Getting ashore
Catalina Island is usually a tender stop.
Build in extra time at both ends of the day, especially if you are planning an independent tour or want to be first ashore.
Dominican Republic
Catalina Island Cruise Port
Catalina Island is a long port day with frequent tendering and moderate cruise traffic throughout the year, but concentrated in January, February, and November.
Usually tenders
Moderate traffic
~10h typical visit
Mid-size ships
What to expect in Catalina Island
How much time will you have?
About 10h is typical
Most cruises spend 9h to 10h in Catalina Island, which makes it a relatively long port day compared with many stops.
How busy does Catalina Island get?
This is usually a quieter cruise stop.
Multiple ships overlap on roughly 1% of days, so most dates should feel manageable.
- Typical day: ~6,450 passengers
- Busy day: 10,700+ passengers
- Multiple ships on 1% of days
Check your date
October 2026
Jump
Quieter
Busier
Ships
Sun
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Where Catalina Island fits into a cruise
Catalina Island is most commonly visited on Eastern Caribbean itineraries, often alongside La Romana and Road Town, Tortola .
Commonly arrives from
Catalina Island
Commonly continues to
When to cruise to Catalina Island
Cruises visit year-round, with the busiest season from January, February, and November.
Cruises visit year-round, with the busiest season from January, February, and November.
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Visits
34
39
24
18
16
17
12
17
27
24
33
28
Who sails here?
Ships visiting Catalina Island typically carry around 2,142 guests, with MSC Opera, Costa Fascinosa, and Explora III calling most often.
Most frequently visiting ships
- 1 MSC Opera 169 calls
- 2 Costa Fascinosa 19 calls
- 3 Explora III 2 calls
- 4 Explora II 1 call
Next port calls