Most Melbourne cruise ships dock at Station Pier in Port Melbourne, though a few sailings land at Webb Dock East or West instead. Station Pier is about 20 minutes from the city centre on the 109 tram. Once you’re off the ship, Bay Street’s cafes and the boardwalks past the pier are worth the walk.
Where cruise ships dock in Melbourne
Station Pier is the old passenger terminal in Port Melbourne that handles nearly every cruise call the city gets. A smaller terminal at Webb Dock East picks up some of the overflow, and a handful of ships, Pacific Explorer among them, have used Webb Dock West instead.
Check your cruise line’s documents for the exact terminal, because the three sit in different corners of the port and you can’t just turn up at whichever one looks closest. Station Pier handles more cruise traffic than anywhere else in Victoria, and if your trip takes in other ports around the state, the Victoria cruise ship ports guide covers how they connect.
Station Pier has more than one working berth. If you’re meeting someone coming off a ship, check which berth they’re on rather than guessing it’s the one nearest the gate.
Melbourne cruise port map
Ships dock at Melbourne cruise port. From Station Pier terminal, Princes Pier is about a 8-minute walk and Bay Street about 22 minutes. Tap a pin for directions.
- Melbourne cruise portWhere ships dock
- Princes PierAbout 8 min walk from Station Pier terminal
- Bay StreetAbout 22 min walk from Station Pier terminal
- Hosier LaneAbout 6 km from Station Pier terminal, taxi or bus
- Flinders Street StationAbout 5 km from Station Pier terminal, taxi or bus
- Southern Cross Station
- Federation Square
- Queen Victoria Market
- Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria
- Eureka Skydeck
- St Paul’s Cathedral
- National Gallery of Victoria
- Melbourne Cricket Ground
- Brighton Bathing Boxes
- St Kilda Beach
- Shrine of Remembrance
- Chinatown Melbourne
- Great Ocean Road
Getting into Melbourne from Station Pier
Getting into Melbourne from Station Pier is quickest on the 109 tram, which leaves right outside the terminal and goes to Melbourne Town Hall and Collins Street, running every 15 minutes.
There’s a taxi rank at the terminal if you’d rather skip tram tickets altogether. Allow around 20 minutes from the CBD and around 40 minutes from Melbourne Airport, though traffic can push both either way.
Parking at Station Pier
Parking at Station Pier itself isn’t open to the public; on cruise ship days the pier is reserved for ticketed passengers and staff only. A limited number of short-term spaces sit next door in the Waterfront Place precinct, and you’ll pay for the privilege.
For longer stays, Ace Parking on Bay Street in Port Melbourne is about a 10 minute walk from the dock and has both cruise and casual rates. You can’t book ahead here, it’s first come, first served, so turning up early is the only way to guarantee a space on a busy sailing day.
Private operators also run pre-booked park and shuttle packages from sites further out, handy if you’d rather have the space locked in before you leave home.
If someone’s dropping you off or picking you up by car, they need to wait in the car park at the entrance to Station Pier, not on the pier itself.
Inside Station Pier terminal
Inside Station Pier terminal you’ll find a small cafe, a gift shop that doubles as a post office, a security checkpoint, and the gangway itself, which is wheelchair accessible. There’s a ticketing counter for the 109 tram on the upper level, plus public phones.
The terminal doesn’t keep wheelchairs on hand for passengers, so arrange a rental through your cruise line before you travel if you need one. Free wifi is advertised on the pier, but coverage comes and goes, so have your own data plan as backup.
Station Pier is open to the public from 6am to 9pm on days when no ship is in, but it closes to everyone except ticketed passengers and staff whenever a cruise ship, or certain naval vessels, are docked.
Where to eat near Melbourne cruise port
The best place to eat near Melbourne cruise port is Bay Street in Port Melbourne, a short walk or one tram stop from Station Pier, where the cafes run from a quick takeaway coffee to a proper sit-down brunch.
- Banh mi: Vietnamese filled rolls along Bay Street, with options running from crackling pork and charcoal barbecue chicken to vegan duck, tofu and crispy mushroom.
- Vietnamese dishes: dumplings, spring rolls, soup, stir fry and hot pots at a Vietnamese restaurant on Bay Street.
- French-style cafe fare: pastries, baguettes, sandwiches and savouries at a French-leaning cafe on Bay Street.
- Bakery treats: cinnamon scrolls and hotcakes from a corner bakery on Bay Street, good fuel before a walk.
What to wear in Melbourne: outfit ideas for a port day
What to wear in Melbourne for a port day depends on where you’re headed: cobblestones at Hosier Lane, a flat walk down Station Pier itself, and timber boardwalks on the beach past the end of the pier.
Flat, comfortable shoes cover all three, including walking shoes built for all-day wear if Hosier Lane’s cobbles and the beach boardwalks are both on your list. Station Pier’s own path is step-free and smooth, so the tricky underfoot stuff is all a short tram ride away, not at the terminal itself.
For more ideas, have a look at these casual cruise outfit ideas for women and cruise outfit ideas for men.
