GALVESTON, Texas – Federal investigators are boarding cruise ships nearly every week at the Port of Galveston to investigate crimes committed in international waters, KPRC 2 News has learned, as the Texas port experiences record-breaking passenger volumes.
The FBI’s Texas City office has assigned a dedicated special agent to handle cruise-related crimes, responding to incidents ranging from sexual assaults to suspicious deaths aboard vessels departing or arriving at America’s fourth-busiest cruise port.
“They’re floating cities,” said Don Gay, Senior Supervisory Resident Agent at the FBI’s Texas City office. “If something happens that’s illegal, you’re going to meet the FBI at your port when you get back.”
Rising tourism combined with security challenges
Port of Galveston data reveals the past two years have marked the highest passenger volumes in its history, with further growth expected as a fourth terminal is set to open later this year. This surge in maritime tourism has intensified the focus on passenger safety and security measures.
Cruise passenger data from the Port of Galveston:
- 2016 – 1,703,289
- 2017 – 1,861,549
- 2018 – 1,966,176
- 2019 – 2,204,532
- 2020 – 476,123 (start of COVID March 12)
- 2021 – 565,090 (cruises resume July 3)
- 2022 – 2,082,814
- 2023 – 2,979,275
- 2024 – 3,401,455
- 2025 projected – 3,600,000+
In March, the Port of Galveston saw 52 cruise ship arrivals, which was the busiest March ever, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Acting Area Port Director John Landry said.
According to FBI estimates, alcohol plays a role in approximately 80 percent of shipboard incidents that require federal investigation. These cases primarily involve sexual assaults and physical altercations resulting in serious injuries. Agents also investigate suspicious deaths, missing persons reports, and high-value theft cases.
“It really comes back to personal responsibility on these cruise ships, and that’s people knowing when to stop,” Gay said, highlighting the role passengers play in preventing onboard incidents.
Data shared by the FBI reveals agents investigated nearly 500 cruise ship crimes nationwide in recent years.
- 2022 – 103
- 2023 – 180
- 2024 – 168
The top three crimes onboard are sexual assault, assault with serious bodily injury, or theft greater than $10,000, according to FBI data.
The nature of cruise operations creates unique challenges for law enforcement.
“We have a very small window to investigate the scene because you have a moving target, the ships in port, they’re doing a turnover and moving out of port,” Gay said.
Following FBI investigations connected to Galveston cruise ships, Gay said the findings are often transferred to the FBI field office that covers the area where a suspect calls home for a prosecution determination by the local U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Enhanced security measures
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) conducts extensive research on passenger manifest data days before boarding the vessel.
The vetting process frequently identifies individuals with outstanding warrants.
“Almost every cruise we see somebody,” Landry said, referring to warrant-related arrests made either before boarding or upon return.
CBP uses facial-recognition technology to quickly screen passengers upon their return to the port.
“We’re looking for things that don’t belong, whether they be foodstuffs or medicines or narcotics or things that that they’ve purchased,” Landry said.
He estimates one of the most common items stopped by CBP agents is medicines that people buy at other ports and bring back, thinking they are safe or legal.
“This serves as the functional equivalent of the border,” he said. “We have seen a dramatic increase in our workload.”
During a recent passenger brawl caught on camera, CBP detained 10 people at the port, one person got arrested by Port police, and Carnival confirmed 24 people got placed on the cruise line’s Do Not Sail list. The FBI wasn’t involved because the incident didn’t happen in international waters.
Preventive measures and passenger screening
The port maintains secure facilities with holding cells for processing passengers who violate laws during their voyage. There are also special facilities to examine any obscure items travelers may bring home, like fruits or seeds.
CBP officials typically receive advance notice about problematic travelers before ships return to port.
“When an individual or family comes on a cruise, they can go on board and not have to worry about that. That’s our ultimate goal,” Landry said, emphasizing their commitment to passenger safety.
Despite the regular occurrence of shipboard incidents, authorities stress that most cruises proceed without serious issues.
Protecting your cruise experience
Law enforcement officials recommend several safety measures for cruise travelers:
- Book excursions only through cruise line-vetted providers
- Monitor bank accounts for suspicious activity during and after the cruise
- Be vigilant about potential credit card skimming devices onboard
- Practice responsible alcohol consumption