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Overseas Passenger Terminal
Sydney's original international cruise terminal at Circular Quay West, opposite the Opera House, with extendable gangways. Walk straight into The Rocks; drop-off is on the lower roadway with a 3-minute limit.
Sydney, New South Wales
Sydney, Australia's largest city, wraps around one of the world's great natural harbours, with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge facing each other across Circular Quay. More about Sydney →
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Ship schedule by month
October 2026 · from today · all times local (Australian Eastern Time)
ShipDateArrivalDeparture
Showing 6 of 6 calls in October
Cruise Ships in Sydney
Today and the next 7 days · all times local (Australian Eastern Time)
Today · Fri 23 OctNo ships
0 people in port
No cruise ships today
Next 7 days
Quietest: Tue 27 Oct · busiest: Wed 28 Oct- Fri23 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Sat24 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Sun25 Oct4.2kTypical1 ship
- Mon26 Oct–No ships0 ships
- Tue27 Oct3.7kTypical1 ship
- Wed28 Oct4.2kTypical1 ship
- Thu29 Oct–No ships0 ships
Thousands of people in port, guests plus crew. Crowd level compared with a typical Sydney day.
Planning a day in Sydney?
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 Sydney cruise port?
Sydney has two cruise terminals, and the berth varies by ship; ships dock alongside at both.
The Overseas Passenger Terminal (OPT) is on Circular Quay West in The Rocks, opposite the Opera House; you walk straight into The Rocks, with Circular Quay station about 450 m away.
White Bay Cruise Terminal is in Rozelle, west of the Harbour Bridge, about 12 km by road from Circular Quay. Walking into the city isn't practical, so use a taxi, rideshare or transfer.
Terminal
Getting to the Sydney cruise port
Sydney Airport T1 International → Overseas Passenger Terminal / White Bay Cruise Terminal
12–15 km · 15–25 min by car
About 15 km and 20–25 minutes by road to the OPT, or 12 km and about 15 minutes via the M8 to White Bay. Taxi ranks are outside each terminal; the Airport Link train (T8) runs to Circular Quay for the OPT.
Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.
TransportTypical priceJourneyGood to know
Taxi (to OPT, fixed fare)
AUD 60per vehicle
20–25 min
Trial fixed fare from airport ranks to the CBD area including The Rocks (AUD 80 maxi-taxi), running to May 2027.
Taxi (to White Bay)
Variesper vehicle
15–20 min
White Bay is outside the fixed-fare area, so the fare is metered.
Uber / rideshare
Variesper vehicle
15–25 min
Use the airport's priority rideshare pick-up area; dynamic pricing.
Airport Link train (T8)
AUD 21.64–22.94per person
Varies
Adult Opal or contactless fare including the airport station fee; alight at Circular Quay for the OPT. Not practical for White Bay.
Cruise-line transfer
Variesper person
Varies
Varies by sailing; book through your cruise line.
Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.
Driving to the port
Check which terminal your ship uses before booking transport. OPT drop-off is on the lower roadway at Circular Quay West (3-minute limit); White Bay drop-off is 2 minutes, via The Crescent only. Neither terminal offers luggage storage.
Sydney Cruise Terminals
2 terminals
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White Bay Cruise Terminal
Purpose-built terminal in Rozelle, west of the Harbour Bridge, with an elevated gangway and a cafe. On cruise days, road access is only via The Crescent and James Craig Road; taxis wait outside.
Parking at the Sydney cruise port
Private parking
AUD 20–51/ day
Daily rate · per vehicle · confirm before travel
Port Authority of NSW says there is no parking at the Overseas Passenger Terminal on cruise days and no long-term parking at or near White Bay Cruise Terminal, where the car park is limited to 15-minute pick-ups. Nearby private car parks: Wilson Parking sells prepaid cruise parking (per day, fee included, 4–30 days). For the OPT: Sydney Opera House AUD 30, Clocktower AUD 51, Quay West AUD 40 and The Domain AUD 25. Wilson lists Harbourside (AUD 40, 5-day minimum) and Darling Park (AUD 20) for White Bay passengers, who still need a taxi to the terminal. The Rocks Gateway has no cruise rate.
Parking facilities
FacilityServesRatesReservationRate notes
Wilson Parking Sydney Opera HouseWilson Parking (private)
Overseas Passenger Terminal
AUD 30/day
Recommended
Serves Overseas Passenger Terminal · Reservation: Recommended
Prepaid online per calendar day, fee included; 4–30 days.
Wilson Parking Quay WestWilson Parking (private)
Overseas Passenger Terminal
AUD 40/day
Recommended
Serves Overseas Passenger Terminal · Reservation: Recommended
Prepaid online per calendar day, fee included; 4–30 days.
Wilson Parking The Rocks GatewayWilson Parking (private)
Overseas Passenger Terminal
Rates not yet published
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Serves Overseas Passenger Terminal · Reservation: —
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Wilson Parking ClocktowerWilson Parking (private)
Overseas Passenger Terminal
AUD 51/day
Recommended
Serves Overseas Passenger Terminal · Reservation: Recommended
Prepaid online per calendar day, fee included; 4–30 days.
