finished four years ago, after 13 years of planning but before any cruise lines committed to using it as a home port. In four years, cruise-ship traffic has gone from a few to none.
Why?
Galveston is a good part of the reason. That port is right on the Gulf of Mexico. When Hurricane Ike devastated Galveston, ships porting there moved to Houston. Temporarily. The impact of hurricanes like Ike is part of the reason Texas became less desirable, yet Carnival and Royal Caribbean and Princess and Celebrity all currently operate cruises from Galveston.
Approaches were made to a dozen cruise lines in the last year. Nobody came. There could 
be another reason why cruise lines are avoiding Houston, one of our favorite cities.
Reaching the Gulf of Mexico from Galveston is a relatively short trip, at ship speed. Galveston is just under an hour's drive — at 60 miles an hour — from Houston. So travelling the Houston ship channel to the Gulf is likely to take at least a couple of hours, maybe more.
If it's an oil tanker, that's just part of the distance to travel. If it's a cruise ship, that's lost time to generate revenue at on-board shops and casinos, which have to remain closed.
Meanwhile, that $100-million terminal sits just east the city (in Pasadena), without customers. Meanwhile, it reportedly costs more than $4 million a year just to maintain.
In Houston, they're still waiting — and hoping — for that ship to come in.
Carnival Elation
5 nights
August 25, 2012
New Orleans (return): Progreso, Cozumel
Inside: $329
Cost per day: $65
www.carnival.com