Making the most of Portland
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
Portland receives only a few cruise ships, but is an interesting stop at the heart of the Jurassic Coast.
Ships use Portland harbour, a former Navy base that hosted sailing events at the 2012 Olympics and lies near the causeway.
In April 2023, a new berth expanded the port and made it possible for two large vessels to dock at once.
The port authority provides a free dock-to-Weymouth shuttle. As this is a working port, visitors are not allowed simply to wander around it.
Friendly volunteers are available both in port and in Weymouth, where the shuttle drops passengers off.
Be on deck an hour before departure to see the locals' send-off, with brass band and a Nothe Fort Artillery Volunteers gun salute. Weymouth locals put on quite a show, setting an example for other small cruise ports. Bravo Weymouth!
Take a printable map with you.
Weymouth is a charming resort with beach, promenade, harbour, smuggling museum and more cafés, pubs and fish'n'chip shops than you can shake a stick at. Most visitors are British. It is the cheapest, easiest option and makes a good day when weather is OK.
Portland Bill is a high, rocky promontory of around 5 sq miles on the south coast, connected to the mainland by permanent causeway. Its history gave Portland stone and Portland cement their names; locally quarried stone was used in a number of significant UK buildings including St Pauls Cathedral. Working quarries remain on top of the Bill, along with lots of rabbits.
West of Portland, 18-mile Chesil Bank, often Chesil Beach, begins at the causeway. Behind it is the Fleet or Flete lagoon wildlife reserve; east is Victorian Weymouth, a short journey of around 4 miles by bus, taxi or probably a ship's transfer. Explore the Jurassic Coast west to Lyme Regis through Abbotsbury, West Bay and Bridport, or east to Durdle Door, Lulworth Cove and Corfe castle. Circular coastal routes use minor roads and the A35 trunk road. Or concoct…
Getting around
The X53 route is excellent for sightseeing, with an All Day Ticket of £7.50/adult. Route 501 (£5.00) uses an open-top bus and operates hourly in the summer holiday season from Weymouth to Portland Bill. Use the area bus map; on the return, leave at Portland Castle, where the shuttle also stops for the ship.
Taxi tours are available too.
Nearby places
Bath, Salisbury and Stonehenge are popular cruise excursions.
Food and shopping
St Mary Street, St Thomas Street and New Bond Street are the main shopping roads. All lie at the transport hub and within five minutes' walk of the beach.
Money
The UK currency is the pound (£), also called quid. Scottish bank notes are frowned upon elsewhere in the UK, so change them before leaving Scotland.
ATMs, or holes in the wall, are widespread and usually issue £10 and £20 notes.
Most shops and restaurants take Visa, Mastercard and Maestro.
Staying connected
English is spoken nationwide, but visitors may encounter heavy accents!
Most cafés and restaurants offer free WiFi.
The local emergency number is 999; EU-wide 112 can be used too.
Opening Hours and
Shopping hours are generally:
Small shops open 6 or 7 days a week from 10am - 6pm. Larger stores usually trade until 9PM; hyper marts often operate 24/7.