Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Today, Thursday 12 November 2026, 1 cruise ship with about 4,000 passengers is scheduled in Puerto Vallarta. Over the next 12 months, 177 calls bring about 544,000 passengers; the busiest day is Wednesday 27 October 2027, with 3 ships.

Aerial view of Puerto Vallarta's palm-lined Malecón beside the beach, with the crowned church tower and green mountains behind.
credit

Ship schedule

Next 10 calls · all times local (Central Standard Time)

November 2026
Norwegian Encore
Norwegian Cruise Line3,998 passengers
Thu 12 Nov
Arrival8:00 am
Departure6:00 pm
Discovery Princess
Princess Cruises3,660 passengers
Wed 18 Nov
Arrival7:00 am
Departure4:00 pm
Norwegian Encore
Norwegian Cruise Line3,998 passengers
Thu 19 Nov
Arrival8:00 am
Departure6:00 pm
Sapphire Princess
Princess Cruises2,680 passengers
Thu 19 Nov
Arrival8:00 am
Departure5:00 pm
Voyager of the Seas
Royal Caribbean3,602 passengers
Tue 24 Nov
Arrival8:00 am
Departure6:00 pm
Carnival Panorama
Carnival Cruise Line4,008 passengers
Tue 24 Nov
Arrival9:00 am
Departure9:00 pm
Discovery Princess
Princess Cruises3,660 passengers
Wed 25 Nov
Arrival7:00 am
Departure4:00 pm
Norwegian Encore
Norwegian Cruise Line3,998 passengers
Thu 26 Nov
Arrival8:00 am
Departure6:00 pm
December 2026
Discovery Princess
Princess Cruises3,660 passengers
Wed 2 Dec
Arrival7:00 am
Departure4:00 pm
Norwegian Encore
Norwegian Cruise Line3,998 passengers
Thu 3 Dec
Arrival8:00 am
Departure6:00 pm

Showing 10 of the next 50 calls

Cruise Ships in Puerto Vallarta

Today and the next 7 days · all times local (Central Standard Time)

Today · Thu 12 NovTypical
5,733 people in port
1 ship · ships alongside 8:00 am – 6:00 pm

5% busier than a typical day in Puerto Vallarta. Busiest 8 am – 6 pm, when 1 ship is alongside.

Next 7 days

Quietest: Wed 18 Nov · busiest: Thu 12 Nov
  1. Thu
    12 Nov
    5.7kTypical
    1
  2. Fri
    13 Nov
    –No ships
    0
  3. Sat
    14 Nov
    –No ships
    0
  4. Sun
    15 Nov
    –No ships
    0
  5. Mon
    16 Nov
    –No ships
    0
  6. Tue
    17 Nov
    –No ships
    0
  7. Wed
    18 Nov
    5.0kTypical
    1

Thousands of people in port, guests plus crew. Crowd level compared with a typical Puerto Vallarta day.

Planning a day in Puerto Vallarta?

The crowd calendar shows every ship and how busy the port is, hour by hour, plus the quietest and busiest days for the next 90 days.

See the Puerto Vallarta cruise crowd calendar

Where is the Puerto Vallarta cruise port?

Ships dock at the Terminal Maritima run by the Puerto Vallarta port authority (API/ASIPONA), on Boulevard Francisco Medina Ascencio at the entrance to the Marina Vallarta harbour, about 5 km north of El Centro and 3 km from the airport. Three cruise berths of about 200 m each let three ships dock at once, with a tender pier for smaller craft.

The terminal has taxis, a craft market, shops and money exchange. The Malecon is about 12 minutes away by car; walking takes close to an hour along a busy boulevard, so most passengers take a taxi, Uber or the 'Centro' city bus from the stop across the boulevard by Walmart.

Terminal

Getting to the Puerto Vallarta cruise port

Malecon and El Centro → Puerto Vallarta cruise terminal

5 km · ~10 min by car

The main shore-day route: south along Blvd Francisco Medina Ascencio past the hotel zone to the Malecon and the Guadalupe church.

Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.

Federal-zone port taxi
$16per vehicle
10–15 min
Approximate fare. White taxis inside the port; published in USD (about USD 5 per person shared). Fixed zone fares, no meters; agree the price first.
Yellow city taxi
MXN 80–200per vehicle
10–15 min
Approximate fare. Hail on the boulevard outside the port gate; guides report MXN 80–120 and MXN 150–200. Agree the fare before getting in.
Uber
MXN 120–150per vehicle
10–15 min
Approximate fare. Pickup only outside the port gates (Walmart/OXXO side); not allowed inside the federal zone.
City bus marked 'Centro'
MXN 10per person
20–25 min
From the stop across the boulevard by Walmart/Sam's Club; pay the driver in peso coins. Avoid buses marked 'Tunel', which bypass downtown. Return on buses marked 'Marina' or 'Walmart'.

