What Is The Cheapest Month To Go On A Cruise
Unlike Caribbean cruises, San Diego is mostly a seasonal cruise port and highly dependent on ships that sail in Alaska during the summer spending time in San Diego during the winter as well as Fall and Spring cruises when the ships transition from summer to winter cruising destinations.
Additionally, because of this, most cruises from San Diego are seven days or longer.
Based on our expert advice though, you can still find a cheap cruise from San Diego. Repositioning cruises offer great value if you are willing to fly home, instead of having the cruise ship return to San Diego.
These cruises aren’t your typical experience and have fewer port visits than other options but if you are looking to cruise from San Diego to Vancouver for cheap then this is a great option. Prices for these repositioning cruises will generally be $100 or less per day based on double occupancy, not counting port expenses, taxes, and other fees.
This would ultimately make March and April the cheapest months to take a cruise vacation from San Diego.
Msc Cruises: Resume Sailing August 2
MSC is a global cruise line and has ships sailing worldwide, but it is making inroads into the United States with some of its newest and largest vessels.
In the United States, trips are scheduled to begin again August 2, 2021 according to CruiseIndustryNews.com. The first trip will be aboard MSC Meraviglia, which will offer short 3 and 4-night cruises to The Bahamas, including its private island, Ocean Cay.
Notably, MSC has some practice in sailing in the new environment. Theyve had a number of sailings in Europe under new regulations and seem to be successful in keeping passengers healthy.
Where Do Cruise Ships Dock In San Diego
San Diego has two cruise ship piers located on the Embarcadero just minutes from the San Diego International Airport and the downtown Gaslamp Quarter entertainment district.
Depending on the date and cruise line, different piers are used for different cruises. Luckily, both the B Street Pier & Cruise Ship Terminal and Port Pavilion on Broadway Pier. B Street Pier is the larger of the two and is where the majority of cruise ships dock, this is especially true of the larger vessels like those from Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Princess Cruises, and Carnival.
Recommended Reading: Cruises Out Of Mobile Al 2016
California To Hawaii Round
Round-trip cruises from California ports to Hawaii start at 14 days in duration, which allows for nine or 10 full days at sea as bookends to four or more days of island hopping. Cruise ports in the islands include Honolulu on Oahu, Lahaina on Maui, Nawiliwili on Kauai, and the ports of Hilo and Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. An example of a round-trip cruise is Holland America’s 18-day Circle Hawaii trip, which takes you from San Diego to Hilo, then Kona, Honolulu, Lahaina and Nawiliwili before returning to San Diego.
Cruises From San Diego
There are many cruises from San Diego. This is the complete schedule of cruises leaving in 2021 and 2022.
Spring cruises departing out of SD go to Hawaii, the Mexican Riviera, South America, through the Panama Canal, and up the Pacific Coast. In the fall, cruises go to Mexico, South America and Hawaii. Winter cruises go to the Mexican Riviera, Hawaii and through the Panama Canal.
If you’re interested in short cruises, check our schedules of 2-day cruises and 3-day cruises from San Diego. For more departures from Southern California, check the cruises out of Los Angeles.
You May Like: Cruises Out Of Va
Princess Cruises: Resume Sailing July 25
Princess has been the cruise line perhaps most impacted by the crisis. At least two of its ships had virus outbreaks in the early days of the crisis, leading to headlines around the world.
It also made the news by being the first major cruise line to announce a voluntary suspension of cruising, which was quickly followed by other lines. Princess originally announced it would stop all cruises from March 12 through May 10, 2020. Of course, thats now been extended multiple times.
Princess paused operations through most of July, but now plans to sail from Alaska, departing Seattle starting July 25 aboard Majestic Princess 500 days after stopping sailing in 2020.
Christmas Cruises From California
There are Christmas cruises from California to Hawaii, Mexico, and through the Panama Canal. Departures are from San Diego, Los Angeles, Long Beach and San Francisco.
