Dubrovnik cruise port

Walk the walls of King’s Landing, then swim off the rocks below them.

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 swimming pool. Ships dock at Gruz, the commercial port about 2 miles northwest of the Old Town, with a city bus, ship shuttle or taxi making the 10 to 20 minute hop to Pile Gate. Most cruisers walk the walls, ride the cable car up Mount Srd for the view, or chase Game of Thrones locations. SmartCruiser lists every cruise that calls at Dubrovnik from every line, priced with taxes and fees included, with the sailings that carry SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit or instant savings at the top.

See the SmartCruiser picks Open the full search

DockedGruz port, 2 miles to the Old Town

Eurocity bus about 2 euros, taxi 15 to 25

May to Jun, Sep to Octwarm, dry, lighter crowds

All inevery price includes taxes and fees

Start here

Three ways to do Dubrovnik

The walls and the Old Town, the cable car and Lokrum, or a day along the coast: pick your style and the button filters the list of sailings below.

Walls and Old Town

The full circuit of the ramparts, then Stradun and the Rector’s Palace

City walls about 40 euros in season (20 in winter), a 1.2 mile one-way loop that takes 60 to 90 minutes
Ticket also covers Fort Lovrijenac, the real-life Red Keep, for three days
Start at 8 AM opening or after 3 PM to miss the mid-morning coach crush

Best for: first-timers, history buffs, Game of Thrones fans

Views and a swim

Cable car up Mount Srd, ferry over to Lokrum island

Cable car from just outside the walls climbs 1,300 feet in four minutes; about 27 to 30 euros return
Lokrum ferry from the Old Port is about 30 euros round trip, 15 minutes each way, April to October
Swim in Lokrum’s Dead Sea lagoon, picnic with the peacocks, back by 3 PM for the walls

Best for: families, repeat visitors, hot summer days

Beyond the walls

Cavtat, the Konavle valley or a Montenegro day trip

Cavtat is a pretty harbor village 30 minutes south by bus or 45 minutes by boat from the Old Port
Konavle wine and oyster tours get you to the countryside and the Ston oyster beds
Ship excursions to Kotor or Mostar run 8 to 10 hours; only worth it on a long call

Best for: repeat visitors, foodies, long port days

Live from the cruise lines

Dubrovnik cruises: SmartCruiser picks first

Every cruise that calls at Dubrovnik 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 first

Loading this week’s picks…

Every cruise that calls at Dubrovnik

Stack any filters, then pick a sort

Loading sailings…

Prices 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.

Where you start

Home ports that sail to Dubrovnik

Pick a home port and the list above filters to cruises leaving from there.

Venice (Ravenna)The busiest Adriatic gateway: Royal Caribbean, Norwegian and MSC 7 night loops that reach Dubrovnik on day two or three. VeniceViking, Oceania and other smaller ships sail from the city itself on 7 to 12 night Adriatic itineraries. TriesteMSC and Oceania departures down the Adriatic, including 21 night voyages that continue to Greece. Athens (Piraeus)7 to 11 night Greece and Adriatic cruises on Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and Oceania that sail north to Kotor and Dubrovnik. Rome (Civitavecchia)10 to 14 night Italy, Adriatic and Greece itineraries that round the heel of Italy to Croatia. BarcelonaLonger Mediterranean crossings, including Holland America’s 22 day fall voyages, that call here on the way to Greece. Istanbul10 to 14 night Istanbul-to-Venice or Rome voyages with Dubrovnik and Kotor back to back.

In port

Things to do in Dubrovnik

Everything is inside or just outside the walls, so once you make the two mile hop from Gruz the day is on foot.

The City WallsThe 1.2 mile circuit of 13th to 16th century ramparts, up to 80 feet high, with the roofs on one side and the sea on the other. About 40 euros for adults March to October (about 20 in winter), 60 to 90 minutes, one way with no re-entry. Go at opening or late afternoon; there is almost no shade.

Stradun and the Old TownThe marble main street from Pile Gate to the clock tower, Onofrio’s fountain, the Franciscan monastery with a pharmacy open since 1317, and the Rector’s Palace (about 15 euros). Free to walk; two hours is enough for the highlights.

Mount Srd cable carFrom Ploce, just outside the walls, four minutes to the summit for the view that takes in the whole walled city, Lokrum and the islands. About 27 to 30 euros round trip as of 2026; there is a fort, a war museum and a terrace restaurant on top.

Lokrum islandA forested nature reserve 15 minutes off the Old Port: swim in the Dead Sea saltwater lake, see the monastery ruins and the Iron Throne replica, share your sandwich with peacocks. About 30 euros round trip including the reserve entry, boats every 30 minutes April to October.

Game of Thrones walking tourTwo hour guided walks hit the Jesuit Steps (the walk of shame), Fort Lovrijenac (the Red Keep) and the Pile Bay sea walls. About 25 to 40 euros per person, several departures a morning from Pile Gate.

Buza Bar and the sea rocksA hole-in-the-wall bar perched on the rocks outside the south wall, cash only and worth every euro for a cold drink above the water. Locals and brave visitors jump off the rocks below; bring water shoes.

Sea kayaking under the wallsThree hour guided paddles from Pile Bay around the walls to Lokrum with a snorkel stop in Betina cave. About 40 to 50 euros, mornings and late afternoons, no experience needed.

