RhodesCruise Port Guide
Old Town gates a short walk from the gangway, and Symi or Lindos if you've got the whole day. Timed plans, real prices and a map of what's reachable on foot.
Welcome to Rhodes
Pro Picks
Island boat trip · 7–8 hrsSymi Island by speedboat
A fast boat from the harbour beside the Old Town to the pastel-coloured town of Symi, with more than three hours of free time to wander, shop and eat before the ride back. It meets at Kolona Harbour, and you should pick the return that gets you aboard well before all-aboard.
From $35.88/ person
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Bus tour · 7 hrsLindos and Seven Springs by bus
An air-conditioned bus day down the east coast: about an hour at Seven Springs, where you walk a 186-meter water tunnel, then three hours of free time in Lindos village. Pickup is from hotels and the listing doesn't name the cruise port, so confirm a port pickup with the operator before booking.
From $19.72/ person
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Palace tour · 1 hrPalace of the Grand Master with audio tour
An e-ticket and a self-guided audio tour on your own phone for the Knights' palace inside the Old Town walls, about 0.3 miles from the pier. Budget 45 to 60 minutes inside; the Ministry of Culture lists summer hours of 08:00 to 20:00.
From $29.13/ person
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Count from leaving the ship to being back aboard.
Rhodes in 2 hours
Glass-bottom submarine
Yellow Submarine Cruise
A 45-minute cruise with an air-conditioned underwater cabin and 22 viewing windows, a diver feeding fish and commentary from the upper deck. Meet at the desk near the Rhodes Courthouse; the captain can change the route for weather.
From$16.74
Time required45 minutes
Palace ticket & audio tour
Palace of the Grand Master E-Ticket
Walk up through the Old Town to the Knights' palace with an e-ticket and an offline audio tour on your phone; book per device, not per person. The palace is open 08:00 to 20:00 from April to October.
From$29.13
Time required50 minutes - 1 day
Rhodes in 5 hours
Fishing & snorkel boat trip
Fishing, Snorkelling and BBQ Boat Trip
A small wooden boat from Kolona port outside the Old Town: about an hour of trolling for tuna and mahi mahi, snorkelling and a barbecue meal. Runs rain or shine but not in storms, so keep a back-up plan.
From$69.97
Time required5 hours
Rhodes in 8 hours
Symi island boat trip
High-Speed Boat to Symi and St George's Bay
A fast boat from Mandraki Harbour to Symi with about three hours of free time and a 30-minute swim at St George's Bay. Departures are 09:00, 11:00 and 15:15; the listing prints no return times, so check them against all-aboard.
From$61.58
Time required6 - 9 hours
Catamaran swim cruise
All-Inclusive Catamaran with Lunch and Drinks
Six hours on a catamaran to Anthony Quinn Bay, Ladiko Bay and Kallithea Springs, with lunch, drinks and snorkelling. Arrive at the operator's desk at Mandraki Harbour 20 minutes before departure.
From$66.95
Time required6 hours
Lindos self-guided day trip
Lindos Round-Trip Bus Transfer
A self-guided day: about 1 hour 15 minutes by bus each way and 5 hours of free time in Lindos, dropped at the Krana main square. It leaves from hotels at 08:30 to 09:00, so confirm a port pickup with the operator first.
From$22.70
Time required7.5 hours
Within a stroll of the boat
Six stops on foot from the Tourist Port, with the Old Town gate about 0.1 mile away. Elli Beach is the farthest, about 19 minutes along the waterfront. Ships that use Akandia, the commercial port, are a longer walk of 12 to 20 minutes from the Old Town.
Street · 0.1 mi · ~5 min
Street of the Knights
The street through the Old Town toward the Palace of the Grand Master. A guide lists it as free to explore, so it costs nothing to start here.
Museum · 0.1 mi · ~4 min
Archaeological Museum of Rhodes
A museum set in a 15th-century former hospital, according to one guide, which suggests 30 to 45 minutes. We haven't confirmed its hours or ticket price.
Castle · 0.3 mi · ~7 min
Palace of the Grand Master
The Knights' medieval palace. The Ministry of Culture lists it open 08:00 to 20:00 from April to October with a full ticket of 20 euros; allow 45 to 60 minutes inside, more when cruise-day queues build.
Market · 0.3 mi · ~7 min
New Market (Nea Agora)
The market building beside Mandraki harbour, just outside the Old Town walls. We haven't confirmed its hours or what the stalls sell.
Harbour · 0.3 mi · ~8 min
Mandraki Harbour
The harbour north of the Old Town, reached through the Marine Gate. A guide points to the deer statues and the site of the Colossus, and several of the boat trips on this page leave from here.
Beach · 0.9 mi · ~19 min
Elli Beach
The town beach at the north tip of Rhodes Town, reached on foot along flat waterfront pavements. We haven't confirmed sunbed prices or whether any stretch is free.
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 Rhodes.
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.
- Municipal Port Fund of South Dodecanese: Rhodes ports
- Celebrity Cruises: Rhodes port guide
- Hellenic Ministry of Culture: Palace of the Grand Master of the Knights
- U.S. Embassy in Greece: Travel to Greece
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection: Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative
- US State Department: Greece travel advisory
Getting ashore
Where do cruise ships dock in Rhodes?
