A cruise is really a string of ports, and the difference between a good day ashore and a wasted one is knowing what's actually there — how far the town is from the berth, what's walkable, and what's worth the excursion. This is a guide to the great cruise ports of call, grouped by region: the UK departure ports many British cruises sail from, the classic Mediterranean, Atlantic-Europe and Norwegian-fjord calls, and the headline ports of the Caribbean, the Americas and Asia. It's a companion to the ship, not a replacement for it — a way to make the most of each precious day in port.
Cruise-port accessibility varies enormously: some berths are a level walk into town, others are an industrial dock miles out needing a shuttle, and tender ports (where the ship anchors and ferries you ashore by small boat) can be difficult or impossible in a wheelchair or a swell. Cruise lines publish access and tender information per port — check it before you book excursions, and where we haven't confirmed a detail we say "not yet checked".
UK and Ireland cruise ports
The home ports many British cruises sail from, and the scenic calls around the coast.
Port of Southampton
Britain's busiest cruise homeport, with five terminals sending ships to the Med, the fjords and the Caribbean. A departure port rather than a day-call, but the walkable city and Mayflower history reward an early arrival.
Southampton is where the majority of UK-based cruises begin, and for good reason: five terminals, deep water and a straight run down the Solent to the open sea. Most passengers see it as a check-in hall and a car park, but the city itself is worth arriving early for. Three of the terminals, Ocean, Horizon and City, sit within easy walking distance of the centre, while Mayflower and the QEII terminal are a short taxi ride out. Ashore you will find the old town walls, the SeaCity Museum's Titanic story (she sailed from here), the Mayflower memorial and Bargate. It is a practical, well-drilled port rather than a scenic one, but a smooth start to a voyage counts for a great deal.
Our tip If you are driving, book valet or on-port parking in advance, CPS serves the Carnival-family terminals (P&O, Cunard, Princess) and ABParking the others; walk-up space is not guaranteed.
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Worth watching
- How do two disabled girls go on a cruise? Accessible cruising Chronically Jenni
- Boarding a cruise ship with a disability Wobbly Wendi
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Port of Dover
The second UK cruise gateway, tucked beneath the famous White Cliffs. Two terminals in the Western Docks put Dover Castle and the cliff-top walks within a short hop, with London around 90 minutes away.
Dover is Britain's other main cruise gateway, its two terminals sitting in the Western Docks in the shadow of the White Cliffs. For a departure port it is unusually scenic, and unusually well placed for a day either side of a sailing. Dover Castle, the self-styled 'Key to England' with two thousand years of history and its wartime tunnels, is a couple of miles up the hill. The cliff-top National Trust paths to the South Foreland Lighthouse start almost from the quay. Many passengers use Dover simply as a springboard: central London is roughly 75 miles away, around an hour and a half by road or rail, and Canterbury Cathedral is far closer. As a homeport it is smaller and calmer than Southampton, which many find a relief.
Our tip Coming from London, allow real time for the journey, book a rail or coach transfer rather than cutting it fine on sailing day.
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Port of Liverpool
One of the most central cruise berths in Britain, a floating terminal on the Mersey with the Three Graces, Albert Dock and the Beatles trail all within a short flat walk. No shuttle needed.
Few cruise ports put you as close to the action as Liverpool. The floating terminal sits on the Mersey directly below the Pier Head, so you disembark straight onto the waterfront promenade with no industrial estate or shuttle bus in between. The Three Graces, the Royal Liver Building with its mythic Liver Birds, the Cunard Building and the Port of Liverpool Building, line up in front of you. A ten-to-fifteen-minute stroll south brings you to the Royal Albert Dock, a historic Victorian dock complex holding the Beatles Story, the Maritime Museum and Tate Liverpool. The streets are flat and clearly signed, making it one of the easiest UK ports to explore on foot. Liverpool works as both an occasional homeport and a day-call.
Our tip The waterfront is walkable end to end, but for the Cavern Club and the shopping quarter head inland from the docks, it is only ten minutes but easy to miss if you hug the river.
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Greenock (for Glasgow)
Scotland's Clyde cruise gateway. Ships berth alongside at the Ocean Terminal, no tender, with Glasgow around 25 miles east and Loch Lomond and the Trossachs close at hand.
