Greetings from

BelfastCruise Port Guide

A shipyard city with plenty to see, and a terminal well out of town. Honest prices, timed plans and the shuttle-or-taxi question answered.

Belfast City Hall's green copper dome and corner towers in pale stone under a vivid blue sky, with people sitting on the lawn in the foreground

Welcome to Belfast

Pro Picks

Titanic Belfast's angular gold-and-glass facade on an empty paved plaza at dusk, with rust-coloured lamp posts in the foregroundMuseum · 2.5 hrs

Titanic Belfast Entry Ticket

Ten galleries and a shipyard ride on the site where the Titanic was built, with an audio guide in English and nine other languages. The listing puts the visit at about two and a half hours, and the museum is in the Titanic Quarter, a taxi ride from the terminal.

From $35.85/ person

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Three visitors stepping across the Giant's Causeway's hexagonal basalt columns beside breaking waves in low evening lightCoach day trip · 8.5 hrs

Giant's Causeway Coach Tour with Castles

A guided coach day trip up the Antrim coast to the Giant's Causeway, stopping at Carrickfergus Castle, Carnlough Harbour, the Dark Hedges and Dunluce Castle. It leaves from beside City Hall at 8:45 AM sharp, check-in is at 8:30 and it runs about 8.5 hours, so check your all-aboard first.

From $31.43/ person

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A large chain-bordered mural of a smiling man in a red jumper on a gable wall, with four visitors standing beneath itBlack taxi tour · 2 hrs

Black Taxi Tour of the Belfast Murals

Two hours in a black taxi through the Shankill and Falls Road murals and past the Peace Wall, with a guide who tells the story of the Troubles from both communities. The description lists a cruise ship pickup; check availability for pickup details when you choose a date.

From $79.66/ person

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Your time ashore

Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.

4H

Half day

A guided city tour, back by mid-afternoon.

6H

Long half day

A Causeway run timed for cruise passengers.

9H

Full day

A small-group day on the Causeway Coast.

Belfast in 4 hours

A guide holding up a black-and-white photograph to a group of visitors on a street, with a long mural wall behind them

Walking tour

Streets of Conflict Walking Tour

A guided walk through the parts of Belfast shaped by the Troubles, past peace walls and gates and murals, with the guide's own stories. Starting times vary by date, and the guide wears a red jacket and carries a red umbrella.

From$21.17

Time required2.5 hours

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A black taxi parked in front of a grey gable-end mural of two boys and a pile of rubble, with the words Summer of 69 above them

Black taxi tour

Black Taxi Tour and Crumlin Road Gaol

A black taxi tour of West Belfast's murals and the Peace Wall, then entry to Crumlin Road Gaol, the city's Victorian prison, on a self-guided visit. Tours run in timed slots, and the driver calls your name at pickup.

From$105.87

Time required3 hours

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Belfast in 6 hours

Grey hexagonal basalt columns of the Giant's Causeway in the foreground with a green hill rising behind them under blue sky

Giant's Causeway day trip

Causeway Express Shore Excursion

A coach trip built for cruise passengers: City Hall and the Peace Wall murals, the Dark Hedges, a Dunluce Castle photo stop, Bushmills Distillery and the Giant's Causeway. The operator stretches the timing to your ship's time ashore, and there is no toilet on the coach.

From$46.31

Time required5 hours 30 minutes

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Belfast in 9 hours

A rope bridge stretching between two green sea stacks above turquoise water, with grey clouds and open sea behind

Giant's Causeway day trip

Small-Group Causeway Day Trip

A group of up to eight, with pickup from the cruise port, visiting the Dark Hedges, a Dunluce Castle photo stop, 75 minutes at the Giant's Causeway and Carrick-a-Rede. The rope bridge crossing is optional and needs a separate ticket; the operator emails details the day before.

From$116.83

Time required7.5 hours

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Handy Helpers

Small things that make a port day easier.

A white SUV parked on a coastal lookout with the blue sea and scattered clouds behind it

Private Driver, Waiting at the Dock

A pre-booked driver meets you at the dock for a fixed price. No haggling, no waiting for a taxi to fill.

Book a driver →
A cream-colored city bike leaning in a courtyard among potted palms and other green plants

Bike rental

Cover more ground than on foot. Book ahead and return it well before all-aboard.

Find a bike →
A hand holding a smartphone that shows a turn-by-turn navigation map, with a driver's arm on the wheel behind it

Travel eSIM

Install it on ship WiFi and your maps and ride apps work the moment you land in Belfast.

Get an eSIM →

Quick answers

Facts last checked .

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.

