Sailing from

TampaCruise Port

Cruising out of Tampa? Start here. Find your terminal, choose where to park or sleep the night before, and see how to get in from the airport.

Aerial view down the Hillsborough River to the downtown Tampa skyline under a clear blue sky, a water taxi's wake trailing behind it

Bon voyage from Tampa

Terminals
3
Nos. 2, 3 and 6
Cruise lines
6
Carnival, Celebrity, Margaritaville at Sea, Norwegian, Regent Seven Seas and Royal Caribbean
Nearest airport
TPA
Tampa International Airport, 9.5 mi, about 15 minutes
Port parking
From $144.99
Quoted for a 7-night sailing; 2 port-run lots, prices vary by date

Last checked

Terminals by cruise line

Port Tampa Bay has three cruise terminals, all in the Channel District next to downtown. Your ship decides which one is yours. Royal Caribbean mostly uses Terminal 2 and Carnival Terminal 3. Lines can switch terminals by date, so check your cruise documents.

  • Cruise Terminal 2

    Cruise lines

    Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian, Regent Seven Seas

    Mostly Royal Caribbean, with some Celebrity, Norwegian and Regent dates. The Florida Aquarium is next door.

    651 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL 33602

    Map of Cruise Terminal 2

  • Cruise Terminal 3

    Cruise lines

    Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Celebrity

    Carnival's terminal, also used by Royal Caribbean on some dates. The port garage is across the street.

    815 Channelside Drive, Tampa, FL 33602

    Map of Cruise Terminal 3

  • Cruise Terminal 6

    Cruise lines

    Margaritaville at Sea, Celebrity, Norwegian

    Margaritaville at Sea, plus most Celebrity and Norwegian sailings. It has its own port lot.

    1333 McKay Street, Tampa, FL 33602

    Map of Cruise Terminal 6

Hotels the night before

Staying the night before means a late flight can't cost you the ship. Every hotel below sells a cruise package with parking and a ride to the port. "Check rates" opens the hotel on Booking.com. "Cruise stay details" opens the hotel's own page about the package.

Compare all hotels near the Tampa cruise terminals →
The Barrymore Hotel's tower lit up at night behind palm trees on the Tampa Riverwalk, across the Hillsborough River

Hotel

The Barrymore Hotel Tampa Riverwalk

On the Riverwalk in downtown Tampa, 1.8 miles from the port. Its Ship & Shore package covers up to 10 days' parking and the ride to and from the port. Show your boarding passes at check-in to get the rate.

  • Port ride included in the cruise package
  • Park-and-cruise package
  • 1.8 mi
Check rates →Cruise stay details
The Quality Inn sign and palm-lined entrance drive of the hotel on South Dale Mabry Highway at dusk

Hotel

Quality Inn Tampa Airport - Cruise Port

On Dale Mabry Highway, between the airport and downtown. Its park-and-cruise package lets you leave the car up to 14 days, with a ride to and from the port.

  • Port ride included in the cruise package
  • Park-and-cruise package
  • 4.1 mi
Check rates →Cruise stay details
A Holiday Inn Express guest room with two made-up queen beds, a blue accent wall and a desk with an orange chair

Hotel

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Tampa East - Ybor City

East of Ybor City. Its Port of Tampa package includes up to 14 days' parking, breakfast and a round-trip port ride. Call the hotel on arrival day to book your shuttle time.

  • Port ride included in the cruise package
  • Park-and-cruise package
  • 4.7 mi
Check rates →Cruise stay details
The Fairfield Inn lobby with a curved blue sofa, round white tables and the front desk behind

Hotel

Fairfield Inn & Suites Tampa Fairgrounds/Casino

Near the Hard Rock casino and the state fairgrounds. Its Stay & Cruise package covers up to 10 days' parking and a shuttle to and from the port. The page gives no shuttle times, so ask when you book.

  • Port ride included in the cruise package
  • Park-and-cruise package
  • 6.5 mi
Check rates →Cruise stay details

Tampa cruise parking

The port runs its own parking: a garage across from Terminal 3 and a lot beside Terminal 6. You buy it ahead online for your ship and sailing date. It's refundable until the day you sail. Port parking only opens when a ship is in. Private lots nearby cost less.

Port parking is a 7-night total, quoted for mid-November 2026. Private lots show a daily rate.

