Can you do this cruise port on your own?
Brisbane
DIY Score
Easy DIY
Take the CBD shuttle or a rideshare, then the city is easy and cheap.
Tender or Docked?
Docked, but well out of town at Pinkenba. The terminal is ~21 km from the city with no public transport, so plan your ride into Brisbane.
How to Get Into Town
From BICT, a cruise shuttle or rideshare is essential: about 30 min to the CBD. Once in town, 50-cent CityCat ferries do the rest.
Main Attractions
South Bank, the CityCat river, and a koala close-up at Lone Pine are the headliners. All are easy once you are in the city.
How Much Time You Need
Allow a full day, and budget an hour of it for transfers. The city is easy once you arrive, but the terminal is far out.
Keep in Mind
The terminal is remote with no public transport. Everything hinges on sorting your ride into the city and knowing the last return time.
Safety & Comfort
Very safe and first-timer friendly. Brisbane is easy to navigate alone with excellent infrastructure.
Tips from Cruisers
"Did the river cruise from South Bank out to Lone Pine so the kids could get up close to the koalas. They were a bit gutted you can…" — by Lisa & Mark
Did the river cruise from South Bank out to Lone Pine so the kids could get up close to the koalas. They were a bit gutted you cant hold them anymore, but feeding the kangaroos more than made up for it. Long day with the transfers though.
The thing nobody tells you is how far out the terminal is. We took the ship shuttle to the city and it was fine, but I spent the afternoon watching the clock because the last shuttle back was at 3:30. Get an earlier one than you think you need.
We thought wed just grab a train or bus like a normal city. Nope, nothing runs to the terminal. Ended up paying a fortune for an Uber both ways and it soured the day a bit. Wish wed booked the shuttle.
Once youre in town Brisbane is a breeze. The 50 cent ferry up the river is honestly one of the best cheap things Ive done in any port. Just budget for the cab or shuttle to actually get there from the ship.
shuttle into town, wandered south bank, had a swim at the little city beach lagoon, coffee by the river, shuttle back. easy relaxed day, didnt overthink it. lovely clean city