Miami cruise port: A guide to cruising from Florida’s biggest port

Andrea M. Rotondo

Editor's Note

If you love cruising, you're probably already acquainted with the Port of Miami cruise terminal, officially called PortMiami. In 2023, Miami was the busiest cruise port in America. According to PortMiami data, it welcomed 7.3 million passengers in the fiscal year.

Miami is the ideal place from which to set sail to the Bahamas , Caribbean , Panama Canal , Mexico and beyond. More than 20 cruise lines sail from PortMiami, so you shouldn't have any trouble finding a ship and itinerary that works for you.

The port is also easy to get to. Airports near Miami cruise port include Miami International Airport (MIA) and Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL), and there are plenty of points hotels for a pre- or post-cruise stay.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Sailing out of Miami is a rite of passage, and the sailaway is truly one of the most beautiful in the world. As your ship sets off, timed with the setting sun, the city's high-rises and golden beaches glisten as they bid you bon voyage.

PortMiami cruise port overview

google maps miami cruise port

PortMiami cruise terminal information

Address: 1015 North America Way, Miami, Florida 33132

Number of terminals: Nine

google maps miami cruise port

While PortMiami is accessible, contact your cruise line if you require a wheelchair transfer from the cruise terminal entrance to the ship. The port doesn't provide that service.

Cruise lines sailing from PortMiami

Terminal A: Royal Caribbean Terminal AA/AAA: MSC Cruises (opening in 2024) Terminal B: Norwegian Cruise Line Terminal C: Disney Cruise Line, MSC Cruises Terminal D: Carnival, Holland America, Princess Cruises Terminal E: Carnival, Holland America, Princess Cruises Terminal F: Carnival Terminal G: Royal Caribbean (opening in 2027) Terminal J: Luxury cruise lines, such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises Terminal V: Virgin Voyages

Related: How to book a cruise using points and miles

Airports near Miami cruise port

google maps miami cruise port

Miami International Airport is just a short drive — about 20 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic — from the cruise port. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport is an alternative, and the drive to PortMiami from there takes about an hour.

Tons of airlines fly to MIA from U.S. gateways, including Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest Airlines, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country and United Airlines.

If you'd prefer to fly through FLL, your choices include Alaska, Allegiant Air, American, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, Silver Airways, Southwest, Spirit and United.

There are sometimes buy one, get one free airfare opportunities when flying to these airports. Consider the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® credit card and get a Companion Fare certificate on the card's anniversary. The certificate allows a companion to fly with you for $99 (plus taxes and fees from $23) each account anniversary after you spend $6,000 or more on purchases within the prior anniversary year. It's valid on all Alaska Airlines flights booked on alaskaair.com.

You can also bring a companion along for free (actually, just the cost of the ticket's taxes) if you have the Southwest Companion Pass . Delta also offers a companion certificate via several of its American Express-branded credit cards.

Outbound flight times don't always dovetail perfectly with your cruise line's disembarkation time, so you might find yourself with time to kill at the airport.

Make sure you carry a credit card with airport lounge access as a benefit. The Chase Sapphire Reserve® gives you access to Priority Pass lounges, while The Platinum Card® from American Express will open the door to the Amex Centurion Lounge at MIA .

google maps miami cruise port

Related: Miami International Airport 101: The best ways to get to or from Miami

How to get to the Miami cruise port

There are many ways to get from the Miami airport to the cruise port, including:

Cruise line transfers

You can usually buy a transfer between the airport and the cruise terminal (or your hotel) directly from your cruise line. Sometimes, this is reserved for travelers who've purchased their airfare from the cruise line, but you or your travel agent can call to ask if you can buy the transfers a la carte.

For example, Carnival Cruise Line offers transportation between both MIA ($22.99 per person) and FLL ($36.99 per person) and PortMiami on embarkation day. The line says your plane should arrive no later than noon (for MIA) or 11:30 a.m. (for FLL) on embarkation day.

Hotel shuttles

Select hotels near both MIA and PortMiami offer shuttle service to the port. Free transfers are less common than they once were. Inquire when you make your reservations. For an idea of the transfer cost, the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Miami Brickell Downtown offers a shuttle to PortMiami for $8 per person.

Independent airport shuttle from Miami airport to the cruise port

A variety of local companies operate shared and private van shuttles and limo services from both MIA and FLL to area hotels and the port. Consider vendors like Express Shuttle Miami, which offers shared rides for around $15 per person from MIA and $25 per person from FLL.

Prices will go up for private rides and depending on the number of passengers in your party and the type of vehicle requested (i.e., sedan, SUV, van, etc.).

Independent van/car services

Car and van services also offer private pick-up and drop-off. The fare from MIA to PortMiami is about $100 for a standard vehicle that accommodates three people. Add $20 if you need a child car seat. A van accommodating up to 10 people is priced around $150.

Taxis and ride-hailing services

Hailing a taxi to take you to PortMiami is simple. Taxi stands are on the arrival (ground) level of the airport (outside baggage claim).

While there used to be a flat rate fare to the cruise port, that's no longer the case. You'll need to pay by the meter. The rate is $2.95 for the first 1/6 mile then $0.85 for each additional 1/6 mile up to one mile; then, it's $0.55 for each 1/6 mile thereafter. Waiting time is $0.40 per minute. (There is a $2 fee for originating from the airport or PortMiami.)

"A minimum fare of $15 is established for trips originated at MIA or the Port of Miami, regardless of what the meter reading shows. If the meter shows a number greater than $15, then the greater number shown on the meter shall be paid," according to Miami-Dade County.

Ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft are also an option. Pickup zones are on level 1, arrivals.

UberX can run around $20 and UberXL around $30. Premier and Premier SUV cars can run around $35-55. All prices can vary during traffic or high-demand times. The Uber ride from FLL will be more expensive: around $40 for Uber X and $65 for UberXL. Premier and Premier SUV cars run from $80-100 from FLL.

Public transportation from nearby airports or hotel district

From MIA: Board Metrorail's Orange Line (look for signs to the Metrorail Train Station) to Downtown Miami, which will take less than 30 minutes. The fare is $2.25 per person. It's about a 1 1/2-mile walk from the Freedom Tower station to the port, so you'll want to grab an Uber or taxi from there. Or take the Miami Trolley Coral Way route (free) all the way to the port. You can track the trolley's location in real-time with this handy interactive map .

From FLL: Take the Tri-Rail commuter train to MIA ($3.75 per person on weekdays and $5 per person on weekends). Then board Metrorail's Orange Line ($2.25 per person) and head downtown to the Freedom Tower stop. Finally, board the free Coral Way Route Trolley and disembark at PortMiami.

Miami cruise port parking

google maps miami cruise port

On-site parking

There are parking garages at seven Miami cruise terminals, plus surface lots at terminals D and E. Each lettered parking facility corresponds with the terminal of the same name with the exception of the "K" parking garage, which is closest to Terminal J.

If you're driving an over-length vehicle (RV or vehicle with trailer), head to Surface Lot E, which has extra-large spots. Extra fees apply (see below). On embarkation day, the parking facilities are open and staffed by a parking attendant from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.

You may drop off your luggage at the terminal before parking. A free shuttle runs from each parking facility to the terminal. Security patrols all parking garages and lots.

Parking starts at $22 per night. Royal Caribbean's Terminal A Garage charges a higher rate of $35 per day.

Accepted modes of payment include cash and major credit cards (but not debit cards). However, Garage J is prepaid only (pay when you arrive), and vehicles need to display a special decal throughout the duration of the cruise.

Park-and-cruise

Some hotels in the area, such as the InterContinental at Doral Miami, sell packages that include a hotel stay and parking for the length of your cruise. Others offer cheap paid parking for the Miami cruise port in their lots (even if you're not staying at the hotel), with prices ranging from $6 to $15 per day. Just factor in the time and money you'll need to travel from the hotel's parking lot to the port and vice versa.

What's the best parking option for the Miami cruise port? It depends on your preferences. For the convenience of being right at the cruise port, choose an on-site lot. To save a few bucks, park at a nearby lot or hotel and commute from there to your cruise terminal.

Related: Best credit cards for booking a cruise

Hotels near Miami cruise port

google maps miami cruise port

Thankfully, there's no shortage of points hotels in Miami. Your toughest job will be deciding which one is best for your needs and if you prefer to be close to the cruise port, the beach or downtown. Or, you might prioritize hotels near Miami airport with a shuttle to the cruise port.

Your choice will also depend on how long you're staying, what you'd like to see while you're in town and how many hotel points you have to spend.

Related: The best hotels in Miami

Hilton hotels near Miami cruise port

For a quick overnight before a cruise, we like the Hampton Inn & Suites by Hilton Miami/Brickell Downtown (41,000 to 70,000 Hilton Honors points per night).

It's in a fantastic location with easy access to the free Metromover that can take you to places like the Bayside Marketplace (which is also walkable).

The hotel has several on-site restaurants and is near plenty of others; it also has a shuttle to the port for about $10 per passenger. The chain's free breakfast is a great way to start the day; it'll hold you over until you get on the ship and can enjoy a leisurely lunch before sailaway.

Related: Best Hilton credit cards

Hyatt hotels near Miami cruise port

If you'd prefer to be on the beach, Hyatt has some solid options that won't break the bank, including Dream South Beach and Hyatt Centric South Beach Miami (both from 17,000 points per night).

If you're a Globalist elite with Hyatt, both the Hyatt Regency Miami and Hyatt Regency Coral Gables (both from 9,000 points per night) get good marks when it comes to complimentary upgrades and elite perks. And, if you just want a cheap place to rest your head, there are two Hyatt Place options starting at 6,500 points per night near Miami airport.

Marriott hotels near Miami cruise port

In the same neighborhood as the Hampton Inn, you'll find the upscale, full-service JW Marriott Miami. Nights start at 35,000 points, so you can use a Marriott 35k free night certificate on some dates of the year. Depending on your elite status tier with Marriott Bonvoy , you might be eligible for free breakfast at this hotel.

If you have kids or additional time, the JW Marriott Turnberry Resort & Spa (starting at 40,000 points per night), farther out in Aventura, is a terrific bet since it has its own water park and lazy river.

If you're young and traveling with friends, the Moxy South Beach (starting at 30,000 points per night) was designed just for you. While it might not have all the amenities more upscale hotels have, it's got great views and rooms with quad bunk beds.

Non-points hotels

Miami is packed with all sorts of hotels that don't participate in a traditional loyalty program.

For a special occasion splurge, go for the Acqualina Resort & Residences on Sunny Isles Beach. The grounds are stunning and you'll feel as if you're in a palazzo in the Mediterranean somewhere.

Faena Hotel Miami Beach is for anyone who wants a glimpse of a rock star or celebrity ... sightings are common at this trendy spot.

Related: The best Marriott hotels for every budget in Miami Beach

Restaurants near Miami cruise port

google maps miami cruise port

PortMiami is in close proximity to many desirable neighborhoods so there's no lack of opportunity to find both destination dining and good local eats.

Little Havana along Calle Ocho (SW Eighth Street), the place to enjoy Cuban cuisine, is just a 15-minute taxi ride away. To see and be seen, check out the restaurants along Miami Beach's Collin Drive (12 minutes from the port). Or, if you're doing a pre- or post-cruise stay in the Brickell neighborhood, there are many excellent dining options along the waterfront on Brickell Bay Drive and Brickell Key Drive.

Related: The best credit cards for dining

Things to do near Miami cruise port

google maps miami cruise port

Miami is one of Florida's most popular vacation destinations and the embarkation point for major cruise lines. You could spend weeks here and still not see everything. If you want to tack on some time before or after your cruise, here are some things to do in Miami.

