Nyhavn, Tivoli and the Little Mermaid on one flat, bike-friendly day
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 you dock matters: Langelinie puts you a 5 minute walk from the Little Mermaid and 30 flat minutes from Nyhavn, while the big Oceankaj (Ocean Quay) terminals sit about 5 miles north in Nordhavn and need the bus-plus-M4 metro combination, a taxi or the ship’s shuttle. SmartCruiser lists every cruise that calls at Copenhagen from every line, priced with taxes and fees included, with the sailings that carry SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit or instant savings at the top.
Three ways to do Copenhagen
Walk the harbour from Langelinie, ride the metro into the old town for the big sights, or head out to the castles; the buttons filter the list of sailings below.
The harbour walk
- Little Mermaid, Kastellet star fort and Amalienborg’s noon changing of the guard, all free
- Finish at Nyhavn for a canal boat (about 60 to 129 DKK) and a smorrebrod lunch
- From Langelinie it is 2 flat miles; from Oceankaj ride to Kongens Nytorv and walk it backwards
Best for: first-timers, walkers, anyone who hates buses
Tivoli and the palaces
- Tivoli Gardens, the 1843 amusement park that inspired Disneyland, about 200 DKK to enter
- Rosenborg Castle and the crown jewels (about 140 DKK), Christiansborg’s free tower view
- Metro M4 from Orientkaj gets you to Kongens Nytorv in 20 minutes for about 24 DKK
Best for: families, culture seekers, repeat visitors
Castles and the coast
- Kronborg, Hamlet’s castle at Helsingor, about 45 minutes north by coach or train
- Frederiksborg Castle at Hillerod, the grandest Renaissance palace in Scandinavia
- Ship tours run 4 to 5 hours and are the safe way to do it from Oceankaj
Best for: history buffs, second-time visitors, photographers
Copenhagen cruises: SmartCruiser picks first
Every cruise that calls at Copenhagen from every line, priced live with taxes, fees and port expenses included. The picks at the top are sailings where booking with SmartCruiser gets you something extra: instant savings or bonus onboard credit. Below them, every other sailing that stops here, with full sorting by home port, line, month, length and price.
SmartCruiser picks
Sorted by what you save, biggest firstEvery cruise that calls at Copenhagen
Stack any filters, then pick a sortPrices are per person, double occupancy, in US dollars, and include cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses as published by the cruise line at the moment you load this page. Fares are capacity controlled and change daily; the fare is confirmed when you book. Flights, hotels and transfers are extra unless the line’s offer says otherwise. SmartCruiser instant savings and bonus onboard credit are provided by SmartCruiser on top of the cruise line’s price and are not available when booking direct; amounts are per stateroom, vary by stateroom category and are shown for the lowest category offered. Special SmartCruiser rates are pricing SmartCruiser holds on that sailing for its clients, with extra onboard credit; you book your own stateroom and travel on your own. Senior fares apply to guests 55 and over; resident fares need proof of residency in a listed state or province at check-in; police and fire fares apply to active or retired police, fire and EMT personnel with ID. Qualifier-fare savings are measured against the best fare the cruise line offers the general public for the same stateroom category on the day the list was pulled, updated weekly.
Home ports that sail to Copenhagen
Pick a home port and the list above filters to cruises leaving from there; Copenhagen round trips appear too, since the ship is in port on day one and the last day.
Things to do in Copenhagen
Everything below is inside the old town or on the harbour walk, and the city is so flat that walking or a rental bike beats any bus.
Which lines call at Copenhagen?
Every major line is here from April to October; mainstream ships use Oceankaj, premium and luxury ships often get Langelinie or Nordre Toldbod.
When to go
Copenhagen’s cruise season runs April to October; summer brings 17 hour days and highs around 70F, with showers possible any month, and July and August are the busiest in port.
Copenhagen questions we answer every day
Where do cruise ships dock in Copenhagen and how far is it to the center?
There are three places. Oceankaj (Ocean Quay) terminals 1 to 3 in Nordhavn take most big ships and sit about 5 miles north of the center; you cannot walk it. Langelinie, used by many premium ships on port-call days, is 5 minutes from the Little Mermaid and a flat 30 minute walk to Nyhavn. Nordre Toldbod, for small luxury ships, is 15 minutes on foot from Amalienborg. Check cmport.com about 48 hours ahead to see your berth.
How do I get from Oceankaj to town without the ship’s shuttle?
Take bus 25 (runs on ship days every 10 to 20 minutes) or bus 164 from the stop at terminal 1 to Orientkaj station, then the M4 metro to Kongens Nytorv for Nyhavn; about 20 minutes and about 24 DKK each way, paid by card at the ticket machine or in the DOT app. A taxi is about 175 to 215 DKK and 25 minutes. Ship shuttles run about $50 per person round trip, so public transit saves a family real money.
What currency do I need, and is English spoken?
Denmark uses the krone (about 7 DKK to the dollar) but the city is effectively cashless: tap a card or phone for buses, boats, museums and street food, and do not bother exchanging money. Everyone speaks English. Copenhagen is on Central European Time, 6 hours ahead of US Eastern. US phone plans with EU roaming work normally.
Is Copenhagen safe?
Very. Denmark is at the State Department’s lowest advisory level and Copenhagen is one of the safest capitals in the world. The real hazards are bikes: never step into a bike lane without looking, and keep valuables zipped in the Nyhavn and Stroget crowds.
What is the best excursion, and should I book through the ship?
On a first visit the city itself is the excursion: a canal boat, the changing of the guard and Tivoli fill a day and are easy on your own. Book through the ship only if you are docked at Oceankaj with a short call and want the castles at Helsingor or Hillerod, since the cruise line then guarantees your return.
Do I need a passport?
Yes. Every Northern Europe cruise requires a valid passport, and we recommend six months of validity past your return date. Denmark is in the Schengen zone, where the EU’s new biometric entry and exit checks are being phased in from 2026, so allow a few extra minutes at your first arrival.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes the cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels, shore excursions and gratuities are extra.
Talk to a Copenhagen cruise specialist
We know which ships get Langelinie and which get Oceankaj, so call us to check availability and book the Baltic or Norway sailing that gives you the best day in Copenhagen. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.