SmartCruiser port guides
Cruise Ports of Call: Where the Ship Docks, What to Do, and Every Sailing That Stops There
One guide per port, written by SmartCruiser’s cruise specialists: the pier or tender, how to get to town and what it costs, the excursions worth the day, the weather by month, and, priced live from the cruise lines with taxes, fees and port expenses included, every cruise that calls there, with the sailings carrying SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit or instant savings at the top.
Bahamas ports of call
Nassau
Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas and the most visited cruise port in the world, with a rebuilt six-berth terminal at Prince George Wharf that puts you a 5 minute w...
- Docked 6 berths, walk-off, downtown in 5 minutes
- Nov to Apr dry season, highs 77 to 82
Perfect Day at CocoCay
Perfect Day at CocoCay is Royal Caribbean’s private island in the Berry Islands of the Bahamas, and since 2019 it has been the most popular stop in the company’s fleet...
- Docked walk-off pier with a free tram, no tenders
- Dec to Apr dry and sunny, highs in the upper 70s
Half Moon Cay
Half Moon Cay is Holland America’s private island on Little San Salvador in the Bahamas, opened in 1997 and now shared with Carnival, which calls it RelaxAway, Half Mo...
- Tender or pier HAL and Princess tender to the south beach; Carnival docks at the 2026 north pier
- Dec to Apr dry and breezy, highs in the upper 70s
Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve
Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve is MSC Cruises’ private island, about 65 miles east of Miami and 20 miles south of Bimini, and the ship ties up at a pier so you walk stra...
- Docked one walk-off pier, free island tram
- Dec to Apr dry season, highs near 80
Celebration Key
Celebration Key is Carnival’s purpose-built beach destination on the south shore of Grand Bahama Island, opened in July 2025 and expanded to four berths in June 2026,...
- Docked walk-off pier, up to 4 ships, free tram
- Nov to Apr dry season, highs near 80
Great Stirrup Cay
Great Stirrup Cay is Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island in the Berry Islands, about 140 miles east of Miami, and since December 2025 ships tie up at a new $150 mil...
- Docked new pier since Dec 2025; tender on some calls
- Dec to Apr dry season, highs near 80
Castaway Cay
Castaway Cay is Disney Cruise Line’s private island in the Abacos, and Disney built a pier so the ship ties up and you walk or ride a free tram to the beach in about t...
- Docked walk-off pier, free trams to every beach
- Dec to Apr dry season, highs near 80
Bimini
Bimini is the closest Bahamian island to the United States, a seven-mile sliver of sand 50 miles east of Miami that cruise ships reached only in 2021, when Resorts Wor...
- Docked one pier for one ship, walk off into Resorts World; free tram
- Dec to Apr dry season, highs in the mid 70s, water about 77
Freeport, Grand Bahama
Freeport is the big island of the northern Bahamas, 55 miles off Palm Beach, and the classic first stop on 3 and 4 night cruises from Florida. Ships dock at the Lucaya...
- Docked Lucayan Harbour, 3 berths, walk-off; nothing in walking distance
- Dec to Apr dry season, highs in the mid 70s, cold fronts possible
Western Caribbean ports of call
Cozumel
Cozumel is a flat, friendly island off the Yucatan coast with three walk-off cruise piers, no tenders, and more ships than any other port in the Caribbean. Most cruise...
- Docked 3 piers, all walk-off, no tenders
- Dec to Apr dry season, highs in the low 80s
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is a tender port: every ship anchors off George Town and runs launches to one of three terminals on the waterfront, a 10 to 15 minute ride. The payoff is...
- Tender every ship tenders, 10 to 15 minutes to George Town
- Dec to Apr dry season, highs in the low 80s
Falmouth, Jamaica
Falmouth is the purpose-built cruise port on Jamaica’s north coast, opened in 2011 with two long piers that take the biggest ships afloat and a gated Georgian-style vi...
- Docked 2 berths for the largest ships, walk-off into town
- Dec to Apr dry season, highs in the mid 80s
Ocho Rios
Ocho Rios is the Jamaican port where the famous things are close: ships dock at Turtle Bay or Reynolds pier, a 10 to 15 minute walk from downtown, and Dunn’s River Fal...
- Docked 2 piers, walk-off, town in 10 to 15 minutes
- Dec to Apr dry season, highs in the mid 80s
Montego Bay
Montego Bay is Jamaica’s second city and its oldest resort town, and cruise ships tie up at the Freeport pier on a man-made peninsula about 3 miles west of downtown an...
- Docked Freeport pier, walk-off; downtown is a $7 to $10 taxi
- Dec to Apr dry season, low to mid 80s and sunny
Roatán
Roatán is a 48 mile sliver of Honduras ringed by the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, and cruise ships dock at one of two walk-off piers five miles apart: Isla Tropicale (th...
