Cherbourg Cruise Port

Cherbourg, France

The port city of Cherbourg, or Cherbourg-en-Cotentin to give the city its proper name, is historically an important naval, commercial and ferry port on the English Channel but it has already started to develop as a top cruise port in the north of France.

Cherbourg has for a long time been a major passenger port in France and is perhaps best known to many as a port of call for the Titanic on its ill-fated voyage across the Atlantic, whilst it is perhaps best known in modern time as a leading ferry port in one of the world busiest ferry regions.

From a cruise ship point of view, the port maybe one of the smaller ones in Northern Europe and Cherbourg itself is one of the smaller destinations many will visit, but there is a decent range of things to see and do whilst on shore and a great cruise terminal location within an easy walk of the town centre.

Cruises To Cherbourg

Our Visit

We visited the port in May 2024 onboard the MSC Virtuosa where we were on a short mini cruise and whilst the trip was more about just getting away for a few days rather than picking some ports we really wanted to visit, both my wife and I were glad to have visited Cherbourg.

It is certainty not an all-action type of port with that is a mega city or that offers huge attractions or stunning scenery, but it is a relaxed seaside town with a vibrant main square and it is just a pleasant place to walk around.

We explored the town centre before heading to the public gardens on the outskirts of town before ending at the La Cite de la Mer maritime museum which is located right next to the cruise dock.

Our favourite types of ports are the ones where you can walk off of your ship and stroll into the destination and that is exactly what you can do in Cherbourg but one of the most interesting aspects for us was the chance to walk out through the old cruise terminal building, including the old baggage hall that was used by passengers of the Titanic.

Cherbourg Cruise Guide

In this guide to the cruise port of Cherbourg, we bring you all that you need to know before visiting the port to make the most of your time ashore which is based on our own experience of visiting Cherbourg on a cruise holiday.

Type of Cruises Available

The cruise port of Cherbourg doesn’t offer any turnaround facilities, so you can only visit there when it is offered as a port of call but the great news for those wanting to visit from the UK is that there is the widest range of itineraries offering a visit to Cherbourg from these very shores.

There are 3 main options open to those wanting to head to Cherbourg from the UK which are mini cruises, round trips and repositioning cruises.

For those wanting to visit the port without flying, round trips are offered from several cruise ports in the UK, with the port included on itineraries heading to destinations such as Northern Europe and Scandinavia whilst some longer cruises to the Med or the Canaries may also call in there.

If you are short on time, want to try a new ship or you simply want to get away for a few days, there are plenty of mini cruises that call into the port all year around from the UK that often call into another nearby port such as Zeebrugge.

The final option is to visit the port on a repositioning cruise and whilst these are quite rare, some of the options available are transatlantic trips that call into the port before or after crossing the Atlantic or itineraries between the UK and top Northern European ports such as Copenhagen.

Cherbourg Cruise Port Location

The city of Cherbourg is located in the department of Manche, in the region of Normandy which in on the northwest coast of France.

That puts it to the east of the Channel Islands and to the west of Le Havre and almost directly across the English Channel from Bournemouth in Dorset.

The cruise dock itself is located just to the east of the city centre and about a 15-minute walk from the shops, bars and cafes on offer there.

The walk into town takes you past the port of Cherbourg and a small marina and is a relatively simple walk due to been flat.

Cherbourg Cruise Facilities

The port is well equipped for welcoming cruise ships for a visit as despite having no turnaround facilities, there is a large terminal building.

Whilst historic and acting mostly as an homage to the port’s past, the terminal still offers a number of facilities for modern day guests including toilets, vending machines, a tourist information desk and there is a shuttle bus to the town centre for those with mobility issues or who don’t want to walk into town.

Cherbourg Attractions

One of the main attractions of the city is the La Cite de la Mer maritime museum that houses a range of submersibles, but the highlight of your visit is a chance to see the Redoubtable submarine.

The museum has a free section and a gift shop, and you can walk through it to get back to the cruise ship, which dock next door.

There are a few artefacts from the war that can be seen around the town including a WWII bunker found next to the cruise dock.

The cities marina is a nice place to walk around and look at the boats and from time to time there are tall ships or super yachts that visit there.

At the far side of the marina and just to the north of the city centre is Place Napoleon, a park featuring a statue to the former leader of France.

Behind the park is the Basilica of the Holy Trinity.

The centre of Cherbourg is compact and whilst there are no major attractions there, there is a decent range of shops, bars, bakeries and cafes and a couple of squares that are a great place to sit and people watch.

To the southeast of the city centre and behind a large Carrefour supermarket is a small but beautiful gardens that features a range of flowers and plants, a lake and an aviary and acts as a great place to relax.

That sits at the foot of a large hill at the back of the city that is home to an historic fortress, known as the Fort du Roule and a small museum.

Cherbourg Shorex

There are quite a few options when it comes to the shore excursions on offer from the port, with the majority offering visitors the chance to explore Normandy.

That includes the chance to visit the D-Day landing beaches where you can pay your respects to those who were lost and also gain a small insight into what those who made the landings had to endure.

There are several iconic sights and attractions in France with one of those been the world-famous Mont Saint-Michel which can be visited on a full day excursion from Cherbourg.

Another popular excursion is to visit the historic town of Bayeux where visitors can walk around the medieval streets and you can have the chance to see the Bayeux Tapestry.

Best Time To Visit Cherbourg

Cherbourg can be visited all year around although with the main draw of the city been able to just stroll around and see what you can across, we would say that the best time to visit is during the summer months.

The city isn’t really a tourist destination in the traditional sense, so it doesn’t get as crowded as many places during the main summer months so visiting during July and August gives you the best chance of have a warm and dry day- perfect for exploring.

Transport

Cherbourg is only a relatively small city, and its city centre is compact enough to easily explore by foot.

It is around a 15-minute walk from your ship to its centre but there are shuttle buses offered that drops you off in its main square.

If you have mobility issues or just don’t fancy walking on your own around Cherbourg, on our visit there were horse and cart tours available.

Cherbourg Cruises From UK

If you would like to visit Cherbourg in France directly from the UK, the great news is that not only can you do just that, but the UK has one of the widest ranges of itineraries visiting the port from several different departure ports across the UK.

Cherbourg Cruises From Southampton

The port of Southampton offers the widest range of itineraries, ships and lines that sail between the UK and Cherbourg.

It is possible to sail from the port to Cherbourg all year around.