Leave the decorating, cooking and clean-up to the crew. On a Christmas holiday cruise everyone in the family can relax and enjoy the celebrations. Scroll down for all the departures in 2021.
Recommended Reading: Grand Classica Cruise Ship Reviews
When Will Cruises Resume A Line
This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page.
Editors note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information.
The Great Cruise Shutdown is finally coming to an end.
A growing number of cruise ships also are restarting operations in Europe and other destinations around the world, and small vessels have resumed operations on U.S. rivers and intracoastal waterways.
Still, only a very small fraction of the worlds cruise vessels are currently back to sailing. It could be many months before a majority of cruise vessels are operating, and some lines already have said it could be well into 2022 before they return to normal service.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 pandemic has thrown a wrench into the launch plans for startup lines Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and Virgin Voyages. Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection has now pushed back its inaugural voyage to Nov. 10. Virgin Voyages has pushed back its big debut in Miami to the fall . Both lines were originally due to debut in 2020.
For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPGs cruise newsletter.
Heres a look at when major river, ocean and expedition cruise brands that market to North Americans say theyll resume operations:
Hawaiian Cruises Departing From California
Hawaii’s Big Island is a frequent port of call on Hawaiian cruises.
California’s coast is the closest place on the U.S. mainland to the Hawaiian islands, making the state’s four major cruise ports Long Beach and San Pedro in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco the most geographically convenient points of departure for cruises to Hawaii. It’s still a considerable voyage, starting with four to five straight days surrounded by nothing but the vast blue Pacific before you spot the fringes of the Hawaiian islands on the horizon. Here, you’ll hop from island to island, spending sunny days in the tropics and balmy nights onboard the ship, before heading back to California or onward to a new destination. If you’re keen to cruise from California to Hawaii, know that there are around half a dozen major cruise lines and a handful of luxury lines offering such trips their duration and itineraries vary considerably.
Read Also: What Cruise Lines Sail From Baltimore
What To Do In Long Beach Pre
If you have a day or two pre- or post-cruise, then you’ll find plenty to do and see in Long Beach. The , Long Beach Museum of Art and Museum of Latin American Art are must-sees for visitors. Shoppers will find all their favorite brand names at a discount at the , right in downtown Long Beach. For more unique boutiques in pedestrian-friendly settings, check out Retro Row on 4th Street, the East Village Arts District, or visit the Belmont Shore neighborhood.
Cruise Lines Out Of San Francisco
Six cruise lines offer cruises out of San Francisco. They span the range from affordable to high luxury.
Carnival Cruise Line: the fun ships return to San Francisco in 2022.
Cunard Line: traditional luxury with British style. It has cruises to Australia and through the Panama Canal.
Oceania: mid-size luxury ships. They make cruises around the world and through the Panama Canal.
P& O Cruises: the leading British cruise line offer a voyage from San Francisco to Australia.
Princess Cruises: three ships that sail out of this port. They make round-trip cruises to Hawaii, Mexico, and Alaska. They also have one-way cruises to Australia and through the Panama Canal.
Regent Seven Seas: all-inclusive luxury line has an Alaska cruise and a cruise around the Pacific. They are all-suite ships.
Celebrity Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Holland America Line and Norwegian Cruise Line are not currently sailing from San Francisco.
Explore all the options for cruises from California. There are a wealth of opportunities to sail out of the states ports.
Also Check: Average Cost Of Cruise Per Person
You May Like: Best Cruise Lines For Babies
Taking A Cruise From San Diego Here’s What You Need To Know
When you cruise from San Diego, or cruise to California in general, you are getting the best of both worlds: a beautiful cruise and everything that California has to offer. When planning your cruise vacation, it is important not only to know where you will be cruising from, but also what is there for you when the boat docks.
Are There Cheap Mexico Cruises From San Diego
As the west coast cruise market re-builds, most cruises to Mexico from San Diego are longer cruises compared to the cheap three day and four day Mexican Riviera and Baja cruises that you might find out of San Pedro and Long Beach.
