Galveston Bay is the second-busiest port in the nation by overall tonnage. Other major ports utilizing the bay include the Port of Texas City and the Port of Galveston. With its diverse marine life, Galveston Bay also produces more seafood than any bay in the nation except the Chesapeake. The Gulf Coast gained its present configuration during the most recent glacial period approximately 18 ka (thousands of years ago). Low global sea levels allowed the Texas mainland to extend significantly further south than it is presently, and the Trinity River had carved a deep canyon through present-day Bolivar Roads on its way
Galveston, Texas Triumph" in the first half of 2016 with "Carnival Breeze" and "Carnival Liberty", respectively, but replaced "Liberty" with "Carnival Valor" later in the year due to mechanical issues. "Carnival Breeze" and "Carnival Freedom" sail seven-day Caribbean cruises, and "Carnival Valor" sails four- and five-day Caribbean cruises from Galveston. Carnival plans on replacing "Breeze" with "Carnival Vista" in 2018, and "Valor" with "Carnival Dream" in 2019. Galveston is the home port to Royal Caribbean International's, MS "Liberty of the Seas", which is the largest cruise ship ever based here and one of the largest ships in the world. In September 2012