Did you know that you don’t have to fly to Florida or even Southern California to set sail on your next family cruise? These seven cruises leave right from San Francisco and will take you to other states like Hawaii and Washington, as well as other countries like Tahiti, Mexico and Australia. Pack your bags, the adventure awaits!
Alaska and Vancouver—Regent Seven Seas
Spend your summer touring the Pacific Northwest aboard the Seven Seas Mariner. This 13-day cruise takes you north from San Francisco to Astoria, OR and then on to Alaska for stops in Juneau, Ketchikan and along the Hubbard Glacier. Canoe excursions, dog sledding trips and whale watching are kids favorites. Finish your journey along the inside passage with stops at Victoria and Vancouver.
Online: rssc.com
Hawaii—Princess Cruises
Start your Hawaiian vacation aboard Princess Cruises' Grand Princess where you can enjoy a MedallionClass Vacation. Read all about how the quarter-sized Medallion will transform your cruise vacation here. While on your way to the Hawaiian Islands you can enjoy onboard activities like Discovery at SEA enrichment programs, destination-themed activities to get you in the spirit and freshwater pools for when you need to cool off. Then spend four days touring various Hawaiian Islands where you can snorkel, shop and enjoy the aloha spirit before heading back to the ship. This trip stops for a day in Ensenada, Mexica before heading home to San Francisco.
Online: princess.com
Pacific Coast—Princess Cruises
This four-day MedallionClass cruise kicks off in San Francisco and heads north to Astoria, OR before reaching its final destination of Vancouver, Canada. Kids will love exploring the history of Astoria including Fort Stevens State Park, Fort Astoria, Heritage Center Museum and the Columbia River Maritime Museum, home to one of the nation's finest displays of model ships and nautical artifacts. The ship makes a stop in Nanaimo, Canada where you can take a tour of the Horne Lakes Caves or discover the area's waterfalls.
Online: princess.com
Tahiti—Regent Seven Seas
If you've always wanted to explore Tahiti and French Polynesia, this is the cruise for you. This 18-day voyage starts in San Francisco and docks in Honolulu, Kahului and Hilo, Hawaii before continuing on to Tahiti. Immerse yourself in the scenic beauty of these islands with opportunities to snorkel, hike and go dolphin watching along the way. Kids will love on-board amenities like bocce ball courts, large heated pool and ping pong tables.
Online: rssc.com
Mexico—Princess Cruises
Explore the beauty of Mexico with Princess Cruises' 10-day (or longer) cruises from San Francisco to the Mexican Riviera. With ports including Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas and Puerto Vallarta, your family can explore these Mexican cities on foot, on hop-on-hop-off bus, on Segway or even on an ATV! Take a mini speed boat to a private island for the day or spend some time on a foodie adventure in town. Parents will love that kids 12 and under get special pricing of up to 50% off the adult rate.
Online: princess.com
Alaska—Carnival Cruises
All aboard the Carnival Miracle for a 10- or 11-day cruise from San Francisco to Alaska! While on your way to Alaska you can dine at Guy's Burger Bar, head down the waterslide at WaterWorks and send the kids to Camp Ocean where they can meet some new friends and play games together. Shore excursion in Alaska include dog sledding on the Mendenhall Glacier, whale watching and ziplining at Grizzly Falls. Before heading back to San Francisco, stop in Victoria, Canada where you can explore this gorgeous and historic seaside town.
Online: carnival.com
Sydney—Cunard Cruises
This 21-day cruise will take you from San Francisco to Sydney, Australia with stops in Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji and New Zealand. Visit these gorgeous island countries on shore excursions including a tour of the kiwi fruit capital of the world. End the trip with a climb on the Sydney Harbor Bridge. While on board, kids can make friends with other children at The Play Zone, for two- to seven-year-olds, and The Zone which is ideal for eight- to 17-year-olds. Youth staff will supervise your kids, organize events, activities and competitions, and even arrange “excursions” to the theater or cinema on board.
Online: cunard.com
—Kate Loweth
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