JAXPORT Cruise Terminal at Dames Point, Jacksonville
Drop-off directions, parking info, check-in tips, and ships sailing from JAXPORT Cruise Terminal at JAXPORT Cruise Terminal.
What is the address of JAXPORT Cruise Terminal?
Tell your GPS: 9810 August Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32226
JAXPORT publishes this one address on every cruise page and asks passengers to type it into their GPS rather than aim for a landmark. Two things to know about it. The same street number also serves the Dames Point Marine Terminal's automobile operation, so follow the cruise terminal signage once you are off Heckscher Drive. And JAXPORT's own directions say to take Exit 41 for Heckscher Drive (FL-105) from either I-95 or I-295 — east from I-95, west from I-295.
Address published by jaxport.com — Parking and Directions, checked 2026-08-17.
Email me my boarding-day plan — pick your ship and sail date below and we'll send your terminal, parking and boarding details now, then reminders a month out to book the hotel, two weeks out to pack, the week before you sail and the day before, whichever are still ahead of you. No newsletter.
Drop-Off & Parking
Parking
One secured, open, on-site lot immediately beside the terminal, patrolled by JAXPORT security around the clock. A passenger vehicle is $17 per day with tax included, which JAXPORT prices out as $68 for a four-day cruise and $85 for a five-day. An oversized recreational vehicle — anything taking two regular spaces — is charged at double that, $136 and $170 for the same two cruises. Reservations are neither needed nor possible: JAXPORT stopped taking new prepaid parking bookings on Monday, June 22, 2026, and says the lot does not sell out. Bring a card. The parking page says the terminal takes credit cards only and no cash, while the older cruise FAQ still says cash or major credit cards are accepted, and of the two the parking page is the one JAXPORT updated. Free parking is available only under Florida Statute 316.1964, and JAXPORT is specific about it: a standard disabled placard or plate is not enough on its own — the vehicle must be carrying the permit holder and must also either be fitted with adaptive equipment, or display a Florida Disabled Veteran plate, or display a Florida Toll Exemption permit.
Drop-Off
Set your GPS for 9810 August Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32226 — JAXPORT publishes that address on every cruise page and asks passengers to use it rather than a landmark. Its own directions say to take Exit 41 for Heckscher Drive (FL-105) from either I-95 or I-295, heading east from I-95 and west from I-295, then follow the signs and turn onto August Drive. Curbside drop-off is unrestricted, so a driver who is not parking can pull up, unload and leave. The building itself is not open house: JAXPORT states the terminal and its berth are a restricted area under Florida's Seaport Security Act, and only ticketed passengers for that sailing, cruise staff and JAXPORT operations go inside.
Still weighing where to leave the car?
Check-In Tips
- Arrive inside the appointment window on your documents. JAXPORT publishes no general boarding hour for this terminal
- Carnival check-in typically opens about 14 days out, Norwegian about 21. Two lines, one building, two sets of rules
- There are no lockers here. JAXPORT states that no storage is available to cruise passengers
- Debarkation: JAXPORT says self-assist starts around 7:15 am and general debarkation around 10:15 am
- Lost luggage at the terminal goes to Intercruises on (904) 704-1667, not to JAXPORT
- Left something aboard a Carnival ship instead? That is Carnival on 1-800-929-6400
Jacksonville's cruise terminal is a single building on a single berth at Dames Point, on the north bank of the St. Johns River about twelve miles downriver from downtown. JAXPORT owns it, Carnival staffs its operations inside it, and two lines sail from it: Carnival year-round on four- and five-day Bahamas runs, and Norwegian on a seasonal November-to-April Jacksonville season. That is the whole port, which makes it one of the simplest embarkation days in the country — there is no terminal to pick, no garage to choose and no shuttle to catch. What there is instead is distance. The terminal sits inside a working cargo port off Heckscher Drive with nothing walkable around it, so everything you might want on boarding morning has to be dealt with before you turn onto August Drive.
What is the address for the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal, and how do I get there?
