San Francisco: CruisingGrade.com Port Of The Day, Gateway To Shores Near And Far

Baghdad by the Bay was a magnet for adventurers 150 years before high-rise buildings ruined the skyline and the Dot Com gold rush inflated the cost of living beyond reach. But you can still discern remnants of that former gritty, gracious city-- squat frame homes and brick businesses hanging onto undulating urban hillsides.

A stopover in San Francisco offers opportunities for excellent dining, Cable Cars, Golden Gate Park, healthy walks over the hills to Fisherman's Wharf, window-shopping and a great lunch at the Ferry Building market.

That's the San Francisco we'd recommend you enjoy, on your way to one of the ships that departs from here for the world, as they have since the European discovery of San Francisco Bay in the 1700s and gold drew the Forty-Niners on Clipper Ships a century later.

Sample Cruises

Alaska

May through September 10-day and longer round-trip cruises are offered by Princess with balcony cabins starting about $1,200 per person and ranging to twice that for popular vacation dates. Holland America has 21-day round-trip voyages with a dozen or more Alaska ports at about $2,800 oceanview, $6,500 balcony. Oceania and Regent sell 11 or 12 day trips that end in Vancouver, B.C.

Grand Princess Balcony Cabin

June 5, 2018 Inside Passage 10 Nights

Princess Grand Princess, 2,600 passengers, built 1998, refurbished 2016. Juneau, Skagway, cruising Tracy Arm for Twin Sawyer Glaciers, Sitka, and Victor, B.C. Balcony cabin of 179 to 279 sq. ft. from $1,398 plus $240 taxes per person.

Asia

Five years ago we took a Holland America cruise similar to the one recommended here. It delivered a good introduction to Alaska and provided transportation to Asia for our extended travels. A highlight was Dutch Harbor, where we found a tiny, excellent museum focused on indigenous peoples and lunch at the Norwegian Rat Saloon, a popular haunt that was serving the first crab boil of the season. The enormous portions did not stop customers from ordering seconds.

July 9, 2019 'Northern Pacific Adventurer' 21 Nights

Maasdam Oceanview Cabin

Holland America Maasdam, 1,266 passengers, built 1993, refurbished 2016. Victoria, B.C.; Seattle, Cruising Alaska Inside Passage, Ketchikan, Sitka, Kodiak, Dutch Harbor, Nome; Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka, Russia; Kushiro, Japan, Yokohama. Oceanview cabin with partial view 174 to 255 sq. ft. from $2,849 plus $549 taxes.

Australia & New Zealand

February 6, 2019 San Francisco 21 Nights To Sydney

Queen Victoria Oceanview Cabin

Cunard Queen Victoria, 2,014 passengers, built 2007, refurbished 2010. Honolulu; Tonga, Tauranga, Auckland and Bay Islands, New Zealand; Sydney, Australia overnight. Oceanview cabin, obstructed view, 180 sq. ft. from $4,749 plus $280 taxes. Balcony cabins are about $1,000 more per person.

Americas, Panama Canal, Caribbean, Florida

October 8 'Pacific Treasures' 18 Nights To Miami

Regatta Oceanview Cabin

Oceania Regatta, 684 passengers, built 1998, refurbished 2014. Catalina Island, Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Mexico; Acajutla, El Salvador; Corinto, Nicaragua; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; Panama Canal; Colon, Panama overnight; Cartagena, Columbia; Havana. Ocean view cabin 143 sq. ft. from $4,549 or $700 more per person with round-trip air and a choice of 8 shore excursions or beverage package or $800 shipboard credit. Veranda cabins from about $1,100 more.

Other Options From Your Travel Agent Or Cruise Line

• Europe
• Hawaii Round Trip
• London
• Tahiti
• World Cruise