CavtatA quiet harbor village 30 minutes south, reached by bus or a 45 minute boat from the Old Port. A seafront promenade, pine-shaded swimming and the Racic mausoleum on the hill; a good escape when four ships are in.

Pick your style

Which lines call at Dubrovnik?

Gruz expects more than 450 calls in 2026; these are the lines whose schedules we confirmed.

      Royal CaribbeanBrilliance of the Seas and Explorer of the Seas on 7 night Adriatic and Greece cruises from Ravenna and Athens.SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      Celebrity CruisesCelebrity Ascent and fleetmates on 7 to 11 night Italy, Adriatic and Greece itineraries, the most frequent caller in early fall.SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      Norwegian Cruise LineNorwegian Pearl and Norwegian Gem on 7 night Greek Isles and Adriatic loops from Venice (Ravenna).SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      MSC CruisesMSC Armonia calls almost weekly through the summer on 7 night Adriatic loops from Trieste and Ravenna.SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      Holland America LineOosterdam’s 2026 European season puts Dubrovnik on its 22 day Barcelona-to-Athens fall voyages.SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      Oceania CruisesAllura, Regatta, Sirena and Nautica use Dubrovnik as a stop and a turnaround port on 7 to 21 night Adriatic voyages.SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit
      VikingViking Star and Viking Vesta on Empires of the Mediterranean and Adriatic itineraries between Venice and Athens, with a complimentary shuttle to the Old Town.Live prices
    

Timing

When to go

Dubrovnik has hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters; the walls are most pleasant in the shoulder months, and July and August bring 85 degree heat and the biggest crowds.

April to JuneHighs from the mid 60s in April to the low 80s in June, the sea warming to 70 by June, occasional spring showers and far fewer people on the walls than high summer.

July to AugustHighs in the upper 80s, almost no rain (about an inch a month), sea in the high 70s. Four or five ships on peak days; walk the walls at 8 AM or after 4 PM and spend midday on Lokrum.

September to OctoberLow 80s in September easing to about 70 in October, the sea still warm, and the rain beginning to return in late October. The best balance of weather and crowds for a port day.

November to MarchMild, 55 to 60 degrees, but Dubrovnik’s wettest months (November averages close to 7 inches). Lokrum boats stop, cable car hours shrink, and only a handful of ships call.

Good to know

Dubrovnik questions we answer every day

Where do cruise ships dock in Dubrovnik, and how far is the Old Town?

Ships dock at Gruz, the commercial port about 2 miles (3 km) northwest of the walled Old Town; in peak season a ship occasionally anchors and tenders to the same harbor. From the terminal, Libertas city buses 1A, 1B and 3 run to Pile Gate in 10 to 20 minutes for about 2 euros (1.73 pre-bought, 2.50 from the driver); most cruise lines run a shuttle, free on some premium lines and about 15 euros round trip on others; and taxis wait outside the terminal at about 15 to 25 euros, more in summer traffic. Walking takes 30 to 40 minutes along the coast road and is not fun in July.

How do I get around, and what do things cost?

The Old Town is pedestrian only, so once you are through Pile Gate it is all on foot. The big tickets as of 2026: city walls about 40 euros in season, Mount Srd cable car about 27 to 30 euros return, Lokrum ferry about 30 euros including the island entry, Rector’s Palace about 15 euros. The Old Town itself has no entrance fee; the per-ship fee the city charges cruise ships is paid by the cruise line, not by you. A simple lunch inside the walls is 15 to 25 euros a head; Buza Bar and some small shops are cash only.

What currency, language and time zone will I find?

Croatia switched to the euro in 2023 and cards are accepted nearly everywhere. English is spoken fluently in every shop and restaurant. Dubrovnik is 6 hours ahead of US Eastern time. Croatia is in the EU, so EU roaming plans and US carrier day passes work normally.

Is Dubrovnik safe?

Yes, Dubrovnik is one of the safest ports in Europe; the U.S. State Department rates Croatia at its lowest advisory level. The practical cautions are polished-slippery limestone streets (wear shoes with grip), the sun on the walls with little shade, and watching your wallet on a packed Stradun when four ships are in. Agree the taxi fare before you set off, since fares are not metered to a published tariff.

What is the best excursion, and should I book through the ship?

The walls, not a tour, are the best thing in Dubrovnik, and you do not need a guide for them: buy the ticket at Pile Gate and go at opening. Book through the ship if you want a Game of Thrones walk with a guide, or for anything that leaves the city, such as Cavtat and Konavle, Mostar, or the 8 to 10 hour run to Kotor, because the ship will wait for its own buses at the Montenegro border and not for yours.

Do I need a passport for an Adriatic cruise?

Yes. Every Mediterranean cruise starts and ends outside the United States, so a passport valid for at least six months beyond your trip is required; the closed-loop birth-certificate rule applies only to round trips from a US port. Croatia joined the Schengen area in 2023, and the EU’s ETIAS travel authorization is expected to begin in late 2026, so check the requirement before you fly.

Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?

Yes. Every price on SmartCruiser includes the cruise fare, taxes, fees and port expenses. Flights, hotels, shore excursions and gratuities are extra.

Talk to a Dubrovnik cruise specialist

Tell us your dates and we will pull every sailing that calls at Dubrovnik, note which ones give you a full day for the walls and Lokrum, and put the SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit sailings first. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.

1-800-444-1560