One address, published everywhere JAXPORT talks about cruising, and the port asks you to type it rather than aim for a landmark. Note that the same street number also serves the Dames Point Marine Terminal's auto operation, so follow the cruise terminal signage once you are off Heckscher Drive.
- Address: 9810 August Drive, Jacksonville, FL 32226. JAXPORT tells passengers to use the terminal address in their GPS or navigation app for the most direct route.
- From I-95: JAXPORT says take Exit 41 for Heckscher Drive (FL-105), head east and follow the signs to the terminal.
- From I-295: JAXPORT says take Exit 41 for Heckscher Drive (FL-105), head west and follow the signs. Its FAQ places the facility "off of Heckscher Drive near I-295", which is the approach most drivers will actually use.
- The berth is Berth 10, one quay of 1,289 feet with 40 feet of depth at mean low water and no maximum beam — there is only one, so there is no berth number to look up on your documents.
- The terminal building is 63,000 square feet, of which 28,000 is baggage handling and 15,000 is passenger embarkation.
- JAXPORT's cruise line is (904) 357-3006 for anything about the terminal itself.
Address, directions, restricted-area status and terminal and berth dimensions are quoted from JAXPORT's own Cruise, Parking and Directions, Cruise FAQ and Berth Information pages, read 2026-08-17. The two Exit 41 references are JAXPORT's own wording for both interstates and are reproduced as published.
Is there parking at the JAXPORT Cruise Terminal, and how much is it?
Yes, one lot, right beside the building, and as of June 2026 it is the only way to park here: JAXPORT stopped selling prepaid reservations and now asks everyone to simply turn up. It says the lot is ample and does not sell out, which is a stronger promise than most cruise ports make, and unlike a garage there are no assigned spaces to find.
- Passenger vehicle: $17 per day, tax included. JAXPORT prices a four-day cruise at $68 and a five-day at $85.
- Oversized recreational vehicle — any vehicle taking two regular spaces: $34 per day, $136 for four days and $170 for five.
- Reservations: none. JAXPORT stopped accepting new prepaid parking reservations on Monday, June 22, 2026, and honors only the ones already made.
- Payment: on arrival. The parking page says the terminal accepts credit cards only, with no cash, to keep the queue moving. The cruise FAQ still says cash or major credit cards, and the two disagree — carry a card.
- The lot is open rather than assigned, well lit, and monitored by JAXPORT security 24 hours a day, and the spaces sit immediately adjacent to the terminal.
- Disabled parking is free only under Florida Statute 316.1964. JAXPORT states that a standard Florida disabled placard or plate does not qualify on its own: the vehicle must be carrying the person the permit was issued to, and must additionally have adaptive equipment fitted, or a Florida Disabled Veteran plate, or a Florida Toll Exemption permit.
- Parking questions go to (904) 453-0975 during business hours, 8 am to 5 pm; JAXPORT also publishes a direct contact for cruise operations at (904) 457-0975.
Rates, the reservation change, the payment rule and the disabled-parking criteria are quoted from JAXPORT's Parking and Directions page, read 2026-08-17, and the passenger and oversized rates are re-checked automatically against that page — see the parking guide. The conflicting cash statement is on JAXPORT's own cruise FAQ, read the same day. Rates change; reconfirm before you travel.
How do I get to Dames Point without a car?
This is the harder question at this terminal. There is no public transportation to the pier, no rental counter at the building, and JAXPORT's answer for anyone arriving by air is its franchised taxi and shuttle operator. The options below are the realistic ones and what each costs.
Driving & Parking at the Terminal
The default here, and the port is built for it. Every route funnels through one exit: JAXPORT's own directions say to take Exit 41 for Heckscher Drive (FL-105) from either I-95 or I-295, east from I-95 and west from I-295, then follow the cruise signs onto August Drive. The lot is a single open, secured area immediately beside the terminal with no assigned spaces, lit and patrolled by JAXPORT security around the clock, and the walk from car to check-in is short enough that nobody sensibly drops bags first.
