Philadelphia is officially back in the cruise business, and this time it has a permanent terminal to go along with it.
Norwegian Cruise Line began sailing from Philadelphia earlier this year, marking the return of regular cruise departures to the city after an absence of more than 15 years. The first passengers, however, had to deal with a temporary embarkation arrangement while construction on the new PhilaPort Cruise Terminal was being completed.
That changed on August 27, when PhilaPort officially opened its new permanent cruise terminal near Philadelphia International Airport.
For cruisers throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland, Philadelphia suddenly becomes another legitimate drive-to alternative to Baltimore, Cape Liberty and New York. But if you’re sailing from Philly, there are a few things you definitely need to know before loading up the car and heading to the port, especially when it comes to parking.
Where Is the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal?
The new PhilaPort Cruise Terminal is located at 4 Atlantic Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19153, adjacent to Philadelphia International Airport and with easy access from I-95.
That’s probably one of the terminal’s biggest advantages. Unlike sailing from Manhattan, you don’t need to drive into the city to reach the ship. If you’re coming from Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey or Maryland, you can stay close to the interstate until you’re near the terminal.
Passengers arriving by Uber, Lyft, taxi or private vehicle can be dropped off directly at the terminal. Luggage drop-off is available before entering the building, after which you’ll proceed through security and check-in much like you would at any other modern cruise terminal.
One important note: PhilaPort asks passengers not to arrive before 9:30 a.m. If you show up earlier, you may actually be asked to leave and return once the terminal opens. You’re also encouraged to arrive during the check-in window you’ve selected with Norwegian rather than trying to beat everyone else to the pier.
Parking at the Philadelphia Cruise Terminal
Here’s the part that’s very important for anyone planning to drive: there is currently no regular passenger parking lot directly at the cruise terminal.
Instead, PhilaPort is using off-site parking at the:
Clarion Hotel Philadelphia International Airport
76 Industrial Highway
Essington, PA 19029
Parking currently costs $16 per day, per vehicle, and complimentary shuttle service is provided between the Clarion and the PhilaPort Cruise Terminal. PhilaPort strongly recommends arranging and pre-paying for parking before your cruise rather than simply showing up on embarkation morning.
So if you’re driving, don’t punch 4 Atlantic Avenue into your GPS and assume you’re going to park next to the ship.
Your embarkation routine is essentially:
Drive to the Clarion, park your vehicle, take your luggage with you and board the shuttle to the cruise terminal. Once you arrive at PhilaPort, you’ll drop your bags and continue through the normal embarkation process.
When you return from your cruise, the process works in reverse. After clearing the terminal, passengers who parked at the Clarion can take the shuttle back to the hotel and retrieve their vehicles.
At $16 per day, parking works out to about $112 for a seven-night cruise, $160 for a 10-night cruise and $192 for a 12-night cruise. That’s something worth factoring into the total cost when comparing Philadelphia with Baltimore, Cape Liberty or New York.
What About Uber and Lyft?
If you’re being dropped off, the process is easier.
Uber, Lyft and private vehicles can take passengers directly to 4 Atlantic Avenue for embarkation.
Rideshares are also permitted to pick passengers up directly at the terminal after the cruise, although there’s an important instruction from PhilaPort: don’t request your Uber or Lyft until you’re completely off the ship, have collected your luggage and are ready to be picked up.
Vehicle staging space at the terminal is limited, so calling for a car while you’re still standing in a customs line is likely to create problems.
Passengers flying into Philadelphia may find rideshare the best option since the terminal is right next to Philadelphia International Airport. That’s one of the things Philadelphia has going for it that many other East Coast cruise ports don’t.
Norwegian Is Committing to Philadelphia
The new terminal wouldn’t mean much if ships weren’t actually scheduled to use it, and Norwegian appears to be taking Philadelphia seriously as they have an agreement with PhilaPort extending through 2033.