Greenock sits on the Firth of Clyde, a working town that serves as the sea gate to Glasgow and Scotland's western Highlands. Since the Ocean Terminal's dedicated cruise berth opened, even the largest ships come alongside the quay, so there is no tendering. The terminal's own visitor centre includes the Wyllieum gallery devoted to Scottish artist George Wyllie. Most passengers, though, are heading elsewhere: Glasgow's museums, architecture and shopping are around a 30-40 minute drive or a direct train from Greenock Central, while Loch Lomond, the Trossachs and the whisky trails of the west open up northward. Greenock itself offers the Clyde views from Lyle Hill and the McLean Museum. It is a transfer port more than a destination, but a superbly placed one.
Our tip For an independent Glasgow day, the train from Greenock Central to Glasgow Central is quicker and cheaper than a taxi, around 40 minutes each way.
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Kirkwall (Orkney)
Orkney's capital and the gateway to one of Europe's greatest concentrations of prehistory. Most large ships dock at Hatston Pier with a shuttle into town; Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar need a tour or taxi.
Kirkwall is the compact, welcoming capital of Orkney, and the reason ships call is the astonishing depth of history on this small archipelago. In town stands St Magnus Cathedral, the red-and-yellow sandstone 'Light in the North' founded by a Viking earl in 1137. Beyond it lies the UNESCO Heart of Neolithic Orkney: Skara Brae, the best-preserved prehistoric village in western Europe, the Ring of Brodgar and Standing Stones of Stenness, and the chambered tomb of Maeshowe, all older than Stonehenge and the pyramids. Most large ships dock at Hatston Pier, a couple of miles from the centre, with a shuttle to the Kirkwall travel centre; smaller vessels berth in town, and a few tender into the bay. The prehistoric sites are a short drive out, so a tour or taxi is worthwhile.
Our tip The great Neolithic sites are spread across the West Mainland, if you only manage one, make it Skara Brae, but a half-day tour links it with Brodgar and Stenness comfortably.
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Portland (for Weymouth & the Jurassic Coast)
A former naval harbour on the Isle of Portland, in the heart of the UNESCO Jurassic Coast. Ships dock alongside; Weymouth is about five miles away and shuttle buses run to the town and nearby sights.
Portland Port occupies a huge former Royal Navy harbour on the Isle of Portland, the tied island that anchors the western end of Dorset's Jurassic Coast, England's only natural World Heritage Site, famous for 185 million years of geology laid bare in its cliffs. Ships berth alongside, and shuttle buses usually run the five or so miles across the causeway to the Victorian resort of Weymouth, with its sweeping sandy bay and harbour. From the port, popular excursions reach Portland Bill and its lighthouse, the great shingle bank of Chesil Beach, Corfe Castle's dramatic ruin, Abbotsbury Swannery and Durdle Door. Portland stone quarried here built St Paul's Cathedral. It is a gateway port: the isle itself is quietly interesting, but most of the star sights lie a short drive away on the mainland.
Our tip Weymouth's beach and harbour make an easy independent day via the shuttle; for Durdle Door, Corfe Castle or the Swannery you will want an organised excursion or a taxi.
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Invergordon (for Inverness & Loch Ness)
A deep-water Highland port on the Cromarty Firth. Ships dock alongside, with Inverness around 25 miles south and Loch Ness, Urquhart Castle and the whisky country all within a day's reach.
Invergordon, on the sheltered Cromarty Firth, is now one of Scotland's busiest cruise ports and the natural gateway to the northern Highlands. Ships berth alongside the quay, so there is no tendering. The town itself is modest, known for its striking harbour-front murals, but the surrounding area is the draw. Inverness, capital of the Highlands, lies around 25 miles to the south by the A9. The headline excursion is Loch Ness, roughly an hour's drive away, where the ruins of Urquhart Castle stand over the water and boat trips go monster-hunting. Also within range are the battlefield of Culloden, the Clava Cairns, Cawdor Castle and several Speyside distilleries. It is a transfer port, so plan how you will cover the distance before you arrive.
Our tip Distances here are real, Loch Ness is around an hour each way. If you want the loch, Culloden and a castle in one day, book an organised tour rather than improvising.
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Tobermory (Mull) & Iona
A Hebridean tender call at Mull's brightly painted fishing capital, and gateway to holy Iona. Smaller ships come into Tobermory; larger ones anchor and tender. Iona itself is reached across Mull, so it is a full-day trip.
