Arriving in Singapore by Cruise Ship: SG Arrival Card and Immigration
Cruise passengers who go ashore in Singapore clear immigration, so ICA's SG Arrival Card rules apply to them as to air travellers. This guide covers timing around a cruise and what to expect at Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore and Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront).
Verified: October 28, 2026
Cruising into Singapore?
The cruise terminals
Your cruise line tells you which terminal your ship uses. This guide covers the two terminals that publish arrival information for cruise passengers.
| Terminal | Address | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore (MBCCS) | 61 Marina Coastal Drive, Singapore 018947 | Open only on days when a cruise ship is at berth |
| Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront) | 5 HarbourFront Avenue, Singapore 099549 | International cruise and regional ferry terminal. It replaced HarbourFront Passenger Terminal, whose last day was 14 July 2026. |
Which cruise passengers need the SG Arrival Card
ICA requires all travellers to submit the SG Arrival Card within three days before arrival, the arrival day included. The only exceptions are travellers who transit without clearing immigration, and Singapore residents entering through the land checkpoints. Singapore Cruise Centre states that all passengers who want to enter Singapore, residents and foreign visitors alike, must submit the health declaration through the SG Arrival Card e-Service before clearing immigration.
| Your cruise | SG Arrival Card |
|---|---|
| Your cruise ends in Singapore and you leave the ship | Yes, for the day the ship arrives |
| You fly into Singapore to board a cruise | Yes, for the day your flight arrives |
| Port call in Singapore and you go ashore | Yes, because you clear immigration |
| Port call in Singapore and you stay on board | ICA's exception covers travellers who do not clear immigration. ICA does not name this case, so ask your cruise line. |
| Round trip from Singapore | A card for the day the ship returns, and one for your first arrival if you fly or travel in before the cruise |
| Singapore citizen, permanent resident or long-term pass holder | Health declaration only, through the SG Arrival Card e-Service |
Exceptions in detail: who needs the SG Arrival Card · Singapore transit guide
Timing the card around a cruise
- Count the three days back from the day the ship arrives in Singapore, not the day you boarded. For a ship arriving on 30 June, ICA's window opens on 28 June.
- On a longer cruise, the window opens while you are at sea. Plan how you will get online on board in those days.
- ICA's FAQ says one individual submission can cover up to three trips. This helps when two arrivals fall in the same three days, for example a short cruise from Singapore and back.
- A group submission covers up to 10 people travelling together on one trip.
- If your sailing is cancelled, ICA's FAQ says you do not need to void the card. A new trip needs a new submission.
Filling in the form as a cruise passenger
- Under Mode of Travel, choose Sea and then Cruise. Select your ship under Cruise Name.
- Enter the Last City/Port of Embarkation before Singapore: the last port before Singapore.
- Enter the Next City/Port of Disembarkation after Singapore: where you go when you leave Singapore.
- For Type of Accommodation in Singapore, the form offers Hotel, Residential, Transit and Day Trip. Choose the one that matches your stay.
- Answer the health declaration truthfully. If you were in a country with risk of yellow fever transmission in the six days before arrival, you need a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate.
Every field explained: SG Arrival Card form guide · The health declaration
Immigration and customs at the terminal
- Present your passport at immigration. ICA requires biometrics, such as fingerprints and a face image, from travellers.
- Foreign visitors receive an e-Pass by email after clearing immigration. It shows how many days you may stay.
- Singapore Cruise Centre asks passengers to use the Green Channel if they have nothing to declare, and the Red Channel if they have items to declare or are in doubt.
- If you carry cash and bearer negotiable instruments worth more than S$20,000 in total, you must declare them. Singapore Cruise Centre says the declaration can be made within 72 hours before arrival, in the MyICA app or after completing the SG Arrival Card.
- IRAS lists only Changi Airport and Seletar Airport as departure points for the Tourist Refund Scheme. It does not list the cruise terminals, so plan to claim a GST refund only if you also leave by air.
