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While Brooklyn Cruise Terminal — sometimes also called Red Hook Terminal, as it’s in the Red Hook area of Brooklyn, NY — isn’t as large as some of the other New York City cruise ports, it still does offer plenty in the way of cruise ship itineraries.

The terminal has only one pier, but serves multiple cruise lines offering cruises to Bermuda, New England and the Caribbean. Here’s what you need to know if you’re on one of them in the near future.

Brooklyn Cruise Terminal Location and Address

While, if you Google “Brooklyn Cruise Terminal,” you’ll get the address 210 Clinton Wharf, you’ll want to input 72 Bowne St., Brooklyn, into your GPS. 

As mentioned, the cruise port is in the borough’s Red Hook neighborhood, which is known for its dining, museums, and local shops and galleries. It’s also close, obviously, to the waterfront. Directly across from the cruise terminal is Governors Island and, beyond that, the Statue of Liberty. 

Terminal Facilities, Amenities and Services

Built in 2006, Brooklyn Cruise Terminal is still relatively new, and it has received several awards over the course of its lifetime for its state-of-the-art facilities.

The 200,000-square-foot terminal features separate embarkation and debarkation areas, modern gangways, on-site and ample parking and the very first shore power system for cruise ships on the US East Coast. 

When you arrive at the terminal, you may want to drop your luggage at the curb with a member of your party, while the rest of the party finds parking, as there’s no luggage storage. However, there are porters that can help out with your luggage during embarkation and disembarkation.

There’s also no free WiFi at the terminal, but you’ll find facilities, amenities and services including plenty of restrooms, including accessible restrooms, as well as a boarding lounge with plenty of seating.

Cruise Lines That Visit the Cruise Port

Cruise lines that visit Brooklyn Cruise Terminal include MSC Cruises, Cunard Line, Princess Cruises and Regent Seven Seas.

Parking at the Cruise Terminal

As mentioned, there’s on-site parking at Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, which is practically a luxury in New York City! That said, the terminal does advise cruise passengers to take public transportation to and from the terminal, which you can find more information on below.

If you do bring your own car to the terminal, though, the on-site parking is available at an outdoor lot with security. 

Reservations are not needed to park on-site and the overnight parking rates are $45 per night, inclusive of tax with no upcharge for larger vehicles.

Read Also: Manhattan Cruise Terminal Parking – Locations and What to Know

You can pay the rate when you arrive, via cash or credit card. However, you can also make a reservation for your parking if you’d prefer. Handicap spaces are available. 

After dropping your car off, you’ll receive a ticket that you’ll need to keep with you, in order to retrieve your car after you get back from your cruise. 

The parking lot is located on the south side of the terminal entrance and it gives you a nice view of the Statue of Liberty. On-site parking and porters are available starting at 9 a.m. on your departure day, with most spaces freeing up from leaving passengers around 10 or 10:30 a.m.

Traveling to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal from Nearby Airports

If you’re coming from Brooklyn Cruise Terminal from a nearby airport, chances are likely that you flew into Newark, JFK or La Guardia Airport (LGA). If you have a choice of which airport you fly into, go with La Guardia, as it’s closer to the cruise terminal than the other two. 

Regardless of which airport you fly into, you can take a taxi or rideshare service from the airport to the cruise terminal. Some cruise lines will additionally offer a shuttle service to bring you from the airport, to the terminal, but make sure you confirm this with your individual cruise line before deciding to rely on it.

The one-way cost of a traditional taxi from one of the three airports to the terminal will range from about $30 (at La Guardia) to up to $100 (from Newark). 

If you are flying into New York City ahead of a cruise that leaves from Brooklyn Terminal Airport, I just, as always, recommend that you plan to arrive, at latest, the day before your cruise embarks. This can make sure that you actually arrive at cruise ship before it departs. 

I’ve seen far too many cruisers miss their cruises because they think they can arrive in the port city the same morning their cruise leaves, and just go straight from the plane to the ship.

Unfortunately, often, airlines and/or the weather have other plans, and unexpected delays can mean missing your cruise entirely.

How to Get to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal

You have a handful of options for getting to Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, depending on how you’re traveling.

As mentioned, if you’re flying into New York City or Newark, New Jersey, you can simply grab a shuttle, taxi or rideshare service from the airport and have your driver bring you to the terminal. That’s going to be your easiest option.

That said, the city has plenty of public transit options to get you to the terminal, in case you, for example, wanted to stay in New York City for a few days and explore before heading out on your cruise.

Ferry

The NYC South Brooklyn Ferry, for example, serves the Red Hook neighborhood, and travels to other spots around the city such as Governors Island, Brooklyn Bridge Park and neighborhoods in Manhattan.

