BlaakLane.com books Lisbon cruise port transfers at a fixed fare shown before you confirm. The main Lisbon Cruise Terminal at Santa Apolónia, beside Alfama, is 15-25 minutes from Humberto Delgado airport; ships at Alcântara, towards Belém, are 20-30 minutes away. Add the ship name, and a vetted local affiliate is assigned and named on your confirmation.
How to book your Lisbon cruise transfer
Select the airport, a hotel, Santa Apolónia station or the ship as your pickup, and enter the date, time, passengers and suitcases. Name the ship so the chauffeur goes to the right quay. The fare includes vehicle, chauffeur and taxes, and there is no meter on the busy Segunda Circular. Child seats are free on request. Trips are driven by a vetted affiliate operator from the LimousineWorldwide.Directory network, contracted to the BlaakLane.com written standard.
Lisbon's cruise terminals
The Port of Lisbon receives cruise ships along the north bank of the Tagus, and the terminals are operated by Lisbon Cruise Port.
| Terminal | Location | Typical use | From the airport |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lisbon Cruise Terminal (Jardim do Tabaco) | Santa Apolónia, below Alfama | Turnarounds and large port calls | 15-25 min |
| Alcântara | West of the centre, near the 25 de Abril bridge | Port calls and overflow | 20-30 min |
| Rocha Conde de Óbidos | Between Alcântara and Cais do Sodré | Smaller ships | 20-30 min |
The Santa Apolónia terminal opened in 2017 and is the one most turnaround passengers use; its flat roof doubles as a public viewpoint over the river. Many lines call at Lisbon on transatlantic, Atlantic-island and Western Europe itineraries, and a growing number start or end cruises here.
Embarkation at Santa Apolónia
Pre-arranged cars use the drop-off lane on Avenida Infante Dom Henrique in front of the terminal, where porters take tagged cases. The old-town streets behind it are steep and narrow, so if you stay in Alfama the chauffeur may collect you at the nearest street a car can reach. Arrive at the start of your check-in window; boarding closes about two hours before departure.
Disembarkation and your pickup point
Leaving the ship, walk out of the baggage hall to the ground transportation area where pre-arranged cars and taxis are permitted to wait. The chauffeur waits there with the car. Ask for the car 30-45 minutes after your disembarkation group time; the booking includes a 15-minute wait, with 15-minute blocks after that. A name-board welcome at the hall exit is available as meet and greet in selected locations.
Lisbon airport to ship, and ship to airport
Lisbon's Humberto Delgado airport sits only about 8 km from Santa Apolónia, one of the shortest airport-to-ship drives in Europe. Flights are tracked, with 60 minutes of included waiting on international arrivals and 30 on domestic ones, and pickup is at the airport's designated area. Terminal 1 handles most flights; Terminal 2 serves some low-cost carriers, so the flight number in your booking matters. For a flight home, allow two and a half hours after the ship's arrival for European departures and three and a half for long-haul. ANA's airport website shows live flights.
Before and after the cruise: where to stay
The Avenida da Liberdade and Marquês de Pombal area has the Four Seasons Ritz and other large hotels, 15-20 minutes from the ship. The Chiado and Bairro Alto put you among cafés and viewpoints; the Pestana Palace and hotels in Belém sit near the monuments and Alcântara. Guests who want the sea choose Cascais or Estoril, 35-45 minutes from the terminal. Our Lisbon chauffeur page covers the city in detail, and Visit Lisboa has visitor information.
Port-day tours from Lisbon
An hourly chauffeur, three hours minimum, covers Belém (the Jerónimos Monastery and the tower), the viewpoints at Graça and São Pedro de Alcântara, and the Parque das Nações. Longer bookings go to Sintra (40-50 minutes) for the Pena Palace and Quinta da Regaleira, then along the coast via Cabo da Roca to Cascais. Óbidos is about an hour north, and Fátima or Évora about an hour and a half. Sintra's palaces use timed tickets, and the hill roads get congested in summer, so start early. See city tours and day trips.
Picking a vehicle
- Standard Sedan: two travellers on a budget, two bags.
- Luxury Executive Sedan: two travellers, two bags, higher comfort.
- Standard Black SUV or Executive Black SUV: up to six guests and six bags.
- Sprinter Van: up to 12 guests with luggage, ideal after a family cruise.
- Sprinter Luxury Jet Van: up to seven on a Sintra day tour with light bags.
- Luxury Stretch Limo and Party Bus: parties of 8 or 14.
See the fleet.
Fares and cancellation
The fixed fare covers car, chauffeur, taxes and waiting as set out above. You can cancel without charge until 72 hours before pickup; later cancellations cost 10 % (72 hours or less), 50 % (48 hours or less) or 100 % (24 hours or less, and no-shows). See rates. Cruise groups and agencies can plan through cruise lines and ports. Travellers continuing north can book a car to Porto, about three hours away.
Driving and access in Lisbon
Portugal drives on the right. The centre has a reduced-emissions zone covering the Baixa and Avenida da Liberdade, and many old-town streets in Alfama, Mouraria and Bairro Alto are closed to general traffic or too narrow for larger vehicles. Licensed hire vehicles can reach most hotel doors; where they cannot, the chauffeur meets you at the nearest street a car can use and helps with the luggage from there. The 25 de Abril bridge carries a toll on the northbound crossing into the city, which matters for trips from Setúbal, Arrábida or the Comporta coast.
Timing on turnaround days
Several ships can turn around in Lisbon on the same morning, and the Avenida Infante Dom Henrique in front of Santa Apolónia also carries commuter traffic. Book your drop-off for the first hour of your check-in window, and your pickup for your disembarkation group time plus 30-45 minutes.
