126 of the best · the world’s cruise lines, ships and seas
The Cruise Ports, Region by Region
Home ports and ports of call with their terminals, checked with the port authorities and tourism boards.
Our 126 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026
What's onThis week in the world’s cruise lines
Insiders' picks
Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love the sea.
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Five cruise terminals
Southampton
Britain’s great cruise port, with five terminals across the Eastern and Western Docks, run by Associated British Ports.
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The Cruise Capital of the World®
PortMiami
Miami’s cruise port on Dodge Island in Biscayne Bay, The Cruise Capital of the World® in its own words: 8,564,225 cruise passengers in its latest fiscal year, the highest in its history.
PortMiami, Dodge Island, Miami, FL, USAExplore View on map
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Travel Juneau
Juneau
Alaska’s capital, reached only by sea or air, with the Goldbelt Tram above the cruise docks.
The full list: Ports, A–Z
Show 123 of 126 places on a map
Western Mediterranean & the Rivieras 10
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Funicular to the Piazzetta
Capri: Marina Grande
Capri’s harbour of Marina Grande, where the boats from Naples arrive and the funicular climbs to the Piazzetta in Capri town.
Marina Grande, 80073 Capri NA, ItalyExplore View on map
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Rome’s port since AD 108
Civitavecchia: the Port of Rome
The cruise port for Rome, founded by the emperor Trajan in AD 108 as the gateway to the city; a shuttle inside the port links the piers with the exit at Largo della Pace.
Largo della Pace, 00053 Civitavecchia RM, ItalyExplore View on map
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Shuttle to La Joliette
Marseille Provence Cruise Terminal
Marseille’s cruise terminals at Gate 4 (Cap Janet), with a shuttle bus on cruise days to Place de la Joliette and the old town beyond.
Gate 4 (Cap Janet), 13016 Marseille, FranceExplore View on map
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Ships up to 300 m alongside
Monaco: Port Hercule and the Digue Rainier III
Cruise ships berth alongside Monaco’s semi-floating breakwater, at the foot of the Rock, a short walk from Port Hercule and the Monte-Carlo hill.
Digue Rainier III, Port Hercule, 98000 MonacoExplore View on map
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Beside Piazza Municipio
Naples: the Stazione Marittima
The maritime station on the Molo Angioino, steps from Castel Nuovo and Piazza Municipio: Pompeii, the Archaeological Museum and the ferries to Capri are all close.
Stazione Marittima, Molo Angioino, 80133 Napoli NA, ItalyExplore View on map
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Cathedral on the waterfront
Palma de Mallorca: the cruise port
Palma’s cruise berths lie along the western side of the bay, under the Castell de Bellver, with La Seu and the old town a short taxi or bus ride away.
Port de Palma, Palma, Illes Balears, SpainExplore View on map
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Up to 10 large ships at once
Port de Barcelona: the cruise terminals
Europe’s leading cruise port, in its own words: terminals at the World Trade Center by the old harbour and on the Moll Adossat, with a shuttle bus into town.
Moll Adossat, Port de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainExplore View on map
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Small harbour on the Ligurian Riviera
Portofino
The coloured houses and tiny harbour of Portofino, on its green promontory between the Gulf of Tigullio and the open sea; a call reserved, in practice, for ships that suit its scale.
16034 Portofino GE, ItalyExplore View on map
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Small ships only
Saint-Tropez: the Vieux Port
Saint-Tropez welcomes upscale cruise calls on ships of limited capacity, in the town’s own words, with an adviser from the tourist office on the quay for each one.
Port de Saint-Tropez, Quai de l’Épi, 83990 Saint-Tropez, FranceExplore View on map
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Tender port
Villefranche-sur-Mer: the bay and the Port de la Santé
Ships lie at anchor in the deep bay of Villefranche, and their launches land passengers at the Port de la Santé, below the citadel: the classic gateway to Nice and Cap Ferrat.
