In a recent article titled “Three Reasons to Book Your Next San Francisco Cruise,” we wrote about the fun of spending part of a vacation in the famous City by the Bay, and part of it sailing to exciting destinations like Hawaii, Alaska. and the South Pacific. This story is about the cruise we selected to follow our own tour of San Francisco.

Select a cruise

As Mark Twain often pointed out, it can get a little chilly in San Francisco regardless of the time of year, so we thought a cruise to a warm location would be the other perfect addition to a vacation.

We did an internet search and scanned all the cruise line itineraries leaving San Francisco on our travel dates, and Princess Cruise Lines had exactly what we wanted: a round trip from San Francisco to the Hawaiian Islands. We made the right decision and here is what you can expect if you decide to take the same step.

The day before the cruise

We arrived in San Francisco the day before the cruise departure to Hawaii. We hit our favorite spots in the city, dined at Scoma’s on Pier 47, and checked into our favorite and ever-trendy Hyatt Regency San Francisco. The hotel is directly across from the iconic Ferry Building on the Embarcadero, and within walking distance of the Pier 35 cruise terminal.

Sailing out of the Golden Gate

We settled into our port side cabin, opened a bottle of champagne, and as the ship pulled away from the dock, we headed out to our patio to see the San Francisco skyline in a slow parade. There was the Ghirardelli Plaza illuminated in all its splendor, and the famous Transamerica Pyramid Building, outstanding among its traditional “square” neighbors.

We could see the Golden Gate Bridge rising above the bow, and we fondly bid farewell to old Fort Point as we headed out of San Francisco Bay and into the vast blue Pacific. All we could think of at the time was, “What a spectacular way to start a cruise!”

Next stop: Hilo, on the big island of Hawaii. A future article will describe the Hawaiian ports of call at Hilo, Nawiliwili, Lahaina, Honolulu and our last stop in Ensenada, Mexico, before heading back to San Francisco. Why should cruise ships sailing to Hawaii from US ports have to call at a foreign port like Ensenada? We will explain it to you in the next article.

This story presents the many joys of vacations aboard the Star Princess. Note: The Grand Princess has now replaced the Star Princess en route to Hawaii from San Francisco. They are sister ships, so the differences are minimal.

Sweet suites

The Star Princess has several luxury suites located throughout the ship. The Grand Suite is 1,314 square feet of pure pleasure, with a walk-in closet, large bathrooms, and an oversized balcony. These graceful excavations are for the truly lucky among us.

In addition to luxurious accommodations, the suites feature additional amenities such as an exclusive en-suite breakfast at Sabatini’s specialty restaurant, where you can start your day with a complimentary “Good Morning Mimosa” and select other delicacies from an extraordinary menu of breakfast. We expected the service to be impeccable, and it was.

Did you know that the now famous champagne and orange juice drink “Mimosa” was created and named for the first time at the Ritz in Paris in 1925? Its namesake is the mimosa plant, which has sparkling, bright yellow flowers.

There are also evening and pre-dinner cocktails and private parties where suite passengers can mingle and mingle with passing ship officers.

Fancy a quiet dinner for two? Having a luxurious room service meal served in a ship’s suite is the height of indulgence at sea and sublime privacy.

Suite passengers also receive priority boarding and disembarking through the Elite / Suite disembarkation lounge. While visiting ports requiring a shore launch, suite occupants receive priority tender landing tickets, a nice touch to save time.

Time to dinner

Soon it was time for our initial dinner aboard the Star Princess. The first night aboard a cruise ship is a casual affair, so after cleaning up a bit, we headed down to the Portofino dining room on deck 6.

The Maître d’hôtel was busy orchestrating the process of showing the first diners their assigned tables. Remember when everyone ate in an “early” or “late” session? These days you can dine in the traditional way or decide to eat at a time of your choice during dining hours. Both practices have advantages: it is clearly a matter of personal taste.

That’s entertainment

After a sumptuous dinner, it was time for our opening night of entertainment at the Princess Theater on Decks 6 and 7. The first show featured the entire cast in an outrageous review. The large two-story theater was packed, but comfortable, and everyone enjoyed the lavish musical production.