Tobermory is the postcard face of the Inner Hebrides, a curve of boldly coloured houses around a sheltered harbour on the Isle of Mull, familiar to a generation of children as television's Balamory. Smaller cruise ships come into the bay; larger ones anchor offshore and tender passengers to the centre, where the whole waterfront of shops, the distillery and the little museum is within an easy stroll. Mull is also the stepping stone to Iona, the tiny island where St Columba brought Christianity to Scotland in 563 and where kings of Scotland were buried; its restored medieval abbey is deeply atmospheric. Reaching Iona means crossing Mull to Fionnphort and taking the short passenger ferry, so it fills a day and is usually done as an organised excursion. Wildlife, eagles, otters, whales, is a draw in its own right.
Our tip Iona and Tobermory are at opposite ends of a large island, so you realistically choose one. For the abbey, take the ship's Iona tour; to potter the painted harbour, stay in Tobermory.
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Mediterranean, Atlantic Europe and the fjords
The classic European calls — ancient cities, island harbours and the great Norwegian fjords.
Port of Barcelona
The Mediterranean's premier cruise homeport. Most ships use the Moll Adossat terminals, a couple of miles from the centre; a shuttle bus or taxi drops you at the foot of Las Ramblas.
Barcelona is the powerhouse of Mediterranean cruising, a major homeport and a day-call that consistently rates among the best. Most ships dock at the Moll Adossat terminals on a breakwater a couple of miles from the old city; from there the port's shuttle bus (the Blue Bus / Portbus) or a taxi runs to the Columbus Monument at the foot of Las Ramblas in around ten minutes. Once in the centre the city is walkable and dense with wonders: Gaudí's still-unfinished Sagrada Família and the fairy-tale Park Güell, the Gothic Quarter's medieval lanes, the Boqueria market, Picasso's museum and the beach at Barceloneta. A day is barely enough. Note the pickpocket reputation on Las Ramblas and the metro, keep valuables close.
Our tip The Sagrada Família and Park Güell both require timed tickets that sell out, book online before you sail rather than hoping to walk up.
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Venice (Marghera / Ravenna)
The floating city, though large ships no longer sail past St Mark's. Big vessels dock at industrial Marghera on the mainland or divert to Ravenna, and transfer passengers into Venice; only small ships still use the historic terminal.
Venice remains one of the supreme sights of any cruise, but how you reach it has changed. To protect the fragile lagoon, ships over 25,000 gross tons are barred from the historic centre, so most large cruise vessels now dock at the industrial terminal of Marghera on the mainland, or on some itineraries at Ravenna two to three hours away, with a transfer into the city. Only smaller ships still berth at the old Marittima terminal near Venice proper. However you arrive, the city itself is unchanged and unmatched: St Mark's Square and its Byzantine basilica, the Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs, the Grand Canal by vaporetto, the Rialto and the back-canal quiet away from the crowds. Check exactly where your ship docks and how long the transfer takes before planning your day.
Our tip Confirm your docking point before you sail, a Marghera or Ravenna berth means a significant transfer, so factor that time out of your hours in the city.
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Dubrovnik
Croatia's walled jewel. Ships usually dock at Gruz, about 2.5 miles from the Old Town; a shuttle or bus runs to the Pile Gate. When the port is full, ships anchor and tender, costing time.
Dubrovnik's marble-paved Old Town, ringed by mighty medieval walls above the Adriatic, is one of the Mediterranean's great set pieces, and a Game of Thrones pilgrimage site as King's Landing. Ships generally dock at the port of Gruz, around 2.5 miles from the walls; cruise-line shuttles and public buses run to the Pile Gate where the pedestrian Old Town begins, a ride of ten to fifteen minutes. When Gruz is at capacity, ships anchor off and tender passengers ashore, which can cost 30-45 minutes of your day. Inside the walls you can walk the full circuit of the ramparts for the classic rooftop-and-sea views, stroll the Stradun, ride the cable car up Mount Srd, or escape the crowds on a boat to leafy Lokrum island. It gets extremely busy when several ships are in, go early.
Our tip Walk the city walls first thing before the heat and the crowds build; the full loop takes around two hours and the light is best early.
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Kotor
Montenegro's showpiece, a UNESCO Old Town at the head of a dramatic bay. The single central berth is a few minutes' walk from the town gate; a second ship anchors and tenders.
The approach to Kotor is one of cruising's most cinematic: ships thread the length of a deep, fjord-like bay walled by near-vertical mountains before reaching the medieval town at its head. Kotor's compact, car-free Old Town is a UNESCO site of Venetian churches, squares and marble lanes, and its great party trick is the town walls that zig-zag up the mountainside to the fortress of San Giovanni, a steep climb of over a thousand steps rewarded with a stupendous view down onto your ship. The main cruise berth sits only a few minutes' walk from the town gate; when a second ship is in, one anchors in the bay and tenders passengers ashore. Everything of interest is within walking distance, making Kotor an unusually easy port to do independently. Go early if you plan the fortress climb, there is little shade.
