San Francisco Cruise Terminal | Parking, Directions, Rate

With more than 400,000 passengers boarding cruise ships from its terminals, the Port of San Francisco is one of the busiest cruise ports in the US. Royal Caribbean International, Carnival, Holland America, Viking, Norwegian, Princess, MSC, Celebrity, Oceania, and Scenic are the main cruise lines that depart from the San Francisco Cruise Terminal.

So, you can imagine how busy the San Francisco cruise ship terminals can be. And the trickiest part is that the cruise port has no onsite parking facilities. So, ensure you plan for transportation and parking in advance if you're boarding your cruise from this cruise port. Otherwise, it could turn into a hassle at the last minute.

We've covered everything related to the cruise terminal in San Francisco so that you can travel peacefully on the day of your cruise.

San Francisco Cruise Terminal Parking Rate

Located at The Embarcadero, San Francisco, the cruise port has two terminals - James R. Herman Cruise Terminal on Pier 27 and Pier 35. The James R. Herman Cruise Terminal opened in 2014 and handles most cruise ships departing from the port. Pier 35 is often used during peak times to accommodate additional cruise ships.

As said, there is no San Francisco Cruise Terminal parking available. So, you must book parking at any offsite lots near the cruise port. Offsite parking rates start as low as $9.50 daily.

San Francisco Cruise Terminal Parking Lots	Duration	Parking Rate
Onsite	Per Day	NA
Cruiseparking.com	Per Day	$9.50

Hotels near San Francisco Cruise Terminal

These are the hotels near the Port of San Francisco.

Hotel	Distance from Port of San Francisco (in miles)	Shuttle service
Harbor Court	2	NA
Hotel Griffon	2	NA
Hotel Boheme	2.4	No
Washington Square Inn	2.6	No
San Francisco Marriott Fisherman's Wharf	3.1	No
Courtyard by Marriott San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf	3.2	No
Hotel Riu Plaza Fisherman´s Wharf	3.5	No
Hotel Zoe Fisherman's Wharf	3.5	No
Holiday Inn Express & Suites San Francisco Fisherman's Wharf	3.6	No
Hyatt Centric Fisherman's Wharf	3.9	No

Port of San Francisco (PSF)
Port Everglades (PTE)
Port of Miami (POM)
Port Canaveral (POC)
Port Galveston (POG)
Port of Tampa (POT)
Cape Liberty Cruise Port (POL)
Port of Los Angeles (PLA)
Port of New Orleans (NOP)
Port of Baltimore (POB)
Port of San Diego (POS)
Port of Manhattan (PMT)
Port of Long Beach (PLG)
Port of Palm Beach (PPB)

Restaurants near San Francisco Cruise Terminal

These are the restaurants you can find near the Port of San Francisco.

Restaurant	Distance from Port of San Francisco (in miles)
The Slanted Door	2
Luisa's Restaurant Wine Bar Since 1959	2.8
Fior d'Italia	2.9
House of Prime Rib	3.1
Hard Rock Cafe	3.2
Gary Danko	3.2
Fog Harbor Fish House	3.3
Franciscan Crab Restaurant	3.5
Bistro Boudin	3.5
The Grove Inn	4

Security Check Points at San Francisco Cruise Terminal

After exiting the Embarcadero, passengers will enter a small lobby for security checks. Passengers must show their cruise travel documents and a photo ID provided by the government. Taxis and private vehicles cannot enter the Pier 27 terminal. They can't wait by the curb unless they are loading or unloading passengers.

How to Reach San Francisco Cruise Terminal

One way to reach the cruise port is by driving. These are the driving directions you must take.

From North

To reach San Francisco, take 101 South.
Exit from Lombard Street.
Drive around 1.5 miles east on Lombard to Van Ness.
Proceed three blocks to Bay Street by turning left on Van Ness.
To reach the Embarcadero, turn right on Bay and drive for about a mile.
Take a left turn onto Embarcadero. The Embarcadero is directly across from Pier 35.

