This post compares and reviews the many different San Francisco Bay cruises, boat tours and dinner cruises available to you to help you decide which is best for you.
Disclosure: While our recommendations are always unbiased, we may receive a small share of sales through some of the links below at no cost to you. See the full text.
9 BEST CRUISES IN SAN FRANCISCO
Most of these bay tours take guests under the Golden Gate Bridge and then circle around Alcatraz, though some include longer small group tour and half-day tour with more sites.
It's important to note, however, that though many boat cruises by and discuss Alcatraz, only one company, Alcatraz Cruises, is allowed to drop guests off on the island.
Most of the choices may be included as part of the San Francisco City Pass or Go City San Francisco Card.
Read our guide on whether a tourist discount pass is a good fit for you.
1. SAN FRANCISCO BAY CRUISE
There are currently two different companies offering this type of cruise, and as the name implies, you can expect to enjoy excellent views of the San Francisco Bay.
Some of the landmarks you can expect to see are of course the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz, although there are actually other cruises that focus more directly on these locations.
If you're looking for a general overview of the Bay Area and you want to see as much as possible, consider one of these cruises:
Blue and Gold Fleet
SF Bay Cruise Adventure
- $35.99 - Adult | $26.99 - Child
- Dates: Daily
- Hours: 10 am - 4 pm
- Purchase tickets here.
Red and White Fleet
Golden Gate Bay Cruise
- $38 - Adult (18+) | $29 - Youth (5-17)
- Free for kids under 5
- Dates: Daily
- Hours: 11 am - 5:40 pm
- More info and to book.
Blue & Gold Fleet is included for free with the purchase of the San Francisco CityPASS and the Explorer Pass - all three are tourist attraction discount passes.
2. ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ CRUISE
This cruise will take you as close to Alcatraz as possible without landing there. As with other cruises in the San Francisco Bay Area, you can also expect to see other notable sites such as the Golden Gate Bridge.
There are also ferries that will take you directly to the island, but tickets can sell out for weeks in advance. If you miss out on the opportunity to actually visit Alcatraz, this is the next best option.
- $46 - Adult | $27 - Child
- Dates: Daily
- Hours: 12:30 pm and 3:30 pm
- Purchase tickets here
This cruise is offered by Blue and Gold Fleet, and it's included with the purchase of both a San Francisco CityPASS and an Explorer Pass.
3. BRIDGE 2 BRIDGE CRUISE
This is similar to the San Francisco Bay Cruise, but it will take you from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Oakland Bay Bridge. In addition to seeing Alcatraz, you can also expect to catch glimpses of Sausalito!
If you're looking for a cruise that covers the widest range of the Bay Area possible, this is going to be one of the best services on our list.
- $48 - Adult (18+) | $36 - Youth (5-17)
- Free for kids under 5
- Dates: Daily
- Hours: 11:40 am - 4:20 pm
4. CALIFORNIA SUNSET CRUISE
If you're interested in seeing the San Francisco Bay at sunset, this sightseeing cruise is an excellent option.
There are also dinner cruises that tend to start at sunset, but we'll cover those a bit later on this list.
The Bay Area looks magical during sunset, and this is a great way to experience the city skyline as the sun is going down.
- $50 - Adult (18+)| $38 - Youth (5-17)
- Free for kids under 5
- Availability: Mar 27th - Nov 5th
- Hours: 7 pm
This outing turns into the California Twilight Cruise during the winter months as a result of changing daylight hours.
This is essentially the same as the Sunset Cruise, but this outing takes place after dark due to the sun going down earlier, giving the crew an opportunity to see the city lights after the sun goes down.
5. ALCATRAZ ISLAND CRUISE
For those set on visiting Alcatraz Island, Alcatraz Cruises is your only option.
Tours are available in the mornings, afternoons and at night, and each includes a visit to the island and ferry building.
The night tour is the only one that is personally guided; the rest rely on an audio tour.
However, during the busy season, tickets for all tours can sell out weeks, if not months, in advance, but there are ways to get standby and last minute tickets.
Check out our post on visiting Alcatraz to learn more about how to get tickets and what to expect.
6. SPEED BOAT CRUISE
This 90-minute speedboat ride is always a hit with kids and adults!
You’ll pass many popular sites such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz with classic rock playing in the background. Expect to get wet!
If you’re looking for a more exciting experience out on the San Francisco Bay, you can’t go wrong with a trip on a speed boat.
This is one of the fastest boats in the bay area, and it will take you on a speedy trip that you’ll never forget.
ADVENTURE BOAT (by Bay Voyager)
Ticket Prices
- $99 - Adults
- $89 - Seniors (65+)
- $69 - Child (5-11)
- Purchase tickets or learn more.
Tour Hours
- Summer Hours (May - October)
- 11 am, 1:30 pm, and 4 pm
7. ADVENTURE CAT SAILING CHARTERS
Adventure Cat is one of the most popular sailing companies. In addition to their typical charters, they also offer special combo excursions that include hikes, a visit to Alcatraz, and more.
If you want to experience the San Francisco Bay from a sailboat, they offer daily sailing options at a more than fair rate.
They have earned a 5 out of 5 stars on TripAdvisor. Very few passengers have reported having any issues with this company.
Ticket Prices
- $60 for Adults
- $30 for Children
- Children under 5 sail for free
- $5 discount for groups of 10 or more
- Daily at 2 PM and 4:30 PM
- $75 for Adults and Children
- $5 discount for groups of 10 or more
- Daily at 7 pm from Mar - Oct
8. DINNER CRUISES
This company offers four-course dinner cruises around the Bay Area.
