A Sydney cruise parking price comparison

Cruising is awesome but comes with extra expenses – like parking!

Sydney cruise ship parking options

The Let’s Go Mum family are not partnered with any parking station listed in this article and partnered with Celebrity Cruises for the mentioned New Zealand cruise.

Looking for longer-term parking whilst you’re on your cruise and wondering what your options are?

If you don’t have the luxury of living in Sydney near public transport, you may need to drive to Sydney to board your cruise ship.

When we had a 12 night cruise to New Zealand coming up I started to do some budget cruise parking research – because long-term parking in Sydney can get very expensive!

We needed to find Sydney cruise parking for our 12 night cruise

During my quest for cheap Sydney cruise parking that worked for our cruise trip, I learned that whilst Sydney cruise parking prices have increased over the pandemic cruising pause, there are still some very cheap Sydney parking deals available – you just need to check around for the best price.

So I’ve done all the checking around for you!

Without further ado, the following is my Sydney cruise parking price and location comparison.

The end point of cruise preparation is to park & deliver yourself to the cruise ship on time!

Important notes: I’m basing the below prices on a 12 night cruise in November 2022, so take into account that some prices may change or increase, dependent upon the length of the booking.
Always double-check prices via the contact details I have included with each parking company. Also keep in mind that in particular for White Bay Cruise Ship Terminal you may have a ($20-40) taxi cab or Uber ride to add to your costings.

Car parks Within walking distance of Circular Quay Overseas Passenger Terminal

The International Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay in Sydney

Whilst these near-by cruise car parks can save you a taxi fare, they significantly increase in price, and sometimes the walk may be more of a trial than parking further away for cheaper and catching a cab!

 The Sir Stamford at Circular Quay hotel car park

Sir Stamford Hotel parking is close to Circular Quay

Long term cruise parking rate: $27.50 per day

Situated closer to the cruise ship terminal than the nearby Sydney Opera House Car Park you’ll find the Stamford Circular Quay’s small underground car park.

After recently staying at the Sir Stamford at Circular Quay hotel I realised how handy it was to the cruise terminal, so I gave the hotel a ring to see what parking rates they offer cruise passengers.

This car park comes in slightly cheaper than the Opera House. It also shaves about 5 minutes off your walk to the International Cruise Terminal when you take into account the hotel is situated just a block above Circular Quay.

It is up a hill – easy to walk down, but perhaps more challenging to get those wheely suitcases back up upon your return.

You’ll also need to check in at hotel reception when leaving your car, accessible via a lift from the car park.

Edit – a commenter notes that Stamford now only offer by the week 7 day bookings.

Pros: Close to Circular Quay, 10 minute walk to the Circular Quay cruise terminal
Cons: Whilst a more discounted price for Circular Quay parking it’s still not cheap, and has a short uphill walk from Circual Quay ferry terminal area.
Verdict: This parking lot is a solid option due to its proximity and price.

Sir Stamford contact details

Address: Enter the car park off Albert Street (hotel entrance Macquarie Street), Sydney NSW 2000
Website: https://stamford.com.au 
Email: concierge@sscq.stamford.com.au Concierge desk
Ph: 02 9252 4600

The Sydney Opera House Car Park

Whilst it may seem close, the Opera House car park is a good 15 minutes walk away

Long term cruise parking rate: $30 per day

A cruise lovers favourite car park.

Just a fifteen minute level walk to the opposite side of Circular Quay to the International Cruise terminal.

The Opera House car park used to be one of my cruise parking favourites, however prices have increased in the last few years.

Pros: The carpark has a good capacity. The fifteen minute walk is doable, level and you get to stare at your cruise ship the whole time!
Cons: Not as cheap as the Stamford and a slighly longer walk
Verdict: Being more expensive it only makes sense as a good back-up choice.

Sydney Opera House Car Park contact details

Address: 2A Macquarie Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 1800 727 546
Pre book online: https://www.wilsonparking.com.au

The Domain Car Park

The Domain Car Park is a large CBD Car Park

Long term cruise parking: $25 per day

The Domain Car Park is Sydney City’s old faithful car park.

It’s not ideally located as a cruise car park due to its distance from Circular Quay. It’s a good thirty minute walk away from the Circular Quay cruise terminal – and that’s lugging suitcases!