- Docked Isla Tropicale (Mahogany Bay) or Coxen Hole, both walk-off
- Feb to Aug dry season, mid 80s and calm, clear water
Costa Maya
Costa Maya is a purpose-built cruise pier on Mexico’s southern Caribbean coast, about three hours south of Cozumel by sea, with a resort-style port village at the end...
- Docked long pier, walk-off, up to 4 ships
- Dec to Apr dry season, low 80s, little seaweed
Belize City
Belize City is a tender port: your ship anchors about 2 miles out and a 15 minute tender ride lands you at the Fort Street Tourism Village, a fenced pier complex of sh...
- Tender ships anchor 2 miles out, 15 minute tender ride
- Nov to Apr dry season, upper 70s to mid 80s
Key West
Key West is the port where you need no plan: the two main piers, Pier B and Mallory Square, drop you straight into Old Town, and Duval Street, Sloppy Joe’s, the Heming...
- Docked Pier B or Mallory Square, walk straight into Old Town
- Nov to Apr dry season, 70s and 80s, low humidity
Labadee
Labadee is Royal Caribbean’s private resort on the north coast of Haiti, a fenced 260-acre peninsula of beaches, a half-mile zip line, an alpine coaster and a free bar...
- Docked one pier built for Oasis-class ships, walk straight ashore
- Dec to Apr dry season, highs in the mid 80s
Progreso
Progreso is the beach town of the Yucatán, on the Gulf of Mexico 22 miles north of Mérida, and the port is famous for one thing before you even land: the pier runs abo...
- Docked 4 mile pier, free shuttle bus to town in about 15 minutes
- Nov to Mar dry season, highs in the 80s, windy cold fronts
Eastern Caribbean ports of call
St. Thomas
St. Thomas is the cruise capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and your ship docks at one of two walk-off piers, Havensight on the east side of Charlotte Amalie harbor o...
- Docked Havensight or Crown Bay, both walk-off piers
- Dec to Apr dry season, low 80s and trade winds
St. Maarten
St. Maarten is the half-Dutch, half-French island where cruise ships tie up at the Dr. A.C. Wathey pier on Great Bay, a $7 water-taxi ride or 25 minute walk from the P...
- Docked Wathey pier, walk-off; $7 water taxi to the boardwalk
- Dec to Apr dry season, low 80s and steady trade winds
San Juan
San Juan is the only Caribbean port where the ship ties up inside a walled colonial city: the Old San Juan piers put you a block from Paseo de la Princesa and a 20 min...
- Docked Old San Juan piers 1, 3 and 4, walk-off into town
- Dec to Apr dry season, low 80s and breezy
Grand Turk
Grand Turk is the easiest beach day in the Eastern Caribbean. Ships tie up at the Grand Turk Cruise Center, a Carnival-built pier on the island’s southwest tip, and yo...
- Docked one pier, two berths, walk straight onto the beach
- Dec to Apr dry season, highs near 80, humpback whales pass by
Amber Cove and Puerto Plata
Puerto Plata on the Dominican Republic’s north coast has two cruise terminals and your line decides which one you get. Carnival Corporation brands (Carnival, Princess,...
- Docked Amber Cove (Carnival brands) or Taino Bay (everyone else), no tenders
- Dec to Apr dry and warm, highs in the mid 80s
Tortola
Tortola is the main island of the British Virgin Islands and the only cruise stop that puts the whole BVI within reach for a day: ships dock at the Cyril B. Romney Tor...
- Docked Tortola Pier Park, 2 berths; a third ship tenders
- Dec to Apr dry season, low 80s, trade winds
St. Croix
St. Croix is the big, quiet sister of the U.S. Virgin Islands, and your ship ties up at the Ann E. Abramson pier in Frederiksted on the sleepy west end, a walk-off ber...
- Docked Frederiksted pier, walk-off, two ships at a time
- Dec to Apr dry season, low 80s and trade winds
St. Barts
St. Barts is a tender port and a small-ship port: Gustavia’s harbor cannot take anything much over 200 feet, so every cruise ship anchors off the red roofs and runs it...
- Tender 10 minutes to the Gustavia quay; small ships only
- Dec to Apr dry, low 80s, yacht season
Southern Caribbean ports of call
Aruba
Aruba’s cruise terminal sits on the edge of downtown Oranjestad, so you walk off the ship into pastel Dutch storefronts, and the island’s famous white-sand beaches are...
- Docked 3 berths, walk-off, downtown in 10 minutes
- Jan to Mar dry, 85 and breezy, outside the hurricane belt
Curaçao
Curaçao’s ships dock at the Mega Pier or Mathey Wharf in Willemstad, a UNESCO-listed Dutch harbor town painted in sherbet colors, and the famous Handelskade waterfront...
