how many cruise terminals in brisbane

Brisbane Cruise Port Guide | 13 Best Things To Do In Brisbane Port

Welcome to the port of Brisbane, the capital city of the Australian state of Queensland and the third largest city in Australia and Oceania after Sydney and Melbourne!

Brisbane lies on the eastern coast of Australia, on the banks of the Brisbane River located around 19 km/12 miles above the river’s mouth at Moreton Bay. Famous for Steve Irwin’s legendary Australian Zoo, its wildlife sanctuaries, themed markets, cultural landmarks and great local cuisine, “Brissie” as Aussies call it, is a vibrant and lively city that has something for everyone! In this Melbourne cruise travel guide, I share with you:

• Brisbane cruise port info (Brisbane cruise terminal, getting around)
• Top 13 things to do in Brisbane and the best Brisbane shore excursions

Visit also our cruise port guides to Sydney , Melbourne , Adelaide , Esperance , Darwin , Cairns  

Brisbane Cruise Port

Port of Brisbane is the second-largest Australian cruise port and consists of several cruise terminals.

1. Brisbane International Cruise Terminal

Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (BICT) is a brand-new cruise terminal that was completed in 2020. It is located at Luggage Point on the northern bank at the mouth of the Brisbane River across Fisherman Island, near Myrtletown. It is located about 19 km/12 miles (a 30-minute drive) northeast of Brisbane city center, also referred to as Brisbane central business district (CBD).

With its 345-meter (1130 ft ) long berth, Brisbane International Cruise Terminal was designed to accommodate the world’s largest cruise liners over 270 meters long. The brand-new terminal building features two floors connected via travelators and two passenger lifts.

On the ground floor, you’ll find a tourist information desk, (accessible) toilets, a first-aid station, a cafe, a retail outlet, a baggage hall and a few other facilities. The first floor features security screening, check-in counters and immigration.

Outside the terminal building, there is a car park and parking for buses and shuttles. Free wi-fi is available inside the terminal and power points in case you need to charge your mobile devices (230V, 10amp, three-pin plug layout).

Getting Around Brisbane International Terminal

• Brisbane International Cruise Terminal is located right next to the Brisbane Airport (a 15-minute drive from the airport terminal entrance). No public transportation is connecting the two locations, so you need to make your travel arrangements .
• The port authorities do not provide a shuttle service but your cruise ship may provide one, so it’s highly recommended to check with your cruise line about their services or pre-arranged shore excursions.
• Taxi and rideshare services are available outside the cruise terminal.
• There is only paid parking at Brisbane International Cruise Terminal.
• There are no onsite car rental services.
• If you require special assistance, make sure you inform your cruise line so they can communicate with the cruise terminal staff and arrange it for you in advance.
• For more information, check out the port of Brisbane (Brisbane International Cruise Terminal) official website https://www.portbris.com.au/

2. Portside Wharf Cruise Terminal

Portside Wharf Cruise Terminal (also referred to as Brisbane Cruise Terminal) is located on Brisbane River’s north bank upstream from the Gateway Bridge, in Hamilton district, approximately 7 km/4.3 miles (a 15-minute drive) northeast of Brisbane CBD (central business district). This cruise terminal features 1 berth and can accommodate cruise ships up to 270 meters (886 ft) long.

Getting Around Portside Wharf Cruise Terminal

• This international cruise terminal is part of Portside Wharf , an upscale residential and retail precinct filled with restaurants, shops, a large fish shop/cafe, a supermarket, a cinema complex and a public plaza. Check out Portside Wharf’s official website for updates https://www.portsidewharf.com.au/
• This terminal also features a large car/bus parking (short-term and paid long-term onsite parking), as well as a large taxi rank.
• Bretts Wharf Ferry Terminal is located next to the cruise terminal and serves public CityCat ferries .
• To get to Brisbane central business district from Portside Wharf, you can take public bus #300 at Kingsford Smith Dr at Bretts Wharf, bus stop 19 (a bus station is located around 900 m from the cruise terminal) and get off at Adelaide Street, bus stop 37, near Anzac Square in Brisbane city center. The bus ride itself lasts around 20 minutes and the overall trip is around 40 minutes one way. Buses run frequently, approximately every 15 minutes on business days.
• Alternatively, you can take a public ferry at Bretts Wharf ferry terminal and get off at Riverside ferry terminal situated near Brisbane downtown.
• Translink public agency handles public transportation in Queensland. For information on timetables and fares, check out their official webpage https://translink.com.au/
• Brisbane Airport is located around 8 km/5 miles (a 10-15 minute ride) northeast of Portside Wharf cruise terminal.
• Check out the best hotels near Portside Wharf and Brisbane CBD

3. Multiuse Terminal at Fisherman Islands/Pinkenba Wharf

Due to Gateway Bridge’s height restrictions, some large cruise liners dock at Pinkenba Wharf (QLD) or Port of Brisbane’s Multiuser Terminal at the Grain Berth, located at Fisherman Islands’ cargo terminal. Only basic facilities are available in these terminals. No public transportation is available.

Pinkenba Wharf is located a 25-minute drive from Brisbane CBD, while Fisherman Island is located a 30-minute drive from the city center.

Getting Around Brisbane & Local Transportation

• The currency in Australia is the Australian Dollar (AUD). 1 USD equals 1.51 AUD.
• Plenty of shops, restaurants and cafes offer free wi-fi in the city center.
• Queen Street is the main pedestrian-only shopping street in Brisbane CBD. It is parallel to Adelaide Street and is located a stone’s throw from Brisbane City Hall and its iconic Clock Tower.
• Another famous street is James Street , known for independent, local and international designer flagship stores in Brisbane. This urban street is situated around 2.5 km/1.5 miles (less than a 10-minute drive) from Brisbane CBD and a 10-minute drive from Portside Wharf/a 20-minute drive from Brisbane International Cruise Terminal.
• Brisbane has a great public transportation network that includes buses, trains, trams and ferries. Brisbane Central railway station is located in the heart of the CBD, on Ann Street at Anzac Square. Queen Street bus station is the primary bus terminus in Brisbane’s central business district. Public transport is operated by Translink, and you’ll find the prices and timetables at https://translink.com.au/
• Brisbane City Council offers city center free loops through Brisbane’s central business district, including the services that run between the CBD and Spring Hill areas. Free City Loop buses are purple and they stop at the purple signposted bus stops. Some of the major stops include Central Station, Queen Street Mall, City Hall, Riverside and Botanic Gardens.
• Explore Brisbane tours and activities

13 Best Things to Do in Brisbane Cruise Port

1.  lone pine koala sanctuary.

The world’s oldest and largest koala sanctuary is located in Fig Tree Pocket district, only 12 km/7.5 miles (a 20-minute ride) from Brisbane CBD, 19 km/12 miles (a 20-minute drive) southwest of Portside Wharf cruise terminal, and 31 km/19 miles (a 35-minute drive) southwest of the new Brisbane International Cruise Terminal.

This amazing sanctuary was opened in 1927 and expands on 18 hectares (44 acres) where you can meet and interact with more than 70 species of Aussie animals. Hold a koala, take photos with snakes and dingos, feed kangaroos and lorikeets, and see great animal shows including Sheep Dog Shows and Free Flight Raptor Shows!

Besides koalas and kangaroos, some wildlife species in the sanctuary include parrots, cockatoos, kookaburras, emus, cassowaries, Tasmanian devils, wombats, echidnas, various species of reptiles and many others. A platypus, one of Australia’s most bizarre species arrived at the sanctuary in 2010 from Healesville Sanctuary located near Melbourne , so you get to meet them too!

The sanctuary offers guided tours and some experiences require an additional fee. You can get there by car, public bus (bus #430 from Queen Street Station, and bus #445 from Adelaide Street), or Mirimar River Cruise that departs from the Cultural Center Public Pontoon. Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is partially wheelchair friendly.