Port Tampa Bay lots

Port Tampa Bay lots: how you reach the terminal, whether it's covered, the price and a link to book
Channelside Parking Garage (official)The port's own garage. Valet is a $20 upgrade at the terminal.For Cruise Terminal 2, Cruise Terminal 3
+ More

Self-parking for a 7-night sailing was $133.00 plus an $11.99 ticket fee; valet was $164.99 in total. You can't buy it online on sailing day.

Self-parking for Radiance of the Seas, Nov 14–21, 2026: $133.00 plus an $11.99 ticket fee. Valet was $164.99. Refundable before the cruise date; not sold online on sailing day.

WalkCoveredAcross the street from Terminal 3

$144.997 nights

Reserve at the port → for Channelside Parking Garage (official)
Terminal 6 lot, McKay Street (official)The port's open lot for Terminal 6 sailings, sold by sailing.For Cruise Terminal 6
+ More

Sold through the same port reservation system by ship and sailing; the quote recorded is for the Channelside garage.

WalkOpen-airNext to Terminal 6

See live price

Reserve at the port → for Terminal 6 lot, McKay Street (official)

Private lots nearby

Private lots nearby: how you reach the terminal, whether it's covered, the price and a link to book
Harbor LotChannelside lot. Terminal shuttle starts November 22; walk before then.
+ More

It charges $7 a day through November 21, 2026, when there's no shuttle. Refundable until the day you leave.

$15 a day from November 22, 2026, when its terminal shuttle starts; $7 a day (walk, no shuttle) through November 21.

ShuttleOpen-airUnder a mile

$15a day

Check rates → for Harbor Lot
717 Parking (Tampa Cruise Port Parking)Three downtown lots, one taking oversized vehicles. No shuttle.
+ More

Lots at 223 N 12th St, 700 N Nebraska Ave (Union Station) and 902 E Whiting St. You need your license plate number to book.

Prepaid online by cruise; the site shows no rate before booking.

WalkOpen-air

See live price

Check rates → for 717 Parking (Tampa Cruise Port Parking)

Getting there

Tampa International is the closest airport, 9.5 miles from the port. Taxis charge a flat $40 to the cruise terminal. Rideshares pick up at the Express Curbsides, with a $5.00 airport fee. St. Pete–Clearwater is the other choice, about 18 miles away.

Tampa International Airport TPA

The closest airport, with a flat taxi fare to the terminals.

Distance
9.5 mi
Drive
about 15 minutes

Ways to the port

  • Taxi: Yellow Cab · $40 — Flat rate to the cruise terminal and downtown Tampa. Curbside at baggage claim, Red 1 and Blue 2. Operator site → for Yellow Cab
  • Uber and Lyft — The airport adds a $5.00 fee to the fare; no fare is published. Lyft, Uber and Wridz at the Red and Blue Express Curbsides. Operator site →
  • Cruise-line transfer: Carnival — Sailing-day transfer; flight must land by 12:00 p.m. Price not published. Operator site → for Carnival

St. Pete–Clearwater International Airport PIE

Smaller airport across the bay, with a longer drive in.

Distance
18.4 mi
Drive
about 30 minutes
A white SUV parked on a coastal lookout with the blue sea and scattered clouds behind it

Pre-book a private airport transfer

A driver booked ahead beats queuing at the curb with luggage. Check that your airport and date are covered before you rely on it.

Book a driver →

Ports you'll visit from Tampa

Tampa cruises mostly head west and south: Mexico, the Cayman Islands, Honduras, Belize and Jamaica. Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Roatán are on all five lines' lists. Key West and the Bahamas are on several too.

Quick answers

How we checked these answers

Every answer is built from facts we checked against the sources below and cross-checked with recent port guides. Where sources disagreed, the answer says so instead of guessing a number.

Terminals & cruise lines

Which terminal does Carnival or Royal Caribbean use at Port Tampa Bay?

Carnival usually sails from Cruise Terminal 3 at Port Tampa Bay, and Royal Caribbean mostly from Terminal 2, with some Radiance and Jewel of the Seas sailings at Terminal 3. Margaritaville at Sea uses Terminal 6, as do most Celebrity and Norwegian sailings. The port's own schedule shows the terminal for each ship and date, so check it against your cruise documents. See all three terminals.

What cruise lines sail from Tampa?

Five cruise lines homeport ships in Tampa, according to Port Tampa Bay: Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Norwegian and Margaritaville at Sea. Regent Seven Seas' Seven Seas Mariner also uses Terminal 2 on two dates in December 2026. Find your line's terminal.

Where is Cruise Terminal 6 in Tampa?

