See Gardens
J.R. O'Neal Botanic Gardens
Road Town
The National Parks Trust runs these gardens in Road Town. They are about 1.1 miles from the Pier Park on foot, roughly a 25-minute walk.
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Tortola · British Virgin Islands
Tortola
Beach coves, a botanic garden and the granite pools of The Baths.
Road Town's shops and botanic garden are a walk from the pier. Cane Garden Bay sits on the north coast, and the boulder pools of The Baths are a ferry ride away on Virgin Gorda.
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Ways to Spend a Day in Tortola
Unwind Beach
Cane Garden Bay
North coast, by taxi
A beach bay on Tortola's north coast, about 2.9 miles from the Pier Park in a straight line. The government taxi fare from the cruise dock is $24 for one, $16 each for two or $12 each for three or more, one way.
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Explore Day Trip by Ferry
The Baths
Virgin Gorda, by ferry
Granite boulders form sheltered sea pools at the edge of the beach in this national park on Virgin Gorda. Speedy's ferry from Road Town costs $40 round trip for an adult.
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Tours & Tickets in Tortola
Which Pier Does My Ship Use?
Ships use the two berths of the cruise pier at the Pier Park in Road Town: Cruise Pier North and Cruise Pier South.
| Cruise line | Ships | Usual pier |
|---|---|---|
| Norwegian | All ships | Usually Cruise Pier South (84% of calls) |
| Marella | All ships | Usually Cruise Pier North (60% of calls) |
| Disney | All ships | Usually Cruise Pier North (89% of calls) |
| Costa | All ships | Cruise Pier North, Cruise Pier South or anchored |
| Royal Caribbean | All ships | Usually Cruise Pier North (84% of calls) |
| MSC | All ships | Usually Cruise Pier South (65% of calls) |
| P&O | All ships | Cruise Pier North or South |
| AIDA | All ships | Usually Cruise Pier North (64% of calls) |
| Virgin Voyages | All ships | Usually Cruise Pier North (80% of calls) |
| TUI Cruises | All ships | Cruise Pier North or South |
| Oceania | All ships | Cruise Pier North or South |
| Regent Seven Seas | All ships | Usually Cruise Pier South (80% of calls) |
| Celebrity | All ships | Usually Cruise Pier North (83% of calls) |
| Explora | All ships | Usually Cruise Pier North (69% of calls) |
| Princess | All ships | Usually Cruise Pier North (80% of calls) |
| Cunard | All ships | Cruise Pier North or South |
Ships switch piers, and about 9% of calls anchor in Road Harbour and tender in. Your cruise line's app or daily planner shows your pier. Source: BVI Ports Authority cruise schedule (PortCall), future calls 22 Oct 2026 to 21 Apr 2028; lines with fewer than 10 calls are left out.
Getting Around Tortola
Both cruise berths and the tender landing are at the Pier Park in Road Town, so every ship's day starts in the same place.
Safety and Weather
Road Town is a walk from the pier; the beaches need a taxi.
- CrimeThe UK government says levels of crime in the BVI are low. We found no official crime rate per resident to compare.
- Walking to townYes. Main Street is about 0.6 miles from the Pier Park on foot, around 12 minutes. The botanic gardens are about 1.1 miles.
- The beachThe UK government warns against leaving bags unattended on the beach and advises care when walking alone in isolated areas, including beaches, after dark.
- WeatherAt Cyril E. King Airport on St Thomas, 24 miles west, average highs run from 84°F in January to 90°F in August. September to November are the wettest months, with 5 to 6 inches of rain each. The hurricane season ends on November 30.
Safety: UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office travel advice. Walking distances: OpenStreetMap walking routes from the Pier Park. Weather: NOAA 1991–2020 normals for Cyril E. King Airport, St Thomas; hurricane season: NOAA National Hurricane Center.
Make it part of your voyage
Cruises Visiting Tortola
MSC, Norwegian, P&O, Costa and Royal Caribbean ships all call at Tortola. Find cruises that visit.
Tortola FAQ
Where do cruise ships dock in Tortola?
Ships berth at the cruise pier at the Pier Park in Road Town. Its two berths, Cruise Pier North and Cruise Pier South, take two ships at once. Some ships anchor in Road Harbour and tender in.
Can you walk from the Tortola cruise port to town?
Yes. Main Street is about 0.6 miles from the Pier Park on foot, around 12 minutes.
Is Tortola a tender port?
Sometimes. Most ships berth at the pier, but about 9% of scheduled calls are at anchor in Road Harbour. Tenders land at a pier beside the cruise pier.
How many cruise ships can dock in Tortola at once?
The pier berths two ships at once. With two more at anchor, the port can take up to four.
Can big cruise ships dock in Tortola?
Yes, all classes except Oasis class. The pier takes ships up to 180,000 gross tons.
How much is the ferry from Tortola to Virgin Gorda?
Speedy's charges adults $30 one way or $40 round trip, and children aged 5 to 11 $20 or $30.
How much is a taxi from the Tortola cruise port to Cane Garden Bay?
The government fare from the cruise dock is $24 for one passenger, $16 each for two and $12 each for three or more, one way. Brewers Bay costs the same.
What is the closest beach to the Tortola cruise port?
On the government's cruise-dock taxi list, the nearest beaches are Brandywine Bay and Nanny Cay, each about 2 miles from the Pier Park in a straight line. The fare is $14 or $15 for one passenger and $10 each for three or more.
Is The Baths on Tortola?
No. The Baths is a national park on Virgin Gorda, a ferry ride from Road Town.
Is there a shopping area near the Tortola cruise port?
Yes. The Pier Park has more than 70 shops, restaurants and service centers on 5 acres beside the ship.
Is it safe to walk around Tortola?
The UK government says levels of crime in the BVI are low. It advises care when walking alone in isolated areas, including beaches, after dark.
Photos: Tortola: Balou46 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Botanic gardens: Fischer1961 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Cane Garden Bay: Balou46 (CC BY-SA 4.0) · The Baths, Virgin Gorda: P. Hughes (CC BY-SA 4.0) · Cruise ship in port: Master0Garfield (CC0). Cropped for display.