San Francisco Cruises: Ports, Ships and Things to Do

At a glance

181 current cruises call at the 3 ports Cruiseable lists under San Francisco, on 28 ships from 14 cruise lines. The busiest of those ports is San Francisco, on 181 itineraries. The lowest lead fare across those cruises is $384. The lines sailing the most of them are Princess Cruises (83), Costa Cruises (29) and Holland America Line (11).

About

San Francisco was founded in 1776, when colonists from Spain established a fort at the Golden Gate and a mission named for St. Francis of Assisi. The town is located at the north end of the hilly San Francisco Peninsula. The California Gold Rush of 1849 brought rapid growth, making it the largest city on the West Coast at the time. The city is renowned for its cool summers, fog, steep hills, iconic landmarks including the Golden Gate Bridge, cable cars, the former prison on Alcatraz Island, and its bustling Chinatown.

Photos of San Francisco

We adore this closeup shot of San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge at night.
It's a makeshift party as smaller vessels welcome Queen Mary 2 as she enters San Francisco Bay.
A 12th century Cambodian statue of Buddha at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.
One of the most photographed locations in San Francisco, Alamo Square's famous row of Victorian houses, dubbed the "painted ladies," is a visual treat you'll find at Hayes and Steiner streets.
The moon shines down on the San Francisco skyline in the early morming as seen from Treasure Island.
Davies Symphony Hall, home to the San Francisco Symphony, also presents music concerts, piano recitals, lectures and other performances.
A view of the clock tower rising atop the Ferry Building along San Francisco's Embarcadero waterfront.
Hang gliding over the cliffs at scenic Fort Funston on the western edge of San Francisco.
A view of the Transamerica pyramid in San Francisco.
A sunset over the western edge of San Francisco.
A view of San Francisco's illuminated skyline and the Bay Bridge at dusk.
View of the San Francisco skyline from Yerba Buena Gardens downtown.
A cable car passes through Union Square in San Francisco at dusk.
Grace Cathedral, an Episcopal cathedral in San Francisco's Huntington Park.
Grand Princess enters San Francisco Bay beneath the Golden Gate Bridge.
You'll find world-class stage performances at the American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T) in San Francisco.
One of San Francisco's iconic cable cars on California Street. The tradition dates back to 1873.
The Conservatory of Flowers, a greenhouse and botanical garden that houses exotic plants in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco.
San Francisco's famed Golden Gate Bridge at night.
A view of the Golden Gate Bridge and San Francisco from across the bay in the Marin Headlands.
Girls with parasols in the Chinatown neighborhood of San Francisco
Saints Peter and Paul Church, a Roman Catholic church, is a dominant presence in San Francisco's North Beach neighborhood.
The night skyline of San Francisco seen from Twin Peaks.
Coit Tower overs a 360 degree view of San Francisco.

Sailing soon

Cruises calling at San Francisco

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Showing the 12 soonest of 181 cruises.

Who sails here

Ships and lines that call at San Francisco

Cruise lines

Ports

Ports in San Francisco

San Francisco181
San Fernando
San Fr

Numbers are current cruises calling at each port.

Overheard

“Golden Gate ferries operate from the Ferry Building to Sausalito (30 minutes). The transit company also runs buses across the Golden Gate Bridge to the G.G. National Recreation Area, Sausalito, and many coastal and inland destinations throughout Marin County.”

Cruise Travel magazine

“Perusing a map of San Francisco has never been so much fun (or as delicious) at it is at Trick Dog, a Mission District cocktail bar that tops our list of places to drink in a city full of excellent watering holes. The menu lists the bar's libations — all 13 or which are named for local landmarks — on a loverly watercolor map. The Lombard Street, named for the infamous hairpin lane, is a smoky citrus mix of Pierde Almas mezcal, chili liqueur, and manzanilla, while the Painted Ladies — made with vodka, melon soda, honey and mint — pays tribute to the city's iconic pastel-hued Victorian houses.”

Condé Nast Traveler magazine

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