Saint John Cruise Port Guide
Canada · in-depth port guide, sources shown throughout
Across Canada — laws, safety & health
National rules and risks that apply anywhere in Canada — relayed from official sources, not our verdict. We pass on what the authority says and leave the judgement to you.
Laws that catch visitors out
- Cannabis is legal for recreational use (rules vary by province), but it is illegal to take cannabis across the Canadian border without a Health Canada permit — you face arrest.
- Other illegal drugs carry a long jail sentence and heavy fines for possession, use or smuggling.
- Carry a copy of your passport for ID.
Drones
Drones are regulated by Transport Canada. A drone under 250g does not need to be registered but must still follow the basic safety rules; a drone weighing 250g or more must be registered, and you must hold a drone Pilot Certificate and carry it while flying. Keep the drone within sight, away from airports and bystanders, and follow Transport Canada’s height and distance limits.
via Transport Canada — flying your drone safely and legally · 28 Jun 2026
Health hazards
On hiking and camping excursions, take all rubbish (including food) away with you to avoid attracting animals, take particular care in areas where bears have been sighted, and keep a safe distance from all wildlife.
via UK FCDO travel advice — Canada · 24 Jun 2026
Relayed from UK FCDO travel advice — Canada · checked 24 Jun 2026
Traffic drives on the right. Look left first when you cross the road.
Docking & terminals in Saint John
Port Saint John has three cruise berths, all in the uptown waterfront and within about a five-minute walk of the centre. The Marco Polo and Diamond Jubilee terminals put you right in uptown; when three ships are in and Long Wharf is used it is a slightly longer walk, but the port usually runs a complimentary shuttle to Loyalist Plaza in the heart of uptown.
- Marco Polo Cruise Terminal — On the uptown waterfront, about 0.5 km — a 7–10 minute walk — from the uptown core, with over 100 shops and restaurants within a 10-minute stroll. (Walk: the compact, signposted uptown grid begins right at the terminal.)
- Diamond Jubilee Cruise Terminal — Also on the central uptown waterfront, a five-minute walk from the shops, King's Square and the Saint John City Market. (Walk: uptown is immediately alongside; the City Market is a few minutes away.)
Mobility & step-free access
Getting around between the pier and town:
- Walk — Uptown is compact and pedestrian-friendly, with over 100 shops and restaurants and the historic City Market within a 10-minute walk of the terminals.
- Taxi / ride-hailing — Taxis wait at the cruise terminals — the practical way out to Reversing Falls or Irving Nature Park; ride-hailing also operates in Saint John.
- Hop-on-hop-off / tour — Sightseeing buses and organised tours link the waterfront with Reversing Falls and the wider Bay of Fundy sights.
- Port shuttle (Long Wharf) — If your ship berths at Long Wharf, the port usually runs a complimentary shuttle into the centre at Loyalist Plaza.
Step-free options vary by pier and by the day — confirm the specifics with your operator and the ship’s guest-services desk before booking.
Heading back at the end of the day: Cruise ships use one of three uptown berths a short walk apart — the Marco Polo and Diamond Jubilee terminals in the heart of uptown, or Long Wharf when three ships are in. All are central and walkable, so wherever you berth you step off close to town; if you're at Long Wharf, look for the port's complimentary shuttle to Loyalist Plaza.
Cruise lines don’t always tell you which pier you’re on, and it’s easy to forget once you’re ashore. As you leave the ship, note or photograph your pier’s name — then give your taxi that exact pier (or your ship’s name) for the trip back.
All three berths are central and walkable. If your ship berths at Long Wharf (usual when three ships are in), look for the port's complimentary shuttle to Loyalist Plaza.
Getting around & must-sees in Saint John
Getting around
The cruise berths sit right in the uptown waterfront, so much of Saint John's centre — the City Market, King's Square and the shops — is a short, flat walk away. The signature sight, the Reversing Falls Rapids, is a few kilometres west and is best reached by taxi, a hop-on-hop-off bus or an organised tour. Taxis meet the ships, and ride-hailing also operates in the city.
- Walk — Uptown is compact and pedestrian-friendly, with over 100 shops and restaurants and the historic City Market within a 10-minute walk of the terminals.