Hit the beach

There are 35 miles of beautiful beaches fronting Miami, from Sunny Isles Beach in the north to South Beach at the southern end. Throw in Key Biscayne and a few other islands and you have a plethora of choices.

How far is the cruise port from the beach? PortMiami is on Dodge Island, so the closest stretch of sand — and a very trendy one — is South Beach. It's about 10 minutes by taxi.

If you're more interested in bird-watching than people-watching, head south to Key Biscayne Beach or Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park (1200 Brandon Boulevard, Key Biscayne). At the tip of Key Biscayne, it has 400 acres of nature hemmed in by a 1-mile beach.

You can rent bikes to ride the trails or enjoy the day at the beach. Note that the 1820s lighthouse and fishing piers are temporarily closed. The drive to Key Biscayne from the port will take 25 to 40 minutes via taxi, depending on traffic.

Tour sassy South Beach

Even if you don't want to go to the beach, you still need to pay South Beach a visit to get a sense of what makes Miami tick. Stroll along Ocean Drive and get lost in the Art Deco Historic District, or enjoy some shopping, dining and gallery-hopping at the famous pedestrian Lincoln Road Mall.

To get that perfect selfie with Miami as the backdrop, head to South Pointe Park and Pier, where you can get a view of not only South Beach but also Fisher Island, PortMiami and Downtown Miami. If your visit includes an overnight stay, this is also the place to experience Miami's nightlife at its best.

Take the kids to the science museum

Families will want to make the 10-minute drive from the port to visit the Frost Museum of Science (1101 Biscayne Boulevard). Here, your family can marvel at the 500,000-gallon aquarium, kid-friendly touch tanks and the 250-seat 3D planetarium. There are also exhibits on the solar system, physics of flight, biology, light and lasers and more.

Visit the Wynwood Arts District

If you're into contemporary art, explore NW Second Avenue and its side streets. This is basically an outdoor museum with a variety of colorful wall murals. As you walk and discover the neighborhood's art, you can stop at craft breweries, art galleries and trendy restaurants and cafes. Several companies offer informative walking tours.

Related: The best times to visit Miami

Shopping near Miami cruise port

google maps miami cruise port

If you need to stock up on some last-minute cruise supplies, PortMiami is near two major shopping centers: Bayside Marketplace and Brickell City Centre.

Bayside Marketplace (401 Biscayne Blvd) is an open-air shopping and entertainment complex on the waterfront. If you're looking to pick up sunscreen and shampoo for your cruise, there are a few drugstores here, including CVS (200 Biscayne Blvd).

You can walk to Bayside Marketplace from PortMiami, but it's easier to take a taxi (about 15 minutes) or get on the free Coral Way Trolley and disembark at the Biscayne Boulevard stop.

If you have high-end shopping on your mind, head on over to Brickell City Centre (701 S. Miami Ave), where four floors and more than 120 stores are dedicated to designer labels and luxury. The Saks Fifth Avenue here is 107,000 square feet.

There's also a dine-in movie theater, CMX. For restaurants, there are many to choose from. We like Luke's Lobster, Pubbelly Sushi and Quito la Huella (Latin American farm-to-table organic fare).

Related: Your guide to the Amex Platinum Saks Fifth Avenue credit

To get to Brickell City Centre, take the free Metromovers Brickell Loop and exit at the Brickell City Centre station. Or, board a free Miami Trolley: the Brickell Trolley if you're coming from the south or the Biscayne Trolley if you're coming from the north.

If you're staying in Brickell before your cruise, there are plenty of drugstores near the neighborhood's many hotels.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

  • The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
  • A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
  • The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
  • The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
  • A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
  • 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
  • Top ways cruisers waste money
  • The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

Updated as of 4/18/2024.

Logo of IQCruising

Independent Quest: Maps and Guides for Travelers ™

Miami Cruise Port (Florida, USA): Guide and Review (2023)

Photo of cruise ships docked in the Port of Miami

All you must know about Miami cruise port: how to get to the port and the cruise terminals, embarking and disembarking, flying, driving and parking, what to do before or after a cruise.

By: Editor-in-Chief Updated: May 23, 2023

In this review, you will find quite a few helpful insider tips about the port of Miami, regardless of whether you are a savvy cruiser or have a cruise scheduled from Miami for the first time.

Unless you are a resident of South Florida, a couple of questions come to mind: "Should you get to Miami on the day before the cruise?", "Should you stay in Miami after a cruise?", "For how long should you stay?", "What is there to do, and is it worth the time and expense? And the topmost question is: "Where to stay overnight in Miami?"

Where is the cruise port in Miami?

  • Embarking and Disembarking
  • All Miami Cruise Port Terminals
  • Flying to Miami and Getting to the Port
  • Flying to Ft-Lauderdale and Getting to the Port

Driving to the Port of Miami

  • Parking by the cruise terminals or nearby

Staying in Miami overnight

How to get around miami.

You will also wonder about the best way to get to the city: "Is it better to fly, or to drive to Miami?", "Are there any transportation alternatives?", "How to get around if staying overnight?"

But let's start from the beginning and the most relevant questions: "Should you get to the city the day before the cruise? Where is the port of Miami? What's the best way to get to Miami and the port?"

Unless you live within a reasonable driving distance, you should go to Miami at least on the day before the start of your cruise. Flying to Miami on the day of the cruise is risky - you may miss the cruise if a flight gets delayed -, and to be by your cruise terminal on time, you should get to Miami airport before noon.

Bear in mind that many savvy cruisers like to fly on the morning of the cruise and brag about never missing a cruise. It's up to you to take the risk, take a red-eye flight, stress out or get yourself on a cruising mood beforehand.

The Port of Miami is on a man-made island (know as Dodge Island) between Downtown Miami and South Beach. With around 5 million passengers per year, Miami is the busiest cruise port in the World. Hence being known as the Cruise Capital of the World.

This staggering number is concentrated on the weekends when up to eight mega-ships moor at its eleven terminals. Inevitably, disembarking and embarking in Miami during a weekend can be far from smooth and, at times, frustrating.

Google map of the Port of Miami

If you have a look at the map above, it is clear that the Port of Miami (on Dodge Island ) is connected by a bridge to Downtown on the West mainland. Some cruisers presume, wrongly, that the access to the port is easy.

However, many cruise passengers staying overnight at hotels in Downtown or Brickell and seeing the cruise ships from the window get frustrated once they realize that the distance is way too long to walk (between 2.5 and 4 miles). In particular when dragging luggage over a bridge in the hot and humid Miami weather. Keep reading to learn more about Embarkation / Disembarkation and Staying Overnight .

Walking to the port with luggage is out of the question. When staying overnight at a hotel nearby, you will not need to walk because most hotels in Downtown Miami provide shuttle buses to the cruise port.

If staying overnight in hotels close to the airport, in South Beach, or elsewhere in Miami, the best way to get to the Port of Miami is with Uber, Lift, or by Taxi. Driving (your car or a rented one) is not complicated. But there are a few tricks and tips to consider - more about driving and parking below.

Embarking and Disembarking in Miami cruise port

If embarking on a cruise, it isn't advisable to try to get to the port before 11:00 am as you will be going against the current . Most staff at the Terminals are focusing on disembarking guests, and the terminals may not be even fully ready as most cruise ships will not start the embarkation process before 11:00 am. However, if you arrive in Miami on a very early flight, there are sitting areas at the terminals but do not expect more than just a seat, a bathroom, and a long wait.

Naturally, when disembarking a cruise ship, most travelers want to get out of the port as fast as possible either to get home or to explore Miami before getting on a flight. Although the same transport limitations to embarkation apply, there are a few interesting alternatives.

Many cruise lines offer tours of Miami including a transfer to the Airport and secured locking for your luggage. But if you want to explore Miami on your own there are booths offering all sorts of excursions, tours, and hop-on-hop-off buses.

Photo of City Sightseeing Bus in Miami

City Sightseeing Bus at the Port

Photo © IQCruising.com

The Cruise Terminals in Miami Port

The Port of Miami has been under huge renovations for a few years with the constructions of two new terminals - Terminal A (Royal Caribbean) and Terminal B (Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL)- but also with the renovations of Terminal C, and building of Terminal H.

Photo of the Terminal A in Miami Cruise Port

The Terminal A in Miami Cruise Port

Photo © IQCruising (2022)

Here you gave a list of the cruise terminals in the port of Miami and the cruise lines these terminals serve:

  • Terminal AA/AAA: under construction, with two berths, to serve MSC Cruises
  • Terminal A: opened in November 2018 , serves as homeport to Royal Caribbean International.
  • Terminal B: completed in 2021, serving Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL).
  • Terminal C: under renovation, to be joined with Terminal B.
  • Terminal D: MSC Cruises, Fred Olsen, Hapag Lloyd.
  • Terminal E: Carnival Cruises, Aida, Princess Cruises and P & O Cruises
  • Terminal F: Carnival Cruises
  • Terminal G: Celebrity, Royal Caribbean
  • Terminal J: Oceania Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Azamara, Regent Seven Seas and Silversea.
  • Terminal K: recently approved and under renovation for Disney Cruise Line.
  • Terminal V (H): used to be Terminal H, is under renovation to be the terminal of Virgin Voyages.

Photo of the Terminal B in Miami Cruise Port

The Terminal B in Miami Cruise Port

Flying to Miami (MIA) and getting to Miami Port

For those flying to South Florida to embark a cruise ship in Miami on the same day, traveling to the port is very straight forward regardless of the arrival airport - Miami or Fort Lauderdale.

From Miami Airport (MIA) to the Port of Miami

Miami's Airport can be chaotic at times - in particular on weekends in the morning. Most cruise lines offer transfers from the airport to the port. This service is not exactly cheap when compared with taxis or Uber but has the advantage of handling luggage straight to your cruise ship.

Cruise Shuttles, Taxis, Uber and Lift

The downside of cruise line transfers to the port is that most of these are only available on the specific day of embarkation and disembarkation, although the prices can be appealing - Carnival charges $33 per person (round trip).

The cruise traveler will find Yellow taxis right outside the exit doors of the airport and, generally speaking, even on rush hours you may not have to wait more than a few minutes in line. Taxis charge a $27 flat-fare per ride (not per person). Uber and Lift cost between $16 and $30 (depending on traffic and if using premium services). Both Uber and Lift apps are very well designed and you will be able to indicated precisely your waiting location.

Flying to Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport (FLL) and and getting to Miami Port

When booking a flight to embark on a cruise sailing out of the Port of Miami, it is advisable to check prices including flights to the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport. You may find much better prices, in particular, if flying from outside the United States. The Fort Lauderdale airport is only 30 miles (48 km) north of the Port of Miami.

Most Cruise Lines also offer transfers from the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport (FLL) to the Port of Miami. Carnival offers this service for $62 round-trip per person. By contrast, Uber and Lift regular service is around $35 per trip (not per person) and a standard taxi will charge over $75 per ride.

Independent Shuttles

A good alternative to Cruise Lines Transfers, Taxi, Uber or Lift is the service provided by independent shuttle companies that can easily be booked online. There are quite a few and IQCruising does NOT in any way endorse, sponsor or gets paid to advertise any of them. Cruise travelers should check these services and prices, which can be very competitive, and also check for reviews online before booking.

Here are some of the best know companies offering the Shuttle Service between Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood Airport (FLL) to the Port of Miami:

  • Express Shuttle Miami
  • Super Shuttle
  • Go Airport Shuttle
  • My Florida Shuttle Bus
  • Miami Port Shuttle
  • Bus Ticket Reservations

Private Car and Limo Services

Like with Independent Shuttles, IQCruising does NOT in any way endorse, sponsor or gets paid to advertise any of the many Private Car and Limo services offering transfers all over south Florida between its Airport and Port. In fact, we strongly advise to check online reviews before booking. However, you may find useful some of the links for these companies:

  • Family Car Service
  • Luxury Limousines
  • Price 4 Limo

Unless you are a resident of Miami or the big residential areas close by and know your way around the web of streets, roads, flyovers around Downtown, there are a few insiders tips that can be useful for those driving to the Port of Miami.

