Albany cruise port

Where the ship docks

• Port of Albany, Berths 1 and 2 (transit shed) · 2 km to the centre

  A working port, not a cruise terminal building. Passengers walk through the transit shed to the free shuttle, the limited taxi collection point and ship tour coaches, all inside the port. Private tours meet at the public car park outside the port gate.

• Albany Waterfront Marina (tender landing, some ships only)

  Used when a ship anchors rather than berths. Check your daily programme.

Can you walk? Yes, about 20 min. About 2 km and 15–20 minutes to town. Southern Ports recommends the flatter, safer foreshore route along Royal Princess Drive, crossing the railway on the pedestrian overpass at the Albany Entertainment Centre. The port carries heavy trucks, which is why the visitor centre suggests the shuttle.

Dock or tender: Most ships berth alongside Berths 1 or 2. Southern Ports says some ships anchor instead and tender passengers to the Albany Waterfront Marina; in the 2026–27 schedule the small expedition ship Coral Geographer is listed as anchorage only. Cruise line guidance also notes that ships may anchor in King George Sound and tender in strong winds.

Getting to town

When to head back

Be back on board 60 minutes before all-aboard. Catch the shuttle from town 75 minutes before, or set off on foot 90 minutes before.

Several 2026–27 calls sail early: Crown Princess and Grand Princess at 16:00, Azamara Quest at 14:00 and Seabourn Quest at 15:00. Check your ship's own all-aboard time, not the default in this guide. If you go out to Torndirrup, the Whaling Station or the National Anzac Centre, allow at least two hours before all-aboard to get back to town and then to the ship.

If you are running late: If the shuttle has stopped or is full, walk the 2 km foreshore route (15–20 minutes) or take a taxi to the port gate. If you will miss all-aboard, call the port agent number on your daily programme; Southern Ports can be reached on (08) 9892 9000.

Where people go wrong: Missing that several 2026–27 calls sail between 14:00 and 16:00 and planning around a later all-aboard.

A day in Albany

Assumes the ship docks at 07:00 and all-aboard is 17:30. Several 2026–27 calls sail earlier; move every step forward to match yours.

1. 08:00Take the free shuttle into town.
2. 08:15Albany Visitor Centre, 221 York Street: ask whether the National Anzac Centre shuttle runs today and buy a seat, and pick up the free Landmarks & Laneways walking booklet.
3. 09:00National Anzac Centre opens. Allow about an hour inside, then walk the free Princess Royal Fortress grounds and the Convoy Walk lookout.
4. 11:15Back in town. Museum of the Great Southern (free, opens 10:00) and the Brig Amity replica (A$5).
5. 12:45Lunch in the York Street and Stirling Terrace area.
6. 14:00Walk the heritage streets with the booklet, or take a taxi to Middleton Beach and book the return.
7. 15:45Back near the shuttle stop in town.
8. 16:15Catch the shuttle back to the port, 75 minutes before all-aboard.
9. 16:30Back on board, 60 minutes before all-aboard.

What to see

Beaches

What to eat

• Albany oysters and other local seafood · Restaurants and cafés around York Street and Stirling Terrace
• Coffee and a light lunch · Cafés on York Street, near the shuttle stop
• Local produce, bread and hot food · Albany Farmers Market, Collie Street (Saturdays 08:00–12:00)
• Great Southern wine · Restaurants and bottle shops in the town centre
• Picnic supplies · Shopping centres and a supermarket at the end of York Street

On your own or a ship excursion?

The town centre, museum and Brig Amity are easy without a tour: the shuttle is free and everything is a short walk from York Street. The National Anzac Centre is fine on your own if the Visitor Centre shuttle runs on your day or you take a taxi. A ship tour earns its price for Torndirrup National Park (The Gap and Natural Bridge) and the Historic Whaling Station, which are out of town, have no public transport and depend on a limited taxi supply. On an early-sailing call (14:00–16:00) the ship's tour also removes the return-timing risk.

Common mistakes

• Walking out of the port along the truck routes.

  Take the free shuttle, or use the foreshore path on Royal Princess Drive and the pedestrian overpass at the Entertainment Centre.

• Assuming the National Anzac Centre is a short stroll from the shuttle stop.

  Ask at the Visitor Centre on York Street whether the Anzac Centre shuttle is running today, and book it or a taxi before you set off.

• Using a 17:30 rule of thumb on an early-sailing call.

  Crown Princess, Grand Princess, Azamara Quest and Seabourn Quest sail between 14:00 and 16:00 in 2026–27. Work back from your own all-aboard time.

• Taking a taxi to Torndirrup without arranging the return.

  Book the return pick-up before you go, or take the ship's tour for the coast.

• Planning on the town bus on a Sunday.

  TransAlbany town buses run Monday to Saturday only.

Safety, access and bad weather

Safety

Albany is a safe, quiet regional town. The main hazards are traffic inside the working port, where heavy trucks operate, and the exposed coast in Torndirrup National Park, where wind and spray can arrive suddenly; stay behind the barriers and on the paths at The Gap and Natural Bridge. The Southern Ocean is cold and can be rough, so swim only at sheltered beaches such as Middleton Beach. Bring sun protection and a warm layer: conditions change quickly on the south coast. Emergency number: 000.

Accessibility

The port has no terminal building; passengers walk through a transit shed to the shuttle. If a special circumstance means you cannot use the shuttle, contact Southern Ports on (08) 9892 9000 at least 48 hours before arrival. The National Anzac Centre has step-free paths and entrance, no interior steps, an accessible toilet and change room, and accepts the Companion Card; the fortress Convoy Walk is paved but steep, and some older fort buildings are hard to navigate. The Museum of the Great Southern has level galleries and a lift, but the lift does not reach the Brig Amity. The Gap viewing platform and the Natural Bridge path are described as accessible. On days when a ship tenders, ask the ship about wheelchair transfers.

If it rains

Albany works well in rain: spend longer at the National Anzac Centre and the barracks exhibits in the fortress, then the free Museum of the Great Southern. Skip Torndirrup in storms, when wind and spray at The Gap make it unpleasant and unsafe.

Crowds

The 2026–27 season has 13 calls and never more than one ship a day, but the larger ships (Crown Princess, Grand Princess, Carnival Adventure and Noordam) bring 2,600–3,600 passengers into a small town. On those days, expect the shuttle to be busiest when everyone heads ashore and in the final return window; go out early and come back with time to spare. At the National Anzac Centre you do not need to pre-book; the centre says ticket queues at busy times are usually 5–10 minutes.

Albany cruise port FAQ

Sources

Checked November 2026. Spotted something out of date? Email hello@porttrip.com.

1. Southern Ports – Albany cruise arrivals and passenger information
2. Southern Ports – Port cruise schedule 2026–27 (PDF)
3. Southern Ports – Cruise ship FAQs
4. Amazing Albany (Albany Visitor Centre) – Your Cruise to Albany 2025 (PDF)
5. National Anzac Centre – Visit
6. National Anzac Centre – FAQ
7. National Anzac Centre – General admission booking
8. Experience Oz – National Anzac Centre admission
9. Discovery Bay (Albany's Historic Whaling Station) – Admissions
10. Parks and Wildlife Service WA – The Gap and Natural Bridge
11. Parks and Wildlife Service WA – Park entry fees
12. WA Museum – Museum of the Great Southern: plan your visit
13. WA Museum – Brig Amity
14. Transport WA – TransAlbany town buses
15. What's in Port – Albany
16. Cunard – Albany, WA port guide
17. Rainbow Coast – Albany Farmers Market