Explore Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary tours and activities

2. Brisbane City Hall

Situated in the heart of Brisbane City (CBD) on Adelaide Street, the City Hall is one of the most remarkable historic buildings in Brisbane. Built between 1920-1930, the building overlooks King George Square and is easily recognizable by its iconic Clock Tower offering a breathtaking 360-degree view of the city from its observation platform. The building features a neoclassic colonnaded façade and an ornate interior with marble staircases, vaulted ceilings, chandeliers and a mosaic-tiled floor.

Brisbane’s City Hall has undergone a $215 million restoration and nowadays is an active historic building that has 14 venues to hire, offers guided tours and hosts the Museum of Brisbane on its third level. You can visit the Main Auditorium, Father Henry Willis Organ and the iconic Clock Tower on a guided tour offered for an extra fee. The entrance to the building is free.

Check out Brisbane City Hall tours and tickets

3. Mt Coot-tha Botanic Gardens

The subtropical Brisbane Botanic Gardens Mt Coot-tha are located in Mt Coot-tha precinct, around 7 km/4.3 miles (a 10-15 minute drive) west of Brisbane’s central business district. They are located a 15-20 minute drive west of Portside Wharf Cruise Terminal, and a 30-minute drive west of Brisbane International Cruise Terminal.

Brisbane Botanic Gardens opened in 1976 and spread across 56 hectares featuring a living museum of native and exotic plants. From Brisbane Lookout Mount Coot-tha, you can admire the most spectacular views of Brisbane and its skyscrapers in the distance.

The facilities and services offered in the Botanic Gardens include the Auditorium, Botanic Gardens Cafe, Queensland Herbarium, Mt Coot-tha Library, the Visitor Information Centre, numerous picnic areas, Richard Randall Art Studio and Sir Thomas Brisbane Planetarium. The entrance is free.

4. Moreton Island

Nestled on the eastern side of Moreton Bay just off the coast of southeastern Queensland, Moreton Island is the third largest sand island in the world and a national park.

Famous for its pristine sandy beaches, towering sand dunes, crystal clear lakes, lagoons and shipwrecks, this magical piece of heaven offers something for everyone! The island is popular for whale spotting, kayaking, snorkeling, diving, four-wheel driving, biking and other recreational activities. The ferries to Moreton Island depart from Brisbane city center (Holt Street Wharf) and the ride takes 75 minutes.

Explore Moreton Island tours and activities

5. Australia Zoo

The world-famous Australia Zoo is located on the Sunshine Coast, 110 km/68 miles (a 1-hour 30-minute drive) north of Brisbane downtown, and a 1-hour 10-minute drive north of Portside Wharf and Brisbane International Cruise Terminal.

Covering the surface of 280 hectares (690 acres), the zoo is owned by Terri Irwin, the wife of the legendary Steve Irwin whose wildlife documentary series “The Crocodile Hunter” and his family’s new show “Crikey! It’s the Irwins” made the zoo one of the most visited attractions in Australia!

The Australia Zoo was opened in 1970 and features more than 1200 native and exotic animals including alligators, anacondas, birds, snakes and lizards, kangaroos, koalas, wallabies and many more. The zoo is home of the Crocodile Hunter and offers interactive experiences where you can hand-feed kangaroos, giraffes, pat koalas, visit the Australia Zoo wildlife hospital, see animal shows, experience African Savannah and other adventures!

Explore Australia Zoo tours and tickets

6. QAGOMA – The Gallery of Modern Art

QAGOMA colloquially stands for Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art. This fascinating gallery is the largest art museum in Australia established in 1895. The facility consists of the Queensland Art Gallery (QAG) housed in the main building, and a Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) situated 150 meters away.

QAGOMA is situated on the bank of the Brisbane River, only a 10-15-minute walk from the central business district and King George Square. It houses an impressive collection of more than 20.000 artworks from Australia and around the world and is part of the Queensland Cultural Center which also includes the Queensland Performing Arts Center, the State Library, and the Queensland Museum.

QAGOMA offers permanent and temporary exhibitions, educational programs, guided tours and many other cultural experiences. The buildings are located in a picturesque area on the south bank of the Brisbane River and are an ideal place to spend your day with your family and friends.

Check out Queensland Cultural Center tours and activities

7. Taste the Noosa Chocolate 

If you are looking to satisfy your sugar cravings, you should taste the mouth-watering handcrafted chocolate made by the Noosa Chocolate Factory established in 2009. The factory specializes in chocolate panning and offers a wide variety of fresh products including specialty coffee, dark, milk and white chocolate with various homemade fillings such as salted caramel, honeycomb, peanut and macadamia nut brittle.

The Factory is located in Noosaville, a 1-hour 30-minute drive north of the port of Brisbane. It is not open to the public, however, there are several retail chocolate shops where you can purchase their products, including the one on Adelaide Street, a couple of minutes’ walk from King George Square and the City Hall.

8. Take a Photo in Front of the BRISBANE Sign

If you are visiting Brisbane for the first time, you cannot miss posing in front of the iconic “Brisbane” sign. It is located on the south bank of the Brisbane River, near the Queensland Cultural Center, only a 10-15 minute walk from King George Square across the Victoria Bridge.

The giant letters were visited by world-famous celebrities such as Barack Obama and Angela Merkel, and are special because you can see the whole city landscape behind them. While there, don’t miss the chance to visit the Wheel of Brisbane for some unmatched panoramic views of the city!

9. Brisbane River Kayak Adventure

Kayaking on the Brisbane River will allow you to experience Brisbane from a whole different perspective! Glide past the South Bank Parklands and see the famous Wheel of Brisbane, the city’s bridges and numerous landmarks while enjoying this adventurous activity suitable for all levels of experience!

Explore Brisbane kayak tours and activities

10. Dolphin and Whale Watching 

If you are a nature and animal lover, do not miss the incredible dolphin and whale-watching experience just off the coast of Moreton Island! Between June and October, thousands of humpback whales visit Moreton Bay Marine Park when migrating to and from their southern feeding grounds. Eight species of dolphin have also been recorded in the marine park including the bottlenose and the Australian Humpback dolphin.

The marine experts will take you to places where dolphins and whales have been spotted before so you’ll get the opportunity to watch these fascinating sea creatures in their natural habitat!

Explore Dolphin and Whale Watching tours and activities

11. Sunshine Coast

The Sunshine Coast stretches from the coastal town of Caloundra situated a 1-hour drive north of the port of Brisbane to the Great Sandy National Park further in the north. This beautiful area encompasses charming historic villages, lush rainforests, pristine beaches and rich and diverse flora and fauna. If you are looking for unspoiled beauty and untouched nature – you’re at the right place!

Explore Sunshine Coast tours and activities

12. Gold Coast

On the other hand, Gold Coast is an urban metropolitan area located approximately a 1-hour drive south of Brisbane Port. It is renowned for its long sandy and world-class surfing beaches, a network of waterways and canals, and a rich culinary and entertainment scene that includes theme parks such as Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World, Dreamworld, and Wet’n’Wild water park. The area represents a perfect blend of the city skyscrapers and an interesting natural landscape that is home to rare animal species and plants.

Explore Gold Coast tours and activities

13. Lamington National Park

This vast national park is located in the Gold Coast Hinterland, about a 1-hour 40-minute drive south of the port of Brisbane. It is part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most extensive area of subtropical forest in the world.

The geology of Lamington National Park dates back to more than 225 million years and the area covers 77 square miles (200 square kilometers). If you are seeking adventure, you can explore its dense forests, ancient trees, hundreds of waterfalls and interesting birdlife on a hiking trip as there are more than 160 km/100 miles of hiking trails. Many lookouts offer spectacular sceneries and amazing photo ops, so make sure you bring your best camera!

Explore Lamington National Park tours and activities

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A new terminal has been constructed late 2020, Brisbane International Cruise Terminal at Pinkenba and has doubled the number of cruise ships in Brisbane. It has around 9,300 square meters set over two levels and connected to a 200-meter (660-foot) long wharf, with two air bridges facilitating the movement of passengers on and off ships.

