Key WestCruise Port Guide
Most calls give you eight or nine hours, and Old Town starts at the dock. Pick a boat, a trolley or your own two feet.
Welcome to Key West
Pro Picks
Boat trip · 3 hrsDolphin watching and snorkeling cruise
Three hours on a power catamaran: cruise out through the shallow Gulf waters to look for resident bottlenose dolphins, then slip into the water to snorkel. Snorkel gear is provided, but you must know how to swim. The kiosk is in Old Town on Greene Street, so allow time to reach it from your dock.
From $73.21/ person
Book Now →
Reef snorkel · 3 hrsReef snorkeling with drinks
Sail a 65-foot catamaran out to the living coral reef, snorkel from a stairway into the water, then relax with a drink on the way back. Check-in is 30 minutes before departure at the Opal Key Marina on Front Street, so build that into your return.
From $49.42/ person
Book Now →
Trolley tour · all dayOld Town Trolley hop-on hop-off
A narrated loop of 13 stops around Old Town that you can hop on and off all day, with a boarding point at Mallory Square. Trolleys leave each boarding location about every 30 minutes, so you can do a stop or two and still be back early.
From $55.60/ person
Book Now →Your time ashore
Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
Key West in 2 hours
Historic House Tour
Truman Little White House tour
A guided visit to the house built in 1890 for the naval base commander, about a five-minute walk from Pier B. Plenty of time left to add a stroll to Mallory Square or lunch on Duval.
From$25.80
Time required1 hour
Walking Tour
Southernmost Point walking tour
A guide-led walk of 1.4 to 1.8 miles through Old Town history, shipwrecking and cigar-making, ending at the Southernmost Point buoy. Meets at Kino Sandals Plaza, so allow a short walk from the dock first.
From$49.99
Time required1.5 hours
Key West in 4 hours
Reef Snorkel
Morning reef snorkel with breakfast
A catamaran ride to the reef with a light breakfast and mimosas on the way out, and snorkel gear on board. It leaves from the Historic Seaport on William Street, a taxi or a longer walk from Pier B.
From$54.95
Time required3 hours
Catamaran Sail
Afternoon catamaran sail and dolphin watch
Two and a half hours on deck looking for Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. The office is on Lazy Way Lane at the Historic Seaport; book a departure that gets you back well before all aboard.
From$49.95
Time required2.5 hours
Kayak
Mangrove kayak tour
Paddle two hours through mangrove tunnels looking for wildlife such as nurse sharks and jellyfish. It meets at Cow Key Marina, across the island, so budget a taxi or rideshare each way.
From$65
Time required2 hours
Key West in 7 hours
Catamaran Snorkel
Snorkel sail with seafood boil
A four-hour catamaran trip with a snorkel stop, an all-you-can-eat seafood boil and an open bar. Arrive 30 minutes before departure at the Harborwalk and have your return planned: the listing has few reviews so far.
From$69.95
Time required4 hours
Walking Food Tour
Hemingway walking and tasting tour
Four hours and about 1.5 miles on foot through Old Town, including a guided visit inside the Hemingway home. The ticket only works with the tour guide, so skip the museum's own ticket booth.
From$189
Time required4 hours
Within a stroll of the boat
Six stops on foot from Pier B, the dock most ships use; Mallory Square Dock is only a few minutes away, so the map works from there too. The farthest pin is the beach at Fort Zachary Taylor, about a 20-minute walk.
Museum · 0.1 mi · ~5 min
Truman Little White House
A short walk along Front Street from the pier, this 1890 house is now a museum visited by guided tour. A good first stop when the gangway is just opening.
Plaza · 0.2 mi · ~6 min
Mallory Square
The waterfront square beside the Key West Aquarium and the Shipwreck Treasure museum, and the site of the nightly Sunset Celebration arts festival.
Drinks · 0.3 mi · ~8 min
Sloppy Joe's Bar
A bar and restaurant at 201 Duval Street, the first stop for a cold drink where Duval Street begins at the waterfront.
Eat · 0.5 mi · ~13 min
Blue Heaven
A restaurant on Thomas Street in Bahama Village, a block or two off Duval and away from the pier-front menus.
Museum · 0.7 mi · ~15 min
Ernest Hemingway Home and Museum
The author's house on Whitehead Street, a paid museum and National Historic Landmark. The lighthouse museum is a few steps away on Front Street.
Beach · about 1 mi · ~20 min
Fort Zachary Taylor beach
The nearest swimming beach, at the south end of Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. The park has a Civil War fort, a café and rentals for chairs, umbrellas and snorkel gear.
Handy Helpers
Small things that make a port day easier.
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.
Bike rental
Cover more ground than on foot. Book ahead and return it well before all-aboard.
Travel eSIM
Install it on ship WiFi and your maps and ride apps work the moment you land in Key West.
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.