Getting ashore

Where do cruise ships dock in Belfast, and which cruise lines use the terminal?

Most cruise ships in Belfast dock at Belfast Cruise Terminal, berth D1, on Airport Road West in Belfast Harbour. Belfast Harbour's 2026 schedule lists Princess, Celebrity, Norwegian, MSC, Carnival, Holland America, Virgin Voyages, Cunard, P&O, Oceania and Viking there, and Royal Caribbean and Disney aren't on it. Small expedition and luxury ships are listed at a separate berth called Gotto. Berths can change on busy days, so confirm in your ship's daily program.

Is there anything to do at the Belfast cruise port, or should I go into the city?

Yes, if you plan it: the Belfast terminal is in a working harbour, about 4 miles from the city by the cruise-line figure, and it isn't walkable, so the day is built around getting into town. The terminal has a Visit Belfast information centre staffed by its travel advisors and space for shuttles, coaches and taxis, and Titanic Belfast is a short taxi ride away. Calls usually last ten to eleven hours, so see the 4-hour plans for what fits.

Can you walk from Belfast cruise port to city centre?

No: Belfast's cruise terminal is in an active commercial harbour, about 4 miles from the city by the cruise-line figure, and Princess calls it not walkable. Most passengers ride the shuttle to the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre beside City Hall, take a taxi, or join a tour; the shuttle fare is set by your cruise line, so check with it before you sail.

Do cruise ships have free shuttles from Belfast cruise port to the city centre?

Often yes, but your cruise line decides. Visit Belfast says a low-floor, accessible shuttle bus from the port to the Visit Belfast Welcome Centre beside City Hall is generally available, and that the cruise line sets any fare. Princess says lines on British Isles routes typically run a shuttle into the Cathedral Quarter or City Hall area. Check your line's shore-excursion notes for the price and times.

How much is a taxi from the Belfast cruise port to the city centre?

A taxi from the Belfast cruise terminal to the city centre costs approximately £8 to £12, according to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines. The terminal is about 4 miles from the centre. Ambassador Cruise Line lists local firms to pre-book: Value Cabs, FonaCAB (which also has an app) and Taxi Trax.

How far is Titanic Belfast from the cruise port?

Titanic Belfast is about 1.6 miles from the Belfast cruise terminal, so a taxi is the practical way to reach it. The museum is open 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM on the day we checked, with last admission 1 hour 40 minutes before closing, so allow time for the ride back before all-aboard.

Beaches & water

Can you walk to a beach from the Belfast cruise port?

No: none of the sources we checked lists a beach within walking range of Belfast's cruise terminal, which sits inside the commercial harbour that Princess describes as not walkable. Plan on a taxi or a tour for anything beyond the terminal, and see the 4-hour plans for what fits a port day.

Tours & time ashore

What are some good day tours I can take from the Belfast cruise port?

The day trips on this page go to the Giant's Causeway, usually with stops such as the Dark Hedges and Dunluce Castle. KKday's Causeway Express runs 5 hours 30 minutes and is built for cruise passengers, a small-group trip lists cruise port pickup, and a coach tour leaves City Hall at 8:45 AM and takes about 8.5 hours. See the 6-hour plan for the shortest one.

Can I see the Giant's Causeway on a Belfast port day without missing the ship?

Yes, if your call is long enough and you book a trip timed for ships. KKday's Causeway Express is a 5 hour 30 minute shore excursion for cruise passengers, and the operator says it stretches the timing to fit your ship's time ashore. The coach tour leaves City Hall at 8:45 AM and runs about 8.5 hours, so check your all-aboard time first.

How long will my ship be in Belfast, and when should I be back?

Most 2026 calls at Belfast Cruise Terminal are listed for about ten to eleven hours, such as 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and some run longer: Majestic Princess is listed 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Belfast Harbour says the times come from the cruise lines and can change at short notice. The city is about 4 miles from the terminal, so allow shuttle or taxi time each way before all-aboard.

Money & documents

What money do I need in Belfast, pounds or euros?

Belfast uses the pound sterling (£), not the euro, because it is in the United Kingdom. Banks and ATMs are in the city centre rather than at the cruise terminal, so a card or some pounds in hand before you take the shuttle saves a stop.

Do I need a UK ETA for a cruise stop in Belfast?

It depends on your nationality and travel documents. Holland America and Seabourn tell guests on UK-port sailings that a UK Electronic Travel Authorisation may be required, that it costs £20 and lasts two years or until the passport expires, and that guests who need one but don't have it may be denied boarding without refund. Neither says whether guests who stay on board need one, so confirm with your cruise line and GOV.UK.