Photo of sign on Interstate 95 in Miami

I-95 Tunnel Sign, Miami

There are two main driving accesses to the Port of Miami. Either driving trough Downtown Miami – can be chaotic but not too bad on weekend early mornings – or trough the Port Tunnel . The latter is advisable unless you are staying in a hotel Downtown or in Miami Beach. The Tunnel entrance/exit is on MacArthur Causeway (I-395) that connects mainland Miami to South Beach, right in the middle of Watson Island (very close to the mainland).

If traveling from North or South, the I-95 connects directly to the MacArthur Causeway. Be aware that there are other connections to South Beach so look out for the sign: 395 East to Miami | Port of Miami via Tunnel | Miami Beach . This will be the Exit 2D regardless if driving from north or south.

When driving from West Florida , the MacArthur Causeway is a continuation of the Dolphin Expressway (I-395) and you will only need to follow the sign: 395 Miami Beach and look out for the sign ‘Port of Miami via Tunnel’, the exit will be on the left lane.

The Tunnel doesn’t have access if driving from South Beach and you will have to Exit on Biscayne Boulevard (Exit 2) and make a U-turn on N. Bayshore Drive to re-enter the MacArthur Causeway. Alternatively, just drive Downtown and follow the Port of Miami signs to cross the Port Bridge.

Once on the Port of Miami, there are clear signs indicating the Terminals and where cruise ships are docked. Most cruise lines always dock on the same terminals although these may change. Here is a list of the cruise lines homeporting in Miami and the cruise terminals used:

  • Azamara: Terminal J
  • Carnival Cruises: Terminals D, E and F
  • Celebrity Cruises: Terminal G
  • Crystal: Terminal J
  • Disney Cruise Line: Terminal K, under renovation.
  • MSC Cruises: Terminal D
  • Norwegian Cruise Line: Terminal B
  • Oceania Cruises: Terminal J
  • Regent Seven Seas: Terminal J
  • Royal Caribbean: Terminals A and G
  • Virgin Cruises: Terminal V, under renovation

Obviously, the exit of the Port of Miami follows the reversed routes. Just be aware that signs can be rather small and lookout for one of two options: Exit Via Tunnel or Exit Via Port Bridge . The first will take you to the I-95, Dolphin Expressway and also to South Miami. The exit Via Port Bridge is only advisable if going to Downtown, Brickell, Coconut Grove or Key Biscayne.

Parking in and close to the Port of Miami

Parking in the Port of Miami is commendable: both convenient and safe. There is lots of space and all terminals have covered parking just across the main entrances and are clearly signed. Parking is not cheap at $25 per day ($175 for a 7-day cruise) but is absolutely safe. Check pricing updates on the official website Port Miami Parking .

There is also a good number of Private Companies offering Parking outside the Port that includes Free Round Trip Shuttle for less and equally secure. Some claim half price costs but most charge around $80 for seven days. Just as an example and not as advertisement you may want to check the following parking services :

  • Premier Cruise Parking
  • Parkway Parking
  • We Park in Miami
  • Safe Cruise Parking

Car Rental in Miami

Photo of Car Rental Center at the Airport Miami

Car Rental Center at the Airport

A good alternative to driving your own car to the Port of Miami is to rent a car. Most companies do not charge much to drop-off a car at a different location than the one where you rent it (within the state of Florida) and, considering the cost of parking in Miami ($25 per day at the Port or $15 with private services), you should at least consider it.

The drop-off is at the Miami International Airport and from here a FREE shuttle will take you directly to the Port of Miami, right to the Terminal of your cruise ship. Once disembarking the cruise, just get on the Car Rental Shuttle (which stops by all the Terminals) to get back to the Airport . If you rent a car in advance it may work out cheaper and more conveniently.

Miami is a city of multiple charms with lots of attractions to enjoy during a longer stay. Unfortunately, most touristic promotions have been focusing on a few main sites and leave out many other interesting aspects of the city that are worth exploring. Besides the Beach (on South Beach), the Seaquarium, the typical Everglades experience or Little Havana there is much more to enjoy on a overnight stay in Miami.

Photo of Vizcaya Museum Garden in Miami

Vizcaya Museum Garden, Miami

After all, how many have traveled 25 miles to Aventura Mall not knowing that Dadeland Mall is just 15-minutes away by train? Or went to Bal Harbor to have a look at luxury shops, when you can find the same and even more stores within walking distance at the Brickell City Center or at the Design District (15-minute Trolley free ride away)? Why pay for a tour to the Vizcaya Gardens and Museum, to Wynwood or Little Havana when you have a Trolley that allows you to explore it on your own for free? What about renting a car – with a free shuttle from the port to the Car Rental center at the Miami Airport - and explore at leisure off-the-beaten-track places like the fabulous Miami Zoo, or Cape Florida.

Unlike most areas in Miami, Downtown (next to the Cruise Port) is very well served by public transportat ion (and most is free) with direct connections to the Airport, the Viscaya Museum, the Design District, the Entertainment District, Wynwood and all around Downtown - the Historical Center of Miami. All major points of interest in Miami are easy to reach by public transportation including South Beach, Little Havana, Dadeland, Key Biscayne and as far north as the Aventura Mall and Ft. Lauderdale.

Although it is easy to drive your personal car to the port, as do limos, taxis (and also Uber and Lift), hotel shuttles or sightseeing buses it is not always easy to find transportation when thousands of passengers are on the move. Ignored by most, there is a Trolley (FREE) with a stop next to Terminal J and another stop close enough to Terminal F - find below the terminals where cruise ships dock. However if your cruise ships docks at any of the other terminals the walk can be quite long - over 3/4 mile (1 km) to Terminal B.

Photo of Trolley in Miami

Coral Way Trolley, Miami

This Trolley route goes all the way to Coral Gables but has a few convenient stops next to Bayside and Downtown and can be a good way to get in and out of the port. The Trolley runs every 20 minutes, every day of the week between 6:00 am and 11:00 pm (8:00 am to 8:00 pm on Sundays) but with limited service on holidays like Christmas, New Year and Thanksgiving.

Photo of Metro Mover in Miami

Metro Mover, Miami

Other Public Transportation can be particularly useful when moving around Downtown area prior to Embarking or Disembarking. The free automated electrical MetroMover (aka People Mover) has 21 stations in three loops that connect all major places of interest in the area including Brickell or the Perez Art Museum, and close to major hotels.

Many other Trolley Routes (also free) crisscross downtown, connecting to farther places like Coconut Grove (ideal to visit Vizcaya Gardens), the Design District, Wynwood, Little Havana and Coral Gables. The Downtown Bus Terminal, close to the Government Center, has routes to South Beach, Key Biscayne (good for the Seaquarium) and as far as the Aventura Mall.

Photo of Train Station at Miami Aorport

Train Station at the Airport

At the Government Center , the MetroRail has a Station with direct connections to the Airport and south to Dadeland (next to Dadeland Mall). The MetroRail also connects to the Tri-Rail (a commuter train to Ft. Lauderdale and West Palm Beach) and to the Amtrack Silver Service Route to New York and Tampa.

More Miami Reviews

Things to do best attractions in Miami

Photo of Vizcaya Museum in Miami

Downtown, South Beach Vizcaya, Zoo ... What, Where and How

Shopping in Miami Top Malls and Shops

Photo of Design District Palm Court in Miami

Close By ... Aventura, Dolphin ... Get There, Brands ...

► Explore: Top Reviews - Caribbean Ports Discover all Caribbean Port Reviews - Cozumel, St. Martin, Grand Cayman, Aruba, Antigua, Nassau and St. Thomas in Depth Learn More ►

Share This Miami Review

Image Facebook Button

The information on this page was accurate when last updated and published but changes may have occurred without notice. It is advisable to confirm details with local tourist information before planning your cruise, tour or excursions of Miami port. If any inaccuracies are found or if there are any suggestions to improve the content of this page please let us know.

Submit a Correction / Suggestion.

Image Facebook button

  • Terms of Use
  • Legal & Privacy

© 2023 • INDEPENDENT QUEST LLC • Florida - USA. All Rights Reserved Duplication in part or whole without prior written consent is prohibited by international laws.

  • port-miami »
  • terminal-information

PortMiami Cruise Terminal Information

Last updated on March 7th, 2024 at 01:17 pm

Located in the vibrant city of Miami, PortMiami is one of the world's busiest cruise terminals. With its modern facilities and convenient access to the city's renowned beaches, vibrant nightlife, and cultural attractions, it offers an exciting departure point for cruises to the Caribbean and beyond. Explore the diverse neighborhoods, savor the flavors of Latin cuisine, and soak up the sun-drenched atmosphere before setting sail from this iconic departure point.

Miami is considered the Cruise Capital of the world , with over 7 million cruise passengers visiting it’s port each year. There are numerous place to shop , along with restaurants and things to do near the Port of Miami . Cruises originating from Miami embark from the Port of Miami which is located at 1015 N. America Way, Miami, Florida.

Miami International Apirport is just eight miles away from PortMiami. The port caters to travelers with on-port parking and easy access to public transportation, taxes and rideshares.

PortMiami is situated on Biscayne Bay and supports 335,000 direct and indirect jobs. The port also processes cargo through its ports. 

The port’s recent infrastructure expansion added three new cruise terminals with ongoing construction of future facilities. The port is also finalizing its Shore Power Program that will give the port the capability to plug three cruise ships into shore power. This will allow a cruise ship to turn off their primary engines while docked, reducing air emissions. 

Directions to Port of Miami

Driving from the north, you may take I-95 and exit at 3B Bayside. Keep going south and turn left into Northeast 5th Street, where you will eventually get to the bridge into the Port of Miami.

From the south, take I-95 North and take Northwest 2nd Street exit. Keep going and then turn right toward Northwest 5th Street. From here you will see the Port of Miami Bridge which will take you into the port entrance.

If you are travelling in from the Interstate, look for the signs for the PortMiami tunnel. It’s a quick and free way to get directly to the port without having to get off the Interstate and drive in downtown Miami.

Click the helpful links below: 

Port of Miami Transportation

Getting from Fort Lauderdale to Port of Miami

Port of Miami Hotels

Touring the area after your cruise? Store your luggage with Luggage Hero. Click here to finding pricing and locations closest to the PortMiami Cruise Terminal.

Port of Miami Cruise Terminals

Click for Port of Miami Parking

Royal Caribbean’s Terminal A

Cruise Terminal A – the Crown of Miami –  was built specifically for Royal Caribbean in 2018, enabling it to handle Royal’s largest ships with the latest technology for an expedited check-in process.

Royal Caribbean’s Icon of Seas has its home port in Miami. The Titanic was once the world’s largest cruise ship. Over five times the size of the Titanic, the Icon of the Seas is over 1000 feet long and 20 decks tall.

Its 55 foot onboard waterfall is the largest waterpark at sea. Powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the Icon of the Seas will reduce its impact on port of Miami, but will also have a shoreside power connection that will allow it to plug into the electric grid while docked in port. 

Norwegian’s Terminal B

Cruise Terminal B – the Pearl of Miami – was built for Norwegian Cruise Line and opened in 2021 and can accommodate ships carrying as many as 5000 passengers.

Miami Cruise Terminals C, D & E have been built with mega-ships holding up to 5000 passengers. In order to move passengers through the terminal as quickly as possible, the highest-technology in screening is available, as well as a conveyor system, similar to an airport, to retrieve your luggage when you disembark.