Near the port, a $650 million AUD upgrade of Kingsford Smith Drive is well underway, which will see it turned it into a six-lane boulevard with a boardwalk along the river.

The cruise terminal is located at the mouth of the Brisbane River, only 15 minutes’ drive (12 km) from Brisbane Airport and 30 minutes’ drive (21 km) from the CBD and is close to major arterial roads including the Gateway Motorway and Kingsford Smith Drive.

The Brisbane International Cruise Terminal is not currently serviced by public transport.

Port Authority

Hotels in Brisbane

Printable map to take along on your cruise.

Cruise calendar for this port and where you are docked.

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

Watch a destination video .

Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers of Portside Wharf and Port Location on Google Maps

Live Nautical Chart with Wikipedia Markers of Multi-Use Terminal and Port Location on Google Maps

Sightseeing:

Brisbane locally known as Brissie (or Brisvegasis) the capital city of Queensland located on the River Brisbane near Moreton Bay. Brisbane named after Sir Thomas Brisbane, the governor of New South Wales at the time of the settlement, is the fourth-largest of Australia's state capitals. Nestled between the Gold Coast to the south and the Sunshine Coast to the north, laid-back Brisbane makes the most of its magnificent beaches. Wander in the lush Botanical Gardens , shop in the Queen Street Mall, or enjoy the countless cafes and restaurants along the banks of the Brisbane River.

Among older buildings are Parliament House (1868); the Central Railway Station (1901); the People's Palace , notable for verandas and cast-iron balustrades; the town hall; and the only two surviving public buildings from the convict past, the stone Commissariat Store on the river and the Old Windmill (1827-1829), later transmuted into an Observatory, on the hill near Wickham Park. City Hall houses an art gallery and museum on Brisbane's history and growth.

Earlystreet Historical Village is an open-air museum conserving many characteristic Queensland buildings for posterity. Miegunyah Folk Museum , in an 1886 stilt house, records the lives and times of colonial women, and Newstead House, 4 km (2.5 mi) from central Brisbane, dates from the early 19th century and is the city's oldest private residence.

Of much more recent provenance (completed 1985) is the arts complex on the South Bank just across Victoria Bridge. This comprises the Queensland Art Gallery , which has an interesting Australian collection, the museum, and the state library and performing arts theaters.

Brisbane Visitor Information Centre and Booking Centre

Tours Excursions Transportation:

Catching one of the sleek CityCat ferries down the Brisbane River has become the popular sightseeing journey. Passengers can stand on the open-air front deck of the blue, white and yellow catamarans and glide under the Story Bridge to South Bank and the city center. They run every 15 to 30 minutes, between 5.40am and 11.45pm, from the University of Queensland in the southwest to Apollo Rd, Bulimba, and back (a little over one hour each way). There are 15 terminals in total including New Farm Park, North Quay (for the Queen St Mall), Riverside (for the CBD) and West End. The CityCats are wheelchair accessible at the University of Queensland, Guyatt Park, North Quay, South Bank 1 and 2, Hawthorne and Apollo Rd.

It pays to compare your cruise line tours here .

Nearby Places:

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is located in the Brisbane suburb of Fig Tree Pocket

The sanctuary is one of the very few sanctuaries in the world where visitors are actually allowed to hold koalas for a fee. Strict regulations ensure that each koala is not held for more than thirty minutes every day.

Visitors can also feed and pet the free-roaming kangaroos in the five-acre open-plan kangaroo reserve, where more than 130 of the animals freely reside. Kangaroos are sometimes seen with a joey in their pouch.

One can arrive by private car or taxi, a journey of approximately 20 minutes from the City. One can also catch a Brisbane Transport bus, or arrive by ferry from the Queensland Cultural center pontoon, a journey of approximately 1½ hours.

Shopping and Food

The main shopping area is Queen Street Mall surrounded by shopping centers.

Australian Dollar

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Communication:

Plenty of cafes which offer free WiFi for customers around

Opening Hours and Holidays:

Shops and services are generally open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm and until lunchtime on Saturday. In cities and larger towns, many shops stay open late on Thursday or Friday evening - usually until 9pm - and all day on Saturday. Shopping malls are often open on Sundays as well.

In remote country areas, roadhouses provide all the essential services for the traveler and, on the major highways, are generally open 24 hours a day. In tourist areas, even ones well off the beaten track, tourist offices are often open every day or at least through the week plus weekend mornings; urban information centers are more likely to conform to normal shopping hours.

Tourist attractions such as museums, galleries and attended historic monuments are often open daily, though those in rural communities may have erratic opening hours.

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Brisbane (Queensland Australia)

Cruise port schedule, live map, terminals, news.

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Local Time 2024-04-25 14:16

Port Brisbane 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 Brisbane, Queensland Australia. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

Brisbane cruise port is located in Southeastern Queensland. It is the Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast gateway. The city is Australia's 3rd most populous - after Sydney (New South Wales) and Melbourne (Victoria)  and is followed by Perth (Western Australia) and Adelaide (South Australia) . Trends show that the Australian cruising market is growing at a rapid pace. It has some of the industry's highest penetration rates nationally. The Australian cruise ports' strongest competition today comes only from Singapore and Hong Kong (China) .

Brisbane is geographically the only cruise port from which can be operated 7-day roundtrip Queensland cruise itineraries that visit 2-3 Australian ports (like Airlie Beach , Cairns , Port Douglas ). The shorter the itinerary - the lower the price, which means more potential customers able to afford a Queensland cruising vacation. The city's location additionally gives year-round good weather, plus a large number of local residents living within 4 hours drive from the cruise port.

Port Brisbane

The seaport is located in one of city's suburbs and on Fisherman Island - man-made, with land reclaimed from the islands group at Brisbane River's. Brisbane is ranked Australia's 3rd busiest and also Queensland's largest and fastest-growing cargo port (followed by Gladstone and Townsville ) with annual international shipping trade over AUD 50 billion. The port is managed by the private company Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd under a 99-year lease from the state's government. The port has a total of 29 berths including 9 deep-water (for container ships) and 3 deep-water (for bulk carriers), plus 17 other for bulk and general cargo ships. The annual traffic is over 2600 vessels, with handled over 28 million tons of cargo.

The port area also includes the shipping channel across Moreton Bay - extending 90 km (56 mi) north to Mooloolaba . Port's channels and berths are dredged annually to maintain the 14 m (46 ft) depth at lowest tide.

Beside its cruise terminals, the port has facilities to handle cargo ships (oil tankers, bulk carriers and  container ships ) and dry-dock facilities for major marine vessel refurbishments and repairs.

• UN-LOCODE (United Nations location code) - AUBNE
• supported by excellent road, rail and air infrastructure
• deepwater berths
• sheltered harbor area
• access unrestricted by tides
• Gateway Bridge restricted access (185 ft / 56,4 m clearance)

In bad weather (15+ knot winds - 17 mph / 28 kph) turning around cruise ships in the Brisbane River is impossible since the ship's side acts as a sail).

capability to accommodate 2 vessels at a time

Port pilot assistance is provided by "Brisbane Marine Pilots Pty Ltd" (privately-owned company). Port pilotage is compulsory for vessels of 164 ft / 50 m LOA length or more and also for any vessel when directed by Harbour Master.

The Brisbane cruise ship terminal doesn't provide shore-to-ship power (shore-side electricity supply) which could reduce significantly the levels of emissions, noise and vibration in port.

The cruise port is accessible the whole year round – 24/7, 365 days a tear.

Cruise ships usually arrive in Brisbane in early morning (6 or 8 am) and depart from Brisbane in the late afternoon and early evening (at 2, 4 or 5 pm).

Among the Port's main cargoes is coal, of which roughly 60% originates from the open-pit mining site New Acland Mine. Cruise wharves are two. Portside Wharf (2006-opened) is the international terminal for smaller cruise liners. The facility has restaurants, coffee bar, gift shops. Due to Gateway Bridge's height restrictions, larger liners dock at the industrial Multi User Terminal.

