Charlottetown (P.E.I.)

Where ships dock

Walk. The terminal sits on the downtown waterfront; Founders' Food Hall, home of the Visitor Information Centre, is about a 2-minute walk.

• Charlottetown Marine Terminal (Port Charlottetown cruise berths)

Best time to go

Ships call from late April to late October, sometimes into early November. The 2024 season ran April 8 to October 30 and brought 94 ships.

Island weather changes quickly. Bring layers, especially in May, June, September and October. Fall brings mild weather, fall colors and fewer crowds; summer has longer days and the full lineup of seasonal activities.

How far from the pier

One way. Short call OK means 20 minutes or less.

• Founders' Food Hall and Visitor Information CentreWalk2 min
• Green Gables Heritage Place and PEI National Park (Cavendish)Taxi45 min

Ship tour or go independent?

Charlottetown is easy to do on your own. The ship ties up downtown, the old town is walkable, and taxis outside the terminal charge posted flat rates. For the north shore, booking your own tour gives you more choice and lets you set your own pace. A ship tour makes sense if your call is short, if your ship anchors and tenders, or if you'd rather leave the timing to the cruise line. Browse the tours below and use the time-ashore filter to find one that fits.

• Cavendish and Green Gables are about 30 to 45 minutes away by road. Pick a tour that leaves a good cushion before all-aboard.
• On busy days the port berths two ships and can hold two more at anchor. If yours anchors, allow extra time for the tender back.
• Province House, where delegates met for the 1864 Charlottetown Conference, is closed for conservation, and the Confederation Chamber replica closed in 2024. Plan to see it from outside.
• There is no rental car desk at the port. If you plan to drive, book well ahead; the nearest agency is a short walk away.
• City buses take exact change only, and taxis add a $2 charge for card payment.
• Green Gables charges a daily admission fee from September 8 through October, so budget for it on a fall call.

Getting around

Rideshare limited

• WalkThe city is flat with good sidewalks. The city map from the Visitor Information Centre shows three walks marked by painted lines: Shops & Services (2.2 km), Heritage (3.4 km) and Waterfront (6.4 km). The Confederation Trail starts at Joseph A. Ghiz Memorial Park, about 1 km from the port.
• TaxiPosted flat rates, one way, HST includedTaxis wait just outside the terminal and charge the port's posted flat rates, one way, HST included. The Downtown zone covers the Basilica, Victoria Park and Queen Street. Extra riders to the same place are $5 each (max $10), children under 12 ride free, and card payment adds $2. Other trips are $2.25 per km.

  Downtown zone

  $10

  Charlottetown Airport

  $20

  Victoria by the Sea

  $75

  Cavendish

  $95

  Confederation Bridge

  $112

• Bus$2 cash, exact changeT3 Transit runs city buses in Charlottetown, Cornwall, Stratford and Summerside. Pay with exact change; kids and K-12 students ride free. Ask the driver for a transfer slip to switch between Charlottetown, Cornwall and Stratford routes.

Tourism PEI suggests Kari for getting to a nearby beach, and the port lists an online taxi service with its taxi companies. We found no official word on Uber or Lyft, so plan on taxis.

Money, tipping & phones

Money

Canada uses the Canadian dollar (CAD). Tourism PEI says most attractions and stores accept US dollars, but you get more for your money in Canadian dollars. PEI's sales tax (HST) is 15%.

Tipping

Tipping is optional, but 10–15% is common at restaurants. Some card machines suggest 12–25%; you can pick your own amount.

Phones

The cruise terminal has free Wi-Fi. Call 911 in an emergency.

