Palma cruise port: terminals, the bus into town and what to see on a port call

Palma cruise port lies west of the city, on the other side of the bay from the cathedral (La Seu, as it is known in Mallorca). It is not far: 2.7 to 3.4 km as the crow flies, depending on where your ship docks. What shapes your day is not the distance but knowing which berth you are at, which bus to take and what is open on that day of the week.

My summary for a normal port call: get off early, take the EMT 1 with a contactless card, do the cathedral and the old town in the morning, and walk back along the seafront if you have time to spare. If you arrive on a Sunday, change the plan: the cathedral does not take tourist visits that day.

Palma cruise port terminals: which berth you arrive at

Cruise ships dock in two areas; ask your cruise line which one is yours:

• Estacions Marítimes 1 to 4 (Muelle de Poniente / Paraires). Numbered buildings that cruise ships share with the ferries. They are the closest to the centre: about 2.7 km as the crow flies to the cathedral.
• Estacions Marítimes 5 and 6 (Dic de l'Oest, the western breakwater). The long breakwater by Sant Carles castle, where the biggest ships dock. It is about 3.4 km as the crow flies from the cathedral.

If someone tells you the port is "6 or 8 km from the old town", they are exaggerating.

Cruise ships in Palma today: how to see how many are in port

The Balearic Ports Authority (Autoritat Portuària de Balears) publishes the ships in port on its Ships in Port page, with a map viewer showing each ship at its berth; it also has the Posidonia SmartPort app. With two or three big ships in, the old town fills up. In summer, Saturday is usually the busiest day, with ships arriving around 04:00 and leaving after 22:00.

From the port to the cathedral by bus: the EMT 1

The EMT 1 (Portopí – Sindicat) is the cruise passengers' bus. Its route into the centre:

1. Dic de l'Oest – Museu Sant Carles (first stop, by terminals 5 and 6)
2. Portopí Estacions Marítimes 1, 2, 3 i 4
3. Port – Club de Mar and the whole Passeig Marítim (stopping at the Auditòrium)
4. Es Jonquet, Argentina–Sa Feixina, Passeig Mallorca / Jaume III
5. Plaça d'Espanya – Estació Intermodal, ending at Sindicat

Frequency (autumn and winter timetable): every 20 minutes Monday to Friday (06:25–20:35 from the centre) and every 25 minutes on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays (08:00–20:30). In the evening it runs every 30 minutes; the last bus leaves the centre at 23:30 and Dic de l'Oest at around 00:00.

Journey time: about 30 minutes from Dic de l'Oest to Plaça d'Espanya. From the Jaume III or Passeig Mallorca stop it is a 10–15 minute walk to the cathedral, across the Born.

Bus fares: cash or card

A single ticket costs €2 in cash, with no transfers and maximum change of €10. With a contactless bank card you pay less: the EMT gives discounts from 40% for the first person and charges the whole group, up to five travellers, to the same card. A family of four pays well under 4 × €2. Under-5s travel free with an adult. The city council has given initial approval to raising the fare to €3; until the final text is published, it stays at €2. Check fares at emtpalma.cat.

Resident travel cards are not for visitors: your bank card is your ticket (public transport guide).

Line 30: the bus that drops you below the cathedral

Few cruise passengers know about it. The EMT 30 (Marivent – Palau de Congressos) stops at Portopí Estacions Marítimes 1–4, runs along the Passeig Marítim and stops at Parc de la Mar – Catedral, right below La Seu. It takes about 22–25 minutes. The catch: it runs once an hour (from Marivent, 07:55 to 20:55; from the Palau de Congressos, 07:31 to 20:31). Check the time when you get off the ship; if it fits, you save the walk from Plaça d'Espanya. It does not leave from Dic de l'Oest.

On foot, by taxi or on the cruise line shuttle

On foot. From terminals 1–4 it is about 3–3.5 km along the seafront, 40–45 minutes. From Dic de l'Oest, about 4.5–5 km, around an hour. It is flat with views of the cathedral, but in July and August at midday it feels long: bus there and walk back in the afternoon.