In January 2008, Port of Brisbane Corporation signed an agreement with Brisbane Container Terminals (subsidiary of Hutchison Whampoa) to operate cargo berths 11 and 12 for 42 years (until 2050).

The completed in 2 years and inaugurated in August 2018 "Port Drive Upgrade" was Brisbane Harbour's ever-biggest infrastructure development project (budgeted AUD 110 million). The project was crucial as 3,1+ million vehicles use its roads annually.

On April 5, 2018, the new China-built gantry crane (by ZPMC / "Shanghai Zhenhua Heavy Industries") started operations at Brisbane Container Terminal. Same ZPMC cranes were also delivered and installed in Sydney (one, in April) and Melbourne (two, in March).

• The equipment (all 9 gantry cranes) was ordered by DP World Australia (Australia's main and largest container port and supply chain operator) ’to serve the country's container terminals. By this USD 180 million project were also delivered 20x straddle trucks, 4x RTGs (rubber tyred gantry cranes), 38x forklifts (industrial trucks).
• Each of the 9x ZPMC cranes costs USD 14 million, has rated capacity 65 tons (under spreader) and 75 tons (under heavy lift beam), rail gauge 25,3 m, above rail hoist height 38 m, hoist speed 90 m per min (loaded) and 180 m / min (unloaded).
• In June 2018, Port Brisbane launched a pilot project for recycling garbage from international vessels. Before that, crews separated recyclable garbage on the ships, but have limited options to offload the materials for recycling at Australian seaports. Upon offloading, any garbage is combined and either incinerated, autoclaved or deep-buried, without any recycling alternatives, thus creating a disincentive for vessels to discharge it in Australian ports.

Brisbane cruise port

(statistics) In 2006 (first year of operation), the cruise port handled 55 ships and 45000 passengers, making it Australia's second largest - after Sydney. In 2014, passenger numbers increased by 207% in comparison to 2006 - up to 138000.

(statistics) in the period between October 2013 and April 2014, the cruise port was visited by 24 unique ships (from a total of 71 ship calls). Those cruise ships disembarked here over 138,000 passengers plus over 50,000 crew.

(statistics) Queensland is Australia's second-largest cruise market that supports over 2100 jobs. In 2015 it generated around AUD 590 million in direct/indirect local expenditure from 239 ship calls and 442253 passenger days at port.

In March 2013, the City Council approved a new cruise port terminal plan at Myrtletown Precinct. It will be capable to welcome the world's largest cruise vessels. In November 2014, "Portside Wharf Hamilton" cruise terminal welcomed its millionth passenger.

During season 2015-2016, Queensland was visited by a record number of cruise ships - 329, ranking it Australia's most visited state. In April 2015, Princess Cruises (second largest Carnival Corporation brand) announced that for season 2016-2017 the company homeport 5 ships in Australia - Emerald , Golden , Sun , Sea and Dawn . The new deployment expanded the company's capacity by 20%. The vessels were deployed for departures from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne. Each of the Princess Cruises Australia deals offers two optional "Land and Sea Vacation" packages. The "Australian Outback" package offers the opportunity to immerse in the Aboriginal culture and tradition on cruises to Great Barrier Reef and Uluru (aka Ayers Rock, Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park). The "Ultimate Australia" package includes Sydney city tour, visiting Great Barrier Reef, port Darwin, plus the "Australian Outback" package inclusions.

In February 2016, PBPL ("Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd") confirmed the Queensland Government's approval for building the new Luggage Point cruise ship terminal. The new facility (at the mouth of Brisbane River) allows longer ships to dock in a location closer to the city. Bigger vessels currently berth at the multiuse (grain) terminal, which is a cargo area. Currently, the port has no place where large ships (longer than 885 ft / 270 m) can be berthed. By year 2020, the port's new passenger terminal Luggage Point will be able to accommodate even the world's biggest cruise vessels, which will represent ~60% of all calls. The new terminal will also act as a gateway to South East Queensland for many thousands of additional tourists every year.

In 2016, Royal Caribbean (the world's second-largest cruise ship owner) increased its Australian passenger capacity by 20%. Scheduled were more than 90 AU departures (by the company's 3 brands - RCI, Celebrity and Azamara). RCI deployed Legend of the Seas (now Marella Discovery 2) in Brisbane. However, in mid-April 2016 was announced that with the Legend's re-deployment from Australia to Europe (2017), Royal Caribbean will discontinue offering Brisbane departures as the bigger-sized RCI ships can’t dock at the Portside terminal. The company will not offer cruises out of Brisbane until the new "Luggage Point" terminal (east of Gateway Bridges) is constructed. Also, due to a lack of appropriate transportation to downtown, many passengers prefer to stay on the ship rather than going downtown. Unfortunately, Legend was the only RCI ship small enough to berth at Portside.

In December 2016, here arrived RCI's newest Quantum-class ship Ovation of the Seas . In 2017, NCL Norwegian homeported  Norwegian Star  for regular departures out of Brisbane and Auckland NZ .

For season 2017-2018, the cruise port handled a total of 78 ship calls. For season 2018-2019, their number grew to 94 (out of Queensland's total 520 calls). The port plans to create a new (bigger) cruise terminal by relocating the current terminal to a permanent building part of a retail precinct (adjacent to Portside Wharf) where can be found fine dining venues, cafes, supermarket, fashion boutique, beauty services.

In February 27, 2018, ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) made a proposal to allow port development arrangements between Port Brisbane and Carnival Cruise Line for AUD 158 million (USD 113 million) port development project that will result in building a new cruise terminal. By this 15-year lease deal, Carnival will pay a fixed price to use the facility, and in exchange will receive preferential berthing. ACCC's conditional authorization for the deal was granted in May 2018.

In 2018, the port handled 151 cruise ship calls. For 2019 were booked 155 calls. Most operations are homeport (roundtrips). Nearby-located tourist attractions include Australia Zoo (Sunshine Coast), Gold Coast Theme Parks (Australia's largest theme park), Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary (in Brisbane's Fig Tree Pocket suburb).

In 2018 started works (AUD 650 million project) for upgrading Kingsford Smith Drive (boulevard and esplanade) connecting Pinkenba suburb to the city's central business district (Breakfast Creek). The boulevard was upgraded from 4-lane to 6-lane and a riverside boardwalk was added. The project resulted in easier cruise terminal access, improved parking and public transportation.

In December 2022, the Brisbane Cruise Terminal was temporary closed for conducting a USD 20 million (~AUD 30M) revamp of the Portside Wharf. During the renovation works, Port Brisbane accommodated ships at Pinkenba Wharf's new Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (2022-opened/inaugurated). Between 2006-2022, Portside Wharf's Brisbane Cruise Terminal handled 1250+ vessels (of various types) and around 3,3 million cruise tourists.

Cruise itineraries to and from Brisbane Australia

Follows a list of destinations visited by cruise ships leaving out of Brisbane:

