Cruises from San Francisco: Alaska, Hawaii and Mexico round trips from Pier 27

The San Francisco cruise port

The Port of San Francisco runs its cruise calls from the northern Embarcadero, between Fisherman’s Wharf and the Ferry Building. Almost every ship uses Pier 27; Pier 35 takes the second ship on busy days.

James R. Herman Cruise Terminal (Pier 27)

The Embarcadero at Lombard St, San Francisco, CA 94111. Opened in 2014 and used by Princess, Carnival and most visiting ships.

Pier 35

A 6- to 8-minute walk north of Pier 27 on the Embarcadero, used when two ships are in port the same day. Your cruise documents say which pier.

From SFO airport

About 15 miles by road; allow 30 to 45 minutes by car, longer at rush hour.

By transit

Pier 27 is about a 20-minute walk from Embarcadero BART and Muni station. The F-line streetcar runs along the Embarcadero; the nearest stop is Embarcadero and Sansome.

Luggage storage

The Port points visitors to the California Welcome Center at Pier 39 (level 2), handy if you have hours to fill after disembarking.

Season

Year round. Alaska runs from late April to September; Hawaii and Mexico fill the rest of the year.

Parking at the San Francisco cruise terminal

There’s no temporary or overnight parking at the cruise terminals. The Port sends cruisers to two lots run by Metropolis at 55 Francisco Street and 80 Francisco Street, a short walk from Pier 27. Book ahead through Metropolis; the Port doesn’t publish a rate, so check the price when you reserve.

If you live in the Bay Area, a taxi or rideshare from home often costs less than a week of city parking. From SFO, BART to Embarcadero plus a taxi or the F-line is the budget option; with luggage, a taxi or rideshare straight to Pier 27 is simpler.

Cruise lines sailing from San Francisco

Princess and Carnival are the two lines based here. Celebrity, Norwegian, Holland America, Oceania, MSC’s Explora Journeys, Royal Caribbean, Virgin Voyages and others call on repositioning and coastal voyages, mostly in spring and fall. The table below shows sample sailings from our monthly snapshot.

• Princess CruisesThe main line in San Francisco. Ruby Princess is based here almost all year: 10-day Alaska round trips in summer, roughly 16-night Hawaii round trips and 10- to 11-night Mexican Riviera trips from fall to spring, and a few 7-night Pacific Northwest and 5-night Baja sailings.
  From $684 per personChecked September 2026
• Carnival Cruise LineCarnival Luminosa is based here from late April to early October 2027, alternating 10-day Alaska round trips (Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway, Tracy Arm, Prince Rupert) with 4-day Ensenada weekends. Usually the lower fare.
  From $930 per personChecked September 2026

Ruby Princess is the only Princess ship that starts and ends most of its cruises here in 2026 and 2027; Coral, Island, Emerald, Crown and Discovery Princess mostly just call on repositioning trips. For Princess’s full Alaska program, including its Seattle and Vancouver ships, see our Princess Alaska cruise guide.

Sample sailings from San Francisco, 2026–2027. From-prices per person, checked September 2026.

Departs	Line and ship	Nights	Itinerary	From	Link
Nov 8, 2026	Princess Cruises, Ruby Princess	16	16 Night Hawaii Cruise (from San Francisco, California)	$799	Check price
Nov 24, 2026	Princess Cruises, Ruby Princess	5	5 Night U. S. Pacific Coast Cruise (from San Francisco, California)	$1,567	Check price
Apr 17, 2027	Princess Cruises, Ruby Princess	7	7 Night Pacific Northwest Cruise (from San Francisco, California)	$1,149	Check price
May 1, 2027	Princess Cruises, Ruby Princess	10	10 Night Alaska Cruise (from San Francisco, California)	$684	Check price
Jun 14, 2027	Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Luminosa	10	10 Day Alaska Inside Passage & Glacier (from San Francisco, California)	$1,229	Check price
Sep 6, 2027	Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Luminosa	11	11 Day Alaska Inside Passage & Glacier (from San Francisco, California)	$930	Check price
Oct 2, 2027	Carnival Cruise Line, Carnival Luminosa	15	Journeys - 15 Day Alaska & Japan Transpa (from San Francisco, California)	$1,379	Check price
Oct 27, 2027	Princess Cruises, Ruby Princess	11	11 Night Mexican Riviera Cruise (from San Francisco, California)	$1,354	Check price
Apr 2, 2028	Princess Cruises, Ruby Princess	7	7 Night Pacific Northwest Cruise (from San Francisco, California)	$744	Check price
May 17, 2028	Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seven Seas Splendor	7	7 Night Canada / New England Cruise (from San Francisco, California)	$6,199	Check price