Carnival’s Terminal F

Carnival’s expansion to Miami’s Terminal F broke ground in early 2021 in preparation for Carnival’s newest ship set to debut in 2022 – the Carnival Celebration.  Here’s a video of the proposed terminal renovations:

Terminal G is one of Miami’s landmarks with the iconic sails:

Miami Cruise Terminal J was built with smaller luxury cruise line passengers in mind – Azamara, Regent Seven Seas & Oceania.

Virgin Voyages Terminal V

Opened late 2021 with the arrival of Virgin’s Scarlett Lady, this state of the art terminal  – Palm Grove – is located on the north west side of the port (see link to map below).

MSC’s Terminal AA/AAA

MSC has broken ground on their new cruise terminal slated to open in 2023 and will be able to hold up to three ships at once. Here’s a rendering of the new terminal, built in partnership with Fincantieri (who is currently building the MSC Seashore at their shipyard in Italy).

Port of Miami Map

Port of Miami Webcam

Port of Miami Cruise Lines & Ships

The following cruise lines have ships that depart from Miami, mainly during the Spring, Fall and Winter months: Azamara Norwegian Carnival Oceania Celebrity Royal Caribbean MSC Viking Disney Regent Seven Seas Virgin Voyages

Miami Weather

Miami enjoys warm weather all year ’round, with highs reaching into the 70s and 80s. Hats and sunblock are highly recommended even during cloudy days. The humidity can be a bit stifling during the summer months, particularly for those accustomed to dry heat. June is the rainiest month of the year.

Cruise passengers traveling to Miami should be aware that the city–as is the entire state of Florida–is located in the hurricane belt. Because storms and hurricanes are common during the months between early June and the end of November, it is advisable to purchase travel insurance when traveling to and from the area during this period.

See Excursions in Miami

This page contains affiliate links for which we may receive financial compensation when a purchase has been made through one of our affiliate partners.

Cruise Planning at this Port

Transportation

Park & Cruise Hotels

Hotels Close to the Port

Fly & Cruise Hotels

Food / Dining

Attractions

Tours & Excursions

© 2023 cruiseportadvisor All Rights Reserved.

  • Book Excursions
  • Anchorage, AK
  • Baltimore, MD
  • Cape Liberty, NJ
  • Charleston, SC
  • Ft Lauderdale, FL
  • Galveston, TX
  • Honolulu, HI
  • Jacksonville, FL
  • L.A. (San Pedro), CA
  • Long Beach, CA
  • Montreal, QC
  • New Orleans, LA
  • Norfolk, VA
  • NYC – Brooklyn
  • NYC – Manhattan
  • Port Canaveral, FL
  • Quebec City, QC
  • San Diego, CA
  • San Francisco, CA
  • San Juan, PR
  • Seattle, WA
  • Vancouver, BC
  • Whittier, AK
  • Alaska & Pacific Northwest
  • Central & South America
  • Cruise Ports in Bermuda
  • Dominican Republic
  • Mexico & Mexican Riviera
  • Eastern Canada & Quebec
  • New England
  • Los Angeles (San Pedro), CA
  • Fort Lauderdale, FL
  • Cruise Blog
  • Cruise FAQ’s
  • CruiseMapper
  • Cruise Ports
  • Bahamas - Caribbean - Bermuda Cruise Ports

Miami (Florida)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

Miami cruise port

Region Bahamas - Caribbean - Bermuda

Local Time 2024-04-24 22:44

Port Miami cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Miami, Florida. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

PortMiami and Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale are the world's largest/busiest cruise ports and the USA's main turnaround/departure ports for roundtrip Caribbean voyages. Both seaports and their respective airports are relatively nearby to each other. PortMiami's area is sized 518 acres (0,8 mi2 / 2,1 km2). The city has the world's largest number of cruise company headquarters, including Carnival , RCI-Royal Caribbean International , MSC , NCL-Norwegian , Celebrity , Oceania .

Miami Metro is USA's 8th-most populous and 4th-largest, with population around 5,5 million. The city is a leader in international trade, commerce, finance, media, entertainment, arts. In 2010, it was ranked USA's 7th and world's 33rd in terms of human capital, business activities, information exchange, politics and culture. Nicknamed "Capital of Latin America", Miami is USA's largest city with Cuban-American citizens.

The city has USA's 3rd tallest skyline with over 300 skyscrapers. Downtown has USA's largest concentration of international banks, large national and multinational corporations. PortMiami is one of USA's fastest growing containership ports . It contributes annually with around USD 43 billion to the economy and supports over 334,000 jobs countrywide.

Miami cruise port

PortMiami (locode URMIA) is currently ranked the world's second-largest cruise port (after Port Canaveral).

The world's top-10 busiest cruise ports (by annual passengers numbers/stats 2023) are in Florida USA ( Port Canaveral/Orlando (4,07M), Miami (4,02M), Port Everglades/Fort Lauderdale ), Mexico ( Cozumel ), Bahamas ( Nassau ), China ( Shanghai ), Spain ( Barcelona ), Bahamas (Out Islands), Texas USA ( Galveston ), Italy ( Civitavecchia-Rome ).

Miami is also among the most fortunate ports where newest cruise ships make show-off visits and many schedule inaugural homeporting seasons. Port's facilities are among the most modern, providing easy processing and boarding. PortMiami serves 20+ cruise companies and 60+ different passenger ships.

On August 3, 2014, was opened Miami Port Tunnel. The tunnel is undersea (beneath Biscayne Bay), with length 4200 ft / 1300 m and consisting of 2 parallel tubes (1 in each direction). It connects MacArthur Causeway (Watson Island) with PortMiami (Dodge Island) removing the heavy traffic to the cruise port from downtown Miami.

In 2016, PortMiami handled nearly 4,98 million cruise passengers and also added new (MSC-exclusive) terminal for year-round homeporting. Also were started projects to enlarge MSC's cruise terminals (AA and AAA) and were added new passenger-boarding bridges.

For FY2017 (fiscal year/season 2016-2017 September 30) the cruise port reported a record year with over 5,3 million cruise passengers - the world's highest-ever number. In 2017 started works on "Terminal A" (completed in November 2018). Viking OCEAN made inaugural visits in November 2017 with Viking Sky (Nov 12) and Viking Sun (Nov 17). Among the Port's most famous newcomers in 2018 were Carnival Horizon, Norwegian Bliss, Symphony OTS. In 2019 here was homeported MSC Meraviglia .

For season 2017-2018, PortMiami expected 5,3+ million passengers (4,9 million in 2016). The 6-million pax threshold was reached during season 2018-2019. Discussions on long-term agreements are ongoing with NCLH and Carnival Corporation . 2017's growth came from RCI-Royal Caribbean (~350,000 more). The number grew further after RCI inaugurated "Terminal A" (and homeported Oasis-class liners) and MSC inaugurated "Terminal F" (for Meraviglia-class and Seaside-class liners).

In 2017 started discussions for turnaround operations by vessels of Virgin Voyages  and NCL-Norwegian . However, Carnival Cruise Line remained the Port’s largest customer (2+ million passengers in 2017).

Various studies on LNG bunkering were conducted, regarding whether these operations (LNG supply to berthed vessels) to be land or water-side. The port expects to receive its first LNG-powered cruise liner in 2022.

On May 4, 2018, from Barcelona to PortMiami were delivered 2x large-sized "Seaport Passenger Boarding Bridges". The tailor-made (fully assembled) bridges were for the renovated "Terminal F’". Each of these 2-ton walkways is 4-sectioned (telescopic) and has length 32 m (105 ft). The bridges were designed by Adelte (Spain) and custom-made for "Terminal F" - to serve large liners with LOA length over 300 m (984 ft).

In late-October 2019 was approved the agreement for Brightline Miami to be rebranded "Virgin Trains" and Virgin Group to build a train station (Virgin Trains PortMiami) at the cruise port. The new station serves high-speed trains and connects PortMiami directly with the USA's intercity railway system (via Aventura, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach ) to Orlando International Airport. Brightline plans to expand the railway to Tampa  and  Jacksonville .

On August 31, 2020, Miami-Dade County' commission authorized the issuance of up to USD 0,5 billion in special obligation bonds, of which USD 335 million was designated for PortMiami and the rest going toward development projects related to the County's general fund.

  • The approval came as cruising out of US homeports remained banned through October 1, and all major cruise companies suspended departures through October 31.
  • Before the Coronavirus crisis (2020) paralyzed the cruise shipping industry, the County agreed to pay USD 700 million toward 7 projects - 5 new cruise terminals and 2 cruise company headquarters. Five shipowners (Carnival Corporation, NCLH-Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, MSC, RCG-Royal Caribbean Group, Virgin Voyages) agreed to repay USD 5,8 billion over the next 20-62 years.
  • The biggest part of the USD 335 million in bonds (USD 130 M) was allocated for the building of the Virgin Voyages Terminal.

On November 15, 2022, RCG-Royal Caribbean Group signed a 36-year lease agreement that includes developing and exclusive operation of PortMiami's Terminal G.

  • By the deal, RCG will construct a new facility (exclusive passenger terminal for ships of RCI-Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises) and will also redevelop RCI's headquarters (at PortMiami) which lease was extended through 2072.
  • By May 2020, RCI spent ~US$70 million to upgrade its headquarters prior to halting construction works to mitigate financial losses during the COVID crisis.
  • By the new lease deal (2022), Miami-Dade is now financing the RCI headquarters' completion as well as Terminal G's construction. In turn, Royal Caribbean guarantees a minimum annual passenger movement ~600,000 (during Terminal G's reconstruction), 1,5 million (following the completion/scheduled for 2027) and 2,1 million passengers annually (from 2038 to 2063). RCI also agreed to repay the cost of finishing its headquarters via increased rent and to pay back up to 53% (US$172,5M) of Terminal G's redevelopment costs.
  • Terminal G's lease includes 3x 7-year renewal options, while RCI's headquarters lease has 2x 5-year renewal options.
  • The deal also provided for RCI's shared use of Berth 10 Terminal (scheduled for completion in October 2028) - together with MSC.
  • The 2022-signed agreement replaced the expiring in 2033. Reportedly, the lease will generate ~US$2,5 billion (from Terminal G) and ~US$260 million (from RCI's headquarters) and will create ~12000 permanent jobs, including ~1000 additional positions with RCI (+50% over 2022's staff count).

In Miami is also headquartered CMI-Cruise Management International and its subsidiary CMI Leisure (smaller-sized and expedition cruise ship management company). Since 2022, CMI is owned by Anglo-Eastern (1974-founded company that manages 600+ vessels/crew recruitment and management, technical services).

Since January 2024, in Block 55 at Sawyer's Walk (premium retail shopping and residential area in Downtown Miami) is headquartered MSC Group (the world's second-largest container shipping company/after Maersk).

World's largest cruise ports

Based on 2016 passenger traffic numbers reported by CLIA, Miami cruise port was ranked world's largest (4,898 million pax). Follows the list of world's busiest cruise ports with annual shipping traffic over 1 million passengers.

  • Miami FL (4,898 million)
  • Port Everglades Fort Lauderdale FL (3,890 million)
  • Port Canaveral Fl (3,686 million)
  • Cozumel Mexico (3,637 million)
  • Shanghai China (2,847 million)
  • Barcelona Spain (2,683 million)
  • Civitavecchia-Rome Italy (2,340 million)
  • Nassau Bahamas (2,035 million)
  • Canary Islands Spain (combined 1,981 million)
  • Balearic Islands Spain (combined 1,957 million)
  • USVI (combined 1,777 million)
  • Galveston TX (1,730 million)
  • Grand Cayman Island (1,712 million)
  • Southampton UK (1,7 million)
  • St Maarten Island (1,669 million)
  • Jamaica (combined 1,655 million)
  • Venice Italy (1,606 million)
  • Marseille France (1,597 million)
  • Sydney Australia (1,309 million)
  • Naples Italy (1,306 million)
  • New Orleans NOLA (1,070 million) - excluding USA river cruise passengers.

