Exploring the Jacksonville Cruise Port: All You Need to Know
The Jacksonville cruise port, also known as “JAXPORT,” is one of the smaller ports in Florida. It is basically a hub just for Carnival cruises, but it still sees a steady flow of over 1 million cruise passengers yearly. JAXPORT is tiny compared to the other Florida ports, including two of the biggest in the world — Port Canaveral and Port Miami.
Unlike the other cruise ports in Florida, which generally service many of the major cruise lines, the Jacksonville Cruise Port offers cruise service solely from Carnival, where cruises depart from the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal in North Jacksonville year-round, including four-day and five-day cruises to The Bahamas.
Carnival ships sailing out of Jacksonville Cruise Port are Ecstasy and Elation. While JAXPORT is presently utilized only by Carnival, Norwegian has announced plans to sail from the Jacksonville cruise port starting in November 2025.
Getting to the Jacksonville Cruise Port
The Jacksonville cruise port is about 10 miles from the Jacksonville airport, which is about a 15-25 minute drive, depending on traffic. Since JAXPORT is such a small cruise port, transportation options from the airport to port are more limited than other departure ports. There are no rental car companies located at the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal.
- Cruise Line Transfer: Most cruise lines offer transfer service from airport to port, but Jaxport is the exception, as Carnival does not provide this service here.
- Taxi Service: JAXPORT’s franchised taxi service provides taxi and shuttle service between the cruise terminal and Jacksonville Airport. Cruisers can contact the taxi service at 904- 222-2222 and call 904-338-9595, Option 2, for shuttle and special needs transportation.
- Rideshare: When it comes to getting to port, I typically recommend using Uber, which for this distance runs $20-30, depending on the time of day and other factors.
- Private Transfer: Cruisers can book their own private transfer service, which is much more convenient than cruise line transfer service or hotel transfer services, which is typically on a bus or shuttle with other cruisers. Get Transfer offers transfer service for up to three people from the airport to Jaxport starting at $37, or cruisers traveling in a larger group can book a van for up to 8 people starting at $56 or a minibus for up to 16 people starting at $110.
- Public Transportation: There aren’t any easily accessible public transportation options to get to JAXPORT.
Best Jacksonville Hotels for Cruisers
This is a lengthy topic, so I created a separate post detailing the best Jacksonville hotels near the cruise port with shuttle service.
Jacksonville Cruise Port Parking
The address for the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal parking facility is 9810 August Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32226, and directions are available on the facility’s website.
Situated on JAXPORT property, the parking area is well-lighted and securely fenced, and is conveniently located just steps away from the cruise terminal building. Parking is monitored round-the-clock by JAXPORT security personnel, and there are designated disabled parking spaces are provided for those in need.
The Jacksonville Cruise Port does not require advance reservations, although advance bookings are available for added convenience on the Jaxport Cruise Terminal Parking website. The cost of parking at the Jacksonville Cruise Port is $17 per day, or $34 per day for oversized vehicles.
Jacksonville Cruise Schedule
Cruisemapper provides a real-time ship schedule for JAXPORT.
Things to Do in New Jacksonville Before a Cruise
If you’re staying at a Jacksonville hotel the night before your cruise from JAXPORT, or have a morning to kill before your cruise, there are plenty of things to do in the area. The city’s vibrant cultural scene offers attractions such as the Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens and the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Zoo and Anheuser Busch Brewery are also big attractions in the area, along with the scenic downtown Riverwalk,
