Minibus Hire Across Australia

Meeting Your Ship at Station Pier, Port Melbourne

Station Pier in Port Melbourne takes most of the cruise ships that call in Victoria. Whether your voyage ends here or starts here, a minibus with a driver takes the whole luggage shuffle off your hands.

Walking off the ship

Once ashore, all passengers pass out through the Gatehouse; friends and drivers meet them in Waterfront Place. A booked private pick-up is parked at the pier's entrance car park, and the driver stays with it rather than wandering down the pier to look for you. Agree a meeting spot and a name on a sign before the day.

There's no luggage storage on the pier, which matters if you land early and your hotel room isn't ready. Ask whether the cases can stay on board while you head off for lunch.

Minibus interior with individual seats
Minibus interior with individual seats

Cruise lines you might be sailing with

  • Celebrity Cruises
  • Oceania Cruises
  • Regent Seven Seas Cruises
  • Princess Cruises
  • Carnival Cruise Line
  • Viking Ocean Cruises
  • Holland America Line
  • Norwegian Cruise Line

The terminals

  • Run by Ports Victoria
  • Three active cruise berths (Outer West, Outer East and Inner West Station Pier) and 933 m of wharf in total
  • Station Pier, 6 Waterfront Place, Port Melbourne: a heritage-listed finger pier opened in 1930

Boarding day at the Gatehouse

Dropping off people who are boarding takes the cruise line's say-so, and Gatehouse security want to see boarding documents before any vehicle rolls onto the pier. Keep your cruise paperwork in a day bag, not zipped inside a suitcase in the back.

Tour operators and ground handlers working the pier during the season need a licence from Ports Victoria. That's the operator's job rather than yours, but it's a good reason not to leave the booking to chance.

Airports and a spare day either side

Melbourne Airport at Tullamarine is about 28 km from the pier, 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic; Avalon is roughly 56 km, 50 to 60 minutes. One quote covering both the airport and the pier means one booking instead of two.

With a day to spare, wine country in the Yarra Valley and the Dandenong Ranges are both within an hour or so. For the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island, around two hours away, plan on a late drive back.

Your questions

Will the driver meet us at the gangway?

No. Your driver waits with the vehicle in the car park at the head of the pier, and you make your way out via the Gatehouse. Allow a few minutes for that walk with cases.

Is there parking for friends seeing us off?

Waterfront Place has a small number of paid short-term spaces and that's about it. Riding along in the minibus is often easier than everyone driving in separately.

Can some of the group take the tram instead?

Yes: route 109 heads to the CBD from Stop 129 at Beacon Cove, only a few minutes' walk away. It's fine for anyone with a small bag; heavy luggage is easier in the vehicle.

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