PortMiami Guide: Terminals, Drop Off, Boarding
Last reviewed: October 26, 2026. Sources for this page are listed in its fact sheet.
Short answer first. PortMiami sits on Dodge Island at 1015 North America Way, reached from downtown by a dedicated toll free tunnel. Each cruise line has a home terminal, from Terminal AA for MSC to Terminal V for Virgin Voyages, and Miami-Dade County publishes the parking rates, garage hours, and payment rules on its own port pages. Confirm your terminal with your cruise line before you travel, because individual sailings can be reassigned.
Miami at sunset from above, the skyline and bay your ship sails past on departure evening. Photo: Brendon Spring, Pexels.
Which terminal will my ship use?
Miami-Dade County's PortMiami cruise terminals page assigns each terminal a home line. Terminal AA, opened in 2025 for MSC Cruises, is the port's newest and, in the county's words, the largest cruise terminal in the world, at 490,000 square feet and built to handle up to three ships and 36,000 passengers a day. Terminal A is Royal Caribbean's, nicknamed the Crown of Miami and opened in 2018. Terminal B is Norwegian Cruise Line's Pearl of Miami. Terminal C serves ships from several cruise lines. Terminals D, E, and F are Carnival's, 471,000 square feet combined. Terminal J is the boutique terminal for small vessels and luxury cruises, and Terminal V, opened in 2022, is Virgin Voyages' home. Terminal G is a future Royal Caribbean terminal, expected to open in 2027, so it is not a sailing terminal yet.
Use that list to aim your driver, then double check your boarding documents. The county lists terminal homes by line, and a specific sailing can still be moved.
How do I get to PortMiami?
The port's street address is 1015 North America Way, Miami, FL 33132, on Dodge Island between downtown and Miami Beach. The county's directions page describes the drive in as a dedicated toll free tunnel connecting the port to the major highways, which keeps cruise traffic off downtown surface streets. If you are coming from Miami International Airport, the airport puts the port at about 9 miles away; allow a typical 15 to 25 minutes by road, and more when several ships are turning around the same morning. Every transfer option for that leg is compared in our MIA to PortMiami transfers guide.
Where do I park, and what does it cost?
The county states that parking is available for each cruise terminal on the north and south sides of the port, and it publishes the rates on its PortMiami parking page. Checked on that page on October 26, 2026: long term parking is $28 per day in Garages C, D, F, and G and in Surface Lot E, $35 per day in Garage AA, and $35 per day in Garage B, which takes reservations through ParkWhiz for Norwegian sailings. Garage A serves Royal Caribbean's Terminal A and is priced on Royal Caribbean's own parking site, not the county table. Parking is paid on exit, and there is no general reserved parking beyond the Garage B arrangement.
Two payment details from the county page catch people out. Debit cards are not accepted at the port garages; bring cash or a Visa, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover card. And the garages are staffed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on cruise days, with a free shuttle between facilities on cruise days only. The full garage by garage breakdown, including oversized vehicles and special event rates, is in our PortMiami parking guide.
What happens at drop off and boarding?
Each terminal has its own drop off curb, so give your driver the terminal letter, not just the port name. The flow inside is set by your cruise line rather than the port: hand checked bags to the porters at the curb, keep documents, medication, and anything you need before dinner in your carry on, then pass security screening and check in during the arrival window your line assigns. Lines stagger those windows to keep the halls moving, and arriving far ahead of yours usually means waiting outside the flow rather than boarding early. When you disembark, the same curbs handle pickups, and the port runs its busiest traffic of the week, so build slack into any flight you book that day. Our post cruise guide plans that day out.
The facts that matter
Port address: 1015 North America Way, Miami, FL 33132. Terminal homes per Miami-Dade County: AA MSC Cruises, A Royal Caribbean, B Norwegian, C several lines, D, E and F Carnival, J small and luxury vessels, V Virgin Voyages. Terminal G is future, expected 2027. Parking, county rates checked October 26, 2026: $28 per day long term in Garages C, D, F, G and Surface Lot E; $35 per day in Garages AA and B. Paid on exit. Debit cards are not accepted. Garages are staffed 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. on cruise days, and the free inter facility shuttle runs on cruise days only.
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Frequently asked questions
How far is PortMiami from Miami International Airport?
The airport puts it at about 9 miles. The drive is typically 15 to 25 minutes, and longer on multi ship mornings, so treat any tighter connection as a gamble.
Can I pay for port parking with a debit card?
No. Miami-Dade County's parking page states that debit cards are not accepted. Cash and the major credit card networks listed on that page are.
Is Terminal G open?
Not yet. The county lists Terminal G as a future Royal Caribbean terminal expected to open in 2027. Royal Caribbean sailings today use Terminal A.
How do I confirm my terminal?
Check your cruise line's boarding documents in the final week before sailing. The county's terminal list gives each line a home terminal, but assignments can change by sailing.
Keep planning
Start with the Miami cruise hub for every guide in this section. Then read the pre cruise guide for the day before you sail, the transfer comparison for the airport leg, and the best hotels for cruise passengers for the night before.