Taxi. There is no fixed fare: taxis run on the meter at Mallorca's official rates, plus a €4.65 supplement for leaving the port. Flag fall is €2.50 on weekdays (€2.85 at night, weekends and public holidays), and each kilometre €1.20 or €1.35. To the old town, allow about €15–20. The driver must accept cards and cannot charge a luggage supplement. Fares are published at mobipalma.mobi.

Cruise line shuttle. Many cruise lines offer a paid bus between the quay and the centre, stopping near the cathedral or Avinguda Antoni Maura. Each line sets its own price; compare it with the EMT 1, which does nearly the same for €2.

Water bus. A boat service from Dic de l'Oest to the Escala Real, by the Llotja, was planned, but it is not running: the operator that won the contract pulled out and the port authority has to re-run the tender.

Hop-on hop-off bus from the cruise port

Palma's sightseeing bus (City Sightseeing, the only one there is) has two stops at the port: 13, Castell de Sant Carles (13B on the inland side) and 14, Estació Marítima. Board there and get off at stop 1, Antoni Maura, opposite the cathedral. It runs 10:00–17:30, every 30 minutes until 14:30 and every 45 minutes after that.

Its advantage for cruise passengers is Bellver Castle (stop 10), which is awkward to reach on foot from the port. Full route details are in the Palma hop-on hop-off guide and our City Sightseeing review.

All three platforms resell the same bus at the same starting price: choose on the cancellation terms.

What to see in Palma on a cruise port call

On an 8-hour call, take off a good hour for the round trip and the margin for getting back on board. That leaves about five useful hours. This is how I would split them:

The cathedral. The official ticket costs €10 (cathedral and Museu d'Art Sacre) and €25 if you add the terraces (March to November, over-9s only). It opens Monday to Saturday; on Saturdays it closes at 14:15 and on Sundays there are no tourist visits. There is a dress code: shoulders covered and nothing shorter than mid-thigh. And a detail that catches out many cruise passengers: there is no cloakroom and suitcases or bulky bags are not allowed, so do not come ashore loaded up. Everything is in the cathedral guide.

The official website is the cheapest, but official tickets are non-refundable. If your ship might be delayed or change its port call, a platform ticket with free cancellation protects you for €1 more. Check the current price at catedraldemallorca.org.

Near the cathedral. The Palau de l'Almudaina (€8, closed on Mondays) is opposite; the Banys Àrabs (€3.50, cash only) are five minutes away. To see the centre with someone telling you its story, look at the walking tours: the old town and cathedral tour lasts 1.5 hours and fits well into a port call.

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If your port call is long

• Bellver Castle. €4, free on Sundays (when it closes at 15:00), closed on Mondays. On the sightseeing bus, stop 10.
• Boat trip. The EMT 1 stops at the Auditòrium, opposite the Golondrinas quay where the catamarans leave. Check the duration: some trips last 4 or 5 hours and only fit a long call. Options in boat trips in Palma.
• Sóller train. It leaves next to Plaça d'Espanya, which is on line 1. The 10:10 train and the 18:30 return from Sóller only work if your ship sails at night.
• Caves of Drach. They are in Porto Cristo, 1 h 15 away on the TIB 401 bus. On an 8-hour call that is too tight to do on your own.

What is open on each day of the week

On a Sunday, free Bellver in the morning and a stroll through the old town and along the seafront make a good day. You can go into the cathedral for Mass at 10:30 or 12:00, suitably dressed and without taking photos during the service. More ideas in things to do in Palma.

Excursions from the cruise port: with a tour or on your own

Palma is easy to do independently: the bus drops you in the centre and the monuments are a few minutes' walk from each other. A cruise line excursion or a platform tour is only worth it in two cases: if you want to leave Palma (Sóller, Valldemossa, the caves) and do not want to risk missing the ship, or if you are after something very specific, such as the cliff jumping for cruise passengers, a 3.5-hour tour designed around a port call.

To get out of the city, see the day trips from Palma and always check the return time against your all-aboard time. Bear in mind the Balearic tourist tax too: cruise passengers pay €2 per person per night from May to October and €0.50 from November to April, plus VAT; cruises with a home port in the Balearics are exempt. You can check it on the official calculator.

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