- Taxi / ride-hailing — Taxis wait at the cruise terminals — the practical way out to Reversing Falls or Irving Nature Park; ride-hailing also operates in Saint John.
- Hop-on-hop-off / tour — Sightseeing buses and organised tours link the waterfront with Reversing Falls and the wider Bay of Fundy sights.
- Port shuttle (Long Wharf) — If your ship berths at Long Wharf, the port usually runs a complimentary shuttle into the centre at Loyalist Plaza.
Must-see sights
- Reversing Falls Rapids — Where the world's highest Bay of Fundy tides collide with the Saint John River in a rocky gorge, creating whirlpools and rapids that reverse direction through the tidal cycle — time your visit to the tide chart for the full effect.
- Saint John City Market — Canada's oldest continuously operating farmers' market, chartered in 1785, in an 1876 hall whose interior roof is built like an inverted ship's keel — a nod to the city's shipbuilding past.
- Bay of Fundy — The bay with the highest tides on Earth: the water rises and falls about 8.5 m (28 ft) twice a day, and Saint John is the only city set on the Bay of Fundy.
- Uptown & King's Square — The compact, walkable uptown, with the leafy King's Square and Saint John's Loyalist heritage a few minutes from the ships.
- Irving Nature Park — A peninsula of forest, salt marsh and rugged Fundy shoreline on the city's western edge, known for its coastal trails and birdlife.
Getting back to the pier
Getting back is easy — the berths are right in uptown, a few minutes' walk from the centre. If you have gone out to Reversing Falls or Irving Nature Park, allow time for the taxi or shuttle back before all-aboard.
- Walk from uptown — From anywhere in the compact centre the terminals are only a few minutes' walk.
- Taxi from the sights — Coming back from Reversing Falls or Irving Nature Park, a taxi is the dependable option — allow a comfortable margin before all-aboard.
Key facts only — confirm times, fares and seasonal openings locally.
Local know-hows in Saint John
Money
- Currency
- Canadian dollar (CAD)
- Cards
- Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere — a contactless bank card or phone works for nearly everything.
- ATMs
- ATMs are available in uptown Saint John.
- Tipping
- Tipping is customary in Canada — around 15–20% in restaurants and for tour guides and drivers.
Local etiquette
Saint John is a relaxed, friendly maritime city; the main practical note is to respect the barriers and currents at Reversing Falls.
- At Reversing Falls, stay behind the railings at the viewing points — the tidal currents in the gorge are powerful and dangerous.
Practicalities
- Language
- English is predominant; New Brunswick is Canada's only officially bilingual province (English and French).
- Tap water
- Tap water is safe to drink — public supplies meet Health Canada's national guidelines.
- Plugs
- Type A / Type B sockets, 120 V, 60 Hz (North American standard); visitors from the UK or Europe will need an adapter.
Key facts to know before you step off — confirm anything time-sensitive locally.
Port busyness in Saint John
Moderately busy
Saint John is a working port city of around 70,000, big enough to absorb cruise visitors comfortably, though its compact uptown and the Reversing Falls viewpoints get busy when several ships are in. The Canada–New England cruise season peaks with the autumn foliage.
Peak pattern: Busiest during the autumn-foliage weeks (roughly mid-September to late October), the peak of the Canada–New England cruise season; more than one ship can call on the same day.
- working city, absorbs visitors well
- Bay of Fundy / Reversing Falls gateway
- autumn-foliage cruise peak
- multiple ships on peak days
- Reversing Falls best timed to the tide chart
This shows a typical day for the time of year — actual crowds vary on your date, and it isn’t a guarantee.
What we’ve checked in Saint John — and when
We last checked the facts on this page on 13 Jul 2026. Live travel advisories refresh automatically from the official sources.
- Docking & getting ashore
- Verified by The Excursion Edit against official sources · 13 Jul 2026
- Getting around
- Verified by The Excursion Edit against official sources · 13 Jul 2026
- How busy it gets
- Verified by The Excursion Edit against official sources · 13 Jul 2026
- Travel advisories
- FCDO (GOV.UK) & US State Department · refreshed automatically