- Docked Mega Pier or Mathey Wharf, walk-off, town in 10 minutes
- Jan to Apr dry season, mid 80s, outside the hurricane belt
Bonaire
Bonaire’s two cruise piers sit right on the waterfront of Kralendijk, a small, tidy Dutch town where the reef starts a few steps from the sidewalk and the whole coastl...
- Docked North or South Pier, walk-off, town at the gangway
- Jan to Apr dry, mid 80s, outside the hurricane belt
Barbados (Bridgetown)
Barbados is the easternmost island in the Caribbean and the anchor of most Southern Caribbean itineraries. Every ship docks at the Bridgetown Cruise Terminal in Deep W...
- Docked Bridgetown terminal, up to 6 ships, all walk-off
- Dec to Apr dry season, low 80s, steady trade winds
St. Lucia
St. Lucia is the most dramatic island on any Southern Caribbean itinerary, with the twin Piton peaks rising straight out of the sea at Soufrière. Ships dock in the cap...
- Docked Pointe Seraphine or La Place Carenage, walk-off
- Dec to May dry season, mid 80s, calm seas
Antigua
Antigua claims a beach for every day of the year, and the cruise piers at St. John’s put you in the middle of the capital’s Heritage Quay duty-free mall the moment you...
- Docked Heritage Quay, Redcliffe Quay and Nevis Street piers, all walk-off
- Dec to Apr dry season, low 80s, trade winds
St. Kitts
St. Kitts is the small, green island that cruisers rank among their favorites: Port Zante drops you two minutes from the pastel streets of Basseterre, and the whole is...
- Docked Port Zante, 2 piers, walk-off into downtown
- Dec to Apr dry season, low 80s, trade winds
Dominica
Dominica (pronounced dom-in-EE-ka) is the Nature Island of the Southern Caribbean, a green volcanic wedge between Guadeloupe and Martinique that has nothing to do with...
- Docked Roseau bayfront pier downtown; overflow ships at Woodbridge Bay, 1 mile north
- Jan to May dry season, highs in the mid 80s, best for the trails
Grenada
Grenada’s big ships tie up at the Melville Street Cruise Terminal on the edge of St. George’s, one of the prettiest harbor towns in the Caribbean, and you walk out thr...
- Docked Melville Street terminal, 5 minutes to town
- Dec to May dry season, highs in the mid-80s
Martinique
Martinique is France, euros and all, and most ships dock at Pointe Simon on the Fort-de-France waterfront, a 10-minute walk from the Grand Marché spice market, the Sch...
- Docked Pointe Simon, 10 minutes to downtown; Tourelles on 2-ship days
- Dec to May dry season (Carême), highs low 80s
Panama Canal ports of call
Cartagena, Colombia
Cartagena is the showpiece stop on Panama Canal cruises and the deep Southern Caribbean: a 16th-century walled city of balconies, plazas and bougainvillea that UNESCO...
- Docked Manga terminal, 10 to 20 minutes by cab to the walled city
- Dec to Apr dry, breezy season, highs upper 80s
Bermuda ports of call
King's Wharf, Bermuda
King’s Wharf and Heritage Wharf sit side by side at the Royal Naval Dockyard on Bermuda’s west end, a fortress-turned-village where the big ships from New York, Cape L...
- Docked Royal Naval Dockyard, 2 walk-off piers, ships stay 2 to 3 nights
- May to Oct mid 70s to mid 80s, warmest water Jul to Oct
Alaska ports of call
Juneau
Juneau is Alaska’s capital and the busiest stop on every Inside Passage cruise, with four downtown docks along South Franklin Street, so most ships put you a few minut...
- Docked 4 downtown docks; tender only on 5-ship days
- Jun to Aug warmest and driest, highs 60 to 70
Ketchikan
Ketchikan is usually the first Alaska stop on a Seattle or Vancouver cruise, and most ships tie up at one of four downtown berths a few minutes’ walk from Creek Street...
- Docked 4 downtown berths, walk-off; Norwegian uses Ward Cove, free shuttle
- May to Jun driest, sunniest months; July and August warmest
Skagway
Skagway is the gold rush town at the top of the Inside Passage, a six-block grid of false-front saloons and boardwalks at the foot of the White Pass. Ships tie up at t...
- Docked 3 docks plus the ferry dock, all walk-off; no tenders
- Jun to Aug driest and warmest, highs in the 60s
Sitka
Sitka faces the open ocean on Baranof Island, the old capital of Russian America, with St. Michael’s Cathedral at the end of Lincoln Street and Mount Edgecumbe’s volca...
- Docked 2 berths at Halibut Point, free 12 minute shuttle; small ships tender downtown
- Jun to Aug driest and warmest, highs in the low 60s
Icy Strait Point
Icy Strait Point is a purpose-built cruise stop owned by the Huna Tlingit of Hoonah, a restored 1912 salmon cannery on Chichagof Island 35 miles west of Juneau. Ships...