As the industry continues to recover, we expect to see more cheap cruises to Mexico like we saw before the pandemic.
You May Like: Cruises Leaving From Cape Liberty Nj
Cruise From Los Angeles California
When it comes to the Los Angeles cruise port, there is no shortage of cruise options. Residents of LA can cruise on some of todays most popular cruise lines such as Cunard, Crystal Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Silversea and many others. Cruise destinations include the Caribbean, Hawaii, Mexico, Panama Canal and even South America.
Recommended Reading: Cruises With The Best Food
Where To Stay For A Long Beach Cruise
Flying into the area before your cruise? Or maybe you want to be able to relax before you sail, instead of having to drive to the cruise ship on the morning of your trip? No matter the reason, Long Beach offers a number of hotels that are within just a short distance of the terminal.
As well, the terminal is right across from the city of Long Beach itself. That provides a lot to do right near the ship. For example, you can stay the night before, visit the Aquarium of the Pacific or The Pike , or even spend some time on the beach.
The good news is there are plenty of options within just a few minutes of the port. You can see a list and details of nearby hotels to the Long Beach cruise port here.
Also Check: Norfolk Cruise Ships
Sailing From The Long Beach Cruise Terminal
Los Angeles while far from being the biggest cruise departure port in the country offers two different cruise ports. The Long Beach terminal is a short distance from the Port of Los Angeles . It serves Carnival Cruise Lines, which primarily sails shorter trips to the Mexican Riviera.
Visitors will also recognize the historic Queen Mary, which is docked permanently at the port. As with the Port of Los Angeles, expect it to take about 30 minutes to an hour to get to the cruise port from the LAX airport, depending on traffic. If flying in, Long Beach Airport is much closer, reducing travel time.
Battles With Cdc Over Health Requirements
The cruise industry was hard-hit by the pandemic after passengers and crew members tested positive for COVID-19 and some ships were turned away from ports. The industry has battled the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention over health requirements for resuming sailing in U.S. waters.
Major cruise lines were granted permission by the CDC in April to resume sailing in U.S. waters by mid-summer so long as 95% of customers and 98% of crew are vaccinated against COVID-19. Passenger cruise ships had been barred from excursions leaving U.S. domestic ports in March of last year, under the CDCs no sail order.
Carnival said its operational protocols exceed CDC recommendations. They include having all employees vaccinated and requiring all passengers to show a negative COVID-19 test.
Passengers must be vaccinated, but the company will allow a small number of exemptions for those unable to get the vaccine, including children under 12 who are not yet eligible. Those who are unvaccinated will have to follow additional precautions, according to Carnivals COVID-19 guest protocols.
Last week, 27 people tested positive for COVID-19 on a Carnival cruise just before the ship made a stop in Belize City, Belize. The ship headed back to Galveston, Texas, Friday after stopping in Mexico.
The positive cases were among 26 crew members and one passenger on the Carnival Vista, which was carrying over 1,400 crew and nearly 3,000 passengers, the Belize Tourism Board said in a statement.
Read Also: Alaskan Cruise Cost Per Person
What Cruises Leave Out Of California
4.8/5Menu
- Carnival Cruise Lines. Celebrity Cruises. Costa Cruises. Cunard. Disney Cruise Line. Holland America Line. MSC Cruises. Princess Cruises. Virgin Voyages.
- AmaWaterways. Avalon Waterways. Uniworld River Cruises.
Keeping this in consideration, what is the best cruise from California?
- #1. Viking Sun. Viking Ocean Cruises.
- #1. Seabourn Odyssey. Seabourn Cruise Line.
- #3. Seabourn Sojourn. Seabourn Cruise Line.
- #4. Crystal Serenity. Crystal Cruises.
- #5. Celebrity Millennium. Celebrity Cruises.
- #5. Norwegian Joy. Norwegian Cruise Line.
- #5. Regatta. Oceania Cruises.
- #5. Pacific Princess. Princess Cruises.