Norwegian Jewel launched the return of cruising from Philadelphia in April 2026. Norwegian Pearl is scheduled to take over a large portion of the Philadelphia program later this year and continue operating from the city into 2028, while Norwegian Gem is scheduled to join the lineup later.
Keep in mind, these aren’t Norwegian’s enormous Prima or Breakaway-class ships. Instead, the line is using its smaller Jewel-class vessels, and part of the reason is bridge clearance. Ships sailing to and from Philadelphia have to pass beneath the Delaware Memorial and Commodore Barry bridges, where clearance is roughly 188 to 190 feet. Jewel-class ships fit comfortably under those limits, while much taller ships such as Norwegian Prima do not, making the smaller vessels a much better fit for Philadelphia.
Bermuda Cruises From Philadelphia
Of all the itineraries Norwegian can operate from Philadelphia, Bermuda may be the most natural fit.
Norwegian is offering Bermuda cruises ranging from shorter five-day trips to longer voyages of seven, eight or nine days. Many include extended or overnight stays at Royal Naval Dockyard, which gives passengers considerably more time ashore than a typical Caribbean port call.
For anyone living within a few hours of Philadelphia, that’s a pretty good vacation option.
Some itineraries also combine Bermuda with Atlantic Coast ports, creating several variations on the traditional Bermuda cruise.
Canada and New England Cruises From Philadelphia
Philadelphia also works extremely well geographically for Canada and New England itineraries.
Norwegian is offering longer voyages that head north toward ports including Halifax and other destinations in Atlantic Canada and New England. Some sailings operate between Philadelphia and Quebec City, allowing the ship to travel into the St. Lawrence River.
These should be particularly attractive during fall foliage season.
The one-way Philadelphia-to-Quebec or Quebec-to-Philadelphia cruises do require a little more planning since you’re starting and ending in different cities, but they also create the opportunity to spend a couple of days in Quebec before or after the cruise rather than simply turning around and heading home.
Caribbean and Bahamas Cruises From Philadelphia
Norwegian is also sailing south from Philadelphia to the Bahamas and Caribbean, although these itineraries require a little more vacation time.
You’re starting in Pennsylvania rather than Florida, so there’s no getting around the geography. It takes time to sail down the East Coast, which means many of the warmer-weather itineraries are in the 10- to 14-day range.
Depending on the sailing, ports can include destinations in the Bahamas and Eastern Caribbean along with Great Stirrup Cay, Norwegian’s private island.
Great Stirrup Cay is becoming an increasingly important part of NCL’s Caribbean product as the cruise line continues a major redevelopment of the island, including new pools, recreation areas and the Great Tides Waterpark.
The longer cruise and extra sea days won’t work for everyone, but it’s easy to see the appeal. If the alternative is flying to Florida, dealing with airports and possibly adding a hotel night before the cruise, spending those extra days onboard doesn’t sound like a terrible trade.
How Philadelphia Compares With Baltimore and New York
The opening of PhilaPort creates an interesting new battle for Mid-Atlantic cruisers.
Baltimore has traditionally been one of the easiest drive-to ports for passengers throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland, but bridge-clearance restrictions limit the ships that can operate there. That’s one reason Baltimore tends to receive smaller and older vessels rather than the newest mega-ships.
New York, including Manhattan and Brooklyn, offers a much larger selection of ships and cruise lines, but getting there can be a headache. Traffic, bridge and tunnel tolls and expensive parking can quickly take some of the fun out of embarkation day.
Cape Liberty in Bayonne remains a strong option, especially for Royal Caribbean and Celebrity passengers, but it’s another trip north for many Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland cruisers.
Philadelphia lands right in the middle of all three.
It has easy access from I-95, an airport practically next door and a growing Norwegian schedule. The off-site parking arrangement isn’t perfect, and I’d certainly like to eventually see dedicated parking closer to the terminal, but at $16 per day with shuttle transportation included, it’s at least a straightforward system once you know how it works.
And for millions of cruisers living throughout the Mid-Atlantic, having another place where you can get in the car and drive to your ship instead of flying to Florida is a welcome addition.
