--- title: "Airlie Beach Cruise Port" url: https://cruisello.com/destinations/australia-new-zealand/airlie-beach description: "Gateway to the Whitsunday Islands" --- # Airlie Beach ๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡บ ยท Australia ยท Australia & New Zealand > "Gateway to the Whitsunday Islands" ## At a Glance - **Avg. Ships/Day:** 1 - **Avg. Time in Port:** 10.4h - **Visiting Sailings:** 54 - **Cruise Lines:** 6 ## Peak Season Busiest months: Feb (12 sailings), Nov (11 sailings), Mar (9 sailings) ## About Airlie Beach Airlie Beach is the main gateway to the Whitsunday Islands and the Great Barrier Reef. Ships anchor offshore and passengers tender ashore to a compact town where palm trees line a busy esplanade and beachside cafรฉs hum along the waterfront. The Airlie Beach Lagoon, a stinger-free swimming pool, is right in the town centre and free to use. Saturday markets sell local crafts and fresh produce. The Whitsunday Islands are the main draw, with Whitehaven Beach and Hill Inlet's swirling sand patterns a boat ride away. Snorkelling and diving trips to the Great Barrier Reef run daily. On land, the Bicentennial Walkway follows the coast through rainforest to Cannonvale. The town is small enough to walk everywhere, from boutique shops to waterfront restaurants. Warm weather year-round, though humidity is part of the deal. ## Quick Facts - **Currency:** AUD (Australian Dollar) - **Language:** English - **Timezone:** Australia/Brisbane (UTC+10) - **Tipping:** Not expected; 10% for exceptional service ## Location Coordinates: -20.2750, 148.7178 - [Open in Google Maps](https://www.google.com/maps/search/cruise+terminal+Airlie%20Beach/@-20.275,148.7178,13z) - [Open in Apple Maps](https://maps.apple.com/?q=cruise%20terminal%20Airlie%20Beach&ll=-20.275,148.7178&z=13) ## Things to Do in Airlie Beach Top-rated shore excursions that fit a typical ~10h port call. Prices are starting prices per person. | Tour | Rating | Duration | Fits Port Day | From | Provider | |------|------|------|------|------|------| | [Whitsundays Guided Jet Ski Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/87d0d47e-3111-4ba7-919d-6514cf86e79b.md?via=markdown) | 4.9โ˜… (3,541) | 2h 30m | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ82 | Viator | | [1-Hour Whitsunday Islands and Heart Reef Scenic Flight](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/39ed3d8a-28f3-43c3-8243-6398a22ba356.md?via=markdown) | 4.8โ˜… (860) | 1h 30m | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ213 | Viator | | [Airlie Beach Jet Boat Thrill Ride](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/b6988242-0edf-4e3a-94dd-b7a7616f683d.md?via=markdown) | 4.9โ˜… (310) | 0h 30m | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ62 | Viator | | [Private Airlie Beach Tuk-Tuk Tours](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/8db5a99c-945d-46ea-a9eb-328dea1dc60f.md?via=markdown) | 4.9โ˜… (291) | 1h | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ19 | Viator | | [Whitsunday Segway Rainforest Discovery Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/0f2830d4-f0d2-46b8-8aac-291c5746f947.md?via=markdown) | 4.9โ˜… (160) | 3h 30m | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ107 | Viator | | [1hour Scenic Flight Heart Reef, Whitehaven Beach, Hill Inlet, GBR](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/432136f3-b35c-4408-b339-b36d99fa0115.md?via=markdown) | 4.9โ˜… (161) | 1h | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ224 | Viator | | [Airlie Beach: 3-hour Cedar Creek Small-Group Eco Half-Day Tour](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/8a83105c-d98b-4507-ba1b-e47f90af2e8e.md?via=markdown) | 4.9โ˜… (154) | 3h | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ60 | Viator | | [Whitsunday Crocodile Safari](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/475be0d6-4389-418c-991b-8fee269272c4.md?via=markdown) | 4.8โ˜… (385) | 6h | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ94 | Viator | | [Whisper Cruises - One-Hour Turtle Spotting Bay Cruise](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/6e3f3b91-4e15-4575-b18a-679db2eaa978.md?via=markdown) | 4.8โ˜… (118) | 1h | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ43 | Viator | | [Sunset Sail Cruise Airlie Beach](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/756a23bb-eb05-49a8-8453-bbefdc6060ad.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (96) | 2h 30m | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ76 | Viator | | [Whitsundays Segway Sunset and Boardwalk Tour with Dinner](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/6883e438-62ff-45fb-9d69-873ffda1c35a.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (82) | 3h | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ85 | Viator | | [Airlie Beach Trike Tours](https://cruisello.com/gogogo/excursion/0b05c967-9907-4cbc-8e43-a932f28d568f.md?via=markdown) | 5โ˜… (81) | 3h | โœ“ | โ‚ฌ47 | Viator | Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews. ## Nearby Ports - [Townsville](https://cruisello.com/destinations/australia-new-zealand/townsville.md): 123 nm - [Willis Island](https://cruisello.com/destinations/australia-new-zealand/willis-island.md): 254 nm - [Cairns](https://cruisello.com/destinations/australia-new-zealand/cairns.md): 262 nm ## Cruise Lines Serving This Port - [AIDA Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/aida-cruises.md) - [Carnival Cruise Line](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/carnival-cruise-line.md) - [Celebrity Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/celebrity-cruises.md) - [Holland America Line](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/holland-america-line.md) - [Princess Cruises](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/princess-cruises.md) - [Royal Caribbean](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/royal-caribbean.md) ## Cheapest Available Sailing **[View this cruise โ†’](https://cruisello.com/cruises/whispering-reefs-coral-coast~RCL-OVATION-20280306-4.md)** - **Price:** โ‚ฌ529 per person (โ‚ฌ1,058 total for 2 guests) - **Cruise Line:** [Royal Caribbean](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/royal-caribbean.md) - **Ship:** [Ovation Of The Seas](https://cruisello.com/cruise-lines/royal-caribbean/ovation-of-the-seas.md) - **Duration:** 4 nights - **Departure:** 2028-03-06 - **Itinerary:** Whispering Reefs โ€“ Coral Coast ## Featured Cruises from Airlie Beach Prices are per person, two sharing, in the fare's own currency. | Cruise | Ship | Line | Departure | Nights | Price | |------|------|------|------|------|------| | [Sapphire Reef Passage โ€“ Cairns & Airlie Beach](https://cruisello.com/cruises/sapphire-reef-passage-cairns-airlie-beach~PCL-AP-20270301-7.md) | Grand Princess | Princess Cruises | 2027-03-01 | 7 | โ‚ฌ755 | | [Indonesian & Australian Adventure โ€“ Bali & Cairns](https://cruisello.com/cruises/indonesian-australian-adventure-bali-cairns~CCL-LUMINOSA-20261130-14.md) | Carnival Luminosa | Carnival Cruise Line | 2026-11-30 | 14 | โ‚ฌ1,052 | | [Great Barrier Reef & Singapore โ€“ Sydney to Singapore](https://cruisello.com/cruises/great-barrier-reef-singapore-sydney-to-singapore~CEL-CELEBRITY_SOLSTICE-20261122-13.md) | Celebrity Solstice | Celebrity Cruises | 2026-11-22 | 13 | โ‚ฌ1,566 | ## Browse Cruises - [All cruises visiting Airlie Beach](https://cruisello.com/cruises.md?stopoverPorts=airlie_beach) (54 sailings) ## Browse - 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