Barcelona: Europe's main cruising harbor

Useful information for cruise ship passengers

Barcelona has recently become the main port of call in Europe, with over three million passengers every year. Most cruise companies operate to and from Barcelona.

Cruise Ships Moorings and Piers

There are two main piers or mooring areas:
• Moll Adossat (in Catalan) aka as Muelle Adosado (in Spanish)
• World Trade Center

Although other piers or moorings such as Costa or San Bertran wharfs, usually used by the ferries, can be arranged to receive cruise ships on very busy days.

Muelle Adosado or Moll Adossat

By far the main cruise pier, with over 85 % of the traffic and almost all the big ships, the Moll Adossat / Muelle Adosado Pier has four big and fully equipped terminals called A, B, C and D (a.k.a. Palacruceros).

All the terminals provide the following services: credit card operated phone booths, currency exchange, restaurant or cafeteria, souvenirs and duty-free shops.
None has luggage storage facility.

The Moll Adossat / Muelle Adosado pier is located on the other shore of the harbor. It became an "island" connected to Barcelona mainland by a bridge when the old sea wall was opened to create a second entrance to the Port. Called the Gate of Europe, the bridge makes quite a nice vantage point offering nice views of the city and of the cruise ships.

The Gate of Europe bridge from the Sea.

The Gate of Europe bridge, seen from the sea, the only way to reach the Moll Adossat / Muelle Adosado.

To and from Moll Adossat / Muelle Adosado, Barcelona Port main pier:

Private Transfers

Taxis:

Easy and affordable, taxis can sit up to 4 passengers although they might not be able to take that many suitcases. On busy days, there may be a long waiting line at the Port.
Arrange a private transfer if you are in a rush (to catch an early flight out for example).

The cab ride from Central Barcelona (Pl. Catalunya or even Passeig de Gràcia) to the Port (Moll Adossat / Muelle Adosado) should take around 20 to 25 min. off the rush hours and cost 12 to 15 Euros. And about 10 minutes and 8 to 10 Euros to / from the Columbus monument.

From town to the Port, ask for your Pier: World Trade Center or Muelle Adosado / Moll Adossat rather than for your ship or terminal, which could be mistaken for the Airport.

Cabs have to use a meter and display a Consumer Information sticker (in English besides Catalan and Spanish) on the passenger window. Cabs will add extra charges to the amount shown on the meter for pick-up / drop-off at the Port, the Airport and for suitcases or pets (current amounts are shown in the Consumer Info sticker.)

Shuttle Buses:

The T3 Cruiser blue bus is a shuttle service operated by the port authority. It links the cruise ship terminals to the Columbus Monument, at the foot of La Rambla Avenue.
Fare is € per person one way; € return.

Most cruise companies also run their own shuttle service from their terminal to the World Trade Center, a 2 min. walk to the Columbus monument.

On foot:

At a normal pace, the walk from the world trade center to the Moll Adossat can easily take 45 minutes from the Columbus monument or from the nearest metro station: Drassanes, on the Green (3) line.

Not such a good idea if you are hauling luggage as the Gate of Europe bridge has a slope or in the summer heat.

World Trade Center

Designed by architects Pei Cobb Freed & Partners, this white bowl-shaped building houses an office complex and three cruise terminals: North, South and East.

The rather rectangular wing facing the city was added later on and houses the Eurostars Gran Marina hotel.

World Trade Center

Ship moored at the World Trade Center (South).

These terminals are smaller and less well equipped than the ones on Moll Adossat, though as the World Trade Center also houses offices, there are plenty of restaurants, a few shops, a pharmacy, etc. within the premises of the World Trade Center.

Getting there and away does not offer any special problems: as it is within a short walking distance from the Columbus monument, ships mooring there do not offer a shuttle service nor does the Port Bus stop.

Costa Moll

Only used on busy days when all other moorings are occupied, its terminal is a temporary equipment housed in a tent. For the moment, it does not provide services such as currency exchange, phone booth, duty-free and gift shops, café, restaurant, etc. It is located on the Barcelona mainland shore after the Ferry Terminals and past the ramp leading to the bridge.

Port Vell Terminal

It is the smallest of all Barcelona piers and receives only small ships. It is located even closer to the city than WTC North and South Terminals and next to the Maremagnum shopping and leisure center.

San Bertran Terminal

Located on San Bertran Pier, this terminal is essentially oriented to the ferries connecting Barcelona to the Balearic Islands and to Italy and is only used occasionally by cruise ships.

 


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A family group posing by our minibus

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