Rouen Cruise Port

At Rouen, vessels are charged only once upon entering its waters, ensuring a seamless and cost-effective experience. A single port fee covers three destinations: Rouen, Honfleur, and the Seine Valley. Rouen is the closest cruise port to Paris (90 min).

Seamless Operations

• The 24/7 Cruise Terminal (Quai de Boisguilbert): 250m ships, 2km to medieval heart offering 24-hour access and full ISPS security.
• 5-min shuttles, multilingual staff, 24/7 accessibility.
• Welcome desk 9-6 PM; Tourist Office onboard welcome on request.
• Shore power (Cold Ironing) is currently being installed to meet the environmental standards of the EU.

6-Hour Seine Approach

• Seine River Chalk cliffs + Impressionist landscapes as “front-row” content.
• Boosts onboard buzz pre-docking.

Twilight & Overnights

• High-margin evenings: Cathedral Light Show, Saint-Ouen Abbey candlelit concerts.
• Late shuttles drive dining and tour revenue.

5 Pillars for Shorex

History: Medieval capsule, Joan of Arc, Vikings.
Art: Impressionism hub, Monet views.
Gastronomy: UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, market-to-table.
Industry: From the Historic Roman port to Corderie Vallois rope making.
Nature: The Abbey and Fruit Routes are musts for active travelers or a visit by bus.

Hub Excursions

Paris (90 min), Giverny (50 min), D-Day (120 min), Honfleur (60 min).

Our metropolis area encompasses 71 communes, and we work closely with a network of over 400 local business partners to offer tried and tested experiences. We offer a synergistic environment that fosters mutual growth and high guest satisfaction.

• Cycling Connectivity: A notable 110-kilometer section of the “La Seine à Vélo” cycle route, within the Rouen metropolitan area alone.
• Extensive Dining Options: The city boasts a dense culinary scene with around 600 restaurants in the metropolitan area.
•  Vibrant Nightlife: With 196 bars in the area, Rouen holds 3rd place in the national ranking for the highest number of bars per inhabitant.
•  Lodging: The area provides over 3,500 hotel rooms for visitors.
•  Accessibility: The HAROPA Rouen Cruise Terminal provides a professional, secure base for ocean vessels located just 2 km from the medieval center. Guests can enjoy a scenic 30-minute walk from the cruise terminal along the Seine Waterfront, which is lined with  mall, bars, restaurants, and nightlife venues.
• Shuttles: With a quick 5-to-10-minute transfer time, multilingual staff, and full accessibility for guests with limited mobility, you can move passengers to excursion staging points or the city center with total precision.

The Overnight Advantage: Capture high-margin evening revenue by leveraging our proximity to many attractions. With simple shuttle extensions to cathedral light shows and gourmet dining, you can offer exclusive after-dark experiences and boost guest satisfaction while keeping transfer costs predictable.

Experience more for less with the ‘One Port Fee’, Three Destinations’ package.

A single entry fee covers your stopovers in both Rouen and Honfleur, as well as the picturesque transit through the Seine Valley, ensuring a budget-friendly journey without additional port charges.

The Scenic Seine Approach: Transform transit time into a destination highlight. Guests enjoy a picturesque 6-hour sail through the Seine Valley, passing limestone cliffs, rolling vineyards, and charming river towns like La Bouille.

The six-hour transit up the Seine isn’t just “sea time”. It’s a major selling point. Guests spend their time on deck taking photos of the beautiful cliffs, farmlands, villages and forest trails. It works well because it creates that classic French lifestyle feeling before docking.

The “Invisible” Shore Excursion: This inland cruise route offers a unique vantage point for photography and relaxation, providing “onboard content” that reduces the need for daytime entertainment. This turns transit into high-value content that guests love.

Once on arrival in Rouen the terminal sits near the medieval center, guest flow is seamless. Maximize onboard revenue by pairing long day trips with an evening back in the city for a cathedral show or Paris by Night. It’s a proven, low-stress call that delivers high guest satisfaction and strong, consistent revenue per guest passenger.

The Five Pillars of Rouen’s Heritage – Ready-to-sell excursion concepts designed for maximum sell-through and guest satisfaction.

Rouen isn’t just a single-theme destination. By leveraging our “Five Heritage Pillars,” shore excursion planners can move away from generic walking tours and toward high-margin, specialized products. These curated experiences typically drive higher revenue compared to standard stops because they offer exclusive access and authentic storytelling.

• History: An “Open-Air Museum” featuring 2,000 years of history, architecture and discoveries, including the tales of Joan of Arc, The Vikings and the Ducs of Normandy.
• Arts: The “Impressionist Hub,” home to the first Impressionist collection outside of Paris and Monet’s beloved iconic, the Cathedral of Rouen.
• Gastronomy: A UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy, offering exclusive Food Festivals, “Market-to-Table” tours and cider and cheese taste discoveries.
• Nature: 22,500 hectares of forest and the famous “Fruit Route” orchards for active and wellness-focused excursions by foot or bike.
• Industry: Rare industrial heritage sites like Earthenware, ironwork or the Vallois Rope Factory, where 19th-century machines still operate today.

This mix allows you to segment your guests effectively – offering something for the foodie, the historian, the art lover, and the active explorer all in one day.

In Rouen, an overnight stay is a strategic revenue driver. While day-only ports face “time-crunch” limitations, our terminal allows you to offer premium day and evening excursions that guests simply cannot find elsewhere.

By staying late or overnight, you transition from standard sightseeing to high-value, atmospheric “bucket list”experiences that command premium pricing.

