Exploring San Francisco, A Cruise Port of Call

Visiting San Francisco And Fishermans Wharf

Alcatraz

If you’re coming to San Francisco to catch a cruise or visiting as a cruise port of call, San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf is a great starting point. While the wharf is an exciting area there are also a number of adventures and excursions that depart from there. Catch a famous 100 year old cable car that has made San Francisco famous or rent a bike to take you up and down San Francisco’s hills or even across the Golden Gate Bridge. Also no trip to San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf is complete without a trip to Alcatraz Island. The Alcatraz ferry departs from Alcatraz Landing – Pier 33.

Where Your Ship Docks

The cruise piers in San Francisco occupy a great location on the city’s waterfront and only a few blocks away from the famous Fisherman’s Wharf. This area is the focus for most visitors to the city. The cruise terminals have public facilities and walking out is permitted and right outside the port area is the center of San Francisco’s tourist hot spots. Taxis are easily available but chances are, all you need is to stroll down the street.

Wheelchair Accessibility

Disembarking – The San Francisco port provides a cruise terminal with built-in provisions for passengers using wheelchairs like ramps and elevators along with public facilities.

Port Area Characteristics – This area has a well developed wheelchair friendly infrastructure. The port area is flat or has few inclines. Intersection crosswalks have few issues with curbs or other wheelchair obstacles.

Transportation

Riding Cable Cars – It’s easy to catch a cable car. The city has three cable car lines – two start at Powell and Market and continue to Fisherman’s Wharf; one starts at California and Market and continues to Van Ness Avenue. Board at the cable car turntables (the beginning or end of each route) or look for the brown-and-white cable car stop sign post. Ride fares can be purchased at a number of locations.

For all-day travel, you may want to purchase a visitor Passport. A Visitor Passport can be purchased at ticket kiosks, on Clipper® and sales locations for 1, 3, or 7 consecutive days of unlimited rides on Muni, Muni Metro, historic streetcars, and cable cars.  Single ride Cable Car tickets are also available. 

  • Passports are the same price for all ages and abilities.
  • Muni Passports are good on Muni only. They are not valid on BART, other transit systems, tour buses, or for transportation to or from San Francisco International Airport (SFO).
  • Passports expire at 11:59 pm. on the first, third or seventh day of use, and must be used by January 31 of the year following the year printed on the cover of the Passport.
  • 1-Day Passports $24
  • 3-Day Passports $36
  • 7-Day Passports $47
  • Cable Car Single Ride Ticket $8

Currency

Local currency is the U.S. Dollar and most major credit cards are welcome with ATMs being plentiful.

Attractions

Aquatic Park Pier (MUNI Pier) – A great place to start exploring at Fisherman’s Wharf offering great views of the Golden Gate Bridge, or the remarkable 22-acre Alcatraz island, Ghirardelli Square, Coit Tower, and the sweep of San Francisco Bay. The pier runs a good distance into the water and the views are spectacular.

Umbrella Alley – Don’t miss Umbrella Alley near Fisherman’s Wharf. It’s located between buildings on Beach Street, featuring the California Dreaming, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, and Greetings from San Francisco murals with brightly colored balloons and umbrellas suspended overhead. Find new murals being painted next to the Summer of Love Monarch Wall which features a huge 3D butterfly.

Ghirardelli Square – San Francisco’s chocolatier encompasses an complete plaza dedicated to a love of chocolate. The complex features great shops and restaurants where you can stroll the plaza and enjoy waterfront views, don’t pass up the original Ghirardelli Ice Cream and Chocolate Shop.

Cartoon Art Museum – At a new Fisherman’s Wharf location, the Cartoon Art Museum on Beach Street is a must do experience with exhibits on comic strips, comic books, political cartoons, graphic novels, and even underground comix.

Stroll through Fisherman’s Wharf world of art featuring galleries filled with paintings, sculptures, mixed-media along with street performers, and public space art. Don’t forget to get a caricature drawn and post an Instagram selfie in Umbrella Alley.

Visit a Liberty Ship – The SS Jeremiah O’Brien is one of the few remaining fully functional Liberty ships built during World War II. The O’Brien has the distinction of being the last unaltered Liberty ship and remains historically accurate. Moored at Pier 45, Fisherman’s Wharf, a popular San Francisco attraction.

SS Jeremiah O’Brien

Any visit to Fisherman’s Wharf requires getting your picture taken under the Fisherman’s Wharf sign. It’s at the corner of Jefferson and Taylor streets and was installed in 1968 featuring a giant crab on a ship’s wheel.

Food

If this city is famous for anything it’s food. Boasting a number of originals like Boudins and Ghirardelli it also has some really great seafood.

Boudin Bakery, Bakers Hall Fisherman’s Wharf – A cafe, famous for its San Francisco sour-dough bread. Features indoor and outdoor seating and the perfect place for their clam chowder served in that sour-dough bread bowl.