- City of Key West — Port & Marine
- Pier B cruise ship schedule (linked from the City of Key West)
- Mallory T-Pier cruise ship schedule (City of Key West)
- Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square
- Florida State Parks — Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection — closed-loop cruises
Getting ashore
Where do cruise ships dock in Key West?
Most cruise ships in Key West dock at Pier B, which sits at Truman Annex on the edge of Old Town. Mallory Square Dock, run by the City, mostly takes small ships, and the Navy's Outer Mole Pier is not on the City's October 2026 calendars. Ships tie up alongside, so there is no tendering. Both docks are a short walk from Old Town.
Which pier does Carnival or Royal Caribbean use in Key West?
Carnival and Royal Caribbean ships both usually dock at Pier B, as do Celebrity, Norwegian, Holland America and Virgin Voyages calls on the October 2026 schedule. American Cruise Lines' small ship American Maverick is listed at Mallory Square Dock. Dock assignments shift with how many ships are in port, so confirm yours in the ship's daily program or app.
Is the Port of Key West open for cruise ships?
Yes, cruise ships are still calling at Key West: the City-linked calendars for October 2026 list calls at Pier B and Mallory Square Dock. What changed is the Navy's Outer Mole Pier, where the Navy ended the City's lease on 3 August 2026 and then asked for proposals for its future use. The City publishes a separate calendar for each of its two docks.
Is Key West worth visiting on a cruise?
Yes, mostly because Old Town starts at the dock: from Pier B it is 0.1 mile to the Truman Little White House, 0.2 mile to Mallory Square and 0.3 mile to Duval Street. Jewelry shops line Front Street just outside the piers, the Hemingway Home is about a 15-minute walk, and the nearest swimming beach is about a mile away. The stroll map shows the route.
Can you walk around Key West from the cruise port?
Yes. Old Town starts at the docks: Pier B is about 0.2 mile from Mallory Square, and Mallory Square Dock is about 0.1 mile from Duval Street. The Truman house, Mallory Square and Duval Street are a 5 to 8 minute walk from Pier B, and the Hemingway Home and Blue Heaven are 13 to 15 minutes. The stroll map shows the walk.
Are there taxis or Uber at the Key West cruise port?
Yes. A marked taxi line waits just outside the port, Uber and Lyft both operate in Key West, and pedicabs run through Old Town. No published fare for the ride from the docks turned up, so ask for the price before you get in. Golf carts can be rented for around $90 for three hours in one guide, but we couldn't confirm a rental company at the piers.
What days are cruise ships in Key West?
The City of Key West links two cruise calendars from its Port & Marine page, one for Mallory T-Pier and one for Pier B, listing each ship, its hours in port and where it came from. Most Pier B calls listed for October 2026 run about eight or nine hours, arriving between 7 and 9:30 am and leaving between 4 and 5 pm. Your own ship's all-aboard time is the one that counts.
How much time do you get in Key West on a cruise?
Most Pier B calls listed for October 2026 give about eight or nine hours, with ships typically leaving between 4 and 5 pm. A 3-hour reef or dolphin boat trip fits comfortably, with the 4-hour plans built around them, Always check your ship's all-aboard time, since a few calls run later.
Beaches & water
Is there a beach near the Key West cruise port?
The nearest swimming beach is the one in Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park, about a mile from Pier B and roughly a 20-minute walk. Florida State Parks says the park is open 8 am to sundown, charges $6 per vehicle, and rents chairs, umbrellas, snorkel gear and bikes. Higgs Beach is about 2 miles away and Smathers Beach about 3, so those need a ride.
How much is a snorkeling excursion in Key West?
Key West snorkeling boat trips on GetYourGuide run about 3 hours and start at $49.42 for a reef snorkel with drinks, $54.95 for a morning trip with breakfast and $73.21 for a dolphin-watching and snorkeling cruise. The reef snorkel and dolphin trips say you must know how to swim, and check-in on the reef trip is 30 minutes before departure. See the Pro Picks for the most-booked options.
Sights, sunset & paperwork
What should I not miss in Key West from the cruise port?
Within a 15-minute walk of Pier B you can reach Mallory Square, the Truman Little White House, Sloppy Joe's on Duval Street, Blue Heaven in Bahama Village, the Hemingway Home and Museum and the lighthouse museum. The Truman house is the closest at 0.1 mile and the lighthouse and Hemingway Home the farthest at 0.7 mile. The stroll map puts them on one route.
Can I see the Mallory Square sunset on a cruise call?
Only if your ship stays late. The Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square is a nightly arts festival, and crowds gather at the water's edge about an hour before sunset. Most Pier B calls listed for October 2026 leave between 4 and 5 pm, with a few staying until 7 pm, so compare your all-aboard time with the sunset time for your date.
Do I need a passport for a cruise that stops in Key West?
Key West is in the United States, so stepping ashore there involves no customs check. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says U.S. citizens on a closed-loop cruise, one that starts and ends at the same U.S. port, can use a birth certificate and a government-issued photo ID. A passport may still be needed for other countries on your itinerary, so check with your cruise line.