Most cruise ships dock at Rhodes' Tourist Port, also called Kolona, on Akti Sachtouri just east of the Old Town. The Municipal Port Fund of South Dodecanese lists it as the cruise port, and Celebrity describes a long pier beside the Old Town; none of the sources we read mention tendering. Akandia, the commercial ferry port, is the overflow berth, so confirm yours in the ship's daily program.
Which pier does Celebrity use in Rhodes?
Celebrity's own port guide says its ships dock at a long pier just east of the Old Town, the same side of town as the Tourist Port. We couldn't find a published list that ties other cruise lines to one quay, and Akandia takes overflow, so your ship's daily program is the place to confirm the berth.
Is there a cruise terminal at Rhodes?
The Tourist Port has a Home Port Lounge, a duty-free shop, a passenger waiting area with medical facilities, an information desk and a parking area for prepaid excursion buses, according to the Municipal Port Fund; it doesn't describe a separate terminal building. Akandia is a working ferry port with little more than a ticket kiosk and no waiting area, shade, toilets or food.
Is there anything to do at the Rhodes cruise port?
Yes, but the sights are just beyond the pier rather than on it. The Tourist Port has a lounge and duty-free shop, and the nearest Old Town gate is a 5 to 10 minute walk. The Palace of the Grand Master is open 08:00 to 20:00 from April to October for 20 euros, per the Hellenic Ministry of Culture, and the Old Town needs about 1.5 to 2.5 hours at a relaxed pace. See the stroll map.
Can you walk from Rhodes Port to Old Town?
Yes. From the Tourist Port the Old Town's nearest gate is about 300 to 600 meters away, a 5 to 10 minute flat walk, and Celebrity quotes about 10 minutes. From Akandia it's farther, roughly 12 to 20 minutes depending on the source, mostly along a road built for vehicles. The stroll map shows the closest stops.
Are there taxis at the Rhodes cruise port?
Yes. Celebrity says taxis wait at the Rhodes port for guests who'd rather not walk, and a guide describes a taxi rank at the pier exit. We couldn't find an official fare table, so agree the fare with the driver before you set off. The Old Town gate is only a 5 to 10 minute walk, so most people skip the taxi for town.
Beaches & water
Can you walk to a beach from the Rhodes cruise port?
Yes, to Elli Beach, the town beach at the north end of Rhodes Town: about 0.9 miles, or 15 to 20 minutes on flat waterfront pavements from the Tourist Port. It's on the far side of Mandraki harbour, so it's a longer walk from Akandia. We haven't confirmed sunbed prices or whether any stretch is free.
Things to do
What to do in Rhodes, Greece from a cruise ship?
Most cruisers do one of three things: stay in the Old Town, which is a 5 to 10 minute walk from the Tourist Port and takes about 1.5 to 2.5 hours at a relaxed pace; take a boat trip from the harbours beside it; or go to Lindos, about 50 km away, for the day. For a short call, start with our 2-hour plans.
When is the Palace of the Grand Master open and what does it cost?
From 1 April to 31 October the Palace of the Grand Master is open 08:00 to 20:00, and the full ticket is 20 euros in both seasons, according to the Hellenic Ministry of Culture. From 1 November to 31 March it opens 08:30 to 15:30 and is closed on Tuesdays. It's also closed on 1 January, 25 March, Orthodox Easter Sunday, 1 May and 25 and 26 December; allow 45 to 60 minutes inside.
What are the best excursions in Rhodes from a cruise ship?
The most-booked excursions on GetYourGuide's Rhodes page are Symi boat trips and Lindos bus tours. On 2026-10-15 the Symi speedboat trip had 4.5 stars from 5,748 reviews, and the Lindos and Seven Springs bus tour had 4.3 stars from 3,898 reviews and started from $19.72. Our Pro Picks and time plans show the options that fit your hours.
Can I get to Lindos from the Rhodes cruise port?
Yes, but plan a full day: Lindos is about 50 km from Rhodes Town, and Celebrity gives the bus ride as about an hour and 20 minutes each way. The bus tours we list pick up at hotels and don't name the cruise port, so confirm a port pickup with the operator and keep a generous margin before all-aboard. See the full-day plans.
How busy is Rhodes on a cruise day?
Busy in summer: 61 cruise ships and 83,720 passengers called at the Port of Rhodes in July 2026. The Municipal Port Fund says the Tourist Port and Akandia together can take up to 5 cruise ships and more than 10,000 passengers and crew in a day. Queues at the Palace of the Grand Master can be long on busy days, so head there first.
Money & documents
What currency is used in Rhodes, and do I need to tip?
Rhodes uses the euro, and credit cards are widely accepted on the island, according to Celebrity's port guide. Tipping isn't a strong custom in Greece: restaurant service is usually included, a little extra is fine for exceptional service, and good tour guides are typically tipped 5 to 10 euros.
Do I need a passport for a cruise stop in Rhodes?
Yes, carry your passport. The U.S. Embassy in Greece says U.S. citizens can visit as tourists without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. U.S. Customs and Border Protection says the birth-certificate option applies to closed-loop cruises and that you may still be required to present a passport in the countries your ship visits, so a Rhodes call is a reason to bring one.
Safety
Is Rhodes safe for cruise passengers?
The US State Department rates Greece Level 1: Exercise Normal Precautions, and says petty crime is common, especially in popular tourist locations. The advisory covers the whole country; we found no separate warning for Rhodes.