Crab House – PIER 39, Level 2 -Well known for their world-famous “Killer Crab” a two pound whole crab roasted in their secret garlic sauce.

Fog Harbor Fish House – PIER 39, Level 2 – Considered one of San Francisco’s best seafood restaurants and a dining landmark. Featuring fresh 100% sustainable seafood with spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge. Dining room or outdoor seating available.

For a link to a complete directory to restaurants in the Fishermans Wharf area click HERE.

The Intentional Travelers Guide to over 150 cruise ports of call

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Visiting Antigua W.I. A Caribbean Port of Call

General – The sovereign state of Antigua & Barbuda is located in the middle of the Leeward Islands chain, between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. In 2017, most of Barbuda’s infrastructure was destroyed by Hurricane Irma and the population was evacuated to Antigua. Rebuilding has been a slow and painful process as resources are extremely limited.

History

The history of Antigua and Barbuda spans thousands of years, beginning with the settlement of the islands by the Archaic peoples, specifically the Siboney, around 2400 BC. The islands were later inhabited by the Arawaks before Christopher Columbus arrived in 1493, naming Antigua after a church in Seville.

English Harbour

In 1632, English settlers established control over Antigua, marking the beginning of colonial rule which lasted for several centuries despite occasional French raids, notably in 1666. The British maintained their dominance over the islands throughout this period, and Antigua remained a British possession until its independence in 1981.

Today, Antigua and Barbuda’s history is characterized by its colonial past, cultural evolution, and development into a popular tourist destination.

Where You’re Docked – The cruise ships normally dock at Heritage Quay or Redcliff Quay in the downtown area of St. John’s, the capital and largest city on the island. If there are a lot of ships in port, some may dock at the Deep Water Harbour Terminal approximately 1.5 miles from the city. It is best to take a taxi from this area as there are no sidewalks going into St. John’s from the Harbour Terminal. There are plenty of shops and restaurants in the Quay area but many are closed on Sundays and public holidays. There are also several spots that offer WI-FI for either a small fee or free with a purchase. The beautiful St. John’s Cathederal which dates back to 1845 is a historic site to visit near town.

Transportation – There are lots of taxi cabs available from the cruise dock area. Many taxis have a fixed fare set by the government but you can try to negotiate your fare before agreeing on the trip. There is limited public bus service and it can be complicated to use and time consuming. Rental cars can be expensive because, in addition to the rental rate, a $20.00 temporary driving permit is required by the Antiguan government.

Wheelchair Accessibility

Disembarking – This port has a dedicated cruise ship pier but the ease of disembarking varies by the individual ships gangway designs. The cruise pier disembarks right into downtown. For passengers using wheelchairs there can be a moderate ramp incline to deal with in both locations. The town of St. John has not been improved for wheel chair users so expect curbs and uneven sidewalks and streets.

In addition to taking a ship’s shore excursion you can usually negotiate an island tour with local taxi drivers. It’s common aso to work out a round trip fare to places like English Harbour or Shirley Heights where the driver will return at a specified time.

Money – The official currency is the East Caribbean dollar (EC) but US dollars are widely accepted. The current exchange rate is US $1.00 = EC$2.70. Credit cards are welcome but there are few ATMs.

Attractions –

Antigua is said to have 365 beaches, one for every day of the year. For tourists, one of the more popular beaches is Dickenson Bay, approximately 15 minutes by taxi from St. Johns. It offers a lively atmosphere with restaurants, bars and beach resorts.

Shirley Heights Lookout

Best view of the island is from Shirley Heights which also provides a nice restaurant for a meal with a spectacular view. A visit can be easily incorporated with a trip to English Harbour and Nelson’s Dockyard, the only working Georgian Dockyard in the Caribbean.

English Harbour

The nation is actually Antigua & Barbuda but 95% 0f the population lives on Antigua. Barbuda is actually one of the few unspoiled islands left in the Caribbean with a large park and bird sanctuary famous for its Flamingo colony. A visit to Barbuda is possible via the Barbuda Express, a 90 minute ferry service operating from the ferry dock in St. John’s. The ferry runs every day with one departure and one arrival daily. Adult r/t tickets run EC$85.00 (there is also a EC$15 landing fee from the government) and children’s fares are less. Advance reservations are recommended. A roundtrip and tour of Barbuda is scheduled every Tuesday and Thursday.

English Harbor is the main historic sight on Antigua and is a large natural harbour on the south coast. English Harbour is best known for Nelson’s Dockyard, a former British Navy base; it displays restored 18th and 19th-century buildings, a museum and other historical artefacts from the colonial period of the dockyard, especially from the time it was commanded by Horatio Nelson. The Royal Navy had begun using English Harbour as a safe anchorage in the 17th century and in 1704 Fort Berkeley was built on a spit across the harbour entrance to defend it. Later additional fortifications where built on the high ground above the coast at Shirley Heights.

