San Francisco

Yesterday, we reached our first port of call, San Francisco. The inclement weather over the previous 36 hours had delayed our passage meaning we were almost three hours late on arrival. It was nearly 1pm before the first passengers disembarked.  Because of the late arrival, all tours and excursions offered by the ship were unfortunately cancelled and this meant everyone was left to make their own arrangements ashore. All was not lost however, as our departure time was moved back a few hours to compensate.

The Bay area was shrouded in fog on arrival, but we emerged from the fog bank just as the ship passed under the Golden Gate Bridge.  The city skyline came into view and those on the port side were afforded views of Alcatraz Island and the famous former prison. Tugs manoeuvred Coral Princess into Pier 35 and a short while later, it was time to disembark.  The debarkation process was shambolic - by far the worst I've seen - with conflicting announcements and advice from crew members about where to leave the ship. Queues of bewildered passengers, all eager to alight, formed at the exit and stairwells whilst crew members frantically tried to maintain order.

Cruise passengers disembark in the Fisherman's Wharf area of the city. It's a lively neighbourhood crowded with tourists, street vendors, live performances and seafood restaurants selling legendary local specialities such as clam chowder.  

We frequently choose to explore cities independently rather than purchasing one of the shore excursions. The excursions, which can be a little overpriced, are often very intensive and passengers are whisked between sights and attractions throughout the day, with few opportunties to relax and take stock. Instead, we plan our own realistic and achievable walking itineraries which allow us to cover only the sights and attractions that are important to us.

So, armed with a map and guide book, we made our way to the streetcar terminus at the foot of Hyde Street for a ride up to the curiously named Nob Hill district. The streetcars quickly transport you up the city's steep hills, pausing briefly at the intersections to let people hop on and off. It's quite a crush on board, and those that are brave enough can hold on tight, and stand on the sideboards if no seats are available. Once at the top, the views are synonymous with any famous movie scene filmed in the city. There is simply no doubt about where in the world you are!

Then it was time to see Lombard Street, with its famous hairpin bends. Dubbed the 'crookedest street in the world', the road features a curious zig-zag arrangement of multiple hairpin bends. Traffic is one-way and cars negotitate the tight corners at little more than walking pace.  It's a popular tourist attraction and many people gather at the top and bottom to photograph or fillm cars making the descent.

As it was now getting late in the afternoon, we headed back to the Fisherman's Wharf area and chose one of the nicer restaurants on Pier 39 for a mid-afternoon snack and glass of wine, before returning back to the ship.

Yesterday also marked the beginning of a new cruise for those passengers joining in San Francisco, whilst others who had opted for a 3-day mini cruise from Vancouver said goodbye, and faced up to the prospect of missing their flights home.  For various administrative reasons which would take too long to explain here, in transit passengers like ourselves were still required to go through another security procedure, have our photographs taken again, and be issued with another cruise card.  Fortunately, this was done with minimal fuss when re-joining the ship in the afternoon.

Departure at 1900hrs was nicely timed to coincide with the sunset, and the Bay area and city skyline was very photogenic in the low evening sun. Once under the Golden Gate Bridge, darkness fell as the ship turned south towards Mexico.

The weather has improved greatly since entering the waters around California, with clear skies and a significant increase in temperatures. These are expected to rise even further in the next day or so, as we move closer to the Mexican border. The next two days will be spent at sea as the ship makes its way down the coast of the Baja California to Cabo San Lucas.