- Docked 2 piers, walk-off; free Transporter gondola between them
- Jun to Aug peak whale season, highs in the low 60s
Glacier Bay
Glacier Bay is not a port; it is a 3.3 million acre national park that only two cruise ships a day are permitted to enter, and the ship itself is your tour. Park range...
- No dock scenic cruising only; rangers board, nobody goes ashore
- Jun to Aug best light and the most active calving
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the last stop on almost every round-trip Alaska cruise from Seattle, and ships dock at Ogden Point, about 1.5 miles from the Inner Harbour, usually from la...
- Docked Ogden Point, 2 berths, no tenders
- June to Aug driest months, highs 65 to 78F
Hubbard Glacier
Hubbard Glacier is not a port; it is a 76 mile river of ice that ends in a wall up to 400 feet high and more than 6 miles wide at the head of Disenchantment Bay, off Y...
- No dock scenic cruising in Disenchantment Bay; nobody goes ashore
- Jun to Aug the most calving and the best light; 40s and 50s on deck
Haines
Haines sits at the top of Lynn Canal across the water from Skagway, a town of about 2,500 that sees one ship at a time where Skagway sees five. Ships dock at the Port...
- Docked Port Chilkoot dock at Fort Seward; free shuttle, downtown a 15 minute walk
- Jun to Aug the driest big port in Southeast, highs in the mid 60s; eagles peak in November
Wrangell
Wrangell is the Alaska port the big ships skip: a fishing town of about 2,000 people on the mouth of the Stikine River where small and mid-size ships tie up at the Cit...
- Docked City Dock at the north end of downtown, walk-off; no tenders
- Jul 5 to Aug 25 Anan bear permit season, highs in the low 60s
Valdez
Valdez sits at the head of a fjord on the east side of Prince William Sound, ringed by 5,000 foot peaks, with the end of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline across the bay and t...
- Docked Kelsey Dock downtown, walk-off; some larger ships shuttle in from the container dock
- Late Jun to Jul salmon, sea lions and bears at the hatchery, highs around 60
Hawaii ports of call
Honolulu
Honolulu is the big-city stop on every Hawaii cruise, and the ships from the West Coast dock right downtown: at Pier 2, the main cruise terminal on Ala Moana Boulevard...
- Docked Pier 2 or Piers 10 and 11 at Aloha Tower, downtown
- Apr to Oct driest months, highs 84 to 88
Maui (Kahului and Lahaina)
Every Maui call now uses Kahului Harbor, a working port on the north shore 10 minutes from the airport, where ships dock and you walk straight off; Lahaina, the old te...
- Docked Kahului Harbor, walk-off; Lahaina closed to tenders
- Dec to Apr humpback whale season, highs low 80s
Kona
Kona is the dry, sunny west coast of the Big Island, and it is a tender port: ships anchor in Kailua Bay and the tender lands you at Kailua Pier in the middle of Kailu...
- Tender ships anchor in Kailua Bay; tenders land at Kailua Pier in the middle of the village
- Year round 80s and sunny on the Kona side; whales December to April
Hilo
Hilo is the green, wet, old-Hawaii side of the Big Island and the gateway to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, about 45 minutes up the hill from the pier. Ships dock at...
- Docked Pier 1, a cargo pier about 2 miles from downtown; shuttles, taxis and tour buses at the gate
- Apr to Oct the drier half of a very rainy year; whales December to April
Kauai (Nawiliwili)
Nawiliwili is Kauai’s commercial harbor on the east shore, 2 miles from Lihue and the airport, and ships dock at the pier with tour buses, rental car shuttles and free...
- Docked Nawiliwili Harbor pier; Kalapaki Beach and Anchor Cove a 10 minute walk or free shuttle
- Apr to Oct driest months on the east shore, 80s all year
Baja Mexico ports of call
Ensenada
Ensenada is the port that makes the 3 and 4 night Baja cruises from Long Beach, Los Angeles and San Diego possible: ships tie up at the cruise pier beside the giant Me...
- Docked cruise pier, about a half mile to downtown
- July to Oct dry, sunny, highs in the 70s
Mexican Riviera ports of call
Cabo San Lucas
Cabo San Lucas is a tender port: ships anchor in the bay off El Arco and small boats run you to the marina in about 10 minutes, where the beach water taxis, glass-bott...
- Tender 10 minutes to the marina, no pier
- Dec to Apr dry, 75 to 85F, whale season
Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta is the Mexican Riviera’s most complete port: ships dock at the Marina Vallarta maritime terminal, three walk-off piers about 3 miles north of the old t...
- Docked Marina terminal, 3 piers, walk-off
- Nov to Apr dry season, 80 to 85F, no humidity
Mazatlán
Mazatlán is a working port: ships dock among the container cranes and a free shuttle runs you to the cruise terminal gate, where the painted Blue Line on the sidewalk...
