Key West Cruise Port
Key West, United States · Caribbean
Cruise ships dock at Pier B (Margaritaville Cruise Berth), Key West.
Cruise ships berth alongside in Key West Old Town. Mallory Square is on the dock; Hemingway, Duval Street and the Southernmost Point are 10-20 min walks.
At a glance
Port summary
Key West has three cruise berths sharing the same harbour: Pier B (private, the headline berth used by most large ships), Mallory Square Pier (smaller ships, right at the sunset celebration plaza) and Outer Mole Pier (Naval Air Station-managed, used as overflow). All three drop you directly into Old Town — the entire historic core is walkable in 30-45 minutes. Most cruisers stay in town: Mallory Square, Duval Street, the Hemingway Home and the Southernmost Point Buoy fall in a one-mile loop. Adventurous cruisers with 9+ port hours can take the 07:30 Yankee Freedom catamaran to Dry Tortugas (2h15 each way; book 30+ days ahead).
Cruise docks
🚢 Pier B (Margaritaville Cruise Berth)
Privately operated by Pier B Development at the Margaritaville Beach Resort - Key West's primary cruise berth, used by most large ships. 5 min walk to Mallory Square; 10 min to Duval Street. Overpass-confirmed man_made=pier.
📍 Latitude: 24.557313, Longitude: -81.808984
See dock on port map →🚢 Mallory Square Pier (City Cruise Berth)
City-operated cruise berth at the north end of Mallory Square. Used by smaller ships - Disney Wonder, Holland America Eurodam etc. Step off straight into the sunset celebration plaza.
📍 Latitude: 24.559188, Longitude: -81.806745
See dock on port map →🚢 Outer Mole Pier (Naval Cruise Berth)
Naval Air Station-managed pier at the southwest end of Truman Annex - used as overflow when Pier B and Mallory are occupied. 15 min walk to Mallory Square or take the free shuttle.
📍 Latitude: 24.551562, Longitude: -81.811377
See dock on port map →Getting to Key West
From the cruise terminal to the city centre
Old Town is flat and 1 sq mi — Mallory Square 2 min, Sloppy Joe's 5 min, Hemingway Home 15 min, Southernmost Point 20 min. Sidewalks are mostly accessible; some are cracked.
📍 Step off the gangway into Mallory Square or onto Front Street
The Duval Loop is a free city bus that loops Old Town every 15 min — perfect when feet tire. Key West Transit (KWT) covers the rest of the island; the Lower Keys Shuttle ($4) reaches Bahia Honda State Park (50 min north).
📍 Duval Loop stops on Front Street and Whitehead; KWT stops on N Roosevelt Blvd
Yellow cabs and Pink Taxis are metered; tip 15-20%. For wheelchair access, book Five 6 Taxi by phone (305-296-6666) — they have one accessible van.
📍 Taxi stands at Pier B and Mallory Square; flag on Duval after dark
Both Uber and Lyft cover Key West with surge pricing on Friday/Saturday evenings and during Fantasy Fest. Cheaper than yellow cabs for short hops. Wait can stretch to 10-15 min during cruise rush.
📍 Open the Uber or Lyft app — pickups happen at the dock gate
Both are narrated sightseeing loops covering Mallory Square, Duval Street, Hemingway Home, Southernmost Point, Bahama Village and Smathers Beach. Old Town Trolley has hop-on/off; Conch Train is single-ride with a guide.
📍 Conch Tour Train stops at Mallory Square; Old Town Trolley at Front Street
Map & things to do
Money & payments
A contactless card and a phone with Apple Pay / Google Pay covers everything. $20-50 cash is plenty for tips, tour-train conductors and the rare cash-only kiosk.
Things to do
Southernmost Point Buoy
Short stop⭐ Highlight
Concrete buoy marking the southernmost point of the continental United States — 90 miles to Cuba.
🕐 Sunrise or after 16:00 — the photo queue stretches an hour from 10:00-15:00.
Mallory Square Sunset Celebration
Short stop⭐ Highlight
Nightly carnival of buskers and food carts on the dock at golden hour — Key West's ritual.
🕐 Show up 60 min before sunset; performers warm up and the dock fills fast.
Duval Street Walk
Short stop🚶 Walk
1.4-mile main drag from Mallory to the Atlantic — bars, galleries, drag shows and key-lime stalls.
🕐 Late afternoon — shops still open, bars come alive, less midday heat.
Higgs Beach
🏖️ Beach
Free public beach with 200-m fishing pier, palm shade and the African Cemetery Memorial.
🕐 Late morning to mid-afternoon for sun and warm Atlantic swimming.
Dry Tortugas Yankee Freedom Ferry
🎯 Activity
Yankee Freedom catamaran to Dry Tortugas — Fort Jefferson, snorkeling and lunch included.
🕐 07:30 sailing only — book 30+ days ahead, this fills.
Conch Tour Train (Old Town Loop)
🎯 Activity
90-min open-air narrated train loop of every Old Town landmark — wheelchair-accessible.
🕐 First train at 09:00 before Duval traffic clogs the route.
Sloppy Joe's Bar
Short stop🍹 Bar
Hemingway's 1933 watering hole on Duval — live music, sloppy-joe sandwiches, Captain Tony heritage.
🕐 Mid-afternoon between bands; nights are loud and packed shoulder-to-shoulder.
Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum
Short stop🏛️ Museum
Hemingway's 1851 limestone villa where he wrote nine books — 60 polydactyl cats still in residence.
🕐 First entry at 09:00 to beat the cruise rush; guided tours run every 15 min.
Fort Zachary Taylor & Beach
🏛️ Museum
1845 brick Civil War fort with the largest US seacoast cannon collection plus best public beach.
🕐 Mid-morning for the fort tour, then beach for the afternoon — bring a snorkel.
Truman Little White House
Short stop🏛️ Museum
Truman's winter retreat — 1940s décor, Cuban Missile Crisis map room, kept as he left it.
🕐 First tour at 09:00; guided tours every 30 min.
Key West Lighthouse & Keeper's Quarters
Short stop🏛️ Museum
Climb 88 steps to the top of the 1848 lighthouse — best free Old Town panorama in town.
🕐 Mid-morning before midday heat hits the open observation deck.
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Plan my day →Frequently asked questions
- Where does my cruise ship dock in Key West?
- Your ship docks at one of the cruise terminals in Key West, United States. The specific berth is assigned by the port a few days before arrival.
- Can I walk from the cruise port into Key West?
- Yes. Key West is walkable from the cruise port — many cruisers reach the city centre on foot.
- How do I get from the cruise port to Key West centre?
- Typical options include On foot, Local bus, Taxi, Ride-hail (Uber/Bolt), Other transport. Durations and costs are listed in the transport section above.
- How much time do I need in Key West?
- Plan for at least 3 hours ashore to see Key West independently and return to the ship with a safe buffer.
- What currency is used in Key West and are cards accepted?
- Key West uses the US Dollar. Carry some cash for markets, taxis, and smaller vendors — cards aren't accepted everywhere.
- Is there Wi-Fi at the cruise port?
- Wi-Fi isn't reliably available at the Key West cruise terminal. Consider a local SIM or your cruise line's data package.
- 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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