Subsequently, question is, what cruises leave out of Long Beach? Although Carnival is the only cruise line with cruises from Long Beach, a bunch of cruise lines offer cruises from nearby Los Angeles .
Similarly one may ask, what cruise lines leave out of Los Angeles?
Cruises from Los Angeles
Alaska And Europe 2021
In early-July 2020, Princess announced deployment/homeport changes for the liners Regal, Majestic and Grand.
- Majestic Princess will have an inaugural Alaskan season replacing in Alaska the Regal ship. PrincessInside Passage itineraries will be on Majestic. The 5-day Alaska Sampler on Regal Princess was cancelled.
- Regal Princess returns to Europe replacing Grand Princess. Regal had scheduled 17 roundtrips from Southampton to Mediterranean, Scandinavia-Russia, Iceland, Norway.
- In summer 2021, Grand Princess is homeported in Los Angeles CA for roundtrips to Mexico and California Coast.
Princess Alaska 2022 deployment includes the liners Discovery Princess and Emerald Princess , Majestic Princess, Grand Princess and Sapphire Princess , Ruby Princess .
All Princess Alaska ships are MedallionClass. Alaskan cruisetour deals combine the 7-day Voyage of the Glaciers with multiple nights on land. Combo options range between 10-17 nights, with every cruisetour visiting Denali National Park.
Princess also offers its exclusive Direct-to-the-Wilderness train service from the ship to the Denali area and wilderness lodges on the same day. Additional 2022 Alaskan program highlights include:
In 2022, Princess celebrates the 20th anniversary of Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge situated just outside Wrangell-Saint Elias NP.
You May Like: Grand Celebration Royal Seas Cruises
Getting To The Long Beach Cruise Port
As with the World Cruise Center in San Pedro, your best bet for getting to the port if you need transportation is with an Uber or Lyft. These services are widely available, including offering rides from the major airports.
Prices will vary depending on where you are coming from. For reference, you can expect to spend around $30 for a ride from Los Angeles International to the Long Beach cruise port. Prices will vary based on traffic.
Here are some estimated commute times from certain points:
- Los Angeles International : 40 min
- Long Beach Airport : 20 min
- John Wayne Airport : 35 min
- Downtown: 45 min
You can read more about all your options on getting to the ship and pricing on our Long Beach cruise transportation page.
Is There Good Parking Close To The San Diego Cruise Port
There are multiple options for long term cruise parking close to the port. This includes many of San Diego’s long term airport parking providers who offer cruise ship shuttles on days that ships are in port as well as cruise parking in garages walking distance to the cruise piers.
Two of the best options for cruise parking are in the BRIC North and South Garages as well as the Wyndham as they are located directly across from where the cruise ships dock and are easy walk, even with bags.
Recommended Reading: Cruise Ships Leaving From Mobile Alabama
Disney Cruise Line Is Sailing From California Again
Disney Cruise Line has officially resumed sailing from San Diego. Today, Disney Wonder sets sail in southern California for its first cruise in over 18 months.
Sailing at reduced capacity, the Halloween on the High Seas voyage will call on Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Disney Wonder at sea
The vessels three-night sailings will run just opposite, calling to Ensenada instead. On November 5, the 84,000-gross registered ton Wonder will reposition to Galveston, Texas on a 14-night sailing. The line is requiring that every guest, regardless of their age, be vaccinated on the two-week Panama Canal transit. This means that kids who are not eligible for the vaccine will not be allowed to sail.
Disney Wonder wont be the only ship sailing from San Diego in the coming months. As the cruise industry returns to service, the Port of San Diego is expected to have over 100 cruise calls from various lines, including Holland America, Princess, and Celebrity.
Like other cruise lines, Disney has used a phased-in approach to the resumption of cruising. During the shutdown, all four ships were docked in Brest, France for health enhancements and crew repatriation.
Disney Fantasy docked at Castaway Cay in the Bahamas.
Dont Miss: Cruises From Norfolk Va