- Docked commercial port, free shuttle to the gate
- Nov to Apr dry season, 75 to 85F, low humidity
Canada and New England ports of call
Halifax
Halifax is the anchor call of every Canada and New England cruise and the easiest big port on the route: ships dock at Pier 20 and Pier 22 in the Halifax Seaport, wher...
- Docked Pier 20 or 22, Halifax Seaport, walk-off
- Sep to mid Oct foliage season, 55 to 68F
Bar Harbor
Bar Harbor is the prettiest call on the Canada and New England run and the only one you reach by tender: ships anchor in Frenchman Bay and a 15 minute boat ride lands...
- Tender port ships anchor in Frenchman Bay, 15 minute ride
- Sep to mid Oct foliage, 55 to 68F, the busiest weeks
Quebec City
Quebec City is the stop that makes a Canada and New England cruise feel like Europe: ships tie up at Wharves 21 and 22 at Pointe-à-Carcy, at the foot of Old Quebec, wh...
- Docked Wharves 21 and 22 at Pointe-à-Carcy or Wharf 30, walk-off into Old Quebec
- Late Sep to mid Oct foliage season, 45 to 60F, busiest weeks
Saint John, New Brunswick
Saint John is the Bay of Fundy stop on a Canada and New England cruise, and it is not St. John’s, Newfoundland, which is a different city a thousand miles east. Ships...
- Docked Marco Polo or Diamond Jubilee terminal, Water Street, walk-off into uptown
- Sep to mid Oct foliage season, 55 to 65F, almost every ship of the year
Charlottetown
Charlottetown is the gentlest stop on a Canada and New England cruise: the ship docks at the Port Charlottetown pier on the Historic Charlottetown Seaport, and the Vic...
- Docked Port Charlottetown pier, walk-off, downtown in 5 minutes
- Sep to mid Oct foliage season, 55 to 65F, most ships of the year
Portland, Maine
Portland is the Maine stop on a Canada and New England cruise and the easiest one to do on your own: ships dock at the Ocean Gateway terminal at the foot of India Stre...
- Docked Ocean Gateway terminal, walk-off, Old Port in 5 minutes
- Late Sep to mid Oct foliage season, 55 to 65F, two ships on busy days
St. John’s, Newfoundland
St. John’s is the oldest city in North America and the easiest one to walk: ships tie up at Piers 10 and 11 on Harbour Drive, and the candy-colored row houses of Water...
- Docked Piers 10 and 11, Harbour Drive, downtown walk-off
- Jul to Sep warmest and clearest, highs in the 60s
Western Mediterranean ports of call
Barcelona
Barcelona is the busiest cruise port in Europe, and the ships tie up at the Moll Adossat terminals (A through E and the new MSC terminal H) on a breakwater about 2 mil...
- Docked Moll Adossat terminals A to E and H, shuttle or taxi to La Rambla
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct 70s to low 80s, sunny, fewer crowds than July
Rome (Civitavecchia)
Civitavecchia is Rome’s cruise port, a working harbor about 45 miles northwest of the city with a dozen cruise berths behind the walls of Michelangelo’s fort. A free s...
- Docked free shuttle to the port gate; Rome is 50 to 80 minutes by train
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct 70s and sunny, Rome without the August heat
Naples
Naples is the rare Mediterranean port where the ship docks right downtown: the Stazione Marittima terminal sits on Molo Angioino and Molo Beverello, across the street...
- Docked Stazione Marittima, downtown, walk-off to Piazza Municipio
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct 70s to low 80s, clear views of Vesuvius
Florence and Pisa (Livorno)
Livorno is a big, working industrial port on the Tuscan coast, and nobody comes for Livorno: the ship is the gateway to Florence, about 1 hour 15 minutes away by train...
- Docked industrial port, shuttle to town; Florence 1h15 and Pisa 20 min by train
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct 60s to low 80s, the Tuscan light at its best
Valletta
Valletta is the Mediterranean’s best arrival: your ship glides past the bastions into the Grand Harbour and ties up at Pinto Wharf on the Valletta Waterfront, with the...
- Docked Pinto Wharf, 1 euro lift up to the city
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct warm, dry and not too hot
Marseille
Marseille is France’s oldest city and its busiest cruise port, but the ships dock a long way from the postcard: the Marseille Provence Cruise Terminal (MPCT) sits on t...
- Docked MPCT at the Môle Léon Gourret, 5 miles out; shuttle, bus 35 or taxi to the Vieux-Port
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct 70s to low 80s, sunny, calmer winds and crowds
Genoa
Genoa is Italy’s biggest port and one of its most underrated cities, and the cruise ships tie up at the Stazione Marittima on Ponte dei Mille and Ponte Andrea Doria, a...
