Cape Town Cruise Port
Cape Town, South Africa · Africa
Cruise ships dock at E Berth — Cape Town Cruise Terminal, Cape Town.
Plan my port daysScenic, well-organised cruise port beside the V&A Waterfront with excellent independent options.
At a glance
Port summary
Cape Town rewards independent travellers, but the sights are spread out and traffic is real. Decide between the city and waterfront or a longer trip to Cape Point, and leave a generous return buffer.
Cruise dock
E Berth — Cape Town Cruise Terminal
The dedicated cruise berth at E Berth in Duncan Dock, served by the Cape Town Cruise Terminal building. About 2 km from the city centre and a short walk from the V&A Waterfront.
Latitude: -33.910497, Longitude: 18.425979
See dock on port map →Getting to Cape Town
From the cruise terminal to the city centre
Map & things to do
Money & payments
Use Uber/Bolt and cards for almost everything; keep small rand for tips and markets.
Build your perfect day in Cape Town
Tell us your cruise line, ship and departure date and we'll give you a complete set of full port information and playbooks of how to spend your day.
Inside the Africa collection
Here's a peek at everything waiting for your Cape Town cruise day.
Typical weather
Emergency & contacts
Excursions compared
4 comparedCape Town city tour and Table Mountain cableway
≈ 4 h · sold by 6 cruise lines
Cruise line
€115$129
Do it yourself
€45$50
Save ≈ €70Save ≈ $78 (61% off)
The cruise terminal sits inside the working harbour; a free or low-cost shuttle and a 15-minute walk link it to the V&A Waterfront, where the City Sightseeing red bus departs (stop 1). A one-day hop-on ticket is about R260 (€13) and the Red City Line runs to the Table Mountain Lower Cableway every 15–20 min. The cableway return ticket is R395 (€20); buy online to skip the peak-day queue. Bo-Kaap and the City Bowl are reachable on the same bus loop.
See the DIY plan →
Cape Peninsula, Cape Point and Boulders Beach penguins
≈ 8 h · sold by 6 cruise lines
Cruise line
€175$196
Do it yourself
€83$93
Save ≈ €92Save ≈ $103 (53% off)
Cape Point is ~70 km south of the port and impractical by public transport, so the realistic DIY is City Sightseeing's pre-booked Cape Point & Penguin Explorer coach, which departs the V&A Waterfront (stop 1, 15-min walk from the terminal) for R475 (€24). That fare is transport and a live guide only — Cape Point reserve entry R515 (€26), the Flying Dutchman funicular R110 (€6) and Boulders Beach entry R245 (€12) are paid at the gate, plus lunch in Simon's Town. The coach returns to the Waterfront in the late afternoon.
See the DIY plan →
Ready-made port days
15 plansTable Mountain & the City by Red Bus
The must-do first day — the cableway to Table Mountain's summit and the City Bowl highlights, all on the hop-on red bus.
Cape Peninsula & Cape Point
The great southern loop — Chapman's Peak, the Cape of Good Hope and the Boulders penguins in one epic day.
Boulders Penguins & Simon's Town
An easy half-day for the penguin lovers — the Boulders colony and the salty naval village of Simon's Town, by train or car.
Robben Island & the Struggle History
Cape Town's most moving morning — the ferry to Mandela's prison island, then District Six and Bo-Kaap.
Frequently asked questions
- Where does my cruise ship dock in Cape Town?
- Your ship docks directly at the Cape Town cruise terminal in South Africa.
- Can I walk from the cruise port into Cape Town?
- Yes. Cape Town is walkable from the cruise port — many cruisers reach the city centre on foot.
- How do I get from the cruise port to Cape Town centre?
- Typical options include Ride-hail (Uber/Bolt), Taxi, On foot, Local bus, Shuttle bus. Durations and costs are listed in the transport section above.
- How much time do I need in Cape Town?
- Plan for at least 4 hours ashore to see Cape Town independently and return to the ship with a safe buffer.
- What currency is used in Cape Town and are cards accepted?
- Cape Town uses the South African Rand. Carry some cash for markets, taxis, and smaller vendors — cards aren't accepted everywhere.
- Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?
- Free Wi-Fi is available at the Cape Town cruise terminal.
- When should I be back at the ship?
- Cruise lines usually require all passengers on board about 30 minutes before scheduled departure. Confirm the exact all-aboard time on your daily programme.
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