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Cruises from San Francisco: Details on Departures from SF's Pier 27
by Jill Loeffler •
Updated: August 1, 2024
Hop aboard one of these cruises from San Francisco and enjoy the ultimate vacation experience. From Pier 27 in SF, you will find trips with destinations to Alaska, Mexico, and Hawaii.
You can also enjoy a longer cruise through the Panama Canal or over to the South Pacific. In addition, you will also find some shorter cruises to the ports on the western coast of the US.
There are several cruises that leave SF each month. Many of them offer round trip service to your destination and back. However, the longer options usually end in a secondary location.
Read on to learn more about the various ocean journeys that start in SF.
Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.
Alaska Inside Passage Cruises
The most popular cruises from San Francisco take visitors through the Alaska Inside Passage. This journey offers you a chance to see the wild beauty of Alaska up close. Most have three stops in Alaska as well as one in Canada.
The highlight of these cruises is the journey through either Tracy Arms Fjord or Glacier Bay. While you don't dock on these days, you do spend a number of hours cruising around these amazing natural wonders.
>> Read more about the Alaska Inside Passage cruises that leave from SF
Hawaii Cruises
San Francisco offers two wonderful cruises to the Hawaiian Islands. They both stop at four places among the islands, including Honolulu, Maui, and Hilo.
These cruises also make a short evening stop at the waterfront town of Ensenada, Mexico.
>> Find out more about both of the Hawaiian cruises from SF
Mexico Cruises
Enjoy a 10-night cruise from San Francisco to the Mexican Riviera. This lively trip offers you the chance to visit several ports of call on Mexico's western coast.
You will stop in places such as Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, and Cabo San Lucas.
>> Find details on these fun cruises to Mexico
Panama Canal Cruises
Head south on the Pacific and through the Panama Canal. These tours stop in several locations on the way, including Mexico, Costa Rica, and Guatemala or Nicaragua.
For one full day, you get the chance to enjoy the beauty of the Panama Canal. You will then continue your journey and stop in locations such as Columbia, the Bahamas, or Aruba.
Most of these cruises end their adventure in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
>> Read more about the three most popular Panama Canal cruise options
3 Most Popular Cruises from San Francisco
Here are more details about the three most popular cruises from San Francisco.
11-Day Mexico Cruise with Princess Cruises
This 11-day journey starts and ends in SF. During your trip, you will have several days at sea and four ports of call in Mexico.
Your tour will be aboard either the Crown Princess or the Ruby Princess, which have capacity for more than 3,000 passengers. On the ship, you will find several places to eat, relax, and enjoy all sorts of entertainment. These include bars and dance clubs, pools and spa treatments, a casino, theaters, and more.
After sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge on Day 1, you can relax onboard until Days 5 to 8, when you'll stop in a different port each day. Those include Puerto Vallarta, Manzanillo, Mazatlán, and Cabo San Lucas. You'll then spend the last three days at sea making your way back to San Francisco.
11-Night Alaska Cruise with Princess
During the summer months, you will find a variety of Alaska cruises from San Francisco. They are all 11 nights long, but vary slightly in their route. Make sure to check the full itinerary before you book if you there is a certain place you want to stop.
Your journey will be aboard the Crown Princess or the Ruby Princess, both of which offer endless entertainment for the days at sea.
The main attraction on your tour will either be Glacier National Park, Endicott Arm and Dawes Glacier, or Tracy Arms Fjord, where you'll spend at least half a day doing scenic cruising from the ship.
Apart from this highlight, you'll have four additional ports of call, which may include Ketchikan, Juneau, and Skagway in Alaska, and Victoria or Prince Rupert in Canada. On these cruises, the first three days and the last two days are at sea.
15-Night Hawaii Cruises
The Hawaii cruises from San Francisco are also very popular. You will find that most people choose the ones offered by Princess, which run year-round. There are also a limited number offered by Carnival, usually in September.
You typically spend the first five days at sea making your way west into the Pacific Ocean. Days 6 through 9 then provide four beautiful stops among the different Hawaiian islands. Finally, you'll have four more days at sea and one additional stop in Ensenada, Mexico before arriving back in San Francisco.
These cruises include ports of call on the islands of Oahu, Maui, Kauai, and the Big Island. These may include Honolulu, Nawiliwili, Lahaina, Hilo, Kahului, and/or Kona.
Cruise Deals
The best place to start the booking process is by checking out the deals being offered. You will find some deals directly on the cruise companies' websites as well as through third-party booking agencies.