• World Cruises – from Brisbane are offered around the world voyages by bigger luxury lines (mainly by Cunard, P&O, Princess). Full-length itineraries (eastbound or westbound) can be up to 110+ days round-trips and usually start from the UK (out of Southampton ). On those, Australia is only a mid-itinerary destination offering one-way departures from Fremantle-Perth , Adelaide , Melbourne , Sydney or Brisbane back to Southampton (disembarkation port). The length of such segment itineraries is up to 2 months (UK disembarkation). Smaller segments offer between 14-30+ days long itineraries to ports in Asia ( Singapore , Hong Kong , Dubai ) or eastbound to USA ( San Francisco , Los Angeles ). Longer segments may end in some of the biggest Mediterranean ports (Piraeus-Athens, Venice, Civitavecchia-Rome, Barcelona) and on eastbound routes - in the USA (Miami, Fort Lauderdale, NYC New York).
• Eastbound world cruise segments from Brisbane may include Panama Canal transition and even Transatlantic crossing to Europe (UK). Segments with westbound routes may include Suez Canal transition .
• Longer (up to 2-weeks) itineraries between Brisbane and Singapore (or extensions to Hong Kong) usually visit ports in Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Philippines.
• "Circle Australia" cruises are longer (up to 15-days) one-way itineraries between Brisbane and Fremantle.
• "Around Australia" cruises with round-trips from Brisbane are up to a month long and do a full circumnavigation of the continent. The itinerary includes most of Australia's big ports plus Hobart Tasmania (overnight stay), New Guinea, and often Indonesia.
• Themed "Barrier Reef Discovery" and "Queensland Cruise" itineraries are round-trips from Brisbane to Airlie Beach , Yorkey's Knob , Cairns , Willis Island (Coral Sea) , Hamilton Island , Port Douglas , and of course - the Great Barrier Reef itself.
• Round-trip Australia to New Zealand cruises out of Brisbane are 14-days in length, with Auckland NZ as turnaround port.
• "South Pacific Islands" itineraries are mostly 7-day round-trips (some up to 12-days) visiting ports in New Caledonia, Fiji, Vanuatu, Espiritu Santo, Papua New Guinea.
• Cruise to Nowhere Brisbane deals are on 3-day round-trip itineraries without any ports of call along the route. Generally, these are themed voyages with themes like "food and wine", comedy, sports, wellness, music, "Australia Day", etc. There are onboard pre-scheduled theme events and activities like parties, concerts, meetings, presentations, tastings, etc.
• Short-break ("Mini Cruises") visit Moreton Island (3-4-day), Airlie Beach (4-day), Hamilton Island (4-day), Moreton Island and Gladstone (4-day).

Australia's ship relocations (RepositionCruises.com) are considered most of the one-way itineraries between Australia and Asia and the USA (Hawaii-Alaska-California), and also when ships change their Australian homeports. The latter include short one-ways between Sydney-Brisbane-Melbourne, also Adelaide and Fremantle. Brisbane to Sydney mini-cruises are offered as 2-day relocation voyages.

Brisbane cruise terminal

Brisbane cruise terminal is in service since August 29, 2006, and it is the second biggest Australian cruise port. The terminal building was part of an AUD 750 million port development project by Brookfield Multiplex.

(NEW) Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (Luggage Point)

The facility is located near Myrtletown (across Fisherman Island, southeast of Multiuser Terminal), at the mouth of Brisbane River, on Gateway Bridge's ocean side, near Brisbane Airport. With berth length 1130 ft (345 m), here can dock some of world's largest passenger liners  - like RCI's Quantum-class (4100 passengers).

• In March 2013, a plan for a new passenger terminal at Myrtletown Precinct was approved by City Council. The land (owned by Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd / PBPL) was designated for the future facility and included in City Plan 2014.
• In January 2016, Queensland Cabinet opened a discussion about the port's proposal to allow building of a new cruise ship docking facility at Luggage Point.
• In February 2016, Southeast Queensland PBPL (Port of Brisbane Pty Ltd) confirmed it had received first stage of approval from Queensland Government to build an USD 100 million terminal at Luggage Point.
• The final agreement between Port Brisbane and Queensland Government over the construction was announced on April 9, 2017.
• On June 6, 2018, Carnival Australia signed the commercial agreement for the "Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (BICT) project.
• In February 2019, for the wharf construction was contracted "Brady Marine & Civil" (Brisbane-based marine infrastructure and engineering company). For the terminal building construction was contracted Hindmarsh (Australian company). Works were scheduled to start in April 2019.

The facility is privately built by Carnival Corporation (via its subsidiary Carnival Australia) and RCG-Royal Caribbean Group (via the subsidiary RCCL Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd). The project is 100% privately-funded, with budget AUD 177 million (USD 130M). By the deal signed with Carnival (May 2018), the company is limited in the number of weekend days dockings and not given the first option on which days to berth in case the terminal is expanded. Carnival also pays the seaport a fixed fee for 15 years (until 2035) in return for the preferential berthing rights.. As of 2018, Carnival Australia is the only company homeporting in Brisbane. Carnival Australia signed a long-term agreement with Port Brisbane committing to purchase a max of 100 ‘berthing days of no more than 4 per any week for 15 years (until 2035), and in exchange receives priority berthing rights.

After its completion (2019-2020), in the first 5 years, the new cruise terminal will handle projected 1,8 million passengers and over 1100 vessels. By 2020, mega liners will represent approx 60% of all ship calls.

When built, the new terminal at Luggage Point will also take ships that currently can't dock in Sydney NSW due to its own infrastructure challenges.

• The new facility is at no risk to the Government and will potentially triple the size of the Queensland cruise industry over the next 20 years. The project will generate over 3750 new jobs. Annually are expected over 766000 cruise ship visitors, contributing around AUD 1 billion in gross output to state's economy (fees and charges, fresh produce purchasing, passenger spending).
• Among new terminal's features are sufficient berth length and turning basin, deep-water frontage (minimizing dredging costs), separation from port's main cargo-shipping, airport-close location, avoiding air draft issues (Sir Leo Hielscher bridges restrictions).
• A second swing basin (ship turning basin) could be needed after year 2022. It should be closer to the mouth of Brisbane River (where it's deeper), with minor impact to the nearby mangroves. The current swing basin can support up to 150 cruise vessels planned for the new terminal.
• Port's road infrastructure will be upgraded. New roads to Luggage Point will be built (project cost USD 10 million) to upgrade its road connections (Main Beach Rd, Pipe Rd and the roads leading into the terminal).

The first cruise ship to dock at Brisbane's International Cruise Terminal had to be Pacific Dawn/now Ambassador Ambience (scheduled for October 3, 2020) but the call was prevented by the global Coronavirus crisis.

(NEW) Gold Coast Cruise Ship Terminal (Wavebreak Island)

In April 2014, Wave Break Island was proposed as the place for Brisbane's new cruise terminal and casino complex. The project was officially named "Broadwater Marine Project" (the below photo /click to enlarge). Among the 12 bidders is the consortium ASF Group. ASF is an Australian investment company (ASX-Listed) joint venture between Australia and China. ASF wants to build an AUD 7,6 billion Gold Coast development project, without digging an underwater tunnel. Such channel was previously planned to connect Wavebreak Island with The Spit. The no-digging plan saves Doug Jennings Park.

According to the plans, cruise ships will dock on the island's north-eastern side, where the cruise ship terminal and the casino complex will be positioned. The idea is supported by the 1640 ft / 500 m turnaround circle (swing basin south of Gold Coast Seaway).

• By this project, Wavebreak Island will be expanded, a new (man-made) island will be created and the north of Southport Spit will be developed.
• Land dumping options were estimated at AUD 365 million. Project's total cost was estimated at around USD 450 million (AUD 610M), to be entirely funded by private investments. An environmental impact study will be completed by the end of 2018.
• On the new island (called "Moon Island") will be constructed a total of 35 resort villas plus a clubhouse. Its total commercial space will be 333,680 ft2 (31000 m2) plus twice that size retail space.
• Landscape plans for the island show as centrepiece a 50-story tower building and a large marina (south), plus several smaller towers on the island's north side. Among the project's features are luxury hotels, modern casinos, yacht marinas, waterfront parks.
• Approvals are expected to be granted by 2017. By the new plans, the construction is set to finish in 2026.
• Plan updates revealed that the Gold Coast cruise terminal is unlikely to be built before 2019.
• The Broadwater Marine Project will be delivered in 9 stages. Stage 1 (by July 2019) includes canal dredging, environmental offsets, eco-marine park and part 1 of the Wavebreak's integrated resort. Stage 2 (by January 2021) includes the resort, “southern Spit Hotel” and residential developments. Between Jan 2021 and July 2026 on the Wavebreak island will be built residential and commercial buildings, retail district, leisure attractions (incl international street, art museum and school).
• The Gold Coast Cruise Ship Terminal (at the top-page photo) and the adjacent resort will generate full time jobs for over 12,000.

The Wavebreak Island was artificially created in 1985 as part of the Gold Coast Seaway to protect the Broadwater's western foreshore and to stabilize the entry.

