San Francisco, California - January 24

Partly cloudy, 13 degrees, only a bit humid


For many guests we’ve sailed with for the last 18 days since Miami, today is disembarkation day – not for us…and for many others today is embarkation day – again not us!

Lombard Street - the top is the crookedest

Toque and gloves in hand, we were on our own for touring today and hopped on San Francisco’s Hop-On, Hop-Off bus. Although it warmed up to 13 degrees, when we set off it was only 6, so the toque was warranted. The upper deck is the place to be on HOHO buses, however…this is where the wind is amplified – and was it ever amplified today! 6 degrees + little sun + top-deck wind chill and

the Bay Bridge lit up 

we were frozen. I still can't believe how cold I was. I have no problem walking to work in -25 degrees but sitting in one position on that bus was something

on top of the HOHO

else! A glass of wine, a pizza and a hike up a few San Francisco hills still didn't do it...I took a super hot shower and that finally thawed me!


We were able to catch this bus right in the cruise ship terminal – super easy. Round trip is journey takes about 2.5 hours. The running commentary we hear through headphones is great – gives info we wouldn’t normally know, also why I love touring with a guide. The

financial district

financial district, Little Italy, China Town, over and back on the Golden Gate Bridge, Haight Ashbury were some of the highlights.


We decided to venture back to Little Italy

birthplace of the 1960s hippies

(actually called North Beach) for lunch. We found a cool spot on a busy street where the sun was finally shining, and the heat lamps where pumping. A shared pizza and a glass of wine later and we feeling back to normal.

A short, but hilly walk later and we were

Little Italy lunch

back on the ship. Today 4 friends of ours (2 couples) are joining us today on the cruise. We have been really looking forward to this. This is a ton of fun - we are very unused to having people we know on vacation with us.

random store front in Haight-Ashbury

While the ship ‘encourages’ those of us continuing from the last cruise to participate in the safety drill, we choose not to. The safety drill isn’t too terrible, but if I can miss it I will. I suspect we’ll have to redo eventually, but until then…I’ll pass.


As we sailed away from San Francisco, we retraced the steps we took getting here, this meant once again sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge. It was dark and very foggy at 6PM when we set sail, but it was still very cool. Not good for pics, but cool as the ship’s horn is blowing.

what goes up...our ship in the distance

One thing I forgot to mention yesterday was that on our bus tour yesterday we the guide talked about and played some San Francisco songs. Of course I know Tony Bennett’s I Left My Heart in San Francisco, but didn’t know Otis

Joe DiMaggio married here - not to Marilyn

Redding’s Dock of the Bay and Journey’s Lights were about San Francisco. It was very cool to hear these songs as we travelled through the streets of San Francisco.