Free State of Galveston made these businesses increasingly difficult to sustain. By the end of the 1950s, this era of Galveston's history had ended. The island of Galveston, which lies on the Gulf of Mexico, held one of the first major settlements in the eastern part of what is now Texas. During the mid-to-late-19th century, it became the largest city in the state. Galveston was also an important national commercial center and one of the busiest seaports in the United States, as the Port of Galveston was able to capitalize on Texas' rapid rise in the cotton trade. Its downtown was known as the
Port of Galveston terminals were closed for several months, forcing Carnival to use the Bayport Cruise Terminal temporarily. At Carnival's behest, the port embarked on major improvements to Terminal 1 in 2010. The terminal was expanded to provide more seating, restrooms, and security screening stations. In 2011, Carnival added a second year-round ship in Galveston, the "Carnival Triumph", increasing their capacity by 40%. The following year, Carnival transferred the "Carnival Magic", to Galveston, marking the first time that a cruise line had based its newest ship at this port. Both Princess Cruise Lines and Disney Cruise Lines stationed ships in Galveston for the