Our tip The climb to San Giovanni fortress is strenuous and largely unshaded, take water, start early, and wear proper shoes rather than sandals.
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Santorini
The whitewashed caldera island everyone pictures. A tender port: ships anchor in the flooded volcano and tender to the Old Port below Fira, from where a cable car, mule path or steps climb the cliff.
Santorini is a drowned volcano, and cruise ships anchor in the caldera it left behind, there is no dock, so this is very much a tender port. Tenders land at the Old Port at the foot of the cliffs below Fira, the capital, which perches hundreds of feet above. From there you reach the top by cable car, on foot up the zig-zag steps, or by mule; the cable car queues can be long when several ships are in. Fira and, further along the rim, the impossibly pretty village of Oia deliver the famous blue-domed churches, whitewashed lanes and caldera views. Beyond the cliff villages lie the black-sand beaches, the Bronze Age site of Akrotiri and clifftop wineries. It is stunning but heavily visited; timing your tender and cable-car runs is the whole game.
Our tip Get an early tender to beat the cable-car crush, and if you want the Oia sunset shot remember tender operations stop well before dusk, check your last-tender time.
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Palma de Mallorca
The lively capital of Mallorca. Ships dock a few miles from the centre; a flat waterfront walk of 30-45 minutes, or a short taxi or bus, reaches the great seafront cathedral and the old town.
Palma is the handsome, underrated capital of Mallorca, and its skyline is dominated by La Seu, a soaring sandstone Gothic cathedral rising straight from the seafront with a rose window and interior touches by Gaudí. Ships dock a few miles west of the centre; it is not a step-off port, but the waterfront promenade is flat and pleasant to walk in 30-45 minutes, and taxis and buses do the run quickly. Around the cathedral the old town is compact and easily explored on foot, the Almudaina royal palace, the Arab baths, patrician courtyards and tapas bars. Further afield lie the hilltop castle of Bellver, the beaches along the bay, and the mountain village of Valldemossa. Palma rewards independent wandering more than most Med ports.
Our tip The seafront walk into town is enjoyable one way but tiring both; consider walking in along the promenade and taking a taxi back to the ship.
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Port of Lisbon
Portugal's capital, a frequent Atlantic homeport and call. The Santa Apolónia terminal is a short walk from the centre and Alfama; Belém's monuments lie a few miles west by tram or train.
Lisbon spills down a cluster of hills to the wide Tagus estuary, and it is one of the most rewarding cruise cities on the Atlantic seaboard. Ships usually berth at Santa Apolónia, roughly a ten-minute walk from the Baixa's grand squares and right beside the tangled, cliff-hanging lanes of the Alfama; a few use Alcântara further west, handier for Belém. The city's pleasures are the old ones: rattling up the hills on tram 28, the Moorish castle of São Jorge and its viewpoint, the miradouros looking over terracotta rooftops, and pastéis de nata warm from the oven. West at Belém stand the Manueline Jerónimos Monastery and the riverside Belém Tower, reached by tram or a short train from Alcântara. Note the famously steep, cobbled streets, plan for the hills.
Our tip The hills and cobbles are hard on the feet and on wheels, use tram 28 or a tuk-tuk to gain height, and save the strolling for the flatter Baixa and riverside.
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Bergen
Norway's fjord gateway and a lovely call in its own right. Ships dock within a short walk of the UNESCO Bryggen wharf, the fish market and the Fløibanen funicular, no tender.
Bergen, ringed by seven mountains, is the busiest cruise port in Norway and the traditional gateway to the fjords, but it is a delight in its own right. Most ships dock at Skolten, a five-to-fifteen-minute walk from the heart of the old town, with no tendering. The centrepiece is Bryggen, the UNESCO-listed row of leaning, colourful timber merchant houses from the Hanseatic era, lining the old wharf. Beside it the fish market bustles, and a short walk away the Fløibanen funicular climbs Mount Fløyen in minutes for a panorama over the city, harbour and islands. Add the Hanseatic Museum, the KODE art museums and Edvard Grieg's lakeside villa at Troldhaugen, and Bergen easily fills a day. It rains often here, the locals shrug and carry on, and so should you.
Our tip Ride the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen early for the view, then walk down through the woods, the descent is gentle and free.
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Geiranger & the Geirangerfjord
The showpiece UNESCO fjord, sailed in past thundering waterfalls to a tiny village at its head. Usually a tender port; one ship may use the floating SeaWalk pier while others anchor and tender.