Best cruises from San Francisco by season

• May to September: Alaska cruises from San Francisco. Ten-day round trips to the Inside Passage, with ports such as Juneau, Ketchikan, Skagway or Sitka, a glacier day at Tracy Arm, and a last stop in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. About four of the days are spent getting up the coast and back. See our Alaska cruise guide.
• Fall to spring: Hawaii cruises from San Francisco. Ruby Princess sails roughly 16-night round trips to Hilo, Honolulu, Maui (Kahului) or Kauai (Nawiliwili), with Ensenada on the way home to meet U.S. cabotage rules. More than half the trip is at sea. Compare options in our Hawaii cruise guide.
• Fall and winter: Mexican Riviera. Ten- to 11-night Ruby Princess trips to Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta or Manzanillo. More in our Mexico cruise guide.
• Short getaways. Carnival Luminosa’s 4-day Thursday-to-Monday trips to Ensenada run between its Alaska cruises in summer 2027, and Princess runs a 5-night Baja trip over Thanksgiving. For weekend cruises year round, Long Beach has far more.

Three insider picks

1. Count the days, not the nights. A 10-day Alaska round trip from San Francisco spends roughly the same time in Alaska as a 7-night trip from Seattle. It’s worth it if skipping the flight matters to you; otherwise a Seattle sailing plus a cheap flight is often the better use of your vacation days. Compare with our Alaska cruise from Seattle guide.

2. Sailing under the Golden Gate is part of the trip. Every departure passes under the Golden Gate Bridge on the way out of the bay. Find a spot on an open deck at the front or side of the ship.

3. Pack layers for Hawaii too. The first and last few days of a Hawaii round trip are in the cool North Pacific. You won’t need shorts until the islands are close.

San Francisco cruise FAQ

Which cruise lines sail from San Francisco?

Princess (Ruby Princess) and Carnival (Carnival Luminosa, in summer) are based at Pier 27. Other lines, including Celebrity, Norwegian, Holland America, Oceania, Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages, call on repositioning and coastal voyages.

Are there 3-day cruises from San Francisco?

We found no 3-night cruises on the Port’s 2027 schedule. The shortest regular trips are Carnival Luminosa’s 4-day Ensenada cruises in summer 2027, plus Princess’s 5-night Thanksgiving trip to Baja. Long Beach is the California port for frequent 3- and 4-night cruises.

Can I cruise to Catalina Island from San Francisco?

Only on the odd spring or fall coastal sailing, such as a repositioning trip heading south. Most short Catalina trips leave from Los Angeles, Long Beach or San Diego. See our California cruise ports guide.

Do I need a passport for an Alaska or Hawaii cruise from San Francisco?

On a round trip that starts and ends in San Francisco, U.S. citizens can sail with an original birth certificate and government-issued photo ID under CBP’s closed-loop rule. A passport is still the safer choice in case you have to fly home from a Canadian or Mexican port. See our no-passport cruises guide.

Where do I park for a cruise from San Francisco?

Not at the terminal. The Port recommends the Metropolis lots at 55 and 80 Francisco Street, a short walk from Pier 27, and you reserve a space with Metropolis.