Here are links to a few of the sites where you can discover the best deals for cruises from San Francisco (and beyond!):
- CruiseDirect: Special offers & top 10 weekly cruise deals. Best price guarantee - book now!
- Expedia: Discover the best cruise deals today on Expedia!
Luggage Storage Options
Do you need to store your luggage for a few hours or all day in SF? Here are a few places that allow you to store your luggage.
Stasher Luggage Storage: The best way to find a spot for your luggage is to head over to the Stasher Luggage Storage website. Here you can find locations for storage and book a spot ahead of time. They charge just $6 per day, which includes insurance up to $1000. Visit their site for details.
SFO: You can also store your luggage at the Airport Travel Agency in the International Terminal at SFO. They charge by the day. If you only leave it for a few hours, they will still charge the daily rate. They do scan all luggage that is set to be stored before they accept it. They are open daily from 7 am to 11 pm and you will find them near the Departures/Ticketing area.
Local Hotels: Many of the local hotels will allow you to store your luggage with their concierge. Your best bet is to call them ahead of time, tell them your story, and they will tell you if they allow it or not.
I would contact the larger chains such as Marriott or Hyatt as you have a better chance of them offering this service than others. These hotels will often take your name and ask when you will be arriving.
Most of the time, you do not need to be a hotel guest to receive this service. However, please be courteous and leave them a nice tip for this service.
Cruise Lines from SF
With the opening of Pier 27 a few years ago, San Francisco now offers several cruise options from a number of lines. You'll find the largest variety of cruise destinations operated by Princess Cruises.
Cunard Line: Cunard offers luxury cruises all around the world. It's perfect for those who love to dress up each day for their adventures, dining, and other activities. The great thing about this cruise line is that you are allowed to start and stop your cruise at many destinations throughout the world. This offers you the chance to make your cruise as short or as long as you'd like.
There are several routes that leave from San Francisco. Most head toward Hawaii first, then on to New Zealand and Australia. Others continue up through Southeast Asia, along the eastern African coast down to South Africa, back up the western side of Africa, on to Spain, and then finish in England or even New York.
All tours are on the Queen Elizabeth, Queen Anne, or Queen Mary 2, which offer room for up to 2,000 passengers.
Norwegian Cruise Line: Norwegian offers a couple of cruises that originate in San Francisco. The most popular is the one to Miami through the Panama Canal.
Princess Cruises: Princess Cruises offers the largest number of cruises leaving from SF. They offer 8 cruises with destinations around California, Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, and the Panama Canal.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises: Regency Seven Seas is the final company that originates cruises from San Francisco. They also offer an 18-day cruise to Miami through the Panama Canal.
Shore Excursions in San Francisco
Are you planning a visit to SF during your cruise? If so, you will find a wide variety of shore excursions for your stop. You can also check out some of my self-guided tours that will help you quickly and easily get to as many different attractions in one day as possible.
Fun Things to Do While You Are in SF
About Pier 27, SF's New Cruise Terminal
How to Get Here
The best way to get to Pier 27 is by public transit. As you can see in the picture below, you will find a streetcar stop right across the street from the pier.
You can take the historic F streetcar along the Embarcadero going south from Fisherman's Wharf or north from Market Street.
You can get off at either the Sansome or Greenwich stop. You can also ask the driver to alert you when you arrive at the stop for the cruise port.
Parking
If you plan to drive, there are a few parking options nearby. I do have to warn you that parking is VERY expensive (up to $30 or more a day) in San Francisco and I only recommend this if you do not have any other options.
Here are a few parking garage options within walking distance:
- Lombard and Sansome
- Lombard near Montgomery
- Chestnut and Montgomery
Before you leave your car, make sure to review their regulations. These change frequently, as well as the pricing, so confirm that they offer 24-hour parking and what the daily rate is before you leave your car.
Hotels Nearby
Most people taking cruises from San Francisco enjoy staying a night or two before or after their visit. There are quite a few fun activities and attractions here, so, if you can, I recommend extending your trip dates a little to explore SF.
Also, it's best to stay in Fisherman's Wharf. It's an easy walk, cab ride, or streetcar ride to Pier 27. Here are a few of the best options.
Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
I would love for you to join me in my private Facebook group!
It's a great place to interact with me and others who know the area well.
You can ask questions, get advice for your upcoming stay, and then share your photos and advice with others when you return home. It's a great community and the fastest way to get answers to those nagging questions about your visit!
