San Francisco Cruise Terminal
San Francisco cruise port terminal is located at the western end of San Francisco Bay in the midway between the Fishermans Wharf and the Bay Bridge. It is along San Francisco City’s waterfront at Pier 35.
Most of the city’s highlights are within walking distance from the terminal. Easily reachable are popular restaurants, hotels, theaters, museums. The cruise port is also at 1/2 hours drive distance from San Francisco International Airport.
Why Cruise From San Francisco
San Francisco is an iconic city filled with beautiful destinations and historic landmarks.
Start your cruise from San Francisco in 2021, 2022, or 2023 and take advantage of your time in this beautiful city â explore the Golden Gate Bridge, Lombard Street, Fishermanâs Wharf, and other one-of-a-kind locations before you set sail for any number of destinations. San Francisco is a popular departure port because of its proximity to all sorts of amazing cruise destinations this port offers a fantastic array of opportunities to sail.
Head down the coast of California on a Princess Cruise Lines from San Francisco or journey from San Francisco to New York with Oceania Cruise Lines! These cruise lines and others â including Carnival Cruises â are either sailing now or have plans to cruise from San Francisco in 2022 or 2023. Contact Cruise Marketplace and let us find you the best discounts, deals, and opportunities to see the magic of this city for yourself.
Why do it yourself? Call our personal agents for help. You won’t be disappointed.
Port San Francisco Ca
Port San Francisco is managed by San Francisco Harbor Commission . The seaport itself manages the waterfront area from Golden Gate Bridge anchorage, along Marina district, all the way around the city’s northern and eastern shores and southward beyond Candlestick Point.
Port of San Francisco is a state-owned revenue-generating agency. It manages the seaport’s wide range of commercial and maritime facilities, plus approx 7,5 ml long waterfront. The port is located on San Francisco Bay’s western edge, near the Golden Gate Bridge. It is ranked as one of the world’s 3 largest natural harbors.
The port area, besides the waterfront lands, also includes commercial real estate and docking piers – between Hyde Str and India Basin . Among the landmarks under the Port Authority control is Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, Ferry Building, AT& T Park , Pier 70 . Huge piers jut out into the bay along much of the city’s waterfront, which is bordered by the roadway Embarcadero .
San Francisco Ferry Building used to serve steamship ferries to Los Angeles CA, Portland OR, Seattle WA, Alaska and Canada’s British Columbia. In 2003, this historic building was restored and reopened. Today it houses a premium gourmet marketplace and office spaces . The building also serves San Francisco Bay Ferry to ports in Oakland, Alameda, Bay Farm Island, Vallejo. The other ferry operator using this terminal is Golden Gate Ferry .
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Best Cruises From San Francisco Ca
- Central America
Many of the worlds top cruise lines offer cruises from San Francisco. A world-class destination on its ownhome to the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz and Fishermans WharfSan Francisco is also a main departing point for cruises along the U.S. West Coast, as well as in the Pacific Ocean with all its tropical beauty and cultural diversity.
Also, how amazing is it that you can start, or finish, your dream cruise by exploring one of Americas1 greatest cities? The cruise destinations from San Francisco, too, are nothing short of superb, as you will see below.
How To Get Here

The best way to get to Pier 27 is by public transit. As you can see from the picture above, you will find a streetcar stop right across the street from the pier.
You can take this streetcar south from Fisherman’s Wharf or north from Market Street. Your stop is Greenwich. You can also ask the driver to alert you when you arrive at this stop.
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Day 6tracy Arm Alaska
Tracy Arm Fjord is an approximate 30 mile long fjord, a narrow inlet created by glacial activity, with nearly a quarter of its area covered in ice. In fact, it encompasses some of Alaska’s largest glaciers, including the twin Sawyer glaciers, which often expel enormous chunks of ice into the waters below in a magnificent process known as calving.
San Francisco Pier 27 Cruise Terminal
The terminal has a new shore power technology which allows equipped cruise liners to use the city’s grid power system instead of their diesel engines to supply onboard services while berthed/docked. This innovation reduces the ships emissions at the cruise terminal.
The biggest ship ever docked at Pier 35 is RMS Queen Mary 2. The new San Francisco cruise terminal was inaugurated in August 2014. It was built at Pier 27 and replaced the old Pier 35 terminal facility.
The new Pier 27 cruise terminal is operational since August 2014. It features a new modern building, electric shore-to-ship power, large holding areas, customs screening. Currently, the cruise port handles up to 80 ship calls and around 200,000 passengers. In 2013, the Princess Cruises ship Grand Princess became the first-ever liner home-ported in San Francisco for year-round turnaround operations. The round-trip itineraries visited ports in California, Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico Riviera.
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Day 5icy Strait Alaska
Icy Strait Point is a privately owned tourist destination just outside the small village of Hoonah, the largest native Tlingit Indian settlement in Alaska. As one of the best places in the world to see whales, and a darn good spot to view bears, Icy Strait/Hoonah is among Alaska’s most beloved destinations for wildlife enthusiasts.
