Cruises from San Francisco depart for ports of call up and down the west coast of the United Sates and on to British Columbia and Alaska during the warmer months of the year. There are also rare opportunities to embark on longer one-way cruises to much further end points such as Florida and Australia. Princess Cruise Lines and Crystal Cruises are the main cruise lines that will take you there. Plus, if you’re not from the San Francisco area, you might want to consider taking a couple of extra days to explore the City by the Bay prior to or after your cruise. Let’s take a closer look at what cruises from San Francisco can offer you.
Alaska & The Inside Passage
Taking in the incredible natural beauty of Alaska and the route of the Inside Passage are experiences that cruise goers never forget. Passengers can depart from San Francisco on either Princess Cruise Lines or Crystal Cruises for a 10 or 12 night cruise to Alaska. Along the way, visit ports of call such as Victoria, Vancouver, Cruising the Inside Passage, Sitka, Juneau, Skagway, Cruising Glacier Bay and Ketchikan. Nothing quite compares to the natural wonder that awaits you in these spots.
Extended One-Way Voyages
For those who are lucky enough to book a cabin, Princess Cruise Lines also offers one-way voyages that end in Florida and Australia. These cruises only leave a couple of times a year and are intended to “reposition” ships to begin departing from different cities during San Francisco’s cruising “off season”. Typically leaving in September, these cruises end up in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and Sydney, Australia. The Fort Lauderdale cruise is a 15-day journey through the Panama Canal that makes stops in Cabo San Lucas, Puntarenas, Fuerte Amador, Panama Canal, Cartagena, and Aruba. The cruise to Sydney is a much longer voyage lasting 29 days with stops in Honolulu, Lahaina, Moorea, Papeete/Polynesia, Bora Bora, Pago Pago Harbor, Suva/Fiji, Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Fjordland National Park.
San Francisco
Of course, anyone visiting San Francisco to embark on a cruise should also spend at least a couple of days exploring this beautiful city. Popular attractions include the Golden Gate Bridge, Chinatown, Fisherman’s Wharf, Pier 39, Ghirardelli Square and Alcatraz.
Conclusion
Boarding cruises from San Francisco offers passengers a large variety of ports of call. Whether taking a jaunt up the West Coast all the way to Alaska or leaving it all behind for an extended journey to Florida or Australia, there are so many wonderful places to see. And the best part about cruising from San Francisco is the opportunity to enjoy all the city has to offer while you’re there.