Catalina Island Cruise Port Guide — Ships, Excursions & Tips

Currency

US dollar -- cards widely accepted in Avalon, though some stands are cash-preferred.

Language

English.

Time in Port

Ships typically tender; expect roughly 8am-5pm in port. Tender time adds 20 minutes each way.

Pier Location

Ships anchor in Avalon Bay; tenders land at the Green Pleasure Pier right in the center of Avalon. The Casino is a 10-minute walk along the waterfront.

Best For

Snorkeling, kayaking, glass-bottom boats, relaxed beach walks, and wildlife

About Catalina Island

Catalina Island, just 22 miles off the Southern California coast, is one of the most improbable cruise destinations in the Americas -- a Mediterranean-feeling resort town dropped into the Pacific, with no traffic lights, a population of 4,000, and some of the clearest water on the West Coast. Ships anchor offshore and tender passengers into Avalon's charming crescent harbor, where the iconic circular Casino building frames the hillside and glass-bottom boats reveal a kelp-forest world just beneath the surface. It's a supremely relaxed port for beach walks, kayaking, and a plate of buffalo wings -- yes, buffalo actually roam the island's interior.

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Insider Tip

Tender lines can build quickly when multiple ships are in -- aim to be in the first tender wave off the ship to get the best availability on glass-bottom boats and golf cart rentals, both of which sell out by midday in peak season.

Highlights

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Avalon Casino & Ballroom
Despite the name, the Casino has never hosted gambling -- it's a stunning 1929 Art Deco circular building housing a grand ballroom, movie theater, and museum. Tours run daily; the views from the upper-deck promenade over the harbor are the best on the island.

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Glass-Bottom Boat Tour
The classic Catalina experience: a 45-minute narrated boat ride over kelp forests, garibaldi (California's brilliant orange state fish), and leopard sharks -- boats depart from the Green Pleasure Pier throughout the day.

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Island Interior & Buffalo
A herd of roughly 150 American bison roams Catalina's rugged interior -- introduced in 1924 for a Western film. Jeep eco-tours or the Skyline Drive take you up into the hills where sightings are nearly guaranteed.

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Lover's Cove Marine Preserve
A short walk east of the pier, this protected cove has snorkel equipment for rent and crystal-clear water with garibaldi, bass, and sealife so accustomed to humans that they practically pose -- one of the best shore-snorkel spots in California.

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Avalon Village & Wrigley Memorial
Rent a golf cart (the primary transport on the island) and explore the village's shops and restaurants, then drive up to the Wrigley Memorial and Botanical Garden for sweeping ocean views and a collection of plants found nowhere else on Earth.

Local Food & Drink

Buffalo burger -- the island's bison herd provides the patties for Catalina's signature dish; the Buffalo Nickel restaurant and several waterfront spots serve them year-round.
Fresh-caught yellowtail -- Catalina is one of California's premier sportfishing spots; yellowtail tacos and pan-seared fillets appear on nearly every waterfront menu in season.
Steve's Steakhouse clam chowder -- served in a sourdough bread bowl at the pier, this is the comfort-food landmark of Avalon's dining scene.
Wrigley's chewing gum ice cream -- a novelty local flavor served at the beachfront ice-cream stands, paying tribute to the Wrigley family who once owned the entire island.

Shore Excursion Ideas

1 Glass-bottom boat tour -- 45 minutes over the kelp forest departing from Green Pleasure Pier, no swimming required.

2 Lover's Cove snorkel -- rent gear at the pier and walk 5 minutes to one of Southern California's best protected snorkel sites.

3 Buffalo safari jeep eco-tour -- guided off-road trip into the island interior with near-guaranteed bison sightings.

4 Casino Art Deco architecture tour -- guided or self-guided walk through the 1929 ballroom and museum, plus the best harbor views on the island.

5 Kayak or stand-up paddleboard rental -- paddle along the kelp beds on the east side of the bay; rentals available at the beach beside the pier.

Sailings to Catalina Island

Upcoming Royal Caribbean & Celebrity cruises that visit Catalina Island

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Catalina Island

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