We took a walk on the Lido deck before returning to our stateroom after the show. Not quite ready for bed, we turned on the television and watched our first movie from the closed-circuit movie library. It was an old, – An Affair to Remember, starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr – a quintessential tear-jerker with the plot beginning on a cruise ship. What could be more appropriate for the stage?

Days at sea

It took us four days to reach our first port of call in Hilo. We traveled 2,003 nautical miles (2,303 highway miles) from San Francisco. Time passed fast.

Days at sea can be calm or exciting, you choose. You can shop endlessly at the countless boat boutiques. You can visit the Internet Cafe to catch up on emails, listen to live chamber music, and attend lively art auctions. How about working out in the spacious gym, a seminar by the sea, eating pizza, a hot dog or a hamburger, or trying your luck at the casino?

Having your teeth whitened is another option, as is indulging in various pleasures at the spa, sleeping by one of the pools, and chatting while enjoying entertainment at your choice of the many bars and lounges. There is also the opportunity to watch movies outdoors or indoors, browse the library, read, and of course eat.

The captain of the ship

On one of our days at sea, we had the opportunity to interview the captain of the ship. At the time of our sailing, the captain of the Star Princess was Edward Perrin, a native of Dorset, England. As is often the case, Captain Perrin was very personable and very willing to share stories about his ship and experiences at sea.

We always ask sea captains what they like best about their job. Captain Perrin revealed that he most enjoyed the ability to have a positive impact on people’s lives, both the crew and the passengers. He gave an example of an elderly couple who saved their entire lives to take a cruise. They approached him with the problem that they had no more money to spend while on the cruise. Captain Perrin summarily wrote a list of “free” things the couple could do on their cruise vacation. They were delighted and the good Captain was equally satisfied: it made his day and he has never forgotten the feeling of being able to help.

When it comes to passenger services, an important member of the crew is the hotel’s general manager. In Star Princess, that was Terri Lynn Cybuliak, and she was a huge contributor to our fun discussion.

As we’ve mentioned in previous cruise articles, ship captains are hired to be captains for months, not years, and therefore transfer from ship to ship quite frequently. Be on the lookout – you may well find Captain Perrin in command of your next Princess cruise ship.

Attention on the bridge

After our meeting, Captain Perrin invited us to join him on the bridge. The ship’s bridge is always manned 24 hours a day by two officers who work four-hour shifts in a three-watch system. It is interesting to witness the wide range of sophisticated systems that operate these mega ships in a controlled and quiet atmosphere. We remain fascinated by the fact that a traditional boat’s steering wheel has been replaced by a small joystick on a desk panel.

Dine at the specialty restaurants

All food on board the Star Princess, and most cruises, is quite delicious. It’s amazing that seafaring chefs can prepare thousands of varied meals on a daily basis and do it with such finesse.

People always ask, “If all meals are included in the price of the cruise, why would someone pay more to eat in a specialty dining room?” The answer is quite simple: privacy and something extra special for an important occasion.

Each specialty restaurant has its own kitchen, so there is an extra touch of attention to detail in the preparation and presentation of the food. The waiters have fewer tables to attend to and the overall experience is that of eating in a truly elegant restaurant. The extra charge is never extravagant and the experience is worth it.

Avoid disappointment, book your specialty restaurants in advance.

Our recommendations

We have enjoyed many cruises over the years and Princess Cruises is one of our favorite lines. It provides first-time travelers with a pleasant introduction to cruise vacations, and offers experienced cruisers a good selection of accommodations and amenities. Regardless of what your wallet dictates, a Princess cruise will provide you good value for your vacation dollars.

If you go

The San Francisco International Airport is about 20 miles and a $ 65 cab ride to the cruise terminal or the Hyatt Regency. Your travel agent or Princess Cruises can also organize transfers to and from the airport, but if there are two passengers involved, we recommend that you take a taxi, it is much less complicated.

A final note

The San Francisco Cruise Terminal is currently located at Pier 35. That will change when the America’s Cup venue approaches Pier 27 sometime around September 2013, after the United States (hopefully) wins the Cup. .

After a quick facelift and the addition of a new park to the site, the vastly improved cruise terminal at Pier 27 will be capable of handling larger ships and will feature expansive views of the city, including Telegraph Hill and Coit Tower, the Ferry Building. and the Bay Bridge.

Happy travels!