Juan Sebastian Elcano cruise terminal
Cruise terminal on the Muelle Alfonso XII at the edge of the old town; a new terminal building of up to 700 m2 (3,000 passengers/hour disembarking) is being procured.
Cartagena, Spain
Cartagena, on Spain's south-east coast in the Region of Murcia, sits on a deep natural harbour ringed by hills and fortifications. More about Cartagena →
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Ship schedule by month
October 2026 · from today · all times local (Central European Time)
ShipDateArrivalDeparture
Showing 8 of 8 calls in October
Cruise Ships in Cartagena
Today and the next 7 days · all times local (Central European Time)
Today · Fri 23 OctBusy
2,803 people in port
1 ship · ships alongside 08:00 – 18:00
40% busier than a typical day in Cartagena. Busiest 08:00 – 18:00, when 1 ship is alongside.
Next 7 days
Quietest: Tue 27 Oct · busiest: Thu 29 Oct- Fri23 Oct2.8kBusy1 ship
- Sat24 Oct4.3kPeak1 ship
- Sun25 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Mon26 Oct5.0kPeak1 ship
- Tue27 Oct1.3kLight2 ships
- Wed28 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Thu29 Oct5.8kPeak1 ship
Thousands of people in port, guests plus crew. Crowd level compared with a typical Cartagena day.
Planning a day in Cartagena?
The crowd calendar shows every ship and how busy the port is, hour by hour, plus the quietest and busiest days for the next 90 days.
Where is the Cartagena cruise port?
Juan Sebastian Elcano cruise terminal, Muelle Alfonso XII, Paseo Alfonso XII, 30201 Cartagena, at the edge of the old town. Some ships use the Muelle de la Curra (south side of the harbour) with a shuttle.
Terminal
Getting to the Cartagena cruise port
Region de Murcia International Airport (RMU) → Cruise terminal, Muelle Alfonso XII
36.4 km · ~28 min by car
Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.
TransportTypical priceJourneyGood to know
Taxi
Variesper vehicle
Varies
Metered or pre-agreed fare; no fixed fare.
Interbus Aeropuerto–Cartagena
EUR 1.85per person
Varies
Approximate fare. About €1.85 single, daily from 15 Apr 2026, to Cartagena bus station, about 45 minutes.
Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.
Driving to the port
The old town and the main sights are walkable from the terminal.
Cartagena Cruise Terminals
2 terminals
Muelle de la Curra
Second cruise berth on the south side of the harbour; passengers take a shuttle bus to town.
Parking at the Cartagena cruise port
Port of call; no cruise parking.
Where to Stay Before Your Cruise
Pick the area first. Typical nightly prices, approximate.
Casco Antiguo (old town)
EUR 58 / night
Walk to the ship and the Roman sights.
Typical hotel
EUR 58 / night
Port ~5 minAirport ~28 min
1.1 km and about 5 min to the terminal; 36.4 km and about 28 min to RMU.
Hotels here
- Apartamentos Cartagena Centro Historico by Cartagena Spain
- Apartamentos Turisticos Distrito Romano Cartagena Spain
Ensanche (Plaza de Espana)
EUR 70–111 / night
Modern centre near the railway and bus stations.
Typical hotel
EUR 70–111 / night
Port ~8 minAirport ~26 min
2.2 km and about 8 min to the terminal; 34.9 km and about 26 min to RMU.
Hotels here
- Hotel Sercotel Alfonso XIII
- B&B HOTEL Cartagena Cartagonova
- Apartamentos Turisticos Metropolis Cartagena Spain
Eating in Cartagena
- Coffee per item
- EUR 3
- per item
- Soft drink per item
- EUR 4
- per item
- Bottled water per item
- EUR 3
- per item
- Casual lunch per person
- EUR 10–40
- per person
- Restaurant dinner per person
- EUR 10–60
- per person
Prices are approximate, in EUR. Breakfast up to about €30. Drinks are from an old-town café: the soft-drink price is for a bottled tonic water and the water price is for sparkling water (Vichy), as no cola or still water was listed.
Where to eat
Calle Mayor
Main pedestrian street of the old town with bars, cafes and restaurants.
Plaza San Francisco
Old-town square with terraces and tapas bars.
Paseo / Muelle Alfonso XII (waterfront)
Waterfront promenade next to the cruise terminal, with restaurants including the yacht club.
Destination
About Cartagena
Cartagena, on Spain's south-east coast in the Region of Murcia, sits on a deep natural harbour ringed by hills and fortifications. Cruise ships dock at the Juan Sebastian Elcano terminal on the Muelle Alfonso XII, a few minutes' walk from the old town. In 2025 the port handled more than 257,000 cruise passengers on over 185 calls, and about 200 calls are forecast for 2026.
The city has 3,000 years of history, from Hasdrubal's Punic Qart Hadast to Roman Carthago Nova. The Roman Theatre, rediscovered in 1990 and now part of a museum by Rafael Moneo, is the closest sight to the ship. A panoramic lift climbs to Concepcion Castle for views over the harbour.
- Time zone
- Central European Time
- Currency
- EUR
Things to Do in Cartagena
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Roman Theatre Museum
Designed by Rafael Moneo, the museum leads from the Palacio de Riquelme through tunnels under the street and the medieval church of Santa Maria to the Roman Theatre, built under Augustus, rediscovered in 1990 and one of the largest in Roman Hispania, with seats for 7,000.
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Concepcion Castle
The fortress on Concepcion hill houses the Interpretation Centre of Cartagena's History, covering 3,000 years, and gives the best panoramic views of the city and its natural harbour. The panoramic lift saves the walk up.
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Molinete Roman Forum Museum
Entrance to one of the largest urban archaeological parks in Spain, on Cerro del Molinete. The visit takes in the Curia with its marble floor, the Colonial Forum, the Sanctuary of Isis, Roman streets with cart tracks, the port baths and the painted Atrium Building.
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Punic Wall
One of the few Carthaginian remains in Spain, from Qart Hadast, founded by Hasdrubal in 229 BC. Next to the wall is the 16th–17th-century crypt of the San Jose hermitage, painted with a Dance of Death.