PortMiami statistics

PortMiami is a major US seaport located on Dodge Island (Biscayne Bay, Florida). It is ranked the world's largest passenger port (serving both cruise and ferry shipping traffic). The port is linked to Watson Island via PortMiami Tunnel (building cost USD 1 billion). Dodge Island combines 3 islands (Dodge, Lummus, Sam's) into one.

PortMiami has capacity to handle the world's biggest passenger ships and is homeport (turnaround port) for numerous large-sized vessels. However, port's prime shipping business are container ships , ranking it Florida's largest container cargo port and USA's 9th-largest. Annually, it handles 4+ million cruise ship tourists, around 7,4 million cargo tons and 1+ million TEU-containers.

Currently, PortMiami has 9 passenger terminals, 6 gantry crane-equipped wharves (total 9 gantry cranes serving containerized cargo), 7 Ro-Ro docks (serving ferries and car carriers), 4 reefer yards (for refrigerated containers), breakbulk warehouses. The port has 2 super post-Panamax gantry cranes (among the world's largest) with capacity to handle 22,000-TEU boxships.

In 1997 was started USD 250 million port redevelopment project for facility upgrades and expansion in order to accommodate the industry's demands. PortMiami Tunnel was built 2010-2014, linking (via SR 836) directly the seaport with USA's interstate highway system, thus bypassing downtown's congestion. By this project were also constructed new cruise terminals, roads, terminal parking garages, new lighting, landscaping, signage. Security Gates (opened in 2006) increased the port's processing rate for container trucks.

In 2007, the port served over 3,787 million cruise passengers. In 2010 were handled 4,33 million cruise passengers (1 in 7 in the world). In 2015 were handled nearly 4,9 million cruisers. For FY11 (fiscal year 2011), PortMiami reported an economic impact in Miami-Dade County of USD 18 billion, providing around 176,000 local jobs.

On December 9, 2018 (Sunday), the port reported its ultimate one-day record for cruise shipping traffic - 52,000 passengers. The list of berthed liners included Carnival Horizon , Carnival Magic , Disney Magic , MSC Divina , Norwegian Getaway , Oceania Riviera , Allure of the Seas , Empress of the Seas , and the high-speed catamaran San Gwann (FRS Caribbean - German company serving the ferry route Miami- Bimini Islands ).

Port Boulevard connects PortMiami with Downtown. This link is a causeway over the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway. ICW has length 3000 mi (4800 km) and runs along the USA's Atlantic (Eastern Seaboard) and Gulf of Mexico coasts (from Manasquan River NJ, around Gulf of Mexico to Brownsville TX). According to US federal law, ICW must be maintained at min-depth 3,7 m (12 ft). ICW is toll-free, but since 1978 commercial users (cargo barges) are charged a fuel tax, which is used for facilities maintenance.

PortMiami Deep Dredge project (budget USD 180 million, completed in 2016) increased the harbor's max draft to 15 m (48 ft) allowing access to Super Post Panamax boxships after the Panama Canal expansion completion.

In March 2018, NCLH unveiled details on NCL's exclusive new Cruise Terminal B scheduled for completion in 2019 (read more in the port's "Terminal" section).

In 2018, PortMiami implemented the NOAA agency's (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) PORTS system (Physical Oceanographic Real-Time System). The system is a public-private partnership for reducing in-port ship accidents (by over 50%) and transit delays for commercial shipping traffic. It also improves hazardous spill response. PortMiami's annual benefit from the PORTS system was estimated at around USD 300 million. The system serves a total of 31 US seaports, supporting 85% of the USA's cargo shipping traffic. PORTS provides real-time maritime data to vessel operators and harbor pilots, including information on currents (in and around port), water levels, waves, water salinity, bridge clearances (air gaps), visibility, winds (speed and direction), air and water temperatures.

On May 10, 2018, was officially opened Carnival's "Fleet Operations Center". The 35,000 ft2 facility allows simultaneous real-time monitoring of all ships in the fleet. The main feature is its 74 ft (22,5 m) long video wall composed of 57x LED screens. The data processed here includes itinerary information, current position, weather conditions, logistics, environmental status, guest operations. The interactive world map shows also the current locations of all Carnival Corporation ships (all brands). The center is staffed 24 / 7. The Corporation also owns similar monitoring centers in Seattle and Hamburg.

FY2018 (Sept 2017-Sept 2018) was another (4th consecutive) record year, with 5,8% growth in containerized cargo volumes (total 1,084 million TEUs) and 4,7% increase in cruise shipping (total 5,592 million passengers). Cargo shipping growth was attributed to the seaport's USD 1 billion investments in infrastructure improvements that allowed handling of Post-Panamax ships (with min draft 12 m / 40 ft). In 2018, the port handled over 250 such vessels, following a deep dredging project and the installation of Super Post-Panamax gantry cranes. Cruise shipping growth was attributed to expanded business opportunities (adding 3 new cruise companies - Viking Ocean, Seabourn, Victory Cruise Lines), extended homeport seasons and homeporting larger passenger liners.

In early January 2019, MSC signed with Miami-Dade County a letter of intent for expanding the company's PortMiami operations. The project's approval was received on Sept 19, 2019. By this project (completed in November 2023) MSC increased its annual capacity by building two (exclusive) cruise terminals (AA, AAA). The project included design, construction and management of the buildings (pax capacity 7000/28000 daily movements), berths (2 mega-liners), terminal parking garages, administrative offices, storage facilities plus infrastructure. MSC planned to homeport here several ships, including of the WORLD class (fleet's largest).

FY2019 (Sept 2018-Sept 2019) was again record-breaking for both container shipping (+3,4 % increase, to 1,12 million TEUs) and cruise shipping (+22% increase, to 6,824 million passengers). In 2019 were signed terminal development projects with Carnival Corporation, MSC, NCLH-Norwegian, Virgin UK, CMA-CGM (for Terminal Link Miami). The port generated ~USD 7,8 billion (economic impact) and supported ~27,500 South Florida jobs.

In FY2019, the cruise port handled 6,823816 million passengers, providing 27500 jobs and contributing ~USD 7,8 billion to the state's economy.

In February 2021, Miami-Dade County signed a deal with FPL-Florida Power & Light Company (subsidiary of NextEra Energy Inc) and 6 major cruise companies (Carnival Corporation, RCG-Royal Caribbean Group, MSC, NCLH-Norwegian, DCL-Disney, Virgin) for funding the Shore Power Pilot Program ( shoreside power capabilities at cruise berths). In May, the program received USD 2 million funding by DERA Program (Diesel Emissions Reduction Act).

In February 2023  was subcontracted PowerCon AS (Hadsund Denmark-based engineering and manufacturing company specializing in electrical power conversions) to deliver 5x shore power systems for cruise vessels. For this particular project was established the subsidiary PoweCon USA. The cruise shore-power facilities are to be installed at four PortMiami cruise terminals - Terminal A (RCI-Royal Caribbean International), Terminal B (NCL-Norwegian and MSC), Terminal F (CCL-Carnival), and Terminal V (Virgin Voyages). When completed (2023-Q4), the combined shore-power system will be the world's largest.

April 9, 2023, was PortMiami's record-breaking day when were handled a total of 67594 tourists visiting on 8 different ships (Carnival Celebration, Carnival Horizon, Explorer of the Seas, MSC Seascape, Norwegian Encore, Oasis of the Seas, Seabourn Ovation, Scarlet Lady).

FY2023 (October 1st, 2022, through September 30th, 2023) became PortMiami's record year for cruise shipping, with handled a total of 7,299294 million passengers (~7% increase over FY2019).

Cruise itineraries to and from Miami Florida

Follows a list of destinations visited by ships leaving out of Miami:

  • World Cruises - around the world voyages from Miami are offered in January, as well as shorter itinerary segments part of the main round-trip itinerary.
  • South America itineraries from Miami are operated by luxury lines or by budget lines ships on relocation routes to Brazil ( Santos or Rio de Janeiro ) or Argentina ( Buenos Aires ). Round-trip itineraries usually visit ports in the Southern Caribbean, Brazil (often the Amazon River region), then go back to Florida.
  • Bahamas itineraries from Miami visit Nassau (New Providence Island) and Freeport (Grand Bahama Island) , often combined with Florida ports (mainly Key West ). Major lines also include exclusive stops at their Bahamian private islands. These are Coco Cay (Royal Caribbean) , Half Moon Cay (Carnival, Holland America) , Princess Cays (Princess) , Castaway Cay (Disney) , Great Stirrup Cay (NCL Norwegian) .
  • Short-break (3-day) cruises to Bahamas stop in Nassau. Some 3-day and most 4-day itineraries additionally include a private island stop, while 5-day itineraries add Freeport.
  • Short-break (4-day) roundtrips to Mexico stop in Key West and Cozumel .
  • 7-day Western Caribbean itineraries visit ports in Honduras, Belize, Mexico, also Grand Cayman Island (George Town) and Jamaica.
  • 7-day Eastern Caribbean itineraries visit ports in BVI, USVI, Dutch Antilles, also Puerto Rico, Bahamas (Nassau) and the lines private islands.
  • B2B (back-to-back) cruises combine two 7-day Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries into a 14-day roundtrip itinerary.
  • 8-day Southern Caribbean itineraries visit Grand Turk Island , Dominican Republic, Aruba (Oranjestad) , Curacao (Willemstad) .
  • Panama Canal transits  between Miami and California ports ( Los Angeles , San Diego , San Francisco ) are offered with one-way itineraries (up to 16 days in length). They include transition through Panama Canal and usually visit ports in Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Guatemala and Mexico (Mexican Riviera).

Seasonal ship relocations (RepositionCruises.com) include Panama Canal transits from Florida to Alaska in late Spring. The itineraries end either in California ports or in the turnaround ports for Alaskan roundtrip from Vancouver BC or Seattle WA . The reverse routes (Alaska to Florida) are in early Fall.

Transatlantic crossings from Florida to Europe are offered in Spring. Relocation routes from Miami usually include the Canary Islands and Mediterranean ports, and often Bermuda (stopping at King's Wharf ). The longest relocation itineraries end in Baltic Sea turnaround ports ( Amsterdam , Copenhagen , Hamburg ).

Transatlantic crossings from Europe to Florida usually depart from the UK (Southampton, Dover, Harwich) or Mediterranean (Barcelona, Civitavecchia-Rome, Piraeus-Athens) and often stop in Bermuda (Kings Wharf).

Miami cruise terminal

Port Miami has been the "Cruise Capital of the World" and also "Cargo Gateway of the Americas" for many years. It kept that title for more than two decades and accommodated world's biggest cruise ships of all major passenger shipping companies. PortMiami lost the title in late-2000 to Port Everglades .

The port is situated in Biscayne Bay, Miami, FL on Dodge Island. There the Sam's Islands, the Lummus and the Dodge (famous historic islands) combine in one. The Port of Miami is related to four important projects &ndash: the Panama Canal expansion, the Port of Miami Tunnel, the bridge and rail line restoration and the Port of Miami Deep Dredge Project. The ship schedule offers voyages all the year. The Miami International Airport is 8 mi/13 km away, the Fort Lauderdale International Airport - 25 mi/40 km.