English Harbor is the heart of the yachting community. Antigua Sailing Week is considered the Caribbean’s most prestigious regatta. Held annually at the end of April it features the Round Antigua Race on a Saturday followed by five days of competitive racing off the rugged south coast of the island. Yachts come from all over the world to attend the races and most venues on the island are packed.

The Intentional Travelers Guide to over 150 cruise ports of call is a great resource to help plan your future cruise…

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Monsters In Our Back Yards

It was two inches of the most horrific creature I’ve ever seen and it was clinging to the smooth glass surface of our patio door. Using Google Lens I located a description of this monster and it turns out it eats pollen and flower nectar.

The Great Black Wasp is a strikingly large, black wasp with smoky black wings that shine with blue iridescence. It is a type of digger wasp, and most people see it busily eating nectar and pollen from flowers in summertime.

The body is satiny matte black. There is a narrow constriction between thorax and abdomen (it is a “thread-waisted” wasp). The wings are shiny, smoky black, with blue iridescence, usually folded together lengthwise down the back. The legs are long and spiny. The mandibles (mouthparts), usually held together and overlapping, are relatively large and sickle-shaped, with an extra prong in the middle of each curve.

The jaws are used mostly to carry insects back to the hole where it lays its eggs to provide food for its young when they hatch.

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Strolling ‘Round Liverpool

It is probably impossible to visit Liverpool, England without thinking about the impact The Beatles had on this city. From museums to the Cave Nightclub (actually a reproduction) to the statue of four young men strolling near the waterfront, the Beatles are a constant presence.

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Hope Springs Eternal!

It really did seem like this gull thought it could hatch this dock tie anchor on the waterfront in Liverpool, England.

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Discover Puerto Quetzal: Guatemala’s Cruise Destination

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala’s Major Pacific Port Of Call

Guatemala, in Central American, south of Mexico, it is home to volcanoes, rainforests and ancient Mayan sites. The capital, Guatemala City, features the stately National Palace of Culture and the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology. Antigua, west of the capital, contains preserved Spanish colonial buildings. Lake Atitlán, formed in a massive volcanic crater, is surrounded by coffee fields and villages.

Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala is the largest port in the country. Many Eastern Pacific cruise itineraries now regularly have cruise ships calling on this interesting port. Puerto Quetzal is now Guatemala’s primary cargo entry port serving cities like La Antigua, and Guatemala City some sixty miles inland.

La Antigua

Where Your Ship Docks

Cruise ships dock inside the harbor area at a dedicated cruise pier that includes a visitors center and crafts village providing entertainment, food and public facilities.

Wheelchair Accessibility
Disembarking – This port has a developed cruise ship pier but the ease of disembarking varies by the individual ships gangway designs. For passengers using wheelchairs there can be a moderate ramp incline to deal with but the visitors center and craft village have no obsticels.

Transportation

There are taxis usually available outside the port village but it is several miles to the nearest town of Puerto San Jose. The best way to see the areas attractions is with a tour.

Local Currency

The Quetzal is Guatemala’s currency with an exchange rate in the range of approximately 7 to 8 Quetzal per 1 U.S. Dollar. At the village US Dollars are often welcome and there is an ATM available. Most credit cards are gladly accepted.



Tipping


Tipping is appreciated but not mandatory. If service charges are included in the bill, rounding up or leaving small change is customary. In restaurants, leaving between 5-10% of the bill is becoming a common practice if you are satisfied with the service. Tipping tour guides is usually based on the tour cost with a few dollars being a minimum. For taxi drivers or service staff, rounding up the fare or leaving a small tip is sufficient.

Attractions

Guatemala offers a wealth of interesting activities that appealing to various interests. Located north of the cruise port is Abaj Takalik one of several Mesoamerican sites with both Olmec and Maya features that shows evidence of being occupied for over two thousand years. Located some distance away is one of the most popular sites, Tikal National Park, renowned for its ancient Mayan ruins and rich biodiversity. Visitors can also explore the charming colonial city of Antigua, which is famous for its well-preserved architecture and vibrant culture.

For nature enthusiasts, hiking Acatenango Volcano provides stunning views. Lake Atitlán, surrounded by volcanoes and picturesque villages, is another must-visit destination, ideal for kayaking and hiking.

Many cruise lines offer shore excursions to Antigua City and other points of interest but right in the port area is a craft village that offers some amazing handcrafted items at very good prices. There’s a cute crafts market that has a multitude of souvenir items along with an interesting Jade Museum with some quality jewelry for sale.

Some distance up the coast is the town of Monterrico with a volcanic black sand beach anlong with the Monterrico Nature Reserve intended to protect sea turtles and the areas mangrove estuary.

Puerto San Jose

Antigua located some sixty miles east of the port is a cute town featuring museums and art galleries and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

La Antigua

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