Our evening portfolio is designed for high impact and exclusive access

• The Cathedral Sound & Light Show: From June to September, the facade of the Rouen Cathedral becomes a canvas for world-class light projections, offering a seasonal spectacle that guests can enjoy just minutes from the ship.
• Candlelit Exclusives: We offer candlelit guided visits of major monuments and historic places.
• VIP Organ Concert: Discover the Saint-Ouen Abbey, complete with rare organ concerts. This is a high-ticket, “money-can’t-buy” experience specifically tailored for cruise passengers.
• UNESCO Gastronomy & River Dining: Capitalizing on Rouen’s UNESCO Gastronomical status, by offering foodie cruises or curated outings. Julia Child could not be wrong, it was after-all a Restaurant in Rouen that pushed her to become a chef.

For shore excursion planners, the logistics are seamless. We extend shuttle operations late into the night, ensuring guests can explore the illuminated half-timbered houses and landmarks like the Gros-Horloge with total peace of mind. This late-night accessibility doesn’t just drive sales, it generates the high-quality social media content and “rave reviews” that boost your brand’s reputation for offering authentic, immersive European discovery.

Rouen’s geographical position serves as a powerful strategic asset for your shore excursion department. It acts as the ultimate hub, placing the most iconic landmarks of Northern France within easy reach.

Because travel times are significantly lower than from other regional ports, you can offer more time “on the ground” at the destination, leading to higher guest satisfaction and a stronger price-to-value ratio.

You can run a full-day Paris tour just 90 minutes away while simultaneously offering Versailles or a garden trip to Giverny. Most partners use this flexibility to pack their shorex programs. You aren’t limited to one theme; you can offer History, Art, and Twilight Tours in one day.

Key Destinations & Logistics:

• Paris (90 min): The proximity to the capital allows for full-day city highlights or specialized evening tours, making the “Paris from the Seine” promise a viable reality for every guest.
• Giverny/Monet’s Gardens (50 min): A top-tier seller for the art-focused demographic. The short transfer time makes this an ideal half-day “easy” excursion that leaves guests with free time to explore Rouen in the afternoon.
• Versailles (80 min): Reach the world’s most famous palace faster than many inland tours, offering a royal experience that feels exclusive and well-paced.
• Honfleur (60 min): This charming maritime village is a guest favorite for its picturesque harbor and galleries, fitting perfectly into a relaxed half-day schedule.
• D-Day Beaches (120 min): For history enthusiasts, the 2-hour transfer is a manageable journey to the landing beaches, allowing for a comprehensive, emotionally resonant day trip.

Paris by night: Paris awakens with a dazzling array of nightlife experiences. Glitz and glamour of the iconic Moulin Rouge, where high-kicking dancers and elaborate costumes create a captivating cabaret spectacle or the sensual and sultry performances at the renowned Crazy Horse or Lido, where feathers, sequins, and artistry take centre stage. Paris equally offers a melodic feast, so lose yourself in the rhythms of jazz at intimate clubs or catch world-class concerts and operas at grand venues like the Palais Garnier, situated 135km from Rouen.

Why Planners Love It: The variety of these “standard-fit” calls means you can segment your offerings to appeal to different guest interests – art, history, gastronomy, or urban exploration – all from a single docking location. These short-to-medium coach times reduce guest fatigue and operational complexity, ensuring your tours remain profitable, punctual, and highly rated.

Rouen is more than a destination; it is a strategic asset for itinerary planners. By acting as the “hinge” between major European gateways and regional ports, Rouen allows you to maintain high shorex momentum throughout a voyage. Whether used as a hub to Paris or as the medieval heart of Normandy, it consistently drives high guest satisfaction and mid-cruise revenue.

Top-Performing Itinerary Concepts:

• The “Triple Capital” Anchor (Amsterdam – Rouen – Paris): Position Rouen as the quintessential French anchor. Guests experience the canals of Amsterdam, the heritage of the Norman capital, Rouen, and the finale of Paris, creating a seamless “Rhine-to-Seine” narrative.
• The Heritage Trail (Edinburgh – Saint-Malo – Rouen – Honfleur): A powerful “Celtic and Viking” story. Rouen, Honfleur and Saint-Malo serves as medieval highlights, providing the architectural and historical depth that bridges coastal Atlantic calls with the heart of France.
• The Wine & Gastronomy Express (Bordeaux – Rouen – Paris): A premium transition from the vineyards of the South to the Impressionist landscapes of the North. Rouen delivers the gastronomy and art (Monet) that guests expect when moving toward the capital.
• Short UK-France Breaks (Southampton – Rouen – Honfleur): Perfect for 3-5 night loops. Rouen provides the “big ticket” experiences – Paris shopping trips and evening Cathedral shows – that make short itineraries feel like a full-scale European grand tour.
• The Repositioning Revenue Driver (Bilbao – Rouen – Amsterdam): On long Med-to-North voyages, Rouen provides a vital revenue boost mid-cruise. It offers a “Paris & Normandy” package that re-energizes guest spending just as the voyage might otherwise see a plateau.
• The Roundtrip Seine Loop (Honfleur – Seine Valley– Rouen): A dedicated regional product where Rouen acts as the primary gastronomic and medieval anchor, with the Seine Valley as a natural backdrop for produce discoveries, perfectly balanced by Honfleur and the Norman coastal charm.

The Bottom Line for Planners: In every configuration, Rouen increases the “sell-ability” of the route. It allows you to market the allure of Paris while delivering the authentic, uncrowded charm of a medieval Norman capital. Its ability to fit into both 4-night “taster” cruises and 14-night “grand voyages” makes it one of the most versatile ports in the Atlantic façade.