Cruise Lines That Visit San Francisco
As one of the main cities on the West Coast, San Francisco is a popular tourist destination. This fact has not escaped the attention of the major cruise lines, most of which embark and disembark here. Currently, these are the main cruise lines whose ships visit the Port of San Francisco. Youll notice that they include many of the worlds leading lines.
- Celebrity Cruises
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After Pandemic Hiatus Cruises Are Back In San Francisco
Passengers line up to board the Carnival Miracle cruise ship on its way to Mexico at Pier 27 on Thursday.
Bay Area residents may recall the unnerving day in early March 2020 when a cruise ship hauling passengers infected with COVID-19 slowly glided through the San Francisco Bay.
Shortly after San Francisco imposed strict shelter-in-place measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, cruise traffic to the Port of San Francisco halted. But 2022 already is turning out to be a major comeback year for travelers who live for sea voyages and the businesses who rely on their patronage even as the Bay Area faces yet another surge of COVID-19 cases.
With vaccinations widely available and travel restrictions eased, the port is bustling again. Since cruise operations resumed in October, 61 vessels have stopped in San Francisco, with 19 in 2021 and 42 to date in 2022. At least 72 calls are projected for the remainder of the year.
That would put 2022 ahead of the number of cruise calls that the port welcomed even before the pandemic in 2019, when 85 cruises with about 280,000 passengers stopped in San Francisco, according to data provided by the Port of San Francisco. Mexico, Hawaii and Alaska are just a few of the common destinations for cruises leaving San Francisco.
These agreements are in place to protect local public resources during the ongoing COVID-19 response, said Noel Sanchez, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Health.
Plan Ahead By Taking Out Travel Insurance
Organising your next extravagant cruise can be quite exciting, but dont forget to plan for the unexpected! No matter the location, unforeseen moments can occur that can completely change your adventure. As such, everyone at Cruise Guru recommends taking out cruise insurance for any trip or holiday you take. Get a quote today by clicking here!
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Cruising From San Francisco
Thanks to its convenient location in the middle of Californiaand the west coast of the North American continentthe city is a strategic starting point for cruises to the northern wilds, the southern sun and the western islands.
Whichever region in and around the Pacific Ocean you desire to explore, San Francisco is a great city to begin your journey. On a San Francisco cruise, each corner of this vast ocean could bequite literallyat your doorstep, from Mexico to Alaska, Hawaii and even the Panama Canal.
Destinations From San Francisco

Taking your next cruise from San Francisco unlocks an abundance of unforgettable locations in North and South America. A popular itinerary for travellers is exploring wonderful Alaska, stopping at picturesque areas such as the Hubbard Glacier, Skagway, and Juneau. Holidaymakers searching for warmer climates can also escape to idyllic Hawaii, sailing into dream locales such as Hilo and Honolulu.
Alternatively, a cruise from San Francisco can take you to beautiful Mexico, where guests have the chance to experience authentic South American culture in places such as Puerto Vallarta and Ensenada. For longer cruises, there is a small selection of world voyages taking travellers to destinations across the continents, hosted by renowned cruise lines such as Cunard and the luxurious Regent Seven Seas.
You can also plan your next holiday from fantastic cities such as a cruise from San Diego or a cruise from Los Angeles!
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Cruises Out Of San Francisco California
There are 5 cruises that depart from San Francisco, CA in the year 2022. All of these cruises are offered by one cruise line – Princess – on its Ruby Princess cruise ship.You can see San Francisco cruise schedule for 2022 in the table below. Be sure to look at the $/Day column to find cheap San Francisco cruise deals in 2022. |
Departure |
San Francisco Cruises Travel Tips
- Make sure you pack and wear layers. The weather here can get quite chilly at the flip of a dime, so it’s best to be prepared for all possibilities.
- Don’t worry about having a car! San Francisco is very environmentally-friendly, and it’s effortless just to use public transportation to get anywhere you’d like.
- Pay attention to the citywide calendar because San Francisco often hosts free events for everyone in the area! There are also free museum days generally at least once a month.
- Try to book a hotel near Union Square or Fisherman’s Wharf. Don’t make the mistake of being near Van Ness Street, which is known for being loud. By staying downtown, you cut down on your transportation costs!
- Make sure you book your tickets well in advance if you plan on seeing attractions such as Alcatraz Island. Some of the landmarks here are known for being notoriously reserved, no matter the time of year.
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San Francisco Cruise Port
San Francisco is a turnaround port for major cruise lines, like Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival, Princess, NCL-Norwegian. The port is often visited as part of repositioning itineraries between Florida and Alaska. In recent years, also offered are roundtrips from San Francisco to Alaska and Hawaii.
The port’s largest cruise liner so far is NCL‘s Alaskan ship Norwegian Bliss . The maiden call was scheduled for October 3, 2018. San Francisco was the only call port on the 4-day Alaska repositioning cruise from Vancouver BC to Los Angeles CA. NCL Bliss arrived at 9 am and left port at 7 pm.
In 2017, the port handled a total of 286,352 cruise passengers. For 2018 were scheduled a total of 82 ship calls and estimated ~300,000 passengers.