Gold Coast is a port city located approx 66 km (41 mi) south-southeast of Brisbane.

Portside Wharf Hamilton cruise terminal

• address - "Port Office, 3 Port Central Avenue, Port of Brisbane QLD 4178, Brisbane, Australia"
• location - on Brisbane River (upstream from Gateway Bridge, at the river's north bank), at approx 6 mi / 10 km drive distance from the city's center and 4,5 mi / 7 km from CBD (central business district). The terminal offers easy access to Gateway Motorway leading to Sunshine Coast and Gold Coast (both at 1 1/2 hours drive distance). The cruise ship terminal is also close to the Brisbane International Airport. 
• Located across Brisbane River is a working dry-dock facility.
• 1 berth (max ship length 886 ft / 270 m)
• River channel depth (and berth depth) is 30 ft / 9 m (max draft).
• jet bridge gangway
• The terminal (max capacity 3000 passengers) was privately developed. Its owner and operator is Brookfield Residential. The facility was inaugurated in August 2006. Its construction cost was USD 750 million.
• Hamilton Portside cruise terminal is part of a premium retail-dining precinct (Hamilton being one of city's most luxurious suburbs). Portside Wharf is the commercial international cruise ship terminal, with adjacent car parking, large taxi area, bus parking (capacity 40 tour buses). The area also has a luxury residential and retail shopping precinct with restaurants, boutiques, cinema complex (Dendy Portside), public plaza, fish shop, supermarket. Precinct's visitors are mostly cruiseship tourists, but also locals arriving from Bretts Wharf by CityCat ferries.
• Portside Wharf attracts some of the world's top-rated luxury vessels. Once a week (on average), here dock also expedition cruise ships, as well as mega yachts.
• Across the Brisbane River there is a working dry-dock shipyard.

(Grain) Multiuse Terminal (for large cruise ships)

Gateway Bridge has a height restrictions and because of that larger ships berth at the Multiuse Terminal (the Grain Berth at Fisherman Islands) or Pinkenba Wharf.

• location - at the mouth of the Brisbane River, at ~ 16 mi / 25 km drive distance from CBD, (central business district) and at ~ 14 mi / 23 km drive distance from Brisbane Airport. The nearest train station (Wynnum North) is at 10–15 min drive distance. From there to go to the city takes around 30 min. The Brisbane port's Visitors Centre (3 Port Central Ave) is at 5-min drive distance from the Terminal. The Centre is open Monday to Friday (between 8.30 am - 3 pm) and offers educational displays, port tour program, Observation Cafe (with panoramic views).
• This terminal is also at 15‐min drive from the Wynnum and Manly suburbs, both offering multiple shopping and dining options and beautiful parks overlooking Manly Boat Harbour and Moreton Bay.
• 3 berths are available (total length 2300 ft / 700 m), berth max depth is 46 ft / 14 m
• Due to Gateway Bridge's height restrictions (185 ft / 56,4 m clearance), large cruise liners can not to pass underneath to proceed and dock at Portside Wharf. Instead, they dock either at Pinkenba Wharf (QLD) or at Port of Brisbane (Multiuser Terminal, Grain Berth) at the Fisherman Island's Cargo Terminal. The Pinkenba suburb (in the city's eastern part) is on Brisbane River (northern banks, some 6 mi / 10 km from the CBD district).
• The Multiuser Terminal is equipped only for periodical day ship calls, which means it has limited facilities in comparison to the Hamilton cruise terminal at Portside Wharf. There is only a small cafe bar for coffee, tea, cold beverages and light snacks (no EFTPOS facilities, public telephones, postal office, ATM, car-rental). The closest ATM machine is at Caltex Truck Stop (Port Drive), at 5‐min drive distance from the terminal.
• The facility (Australian Customs) operates 24/7 (CCTV onsite security). Road access is from Port Drive. The terminal can handle general cargoes (excepting drybulk and wetbulk). The machinery includes a Gottwald mobile crane and a Deer Park gantry crane.

Multiuser Terminal doesn't offer regular public transportation services. For cruise passengers are available the following options: pick up / drop off by family/friends (free parking), taxis (waiting at the terminal;s taxi rank) and shuttle bus arrangements (must be made by Shipping Agent).

Howard Smith Wharves (CityCat ferry terminal)

In early-November 2018, Port Brisbane announced plans to build a new CityCat ferry terminal at Howard Smith Wharves (HSW). The facility will become Brisbane’s 26th passenger terminal.

The project is budget USD 12 million and is part of Howard Smith Wharves USD 100 million development project. The CityCat terminal was co-funded by Brisbane City Council ($9 million) and Howard Smith Wharves Consortium ($3 million). Joint funding agreements with private developers is a new policy to keep building and maintenance costs down.

Brisbane's new CityCat terminal was scheduled for completion in 2020. In mid-September 2020,  Brisbane City Council contracted a single supplier to construct Howard Smith Wharves Ferry Terminal and to upgrade South Bank Ferry Terminal.  The South Bank project is for combining all ferry services (including CityCats and smaller boats) into a single passenger terminal that serves both berths.  HSW terminal project was co-funded with USD 3 million  by HSW (Howard Smith Wharves) and The Fantauzzo Brisbane Hotel Group. The reconstructed ferry terminal will allow dual berthing - for CityCats and monohull boats.  The USD 25 million (~AUD 34,1 M) tender for building both terminals was won by Fitzgerald Construction Australia. F or Howard Smith Wharves, works were scheduled to start in 2020 (off-site production) and early-2021 (on-site construction). South Bank terminal works start in mid-2021.

QLD's government in 2020 announced a plan to extend (with 3 new pontoons) the HSW ferry terminal and start from there regularly scheduled daily direct ferry crossings to North Stradbroke Island (aka Minjerribah, in Moreton Bay) . Travel time is ~2 hours, covering the distance of 35 mi (56 km) from downtown Brisbane.

Cruise ship terminal directions and parking

• (to Multiuser Terminal) - follow the street signs to "Port of Brisbane". Continue along Port Drive. Look on the left for tall grain silos. Turn left into Seafarers Str. Security will guide to the Grain Wharf's entrance gate. For dropping off / picking up cruise passengers, the onsite security will assist and direct through to the terminal's parking area.
• (to Portside cruise terminal) the facility has a taxi rank. It is also at some 10 min walking distance to a City Council bus station and a CityCat ferry stop.
• (from Portside Terminal to the city) Council Bus - walk around 650 ft / 200 m to the Bretts Wharf bus stop and catch bus line 300 (runs every 15 minutes Monday to Friday). Getting into the city takes ~ 25 min.
• (from the city to Portside Terminal) - catch bus line 300 on Adelaide Str (City Hall, bus stop 18) and travel to Bretts Wharf (bus stop.Riverview Tce).
• (by CityCat ferries) - Bretts Wharf ferry stop is around 650 ft / 200 m from Portside cruise terminal. CityCat ferries run every 10-15 min (during all the week). It it takes around 30 min from the Portside Terminal to the city.
• (by train) two train stations (Ascot and Doomben) are at ~ 30 min walking distance from Portside Terminal. Trains run at 30 min intervals (Monday to Saturday only).
• Car parking areas are available at the Brisbane Cruise Terminal and at the "retail and dining precinct". The number of parking spaces is 350 (some shaded). However, both car parks are short-term only and free of charge up to 3 hours.
• The list of available long term car parks in the area (which is close to Brisbane Airport) includes: Portside Parking, Abel Park, Kingsford Smith Parking, Brisbane Airport Parking, Gateway Parking, Alpha Car Parking. Each of those has a website and also offers car cleaning services (for a fee). Some of those even offer car repair services.

River cruise: explore the city with a tour by City Cats. The trip is 19 km from Lucia to Hamilton and you can bargain the price.

Riverlife Adventure Centre: a lot of sun and adventure activities in Kangaroo Point (Brisbane’s inner city).

Moreton Island: get wild or just laid back, the Island won’t disappoint you.

Cuddle a koala: go to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and catch a cutie, located half an hour from downtown Brisbane.