- Docked Stazione Marittima, Ponte dei Mille, walk-off to the old port
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct upper 60s to low 80s, calm seas for the Portofino boat
Palermo
Palermo is Sicily’s big, loud, gorgeous capital, and the cruise ships dock at the Stazione Marittima on Via Francesco Crispi, 10 to 15 minutes on foot from the old har...
- Docked Stazione Marittima on Via Crispi, walk-off to the old town
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct 70s to low 80s, dry, the sea warm by June
Messina (Taormina)
Messina is the gateway to Sicily’s east coast, and the ships dock right downtown on the Via Vittorio Emanuele waterfront, a 10 minute walk from the Duomo and its noon...
- Docked downtown waterfront pier, walk-off to the Duomo in 10 minutes
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct 70s to low 80s, clear views of Etna
Valencia
Valencia is Spain’s easygoing third city, and the cruise ships dock at the Poniente and Transversal berths beside the Trasmed terminal at the far end of a big commerci...
- Docked Poniente and Transversal berths, shuttle or taxi 15 to 20 minutes to the old town
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct upper 60s to low 80s, 300 days of sun a year
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the capital of Mallorca, the biggest of Spain’s Balearic Islands, and the ship ties up at the Estación Marítima terminals on the Poniente and Paraires quays (...
- Docked Estación Marítima 1 to 5, shuttle or taxi to the cathedral, walkable in 45 min
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct 70s to low 80s, warm sea, lighter crowds
Nice (Villefranche)
Villefranche-sur-Mer is a TENDER port: the ship anchors in one of the deepest natural bays on the Riviera and the tenders land at the Port de la Santé quay, right at t...
- Tender big ships anchor at Villefranche, 10 min tender to the quay; small ships dock in Nice
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct 70s to low 80s, sunny, fewer crowds than July
Monaco (Monte Carlo)
Monaco is the smallest cruise port on the Mediterranean and one of the richest: the ship comes into Port Hercule, the yacht harbor at the foot of Monte Carlo, with the...
- Dock or tender ships to 250 m dock at the Port Hercule pier; a second ship anchors and tenders
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct 70s to low 80s, sunny, Grand Prix in early June
La Spezia (Cinque Terre)
La Spezia is a naval town at the head of the Gulf of Poets and the gateway to the Cinque Terre, the five pastel fishing villages stacked on the cliffs 10 to 25 minutes...
- Docked Molo Garibaldi, free shuttle to the port gate; station 25 min walk or €15 taxi
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct 60s to low 80s, trails open, the villages at their best
Lisbon
Lisbon is the easiest big-city port in Europe: the Lisbon Cruise Terminal at Santa Apolónia and the Jardim do Tabaco quay beside it sit on the Tagus right below the Al...
- Docked Santa Apolónia terminal, walk-off to Alfama; Alcântara for overflow ships
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct upper 60s to upper 70s, sunny, lighter crowds
Savona
Savona is Costa’s home on the Italian Riviera: the Palacrociere terminal sits right against the old town, and you cross a short pedestrian bridge by the medieval Torre...
- Docked Palacrociere terminal, walk-off, about 300 m to the old town
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct 70s, sunny, Riviera at its best without the August crush
Cagliari (Sardinia)
Cagliari is Sardinia’s capital and its easiest cruise stop: ships tie up at Molo Rinascita, with the Ichnusa pier beside it, and the port gate opens onto Via Roma and...
- Docked Molo Rinascita and the Ichnusa pier, walk-off, 10 to 15 minutes to Via Roma
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct upper 70s, dry, the sea warm and the beach clubs open
Ibiza
Ibiza is the smallest of Spain’s big Balearic islands and a very different port from its nightclub reputation: by day it is a honey-colored walled town, Dalt Vila, ris...
- Docked Botafoc pier, shuttle or 35 min walk to Dalt Vila; a few ships tender
- Jun and Sep to Oct 80s, warm sea, lighter crowds
Ajaccio (Corsica)
Ajaccio is the capital of Corsica, the French island the locals call the Isle of Beauty, and the ship ties up at the Quai L’Herminier beside the Gare Maritime, a 5 to...
- Docked Quai L’Herminier, 5 to 10 min walk to Place Foch; rare tender
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct 70s and low 80s, dry, warm sea
Adriatic ports of call
Dubrovnik
Dubrovnik is the walled city of the Adriatic: a mile and a quarter of stone ramparts wrapped around marble streets, terracotta roofs and a harbor the color of a swimmi...
- Docked Gruz port, 2 miles to the Old Town
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct warm, dry, lighter crowds
Kotor
Kotor is the port where everyone is on deck at dawn: the ship threads the narrow Verige strait and glides up a fjord-like bay walled by 5,000 foot mountains to a medie...
- Dock or tender one pier, 200 yards from the Old Town
- May to Jun, Sep to early Oct warm, drier, lighter crowds
Venice
Venice is still the most beautiful place a cruise can take you, but since 2021 big ships are banned from the Giudecca Canal and the St. Mark’s basin, so where your shi...