From South

To reach 280/101 Interchange, approximately 1.5 miles north of Candlestick Park, take either 101 or 280 North. From there, take 280 North.
At King, the 280 Freeway ends. Exit there.
Continue driving three blocks on King, turning into Embarcadero, and traveling west.
Travel for around two miles to Pier 35. Take a right and enter Pier 35.

From the Bay Bridge

Take the exit to Fremont from the bridge's right side.
Drive one block to Mission.
After making a right turn on Mission, drive four blocks to reach Embarcadero.
Make a left turn onto Embarcadero.
Travel for around 1.5 miles till you reach Pier 35. Take a right and enter Pier 35.

How to Reach the Port of San Francisco Cruise Port from San Francisco International Airport (SFO)

SFO is around 16 miles from the San Francisco cruise terminal Pier 27. You can reach the cruise terminal from the airport in these ways.

Shuttles: Many private shuttle services offer transportation to the cruise port for big groups.
Public Transit: BART, the city's rapid transit system, is the least expensive way to reach the cruise port from SFO. You must take the Yellow Line to reach Embarcadero, where you must change to the F streetcar at Market St. & Main. Then, get off at Embarcadero & Sansome St. stop. The streetcar stop is across the street from the San Francisco Cruise Terminal.
Taxi: SFO has taxi stands on every terminal's Arrivals/Baggage Claim Level. A taxi from SFO to the cruise terminal will cost around $90-$120.
Uber/Lyft: You can also hire an Uber/Lyft to reach the cruise port from SFO. Uber will cost an average of around $40. However, the actual rate will depend on the rideshare service, the type of car, the time of your journey, traffic, and demand.

Top Destinations near San Francisco Cruise Terminal

SS Jeremiah O'Brien
Aquarium of the Bay
Pier 39
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
Alcatraz Island
Fisherman's Wharf.

FAQs

What cruise lines operate from the Port of San Francisco terminal?

The cruise lines that operate from the Port of San Francisco terminal are Princess Cruises, Carnival Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruises, Holland America Cruises, Oceania Cruises, MSC Cruises, Viking Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, and Scenic Cruises.

How far is the Port of San Francisco terminal from downtown San Francisco?

Port of San Francisco Terminal is approximately 0.3 miles from Downtown San Francisco.

What parking options are available at the Port of San Francisco terminal?

There is no onsite parking available at the Port of San Francisco terminal. However, there are many offsite parking lots near the SF Port. Cruiseparking.com is one such offsite parking that provides covered and uncovered parking along with valet and self-parking. Long-term parking is offered at these lots.

What facilities are available at the Port of San Francisco terminal?

The Port of San Francisco terminal offers many facilities. There is so much to do at the San Francisco terminal, like visiting famous art sculptures, bay tours, fishing, parks, water recreation, etc.

How early should I arrive at the Port of San Francisco terminal before departure?

It depends on the cruise lines primarily. But as a rule of thumb, you should arrive 2-3 hours before the scheduled time of departure.

Is there public transportation to the Port of San Francisco terminal?

From the Embarcadero BART/Muni station, it takes approximately 20 minutes to get to the Port of San Francisco terminal. If you are looking for the nearest public transit, then it is the F Historic Streetcar (The Embarcadero/Sansome stop). This is the case for Pier 27. For Pier 35, the nearest transit is the F Historic Streetcar (The Embarcadero/Bay stop). And for Pier 30/32, the nearest transit is the Embarcadero/Brannan stop.

Are there shuttle services from nearby airports to the Port of San Francisco terminal?

The airports provide no shuttle services to the Port of San Francisco terminal; however, you can take other shuttle service providers from SFO and OAK Airport.

What security measures are in place at the Port of San Francisco terminal?

Security check-ins are done at the Port of San Francisco terminal. You have to bring essential documents like cruise travel documents and government-issued photo IDs. Check with your cruise line to know more about it.

Is there luggage storage available at the Port of San Francisco terminal?

No, luggage storage is not available at the Port of San Francisco terminal.

Are there any restrictions on items I can bring to the Port of San Francisco terminal?

Standard restrictions apply on the items that you can bring to the Port of San Francisco terminal. You can contact your cruise line to learn more about the specific restrictions.

For more information on Port San Francisco Parking