Best photo spots in Melbourne
The best photo spots in Melbourne for a port day are spread across the city centre and the bayside suburbs, all reachable from Station Pier by tram or taxi.
- Hosier Lane: Melbourne’s best-known street art laneway, a cobbled passage best shot before 9am before the crowds arrive.
- Flinders Street Station: a classic night shot, with tram light trails that come out well using a 5 to 10 second exposure as the lights change.
- St Kilda Pier: home to a resident penguin colony, best visited after sunset when the city lights come on behind the bay.
- Princes Pier: a collapsed pier near Port Melbourne where the sunset reflections on the water are worth the short walk from Station Pier.
Long exposure shots at Flinders Street Station or sunset photos at Princes Pier chew through battery fast, so a portable charger with enough juice for a full day is worth packing if photography’s the plan.
How to spend a port day in Melbourne
A port day in Melbourne works best if you pick one: a relaxed walk around Station Pier’s beach and Bay Street, or a tram ride into the city for Hosier Lane and Flinders Street Station.
Before you sail
- Confirm whether your ship docks at Station Pier, Webb Dock East or West.
- Arrange wheelchair hire through your cruise line, the terminal keeps none on site.
- Check Victoria's official ports schedule if you want to know which ships share the port.
Short port day: under 6 hours
- On dockingWalk down Station PierStep-free walkThe path down the pier is level and smooth, about a 10 minute walk to the terminal building.
- +20 minBeach boardwalksFollow the timber boardwalks that start right where the pier meets the beach.
- +1 hrPrinces PierA short walk from Station Pier, this collapsed pier gives quiet views back across the bay.
- +1 hr 45 minLunch on Bay StreetTry banh miBay Street's Vietnamese bakeries do banh mi rolls with fillings from crackling pork to vegan duck.
- +3 hrBay Street cafesLinger over coffee or cinnamon scrolls at a corner bakery before heading back to the ship.
- All-aboard minus 1 hrBack at Station PierAllow time to clear security; the pier closes to the public once a cruise ship is in.
The time on the map is the whole walk, every stop added together.
Open this walking route in Google Maps
If plans change: If Princes Pier is closed, spend longer around Bay Street's cafes and bakeries instead.
Long port day: 8 hours or more
- On dockingWalk down Station PierStep-free walkThe path down the pier is level and smooth, about a 10 minute walk to the terminal building.
- +20 min109 tram into the cityEvery 15 minBoard the 109 tram right outside the terminal to Melbourne Town Hall, about 20 minutes.
- +1 hrHosier Lane street artCobbled lanewayA short walk from Collins Street. Expect cobblestones underfoot among Melbourne's best known graffiti.
- +2 hrFlinders Street StationA 5 minute walk from Hosier Lane. Explore the CBD around the station before heading back.
- +3 hr 30 minTram back for lunchTry banh miTake the 109 tram back towards Bay Street, about 20 minutes, for a banh mi or Vietnamese lunch.
- +5 hr 30 minPrinces Pier walkA short stroll from Bay Street back towards the ship, with quiet views across the bay.
- All-aboard minus 90 minBack at Station PierAllow time to clear security; the pier closes to the public once a cruise ship is in.
The times on the map are for the whole journey there by train and bus.
Get train and bus times in Google Maps
If plans change: If the 109 tram is delayed or packed, use the taxi rank at the terminal to reach the city instead.
Melbourne cruise port FAQs
Where do cruise ships dock in Melbourne?
Cruise ships dock in Melbourne at Station Pier in Port Melbourne, with a handful of sailings using Webb Dock East or Webb Dock West instead.
How do I get from Station Pier to Melbourne’s CBD?
The 109 tram runs directly from Station Pier to Melbourne Town Hall and Collins Street in about 20 minutes, departing every 15 minutes.
Is there parking at Station Pier?
Parking isn’t available at Station Pier itself; short-term parking sits nearby at Waterfront Place, and long-term parking is at Ace Parking on Bay Street, about a 10 minute walk away.
Can someone drop me off or pick me up at Station Pier?
Private pick-ups and drop-offs happen in the car park at the entrance to Station Pier, where drivers wait rather than driving onto the pier itself.
Does Station Pier terminal provide wheelchairs?
Station Pier terminal doesn’t provide wheelchairs, so arrange a rental through your cruise line before you arrive if you need one.
Can I walk on Station Pier when no cruise ship is in?
Station Pier is open to the public from 6am to 9pm on days without a cruise ship, but it closes to everyone except ticketed passengers when a ship is in port.
Does my Melbourne cruise call at other nearby ports?
Many itineraries that include Melbourne also stop at other Victorian ports such as Geelong, Portland on the western Victorian coast or Phillip Island, or carry on to Sydney to the north or Hobart in Tasmania.
How do I find out which ships are in Melbourne today?
Which ships are in Melbourne on any given day is best checked against the official Victorian ports schedule rather than a guide like this one, since sailings shift throughout the season.
Last Updated: 29 October 2026