Port de la Santé, 06230 Villefranche-sur-Mer, FranceExplore View on map
Greek Islands, Adriatic & Eastern Med 11
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An underground cruise terminal
Galataport Istanbul
Istanbul’s cruise port on the Karaköy shore: a 29,000 m² terminal underground, a public promenade above, and room for three ships and 15,000 passengers a day.
Kılıçali Paşa, Meclis-i Mebusan Caddesi, Beyoğlu, Istanbul, TürkiyeExplore View on map
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Venetian harbour and fortress
Hvar Town
Hvar Town’s harbour, with the Venetian arsenal on the main square and the fortress on the hill above: a call for smaller ships.
Hvar Town harbour, 21450 Hvar, CroatiaExplore View on map
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Car-free harbour town
Hydra
A horseshoe harbour of grey stone mansions in the Saronic Gulf, without cars, close enough to Piraeus for the smallest ships and yachts.
Hydra Port, 180 40 Hydra, GreeceExplore View on map
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A walled town on its peninsula
Korčula Town
The walled medieval town of Korčula on its small peninsula, with streets laid out like a fishbone around the Cathedral of St Mark.
Korčula Town harbour, 20260 Korčula, CroatiaExplore View on map
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The Cyclades’ white-and-blue harbour town
Mykonos
Mykonos Town, or Chora, with its white lanes behind the harbour; Delos, the sacred island of antiquity, lies just offshore.
Mykonos Town, Mykonos, GreeceExplore View on map
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Two big ships in port, one off the Old Town
Port of Dubrovnik (Gruž)
Dubrovnik’s port in Gruž, a 30- to 40-minute walk or a short bus ride from the Old Town, where the port authority keeps cruise numbers to around 8,000 passengers on most days.
Port of Dubrovnik, Gruž, 20000 Dubrovnik, CroatiaExplore View on map
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At the foot of the old town walls
Port of Kotor
The port at the head of the Bay of Kotor, beneath the walls of the old town; sailing in through the bay, on UNESCO’s list, is part of the day.
Port of Kotor, 85330 Kotor, MontenegroExplore View on map
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The natural port of Athens
Port of Piraeus: the cruise terminals
Piraeus, in its port authority’s words the natural port of Athens and Greece’s main gateway, is the home port for most Greek Island voyages.
Port of Piraeus, Piraeus, GreeceExplore View on map
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Cable car to Fira
Santorini: Fira old port and the cable car
Ships call in the caldera below Fira, where the Santorini Cable Car climbs from the old port to the town on the clifftop.
Old Port, Fira, Santorini, GreeceExplore View on map
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Beside the Riva
Split: the city harbour
Split’s city harbour, beside the Riva and the walls of Diocletian’s Palace: cruise ships berth in the harbour, as the port authority’s daily schedule shows.
Gradska luka, 21000 Split, CroatiaExplore View on map
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Large ships at Marghera and Fusina
Venice: the cruise terminals (status)
Since 2021 ships of more than 25,000 gross tonnes may not pass through St Mark’s Basin, the St Mark’s Canal or the Giudecca Canal; large ships use Marghera and Fusina, smaller ones still reach the Marittima and San Basilio.
Venezia Terminal Passeggeri, Marittima, Venezia, ItalyExplore View on map
The Caribbean & the Bahamas 12
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About 800,000 cruise visitors a year
Bridgetown: the Port of Bridgetown
The deep-water port in the heart of Barbados’ capital, which welcomes about 800,000 cruise visitors a year.
Port of Bridgetown, Bridgetown, St. Michael, BarbadosExplore View on map
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Up to five ships a day in season
Castries: Pointe Seraphine
St Lucia’s cruise berths at Pointe Seraphine, within walking distance of Castries; from October to April as many as five ships can call in a day.
Pointe Seraphine, Castries, Saint LuciaExplore View on map
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A harbour of yachts
Gustavia, St Barts
The capital of St Barts, shaped by its harbour of boats and sailing yachts, with French and Swedish heritage in its streets.