As such, if you really wanted to, you could take the ferry to Red Hook and then make your way to the terminal on foot from there. 

Subway

If you want to take the subway, you’ll have to mix your subway journey with a short stint on a bus. 

If you’re coming from Midtown, you can take the F train toward Coney Island from the 42nd Street/Bryant Park station, then get off at the Smith/9th Street station. From there, you’ll get on the B77 bus and take it to Conover and Dikeman, at which point you’ll get off and walk to the terminal. 

You can also take the 2, 3, 4, 5 N or R subway to Borough Hall, at which point you’d get off the subway and get on the B61 bus, which would take you to Pioneer Street and Van Brunt Street, then you can walk to the terminal from there. 

Bus

If you don’t want to split your journey up at all, and you just want to take the bus, the closest stop to the cruise terminal is that stop at Pioneer and Van Brunt Streets, so plan your bus route accordingly. 

Train

Unfortunately, it’s not very easy to get to the terminal via train. Both of the closest train stations are in Manhattan, and they’re Penn Station and Grand Central Terminal. If you take a train into one of these two, you can, from there, get to the terminal via taxi, ride share, subway or bus. 

Car

If you’re driving yourself to the terminal, here’s how to quickly navigate from any direction.

If you’re coming from Manhattan or the North, take the Battery Tunnel (I-478-E) into Brooklyn, continuing onto the westbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (I-278-W) and taking the first exit on the right: Exit 26 – Hamilton Avenue.

Stay to the left, make a U-turn at Clinton Street/9th Street, and continue west on the Hamilton Avenue service road until you get to Van Brunt Street. Turn left, drive two blocks, turn right onto Bowne Street and you’ll be at the terminal.

If you’re coming from Long Island or the East, take the Long Island Expressway, or Interstate 495, to the westbound Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (I-278-W). Take Exit 26 – Hamilton Avenue.

Stay to the left, make a U-turn at Clinton Street/9th Street, and continue west on the Hamilton Avenue service road until you get to Van Brunt Street. Turn left, drive two blocks, turn right onto Bowne Street and you’ll be at the terminal.

Lastly, if you’re coming from New Jersey or anywhere to the South or West, take the NJ Turnpike South to Exit 13. Cross the Goethals Bridge to I-278, Staten Island Expressway and cross Verrazano Bridge into Brooklyn.

Continue north on Gowanus/the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. Take Exit 26 – Hamilton Avenue. Follow the ramp and take a left turn on Van Brunt Street, drive two blocks, turn right onto Bowne Street and you’ll be at the terminal.

Whichever of these routes you take, be prepared to pay some tolls along the way. 

Dining Near Brooklyn Cruise Terminal

If you have a little time to kill before your cruise and you’re feeling a bit peckish, you can find a few good dining options within the near vicinity.

A three-minute walk away, Red Hook Lobster Pound serves up fresh, imported lobster from Maine. Try the famous lobster rolls as well as other seafood delights. It’s especially the perfect way to kick-off a cruise to New England or Canada.

A four-minute walk away, Red Hook Tavern offers a classic tavern setting and American menu alongside classic cocktails.

If you’re up for a bit of a longer walk, Strong Rope Brewery is about a 10-minute walk away from the terminal. The waterfront, dog-friendly taproom and brewery offers flights of craft beers and food trucks serve up a mix of cuisine. The views of the Statue of Liberty are just a bonus.

Shopping Near Brooklyn Cruise Terminal

You’re not going to find a ton of large shopping options near Brooklyn Cruise Terminal. Your best bet if you want to stay on foot is to simply wander the Red Hook neighborhood and see what local, small shops you come across.

As you walk to, for example, some of the above-suggested dining options, you shouldn’t be surprised to find vintage stores, record shops, clothing boutiques, and more.

If, though, you want a more traditional mall-type shopping experience (and if time allows), you can take a rideshare service to other spots throughout Brooklyn, such as Atlantic Terminal Mall, Empire Stores or City Point BKLYN. 

When is the Best Time to Travel Through Brooklyn?

Brooklyn can get pretty frigid in the winter, so you may not want to take a cruise out of Brooklyn during the peak winter months.

However, temperatures are a little milder in the spring and fall, so if you’re going on a springtime Caribbean cruise or a fall foliage New England or Canadian Maritime Provinces cruise, then consider sticking around and exploring Brooklyn for a few days pre- or post-cruise.

Worth Reading: When Is the Best Time to Go on a Cruise for Each Region?

Summer, of course, is a great time to visit New York City in general, including Brooklyn, as well as to take a cruise, so you can’t go wrong by picking a summer itinerary that leaves from Brooklyn Cruise Terminal.

Brooklyn Cruise Terminal: Amenities, Pier, and What’s Nearby

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