Step off into the yacht harbor, the Casino a ten minute walk away.
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 Casino on the hill to the east and the Prince’s Palace on the Rock to the west. The Principality only accepts premium and luxury ships up to about 250 meters, so one ship docks at the breakwater pier and a second ship in on the same day anchors outside and tenders into the harbor; the big mainstream ships call at Villefranche or Nice instead and visit Monaco by train or coach. SmartCruiser lists every cruise that calls here from every line, priced with taxes, fees and port expenses included, with the sailings that carry SmartCruiser bonus onboard credit or instant savings at the top.
Three ways to do Monaco
Monte Carlo and the Casino, the Rock and the Prince’s Palace, or out of town to Èze and Nice: pick your style and the buttons filter the list of sailings below.
The Casino, the Grand Prix circuit and the harbor
- From the pier walk the harbor front past the superyachts and up to Casino Square in about 15 minutes, or take the public elevators and escalators that climb the hillside for free
- The Casino de Monte-Carlo opens its gaming rooms at 2 pm (about €20 with a gaming credit, passport and no shorts), the atrium is free, and the Café de Paris terrace next door is the people-watching seat
- Then walk the Formula 1 circuit on foot: the start line on the harbor, the hairpin by the Fairmont, the tunnel and the swimming pool chicane, about 2 miles in all
Best for: first-timers, car fans, people-watchers
Prince’s Palace, the cathedral and the Oceanographic Museum
- Monaco-Ville sits on a cliff above the west side of the harbor: an elevator and stairs from the pier side or a 15 minute uphill walk
- Changing of the guard at the Palace at 11:55 daily, the State Apartments (about €10, open late March to mid October) and Princess Grace’s tomb in the cathedral, all free to walk between
- The Oceanographic Museum (about €22) with its shark lagoon and rooftop terrace closes the loop; allow 3 to 4 hours for the whole Rock
Best for: families, history buffs, Grace Kelly fans
Èze, Nice and the Corniche roads
- Èze village is 15 minutes up the Moyenne Corniche by taxi (about €35 to €45 each way) or bus 112 from Monaco; the Exotic Garden on top has the best view on the Riviera
- The train from Monaco-Monte-Carlo reaches Nice-Ville in 20 to 25 minutes for about €4 to €5, with the old town and the Promenade des Anglais a 15 minute walk from the station
- Ship excursions run the three Corniche roads with Èze and a perfume factory for about $90 to $150 and 4 to 5 hours
Best for: repeat visitors, scenery lovers, couples
Monaco (Monte Carlo) cruises: SmartCruiser picks first
Every cruise that calls at Monaco 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 Monaco (Monte Carlo)
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 Monaco
Monaco is a premium and luxury call on Western Mediterranean itineraries between Italy and Spain; pick a home port and the list above filters to cruises leaving from there.
Things to do in Monaco
The whole country is less than a square mile, so everything here is on foot, with elevators doing the climbing; here is where to spend the day.
Which lines call at Monaco?
Only premium and luxury ships can call in the Principality, so the roster is small-ship heavy; the big mainstream lines visit from Villefranche.
When to go
Monaco is mild year round with hot summers and a rainy stretch in October and November; late spring and September are ideal, and Grand Prix week in early June is a spectacle with closed streets and no Palace tours.
Monaco questions we answer every day
Do cruise ships dock or tender in Monaco, and how far is the Casino?
Both. Port Hercule has one cruise berth on the semi-floating breakwater, with a passenger terminal, and since 2021 the Principality has limited calls to premium and luxury ships of up to about 250 meters and 1,250 passengers. The first ship in docks there; a second ship the same day anchors just outside the harbor and tenders to the quay, 5 to 10 minutes. The big mainstream ships (Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, MSC, Celebrity) cannot call here and visit from Villefranche or Nice instead. From the pier it is a flat 15 minute walk along the harbor to the foot of the Casino hill, or ride the free public elevators.
How do I get around Monaco?
On foot, with help. Monaco is a vertical city and the government runs free public elevators and escalators between the harbor, Monaco-Ville, the Casino terraces and the Exotic Garden; look for the lift signs. The CAM bus network (6 routes, about €2 a ride) covers the rest, taxis wait at the pier gate until early evening, and the train station in the middle of town reaches Nice in 20 to 25 minutes and Villefranche in 15 for about €4 to €5.
What money do I use, and will my phone work?
Monaco uses the euro (with its own coins) and cards and tap-to-pay work everywhere; dress codes matter more than cash here. French is the language and English is spoken in every shop and museum. Monaco is on Central European Time, six hours ahead of New York. Most US carriers sell a daily international pass of about $10 to $12, or buy an eSIM before you sail; note that Monaco has its own mobile network, so check your plan covers it.
Is Monaco safe for cruise passengers?
Monaco is one of the safest places you will ever step ashore, with a police officer for every few hundred residents and cameras everywhere; the cruise lines and the U.S. State Department have no specific warnings. The only practical advice is to mind the dress code at the Casino and the Palace (no beachwear), carry your passport if you want to enter the gaming rooms, and give yourself time to climb back down to the tender if your ship is at anchor.
What is the best excursion, and should I book it through the ship?
Monaco is a do-it-yourself port: the Casino, the circuit walk, the Rock and the Oceanographic Museum are all within a mile of the pier and need no bus. Book through the ship only for Èze and the Corniche drive, which has no train, or if you want a guided Palace and Casino visit with timed entry. A train to Nice on your own works on calls of 8 hours or more.
Do I need a passport for a Mediterranean cruise?
Yes. Every Mediterranean cruise needs a passport valid for at least three months beyond your return (we recommend six), and there is no closed-loop exception as there is for round trips from US ports. The EU’s new entry-exit system records your arrival at the first Schengen port, and the ETIAS travel authorization is being phased in; Monaco is not in the EU but follows the French border rules, and you will want your passport for the Casino. Our specialists keep a current checklist for every sailing.
Are taxes and fees included in the prices here?
Yes. Every price on this page includes the cruise fare, government taxes, fees and port expenses, so the number you see is the number you pay for the cruise. Flights, hotels, shore excursions and onboard gratuities are extra, and SmartCruiser adds bonus onboard credit on the picks at the top that you cannot get booking direct.
Talk to a Monaco and Riviera cruise specialist
Tell us your dates and which small ship suits you and we will find the Mediterranean sailing with a Monaco call and the most SmartCruiser value, then book it for you. Monday to Thursday 9 to 6, Friday 9 to 5, Saturday 10 to 6 ET.