- Docked Marittima for ships under 25,000 tons; Fusina or Marghera, boat or shuttle in, for most others
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct 60s to upper 70s, no acqua alta, fewer crowds than July
Split
Split is the Dalmatian port where the Old Town is a 1,700 year old Roman palace: Diocletian retired here in 305 AD and the city simply moved in, so today the cafes, ap...
- Docked ferry port 10 to 15 min walk, biggest ships tender to the Riva
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct warm, dry, lighter crowds
Greek Isles ports of call
Mykonos
Mykonos is the Greek Isles stop everyone pictures: cube-white houses, blue doors, five windmills on a ridge and Little Venice hanging over the sea. Most big ships dock...
- Docked New Port (Tourlos), some ships tender
- May to Oct sunny and dry, windy in Jul and Aug
Santorini
Santorini is a tender port: your ship anchors inside the flooded volcano and small boats run you to the Old Port below Fira, where a cable car (or the 580-odd step don...
- Tender to Fira Old Port, excursions via Athinios
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct warm, dry, lighter crowds
Athens (Piraeus)
Piraeus is the port of Athens and the busiest cruise harbor in Greece, and plenty of itineraries treat it as a stop rather than a turnaround. Ships dock at three termi...
- Docked 3 terminals, metro from the port gate
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct warm, dry, no heat closures
Corfu
Corfu is the Greek island that looks Italian: a UNESCO Old Town of shuttered Venetian houses, arcaded cafes on the Liston and a pair of fortresses facing the sea, all...
- Docked New Port, no tenders, Old Town 20 to 30 min walk
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct warm, dry and far fewer people
Rhodes
Rhodes is the Greek Isles stop where the ship docks closest to the sights: the commercial port sits right against the walls of the medieval Old Town, a UNESCO fortress...
- Docked beside the Old Town walls, no tenders
- May to Jun, Sep to Oct warm, dry and under 85 degrees
Kusadasi (Ephesus)
Kusadasi is the Turkish resort town that cruise ships use as the front door to Ephesus, the best-preserved Roman city in the Mediterranean, 20 to 30 minutes inland. Sh...
- Docked Ege Ports terminal in the town center, no tenders
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct warm, dry and bearable at the ruins
Istanbul
Istanbul is the port call that feels like a whole trip: Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque facing each other across a park, the Topkapi harem, a cistern lit like a night...
- Docked Galataport in Karakoy, many ships overnight
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Oct mild, mostly dry, best for walking
Katakolon (Olympia)
Katakolon is a tiny fishing village on the west coast of the Peloponnese with one job: it is the cruise door to Ancient Olympia, about 22 miles inland, where the Games...
- Docked walk-off pier, village in 5 minutes
- May to Oct dry and sunny, hot in Jul and Aug
Heraklion (Crete)
Heraklion is the capital of Crete and the walk-off gateway to Knossos, the 4,000 year old Minoan palace of the Labyrinth legend, about 20 minutes from the pier. Ships...
- Docked walk-off pier, center in 15 to 20 minutes
- May to Oct dry and sunny, hottest in Jul and Aug
Eastern Mediterranean ports of call
Limassol (Cyprus)
Limassol is the cruise port of Cyprus, the island where Aphrodite came ashore and the Crusaders made wine, and the one Eastern Mediterranean stop where everyone speaks...
- Docked new port terminal, old town 2 miles by shuttle or bus
- Apr to Jun, Sep to Nov sunny and warm; July and August are hot
Atlantic Islands ports of call
Ponta Delgada (Azores)
Ponta Delgada is the capital of São Miguel, the biggest of the nine Azores islands, and the mid-Atlantic stop on nearly every transatlantic crossing between Florida an...
- Docked Portas do Mar pier, 5 min walk to the city center
- Jun to Sep warmest and driest, 70s and sunny
Western Europe ports of call
Zeebrugge (Bruges)
Zeebrugge is a big working seaport on the Belgian coast, and nobody comes for Zeebrugge: the prize is Bruges, the best-preserved medieval city in Europe, about 12 mile...
- Docked industrial quay, free shuttle to the terminal
- May to Sep mild 60s and 70s, rain any month
Le Havre (Paris and Normandy)
Le Havre is the cruise port for Paris, and the honest truth is that Paris is 2.5 to 3 hours away by coach each way, so a Paris day is 12 hours with about 5 of them in...
- Docked walk-off terminal, center in 20 to 30 minutes
- May to Sep mild 60s and 70s, showers any month
Northern Europe ports of call
Copenhagen
Copenhagen is the hub of Northern Europe cruising: many Baltic and Norway sailings start here, but hundreds more just call for the day, and that day is a gem. Where yo...
