Palma de MallorcaCruise Port Guide
A Gothic cathedral on the harbour and a long way from your gangway. Sort out the ride into town first, then pick a plan that fits your hours ashore.
Welcome to Palma de Mallorca
Pro Picks
Adventure · 2–3 hrsMallorca Quad Bike Tour
Ride a quad bike up through the Randa foothills and country lanes on a guided route, with a swim, snorkel and cliff-jump stop in summer. It runs 2 to 3 hours from the operator's base, so allow for the taxi out. You need a full car licence in the Latin alphabet.
From $72.82/ person
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Boat day · 4 hrsDeluxe Catamaran With Snorkeling & Paddleboards
Sail out from the Paseo Marítimo for a swim stop with snorkel gear, paddleboards and a water slide, then glide back past the cathedral. Snacks and a welcome drink are included. Arrive 15 minutes early, and expect about two of the four hours to be spent sailing.
From $50.87/ person
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Walking tour · 2 hrsOld Town Walking Tour
A guided walk through Palma's old town that covers its cathedral, palaces and hidden corners in under two hours. The join-in tour is led in German; the private option is offered in English and German, so check the language when you book. It starts in the old town, not at the port.
From $43.51/ person
Book Now →Your time ashore
Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
Palma de Mallorca in 3 hours
Walking tour
Old Town Walking Tour
A guided old-town walk of under two hours, in German on the join-in tour and in English or German on the private one. It starts in the old town, so budget time for the bus or taxi there and back.
From$43.51
Time required105 minutes - 2 hours
Palma de Mallorca in 5 hours
Boat cruise
Bay of Palma Boat Trip With Snorkeling
Two hours on a traditional boat with music, a bar and swim stops in the bay's marine reserve. It leaves from Playa del Arenal across the bay, so plan a taxi each way and be sure you leave a margin before all-aboard.
From$36.97
Time required2 hours
Dolphin watching
Morning Dolphin-Watching Cruise
Just under four hours at sea looking for wild dolphins, then a swim in a cove. Boats leave the Muelle de las Golondrinas at 10:30 and 14:00, so the 14:00 sailing is too late for most calls.
From$61.59
Time required4 - 5.5 hours
Palma de Mallorca in 8 hours
Caves
Caves of Drach With a Classical Concert
A coach to Porto Cristo, guaranteed entry to the Caves of Drach and a live classical concert on the underground lake, finished with a short boat ride. Pick-up is from hotels between 8:15 and 9:20, so confirm a pick-up point you can reach from the port.
From$61.62
Time required5 hours
Wine tour
Two-Winery Small-Group Tour
A small group visits a boutique winery and a cellar for tastings paired with Mallorcan specialities, with pick-up arranged. The range runs from 5 to 7 hours and under-18s cannot join the tastings, so check the return time against all-aboard.
From$151.05
Time required5 - 7 hours
Scenic rail
Sóller Wooden Train and Tram
The full 60-minute ride on the century-old wooden train through the Tramuntana mountains, then the vintage tram down to Port de Sóller. The train leaves Palma at 15:10, so it only suits ships sailing late in the evening.
From$62.71
Time required5 - 6 hours
Island day tour
Full-Island Tour: Lluc, Sa Calobra and Sóller
A guided day by coach to the Lluc monastery and down the hairpin Sa Calobra road, then on to Sóller and its train and tram. It leaves Palma at 9:30 and lasts 8 hours, so it needs the longest calls.
From$110.84
Time required8 hours
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 Palma de Mallorca.
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 Palma de Mallorca?
Cruise ships dock alongside a quay in Palma de Mallorca, with no tendering, at one of two areas of the port. Terminals 1 to 4 on the Moll de Ponent and Moll de Paraires quays, beside the Porto Pi roundabout, take most ships. Terminals 5 and 6 on the Dic de l'Oest breakwater take the largest ships, including those over 300 metres, and overflow. The port authority sets your quay for each call, so check your cruise documents or the ship's daily program.
Which terminal does Royal Caribbean or Norwegian use in Palma de Mallorca?
We found no reliable list of which cruise line uses which terminal in Palma de Mallorca, so we can't tell you where Royal Caribbean, Norwegian or any other line will berth. What holds across the sources is that most ships use terminals 1 to 4 on the Poniente and Paraires quays, and the largest ships go to terminals 5 and 6 on the Dic de l'Oest. Your quay is set for each call, so look in your cruise documents or the ship's daily program.
Is it worth getting off the ship in Palma de Mallorca?
Yes for most people, but you have to plan the ride in: Palma's old town and cathedral are about 2.5 miles from the nearest terminals. At the pier itself, the Porto Pi shopping centre sits beside terminals 1 to 4, and Cala Major beach is a 20 to 25 minute walk west of them. City bus line 1 runs from the port to the centre, and the 3-hour plan shows what fits.