Gustavia, Saint-BarthélemyExplore View on map
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Beach bars and White Bay
Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin Islands
One of the smallest of the British Virgin Islands, in the tourist board’s words perhaps the BVI’s most colourful island, ‘both in terms of vegetation, and history’: a favourite of yacht-style ships.
Jost Van Dyke, British Virgin IslandsExplore View on map
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A $300 million transformation
Nassau Cruise Port
Nassau’s cruise port on the harbour downtown, transformed by a $300 million redevelopment, with forts and the Queen’s Staircase within a short walk.
Nassau Cruise Port, Nassau, The BahamasExplore View on map
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Two nations, one island
Philipsburg: Port St. Maarten
The cruise port of Philipsburg, capital of Sint Maarten, on an island shared by two nations, the Dutch and the French.
Philipsburg, Sint MaartenExplore View on map
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Fort Lauderdale’s cruise port
Port Everglades
Greater Fort Lauderdale’s cruise port, with Caribbean cruises, world voyages and fast ferries, and the Omni Fort Lauderdale Hotel on the port itself.
Port Everglades, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USAExplore View on map
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Four cruise terminals
Port of Galveston
The Texas home port at the entrance to Galveston Bay, the fourth most popular cruise home port in the United States in its own words, with almost 4 million passengers a year.
Port of Galveston, Harborside Drive, Galveston, TX, USAExplore View on map
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The Cruise Capital of the World®
PortMiami
Miami’s cruise port on Dodge Island in Biscayne Bay, The Cruise Capital of the World® in its own words: 8,564,225 cruise passengers in its latest fiscal year, the highest in its history.
PortMiami, Dodge Island, Miami, FL, USAExplore View on map
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Old San Juan and the Panamerican piers
San Juan Cruise Port
San Juan’s cruise port, in two districts: Piers 3 and 4 in Old San Juan, a walk from the forts, and the Panamerican piers across the bay for large homeport ships.
Old San Juan, San Juan, Puerto RicoExplore View on map
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The Greater Baths National Park
Virgin Gorda: The Baths
Virgin Gorda’s famous beach of giant granite boulders, sea pools and grottoes, protected by the National Parks Trust of the Virgin Islands.
The Baths, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin IslandsExplore View on map
Northern Europe, the Norwegian Fjords & the Arctic 10
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Piet Heinkade 27
Amsterdam: Passenger Terminal Amsterdam
The city’s cruise terminal on the IJ, a short walk from Amsterdam Centraal.
Piet Heinkade 27, 1019 BR Amsterdam, NetherlandsExplore View on map
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Bergen Havn
Bergen
Norway’s gateway to the fjords, with cruise quays from Festningskaien by Bryggen to Jekteviken.
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Langelinie, Nordre Toldbod, Oceankaj
Copenhagen
Three cruise quays north of the centre: Langelinie, Nordre Toldbod and Oceankaj, run by Copenhagen Malmö Port.
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One cruise ship alongside a day
Flåm
At the head of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the Sognefjord, and the start of the Flåm Railway.
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SeaWalk and tender
Geiranger
At the head of the World Heritage Geirangerfjord, with a SeaWalk for stepping ashore and anchorages for tendering.
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Port of Helsinki
Helsinki
Four cruise areas: the South Harbour, Katajanokka, the West Harbour and Hernesaari.
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Bykaia
Longyearbyen, Svalbard
The capital of Svalbard: cruise and cargo ships dock at Bykaia.
Bykaia, 9171 Longyearbyen, Svalbard, NorwayExplore View on map
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Five cruise terminals
Southampton
Britain’s great cruise port, with five terminals across the Eastern and Western Docks, run by Associated British Ports.
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Ports of Stockholm
Stockholm
Ships dock in the city at Stadsgården and Frihamnen, or on the coast at Nynäshamn.
Alaska & the Pacific Northwest 9
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Rangers board the ship
Glacier Bay National Park
A day of scenic cruising among tidewater glaciers, with National Park Service rangers aboard. Ships do not dock.
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Hoonah
Icy Strait Point (Hoonah)
A port beside the Tlingit village of Hoonah, built around a century-old salmon cannery.