Any money saved is mostly lost due to the fact that most cruisers would opt to take a taxi to the dock. Therefore this reduces the money saved by parking there.

That said, it can be a good option for cruise parking if you’re up for the walk to save a few bucks, or if you’re running out of parking options, because it’s almost never full.

The Domain is a large Sydney CBD car park

Pros: It’s a huge car park with great capacity and it does come in a bit cheaper than the others.
Cons: You’ll probably need to take a taxi across town which adds another step in your journey and eats in to the money you saved by parking there.
Verdict: Factor in the cab fare and you’re probably back to the price of the others located closer to the terminal. I would most likely go with another cruise parking lot choice.

The Domain has several levels of parking

The Domain contact details

Address: , St Marys Rd, Sydney NSW 2000
Phone: 1800 727 546
Pre book online: https://www.wilsonparking.com.au

The Wilson Clock Tower Car Park

The Clock Tower car park entrance – photo: Wilson Parking

Long term cruise parking: $45 per day

One of the closest car parks to the Circular Quay cruise ships, you simply walk a couple of blocks down the hill at the Rocks to the passenger terminal, but it comes at a price.

Pros: The closest car park and an easy five minute walk down to the cruise terminal. There is a 4 hour grace period over your booked time
Cons: A bit of an uphill walk after your cruise, and by far one of the most expensive options
Verdict: One of our most expensive options – only choose if you prioritise location over budget!

Clock Tower contact information

Address: 55 Harrington St. The Rocks, NSW 2000
Phone: 1800 727 546
Pre book online: https://www.wilsonparking.com.au

Quay West Car Park

Long term cruise parking: $40 per day

Whilst I’m quite unfamiliar with this car park (this is the first I’d heard of it!) it does appear to be another well located car park with only a short and level walk to the cruise terminal. Again, it comes with a hefty price tag.

Pros: A close car park and an easy five to ten minute walk across to the Circular Quay cruise terminal.
Cons: Expensive in comparison to other car parks in the area
Verdict: One of our most expensive options – again, only choose if you prioritise location over budget!

Quay West contact information

Address: 111 Harrington St. The Rocks, NSW 2000
Phone: 1800 727 546
Pre book online: https://www.wilsonparking.com.au

Special mention: The Wilson’s Overseas Passenger Terminal car park sounds perfect, but isn’t suitable for cruise parking, as cars must be removed the night before a ship is in port.

Sydney Cruise Car Parking Valet Service

Cruise control drop you right at the international cruise ship terminal

Cruise Control Australia Parking Sydney Valet Service

Cruise parking rate: $27.50 per night (minimum short cruise charge $160)

Whilst I’ve never used this service, it sounds pretty good and has some good feedback from websites and cruise groups.

Basically, Cruise Control is a valet service where they meet you at the front of the cruise ship drop off area, help you with your luggage and then take your car and securely park it whilst you’re on your cruise (they even wash it for an add on price). They then return to meet you on your cruise debarkation day.

Pros: Price competitive and no walking – your car is picked up from you at the ship and they help you check in your luggage
Cons: You need to coordinate drop off and pick up via a phone call. Not really a big con…
Verdict: This sounds like a solid option for cruise parking

Cruise Control contact details

Address: Drop off and pick up valet at White Bay Cruise Terminal in Rozelle or the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay. Car stored at one of several sites – address unknown but I’m assuming it’s the Mascot area of Sydney as this is also an airport parking valet service.
Book online: https://www.cruisecontrolaustralia.com
Email: affordablecruiseparking@gmail.com
Phone: 0448 916 601 (7am to 6pm, 7 days a week)

Surrounding area Sydney cruise parking options for both Circular Quay & White Bay

Sydney cruise parking – Blue Emu airport parking lot

Sydney Airport – Blue Emu Car Park

Long term cruise parking $15 per day

Blue Emu is an official Sydney Airport off-site, outdoor car park.

Currently parking rates can be as low as $15 per day, and sometimes you can search up discount promo codes on the internet to bring the price down further.

Alternatively, it costs around $20-30.00 for the P3 car park located within walking distance of Sydney Domestic Airport and its train station.

