Puntarenas cruise port: excursion prices and pier guide
Puntarenas, Costa Rica (Central and South America). The pier is in town, but the parks Costa Rica is known for are 45 minutes to 2 hours away.
Pier
Ships dock
Puntarenas cruise pier
Lines calling
Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL
ship prices recorded for Carnival, NCL
Nearest sight
Puntarenas paseo
~5 min walk
All cruise lines side by side
| Tour type | Royal Caribbean | Carnival | NCL | Independent | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Catamaran / sail & snorkel | – | – | – | $150 | 5/5 |
| Kayak / paddle | – | – | – | $35 | 5/5 |
| Zipline | – | $155 | $157 | $145 | 3/5 |
| ATV / buggy / jeep | – | $190 | – | $150 | 5/5 |
| Snorkel tour | – | – | – | $89 | 5/5 |
| Food & tasting | – | $100 | $128 | $75 | 5/5 |
| Beach break / beach club | – | $185 | $221 | $110 | 5/5 |
| Nature / waterfall / park | – | $125 | $133 | $59 | 3/5 |
| City / island tour | – | – | $103 | $110 | 5/5 |
Median adult price per tour type. A dash means that line's prices for Puntarenas were not shown publicly when we checked, or there was no close independent match.
Royal Caribbean in Puntarenas Carnival in Puntarenas NCL in Puntarenas
Distance from the pier
| From the pier to | Straight line | Approx. travel time |
|---|---|---|
| Puntarenas paseo | 347 m | ~5 min walk |
| Carara National Park | 33.3 km | ~75 min by road |
| Tarcoles crocodile bridge | 32.2 km | ~75 min by road |
| Tortuga Island | 23.4 km | ~55 min by road |
Distances are measured from Puntarenas cruise pier. Travel times are estimates for normal traffic, not including ferries or tender queues.
All-aboard and buffer rules
Ships here dock alongside. All-aboard is normally 30 minutes before departure on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, NCL and MSC (check your daily planner). Plan to be back at the pier at least 60 minutes before the ship sails.
Tours that need extra margin here
- Nature / waterfall / park: Monteverde cloud forest is about 2h each way. Carara is about 45 minutes.
- Zipline: Most canopy parks are 45 minutes or more away.