Cruise passengers and port days in Singapore

Question 1

Which cruise terminal does my ship use in Singapore?

Accepted Answer

Singapore has two cruise terminals, Marina Bay Cruise Centre and the Singapore Cruise Centre at HarbourFront, so check your itinerary for yours. Marina Bay is a two-berth terminal for the largest liners and opens only on days a ship is at berth. Both are immigration checkpoints, and you clear Singapore immigration at whichever you use. Marina Bay and HarbourFront cover what's around each.

Question 2

How do I get from Marina Bay Cruise Centre to the city?

Accepted Answer

Marina South Pier MRT, the last stop on the North-South Line, serves the terminal, and a looped shuttle links the two on select cruise days. For Gardens by the Bay, change at Marina Bay onto the Circle Line to Bayfront. Partner shuttles also run to Gardens by the Bay and Chinatown on select days, and we'd take those over a taxi queue when they do.

Question 3

How do I get from the HarbourFront cruise terminal to the city?

Accepted Answer

Come out of HarbourFront MRT at Exit B, then follow the signs through HarbourFront Tower 1 to the Singapore Cruise Centre. The station is on both the North East Line and the Circle Line, and the terminal quotes about 15 minutes by train to the city. Taxis take 10 to 15 minutes, and the terminal asks visitors to come by public transport because its parking is limited.

Question 4

Do cruise passengers clear immigration at the terminal in Singapore?

Accepted Answer

Yes, both cruise terminals are immigration checkpoints, and you clear arrival immigration there before you leave the terminal. Submit the free SG Arrival Card within three days before arriving, counting the day of arrival, and carry a passport valid for at least six months. Immigration takes your biometrics, and the physical passport stays in your bag even where facial scans replace the passport check.

Question 5

How much time do I have on a Singapore cruise port day?

Accepted Answer

Your ship's all-aboard time sets the day, and Royal Caribbean, for one, posts it near the gangway about 30 minutes before sailing. It says the ship won't wait for guests exploring on their own, so we'd be back at the terminal an hour before all-aboard. Trains run from about 5.30am to around midnight, which covers an early arrival or a late sailing.

Question 6

What can I do in Singapore on a short cruise port day?

Accepted Answer

We'd pick one area and stay in it: Marina Bay when your ship docks at Marina Bay, the south coast when it docks at HarbourFront. From Marina Bay Cruise Centre, partner shuttles run to Gardens by the Bay and Chinatown on select cruise days, and Gallery, then Spectra fills a late sailing. From HarbourFront, Henderson to Labrador fits an afternoon.

Question 7

Can I leave my bags at a Singapore cruise terminal?

Accepted Answer

At Marina Bay Cruise Centre, yes: a counter in the Arrival Hall holds bags for the day or sends them to Changi Airport or your hotel. International passengers disembarking there can also tag bags for a same-day flight through Cruise-Fly. At HarbourFront, ask the terminal about left luggage before you plan around it.

Question 8

Can cruise passengers claim a GST refund in Singapore?

Accepted Answer

No, the Tourist Refund Scheme pays out only for goods you take out of Singapore through Changi Airport or Seletar Airport, not through a cruise terminal. The Singapore Cruise Centre says the same on its own page. If you fly out of Changi within two months of buying, claim at the airport kiosk. The GST refund answers cover the rest.

Question 9

Should I stay a night in Singapore before or after my cruise?

Accepted Answer

We'd arrive the day before you sail, as Royal Caribbean notes that many guests find it easiest to stay in a hotel the night before, to avoid delays. Pick the side of town your terminal is on: HarbourFront for the south coast, Marina Bay for the bay. After the cruise, a night in town lets you see Singapore before a flight, and where to stay sorts the areas by trip.

Question 10

How do I get from a Singapore cruise terminal to Changi Airport?

Accepted Answer

Take the train: ride the East-West Line to Tanah Merah or the Downtown Line to Expo, then change for Changi Airport MRT. That station links directly to Terminals 2 and 3. From HarbourFront the terminal quotes 40 to 50 minutes by train and 25 to 30 by taxi. Trains stop around midnight, so the getting-around answers cover an earlier or later flight.