- Docked Oceankaj (bus plus M4 metro) or Langelinie (walkable)
- Jun to Aug 18 hour days, highs near 70F
Stockholm
Stockholm rewards you before you even dock: the ship threads the archipelago for three to four hours, past red cottages and pine islands, and then ties up at Stadsgård...
- Docked Stadsgården (walkable) or Frihamnen; biggest ships use Nynäshamn
- Jun to Aug 18 hour days, highs 68 to 72F
Helsinki
Helsinki is the easy, tidy capital of the Baltic: nine out of ten cruise passengers land at the Hernesaari quays, about 2 miles south of the center, and ride a shuttle...
- Docked Hernesaari (shuttle or tram) or South Harbour (walk-off)
- Jun to Aug white nights, highs 65 to 70F
Tallinn
Tallinn is the Baltic stop everyone remembers: ships dock at the Old City Harbour’s cruise terminal, and a flat 15 to 20 minute walk brings you through the Fat Margare...
- Docked Old City Harbour, 15 min walk to the Old Town
- Jun to Aug white nights, highs 65 to 70F
Oslo
Oslo is the capital that docks you downtown: most ships tie up at Søndre Akershuskai or Vippetangen, directly below the stone walls of Akershus Fortress and a 5 to 10...
- Docked Akershus or Revierkaia downtown; Filipstad needs a shuttle
- Jun to Aug warmest capital in Scandinavia, highs near 72F
Amsterdam
Amsterdam has the best-placed cruise terminal in Europe: Passenger Terminal Amsterdam sits on the IJ waterfront a 10 to 15 minute walk from Centraal Station, so the ca...
- Docked PTA downtown (walkable) or IJmuiden, 19 miles out, with transfers
- May to Sep tulips in spring, highs 62 to 70F
Reykjavik
Reykjavik is the world’s northernmost capital and the gateway to the Golden Circle, the Blue Lagoon and the newer Sky Lagoon on the edge of town. Big ships dock at Ska...
- Docked Skarfabakki, 2.5 miles east; small ships at the Old Harbour
- Jun to Aug mildest months, 55 to 58F, 20 hour days
Warnemünde (Berlin)
Warnemünde is the seaside resort at the mouth of the Warnow river, the cruise port for Rostock and the Baltic gateway to Berlin. Ships tie up at the Warnemünde Cruise...
- Docked walk-off pier beside the beach and the train station
- Jun to Aug Baltic summer, 65 to 72F and long evenings
Norwegian Fjords ports of call
Bergen
Bergen is the gateway to the fjords and the easiest port in Norway to do on your own: ships tie up at Skolten or Bontelabo at the mouth of the old harbour, and the UNE...
- Docked Skolten or Bontelabo, 10 min walk to Bryggen
- Jun to Aug mildest months, bring a rain shell
Geiranger
Geiranger is the fjord everyone pictures: a 10 mile dead-end arm of the UNESCO Geirangerfjord with the Seven Sisters waterfall on the sail-in and a 250 person village...
- Tender or Seawalk most ships tender, one ship a day uses the floating pier
- Jun to Aug waterfalls at full flow, mountain roads open
Flåm
Flåm is a 350 person village at the very end of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the Sognefjord so narrow the ship seems to sail into the mountains. Ships tie up at the vi...
- Docked village pier, 2 min to the railway station
- Jun to Aug warmest fjord in Norway, waterfalls at full flow
Ålesund
Ålesund burned to the ground in 1904 and was rebuilt in three years in art nouveau, so the whole downtown is turrets, towers and pastel stone spread over three islands...
- Docked Storneskaia or Prestebrygga, 2 min to downtown
- Jun to Aug mildest months, 55 to 65F with showers
Stavanger
Stavanger is the easiest fjord-country port in Norway: ships tie up on the Vågen harbor quays in the dead center of town, with the 173 white wooden houses of Gamle Sta...
- Docked Vågen harbor quays downtown, or Bjergsted 15 min away
- Jun to Aug mildest months, 62 to 66F with showers
Tromsø
Tromsø is the biggest city north of the Arctic Circle, 220 miles above it on an island ringed by mountains, and the one Norway port that is a real town rather than a v...
- Docked Prostneset pier downtown, or Breivika 2.5 miles out with shuttle
- Jun to Aug midnight sun; Oct to Mar for the northern lights
Honningsvåg (North Cape)
Honningsvåg is a fishing town of 2,200 people at 71 degrees north on Magerøya island, and the cruise port for the North Cape, the cliff that Europe treats as its top....
- Docked or tender walk-off quay in the town center, some ships tender
- Mid May to end Jul midnight sun; June and July the busy months
Olden (Nordfjord)
Olden is a 500 person village at the inner end of the Nordfjord, 60 miles from the open sea, with a cruise quay in the middle of it that takes the biggest ships in the...
- Docked walk-off quay in the village, small ships tender at Loen
- Jun to Aug warmest and driest, glacier road and skylift in full swing