Your day, step by step
08:30
Off the ship. Taxi or ship transfer to the Breakwater Ferry Terminal, about 15 minutes.
09:10
Buy tickets and board the 09:30 SeaLink ferry to Nelly Bay.
09:50
Bus from beside the Nelly Bay terminal towards Horseshoe Bay; get off at Forts Junction.
10:15
Walk the Forts Walk, looking for koalas in the trees. Carry water.
12:00
Bus on to Horseshoe Bay. Lunch, for example Barefoot Art Food Wine or Café Nourish, then a swim inside the stinger net.
14:15
Bus back to Nelly Bay.
15:00
Ferry from Nelly Bay to Townsville. This is the last safe ferry for a 17:30 all-aboard.
15:30
Taxi from the Breakwater Ferry Terminal to the Quayside Terminal.
- Latest you can leave City centre (Flinders Street)16:20
16:30
Back on board, 60 minutes before all-aboard.
One port done
Your Townsville day is timed. Now the rest of your cruise.
The Cruise Pass times every port of one sailing, up to 10, to your all-aboard like this, with a Plan B if you run late, an offline copy, and live mode on the day: Google Maps travel time back to the pier and alerts at 30, 15 and 0 minutes.
€14.99 once, nothing renews. 30-day full refund.
Where to leave from, and when
on foot bus, train, boat taxiPins show when to leave each place. Lines: route back to your ship.
Going further? Leave by these times
- City centre (Flinders Street)Ship shuttle or taxi, about 5–10 min16:20
- The Strand or the RockpoolTaxi, about 10 min, plus wait at the rank16:15
- Castle Hill summitTaxi down to the Quayside Terminal16:15
- Breakwater Ferry TerminalTaxi or transfer, about 15 min16:15
- Magnetic Island (Nelly Bay ferry terminal)15:00 SeaLink ferry for a 17:30 all-aboard, about 20 min, then taxi about 15 min15:00
Where people get Townsville wrong
Taking the 16:30 ferry back from Magnetic Island, which leaves too little time to reach the ship for a 17:30 all-aboard.
Built from our Townsville guide, checked against 20 official sources (November 2026). Nothing here is guessed. Read the full guide or see the sources.
Make it yours
Tell PortTrip what you love, who's coming and how fast you like to go. It builds the day from these checked facts, and you can add, drop and reorder stops.
Personalise my Townsville dayYour whole cruise, planned like this
This is one port. The Cruise Pass times every port of your cruise.
You just timed Townsville to your own all-aboard. Every other port on your cruise needs the same, and your ship's times change at each one. The Cruise Pass does this for every port of your sailing, up to 10: each day timed to your ship, a Plan B if you run late, and live mode on the day with Google Maps travel time back to the pier and alerts at 30, 15 and 0 minutes. Every plan uses the same checked facts as this guide. Nothing is made up.
Cruise Pass
€14.99
One sailing, up to 10 ports. Pay once, nothing renews.
- Every port of your cruise timed to your all-aboard, in port time and ship time
- Live on the day: Google Maps travel time back to the pier, alerts at 30, 15 and 0 minutes
- The full planner for each port, with a Plan B if you run late
- An offline copy for when there is no signal
Year Pass
€39/yr
Every cruise you take for 12 months. Renews yearly; cancel any time.
Everything in the Cruise Pass, for as many sailings as you like.
30-day full refund. Secure checkout with Stripe.