Can you walk from the Palma de Mallorca cruise port into town?
Not comfortably. From terminals 1 to 4 on the Poniente quays it is about 2.5 miles to the cathedral, a 45 to 60 minute walk along the seafront, and from terminals 5 and 6 on the Dic de l'Oest it is about 3.7 miles, with about a mile just to reach the port exit. Most passengers take the city bus, a taxi or their ship's shuttle instead.
How do I get from the Palma de Mallorca cruise port to the city centre?
You reach Palma's centre from the cruise terminals by city bus line 1, a taxi or your cruise line's paid shuttle. Bus line 1 stops at the Estacions Marítimes 1 to 4 and beside the Museu Sant Carles for terminals 5 and 6, but not at the cathedral, so get off at the Argentina or Jaume III stop and walk. Shuttles take 10 to 15 minutes, and their price and timetable are in your daily program.
How much is a taxi from the Palma de Mallorca cruise port to the old town?
A taxi from Palma's cruise terminals to the old town costs roughly €12 to €16, and the meter has the final say. The weekday daytime tariff is about €2.50 plus €1.20 per kilometre (about €2.85 plus €1.35 at night, at weekends and on holidays), with a one-off supplement of about €4.65 for port pick-ups. Expect the higher end from terminals 5 and 6.
Is there a boat from the Palma de Mallorca cruise port to the old town?
From 1 November 2026 a new harbour boat bus, the Bus Nàutic, is due to carry cruise passengers between the Dic de l'Oest and Poniente terminals and La Lonja, beside the old town. Reports give a €10 single and €18 return fare, and the operator is Palma Cruises, appointed for one year. No journey time or timetable for the cruise lines has been published yet, so check it before you rely on it.
Things to do
What can you not miss in Palma de Mallorca in one day?
Palma Cathedral (La Seu) is the stop to build a day around: it is the most-reviewed ticket in Palma, with about 17,800 reviews on one booking site, and it opens to visitors on a timed ticket from about $12, with an option that includes the terraces. Terrace ascents run on the hour and half hour, the last at 16:30, and bad weather can close them. A guided old-town walk of under two hours pairs well with it.
How do you spend 4 hours in Palma?
In four hours the realistic Palma plan is the old town, because the terminals are 2.5 to 3.7 miles from the cathedral and you spend part of the time getting there. A ship's shuttle takes 10 to 15 minutes each way, and a guided old-town walk runs under two hours and starts in the old town, as in the 3-hour plan. Boat trips of 2 to 4 hours need a longer window.
What are the best cruise excursions in Palma de Mallorca?
The most-reviewed Palma excursions we could open are a guided quad bike tour (2 to 3 hours, rated 4.7 from about 3,100 reviews), a deluxe catamaran trip with snorkelling (4 hours) and a guided old-town walk (under 2 hours, rated 4.9). Day trips to the Caves of Drach, wineries and the Sóller train take 5 to 8 hours, so they only suit long calls. The Pro Picks have the details.
Can you book a Caves of Drach or Sóller tour from the Palma de Mallorca cruise port?
The Caves of Drach, Sóller train and full-island tours we found list hotel and resort pick-ups only, at about 8:15 to 9:20 in the morning, and the booking system assigns the nearest pick-up point to your hotel. As a cruise passenger, ask the operator before you book whether a pick-up point works from the terminals, and what time you would be back against your ship's all-aboard.
Beaches & water
Can you walk to a beach from the Palma de Mallorca cruise port?
Only from terminals 1 to 4: Cala Major, a small town beach about 0.9 miles west of those quays, is a 20 to 25 minute walk, or a short ride on bus 4 from Portopí or by taxi. From terminals 5 and 6 on the Dic de l'Oest no beach is a short walk, so you need a taxi or the bus.
Can you go snorkelling from Palma on a catamaran cruise?
Yes. The deluxe catamaran trip from the Muelle de Golondrinas on the Paseo Marítimo lasts 4 hours and includes snorkel gear, stand-up paddleboards, a water slide and snacks at its swim stop, then sails back past the cathedral. The date can be rescheduled if sea conditions are poor, and you should arrive at least 15 minutes before departure.
Money & safety
Do you need euros in Palma de Mallorca?
Yes. Spain uses the euro, according to the European Central Bank, and Palma has no separate local currency. Taxi fares and the harbour boat bus fare are quoted in euros, so bring euros or a card that works abroad.
Is Palma de Mallorca safe for cruise passengers?
The U.S. State Department rates Spain Level 2, "Exercise increased caution", because of terrorism and unrest. That is a rating for the whole country, not for Palma specifically. Read the full advisory on travel.state.gov before you go.