Port San Francisco provides shore-to-ship power capabilities. The technology enables docked vessels to receive electricity from the city’s power grid. From the berth, vessels can plugin directly to the grid which allows full onboard operations without using the diesel engines . The Japanese company has installed such shore-power systems in ports Los Angeles CA, , Goteborg, Travemunde, Livorno, Genoa.
San Francisco Cruise Guide
San Franciscos cruise port terminal is located at the western end of San Francisco Bay, midway between the Fisherman’s Wharf and the Bay Bridge. The Port of San Francisco hosts over 300,000 passengers annually at the James R. Herman and Pier 35 cruise terminals.
The city itself has a lot to offer, with a diverse range of fashion, art, museums, and food. Travel east to the Fishermans Wharf neighborhood for shopping and dining. Visit the San Francisco Maritime National Historic Park to see ships that sailed more than a century ago. Enter the Golden Gate Park to visit de Young Museum, filled with art, costumes and textiles. Explore botanical gardens, play golf or tennis, and take a walk through the Japanese Tea Garden. End your day in the city by taking in some of the best views of the Bay from the famous Golden Gate Bridge.
Escape to Alcatraz home of the infamous and abandoned island prison, and discover how it earned a reputation as a cold and unforgiving place. Or for a different kind of escape, travel north to tall redwoods in Muir Woods, and unwind at famous Napa and Sonoma wineries. Theres something for everyone in San Franciscos diverse neighborhoods.
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Cheap Cruises From San Francisco California
Cheap cruises from San Francisco are available to whisk you off to a variety of wonderful locations. Whether you’re looking for a tropical trip to Mexico or the Panama Canal, or have always wanted to see the ice caps of Alaska, we have pricing on cheap cruises from San Francisco for practically every type of adventure.
Spend 10 to 14 nights cruising to Alaska, viewing whales and glaciers, 10+ nights cruising to Hawaii, viewing volcanoes and beaches, even 30+ nights headed to Japan, viewing skyscrapers and pink cherry blossoms. Cheap cruises from San Francisco can give you the adventure you’re looking for, so worry less about the price and more about which of these many locations you’d like to visit.
Mexico Cruises From San Francisco
Enjoy some Mexican flair, fiesta and food on a cruise from San Francisco to the Mexican Riviera . There are several itinerary options available, from short 4-day sailings to more extended and in-depth 10-day journeys. However much time you have, a Mexico cruise from San Francisco is always a fun experience.
The shorter itineraries usually dont go further than Ensenada, on the way possibly stopping in San Diego, while the longer sailings take in sun-soaked spots like Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. Again, ports of call differ between cruise lines and itineraries. However, each Baja California cruise from San Francisco offers you that fun, stress-free and everything-is-possible feel that only a Mexican holiday can provide.
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Alaska Cruises From San Francisco
Sail from sunny California to glacier-clad Alaska, a journey thatll take you along the entire northern part of the West Coast. Cruise along Northern Californias redwood-topped coastal cliffs, past the countless sea stacks of the Oregon Coast and through the orca-inhabited waters of Washington and British Columbia.
On most cruises from San Francisco to Alaska, youll spend the first couple of days at sea. Once youre up north, a typical cruise, depending on your cruise line and itinerary, may include a stop or two at British Columbia destinations, such as Victoria and the famed Inside Passage.
In Alaska, you can immerse yourself in the local Alaskan lifestyle, enjoy delicious fresh-caught seafood, learn about Native Alaskan culture and gaze at breathtaking coastal landscapes.
Popular ports of call on San Francisco cruises to Alaska are Juneau, Skagway, Sitka and Ketchikan.
Additionallyand arguably the highlight of your tripmany itineraries include a visit to spectacular Glacier Bay National Park, as well as Icy Strait Point and Tracy Arm Fjord. These cruises usually take at least 10 days.
Cruises From San Francisco

San Francisco, on the Californian coast, is one of Americas most attractive cities with its famous Golden Gate Bridge, steep streets that provide panoramic views of the beautiful San Francisco Bay and surrounding mountains, and its eclectic mix of Victorian and modern architecture. Perhaps also famous for the nearby Silicon Valley, this City by the Bay has become even more international with large numbers of immigrants from Asia and Latin America. Explore the amazing Fishermans Wharf that offers great food, and the numerous boutiques. Take a hop-on hop-off bus that crosses the Golden Gate Bridge and enjoy the beautiful scenery and expensive homes at the Marin Headlands. Read more
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West Coast Cruises From San Francisco
San Francisco, thanks to its great location, is also a great place for shorter mini-cruises on the U.S. West Coast. Between 3 and 7 days long, these San Francisco cruises sail to either the north or the south. Both one-way and round-trip options are available, although the latter are more plentiful.
Whichever part of the West Coast you choose to explore, a cruise is probably the easiest way to travel between places of interest. Going south, youll visit amazing cities like Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego and, possibly, Ensenada . This option offers you sun, sea, sand and California vibes.
On the other hand, when you sail north, you get to explore the verdant Pacific Northwest. From San Francisco, itineraries include such wonderful destinations as Astoria , Seattle and/or Vancouver and Victoria .