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Travel Juneau
Juneau
Alaska’s capital, reached only by sea or air, with the Goldbelt Tram above the cruise docks.
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Visit Ketchikan
Ketchikan
The first Alaskan port on most voyages, with downtown berths and a visitor centre on Berth 2.
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Pier 66 and Pier 91
Seattle
Two cruise terminals: Bell Street at Pier 66 downtown and Smith Cove at Pier 91.
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Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal
Sitka
The Sitka Sound Cruise Terminal, outside town, with frequent shuttles to Harrigan Centennial Hall.
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Railroad, Broadway and Ore docks
Skagway
The gold-rush town at the head of the Lynn Canal, with three deep-water docks run by the White Pass & Yukon Route.
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Canada Place
Vancouver: Canada Place
The downtown cruise terminal on the waterfront, below the Pan Pacific hotel.
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Ogden Point
Victoria: Ogden Point
British Columbia’s capital, where cruise ships berth at the Greater Victoria Harbour Authority’s Ogden Point.
Asia & the Gulf 11
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Dubai Harbour
Dubai Harbour Cruise Terminal
Dubai’s seafront cruise terminal, beside what it calls the region’s largest marina.
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Kai Tak
Hong Kong: Kai Tak Cruise Terminal
Hong Kong’s cruise terminal at Kai Tak, with shuttle buses to the MTR on ship days.
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Bangkok (Laem Chabang)
Laem Chabang for Bangkok
The deep-water port on the Gulf of Thailand where big ships call for Bangkok.
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Visit Maldives
Malé, the Maldives
The capital of the Maldives, the start for island resorts and liveaboards.
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Mumbai Port Authority
Mumbai
India’s gateway on the Arabian Sea, with cruise terminals run by the Mumbai Port Authority.
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Baoshan
Shanghai: Wusongkou International Cruise Port
Shanghai’s main cruise port, in Baoshan district north of the city.
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New terminal from July 2026
Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront)
Singapore’s second cruise terminal, moved into a new building at HarbourFront in July 2026.
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Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore
Singapore: Marina Bay Cruise Centre
Singapore’s cruise terminal at Marina Bay, for home-port departures and calls.
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Opened 2020
Tokyo International Cruise Terminal
Tokyo’s cruise terminal at Aomi on Tokyo Bay, opened on 10 September 2020.
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One of three Yokohama terminals
Yokohama: Ōsanbashi Pier
Yokohama’s international passenger terminal, with a rooftop deck open 24 hours.
1-1-4 Kaigan-dori, Naka-ku, Yokohama, JapanExplore View on map
The Great Rivers 12
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Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities
Aswan
The southern end of the Nile cruise, for Philae, Elephantine and the road to Abu Simbel.
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Budapest Info
Budapest
The great Danube capital, where ships moor on both the Buda and the Pest banks.
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Cologne Tourist Board
Cologne
The cathedral city on the Rhine, with river moorings below the old town.
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Ancient Thebes
Luxor
The Nile city of Karnak and the Valley of the Kings, embarkation for Luxor–Aswan cruises.
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Die Drei-Flüsse-Stadt
Passau
The “city of three rivers” on the German–Austrian border, where many Danube cruises begin.
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Visit Porto
Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia
Embarkation for the Douro, between the old city and the port-wine lodges of Gaia.
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Mekong Delta
The Mekong: Vietnam and Cambodia
Small ships sail the Mekong between the Delta in Vietnam and Cambodia.
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UNESCO World Heritage
The Wachau: Melk, Dürnstein and Krems
The UNESCO-listed stretch of the Danube between Melk and Krems, the most beautiful day on the river.
The Galápagos & South America 15
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Galápagos gateway
Baltra (Galápagos)
The small island beside Santa Cruz where many Galápagos voyages begin and end, with the islands’ main airport.
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Port of Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires: Terminal Quinquela Martín
The city’s international cruise terminal, in the port of Buenos Aires near Retiro.
