Cardiff Cruise Terminal: Port Info
Cardiff has a long and proud history as the capital city of Wales. A historic port city fed by the river Taff, Cardiff has a lively waterfront and harbour area to explore in addition to its ancient city centre. In Cardiff you will find the hub of all things Welsh, from Cardiff castle to the Welsh parliament building.
See all cruises from Cardiff.
Cruise lines and destinations from Cardiff
Cardiff cruise port is capable of harbouring small to medium-sized cruise ships. This makes Cardiff cruise port perfect for hosting small to medium-sized ships and other lines like Silversea with their intimate luxury yachts.
As well as being the gateway to inland Wales, Cardiff serves as a cruise port with a rich variety of destinations to choose from. From the cruise capital of Wales it’s possible to sail on itineraries covering not only the British Isles but also Northern and Southern Europe.
On a cruise around Britain from Cardiff, passengers can visit cities such as Liverpool and Dublin or explore the wild beauty of the Scottish Hebrides or Scilly Islands. Furthermore, Northern European cruises include Iceland and the Faroes as well as the Baltic sea with its wide range of coastal cities and cultures such as Poland’s’ Gdansk, Germany’s Berlin and Russia’s St Petersburg. Meanwhile, if you are tempted by the south, you will find cruises departing from Cardiff to Normandy, France, or even hugging the Atlantic coast of Western Europe to Spain and Portugal.
- British Isles: Dublin, Liverpool, Hebrides, Scilly
- Northern Europe: Iceland, Poland, Germany, Russia, Sweden
- Southern Europe: France, Spain, Portugal
Cardiff Cruise Terminal Facilities
Cardiff cruise terminal has long and short stay car parking, a taxi rank and baggage handling assistance. The port is also fully disabled-friendly but please inform us of any transport or transfer issues or assistance you may need with your booking, so we can best make arrangements to accommodate you.
In Cardiff city centre and the waterfront harbour area you will find all the shops, restaurants and hotels you could want either before or after your cruise holiday.
Getting to Cardiff Cruise Terminal
By Car
Driving from London takes approximately three hours via the M4 over the Prince of Wales Bridge. From Swansea, allow around an hour via the M4 eastbound motorway and then the A4232. Once close to the Cardiff city waterfront, signs are clearly visible while the Sat Nav code is CF10 4LQ.
Please note that you must enter the terminal facility through the east gate in order to go through security. Entry via the west gate is not permitted. Long-stay car parking is available in the port facility across from the terminal building. You must book this in advance when you book your cruise from Cardiff. Once parked, make sure you clearly display the ticket on the dashboard of your car. From here, the baggage assistance will help you transport your luggage from the terminal to check-in.
By Public Transport
There is a direct train from London Paddington stopping at Reading, Swindon, Bristol Parkway and Newport. If travelling from the north of England or Scotland by train, your best connections are via either Bristol Parkway or Newport on to Cardiff. Meanwhile, from Swansea there are regular services taking approximately 50 minutes.
There are no public bus routes going to the port facility, and you are not permitted to enter the east gate on foot. However, you will find a taxi rank directly outside Cardiff Central station, which will allow you to enter through the east gate entrance just as you would in a private car. Cardiff International is the closest airport at only half an hour’s drive – 15 miles from the cruise terminal. You can fly direct to Cardiff airport throughout Western Europe and the British Isles as well as from Iceland, Turkey, Qatar and Barbados.
Tourism: what to do and see in Cardiff
As the capital of Wales there’s no shortage of things to do and see either side of your cruise from Cardiff. The home of the Millennium Stadium, the BBC Wales Studios and the magnificent Cardiff Castle, the city really has something for everyone. The centre boasts a host of shopping, dining and hotel options.
As well as the open-top bus tours, highlights of a day in Cardiff have to be the National Museum, Cardiff castle, Techniquest science museum and St Fagan’s National Museum of History.
| Highlight | Information |
|---|---|
| Techniquest | Hands-on science museum for all the family. |
| National Museum Cardiff | Natural history, archaeology, pre-history, dinosaurs and historic art all under one roof. |
| Cardiff Castle | From the Romans and high Middle Ages to WWI and the present day, Cardiff castle boasts 2000 years of history. |
| St Fagan’s National Museum of History | Charming open-air living museum depicting rural Welsh life over the centuries. |