Cost: $17 per day for a passenger vehicle, tax included — JAXPORT prices a four-day cruise at $68 and a five-day at $85. An oversized recreational vehicle, meaning anything that takes two regular spaces, is $34 per day, $136 for four days and $170 for five. Payment is on arrival: the parking page says credit cards only and no cash, though the older cruise FAQ still says cash is accepted, so bring a card either way.
From Jacksonville International Airport (JAX)
JAX is 12 miles from the terminal, JAXPORT's own figure, and a 20-25 min drive on I-295. Allegiant, American, Delta, JetBlue, Silver, Southwest and United all serve it, which is a real airport's worth of nonstops for a port this small, and the airport sits a mile west of I-95 at exit 363-B. There are no rental car counters at the cruise terminal, so a car collected at JAX has to go back to JAX rather than to the pier.
Cost: Fares are not published. JAXPORT names its franchised operator and its phone numbers rather than a price, and neither the taxi nor the shuttle rate appears on any JAXPORT page we read.
Taxi and shuttle to the terminal
JAXPORT contracts a franchised taxi service that runs taxi, mini-van and shuttle trips between the cruise terminal and Jacksonville International Airport. Its Transportation to Terminal page publishes (904) 222-2222 for a taxi and (904) 338-9595, option 2, for shuttle and special-needs transportation. Its older cruise FAQ publishes a different pair — (904) 999-9999 for taxi and (800) 258-3826 for shuttle — so if one number does not connect, the other is JAXPORT's too.
Cost: Not published. JAXPORT gives no fare, no flat rate and no shuttle price on any of its cruise pages, so ask the operator when you book rather than budgeting from a guess.
Rideshare (Uber and Lyft)
Both operate in Jacksonville and both will run to Dames Point. What you should not assume is a quick pickup on the way home: the terminal is inside a working cargo port off Heckscher Drive with no residential area around it, so a car is coming to you from the city rather than circling nearby, and everyone disembarking wants one in the same forty minutes.
Cost: Not published — rideshare pricing is dynamic and neither JAXPORT nor either app publishes a Jacksonville terminal fare, so we do not quote one.
Airport distance, the franchised taxi and shuttle numbers, the absence of rental counters at the terminal and the commercial-vehicle access fee are from JAXPORT's Transportation to Terminal and Cruise FAQ pages, read 2026-08-17.
Pier questions travelers ask before sailing
Which cruise lines sail from Jacksonville?
Two, and JAXPORT names both itself: Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line. Carnival runs year-round from Jacksonville on four-day and five-day cruises to The Bahamas, and Carnival Elation is the ship doing it. Norwegian sails a seasonal Jacksonville season from November through April with Norwegian Dawn, on four- and five-night Bahamas and Key West runs plus a handful of longer Caribbean itineraries and a spring transatlantic. Both sail from the same building at Berth 10, so there is no terminal to pick between.
Do I need a passport for a Bahamas cruise from Jacksonville?
Not strictly, on a closed-loop cruise that starts and ends in Jacksonville, but JAXPORT passes on Carnival's own recommendation to carry one anyway. Carnival's position, as JAXPORT quotes it, is that a current passport speeds up the return to the United States; a state-issued driver's license plus an original or certified copy of your birth certificate is sufficient proof of U.S. citizenship, but slows debarkation down. Check your own line's requirement for your own sailing before you travel, because a transatlantic or a Caribbean itinerary calling at San Juan is not the same document question as a four-day Bahamas run.
How far is Jacksonville airport from the cruise terminal?
About twelve miles, and JAXPORT says so on its own FAQ. It is a straightforward twenty-minute drive up and over on I-295 in normal traffic. There are no rental car counters at the cruise terminal itself, so a car picked up at the airport has to be returned to the airport, and JAXPORT's franchised taxi service is what runs between the two: (904) 222-2222 for a taxi, or (904) 338-9595 option 2 for shuttle and special-needs transportation. Its older FAQ lists a different pair of numbers, so if one does not connect, try the other.
