Galveston, where the trip starts.

Where the photos are in Galveston

1. The Strand Historic District

   A national historic landmark street of late 1800s and early 1900s buildings, with shops and restaurants. It is within walking distance of the two terminals closest to it, and the old brick fronts make a good backdrop for a family picture on the morning you sail.

2. Seawall Boulevard

   A ten mile seawall with the Gulf on one side. Go early for soft light and an empty stretch of sidewalk: it is the easiest place for a wide, clean photo of your whole group.

3. Pleasure Pier

   An amusement pier that runs about 1,130 feet out over the Gulf, with rides, games and food. It looks best in the evening, so it suits the night before you sail more than embarkation day.

4. The tall ship Elissa

   An 1877 sailing ship you can tour at the Galveston Historic Seaport, on Harborside Drive, a short distance from the terminals. Tall masts against the sky make a strong vertical photo.

5. The harbor dolphins

   There are dolphin tours from Harborside Drive, close to the terminals, and dolphins are often seen along the ship channel. On sailing day, keep your phone out as the ship heads down it.

How the light works

Embarkation is usually around midday, when the Gulf sun is high and flat and faces squint. Put your group in open shade, or turn so the sun is at their backs, and save the good light for sail-away: the ship leaves in the afternoon, and the sky over the channel warms up as you go. Hold the phone upright. A vertical photo fills the card best.

Before you go ashore

Set up your sailing before you leave the house: your ship, Galveston, Texas as the port you sailed from, the sail date and the number of nights. It is saved on your phone, it prints on the back of every card, and after that the app works with no signal, which matters once you are at sea.

Details checked September 2026. Piers, fees and schedules change, so confirm with your ship's daily plan.

Questions people ask

Which Galveston terminal is closest to the Strand?

Terminals 25 and 28 are within walking distance of the Strand Historic District. Terminal 10 is farther, so plan on a rideshare or a taxi from there.

Can I make cards while I wait to board?

Yes, if you have opened CardMyCruise once with a signal and added it to your home screen. After that, making and saving cards works with no connection at all.

What do I type in the port box on the first card?

Galveston, Texas. The port you sailed from also goes in your sailing details, typed once and kept for every card. After that, the port box on each card is where that photo was taken.