Brekky Creek Hotel: Queensland’s most popular watering hole. Try amazing steaks and taste “beer off the wood.”

Stradbroke Island: quiet place with beautiful sand. Explore amazing nature and lakes with fresh water.

Story Bridge Adventure Climb: you will need two hours and a half to climb to reach the bridge’s eastern side. The view from the top will take your breath away.

Go to a park: 25% of the area in Brisbane is green. The city is proud of its public gardens and parks (nearly 1,500). Visit the City Botanic Gardens, walk along Energex Brisbane Arbour to South Bank Parklands or just smell rose aroma at New Farm Park.

The Museum of Brisbane: explore the people, the culture and the heritage of Brisbane. The museum is located at the King George Square in the City Hall, ground floor.

Queensland Art Gallery/ Museum of Modern Art: you will find one of the biggest Aboriginal and Asian art collections in the world.

The Brewery at Milton: you will go through all the process of beer making and you will have the opportunity to try it at the Ale House bar.

Brisbane tours, shore excursions, hotels

City tours and shore excursions.

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Brisbane - user reviews and comments

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• Frequently Asked Questions
• Things to know before you go

Where is Brisbane International Cruise Terminal located?

Brisbane - Brisbane International Cruise Terminal is located at: 1 Cruise Terminal Drive, Pinkenba QLD 4008. Detailed information about the terminal is available at ( https://www.portbris.com.au/ )

Access and transport

• Distance from Brisbane Airport is approximately 15 minutes
• Distance from Brisbane CBD is 30-35 minutes
• Public transport is currently not available
• There is a dedicated taxi marshalling area (including 2 accessible taxi bays) and a dedicated rideshare zone for both pick up and drop off (6 spaces). Both areas are clearly signed for passengers and operators.
• There are over 900 onsite paid car parking bays available set across three car parks, offering short and long-term secure parking. Accessible car parking bays are available in each car park.
• Car Parking can be booked online in advance. Detailed information about the car parking options available, car parking rates and how to book online is available on the Port of Brisbane website.
• There is also a dedicated 2 minute guest drop-off and pick-up zone, which includes two accessible car parking bays for pick-up and drop-off.
• There is a dedicated and clearly signed Baggage Drop area in the Plaza Area (undercover), located immediately next to the main building entrance.
• There are two guest lifts and two sets of travelators within the building to transport passengers between floors.
• Restrooms are located on each floor of the terminal building, including male, female and a unisex accessible toilet as well as a parent's room.
• On the ground floor, restrooms are located inside the terminal building, near the café. On level 1, they are located off the check-in area.
• There will be one onsite café serving light refreshments and drinks. There will also be one onsite retailer selling last minute essentials such as books, magazines, souvenirs etc.
• There is no ATM at the terminal at this stage.
• There is no onsite luggage storage available. The closest luggage storage location is Brisbane Airport.

• Already Booked
• Port Information

Find out port information including cruise parking, luggage storage and more.

Use these links to find details about your port:

• Port: Sydney
• Port: Brisbane
• Port: Melbourne
• Port: Singapore
• Port: Honolulu

Sydney Port

Overseas Passenger Terminal - Off Argyle Street, West Circular Quay. View map here .

• Wheelchair accessible
• Short-term parking available nearby
• Drop off and pick up at terminal
• Circular Quay train station in walking distance
• Bus services available

Getting there

The Overseas Passenger Terminal is accessible by both train and bus, but please consider the possibility of unexpected delays.

Parking - Sydney

Short or long term parking is not permitted at the terminal. A three minute maximum drop off time is permitted and is enforced by Security Staff at the wharf. No parking is permitted in the lower George Street area from Argyle Street to Hickson Road.

Parking is available at the Wilson Car Park, 155 George Street, under the Cahill Expressway and adjacent to the Four Seasons Hotel. It is about a five minute walk to/from the terminal.

Cruise Parking can also be found at the Sydney Opera House Car Park, located on 2 Macquarie St. They offer a Cruise-In Saver of $25 per day (min 7 days to 14 days). Patrons will need to pre-book their Cruise Parking through the online booking system – Book A Bay. You can find all deals and information at their website .

Otherwise a limited amount of metered parking is available within The Rocks area (applicable parking fees will apply).

At the terminal

If you arrive early in the day, you can leave your luggage at the 'Bag Drop', which opens from 8:30am - from there you can enjoy hanging out until your designated "check in" time.

Luggage Storage - Sydney

Luggage storage is available by Bounce Luggage in Circular Quay. You are able to view details here. .

Locations of major bank ATMs at the Sydney terminal

All of the following ATMs are less than 10 minutes from the Overseas Passenger Terminal:

• Commonwealth Bank ‐ at the luggage drop off point at the Overseas Passenger Terminal, also under Circular Quay railway station (opposite Jetty No.6)
• NAB/Rediteller - under Circular Quay railway station (facing the city), between Jetty No.3 and Jetty No.4
• St. George Bank, and ANZ ‐ in Pitt St, on right walking up Pitt Street
• Westpac, in Pitt St. on left walking up Pitt Street

Brisbane International Cruise Terminal (BICT)

Address: 1 Cruise Terminal Drive (access via Marine Road), Pinkenba, QLD 4008

Note: Some GPS systems may not yet recognise the new address. If this is the case, use Marine Road , which becomes Cruise Terminal Drive.

It is located close to the Brisbane Airport, Kingsford-Smith Drive, and the Gateway Motorway, ensuring excellent road connectivity to the region.

• There are three (3) car parks providing onsite paid parking at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal.
• All car parks are managed by Wilson Parking.
• Car Parks 1 and 2 only accept online bookings – no drive-up parking spaces available
• Car Park 3 has a very limited number of drive up spaces – vast majority is online bookings.

Please note: Parking at the terminal is available at a premium, and is not included in your cruise. Parking should be booked well in advance of your cruise departure date.

Wilson Parking contact details:

• wilsonparking.com.au (search “Brisbane International Cruise Terminal”)
• Wilson Parking Customer Care: 1800 727 546

Offsite car parking operators / alternatives

Passengers can also arrive at the Brisbane International Cruise Terminal via taxi, rideshare or be dropped off.

If seeking alternative parking arrangements, below are contact details for offsite car parking operators (note: this is not an exhaustive list):

• Andrew’s Airport Parking: Visit andrewsairportpark.com.au/brisbane or call (07) 3268 4222
• Portside Parking: Visit kingsfordsmithparking.com.au or call (07) 3630 0922

Passenger pick up and drop off

• Maximum 2 minutes passenger pick up & set down
• Private vehicles only
• Accessible pick up & set down bays
• Driver to remain in vehicle
• Approx. 40 metres to building entrance

There will be a drop off luggage area next to the terminal entrance.

You can also find above information via the link below

www.portbris.com.au/cruise

Melbourne Port

Cruise Terminal Station Pier - Waterfront Place, Port Melbourne. View map here .

• Short-term parking
• Tram stop nearby

Singapore Port

61 Marina Coastal Drive, Singapore. View map here .

• Taxi rank near the terminal
• Short-term car parking
• Marina South Pier train station
• ATM at terminal

Honolulu Port

Pier 2 Cruise Terminal, Ala Moana Boulevard, Honolulu. View map here.

• Banks closeby
• Easily accessible by bus or taxi.

Already booked?

Find more information for guests:

• Online Check-In
• Travel Requirements
• What to Pack
• Life Onboard
• Travel Insurance

Need some help?

Call to speak with one of our agents:

• Australia : 1300 385 625
• New Zealand : 0800 442 095

Inside Brisbane’s new mega ship cruise terminal

New pictures and a video has been released revealing brisbane’s new international mega cruise terminal, which will have the capacity to host some of the world’s largest ships and will be major competition for other ports like sydney and melbourne..

The terminal, which is slated to open in 2020, already has 180 bookings for ships in the first year from lines like Carnival Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruise Line.

State Development Minister Cameron Dick said the Port of Brisbane will be the Queensland’s first mega cruise ship terminal and will attract ships that are 270 metres or longer.

