Port of San Diego Cruise Terminal — Information Guide

The B Street Cruise Ship Terminal is the primary cruise passenger facility at the Port of San Diego, located on the downtown San Diego waterfront along North Harbor Drive. It is one of the most conveniently located cruise terminals in the United States, with the airport, hotels, and downtown all within a few minutes.

• Official name: B Street Cruise Ship Terminal (Port of San Diego)
• Address: 1140 North Harbor Drive, San Diego, CA 92101
• Main telephone: (619) 686-6200
• Location: Downtown San Diego waterfront, on San Diego Bay
• Port operator: Port of San Diego
• Primary cruise lines: Carnival, Holland America, Princess, Norwegian, and Disney
• Nearest airport: San Diego International Airport (SAN)
• Typical itineraries: Mexican Riviera, Pacific Coast, Hawaii, Panama Canal, and repositioning cruises

View the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal on Google Maps

One of the most important things to understand about cruising from San Diego is that the B Street Cruise Ship Terminal is on the downtown waterfront, not at the cargo port facilities further south around National City or the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal. If you put a generic "San Diego port" into your GPS, you could end up at a cargo terminal instead of the cruise terminal.

What is the terminal like?

The B Street Cruise Ship Terminal is a modern, purpose-built cruise passenger facility on the downtown San Diego waterfront. It is moderately sized and easy to navigate, and it is within walking distance of downtown hotels, the Gaslamp Quarter, and the USS Midway Museum.

Because the terminal is right on San Diego Bay, the walk from the parking area to the ship is short, and the embarkation process is generally quick. Lines can still build on peak sailing days, but the scale is far more manageable than at the largest ports like Port Miami or Port Everglades.

The location on San Diego Bay is scenic. Sailing out of San Diego, you may get views of:

• The downtown San Diego skyline
• The Coronado Bridge and the Hotel del Coronado
• Naval Base San Diego and the Pacific Fleet
• Point Loma and the Cabrillo National Monument area
• The Pacific Ocean as the ship heads south toward Mexico

Cruise lines that use the Port of San Diego

The Port of San Diego is a year-round homeport and seasonal call port for several lines:

• Carnival Cruise Line — Mexican Riviera sailings
• Holland America Line — Mexican Riviera, Hawaii, and Panama Canal sailings
• Princess Cruises — Mexican Riviera and Pacific Coast sailings
• Norwegian Cruise Line — select Mexican Riviera and Pacific Coast sailings
• Disney Cruise Line — select seasonal sailings

Mexican Riviera itineraries to ports such as Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta are the signature destination from San Diego, with shorter Baja Mexico getaways also available. Hawaii and Panama Canal repositioning cruises are popular in the spring and fall.

Always check your cruise documents to confirm your exact departure terminal. San Diego has one main cruise terminal at B Street, but the port also has other piers that can be used for occasional cruise ship calls.

Parking at the Port of San Diego

Parking at the Port of San Diego is one of the easier aspects of sailing from this port, but it helps to understand how it works before you arrive.

On-site terminal parking

The B Street terminal has surface parking lots located close to the terminal building. The walk from the parking area to the ship is generally short, which makes San Diego convenient for families, elderly passengers, and anyone traveling with a lot of luggage.

Parking style

This is open-air surface parking rather than an enclosed garage.

Advantages:

• You don't have to take a taxi or shuttle from an off-site lot.
• Your vehicle is close to the terminal for the duration of the cruise.
• Short walk between your car and the ship.
• Very convenient if you're traveling with children, elderly passengers or lots of luggage.

Disadvantages:

• Your vehicle is exposed to the weather for the duration of the cruise.
• Parking capacity can be limited on busy sailing days.

Payment

On-site parking is generally credit-card only. Confirm accepted payment methods before you travel, and don't count on paying cash at the lot.

Off-site parking alternatives

Because the on-site rate is reasonable, most cruisers simply park at the terminal. If you want to save money on a longer cruise, there are private parking lots and garages in the downtown San Diego area, but you'll need to arrange your own transportation to and from the terminal.

Some travelers park at off-site lots near San Diego International Airport and take a taxi or rideshare to the terminal. This can be cheaper for very long cruises, but it adds a transfer step that isn't necessary if you use the on-site lot.

My parking recommendation

For most first-time cruisers sailing from San Diego, I'd simply use the on-site terminal parking. The rate is reasonable, the walk is short, and you avoid the hassle of arranging a separate transfer.

Hotels near the Port of San Diego

There are many hotels within a short distance of the terminal, particularly in downtown San Diego and the Gaslamp Quarter.

Very close options

Downtown San Diego / Embarcadero hotels (Manchester Grand Hyatt, etc.)
San Diego, CA

These are popular pre-cruise hotel choices because they're within walking distance or a very short ride of the cruise terminal, near the USS Midway Museum and the Embarcadero.