Port Miami has 9 terminals. Located at the Dodge Island north part are terminals B/C, D, E , F, G, on the west is terminal H (V) and on the south – terminal J. The most modern cruise terminals are D and E. They started to operate in 2007 and host mega-liners. The luxury market is operated by cruise terminal J - facility made to look like a boutique. All passenger terminals offer cafes, check-in, shops, bars and cab ranks. Multi-Agency Facility is available at terminals D and E.

Miami cruise terminals B, C, D, E, F, G, H, J

  • port address - "1741,1751 Africa Way, Dodge Island, Miami Florida 33132"
  • location (on Dodge Island) - 8 mi / 13 km (25-min drive distance) from Miami International Airport, 25 mi / 40 km (45 min drive distance) from Fort Lauderdale International Airport
  • Port entrance is via Biscayne Blvd (Port Bridge).
  • Terminal address - "zzz Cruise Boulevard, Port of Miami, Miami, FL 33132"
  • In the above address replace "zzz" with the corresponding address (by terminal) listed below:
  • (new) "Terminal A" (address "1015 North") - here dock Royal Caribbean ships only. Berth length is 1300 ft (396 m).
  • Terminal B (address "1751 North") - here dock NCLH-Norwegian ships only
  • Terminal C (address "1741 North")
  • Terminal D (address "1435 North") - here dock Carnival ships only.
  • Terminal E (address "1265 North") - here dock Carnival ships only.
  • Terminal F (address "1103 North")
  • Terminal G (address "909/1055 North") - here dock Royal Caribbean ships only (berth length 1000 ft / 305 m)
  • (west, Bimini Tent) Terminal H (address "897 South") - for Resorts World Bimini (Bimini SuperFast).
  • Terminal J (address "1120 Caribbean Way") Terminal J is primarily for docking luxury cruise ships from the fleets of Azamara, Crystal, Oceania, Regent. This terminal underwent a USD 3 million refurbishment which upgraded the furniture, more lounge seating was added, along with new check-in counters.

Terminals D and E are the newest (both open in 2007) and can berth the world's largest cruise ships with capacity up to 5000 passengers. Their buildings are 3-story facilities (sized 105,000 ft2 / 9750 m2. Each terminal has a VIP lounge, separate security screening facility (embarkation), airline counters, conveyor baggage system.

(expanded) MSC Terminal F

In December 2016 started construction works for renovating and expanding "Terminal F" to be able to homeport MSC Seaside in December 2017.

Miami-Dade funded the USD 38 million reconstruction project, which increased the terminal's capacity up to 6000 passengers. MSC Seaside has max capacity of 5179 passengers. Planned terminal enhancements included an expanded waiting area (1500 seats), larger VIP waiting area (exclusive lounge for "MSC Yacht Club" VIP passengers), new "group passengers" dedicated lounge, improved baggage-claim area, 60 ticket counters, also implementing the latest technology for faster passenger embarkation/debarkation process.

The 2-story terminal covers a total area of 3557 m2 (38280 ft2). The new terminal was officially opened/inaugurated on December 7, 2017, MSC Seaside's scheduled dock in PortMiami was on December 21, 2017.

On May 4, 2018, from Barcelona were delivered two large passenger boarding bridges. Tailor-made for "Terminal F’", each bridge is 2-ton and 4-sectioned (telescopic), with length 32 m (105 ft). They serve ships with LOA length over 300 m (984 ft).

(NEW) Carnival Terminal F

In September 2019, CCL-Carnival Cruise Line received approval for major expansion and renovation of "Terminal F". The upgraded (471000-ft2 / 43760-m2 sized) facility can handle the Excel-class vessel Carnival Celebration (homeported since November 2022).

The 2019-signed Carnival-PortMiami agreement included the company's commitment to homeport at Terminal F ships for 20 years, with the option of two additional 7-year lease extensions.

Carnival Terminal F's renovations officially started on January 29, 2021 (with the groundbreaking ceremony) and are scheduled for completion by October 2022. Terminal F's groundbreaking was attended by Christine Duffy (CCL's President) and Daniella Levine Cava (Miami-Dade Mayor), along with construction companies representatives and county commissioners.

Terminal F is PortMiami's 3rd cruise terminal dedicated to Carnival ships as well as currently the largest in North America.

(NEW) MSC Cruise Terminal (AA, AAA)

In July 2018, Miami-Dade County and MSC signed an agreement for extended preferential berthing rights and MoU for building a new "Cruise Terminal AAA" at PortMiami (company's exclusive homeport in the USA).

The new agreement extended the old (Saturdays) preferential berthing rights to Sundays as well.

MSC Terminal AAA (completed in October 2022) has capacity to handle MSC WORLD-Class liners (fleet's ever-largest, with passenger capacity 7000).

The 2018-signed MoU agreement received approval from Miami-Dade's Commissioners on April 9, 2019 and the deal was officially signed on September 19, 2019. MSC designed and started construction works on a large building (to serve its two cruise terminals - AA, AAA) plus two new berths. For the terminal's design was contracted Arquitectonica (global architecture, landscape and interior design company).

PortMiami's MSC terminals AA and AAA can serve 2 turnarounds/homeported ships simultaneously and have max capacity 28000 passengers daily.

On July 8, 2021, MSC and Fincantieri signed a contract for the construction of PortMiami's newest MSC Cruise Terminal. The project (valued ~EUR 350 million/~USD 414M) was signed by Pierfrancesco Vago (MSC) and Giuseppe Bono (Fincantieri).

The new MSC Terminal can handle three large vessels simultaneously (max daily passenger capacity 36000) and is fitted with shorepower connectivity .

The 4-story building houses office areas and has multi-level parking (min capacity 2400 vehicles), 4 passenger boarding decks, a new road connection, two new docks (berths with total length 750 m / 2460 ft) plus a 3rd berth (built/financed by Miami-Dade County).

The new facility was designed by Arquitectonica and built by Fincantieri Infrastructure. It is adjacent to Royal Caribbean's Terminal A. Construction works started on March 10, 2022, with scheduled completion and inauguration in December 2023.

Starting in 2025, MSC World America will be also homeported at the new terminal.

(NEW) Royal Caribbean Miami Terminal A

In September 2015, the world's second-largest cruise ship company Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd/RCCL announced its plans to build a US$100 million terminal at PortMiami.

In June 2016, PortMiami leased 10 acres (0,04 km2) of land to RCCL to build and exclusively operate a dedicated terminal. Here are also homeported two of RCI's largest liners - Allure of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas .

The new "Terminal A" facility is sized 170,000 ft2 (15,800 m2) and is able to handle the world's largest passenger ships of the OASIS-class. According to the MoU (memorandum of understanding) between Royal Caribbean and Miami-Dade County, the Terminal's completion date was July 31, 2018. By the deal, RCCL leased the land and financed the whole project. RCCL was responsible for the Terminal's design and construction of the facilities (including parking garages with combined capacity 1000 vehicles).

The plans for the new Royal Caribbean terminal were approved by Miami's Board of County Commissioners on July 7, 2016. Under the agreement, RCCL fully financed the construction, except US$15M that PortMiami paid for infrastructure/road works.

Annually, Royal Caribbean pays Miami-Dade County US$7,5M in rent.

The project's value was estimated at USD 247 million for PortMiami - after taking into consideration up-front costs and annual rent for current cargo shipping purposes. For comparison, the Port's annual revenues are US$1,2M (from cargo activities) and US$9,5M (from cruise shipping).

Royal Caribbean is leasing the land for an initial 20-year period (until 2048) at base rent US$9,5 million per year (annual increase 1,5%). In addition to the base rent, Miami-Dade County receives US$5,50 per cruise passenger in excess of 1,55 million pax.

The new terminal building (nicknamed 'Crown of Miami') serves exclusively RCCL/RCG-Royal Caribbean Group-owned ships.

As of 2016, PortMiami handled ~750,000 Royal Caribbean passengers (per year) or ~15% of the Port's entire cruise traffic. The new terminal generates at least 1,8 million cruisers (or ~30% of the projected traffic) with estimated economic impact ~USD 0,5 billion. The facility generated ~4000 new local jobs.

Construction works started on March 8, 2017. RCCL later added to the project another building (named "Innovation Lab") that serves as the corporation's headquarters. Innovation Lab is sized 1860 m2 (20,000 ft2) and also hosts the company's ship design studio.

"Terminal A" was officially inaugurated on November 2, 2018. The opening ceremony was attended by Richard Fain (RCCL's CEO), Michael Bayley (RCI's CEO), Carlos Gimenez (Miami City Mayor), and Rebecca Sosa (Port Commissioner).

Until 2018, RCI represented annual capacity 0,8 million passengers (~15% of the Port's overall traffic). With the new terminal, this capacity was expected to increase to ~2 million.

(NEW) NCL-Norwegian Cruise Terminal B

On May 2, 2017, was announced that Miami-Dade County commissioners approved the agreement with NCLH/Norwegian Cruise Line Holding for a new terminal at PortMiami.

The facility has berthing capacity of two vessels (simultaneously), having 2 berths for large-sized vessels (up to 5000 passengers each). The facility was inaugurated in February 2020, with the arrival of Norwegian Encore (homeported here for winter 2019-2020 season).

NCL terminal's construction officially started on April 26, 2018 (ground-breaking ceremony). The project was officially approved on April 10th, and works started on May 1st, with planned completion in Fall 2019.

The new Terminal B's cost was estimated at ~USD 100 million. The facility incorporates PortMiami's existing terminals B and C into a single/new "Terminal B". 

Miami-Dade shares the county's parking and marketing revenues. The expected numbers for fiscal 2018 were ~US$180,000 (parking) and US$210,000 (marketing).

NCLH's new terminal was expected to generate ~US$24 million in gross revenue (starting FY2018), with an estimated increase of 3% each year. By the April 2018-signed agreement, NCLH guarantees Miami-Dade a minimum of 1,3 million passengers annually. The deal created ~160 new full-time jobs.

By the agreement, NCLH received preferential berthing rights at the new Terminal B. This means priority docking of vessels from the fleets of NCL , Oceania  and RSSC-Regent . The required minimum number of ship calls (per fiscal year) is 45, which is 15 more than the previous agreement.

The building's design is inspired by nautilus (marine mollusks of the cephalopod family Nautilidae). It features a spiraled, multi-level facade and open-floor interior.

The building is sized approx 166,500 ft2 (15,500 m2) and implements all modern technologies that support faster and more efficient passenger processing, as well as expedited security screening and luggage check-in.

The new Terminal B has a dedicated waiting hall, separate bar lounge, service area, new parking garage, valet parking area (accessing the building directly).

(NEW) Virgin Voyages "Terminal V"

On November 28, 2018, Richard Branson (Virgin Group's Founder) and Tom McAlpin ( Virgin Voyages ' President and CEO) officially announced the plans for a new/exclusive cruise terminal in PortMiami.

"Virgin Voyages Terminal" is a 3-story building (sized 100,000 ft2 / 9300 m2) located on PortMiami's northwestern side (address "718 N Cruise Blvd"). Approval for the project was given on September 20, 2019, with a subsequent berthing agreement deal.

Construction works started in October 2019, with scheduled completion in November 2021. The USD 150 million (~EUR 137 million) facility was officially renamed from "Terminal H" to "Terminal V". Virgin Voyages has brand's name on a for-profit train connecting Miami with West Palm Beach (via Aventura and Boca Raton). Virgin's cruise operations from PortMiami were planned to start in April 2020 with Scarlet Lady .

In late-October 2019 was approved the agreement for Brightline Miami to be rebranded "Virgin Trains" and Virgin Group to build a train station (Virgin Trains PortMiami) at the cruise port. The new station serves high-speed trains and connects PortMiami directly with the USA's intercity railway system and Orlando International Airport. Construction works on Virgin Trains PortMiami are scheduled for completion in 2022.

