Galveston’s economy took a hit when Carnival officials announced that the Carnival Triumph, which was crippled by an engine fire that left over 4,000 passengers stranded for five days, would be out until mid-June for crucial repairs. So the Royal Caribbean’s news is music to ears of Galveston officials.

“We’re really pleased that they decided to do year-round (cruises) after a six-year absence,” Port of Galveston Director Michael Mierzwa said of Royal Caribbean International. “Navigator of the Seas will come in Nov. 24 to sail during the holidays, and probably right after the first of the year.”

The extensive renovations will take place after that.

The last Royal Caribbean cruise ship to sail year-round out of Galveston was the Rhapsody of the Seas, based on the island from November 2001 to September 2007.

Meanwhile, Port officials are planning $8 million to $10 million in improvements at the terminal that will serve the Navigator of the Seas. In 2001, the Port of Galveston completed $12 million in improvements to a second terminal for Carnival Cruise Lines.

“We are thrilled to be homeporting Navigator of the Seas, with her new enhancements and first-at-sea amenities year-round in Galveston,” Lisa Bauer, executive vice president of Global Sales and Marketing at Royal Caribbean International, stated in a press release.

The renovations also will add a oversized outdoor movie screen overlooking the main pool, and the Royal Babies and Tots Nursery for children 6 to 36 months old as part of the cruse line’s Adventure Ocean children’s programming.

The improvements, Bauer stated, “will offer adventurous family vacationers many opportunities to be WOW’ed in ways that only Royal Caribbean can deliver.”

Owned by Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd., the cruise line sails 21 cruise ships to popular destinations in the Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, South America, the Far East, and Australia and New Zealand.