Making the most of Melbourne
Use these notes to shape a realistic day ashore, then confirm any time-sensitive information for the date of your call.
Arriving at the port
Station Pier’s cruise terminal is only 15 minutes, or 2.5 miles, from central Melbourne. Public transport uses tram 109, a 10-minute walk from the ship at the end of the pier, for Collins Street, or special cruise-passenger express shuttles from the dock to the Melbourne Arts center. The Myki Explorer/Visitor Pack is the most affordable choice for passengers and tourists: it provides one day of unlimited Melbourne public transport, costs A$15 and includes a ready-to-use Myki card, visitor information and special offers. Myki can be bought in the cruise terminal or…
Dedicated phones in the cruise terminal can order taxis from the dock to the city. At about $A24 each way for 4 passengers, this can cost less than Myki for small groups, who can also use the free city center trams () without a Myki.
Use Skybus from Southern Cross Station for the 20-minute journey between the city and Melbourne International Airport (Tullamarine). Tram 109 calls opposite Southern Cross Station.
The cruise terminal has a Visitor Information center with maps, brochures and information about visiting Melbourne and Victoria. Its free “cruise ship arrivals guide” contains the essentials; passengers can collect it, local maps and general guidance before heading to the Myki desk or taking a taxi.
Melbourne’s port area is perfectly safe and pleasant for a day on foot. The commercial district lies within a 15-minute walk of Station Pier and centres on Beach Street and Bay Street, with many cafés, shops and eateries.
Take a printable map.
Melbourne is Australia’s second-largest city, with a pop 4.0 million, and is the capital of Victoria in the south-east, at the head of Port Phillip Bay.
The city center blends old and new in an attractive, interesting way. Eureka Tower is unmistakable, but look more closely for intricate buildings from an earlier era.
Melbourne offers a broad choice of year-round activities. Take a Yarra River cruise, revisit sporting moments on an MCG tour, or take in 360-degree views from Eureka Tower’s Melbourne Observation Deck. Stands sell river-cruise tickets. Other options include Melbourne Zoo, shark dives at the Melbourne Aquarium, international art at NGV International and Australian art at The Ian Potter center: NGV Australia.
First established in 1846 on Kulin Nation land, Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria’s Melbourne Gardens is now a green haven at the city’s heart. Across its 38 hectare grounds are over 31 plant collections, arranged as living art and helping make Melbourne Gardens one of the world’s most beautiful botanic gardens.
Getting around
The trip from Port Melbourne to the city center takes 20 minutes, and many major sights are walkable once there. The central district also has a free City Circle tram running both ways daily every 12 minutes, looping around the perimeter formed by Flinders, Spring and Latrobe streets and the harbour Esplanade at Docklands. A full circuit takes about an hour. These maroon trams, labelled “City Center,” provide commentary and a useful overview.
The Myki Explorer/Visitor Pack is the most affordable option for tourists arriving by cruise. For A$15, it provides one day of unlimited public-transport travel in Melbourne, a ready-to-use Myki card, visitor information and special offers.
A new ‘free tram zone’ covers the city center plus the Docklands and Queen Victoria Market precincts. All trams inside it can be used without a Myki pass.
Food and shopping
Bourke St Mall is Melbourne’s main pedestrian shopping street, with a range of shopping centers.
Many Melbourne precincts have their own culinary identity, from Lonsdale Street’s Greek atmosphere and Carlton’s ‘Little Italy’ to the variety of Chinatown around Little Bourke Street. You can also walk over the Yarra River to Southgate or take a quick tram to Docklands, where city and waterfront views accompany your meal.
Most Melbourne shops trade 9am to 5pm, 7 days a week. Queen Victoria Market, with more than 600 shops, is open from 9am until about 3pm but shuts on Mondays and Wednesdays.
Money
Currency: Australian Dollar.
Staying connected
Free Wifi is offered at the store at the pier’s end and at many city-center locations. The cruise arrivals guide map marks some, including Federation Square, Flinders Street and Melbourne Central Stations, the Libraries, and numerous coffee shops and restaurants.