Wilson Parking The DomainWilson Parking (private)
Overseas Passenger Terminal
AUD 25/day
Recommended
Serves Overseas Passenger Terminal · Reservation: Recommended
Prepaid online per calendar day, fee included; 4–30 days.
Wilson Parking HarboursideWilson Parking (private)
White Bay Cruise Terminal
AUD 40/day
Recommended
Serves White Bay Cruise Terminal · Reservation: Recommended
Prepaid online per calendar day, fee included; 4–30 days. 5-day minimum.
Wilson Parking Darling ParkWilson Parking (private)
White Bay Cruise Terminal
AUD 20/day
Recommended
Serves White Bay Cruise Terminal · Reservation: Recommended
Prepaid online per calendar day, fee included; 4–30 days.
White Bay: tell your cruise line in advance if you need wheelchair assistance; they arrange assisted entry and boarding. White Bay boards via an elevated gangway; the OPT has extendable gangways.
Where to Stay Before Your Cruise
Pick the area first. Typical nightly prices, approximate.
The Rocks and Circular Quay
AUD 165–500 / night
Walking to the Overseas Passenger Terminal
Typical hotel
AUD 165–500 / night
Port ~5 minAirport ~20 min
Harbour hotels steps from the OPT and the Opera House.
Hotels here
- The Strand Hotel
- Rendezvous Hotel Sydney The Rocks
- YEHS Hotel - Sydney Harbour Suites
Darling Harbour
AUD 145–460 / night
Closer to White Bay
Typical hotel
AUD 145–460 / night
Port 10–15 minAirport ~20 min
Harbourside hotels a short taxi ride from both terminals.
Hotels here
- Novotel Sydney on Darling Harbour
- PARKROYAL Darling Harbour, Sydney
- Furama Darling Harbour
Sydney CBD
AUD 110–320 / night
Shopping and transport hub
Typical hotel
AUD 110–320 / night
Port ~10 minAirport ~20 min
City-centre hotels near Town Hall and Central.
Hotels here
- Mercure Sydney
- Mantra Sydney Central
- Metro Aspire Hotel Sydney
Mascot (Airport Area)
AUD 110–230 / night
Late arrivals and early flights
Typical hotel
AUD 110–230 / night
Port ~20 minAirport ~10 min
Airport-area hotels about 20 minutes from Circular Quay.
Hotels here
- Adina Sydney Airport
- Holiday Inn Express Sydney Airport by IHG
- ibis Sydney Airport
Port times are measured to the Overseas Passenger Terminal.
Eating in Sydney
- Breakfast per person
- AUD 1–40
- per person
- Casual lunch per person
- AUD 20–40
- per person
- Restaurant dinner per person
- AUD 20–60
- per person
Prices are approximate. Tipping is optional; surcharges apply on Sundays and public holidays.
Where to eat
The Rocks
Pubs, cafes and restaurants next to the OPT.
Darling Harbour and Barangaroo
Waterfront restaurant strip.
Circular Quay and Opera Quays
Harbourfront cafes and restaurants between the OPT and the Opera House, pricier for the views.
Barangaroo and Darling Harbour
Waterfront dining precincts west of the CBD, handy for hotel stays and White Bay sailings.
Balmain (Darling Street)
Village pubs and cafes closest to White Bay, a short taxi ride away.
Destination
About Sydney
Sydney, Australia's largest city, wraps around one of the world's great natural harbours, with the Opera House and Harbour Bridge facing each other across Circular Quay.
Next to the quay, The Rocks keeps the sandstone lanes and pubs of the first colonial settlement, ferries fan out to Manly and Taronga Zoo, and surf beaches such as Bondi are a short ride away.
Sydney is Australia's busiest cruise port and a major homeport for South Pacific, New Zealand and coastal sailings.
- Climate
- Humid subtropical. Warm to hot, humid summers (Dec–Feb) with occasional storms and heatwaves; mild winters (Jun–Aug) with cool nights. Rain falls year-round, heaviest in late summer to autumn.
- Time zone
- Australian Eastern Time
- Currency
- Australian Dollar (AUD)
Things to Do in Sydney
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Sydney Opera House
Take a guided tour inside Jorn Utzon's UNESCO-listed building, or simply walk the forecourt; it is about 15 minutes on foot from the OPT. An evening performance works well before or after a cruise.
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Sydney Harbour Bridge and BridgeClimb
Walk the bridge's free eastern footpath, or join a BridgeClimb up the arch; the base is about 8 minutes on foot from the OPT. A climb takes around 2–3.5 hours, so it suits longer calls or a homeport stay.
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The Rocks
Sydney's oldest neighbourhood begins at the OPT gangway, with sandstone laneways, historic pubs, galleries and weekend markets. It is the easiest short-call option.
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Bondi Beach
Australia's best-known surf beach, with the Bondi to Coogee coastal walk and the Icebergs ocean pool. It is about 30 minutes by road from either terminal.