Departure port
San Francisco Cruise Port
San Francisco offers a small number of Alaska sailings each season, typically ten to fourteen nights because of the additional distance up the coast. The trade off is more sea days and fewer Alaska ports per night, in exchange for departing from a major city with no need to fly to the Pacific Northwest. Ships use the James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Pier 27.
The short answer
San Francisco runs a limited number of Alaska cruises each season, usually ten to fourteen nights, sailing from the James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Pier 27 on the Embarcadero. The extra length is due to roughly two additional sea days each way up the Pacific coast. It suits travellers based in California who prefer not to fly to Seattle or Vancouver.
Key points
- Sailings are typically 10 to 14 nights, because the coastal transit adds around two sea days each way.
- Ships use the James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Pier 27 on the Embarcadero.
- Best for California residents who want to avoid flying to the Pacific Northwest.
- More sea days and proportionally fewer Alaska port days than a Seattle sailing.
- A Canadian port call is still required, usually Victoria or Vancouver.
Quick facts
- Terminals
- James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Pier 27; Pier 35 (occasional)
- Season
- A limited number of sailings between May and September
- From the airport
- 14 miles from SFO, about 30 to 45 minutes
- Lines sailing from here
- Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Carnival Cruise Line
Why sail to Alaska from San Francisco
San Francisco is roughly 1,000 nautical miles further from Southeast Alaska than Seattle. That distance has to be covered, and it is covered at sea. A San Francisco Alaska cruise therefore runs ten to fourteen nights where a Seattle sailing runs seven, and roughly four of those extra nights are sea days along the Pacific coast.
Whether that is a benefit or a cost depends entirely on what you want. For a traveller who enjoys sea days, wants a longer holiday and lives in California, it is an excellent arrangement: no flights, no airport, no baggage limits, and the ship becomes the holiday for the first two days. For a traveller who wants maximum Alaska per night, it is poor value.
| Factor | San Francisco | Seattle |
|---|---|---|
| Typical length | 10 to 14 nights | 7 nights |
| Alaska port days | 4 to 6 | 4 to 5 |
| Sea days | 4 to 6 | 1 to 2 |
| Flights needed | None for Californians | Usually required |
| Sailings per season | A handful | Very many |
| Total cost | Higher fare, lower travel cost | Lower fare, higher travel cost |
The terminal at Pier 27
The James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Pier 27 sits on the Embarcadero, between Fisherman's Wharf and the Ferry Building, and is one of the more pleasant cruise terminals in the United States. It is modern, well organised and easy to reach.
- Location is central, roughly a fifteen minute walk from Fisherman's Wharf and twenty minutes from the Ferry Building.
- Transport includes the F Market historic streetcar line, which stops nearby, and taxis and rideshare drop directly at the terminal.
- Pier 35 is occasionally used for smaller vessels and is a short distance further north.
- Sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge on departure is a genuine event, and worth being on deck for. Departure is usually in the late afternoon.
Parking, transport and hotels
| Item | Typical cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Pier 27 parking | $35 to $45 per day | Limited capacity. Reserve well ahead |
| Nearby garages | $30 to $50 per day | Several within a few blocks |
| SFO to Pier 27 taxi | $55 to $85 | 30 to 45 minutes |
| BART from SFO plus walk | $10 to $12 | ~45 minutes, plus a 15 minute walk from Embarcadero station |
| Downtown hotel, summer | $260 to $480 | Fisherman's Wharf and Embarcadero are closest |
| Union Square hotel, summer | $230 to $420 | 20 minutes to the pier by taxi |
For a fourteen night cruise, parking at $40 a day is roughly $600, which is often more than a return flight would have cost. Weigh a taxi or rideshare to the pier against parking for the duration before defaulting to driving.
What a San Francisco Alaska itinerary looks like
The shape is consistent: two or three sea days north, a run through the Alaska ports, then two or three sea days south, with a Canadian call to satisfy cabotage rules.
- Days 1 to 3: departure and sea days up the Pacific coast, sometimes with a call at Astoria or Victoria.
- Days 4 to 9: Alaska. Typically Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka or Icy Strait Point, plus a glacier day at Hubbard, Tracy Arm or Endicott Arm.
- Days 10 to 12: sea days southbound, often with Victoria or Vancouver.
- Day 13 or 14: return to San Francisco.
What to do with a day in San Francisco
- The Ferry Building marketplace is a twenty minute walk south along the Embarcadero and is the best food stop near the terminal.
- Alcatraz requires booking weeks in advance and takes about three hours including the ferry, which leaves from Pier 33, immediately beside the cruise terminal.
- Cable car to Union Square is a tourist ritual and takes about twenty minutes each way.
- Golden Gate Park and the de Young Museum need a half day and a taxi or bus.
- Walking the Golden Gate Bridge takes about ninety minutes return and gives you the view your ship will pass under later.
Frequently asked questions
Can you cruise to Alaska from San Francisco?
Why are San Francisco Alaska cruises longer?
Is it worth cruising to Alaska from San Francisco?
Do San Francisco Alaska cruises visit Glacier Bay?
How much is parking at Pier 27?
What time does the ship pass under the Golden Gate Bridge?
Where these sailings go
A complete Victoria BC cruise port guide: why Seattle round trips stop here, Butchart Gardens, the Inner Harbour, short evening calls and how to use the time well.
A complete Hubbard Glacier cruise guide: the six mile wide calving face, why it is advancing, which lines visit, what to expect from the day and photography advice.
A complete Ketchikan cruise port guide: totem poles, Creek Street, Misty Fjords flightseeing, salmon runs, excursion costs and how to plan a short port day.
A complete Juneau cruise port guide: Mendenhall Glacier, whale watching, Mount Roberts Tramway, excursion costs, how to plan a port day and what to do if it rains.
A method for building a realistic Alaska cruise budget: the fare is rarely half the total. Work through flights, hotels, excursions, onboard spending and the contingency.
Planning an Alaska cruise for older travellers: which lines suit, managing walking and mobility ashore, medical considerations, pacing the itinerary and cabin choice.
What travel documents you need for an Alaska cruise: closed loop rules, when a passport is mandatory, Canadian border crossings and what happens if you need to fly home.