Sydney cruise parking – Blue Emu airport parking shuttle bus drops you off at the airport terminal entrance

Being a Sydney Airport Car Park, Blue Emu is serviced by free, frequent shuttles to the domestic terminal at the airport. There you can catch the train to Circular Quay (trains from the airport station are charged via a special Gate Pass station access fee of $16.00 for adults and $14.10 for children, plus the rail fare of $4.60/2.30 – so a higher rate than normal stations) or you can catch a taxi or uber ($20-$30).

Sydney cruise parking – Blue Emu airport parking shuttle bus stops are dotted around the car park

Cons: You’ll need to either free-shuttle to the airport to catch a (more expensive than usual) train, or catch a taxi direct to Circular Quay
Pros: Massive and cheap
Verdict: This is a great carpark for the Airport, but you lose a lot of the savings gained when transferring to Circular Quay

Blue Emu contact details

Address: Ross Smith Ave, Mascot NSW 2020
Website: https://prebook.sydneyairport.com.au
Phone: 133 793 8am-4:30pm Monday to Friday
Email: use form on website

Sydney Airport P1, P2, P3

Long term cruise parking $20-30 per day

If you’re wondering about the Sydney Airport Carpark that is actually located at the airport, they probably price themselves out due to the distance they are away (requiring a taxi or more expensive train ride).

That said, they are located reasonably close (10-15 mins walk) to the Sydney airport train stations, and so cut out the Blue Emu free shuttle to the airport step. (Honestly by the time you’ve caught the shuttle from Blue Emu if you’re parked in P2 or P3, the time difference would be negligible!)

The rate for these car parks is around $20-30 per day, depending upon the closeness of each (P1 is the closest to the airport), the length of stay and any promo codes you can search up.

If you use these car parks regularly, get on their email list. Frequent sales or any survey you do after parking will currently earn you at least 10-20% of your next park.

Cons: You’ll need to catch a (more expensive than usual) train, or catch a taxi direct to Circular Quay
Pros: Huge capacity, periodical promo codes can save a good amount & handy to the airport train stations.
Verdict: Not close to the cruise ship terminals or particularly cheap, and you lose out on the expensive transfer to your ship. I probably wouldn’t consider these car parks unless I got a solid promo code discount or other options were exhausted.

Sydney Airport P1 P2 P3 contact details

Address:Sydney Domestic & International Airports, Mascot NSW 2020
Website: https://prebook.sydneyairport.com.au
Phone: 133 793 8am-4:30pm Monday to Friday
Email: use form on website

P2 Sydney Airport Carpark rate is current $26 per day

Sydney Cruise Ship Parking

Daily rate below this tbc – $255 for 13 or more up to 30 days

This warehouse parking service features a free hourly shuttle to the cruise ship terminals (no kids under 3yrs allowed on the shuttles due to insurance limitations). No daily rate is stated on their website however their parking fee is capped at $255 for 13 or more up to 30 days. There does appears to be a $40 booking fee they refer to in their FAQs on the website. Cars are stored inside their warehouse and unlike some other car parks there are no vehicle height restrictions.

Pros: Free cruise terminal shuttles, no car height restrictions, cheap for extended bookings to 30 days
Cons: Possible booking fee and shorter daily rate not stated (tbc)

Sydney Cruise Ship Parking contact details

Address: 32 Ricketty Street, Mascot, NSW 2020
Phone: 02 9693 1360
Website message for a quote: https://sydneycruiseshipparking.com.au

Cruise Ship Parking Sydney

Long term cruise parking $24.20 per day

Outdoor parking. Shuttle bus service with an extra charge of $88 pp or $363 per family bus up to 7 people.

Pros: Undecided
Cons: Expensive shuttle service, online booking minimum 7 day booking
Verdict: With outdoor parking and a chargeable shuttle I’d consider another service first

Cruise Ship Parking Sydney contact details

Address: 100 Marickville Road, Marrickville NSW
Phone: 1800 462 445
Email:  info@cruiseshipparkingsydney.com.au
Website: https://cruiseshipparkingsydney.com.au

Park On King

Long term parking: $22.38 per day

Airport Parking service with mostly undercover parking. No shuttle to cruise ships (but there are shuttles to the airport). You would need to catch a taxi to the cruise ship for a further $20-40 or catch a train from the airport $10

Pros: Cheap parking rate, free shuttle to airport/train station
Cons: No cruise terminal shuttle, taxi or train purchase needed
Verdict: I’d probably try to book where cruise shuttles are available first

Park on King contact details

Address: 338 King St, Mascot NSW 2020
Phone: (02) 8338 8888
Website: https://www.parkonking.com.au/

SHORT BOOKING DATES OR CONFIRM FOR LONGER
Parking Deals Australia Sydney Cruise Parking

Long term $17 per day flat rate advertised – check when booking

Kings Cross Station is located across the road – $17 per day flat rate advertised HOWEVER website states Monday to Thursday parking only or email if weekends also needed. I suspect the charge will increase for weekend days.