Cruise Terminal 6 is at 1333 McKay Street in Tampa's Channel District, while Terminals 2 and 3 are on Channelside Drive. It has its own port parking lot next door at 1331 McKay Street. Margaritaville at Sea sails from Terminal 6, as do most Celebrity and Norwegian sailings this season. See the terminal map links.

Hotels

Which Tampa hotels have a shuttle to the cruise port?

Four Tampa hotels sell a cruise package that includes parking and a ride to Port Tampa Bay: The Barrymore Hotel on the Riverwalk (up to 10 days' parking), Quality Inn Tampa Airport - Cruise Port and Holiday Inn Express Tampa East - Ybor City (up to 14 days each), and Fairfield Inn Tampa Fairgrounds (up to 10 days). The ride comes with the package rather than with any room. Compare the hotels.

What hotels are closest to the Tampa cruise port?

Hampton Inn Tampa Downtown Channel District is the closest hotel we found, 0.5 miles from the cruise terminal by its own count, close enough to walk; it mentions a shuttle but not its price. The Barrymore on the Riverwalk is 1.8 miles by road, and the package hotels near the airport and Ybor City are 4 to 7 miles out. See the cruise-package hotels.

Parking

How much is parking at Tampa Cruise Port?

Port Tampa Bay's own parking cost $144.99 for a 7-night sailing (Radiance of the Seas, November 14–21, 2026): $133.00 plus an $11.99 ticket fee, or $164.99 with valet. The port sells it by sailing and refunds it if you cancel before the cruise date. Harbor Lot on Channelside Drive charges $15 a day from November 22, 2026. Compare parking.

Where do you park for a cruise out of Tampa?

Port Tampa Bay's official parking is the Channelside Parking Garage at 810 Channelside Drive, across the street from Terminal 3 and a walk from Terminal 2, plus a lot at 1331 McKay Street beside Terminal 6. Both open only when a ship is in port. Nearby, Harbor Lot runs a shuttle from November 22, 2026, and 717 Parking's downtown lots have none, so you walk or take a rideshare. See every lot.

Is there valet parking at Tampa Port?

Yes. Port Tampa Bay offers valet at the terminals for a $20 upgrade over self-parking; bought ahead for a 7-night sailing in November 2026 it cost $164.99 against $144.99 to self-park. Follow the port's blue route to the drop-off and valet area. Compare parking.

Is parking free at the Tampa cruise port with a disabled placard?

No. Port Tampa Bay charges the posted rate to cars with a disabled parking permit. Under Florida law only vehicles with specialized equipment such as ramps or hand controls, cars with a Florida Toll Exemption permit, and Florida disabled-veteran plates (with the veteran in the car) park free; show your license and registration to the attendant.

Getting there

How far is the cruise port from Tampa airport?

Tampa International Airport (TPA) is 9.5 miles from the cruise port, about a 15-minute drive according to Port Tampa Bay. St. Pete–Clearwater International (PIE) is the other option, about 18 miles and 30 minutes away. See how to get there.

How much is a taxi or Uber from Tampa airport to the cruise port?

Tampa International Airport says a taxi to the cruise terminal is a flat $40 from the curb outside baggage claim. Uber, Lyft and Wridz fares aren't published; the airport adds a $5.00 fee to each rideshare pickup at the Red and Blue Express Curbsides. See how to get there.

Does Tampa airport have a shuttle to the cruise port?

Not a public one: the airport has no port shuttle of its own, but Carnival sells a transfer from Tampa International on sailing day if your flight lands by 12:00 p.m. (rides run 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.). Quality Inn Tampa Airport - Cruise Port's package includes a ride to the port if you stay the night before. See how to get there.

Embarkation day

What time should I arrive at the Tampa cruise terminal?

Arrive by the boarding-zone time your cruise line gives you; Port Tampa Bay doesn't set one. Drop passengers and bags at the terminal first, then park, since port parking is only open when a ship is in. The terminals have nowhere to leave luggage if you're early, but the Florida Aquarium next to Terminal 2 stores it free with a discounted ticket. See parking.

Where do cruises go out of Tampa?

Cruises from Tampa sail mainly to the western Caribbean and Mexico: Port Tampa Bay lists Cozumel, Costa Maya, Progreso, Grand Cayman, Roatán, Belize and Jamaica for most of its lines, plus Key West, the Bahamas and, on longer trips, the eastern Caribbean and the Panama Canal. See the ports by line.