The sail into the Geirangerfjord is, for many, the single greatest hour of a Norway cruise: a narrow, sheer-sided UNESCO fjord where waterfalls such as the Seven Sisters plunge straight down the cliffs to the water. At its head sits the tiny village of Geiranger. This is generally a tender port, ships anchor in the fjord and tender passengers to the village centre, though one vessel at a time may use the floating SeaWalk pier. The village itself is small and quickly seen, so the point of Geiranger is the scenery: the hairpin road up to the Dalsnibba viewpoint, the Flydalsjuvet overlook, the Norwegian Fjord Centre, and short walks or kayak trips on the fjord. Excursions fill fast because the wow factor is so high. Even from the deck, simply arriving here is unforgettable.
Our tip Be on deck for the arrival sail-in, not below getting ready, the approach past the waterfalls is the highlight, and it comes before the ship has even anchored.
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Ålesund
A strikingly pretty fjord-coast town rebuilt in Art Nouveau style after a 1904 fire. Ships dock right in the centre, no tender, with the whole old town and the Aksla viewpoint within a short walk.
Ålesund is one of the loveliest towns on the Norwegian coast and one of the easiest ports to enjoy, because the berths sit right in the middle of it. After a great fire destroyed the town in 1904, it was rebuilt at speed in the ornate Art Nouveau (Jugendstil) style of the day, giving a compact, harmonious centre of turrets, spires and decorated facades quite unlike anywhere else in Norway. You can walk from the gangway to the Jugendstilsenteret museum or along the Brosundet canal in five to ten minutes. The classic thing to do is climb the 418 steps of the town park up Mount Aksla for a postcard panorama over the coloured rooftops, your ship, the islands and the Sunnmøre Alps beyond. The nearby Atlantic Sea Park aquarium and boat trips to the fishing village of Ona round out the day.
Our tip The Aksla viewpoint is the must-do, the steps from the town park take around 20 minutes, or a CityTrain or taxi will carry you up if the climb is too much.
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Civitavecchia (for Rome)
The port of Rome, though the Eternal City lies around 45 miles inland. Ships dock alongside; a train from Civitavecchia station reaches central Rome in roughly 70-80 minutes each way.
Civitavecchia is a working port town on the Lazio coast, and its entire cruise fame rests on being the gateway to Rome. The catch, which surprises first-timers, is distance: Rome is around 45 miles inland, roughly 70 to 80 minutes each way by train, so a day here is really a long day-trip to the capital. Ships dock alongside, with a free port shuttle or a short walk to the town, and trains run frequently from Civitavecchia station to Roma Termini and San Pietro. In Rome itself the choice is agonising for one day: the Colosseum and Forum, the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St Peter's, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain. Many prefer an organised excursion to make the logistics painless. Civitavecchia's own old harbour, with a Michelangelo-linked fort, is a pleasant fallback if you stay put.
Our tip Whether you go independently by train or on the ship's tour, pre-book Vatican or Colosseum entry, the queues can swallow an hour you cannot spare on a port day.
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The Caribbean, the Americas and Asia
The headline ports of the wider world — beaches, big cities and the great Asian hubs.
Nassau (Bahamas)
The Bahamas' capital and one of the Caribbean's busiest calls. Ships dock at the redeveloped Prince George Wharf right in downtown; beaches and shops are within a short walk or a quick hop to Paradise Island.
Nassau, on New Providence Island, is one of the most-visited cruise calls anywhere, and its Prince George Wharf terminal has been rebuilt into a modern arrivals plaza able to handle several big ships a day. The great advantage is that you step off almost into downtown: the shops of Bay Street, the straw market, forts and colonial pastel buildings are minutes from the gangway. Junkanoo Beach is a walkable fifteen minutes away for an easy, cheap swim. Across the bridge on Paradise Island sits the sprawling Atlantis resort with its water park and aquarium, and Cabbage Beach beyond. Further out lie snorkelling trips, swimming-pig excursions and the Blue Lagoon. It can feel busy and commercial when many ships are in, but for a straightforward sun-sea-and-shopping day it is hard to beat for convenience.
Our tip For the least hassle, walk to Junkanoo Beach or wander historic Bay Street; Paradise Island's Atlantis is impressive but day passes are pricey and the beaches there get crowded.
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St Thomas (US Virgin Islands)
A perennial Caribbean favourite. Most ships dock at Havensight, about a mile from Charlotte Amalie; some use Crown Bay, and busy days see ships anchor and tender. Magens Bay beach is a taxi ride away.
