Cruise Frog guide
Cruises from San Francisco, California
San Francisco's Cruise Terminal is at Pier 27 on the Embarcadero, with sailings to Alaska, Mexico, Hawaii and the Pacific Coast.
Things to do in San Francisco, California
- AlcatrazThe ferry leaves from Pier 33, next door to the cruise terminal; book early.
- Golden Gate BridgeWalk or cycle across, or catch the view as the ship sails under it.
- Ferry Building MarketplaceLocal food stalls a short walk along the Embarcadero.
- Fisherman's Wharf and the cable carsSea lions at Pier 39 and the Powell–Hyde line up the hills.
- Muir WoodsRedwood groves across the bridge in Marin.
When to go
- Jan: low season
- Feb: low season
- Mar: shoulder season
- Apr: shoulder season
- May: high season
- Jun: high season
- Jul: high season
- Aug: high season
- Sep: high season
- Oct: shoulder season
- Nov: shoulder season
- Dec: low season
Alaska round trips fill the summer; winter sees fewer departures, mostly to Mexico and Hawaii.
Flying in and getting to the ship
Easy transferPier 27 is about 15 miles (24 km) from San Francisco International, 25 to 40 minutes by taxi or rideshare, or BART to Embarcadero and a short walk or streetcar. Oakland is a similar distance.
Rental cars: Available, but parking in the city is scarce and costly; skip it unless you're heading out of town.
The airport for San Francisco, California is San Francisco International (SFO), with 18 lounges to wait in before you board.
- British Airways Terraces LoungeSFO International Terminal A4.8 ★
- Delta Sky ClubSFO Terminal 14.8 ★
- United Club (E)SFO Terminal 34.8 ★
Ships sailing from San Francisco, California
4.0 ★Princess CruisesRuby Princess2008 · 113,561 GT · 3,080 guests · Hawaii · AlaskaRuby Princess is the third and last Crown-class ship, delivered by Fincantieri in 2008 and the ninth and final Grand-family ship to join Princess. She measures about 113,600…
3.7 ★Carnival Cruise LineCarnival Luminosa2009 · 92,720 GT · 2,260 guests · Alaska · South PacificCarnival Luminosa entered service in May 2009 as Costa Luminosa, a hybrid design combining elements of the Spirit and Vista classes; Costa Deliziosa is her sister. Carnival took…Quick answers
Which cruise ships sail from San Francisco, California?
On Cruise Frog, 2 ships sail from San Francisco, California: Ruby Princess (Princess Cruises) and Carnival Luminosa (Carnival Cruise Line).
Which cruise lines sail from San Francisco, California?
Princess Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line sail from San Francisco, California.
What is the best-rated ship sailing from San Francisco, California?
Ruby Princess (Princess Cruises), at 4.0 out of 5 in Cruise Frog's editorial ratings.
Which airport do you fly into for a cruise from San Francisco, California?
San Francisco International (SFO). Lounge Frog lists 18 open lounges there for the wait before boarding.
Related news about San Francisco, California
Nothing about San Francisco, California yet. The latest cruise news:
- We aged every ship at 10 big cruise lines. Holland America and Carnival have the oldest fleets
Cruise Frog's ship data shows how old each big line's fleet really is. Virgin's ships average about three years. Holland America's average 18.
Cruise lines
- Seabourn is going back to Egypt after more than five years, with a night in Alexandria for the pyramids
Seabourn's 2029 summer program has 166 sailings. It returns to Egypt, adds a new Gulf of Bothnia trip and brings Seabourn Encore back to Alaska.
Itineraries
- Carnival's new FunPacks run $25 to $99 a day, and drink and Wi-Fi prices go dynamic Dec. 1
Carnival bundled drinks, Wi-Fi, dining and shore trips into four FunPacks, on sale until Oct. 30. From Dec. 1, drink and Wi-Fi prices change by sailing.
Cruise lines
- Queen Mary 2's 500th crossing will leave from Liverpool, a first for Cunard since 2015
Cunard opened 93 voyages for October 2028 to May 2029. The headline act is Queen Mary 2's 500th Transatlantic Crossing, with a rare Liverpool departure.
Itineraries