What time can I get off the ship in Jacksonville?
JAXPORT publishes the pattern: self-assist debarkation begins around 7:15 am and general debarkation around 10:15 am. That is a rhythm rather than a promise for your specific sailing, and customs clearance can move it, but it is the figure to book a return flight against. With the airport twelve miles away, a general-debarkation morning realistically puts you at JAX around midday.
Is there anywhere to eat or store bags at the terminal?
Barely, and no. JAXPORT says the only retail inside is a small shop selling drinks, snacks and other miscellaneous items, and it states there are no lockers available for cruise passengers. The terminal sits inside a working cargo port with nothing walkable nearby, so a meal before boarding means downtown, Riverside or San Marco, all about twenty minutes back across the river, and a bag you cannot carry has to stay with your hotel or your car.
Plan the rest of your cruise day
Where these facts come from
- jaxport.com — Cruise — checked 2026-08-17
- jaxport.com — Parking and Directions — checked 2026-08-17
- jaxport.com — Cruise FAQ — checked 2026-08-17
- jaxport.com — Berth Information — checked 2026-08-17
- jaxport.com — Transportation to Terminal — checked 2026-08-17
Official terminal rates, hours, and rules change without notice. We date every fact we take from the operator so you can tell how fresh it is — reconfirm anything time-sensitive before you travel.
Current sailing dates are temporarily unavailable. Use the terminal, parking, hotel, and local guidance below, and confirm your itinerary with the cruise line.
Ships That Usually Sail from JAXPORT Cruise Terminal
These terminal associations are historical and may have changed. Confirm your terminal with your cruise line.
Last-Minute Needs
Plan on buying nothing near the terminal. JAXPORT's own FAQ says the only retail inside is a small shop selling drinks, snacks and miscellaneous items, and the surrounding area is a working cargo port rather than a neighborhood. The nearest stop of any kind is the GATE station at 4100 Heckscher Drive, about a mile and a half back down the road, which covers drinks and ice and nothing else. For a real errand, the Walgreens at 12387 Yellow Bluff Road is the closest pharmacy at roughly five miles and opens at 7 am daily, and the CVS at 1190 Dunn Avenue is open 24 hours if you are coming through overnight. A full grocery run means River City Marketplace off I-295 near the airport, about nine miles: the Walmart Supercenter at 13227 City Square Drive opens at 6 am. Liquor is a separate trip in Florida, and ABC Fine Wine & Spirits at 963 Dunn Avenue is the nearest one, opening at 10 am Monday to Saturday and 11 am on Sunday — later than most boardings begin.
Nearby Restaurants
Metro Diner
The original 1992 Metro Diner on Hendricks Avenue, before the chain existed
$ · About 26 min drive from the terminal
First Watch
Daytime breakfast and lunch on Riverside Avenue, open at 7am seven days
$ · About 21 min drive from the terminal
European Street Cafe
A San Marco sandwich counter and beer hall that has been feeding Jacksonville for four decades
$$ · About 24 min drive from the terminal
Hawkers Asian Street Food
Small plates from across Southeast Asia in Five Points, built for a table that cannot agree
$$ · About 22 min drive from the terminal
Local Tip
The JAXPORT Cruise Terminal has a single berth — Berth 10, 1,289 feet long with 40 feet of depth at mean low water — so there is no berth number to look up on your documents. Set your GPS for 9810 August Drive and take Exit 41 for Heckscher Drive from either interstate. Parking is $17 a day for a car and $34 for an oversized RV, tax included, with no reservation possible since June 2026 and credit cards only at the gate. Curbside drop-off is unrestricted, but the building itself is a restricted area open only to ticketed passengers for that sailing, and there is no luggage storage inside.
Want the complete JAXPORT Cruise Terminal cruise guide?
Restaurants, activities, hotels, terminal tips, parking, packing lists, and boarding advice — all in one page.
View Full GuideMore JAXPORT Cruise Terminal Guides
Flying In?