St Thomas is one of the Caribbean's most popular calls, known for duty-free shopping, dramatic hilltop views and the beautiful curve of Magens Bay. Two piers serve the island: Havensight, about a mile from the capital Charlotte Amalie and walkable to town, and Crown Bay, a little further out where a taxi into town is easier. On the busiest days ships anchor off and tender passengers to the Charlotte Amalie waterfront. The town's old Danish streets are lined with jewellery and liquor shops trading on the islands' duty-free status. Beyond the shops, the classic outings are the Skyride cable car up to Paradise Point for the harbour view, and a taxi over the hill to Magens Bay, regularly rated among the world's finest beaches. Neighbouring St John and its national park make a fine boat excursion.
Our tip Which pier you use changes your plans, from Havensight you can walk to town, from Crown Bay take a taxi. Either way, Magens Bay is worth the short cab ride over the ridge.
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Port of Singapore
Southeast Asia's cruise gateway, using the Marina Bay Cruise Centre and Marina Bay Sands terminals. Gardens by the Bay and Marina Bay Sands are about a mile away; the wider city is an easy metro or taxi ride.
Singapore is the great cruise hub of Southeast Asia and a homeport for regional itineraries, served principally by the modern Marina Bay Cruise Centre. It is a superbly organised, spotless port in a city built for visitors. The showpiece sights sit close at hand: Gardens by the Bay, with its towering Supertrees and cooled biodomes, and the soaring Marina Bay Sands with its rooftop, are around a mile away. Beyond them the compact, efficient city delivers the colonial Raffles Hotel, the temples and food of Chinatown and Little India, the riverside bars of Clarke Quay, the hawker centres that are a cuisine in themselves, and Sentosa's beaches and attractions. The metro (MRT) is clean, cheap and easy, and taxis are plentiful. Heat and humidity are constant year-round, so pace yourself and duck into the air-conditioning.
Our tip Gardens by the Bay and the hawker centres are unmissable; go into the Cloud Forest dome in the heat of the day and save the outdoor Supertree walk for the cooler evening light show.
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Sydney (Australia)
One of the world's great cruise arrivals. The Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay sits opposite the Opera House, steps from The Rocks; some ships use White Bay, a few miles west.
Few ports announce themselves like Sydney. The Overseas Passenger Terminal stands at Circular Quay in the very heart of the harbour, directly across the water from the Opera House and beside the Harbour Bridge, you can walk off the gangway into The Rocks, the city's oldest quarter, in moments. From here almost everything is close: the Opera House itself, the Royal Botanic Garden, the ferries to Manly and Taronga Zoo, and the climb or walk over the Harbour Bridge. Larger ships that cannot pass under the bridge berth instead at White Bay in the inner west, around four miles from the centre, where a taxi or transfer is needed as there is no rail link. Bondi Beach and the coastal walk to Coogee are a short drive or bus ride away. As a homeport and a call, Sydney is about as good as it gets.
Our tip Check whether you dock at Circular Quay or White Bay, the first puts you in the middle of everything on foot, the second needs a taxi as there is no train to White Bay.
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Port of Miami (PortMiami)
The world's leading cruise homeport, on Dodge Island just off downtown Miami. A departure hub rather than a day-call; downtown is a mile or two away and South Beach around four miles.
PortMiami, on Dodge Island in Biscayne Bay, is the busiest cruise port in the world and the launch pad for a huge share of Caribbean sailings, with a run of vast modern terminals for the major lines. For most passengers it is an embarkation point rather than a destination, but Miami rewards a day either side of a cruise. Downtown, connected to the island by bridge and the free Metromover, is only a mile or two away; the Art Deco district and famous sands of South Beach are around four miles across the causeway; and the Cuban heart of Little Havana, the Wynwood street-art walls and the Everglades airboat trips are all within reach. It is a slick, well-drilled port designed to move enormous numbers of people quickly. Build in time for Miami itself rather than heading straight to the airport.
Our tip If you fly in the day before, stay near South Beach or downtown and see the city, the port area itself is functional, not a place to linger.
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Before you go
The single most useful thing to check for any port is whether it's a berth (you walk off) or a tender port (you're ferried ashore), and how far the town is from the ship — it shapes the whole day, and matters doubly if access does. Excursions booked through the line are dearer but guarantee the ship waits for you; independent ones are cheaper but the ship will not. And if you'd like to plan your days ashore, open the planner and shape each port around what you most want to see.