San Diego Cruises

Written by Jeff Heath

Cruise ships dock in scenic San Diego Bay, a 14-mile long natural harbor located in Downtown San Diego. Just 10 miles northwest of the Mexico border, cruise ships leaving San Diego usually head south along the Baja Peninsula to the Mexican Riviera. Other popular cruises from the "Big Bay" include voyages between San Diego and Florida with stops in Mexico and the Caribbean. Celebrity also offers cruises to South America from San Diego.

San Diego Cruise Ship Terminal

The San Diego Cruise Ship Terminal is located at the B Street Pier on Harbor Cruise Ship docked in San Diego Bay

Drive just two miles from San Diego's Lindbergh International Airport. Many cruise lines include transportation to the cruise ship terminal from the airport. If you're driving to the cruise ship terminal, get on Ash Street and head west toward San Diego Bay. Turn left on Harbor Drive and the cruise terminal is on your right.

San Diego Shore Tours

The San Diego Bay area is a great place to explore on your own. Seaport Village and Horton Plaza are less than a mile from the cruise pier. The beaches of Coronado are only a short drive or boat ride away. Shore tours sold by cruise lines may include a San Diego City Tour (3 hours, $35), the San Diego Zoo (3 hours, $50), or Sea World (3.5 hours, San Diego Bay Sidewalk

$65).

Royal Caribbean Cruises - Mexican Riviera, Panama Canal

Royal Caribbean International offers Mexican Rivera cruises from San Diego aboard three different cruise ships including Vision of the Seas, Legend of the Seas and Grandeur of the Seas. Royal Caribbean's 7-Night Mexican Riviera Cruises stop in Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. Grandeur of the Seas also offers a few Panama Canal Cruises. One Panama Canal Cruise itinerary travels from San Diego to New Orleans and stops in Cabo San Lucas, Acapulco, Costa Rica, and Columbia along the way. Another Panama Canal Cruise aboard Grandeur of the Seas travels from Miami to San Diego with stops in Aruba, the Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas.

Holland America Cruises - Mexican Riviera, Sea of Cortez

Holland America offers 7-Day and 10-Day Mexico Cruises from San Diego aboard cruise ships Statendam and Ryndam in January through May and October through December. The 7-Day Mexican Riviera cruises stop in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan and Cabo San Lucas. The 7-Day Sea of Cortez cruises stop in Loreto, La Paz and Cabo San Lucas. The 10-Day Sea of Cortez Cruise stops in Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, La Paz, Santa Rosalia, Loreto and Cabo San Lucas.

Celebrity Cruises - San Diego to Florida

Celebrity Cruises offers Trans-Canal Cruises through the Panama Canal to or from San Diego San Diego's Seaport Village

aboard cruise ships Celebrity Infinity, Celebrity Mercury and Celebrity Summit. Celebrity Infinity's and Celebrity Summit's 14-Night Trans- Canal voyage between San Diego and Fort Lauderdale stops in Aruba, the Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Acapulco, and Cabo San Lucas along the way. Celebrity Mercury's 14-Night Trans-Canal voyage between San Diego and Miami includes stops in Cozumel, Columbia, the Panama Canal, Costa Rica, Acapulco, and Cabo San Lucas along the way. Celebrity Mercury also offers a 17-Night South America cruise with stops in Chile, Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Acapulco, Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas and San Diego.

Norwegian Cruises - San Diego to Florida

Norwegian Sky offers Panama Canal Cruises between San Diego and Miami with stops in Jamaica, Aruba, Costa Rica, Acapulco, Manzanillo and Puerto Vallarta.