“That will bring jobs, dollars and tourists into Brisbane and into Queensland,” Mr Dick said.

“It will deliver $5 billion in economic value to Queensland over the next 15 years, create 240 construction jobs over the two-year construction period to 2020 and then 49 ongoing operational jobs for at least 20 years.

“This is an important project, [I’m] delighted for the government to help facilitate this by providing the lease of the land to the port so they can get on with the project.”

Port of Brisbane chief executive Roy Cummins told the Brisbane Times  that the new terminal would make the Queensland city, the capital of cruising in Australia.

“Where other locations are struggling to handle larger ships or to have capacity for those passengers, and I particularly refer to Melbourne and Sydney in that regard, we are actually forging ahead,” he said.

“We will have a state-of-the-art facility that can handle the largest vessels.”

Mr Cummins also said that the new port will also benefit other Queensland ports and said the cruise terminal would “cut a very elegant and sophisticated edition to the north side of the river.”

Is this new cruise terminal being built to only accommodate only one cruise ship at a time?? If this is so, it seems there has not been much forward planning been put into the venture.

A mega cruise terminal is long overdue for Brisbane with the city and local cruisers reaping benefits of more visitors and more choice of cruise lines, currently only P&O and Princess cruises depart from Brisbane, for their cruising holidays. The only shame I see is why build a cruise terminal that is only capable of embarking/disembarking one vessel at a time. With cruise lines looking for a more viable option to overloaded Sydney and Melbourne ports and passengers wanting to visit Queensland ports/beaches it seems remiss to not spend a little more money now to reap greater financial gain for the State rather than extending later when facilities become too overcrowded and costs have grown. We should be planning for the future now when it costs less.

Can you tell me how many large cruise ships can be accommodated at the new cruise terminal at the same time, as the video only shows one cruise ship Jim Robertson.

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Cruise Ship at Port of Brisbane

Terminal Building

The Brisbane Cruise Port was recently built to connect the city to the world through tourism and trade. Located at the southeast of Queensland, the building of the terminal prompted the infrastructure around it to be developed and improved, with project updates released regularly.

Food and Drink

A 10-15 minute drive from the centre of Brisbane, the Portside Wharf Cruise Terminal is also home to a variety of food hubs . Fresh food markets and restaurants can be found near the port, with many to choose from:

• Aamaya Indian Restaurant: This restaurant brings the flavourful taste of Indian cuisine to the port of Brisbane. Aamaya uses traditional cooking methods in the dishes they serve, giving their customers an authentic taste. Closed on Tuesdays, the restaurant serves dinner on the other six days, with the addition of lunch during Fridays..
• Bamboo Basket: At Bamboo Basket , diners are served both Northern and Southern Chinese cuisine. The dining experience is also has a visual element where customers are able to see how the cooking process as it happens. Dumplings are filled, dough is rolled and noodles are made right in front of the diners’ eyes. The Bamboo Basket is open all days of the week, starting at around lunch time.
• Belvedere Bar N Grill: Craving for some succulent steaks? Drop by the Belvedere Bar N Grill to get your fix of their delicious meats right in the heart of the Brisbane port. The restaurant also offers a wide selection of Belvedere vodka and 11 beers, served across dining tables and lounges overlooking the scenic river. Open seven days a week, Belvedere Bar N Grill serves lunch and dinner and has an open bar with an menu available all day.
• Betong 888 Thai Restaurant: Thailand may be miles away from Brisbane, but that doesn’t mean Thai cuisine won’t be accessible to those within Brisbane. The Betong 888 Thai Restaurant brings authentic Thai dishes to the port, with dishes that include Thai curries and Tom Yum Goong soup. The restaurant is also famous for their specialties such as the Sesame Roast Duck and Crisp Pork Belly. The Betong 888 Thai Restaurant also offers pickup and delivery requests through their online ordering system. Open seven days a week, this Thai restaurant serves lunch and dinner.
• Burrito Bar: The Burrito Bar prides itself with offering diners a wide range of street-style Mexican dishes, ranging from quesadillas and spicy tacos to sticky chicken wings and chocolate nachos. Burrito Bar takes a piece of authentic Mexico and places it in Brisbane through the restaurant interior, which consists of huge walls with hand-painted Mexican graffiti. Open seven days a week, Burrito Bar hours start at 11 AM until 9 PM.

If these locations don’t feel like something you’re craving just yet, there many more several food places around Portside Wharf Cruise Terminal for you to enjoy. Exploring is half the fun!

Brisbane city business district and suburbs

Shopping in Brisbane

This cruise terminal is also home to different shopping brands that range from fashion and fresh food to fitness and health-related items. Most of the shopping can be done in Queen Street Mall , which is surrounded by other shopping centres such as the Myer Centre. Chinatown is also situated on Brunswick Street, which is found in the northeast of the central business district.

City Hall in Brisbane

Getting Around Brisbane (Drop-off and Pick-up Procedures)

Access all of what Brisbane has to offer with these modes of transportation to get around:

• Buses are available to pick-up and drop-off people around the port and nearby attractions and stores. You can check out the bus routes to better plan your trips.
• Ferries are also available to take people down the Brisbane River from 5:50 AM to 10:30 PM every day. Tickets may be purchased from the Brisbane City Council Customer Centres.
• The port can also be travelled on foot and enjoyed while checking out the line of stores by the area.
• Taxis can be hailed from the Fresh n Wild Marketplace from the Portside Wharf precinct entrance.
• Trains such as the CityTrain , which covers the city of Brisbane, and the AirTrain , which connects the cruise terminal to the airport, are also available.
• There are also parking lots in the Brisbane central business district where you can leave your vehicle for a maximum of two hours, unless there’s signage that indicates otherwise. Not sure where to park? The Kings Parking helps you search for a parking area nearby.

Brisbane CBD and Brisbane River

What to Do in Brisbane

Outside of Portside Wharf Cruise Terminal, Brisbane is brimming with sights to discover. We list 5 attractions to check out:

• City Botanic Gardens: The City Botanic Gardens are located just by the side of Brisbane River. It is a heritage-listed collection of gardens that houses greenery perfect for outdoor walks and scenic stages. Some of the sites may be booked for special events.
• Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary: Right at the heart of Brisbane is the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, considered the largest of its kind. The sanctuary features around 130 koalas, as well as some kangaroos, all of which can be interacted with while in a natural Australian wildlife setting.
• Australia Zoo: Around an hour’s drive north of Brisbane will lead to the Australia Zoo started by the late Steve Irwin.
• Theme Parks: Movieworld and Sea World are available for those who are interested in theme parks.
• Surfers Paradise: Looking for seaside resorts? Head down 78 kilometres south of Brisbane and life on the beach will welcome both residents and tourists.

There’s plenty to look forward when you have the Brisbane Cruise Terminal as your next destination!

Robert Grant

Loves cruise tips and cruise ships. Shares his personal opinion about cruise deals and cruise tips that might help other travellers. Do let me know if you'd like to read more about certain cruise related topics.

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Portside Wharf is located in the Brisbane suburb of Hamilton, in a picturesque location alongside the Brisbane River.

To and From the City: If you are heading out from the city follow Kingsford Smith Drive along the Brisbane River, pass Racecourse Road on your left and then turn right into Remora Road.

To and From the Airport: Portside Wharf is just 7 kilometres from the Domestic and International Airports - accessed quickly and conveniently along Kingsford Smith Drive.

Short Term Car Parking is available on site for those dropping off or collecting passengers from the Brisbane Cruise Terminal. This is a short term parking facility only and passengers departing on Cruises from the facility must not leave their cars on site at Portside Wharf.

Long Term Car Parking is available through Priority Airport Parking, 404 Nudgee Road, Hendra. From there, a shuttle bus will bring you the short drive to Portside Wharf.

This port review has been provided by CruiseExperts.com as a service to our loyal customers. While all efforts have been made to maintain accuracy, the information provided is dynamic and subject to change at any time.

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