The Black Falcon Cruise Terminal is located on the Boston Harbor and serves as the primary cruise ship terminal for the city of Boston, Massachusetts. With the increasing popularity of cruising in recent years, many travelers wonder about parking availability when embarking or disembarking from a cruise at the Black Falcon terminal. This article will provide an overview of parking options for cruise passengers using the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal in Boston.
Overview of the Black Falcon Cruise Terminal
The Black Falcon Cruise Terminal is located on Black Falcon Avenue in the Seaport District of South Boston. It is operated by Massport and first opened in 1986. The terminal building has two stories and features customs and border control facilities, luggage handling areas, and waiting spaces for passengers. The terminal can accommodate cruise ships of up to 1,000 feet in length. During the 2022 cruise season, the following cruise lines will be sailing from Black Falcon terminal:
Cruise Lines Sailing from Black Falcon Terminal in 2022
| Carnival Cruise Line |
| Celebrity Cruises |
| Holland America Line |
| MSC Cruises |
| Norwegian Cruise Line |
| Princess Cruises |
| Royal Caribbean International |
The terminal serves over 400,000 passengers annually. Cruise ships depart year-round from Black Falcon terminal for a variety of domestic and international itineraries throughout the Caribbean, Canada/New England, and Europe.
Parking Options at Black Falcon Terminal
The Black Falcon Cruise Terminal offers both short-term and long-term parking options for cruise passengers:
Short-Term Parking
A dedicated outdoor 280-space short-term parking lot is located directly adjacent to the cruise terminal, providing parking for cruise passengers who are being dropped off or picked up at the beginning or end of their cruise. This lot provides easy access right to the terminal entrance. The short-term parking rate is $35 per day.
Long-Term Parking
A 2,380-space parking garage is connected directly to the cruise terminal by an indoor walkway, providing secure and weather-protected parking for cruise passengers leaving their vehicles for the duration of their cruise. Hourly and daily rates are available. The current long-term parking rate is $22 per day ($154 weekly maximum) if reserved online in advance. Without an advance reservation, the drive-up rate is $30 per day.
Parking reservations for the long-term garage can be made online up to one year prior to travel at the Massport website. Those with reservations can proceed directly into the garage without having to stop at the parking booth. Reservations are recommended to guarantee parking availability.
The garage is within easy walking distance to the terminal, however parking shuttle buses are also available for those who need assistance with mobility. Luggage assistance is provided in the garage by porters who will take your checked bags and deliver them to your cruise ship so you don’t have to carry them from your vehicle.
Offsite Parking
In addition to the onsite parking options, there are nearly 20 offsite parking facilities located within a 2-mile radius of the Black Falcon terminal that offer shuttle services to the pier. These provide cheaper daily and weekly parking rates than the onsite garage, typically ranging from $15-$25 per day depending on the provider. However, the tradeoff is less convenience with having to take a shuttle versus parking onsite.
Some popular offsite parking operators near Black Falcon Terminal include:
| WallyPark |
| PreFlight Airport Parking |
| The Parking Spot |
| Quik Park |
| Extra Space Storage |
When booking offsite parking, be sure to factor the shuttle schedule into your arrival timing at the terminal so you don’t miss the boarding of your ship. Most shuttles begin running 3 hours prior to cruise departure and end 1 hour before departure.
Day Parking for Cruise Embarkation
For those just needing parking on the day of cruise embarkation before their sailing, both short-term parking and offsite parking are the best options. Arriving early is recommended to ensure time for parking, shuttle transportation if using offsite lots, luggage drop-off, and going through terminal check-in and boarding. Cruise lines recommend arriving at least 2-3 hours prior to scheduled departure time.
The Black Falcon short-term lot is the most convenient for day parking if space is available, albeit the most expensive at $35 per day. Offsite parking with shuttle service generally ranges from $15-$25 per day. Availability of short-term parking cannot be guaranteed without an advance reservation. If short-term parking is full upon arrival, offsite parking would be the next best option. Some factors to consider in choosing day parking:
| Option | Cost | Convenience | Reservation Needed |
| Short-Term Lot | $35/day | Most convenient | No, first-come basis |
| Offsite Parking | $15-$25/day | Requires shuttle | Recommended |
Allow extra buffer time in your arrival plans in case short-term lot is full and offsite parking with shuttle is needed instead.
Parking for Cruise Debarkation
Upon returning to Boston at the completion of your cruise, the most convenient parking option is to simply use the short-term lot again for picking up passengers. The short-term lot provides easiest access right to the terminal exit. Rates are the same $35 per day. This avoids having to take a shuttle from an offsite location after disembarking the ship. Keep in mind it is typical for cruise ships to arrive back in port very early in the morning, often by 7am. Passengers are usually able to disembark soon after arrival.
Be sure to coordinate in advance with your arriving passengers about where to pick them up. There are no reservations available for short-term parking on debarkation day, so spaces are first-come, first-served. If the short-term lot is full upon arrival, offsite parking with shuttle service would be the next option.
Summary of Parking Options at Black Falcon Terminal
To summarize the parking options available for cruise passengers at Boston’s Black Falcon Terminal:
– Short-term lot – Provides closest parking with direct terminal access but no reservations accepted. $35 per day rate.
– Long-term garage – Reservations recommended for discounts and guaranteed space. Attached to terminal by walkway. $22+ per day.
– Offsite parking – Lower cost alternative but requires shuttle transportation. Rates from $15-$25 per day.
– For cruise embarkation, short-term lot most convenient if space available, offsite parking next best option.
– For debarkation, short-term lot again most convenient option for passenger pickup.
Allow ample time for parking, shuttle transport, luggage handling and check-in based on cruise line embarkation recommendations. Coordinating in advance with arriving/departing passengers is advised regarding meeting location at terminal. Following these tips will help make parking smooth as you embark or return from your cruise vacation out of the Black Falcon Terminal in Boston.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance can I reserve parking at Black Falcon Terminal?
Parking in the onsite long-term garage can be reserved up to one year prior to your sail date through the Massport website. No reservations are available for the short-term lot.
If I have a reservation for the long-term garage, can I still get short-term parking instead if I want?
Yes, your long-term parking reservation can be canceled if you prefer to park short-term upon arrival instead. However short-term parking availability cannot be guaranteed without a reservation.
Which is cheaper, parking onsite at the terminal or offsite parking with a shuttle?
Offsite parking is typically cheaper than onsite parking. The long-term garage is $22+ per day, short-term lot is $35 per day, while offsite parking rates range from $15-$25 per day. The tradeoff is less convenience with having to take a shuttle from offsite locations.
Can I reserve offsite parking and shuttle services to the cruise terminal?
Yes, reservations are recommended for offsite parking operators to guarantee availability and pricing. Each company has their own reservation system online. Availability cannot be guaranteed for offsite parking without an advance booking.
What happens if I miss my cruise ship’s departure time because of parking issues?
Missing your ship’s departure due to parking or traffic delays is an absolute nightmare scenario. Your best recourse is to contact the cruise line immediately and hope they can make arrangements to get you to the next port of call. However, there are generally no guarantees or refunds provided if you miss the scheduled departure. This is why allowing ample time and planning ahead for parking is critical.
