From the Bay Area to the Open Ocean: Cruising from San Francisco

San Francisco is still developing its brand as turnaround port for major cruise lines, but it has always been a true destination city, topping travel bucket lists globally. With a new, convenient cruise terminal just steps away from the heart of the city -which, when occupied, also serves as an unavoidable reminder for all waterfront visitors to look into cruising- and all the attractions the City by the Bay has to offer, experiencing SF as a home port is a delight for any experienced or new cruiser.

Embarking from the Embarcadero

After keeping an eye on San Francisco’s cruise traffic for over a year while fancying myself as the local cruise expert among my SF community (i.e. “That cruise brand would be a good choice for you” and “This time of year they’re repositioning to x”), my family and I finally boarded my first San Francisco embarkation cruise a few weeks ago and sailed out for the Hawaiian Islands. As a SF resident, I went to work that morning with my luggage, picked up my parents at their hotel, and we Ubered down the street to our ship. My parents, who fall in the category of long-distance cruise travelers in this instance, came in a few days early, took in some city sights over those days, and then enjoyed the ride through SoMa and up the scenic Embarcadero to our ship. Less than an hour later, we had visited our stateroom and were being seated for our three course lunch.

Compared to cruise port behemoths like Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Barcelona, or Southampton, you can practically step from SF must-dos like the cable car (and the separate street car line actually has a stop very close to the terminal), Lombard Street, Pier 39, or the Ferry Building onto the ship. Coit Tower overlooks the terminal, and the Golden Gate Bridge is just a stone’s throw (or since this is San Francisco, a five to seven minute Uber) away. Understandably, Port Everglades, which hosts numerous ships simultaneously, is a concrete jungle. Southampton, as lovely as it is, simply isn’t a major global city and plays a supporting role to neighboring London. Its port is also dominated by the shipping industry. In fact, the piers along San Francisco’s Embarcadero are home only to ferries, the San Francisco Belle river boat, some small military ships… and sometimes one 2,000+ passenger cruise ship. Across the Bay, Oakland receives cargo ships with massive cranes and numerous industrial docks, taking on the industrial aesthetic and allowing San Francisco to stay beautiful with its port being uniquely welcoming to cruise passengers.

The Port of the City by the Bay

 

The cruise port’s minimalist presence often flies under the radar for both residents and regular visitors. Nine out of ten Californians I talked to about my recent Hawaiian Islands cruise were surprised that the cruise started and ended in San Francisco, being more versed in Los Angeles and Seattle as West Coast cruise ports. As a bit of historical background, the current terminal only opened in September 2014, replacing Pier 35 which was literally 100 years old. Having walked by it multiple times, I honestly cannot fathom how any modern ship docked there within the last five years. While not brand new, the terminal seems to be an exciting and growing port, with both the future cruises representative and cruise director emphasizing numerous times throughout our cruise that it was very exciting to have San Francisco as an embarkation point (translation: we have this port, and some of our competitors do not).

In 2018, Princess Cruises, which from casual observation appears to be the most regular guest at Pier 27, is slated to have 39 sail dates for 9 itineraries beginning in San Francisco. These itineraries include the Mexican Riviera, California Coast, Pacific Northwest, Alaska, Hawaiian Islands, and their re-positioning cruise through the Panama Canal. San Francisco itinerary ships must be able to pass under the 220 ft clearance under the Golden Gate Bridge, which seems pretty close when setting sail on the Grand Princess (188 ft).

I Left My Cruise In San Francisco

Whether coming or going from the ship, there are a few insider tips to know before your San Francisco cruise:

• Traffic: San Francisco is home to some of the greatest gridlock in the country, especially if you are traveling directly from the airport to the ship (or the ship to the airport) via the freeway. There will also be serious traffic coming in from the North Bay and East Bay filled with with enthusiastic NorCal cruisers. Avoid rush hours if you can, and plan to spend some quality time winding through the city. Along the way, you’ll spot the tech buses (transit for the masses who live in SF but work in Silicon Valley), Chariots (ride-sharing in van form), and endless Ubers and Lyfts.
• Transit: There are approximately 45,000 Ubers and Lyfts in San Francisco versus about 1,800 taxis. Uber and Lyft are typically significantly less expensive than taxis, and you get the cost and path of your trip up front. Unless you have a cruise-arranged transport, the app economy is your best bet. Don’t forget about the XL or SUV if you packed a few extra options for formal night.
• Weather: San Francisco can be bathed in glorious sunshine or wrapped in gray, dense fog as your are boarding and during your sailaway. Either way, the bay will be cold. I preferred to protest the fog (and have been doing so since I landed here) and wore a Hawai’i-ready sundress (I was also corralling luggage for three people and knew I’d be quite warm), but it’s not quite for everyone.
• Sailaway: The sailaway will be directly after the always-uplifting safety drill, and, as mentioned above, it is entirely possible that the weather will be foggy, cold, and seemingly miserable. However- how many times are you going to pass under the Golden Gate Bridge with less than 100 ft between you and a less-explored part of an architectural feat? On your return, the ship will pass under the bridge when it is very dark and very early, so hit the deck as you sail out.

Ready to set sail from San Francisco yet? Let me know if you have any questions or feedback in the comments.

Emmie has sailed on thirteen cruises to date, spanning Alaska, Hawaii, the Panama Canal, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the British Isles, the Norwegian Fjords, and the Baltic. She has spent approximately 117 days at sea, and in that process, she has refined both her sea legs and her shipboard editorial voice.