Typical prices, approximate. Fares change with demand, traffic and time of day.

Driving to the port

Mexican pesos are the local currency; port taxis quote in USD and many vendors accept dollars, but buses need peso coins. Taxis have no meters, so agree the fare before you get in. Puerto Vallarta uses Central Time (UTC−6, no daylight saving); Nuevo Vallarta across the Nayarit state line also uses it, but check your ship's time.

Puerto Vallarta Cruise Terminals

1 terminal

Puerto Vallarta Terminal Maritima (API Puerto Vallarta)

The city's only cruise terminal, on Blvd Francisco Medina Ascencio km 4.5 at the entrance to the Marina Vallarta harbour, with three cruise berths (about 200 m each) able to take three ships at once, plus a tender pier. Services include taxis, a craft market, shops, restaurants and money exchange.

Where to Stay Before Your Cruise

Pick the area first. Typical nightly prices, approximate.

Marina Vallarta

MXN 1044–2257 / night

Walkable to the cruise terminal

Port ~10 minAirport ~15 min

Marina and beach hotels right by the cruise terminal and close to the airport.

  • Flamingo Vallarta Hotel & Marina
  • Holiday Inn Express Puerto Vallarta
  • Hotel Krystal Puerto Vallarta

Hotel Zone

MXN 974–3330 / night

Beach resorts near the port

Port ~10 minAirport ~25 min

Beachfront resorts between the port and downtown.

  • Fiesta Inn Puerto Vallarta Isla
  • Villa del Palmar Beach Resort & Spa, Puerto Vallarta
  • Plaza Pelicanos Grand Beach Resort

Zona Romantica

MXN 2219–3936 / night

Old Town dining and nightlife

Port ~20 minAirport ~40 min

Lively Old Town by Playa Los Muertos, about 20 minutes from the port.

  • Casa Maria Hotel Vallarta
  • Hotel Delfin PV Beach Resort
  • Playa Los Arcos Hotel Beach Resort & Spa Puerto Vallarta

Port times are measured to the cruise terminal. Some Hotel Zone resorts price as all-inclusive.

Eating in Puerto Vallarta

Breakfast per person
MXN 100–400
Restaurant dinner per person
MXN 200–900

Prices are approximate. Tap water isn't generally drunk; buy bottled water.

Where to eat

Malecon and El Centro

Seafront restaurants along the promenade.

Zona Romantica

Taquerías, cafes and beach restaurants near Playa Los Muertos.

Marina Vallarta boardwalk

Restaurants and cafes a short walk from the cruise terminal.

Zona Romantica (Calle Olas Altas and Basilio Badillo)

Old Town streets south of the Rio Cuale packed with taquerias, cafes and beach restaurants near Playa Los Muertos.

Destination

About Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is a resort city on Banderas Bay, Mexico's largest bay, on the Pacific coast of Jalisco, with the forested Sierra Madre rising behind its beaches. A fishing village until the mid-20th century, it became famous in the 1960s when John Huston filmed 'The Night of the Iguana' nearby. Its heart is El Centro, with cobbled streets, whitewashed houses with red-tile roofs and the crowned tower of the Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and the seafront Malecon promenade lined with bronze sculptures.

South of the Rio Cuale, the Zona Romantica has Playa Los Muertos, its sail-shaped pier, cafes and nightlife. Beyond the city are jungle-backed coves, the Los Arcos rock islands and botanical gardens. It is one of the busiest Mexican Riviera calls.

Time zone
Central Standard Time
Currency
Mexican peso (MXN)

Things to Do in Puerto Vallarta

Walk the Malecon

Stroll Puerto Vallarta's seafront promenade, lined with palms, bronze sculptures, the lighthouse and the Los Arcos amphitheatre, with views across Banderas Bay. It is free and links El Centro's shops and restaurants with the Zona Romantica.

Church of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Visit the city's landmark brick parish church, two blocks inland from the Malecon, whose bell tower is topped by a crown. Entry is free; dress modestly as services are held daily.

Zona Romantica and Playa Los Muertos

Cross the Rio Cuale into the Old Town's Zona Romantica for cobbled streets, cafes and the city's liveliest beach, Playa Los Muertos, with its sail-shaped pier. Water taxis to southern coves leave from the pier.

Cruise Ships Visiting Puerto Vallarta