Pros: Very close to train station. Secure car park and very low price so close to the city
Cons: Mixed messaging on rates and longer cruise bookings may not be possible
Verdict: Worth a call to see what’s possible and check the actual rate

Parking Deals contact information

Address: 203 Victoria St, Potts Point NSW 2011
Phone: 1300 985 841
Email: Contact@parkingdealsaustralia.com.au
Book online: https://parkingdealsaustralia.com.au

Parkable App (my choice for our latest cruise)

The Parkable App

The Parkable App isn’t strictly designed for casual long term parking, however you can make it work for your cruise parking, and the company can help if you hit any difficulties.

The Parkable App needs to be downloaded from the App Store on your smart phone. It has a map with listings of private car parks where you can remotely book them using the app and even operate secure gates in and out using the app.

Parkable App screenshot

We paid only $100 for 12 days secure parking at St Leonards – about six train station stops away from Circular Quay. This saved me a couple of hundred dollars on our cruise parking!

Booking with Parkable for cruise parking can be a little confusing at first. You need to subscribe to a spot initially and then unsubscribe 7 days before your debark/pick up date, as it charges a week in advance.

Parkable App screenshot

Pros: Very cheap parking
Cons: Can be confusing to book. Available parking spots as can be limited inside the CBD.
Verdict: Overall Parkable was a great way to save money on Sydney cruising parking arrangements

Parkable contact information

Website: https://parkable.com
Phone: 1300 743 643

Other free or cheap cruise parking ideas – parking at a Sydney or rural station and catching the train

This shot was taken from the Circular Quay railway platform

The Circular Quay railway station is only 5-10 minutes walk from the Overseas Passenger Terminal at Circular Quay, and it has an platform elevator (for disability/suitcases/prams, etc.)

Parking for free and catching the train to your Circular Quay terminal cruise ship can be a smart way to save money on a tight budget, depending on the free railway station car park and where you are located.

There is room on Sydney city trains to carry your cases with you in the ground floor entrance area, or there are proper baggage shelves on rural train services. There are always lifts/elevators on train platforms to help you avoid the stairs when dealing with heavy suitcases or prams.

You will need to be able to lift your case on/off the train over the station platform gap – no mean feat if you are a single parent of young children or have a heap of luggage (who doesn’t on a cruise? There’s no weight limits!). That said, it can be done with determination!

Sydney rail free parking

Several Sydney railway stations still have free parking, although some Sydney Councils are now cracking down on the car parks being used for long term parking, and are putting in time limits.

The safety of your car in these mostly outdoor and unpatrolled car parks is debatable, however it can also save a lot of money on parking.

Another option if you are driving in from a rural area is to park at a country station such as Goulburn, NSW where you can park for free. This is perhaps a safer option to leaving your car at a Sydney train station parking area.

We have left our car at Goulburn railway station for several weeks before without a problem – but it will never be as safe as a secure car park. Sometimes trying to save money can be a bit of a gamble!

I do hope this article helps you work out which cruise ship parking option best suits you. Please consider dropping me a comment here or a social “like” or sharing it, as it really helps me to keep these free articles coming!

Good luck in your cruise ship parking search, and have a fantastic cruise!

The prices stated in this article were correct at the time of publishing (November 2022 – updated June 2023). Prices continually change when parking your car in Sydney. Please use this article as a guide only and always check the supplied official websites for the latest parking rates.

The Let’s Go Mum family are not partnered with any parking station listed in this article but are partnered with Celebrity Cruises (the mentioned New Zealand cruise).

Read more about our family cruises:

A single parent’s guide to cruising

Ten reasons why your kids will love a Carnival Cruise

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