Hotel Guides

Gaslamp Quarter hotels

The historic Gaslamp Quarter, just east of the terminal, offers many hotels within a 10–15 minute walk, with easy access to its restaurants, nightlife, and Victorian architecture.

Hotels near San Diego International Airport (SAN)

There are several hotels near the airport, about 10–15 minutes from the terminal. These are often less expensive than downtown hotels and are a practical choice if you're flying in the night before your cruise.

Why I recommend staying the night before

If you're flying or driving a substantial distance to San Diego, I strongly recommend arriving the day before your cruise rather than trying to reach the ship the morning it departs.

Interstate 5 traffic and Southern California weather can be unpredictable, and you don't want a delayed flight, freeway accident, or weather problem to jeopardize your cruise.

Staying near the terminal gives you:

• Much less stress on embarkation morning
• More time to explore San Diego — Balboa Park, the San Diego Zoo, and the Gaslamp Quarter
• A short taxi/rideshare ride to the terminal
• A backup if transportation gets delayed
• More flexibility with your cruise's assigned check-in time

Transportation to the terminal

Taxi / Uber / Lyft

For most travelers, this is probably the easiest option.

Tell the driver: "B Street Cruise Ship Terminal, 1140 North Harbor Drive, on the downtown waterfront."

Don't simply say "the port," because there are cargo port facilities further south that are not the cruise terminal.

Public transportation

The San Diego Trolley's Blue and Orange Lines serve downtown San Diego, with stops within a short walk of the waterfront. The trolley connects to Old Town and Mission Valley, but if you're carrying substantial luggage, I'd generally recommend a taxi/rideshare from your hotel.

From the airport

San Diego International Airport (SAN) is one of the closest airport-to-cruise-port distances in the United States — only about 3 miles away, typically 10–15 minutes by car or taxi.

Terminal amenities

The B Street Cruise Ship Terminal is modern and well-equipped.

You can expect:

• Restrooms
• Passenger check-in areas
• Security screening
• Customs/immigration facilities for arriving passengers
• Seating and waiting areas
• Limited food/snack options
• Wi-Fi

Don't expect a major airport-style shopping or dining experience. The terminal is designed to move passengers onto the ship efficiently. The real dining and sightseeing options are in downtown San Diego and the Gaslamp Quarter, a short walk from the terminal.

One important detail: there is no luggage-storage facility at the terminal. If you arrive early or want to spend several hours sightseeing after your cruise, you'll need to make separate luggage-storage arrangements.

Things to do nearby

The Port of San Diego's location is excellent for combining a cruise with sightseeing.

Within the surrounding area you have:

• The USS Midway Museum (next to the cruise terminal)
• Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo
• The Gaslamp Quarter's restaurants and nightlife
• Seaport Village and the Embarcadero
• Coronado and the Hotel del Coronado
• Petco Park and downtown San Diego
• La Jolla and the Pacific coastline

The USS Midway Museum is particularly close — it's moored right on the Embarcadero near the cruise terminal and makes an easy pre- or post-cruise visit if you have a few hours to spare.

Important tips for cruise passengers

1. Confirm your terminal before leaving your hotel. The B Street Cruise Ship Terminal is at 1140 North Harbor Drive on the downtown waterfront, not at the cargo port facilities further south.
2. Don't confuse the cruise terminal with the cargo port. This is probably the single biggest mistake to avoid. The cruise terminal is downtown on San Diego Bay; the cargo facilities are further south around National City.
3. Arrive the day before if you're flying. I wouldn't recommend flying into San Diego on the morning your cruise departs unless you have a very substantial buffer.
4. Don't underestimate I-5 traffic. Interstate 5 through San Diego can be congested, especially during rush hour.
5. Reserve parking if possible. On busy sailing days the on-site lot can fill up. Don't assume you'll automatically find a space.
6. Don't leave your luggage unattended. Because the terminal does not provide luggage storage, arrange a hotel or independent luggage-storage service if you have time to kill before or after your cruise.
7. Keep your cruise documents accessible. Have your cruise-line app, boarding documents, passports/identification and luggage tags readily available when you arrive.
8. Use San Diego International Airport (SAN) when possible. It's one of the closest airport-to-cruise-port distances in the United States.

Overall assessment

• Location: Excellent. On San Diego Bay with scenic sail-away views and easy access to downtown San Diego.
• Convenience: Very good. A modern terminal with short walks and a very close airport.
• Parking: Convenient and reasonably priced at approximately $15–$20/night.
• Terminal facilities: Modern and well-equipped.
• Sightseeing potential: Outstanding. You can easily turn a cruise departure into a Southern California vacation.

Best feature: The walkable downtown waterfront location next to the USS Midway Museum and the very short distance from San Diego International Airport.

Biggest drawback: A smaller number of year-round sailings compared to the largest Florida ports.

Best strategy for most cruisers: Stay in downtown San Diego the night before, use a taxi/rideshare to the terminal, and park on-site if you're driving.

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