Must-sees

• Charlottetown waterfront: Peake's Quay and Confederation LandingWalkableShops, floating restaurants and a waterfront park a short walk from the cruise terminal. In summer there's a waterfront concert series and a Sunday market.
• St. Dunstan's BasilicaWalkableThe province's only Roman Catholic cathedral and basilica, a French Gothic stone church with twin spires about 200 feet tall, rebuilt after a 1913 fire.
• Confederation Centre of the ArtsWalkableThe city's arts centre, with a Canadian art gallery that is by donation in fall and winter, plus theatre and concerts.
• Province House (outside only)WalkableThe seat of PEI's legislature, where delegates met for the 1864 Charlottetown Conference. It is closed for conservation work, so view it from the street.
• Victoria ParkWalkableHarbourfront parkland with a boardwalk, a restored gun battery and a dairy bar, inside the $10 downtown taxi zone.
• Green Gables Heritage PlaceRide neededThe Cavendish farm and woodland trails that inspired Anne of Green Gables. Open May 1 to October 31, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; adults pay a daily fee in fall, and youth 17 and under get in free.
• PEI National Park beachesRide neededRed cliffs, wind-shaped dunes and long beaches on the north shore, including Cavendish and Brackley. Visitor services run May to October.

Free & cheap near the pier

• Painted walking routesFreeFollow the colored lines on the sidewalks through the old town and along the harbour. Pick up the city map at the Visitor Information Centre in Founders' Food Hall.
• Confederation Landing Park and Peake's QuayFreeSix acres of waterfront park with gardens, benches and marina views, beside the craft and gift shops of Peake's Quay. On summer Sundays the Downtown Charlottetown Market sets up here.
• Confederation Centre Art GalleryBy donation in fall and winterHistoric and contemporary Canadian art. Admission is by donation from October 13 and on summer Thursday evenings; summer admission is $15.
• Victoria ParkAbout 15 hectares of parkland on the harbour with a waterfront boardwalk, a restored battery, a playground and a dairy bar.
• City bus$2T3 Transit city buses cost $2 cash, exact change, and the driver can give you a transfer slip.

Eat like a local

• LobsterPEI calls itself Canada's Food Island. Try lobster in a seafood feast or as a lobster roll on the waterfront.
• Oysters and musselsIsland oysters and mussels are part of a classic PEI seafood feast, and Tourism PEI points to a guided oyster experience with local experts.
• Fish and chipsLook for fish and chips with PEI hand-cut fries at the waterfront spots around Peake's Quay.
• Ice creamThere's ice cream in the Peake's Quay area, and the port's full-day north-shore tour includes an ice cream stop.

Rainy-day backups

• Founders' Food Hall & MarketMore than 18 local shops and food counters plus a bar under one roof, a two-minute walk from the ship.
• Confederation Centre Art GalleryRotating shows of Canadian art, open Tuesday to Sunday in the fall and winter.
• A show at the Confederation CentreThe arts centre stages theatre and concerts, and Tourism PEI lists Anne of Green Gables – The Musical among Charlottetown's shows. Check what's on during your call.

Safety & scams

Official advisoryUS State Dept: Level 1 — Exercise normal precautions (as of June 5, 2026)

• Canada is generally safe. Petty theft happens in busy tourist areas, so keep an eye on bags and don't leave valuables, especially passports, in parked cars.
• US Medicare is accepted only in very limited cases. Check that your travel insurance covers medical care in Canada.
• Wildfires can affect air quality in Canada, mostly from April to October.
• Surfguards watch several national park beaches only in the summer months. Swim where they're on duty.
• In an emergency, dial 911.

From official government and port sources. Check the latest advisory before you travel.

Accessibility

At the pier

Ships dock at the Marine Terminal on the downtown waterfront. The port describes the city as flat with good sidewalks, but it does not publish step-free or wheelchair details for the terminal.

Tender

On busy days the port can hold two ships at its berths and two more at anchor. Ships at anchor bring passengers ashore by tender boat. Ask your cruise line how tendering works for wheelchair users before you sail.

• Beach wheelchairs are offered at Cavendish Main Beach, Brackley Beach and Stanhope Main in PEI National Park.
• Taxis to the Downtown zone are a $10 flat rate if the walk is too far.