Av. Ramón S. Castillo 13, Buenos Aires, ArgentinaExplore View on map
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Beach peninsula
Búzios
A beach peninsula east of Rio de Janeiro, a summer call on voyages along Brazil’s coast.
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Port for Lima
Callao (Lima)
Peru’s main seaport, beside Lima and close to Jorge Chávez International Airport.
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Amazon gateway
Iquitos and Nauta (Peruvian Amazon)
The river city reached only by air or water, and the embarkation point for Peruvian Amazon voyages.
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Floating port
Manaus
The capital of Amazonas state, on the Rio Negro, and the turning point of long Amazon voyages.
Rua Marquês de Santa Cruz 25, Manaus, AM 69005-050, BrazilExplore View on map
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On the Río de la Plata
Montevideo
Uruguay’s capital and main port on the Río de la Plata, run by the Administración Nacional de Puertos.
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Park headquarters
Puerto Ayora (Santa Cruz)
The largest town in the Galápagos, home to the national park’s headquarters and the Charles Darwin Research Station.
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Silver Origin departures
Puerto Baquerizo Moreno (San Cristóbal)
The harbour town of San Cristóbal, one of the four inhabited Galápagos islands, and the start of many eastern-island voyages.
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Angelmó
Puerto Montt
The gateway to Chile’s lakes and volcanoes and to Chiloé, with more than 100,000 cruise visitors a season.
Avenida Angelmó 1673, Puerto Montt, ChileExplore View on map
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Resort call
Punta del Este
Uruguay’s smartest beach resort, on a peninsula where the Río de la Plata meets the Atlantic.
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International Cruise Terminal
Rio de Janeiro: Pier Mauá
Rio’s cruise terminal on Praça Mauá, in the regenerated Porto Maravilha district, with the city’s light-rail tram at the gate.
Avenida Rodrigues Alves 10, Praça Mauá, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 20081-250, BrazilExplore View on map
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DP World San Antonio
San Antonio
Chile’s largest multipurpose port, south of Valparaíso, which also receives cruise ships.
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Terminal Giusfredo Santini
Santos (São Paulo): Concais
The port for São Paulo, and the Brazilian cruise terminal that embarks and disembarks the most passengers.
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Chile’s cruise home port
Valparaíso
Chile’s cruise home port, with a passenger terminal linked to the ships by shuttle bus.
Antarctica & the Arctic 9
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Eyjafjörður
Akureyri
North Iceland’s port at the head of Eyjafjörður, run by Hafnasamlag Norðurlands.
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A short walk to town
Ísafjörður
The largest town in the Westfjords, where cruise ships come alongside a short walk from the centre.
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Colonial Harbour
Nuuk
Greenland’s capital, ringed by mountains, with the Colonial Harbour and boat trips into the Nuuk Fjord.
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Strait of Magellan
Punta Arenas: Terminal Arturo Prat
A 373-metre pier on the Strait of Magellan, with a passenger hall and Antarctic centre.
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Vör terminal, opened May 2026
Reykjavík
Iceland’s capital and main cruise port, with a new purpose-built terminal and a berth in the Old Harbour.
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By sea only
South Georgia: Grytviken
The old whaling station in King Edward Cove, with the South Georgia Museum and Shackleton’s grave.
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Zodiac landings only
The Antarctic Peninsula
No piers, no shops: landings are by Zodiac, under the Antarctic Treaty’s visitor guidelines.
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Gateway to Antarctica
Ushuaia
The port on the Beagle Channel where most Antarctic expedition voyages begin and end.
The Indian Ocean & Africa 11
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V&A Waterfront
Cape Town Cruise Terminal
Cape Town’s cruise terminal, run by the V&A Waterfront, a short walk from the shops, restaurants and Zeitz MOCAA.
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MSC’s South African home port
Durban: KwaZulu Cruise Terminal
The cruise terminal at the Port of Durban, used by MSC for its South African season.
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Granite and white sand
La Digue
A small granite island of white beaches and colonial houses, reached by yacht and small ship.
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Namport
Lüderitz
A small harbour town on Namibia’s southern coast, a few kilometres from the ghost town of Kolmanskop.