From the terminal to the city
Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore
- Bus 400 goes to the Central Business District. The bus stop is on Level 1, and MBCCS lists services from 6:00 AM to 11:30 PM daily. Cash fares need the exact amount.
- MRT: Marina South Pier Station on the North-South Line is 650 m from the terminal. MBCCS lists the first train at 6:10 AM Monday to Saturday and 6:38 AM on Sundays and public holidays, and the last trains at 11:48 PM to Jurong East and 12:04 AM to Kranji.
- Taxi: there is a metered taxi stand. Taxi trips from MBCCS carry a location surcharge, which depends on the time of day.
Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront)
- MRT: the nearest station is HarbourFront, on the North East Line and Circle Line. Singapore Cruise Centre's walking route links the terminal to Exit B through HarbourFront Tower 1 and an overhead bridge to HarbourFront Centre.
- Bus: stops nearby include HarbourFront Station Exit A (14129), opposite HarbourFront Interchange (14121) and HarbourFront Bus Interchange (14009).
- Private hire car: Singapore Cruise Centre lists a Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront) pick-up point for Grab, Gojek, Tada Mobility and Ryde.
- Taxi: all taxis in Singapore are metered, and Singapore Cruise Centre notes that a peak-hour surcharge may apply.
Paying for buses and the MRT: see Changi Airport to the city, which covers bank cards, mobile wallets and the Singapore Tourist Pass.
Cruise passengers and SingaporeDigitalCard
You can order before you sail. The team files the card inside ICA's window for the day the ship arrives. If you order before the window opens, you confirm your health answers again when it opens, so plan to be online then. Health answers are filed exactly as you give them.
Submitting is free on ICA's e-Service and in the MyICA app. SingaporeDigitalCard is an independent paid service, not ICA. See pricing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do cruise passengers need the SG Arrival Card?
Yes, if they clear immigration in Singapore. That includes passengers who end their cruise in Singapore and those who go ashore at a port call. ICA's exception covers only travellers who do not clear immigration and Singapore residents entering by land.
When should I submit the card if my cruise ends in Singapore?
Within three days before the day the ship arrives, that day included. For a 30 June arrival, ICA's window opens on 28 June, which may be while you are still at sea.
I start and end my cruise in Singapore. Do I need two cards?
You need a card for each arrival in Singapore: one for the day you first arrive, for example by air, and one for the day the ship returns. ICA's FAQ says one individual submission can cover up to three trips within its three-day window.
Which terminal will my cruise use?
Your cruise line tells you. Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore is at 61 Marina Coastal Drive, and Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront) is at 5 HarbourFront Avenue.
Can I claim a GST refund when I leave by cruise ship?
IRAS lists only Changi Airport and Seletar Airport as departure points for the Tourist Refund Scheme. The cruise terminals are not on that list.
Sources checked
- ICA: SG Arrival Card (SGAC) with Electronic Health Declaration · October 28, 2026
- ICA: Entering Singapore · October 28, 2026
- ICA: Transiting Through Singapore · October 28, 2026
- ICA: SG Arrival Card e-Service (visitor form, observed 28 October 2026) · October 28, 2026
- ICA: SG Arrival Card e-Service, frequently asked questions · October 28, 2026
- Marina Bay Cruise Centre Singapore: Singapore Arrival Card and Getting to the City/Airport · October 28, 2026
- Singapore Cruise Centre: Immigration and Customs · October 28, 2026
- Singapore Cruise Centre: Singapore Cruise Centre (HarbourFront) · October 28, 2026
- Singapore Cruise Centre: HarbourFront Passenger Terminal has relocated · October 28, 2026
- Singapore Cruise Centre: Leaving the terminal · October 28, 2026
- IRAS: Tourist Refund Scheme · October 28, 2026
Cruising into Singapore?
Order before you sail. Our team reviews each traveller's details and files the SG Arrival Card inside ICA's submission window. One order covers 1 to 10 travellers arriving on the same date.