Really happy with my tattoo! I got it while I was on vacation! It wasn’t planned, I just googled tattoo places and tattoo lab had amazing reviews. Vivek was very patient with me and made sure I was happy.
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A small tattoo or piercing fits into a Halifax port day if you plan before you sail: send your idea, your ship and all-aboard time. Tattoo Lab is at 221 Herring Cove Rd, Halifax, a taxi ride from the Seaport.
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The studio isn’t within walking distance of the cruise terminals, so plan a taxi or rideshare each way and leave plenty of time to get back to your ship.
Message us before you sail with your ship, your date in Halifax, your all-aboard time and your idea.
Keep it small and simple. A large or detailed piece doesn’t belong in a single port day.
Leave a generous time buffer for the ride back to the ship.
Bring your passport or other government-issued photo ID showing your date of birth.
Skip the ship’s pools and hot tubs until your tattoo or piercing has healed.
Time in port is short, so the planning has to happen before your ship arrives. Send the Book Now form and tell us:
Already in port and hoping to come in today? Call or text 902-448-2211. If you’ve sent the form, we’ll already have your details, so it’s quick.
Your artist will tell you honestly whether your idea fits your time in port and confirm the design with you in advance. A deposit secures your time slot. Deposits vary by tattoo and appointment, your artist confirms the amount, and they go toward your final price. They are non-refundable. Before sending any payment, please confirm you’re talking to an official Tattoo Lab employee.
Really happy with my tattoo! I got it while I was on vacation! It wasn’t planned, I just googled tattoo places and tattoo lab had amazing reviews. Vivek was very patient with me and made sure I was happy.
The best port-day tattoos are small and simple: a fine line symbol, a word or short phrase, a small lighthouse or wave, or matching tattoos with your travel partner. For ideas with a local connection, see our Nova Scotia and ocean tattoo ideas.
Larger pieces, detailed realism and cover-ups need more time than a port day allows, and rushing them isn’t fair to you or the tattoo. If that’s what you want, plan it for a longer stay in Halifax.
Piercings are often the quickest option. Walk-ins for piercings are possible depending on when our piercer is in, so call or text before you come in. See body piercing in Halifax.
Cruise ships in Halifax dock at the Halifax Seaport, at the south end of the downtown waterfront, where Piers 20 and 22 connect to the cruise pavilions. Tattoo Lab is about 8 km away by road.
Build in a buffer. Traffic varies, and ships don’t wait. Plan to be back at the pier well before your all-aboard time.
Ship life means pools, hot tubs, sun decks and sea air, so a little planning keeps your tattoo healing well.
Our aftercare guide asks you to avoid swimming, bathtubs, hot tubs and the ocean for at least 2–3 weeks, and Cleveland Clinic dermatology advice is not to soak a tattoo until it has fully healed.
Keep the tattoo covered with loose clothing or in the shade while it heals. Once healed, protect it with sunscreen.
Wash gently with mild, fragrance-free soap, pat dry and moisturise lightly.
Spreading redness, worsening pain, pus, fever or red streaks need medical attention, so visit the ship’s medical centre or a doctor.
New piercings need the same caution: industry and clinical guidance both say to keep a healing piercing out of pools, hot tubs and open water.
Bring valid government-issued photo ID showing your date of birth, such as your passport.
Tattoos are 16+. Clients aged 16–17 need a parent or legal guardian present for the entire session. Piercing ages depend on the placement: see piercing ages by placement.
Prices are in Canadian dollars. We accept debit, credit cards including American Express, Apple Pay and tap, e-Transfer, PayPal and cash. Tipping is your choice and never expected. If you tip, cash, card or e-Transfer all work, and all of it goes to the person who did your tattoo or piercing.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Always follow your artist’s or piercer’s aftercare instructions, and check your cruise line’s schedule and rules.
No. The studio is about 8 km from the cruise pavilions by road, so take a taxi or rideshare each way, and leave plenty of time to get back to your ship.
Yes, if it’s small and planned ahead. Message us before you sail with your ship’s times and your idea, and your artist will tell you honestly what fits.
Text us as soon as you can at 902-448-2211. With at least 7 days’ notice, your deposit moves to a new date. Short-notice changes or cancellations require a new deposit.
Not while it’s healing. Our aftercare guide asks you to avoid swimming and hot tubs for at least 2–3 weeks, and dermatology advice is not to soak a tattoo until it has fully healed.
Yes. Piercings are often the quickest option on a port day, and walk-ins are possible depending on when our piercer is in. Please call or text before you come in, and keep the piercing out of pools and hot tubs while it heals.
Your passport or other government-issued photo ID, a payment card, your phone with reference photos, and loose clothing that won’t rub the new tattoo.
Send your ship’s name, date and all-aboard time with your idea, and we’ll let you know what’s possible.