PortMiami's "Terminal V" was officially opened/inaugurated on February 13, 2022. The ceremony was attended by Richard Branson, Tom McAlpin and Daniella Levine Cava (Miami-Dade County Mayor).

Cruise ship terminal directions and parking

  • From North - take I-95 South, drive eastbound I-395 (Miami Beach). Continue driving on I-395 East (MacArthur Causeway). The entrance of Port Miami Tunnel (Road 887) is on the left. Follow the signs to your Cruise Terminal.
  • From North (via Downtown Miami / Port Bridge) - take I-95 South. Exit 3B-Bayside. Drive south to Northeast 5th Street, turn left. 5th Str leads onto PortMiami Bridge. Continue over the bridge and follow the signs to your terminal.
  • From South - take SR-826 North to SR-836 East. Drive eastbound on SR-836 to I-395 East (Miami Beach). Continue driving on I-395 East (MacArthur Causeway). The entrance of Port Miami Tunnel is on the left. Follow the signs to your Cruise Terminal. You can also take I-95 North and drive eastbound I-395 (Miami Beach).
  • From South (via Downtown Miami / Port Bridge) - take I-95 North. Exit at Northwest 2nd Street. Drive straight to NW 5th Street, make a right. 5th Str leads onto PortMiami Bridge. Continue over the bridge and follow the signs to your terminal.
  • From Miami Beach - take I-395 (MacArthur Causeway), drive westbound, exit on Biscayne Blvd ramp and make U-turn on North Bayshore Drive to enter MacArthur Causeway eastbound. Then continue on I-395 East (MacArthur Causeway).
  • Parking rates (subject to change) - USD 20.00 per day. All parking lots are outdoor and located in front their corresponding terminals. Special arrangements are offered for cruise passengers with disabilities.

Miami port, besides its 9 cruise terminals also has facilities to handle cargo ships (bulk carriers and container vessels) and dry dock facilities for marine vessel refurbishments and repairs.

  • UN-LOCODE (United Nations location code) - USMIA
  • eight dedicated cruise terminals
  • supported by excellent road, rail and air infrastructure
  • deep water channel - North Ship Channel has 2 turning basins - west (Fisher Island) and east (Main).
  • deep water berths
  • sheltered harbor area
  • access unrestricted by tides
  • no restrictions on length and GT tonnage of cruise ships
  • The cruise port is accessible the whole year round – 24/7, 365 days a tear.
  • Cruise ships usually arrive in Miami in early morning (7 or 8 am) and depart from Miami in late afternoon (at 4, 4:30 or 5 pm) and in the evenings (at 7 pm).

MSC Cruises unveils Summer 2024 'Stay & Cruise' program for extended holiday experiences

MSC Cruises unveils Summer 2024 'Stay & Cruise' program for extended holiday experiences

MSC Cruises has introduced its latest offering, the summer 2024 'Stay & Cruise' program, designed to enhance guests' 7-night cruise experiences...

Carnival Corporation plans headquarters sale and Miami relocation

Carnival Corporation plans headquarters sale and Miami relocation

Carnival Corporation is in the process of selling its longstanding headquarters in Doral, Florida, with plans to relocate to a more modern and...

MEYER Group unveils cutting-edge maritime innovations at Seatrade Cruise Global

MEYER Group unveils cutting-edge maritime innovations at Seatrade Cruise Global

The MEYER Group presented forward-thinking initiatives and cutting-edge maritime solutions at Seatrade Cruise Global in Miami Florida last week...

Azamara introduces maiden ports in 2025-2026 winter cruises

Azamara introduces maiden ports in 2025-2026 winter cruises

Azamara Cruises has unveiled its winter sailings for 2025 and 2026, introducing visits to 8 maiden ports and lesser-known destinations accessible...

MSC Cruises achieves milestones in World-class ship construction

MSC Cruises achieves milestones in World-class ship construction

MSC Cruises and Chantiers de l’Atlantique achieved significant milestones on Wednesday, April 10, during the construction of the groundbreaking...

Princess Cruises and Brightline introduce Rail & Sail (train+cruise) program

Princess Cruises and Brightline introduce Rail & Sail (train+cruise) program

Princess Cruises and Brightline/BLFX (high-speed intercity passenger railway in Florida connecting Miami with Orlando) have collaboratively...

44-yo Indy man molesting 13-yo girl on Carnival's cruise ship Conquest

44-yo Indy man molesting 13-yo girl on Carnival's cruise ship Conquest

A resident of Indiana is facing legal repercussions in South Florida following allegations of molesting a teenage girl during a Carnival cruise...

Pipe burst during storm leads to flooding on Carnival Sunrise cruise ship

Pipe burst during storm leads to flooding on Carnival Sunrise cruise ship

Heavy rains led to the bursting of a pipe on a CCL-Carnival Cruise Line vessel last weekend, resulting in flooding in several staterooms. The...

RSSC/Regent launches the world's most expensive cruise in 2027 (Seven Seas Splendor ship)

RSSC/Regent launches the world's most expensive cruise in 2027 (Seven Seas Splendor ship)

RSSC-Regent Seven Seas Cruises, renowned for its 3-decade legacy of luxury cruising, introduces an extraordinary offering for 2027. The upcoming...

Seabourn Cruises unveils 2025-2026 itineraries with Japan Foliage and Caribbean voyages

Seabourn Cruises unveils 2025-2026 itineraries with Japan Foliage and Caribbean voyages

Seabourn has revealed its roster of cruises for the 2025-2026 season, introducing several fresh itineraries in Japan, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia...

  •   show more news

Miami - user reviews and comments

  • Visit 100 Countries
  • Visit 500 UNESCO Sites
  • Landmarks of the World

One Trip at a Time

The Port of Miami is the busiest cruise terminal in the world with almost 5 million people joining cruises from the city every year.  With so many customers, this means lots of options for   things to do   before or after your cruise and multiple ways to get to your ship to embark on your cruise.

Whether you’re driving and need to find  parking  or a  hotel with parking , or  flying  in and need to get from the airports to the port area, we’ve covered all the options for you to make the best decision.

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our   full disclosure policy here .

Miami sits at the south end of Interstates 75 and 95 (I-75 and I-95) and these are the routes most drivers will use to get to the port area. Only if you are coming in from further south will you come in on the famous Highway 1 from Key West.

Driving times from nearby major cities are:

  • Fort Myers: 2.5 hours (160 miles)
  • Orlando: 3.5 hours (240 miles)
  • Jacksonville: 5 hours (350 miles)
  • Tampa: 4 hours (280 miles)

Click more options , once your route is displayed, to open google maps in a new window.

If you want to park at the port, check out the options here. If you prefer to arrive the night before, check out these hotels which will let you park your car during your cruise if you stay the night.

Miami International Airport is located in the center of the city just ten miles from the cruise terminal.

Miami International Airport (Code: MIA)

The main airport in Miami, and an American Airlines hub, Miami International is located in the centre of Miami and just ten miles west of the cruise terminal.

PUBLIC TRANSPORT

It is possible to get from the airport to the cruise terminal using public transport, but it is not the easiest of journeys. It will take at least an hour, involves a couple of changes and requires a walk at the end.

For this port, we’d recommend using a   taxi  or   Uber/Lyft   each way.

From the airport, take the MIA Mover to the Metrorail station, then take the Dadeland Express from Miami Airport Station to Brickell. Then from Brickell (West Side) take the Port of Miami Bus to Royal Caribbean @ Terminal J. From here you will have to walk to your terminal which will take between 5 and 15 minutes depending on your cruise company. Royal Caribbean is easiest to get to by public transport as the bus stop is right outside their terminal, but Carnival is about a ten-minute walk and Norwegian is about a fifteen-minute walk. 

With the airport located ten miles from the port and a flat-rate system in place for journeys to the cruise terminal, Miami is one cruise port where a taxi is a good option. The cost is just $27 (+ tip) for up to four people each way and in a car that leaves to your schedule. So if you want the luxury of a private transfer, head for the taxi stand at the airport and be at the cruise terminal in double-quick time.

READ MORE: Looking for more information to plan your visit to Miami? Check it out here!

Uber   and   Lyft   will cost between $18 and $23 for a transfer from Miami Internation Airport to the Port of Miami  for the standard Uber X or standard Lyft.

Given the small saving and added inconvenience over just taking a taxi from the airport, this is one port where Uber/Lyft probably don’t make the most sense.

For a discount on your first ride click for UBER or LYFT

With taxis so cheap, a shuttle only really makes sense if you are a solo traveller and even then an   Uber/Lyft   might be preferable to a shared shuttle.

If you need a shuttle,   SuperShuttle   charges $30.60 per person for a round-trip between the airport and the cruise terminal

Renting a car for just a few hours is our favourite way to get to the cruise terminal from the airport. As long as you don’t mind driving, possibly on the “wrong” side of the road for you, it gives you a private transfer that leaves to your schedule and can be surprisingly competitive with other transportation options. In Miami, it only really makes sense if you are going to use the car to see any of the  attractions  in the area.

There are no rental car offices on the island of the port, but most of the big names including  Avis ,  Hertz , and  Enterprise  are just a few minutes away and offer shuttles for cruise passengers.

CRUISE COMPANY TRANSFER

Paying the cruise company to get from the airport to the ship is rarely good value, especially if more than one or two people need a transfer. You will invariably be better off using one of the alternatives above. For example,   Carnival  prices as of Feb 2018 from MIA are $16.99 – one way.

HOTEL TRANSFER

With the cruise port so close to the heart of the city and the airport just minutes away, it’s worth looking at a hotel which is close to one and provides a shuttle service to the other. Check out our  Miami hotels  section for more info.

Looking for more information to plan your visit to Miami?

You may find these articles helpful..

Miami Cruise Port Guide Where to Stay in Miami with ‘Park & Cruise’ Deals Miami Cruise Parking Options Things to See and Do in Miami

The map below shows the nearest main airports to Miami in relation to the cruise terminal.

Some of the links in the post above are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, we will receive an affiliate commission but this does not affect the price to you. Please read our   full disclosure policy here . 

google maps miami cruise port

RELATED POSTS

Miami cruise parking, miami cruise port guide, things to do in miami, usa, miami hotels.

WHATSINPORT.COM: YOUR CRUISE GUIDE TO 1200 PORTS OF CALL

Interactive world cruise map, home | cruise ships | port expenses | hints and tips, miami usa cruise port guide.

The Port of Miami , also called Cruise Capital of the World. Home to 12 cruise lines and the largest year-round cruise fleet in the world, the port accommodates more than 4 million passengers a year. 7 air-conditioned terminals are decorated with dramatic public art. There’s duty-free shopping and limousine service. You can get taxis at all the terminals, and car-rental agencies are present.

Taxicabs are available at all airport terminals. The flat rate fare between Miami International Airport and the Cruise Port of Miami is $27.00. SuperShuttle vans also will bring you to the port. Rates are about $16 per person roundtrip for the first rider and only $10 for each additional rider. . An Uber/Lyft fare from the Miami airport to the Port of Miami would run approximately $16.

For GPS: 1015 N America Way Miami, Fl 33132. Parking your car at the port is $20 a day.

Bayside Marketplace is within walking distance from the terminal. Everything else is too far to walk to.

Hotels near the Cruise Terminal

Many hotels near the airport offer Cruise & Park deals.

Printable map to take along.

Cruise calendar for this port.

Check here for festivals and events in Miami when you are in port.

Watch a destination video .

Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers

Port Location on Google Maps

Monthly Climate Averages for Miami USA

Sightseeing:

Although favored by climate and geography, Miami remained a remote tropical village of frame houses until Henry Flagler installed his East Coast Railway there in 1896 and turned his hand to community development. In fact, the fabulous city of Miami Beach was created out of a mangrove swamp! Sprawling across 2,054 square miles of land, Miami is a huge and cosmopolitan city. Attracted by year-round warmth and sunshine, thousands of visitors pour into the area with the hope of capturing a little sun and relaxation. Greater Miami 's list of attractions is long and varied, the city really does have something for everyone! Some of the more popular attractions are Viscaya Museum and Gardens, Little Havana, Museum of Science and Space Transit Planetarium, and the Miami Metro Zoo. Biscayne Boulevard is a prime spot for shopping. It features the Bayside Marketplace- a shopping experience in the Tropical style. Shopping is also excellent at the Cocowalk shopping and entertainment complex. A trip into Everglades National Park is a unique sightseeing experience. Multiple boardwalks lead out over the watery area and signs and displays identify and describe the flora and fauna that you may encounter. At Flamingo there are sightseeing boat trips, and naturalists who conduct nature walks along the shore. World-famous South Beach, located on the southernmost part of Miami Beach , attracts a colorful mix of visitors to its Art Deco surroundings. Celebrities, artists, and International super models have all been found to frequent the trendy boutiques, restaurants and art galleries which make up South Beach. Miami offers a grand array of activities geared towards enjoyment! Visitors can experience deep-sea fishing, snorkeling, golf, tennis, scuba diving, and of course, swimming and boating. Miami has all the ingredients for one of the best vacations Florida offers.

Tours Excursions Transportation:

Use a taxi to go to places you want to visit or rent a car, however this is not the most pleasant city to drive in. Cuban temperament and retirees from the north do not blend well.

Combo Tour - Miami Sightseeing Hop On Hop Off and Biscayne Bay Boat Tour

It pays to compare your cruise line tours here .

Nearby Places:

Shopping and food.

Bayside Marketplace is within walking distance from the terminal.

Bal Harbour Shops is an upscale open-air shopping mall in Bal Harbour, a wealthy suburb of Miami known internationally for its collection of luxury retail.

Lincoln Road Mall is a pedestrian-only promenade and the epicenter of what’s happening in South Beach. Located between West Avenue and Washington Avenue,l offers unique shopping, sidewalk cafes, bars, galleries, and fine dining. Lincoln Road is also the best people-watching spot on South Beach.

The official U.S. currency is the United States dollar (symbol: $). ATM's everywhere.

Major credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard are widely used and accepted, even for transactions worth only a few dollars. In fact, in some cases, it may be the only way to make a transaction. Note to overseas visitors: Prices of goods and services always seem lower than they really are, as taxes and gratuities are seldom included.

Most states have a sales tax, ranging from 2.9% to nearly 10% of the retail price; 4-6% is typical. Sales tax is almost never included in posted prices (except for gasoline, and in most states, alcoholic beverages consumed on-premises), but instead will be calculated and added to the total when you pay.

Tipping in America is widely used and expected. While Americans themselves often debate correct levels and exactly who deserves to be tipped, generally accepted standard rates are:

  • Full-service restaurants: 15-20% (Often this is the only income of the wait(ress). Tips are either left in cash or you can add it to the credit card slip) Note: Few restaurants add an automatic service charge, in which case it is up to you how much you tip extra. Check your bill!
  • Taxi drivers, hairdressers, other personal services: 10-15%
  • Bartenders: $1 per drink if inexpensive or 15% of total
  • Bellhops: $1-2 per bag ($3-5 minimum regardless)
  • Hotel doorman: $1 per bag (if they assist), $1 for calling a cab
  • Tour guides: Depending on tour length, size, and overall quality of guided tours; for half day tours or less $5-10 per person, for longer tours $10-20 per person.
  • Private car & limousine drivers: 15-20%
  • Housekeeping in hotels: $1-2 per day for long stays or $5 minimum for very short stays (optional)
  • Food delivery (pizza, etc.): $2-5, possibly more for very large orders

Currency Converter

Communication:

The U.S. has no official language at the federal level, but English is by far the standard for everyday use. Several states have declared their official state language as English. Spanish is also official in the state of New Mexico, where it is widely spoken; French is official in Louisiana and the Hawaiian language is official in Hawaii, but neither approaches the use of English and are official for primarily historical reasons.

All eight cruise terminals offer free Wi-Fi.

Emergency 911

Opening Hours and Holidays:

In major metropolitan areas like New York and Los Angeles, many drugstores and supermarkets are routinely open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, while department stores, shopping centers and most other large retailers are typically open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Saturday, and often with shorter hours on Sundays - generally 11 a.m. or noon to 5 or 6 p.m. On holidays, the tendency is to remain open (with the exception of the most important holidays like Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day where stores are generally closed)

Holidays in the USA

Help us to keep this page up to date: Mail us your suggestions

Thank you for printing this article! Please don’t forget to come back to whatsinport.com for new and updated port guides.

Home | Privacy Policy

See more articles by Gus

Was This Post Helpful? Please Share It With Others!

  • Over 10 years of excellent service guiding tours. Awarded a TripAdvisor Certificate of Excellence .
  • Large fleet of new motor coaches, tour buses, and luxury vans. Technology you won't find anywhere .
  • Highly skilled, professional drivers and guides. From people who love what they do .

80 Comments on

"google maps - port of miami parking & passenger terminals".

  • Customer Support
  • Privacy Policy

Account Options

IMAGES

  1. Cruise Port of Miami

    google maps miami cruise port

  2. Miami cruise port guide: Everything to know about hotels, sites, transfers

    google maps miami cruise port

  3. Port of Miami

    google maps miami cruise port

  4. Port Of Miami Map And Travel Information

    google maps miami cruise port

  5. Miami Florida Cruise Port Map

    google maps miami cruise port

  6. Map Of Miami Cruise Port

    google maps miami cruise port

VIDEO

  1. Way To Miami Cruise Port * Road Trip Views

  2. It’s cruise ship hop day

  3. This BeamNG Map Mod Is STRAIGHT Out Of My Childhood!

  4. MIAMI CRUISE PORT

  5. FREE Miami Trolley downtown to Miami Cruise Port

  6. We Park In Miami Cruise Parking

COMMENTS

  1. Port of Miami

    Port of Miami - Google My Maps. Sign in. Open full screen to view more. This map was created by a user. Learn how to create your own. A map of the Cruise Terminals and Parking Lots at Port of Miami.

  2. PortMiami

    The Virgin Voyages Terminal V, 122,000 square feet in size and completed in Feb. 2022, is located on the northwest side of the port. It is home to the Scarlet Lady, while the new Valiant Lady calls from Oct. through April. Seven cruise terminals, among the most modern in the world, have been designed to quickly move passengers from land to sea.

  3. Port of Miami Cruise Port and Terminal Information

    Port of Miami Terminal Information: Cruise Line by Cruise Line. The Port of Miami currently has nine cruise terminals, but two terminals are being added: Terminals AA/AAA and K. Below is a list of ...

  4. MIAMI Port Map and Cruise Schedule

    MIAMI cruise port map with cruise ship locations and cruise schedule arrivals/departures. READ MORE... CruiseMapper provides free cruise tracking, current ship positions, itinerary schedules, deck plans, cabins, accidents and incidents ('cruise minus') reports, cruise news ... Miami cruise port Bahamas - Caribbean - Bermuda. Schedule Review ...

  5. Miami cruise port guide: Everything to know about hotels, sites

    Address: 1015 North America Way, Miami, Florida 33132. Number of terminals: Nine. While PortMiami is accessible, contact your cruise line if you require a wheelchair transfer from the cruise terminal entrance to the ship. The port doesn't provide that service.

  6. Miami Cruise Terminal Guide: What You Need to Know

    1741-1751 Africa Way, Dodge Island, Miami 33132. Phone: (305) 347-4800. Individual cruise terminal addresses are shown further below. You can also take a detailed look at the map of the terminal ...

  7. Port of Miami Cruise Guide: Everything About Sailing From Miami

    Map data: Google. If you are driving to the port, the address is: 1015 North America Way Miami, Florida 33132. ... — or simply don't want to deal with driving — then Uber and Lyft offer service throughout South Florida to the Miami cruise port (including the airports). Getting a ride at any time you want is as simple as opening the app ...

  8. Miami Cruise Port Guide: Overview (2023)

    Here you gave a list of the cruise terminals in the port of Miami and the cruise lines these terminals serve: Terminal AA/AAA: under construction, with two berths, to serve MSC Cruises Terminal A: opened in November 2018 , serves as homeport to Royal Caribbean International. Terminal B: completed in 2021, serving Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL). Terminal C: under renovation, to be joined with ...

  9. Miami Cruise Terminal

    Terminal G is one of Miami's landmarks with the iconic sails:. Miami Cruise Terminal J was built with smaller luxury cruise line passengers in mind - Azamara, Regent Seven Seas & Oceania.. Virgin Voyages Terminal V. Opened late 2021 with the arrival of Virgin's Scarlett Lady, this state of the art terminal - Palm Grove - is located on the north west side of the port (see link to map ...

  10. Miami (Florida) cruise port schedule

    The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Miami, Florida. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates - just follow the corresponding ship-link. Miami cruise port schedule 2024-2025-2026, map, address, ship terminals, hotels, tours, shore ...

  11. How to Get to Miami Cruise Port

    From the airport, take the MIA Mover to the Metrorail station, then take the Dadeland Express from Miami Airport Station to Brickell. Then from Brickell (West Side) take the Port of Miami Bus to Royal Caribbean @ Terminal J. From here you will have to walk to your terminal which will take between 5 and 15 minutes depending on your cruise company.

  12. Miami USA Cruise Port

    Manyhotels near the airport offer Cruise & Park deals. Webcams. Printable map to take along. Cruise calendar for this port. Check here for festivals and events in Miami when you are in port. Watch a destination video. Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers. Port Location on Google Maps. Monthly Climate Averages for Miami USA . Sightseeing:

  13. Miami Airport to Cruise Port: What You Need to Know

    The address of Miami Cruise Port is 1015 N. America Way, Miami, Florida 33132. ... Route SR 836 (Google Maps) It leads directly from the airport to the Port Miami Tunnel - take the exit marked ...

  14. Google Maps

    Port of Miami. 1015 N America Way. Miami, Fl 33132. 305-347-4800. Since you mentioned that you're driving, here are some directions traveling southbound on Interstate 95: * Exit at I-395 east toward Miami Beach (Exit #2D). * Follow signs to Biscayne Blvd. (Exit #2A/#2B).

  15. Port of Miami Cruise Parking (Where to Park): Prices, Profiles, & Map

    The garage (the MET3 parking garage in downtown Miami) is located about a mile from the port and offers a free shuttle to and from the cruise terminal. Rates run about $10.50 per day. But with taxes and fees you can expect to pay about $100 in total for parking on a one-week cruise — or roughly $12.50 per day.

  16. Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami Port: What You Need to Know

    Fort Lauderdale Airport (FLL) is located 29 miles north of Miami cruise port. If traffic is flowing well, the journey down I-95 takes around 30 minutes. However, if you're checking in for your ...

  17. Driving directions to 1435 North Cruise Boulevard, Port of Miami, Miami

    Learn how to create your own. Driving directions to 1435 North Cruise Boulevard, Port of Miami, Miami, FL 33132.

  18. Bimini Cruise Port and Terminal Information

    The Bimini, Bahamas cruise port, which only opened in the summer of 2021, is 50 nautical miles from Miami and has just one berth for cruise ships. While the Lucayan word "Bimini" translates to ...

  19. Directions to Port of Miami

    Driving directions to Port of Miami, 1015 N America Way, Miami, FL including road conditions, live traffic updates, and reviews of local businesses along the way.