Alcohol is not included in the price of a ticket, but there is a cash bar on board. They also offer lunch and brunch cruises for a slightly lower rate.
Whether dining with a close partner or a business associate, Hornblower Cruises provides fantastic service at a decent price.
This dining cruise company also provides private charters for corporate events and weddings.
Hornblower has earned a 4 ½ out of 5 stars rating on both TripAdvisor and Get Your Guide (see the reviews), indicating that they provide pretty good service.
Most negative reviews include complaints about the quality of the food, but this is an entirely subjective experience.
Other passengers took issue with how crowded their boat was, which can be easily resolved with appropriate scheduling.
Despite the negative comments, most passengers report that this service is absolutely excellent.
Ticket Prices
- $112 for Adults | $85 for Children
- Boards at 11:30 AM
- Cruises from 12 PM - 2 PM
- Not currently available as of February 2023.
- $135 for Adults | $108 for Children
- Boards at 11 AM
- Cruises from 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
- $209 - $230 per person
- Boards at 7 PM
- Cruises from 7:30 PM - 10:00 PM
9. FERRIES AND WATER TAXIS
There are 2 different types of water taxi rides available in the San Francisco Bay. The first is a typical ferry cruise run by Blue & Gold Fleet and the second is a water taxi.
Below we have listed both options to help you determine which works best for you.
Blue & Gold Fleet Ferries
In addition to their sightseeing cruises, Blue & Gold Fleet also highlights ferry services between San Francisco and Sausalito, Tiburon, and Angel Island.
Each route runs regularly at a specific time between approximately 9 am and 5 pm where you can experience a panoramic view of the San Francisco bridge and the San Francisco skyline.
There is no guided commentary or narration. However, they do offer great views of the area for a very affordable price.
From San Francisco: Ferry Service to Sausalito or Tiburon
- A 1-hour ferry that operates from 9:40 am - 5:20 pm
- Round Trip - $27.50/adult | $16/child/senior
- One Way - $13.75/adult | $8/child/senior
- Purchase tickets here.
From San Francisco to Angel Island
- Operates from 9 am - 5 pm
- Round Trip - $19.50/adult | $11/Children and Seniors
- Not Currently Available.
- Included with both the Go City San Francisco Pass and Explorer Pass.
Water Taxi
The Water Taxi functions very much like a normal taxi; guests can book a ride either online or by phone, and the service can then drop guests at a number of different public or private ports around the Bay Area.
On the weekends they run the Bay in a Day loop, which stops near Sam’s Anchor Cafe in Tiburon, The Trident in Sausalito, Pier 1.5, or Hyde Street Pier near Fisherman’s Wharf and Jack London Square in East Bay.
Finally, they also run a special water taxi service for fans after Giant’s games, which is a great alternative to fighting the crowds and traffic!
If you are traveling out of Pier 1.5, you may be close enough to consider combining this service with our Market Street walking tour.
This tour will take you on a historical trip down one of the most notable streets in San Francisco.
Tideline Water Taxi has a 4 ½ star rating on Yelp with very few negative reviews.
Most of the reviews were positively glowing, some saying that this company has provided memories that will not soon be forgotten.
BUS/BOAT TOUR COMBO
One of the many benefits of purchasing the San Francisco Go Card or City Pass is the ability to pair together different tours and attractions at a discounted rate.
Check out our post on choosing a tourist attraction discount pass to learn more!
SKYLINE SIGHTSEEING (FORMERLY CITY SIGHTSEEING)
Skyline Sightseeing also offers bus/boat combo deals for those looking to save on touring around San Francisco by both Crissy field and San Franciso's historic waterfront, which gives you 24-hour access to their hop-on-hop-off bus service in the city. The best option to experience the great views of the city skyline.
Bus & Boat Adventure (1 Day Pass)
- Adults - $79.99
- Children - $64.99
- Purchase the deal here.
BIG BUS ALCATRAZ COMBO
Big Bus offers an interesting package that combines a ticket to Alcatraz Island (operated by Alcatraz Cruises) with a hop-on-hop-off bus service in San Francisco.
NOTE: During the high tourist season, tickets to Alcatraz Island may be booked out a few weeks in advance.
Features:
- 48 Hours of hop-on/hop-off
- 3 walking tours of Chinatown, North Beach, & Barbary Coast
- Panoramic Night Tour
- Sausalito Tour
- Aquarium of the Bay admission
- 1-hour bike rental (with 1-hour purchase)
- Voucher for Players Arcade and Grill
Price:
- Adult $120
- Purchase here.
TOWER TOURS
This is an excellent opportunity to discover Alcatraz after going on a highly rated bus tour. Discover the bay area to have more intimate experience in style and explore this island prison at a discounted rate.
All you have to do is select more than one attraction in order to start saving money!
This boat tour package is offered through Tower Tours.
They have a 4-star rating on TripAdvisor and are generally considered to be one of the better bus tour companies in the bay area.
Many report that the Grand City Tour is both educational and entertaining. The Alcatraz tour is offered through Alcatraz Cruises, which is also a highly rated service.
Ticket Prices
- $150 for Adults
- $115 for Children
- Purchase the deal here.
Tour Hours
- Tours begin at 9 AM when available
- Expect to spend 7 hours total on both tours
ADVENTURE CAT SAILBOAT
Sail and Jail: Alcatraz Island Tour Package
- $85 for Adults and Children
- No discounts for Children or Adults
- Daily at 11 AM during Summer
- Daily at 1 PM during Spring/Fall/Winter
- Not currently available.
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