Jersey Port Sponsored by Elite Cruises
Getting To Know Jersey – Cruise Port Guide
St Helier is one of twelve parishes on the small and hugely popular island of Jersey and this is where your cruise ship will dock, although larger vessels will drop anchor and take guests ashore via tenders. Our Jersey cruise port guide is a bite size chunk of useful information on how to best plan your time here.
Jersey is always a popular stop and it can get very busy during the summer season. There’s a range of things to see and do, with everything from kayaking to pearl picking and fine dining on offer. St Helier is easily accessible on foot, but if you would like to try something different, why not use the Le Petit Train service which runs frequently throughout the day from Liberation Square. It takes roughly 30 minutes to get from St Helier to St Aubin using this service which also has live commentary.
Don’t miss the Central Market, which is packed with fresh fish, fruit, vegetables, local crafts and more. The market has served the people of St Helier for more than 200 years, it’s open 6 days per week (closed on Sunday’s) and can be found on the corner of Beresford Street and Halkett Place. There’s also the Beresford Street Market which is between Beresford Street and Minden Place.
Travel Tips:
St Helier is pedestrianised and very easy to explore without the use of public transport
Jersey, Guernsey and British pounds are widely accepted – change will likely be given in Jersey pounds, which cannot be used in the UK
Visit the official Jersey website for regular offers on attractions and dining
Key highlights of Jersey
- The War Tunnels
- Elizabeth Castle
- Maritime Museum
- Botanic Gardens at Samarés Manor
- Jersey Zoo
- Pick A Pearl
- La Hougue Bie Museum
- Water Sports
- Channel Island Military Museum
Regular cruise line visitors
Cruise Expert Insider 🔎 Jersey Cruise Port by Francesca Barone
The Channel Islands are an archipelago in the English Channel located just off the Normandy coast of France. They hold the most amazing memories for me, as my grandparents retired to the charismatic island of a bygone age, Alderney (tiny at just 3 square miles with no traffic lights and predominantly cobbled streets). My grandfather was a ‘Skipper’ and sailed into Alderney once. Having visited, he promised his wife (my grandmother) that it was the most beautiful place he had ever seen, and they would spend their retirement years there – they did exactly that resulting in many wonderful family holidays there.
Jersey is, of course, not as small as that, and is the largest of these beautiful Channel Islands at just under 45 square miles. Her official name is the Bailiwick of Jersey and the island is a British Crown Dependency. There is no escaping the fact that these amazing islands are closely connected with France and you’ll notice many places/roads have French influenced names.
The Channel Islands were occupied for most of WW2 and there is no shortage of references to this across the islands, including of course, Jersey. They were the only part of the British Isles that were occupied by the Germans in World War 2, which of course would have delighted Hitler, for a while at least.
For those who are interested in history you’ll find plenty to visit on the island of Jersey to intrigue and fascinate you. Tours of the tunnels/bunkers can be booked pre-and-post cruise – these were built by slaves during the occupation. There are also many different fortifications on the island from different wars over the years, bearing testament to the rich & sometimes tragic history that these islands hold.
So, that’s the darker side of Jersey. The lighter side of Jersey is that she is friendly, vibrant, full of life and offers many places and things for you to experience and explore.
The capital of Jersey is the Parish of St Helier and this is where your ship will be dropping anchor/docking. St Helier is a lovely town with a fantastic selection of little shops, narrow cobbled streets, along with plenty of places to feed your appetite for drink or food. Being an island, there is no shortage of the most incredibly fresh and delicious fish & other sea food.
The beaches are amazing. When the tide is out, they extend out in front of you for miles and a simply stunning.
You could take a tour to the island’s vineyard, visit an adventure park, the Botanic Gardens or perhaps check out one of the Museums. Maybe you’d just like to hop on a local bus and do your own hop on and hop off tour to the different highlights around the island. You can golf, surf, cycle, enjoy a spa day – the possibilities are endless.
Let’s not forget that Jersey also has its very own cow (many of them actually) the Jersey cow. They are distinctive in colour and you’ll see all sorts of memorabilia relating to them in local retail outlets. The Jersey cow cream popularly goes into the island’s home-made fudge and liqueur.
Early in August is a Jersey extravaganza called The Battle of Flowers. The core of this is an amazing procession comprising lots of floats decorated with amazing displays of flowers. The supporting acts, so to speak, are such things as funfairs, music and street performers.
These are some of my recommendations for dining options during your visit:
The Crab Shack right on the beach at St Brelade.
The Crab Shack in Gorey – set up high with a fabulous view over the bay and across to Gorey Castle (which is all lit up at night)
The Royal Yacht (hotel, restaurant and bar) close to the bay in St Helier – great vibe for drinks or dining.
The Quayside Restaurant & Grill. In the heart of St Helier, quayside, first floor location is the best place to request in order to make the most of the incredible views.
SeaFish Café in St Helier – The best fish and chips I’ve ever had. Sit down restaurant.