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Berth 1
Mombasa Cruise Terminal
Kenya Ports Authority’s solar-powered cruise terminal at Berth 1, with a passenger lobby, duty-free shops and restaurants.
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The scented island
Nosy Be (Andoany)
An island off Madagascar’s north-west coast, known for ylang-ylang, vanilla and the Lokobe reserve.
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Cruise jetty at La Saline
Port Louis Cruise Terminal
A modern cruise terminal building beside the cruise jetty at La Saline, Port Louis, opened in 2023.
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Mahé Quay, 370 m
Port Victoria, Mahé
The Seychelles’ cruise port in the capital, Victoria, run by the Seychelles Ports Authority.
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Small ships and yachts
Praslin
The Seychelles’ second island, home of the Vallée de Mai and its coco de mer palms.
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Berth 9 passenger terminal
Walvis Bay
Namibia’s main seaport, with a dedicated passenger liner terminal since 2019: the gateway to Swakopmund and the Namib.
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Zanzibar Ports Corporation
Zanzibar: Malindi Port
Stone Town’s harbour, the busiest passenger port in the region, a short walk from the UNESCO-listed old town.
Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific 16
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Downtown berths
Auckland: Princes and Queens Wharves
New Zealand’s main cruise hub, with both berths in the heart of downtown Auckland.
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Ships tender
Bay of Islands: Waitangi Wharf
Ships anchor in the bay and tender to Waitangi Wharf, on the Treaty Grounds themselves.
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Bali’s cruise gateway
Benoa, Bali
The main gateway for cruise ships entering Bali, on the south-east coast of the island.
Jl. Raya Pelabuhan Benoa, Pedungan, Denpasar, Bali 80223, IndonesiaExplore View on map
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Lagoon and Mount Otemanu
Bora Bora
The “Pearl of the Pacific”: a turquoise lagoon of palm-covered motu around Mount Otemanu.
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Luggage Point, Pinkenba
Brisbane International Cruise Terminal
Brisbane’s cruise terminal at the mouth of the Brisbane River, 15 minutes’ drive from the airport.
1 Cruise Terminal Drive, Pinkenba QLD, AustraliaExplore View on map
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Gateway to the Reef
Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal
A cruise terminal in a heritage-listed wharf shed in the middle of Cairns, an easy walk from the shops.
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Beside the Waterfront
Darwin Cruise Ship Terminal
Darwin’s terminal at Fort Hill Wharf, with a walkway straight into the Waterfront Precinct.
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Fiji Ports Corporation
Fiji: Suva and Lautoka
Fiji’s two main ports on Viti Levu: the capital, Suva, on the south-east coast, and Lautoka in the west.
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World Heritage fiords
Fiordland and Milford Sound/Piopiotahi
Fourteen fiords in Fiordland National Park, with Mitre Peak rising 1,692 metres straight from the water of Milford Sound.
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Piers 2 and 11
Honolulu Harbor
Two cruise terminals on Honolulu’s waterfront, beside the Aloha Tower of 1926.
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Overnight on Pride of America
Kahului, Maui
Maui’s port in Kahului, where Norwegian’s inter-island loop stays overnight.
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Ships anchor and tender
Komodo National Park
No pier, just an anchorage: ships anchor close to the national park and tender passengers ashore.
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Opened in 1930
Melbourne: Station Pier
Victoria’s main cruise terminal, a heritage-listed pier about 3 km south-west of the city centre.
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Port Autonome de Papeete
Papeete, Tahiti
The main gateway for cruising in French Polynesia, where yachts and small ships begin their island loops.
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Circular Quay West
Sydney: Overseas Passenger Terminal
New South Wales’ original international cruise terminal, across the water from the Opera House and beside the Harbour Bridge.
Corner of Argyle and George Streets, Circular Quay West, The Rocks NSW 2000, AustraliaExplore View on map
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Access via James Craig Road
Sydney: White Bay Cruise Terminal
Sydney’s second cruise terminal, in Balmain, west of the Harbour Bridge.
