BAY CRUISE TOURS
The sailings worth boarding, reviewed.
The 15 US harbour cruises travellers book most, from the Golden Gate and Alcatraz on San Francisco Bay to the skyline off Manhattan and the historic forts of Charleston and Boston. City waterfronts seen the way they were meant to be, from the water.
1-hour Golden Gate Bay cruise from Pier 43 1/2 with multilingual audio, Alcatraz views, and wildlife spotting for $38.
Most Popular“For a tourist that is only in town for a few days, but wants the highlights tour and a very good description of the city and its history, this is the one for you. The tour was nice, breezy, and had incredible views.”
Golden Gate Bay Cruise from Fisherman’s Wharf: 1 hour under the Golden Gate Bridge and by Alcatraz with 16-language audio and onboard bar.
“Thought we would get closer to Sausalito and the sea lions. It was a windy day though.”
San Diego Harbor Cruise by Flagship Cruises. Choose 1 or 2 hours for narrated views of Coronado Bridge, Navy ships, and seals.
“Disappointing...& we've been on several of these. The 'narrator' was about as un-interesting as they come & a 1 hour TOTAL harbor tour would be more than sufficient for the ENTIRE harbor (vs the 2 hours you pay for).”
Miami by double-decker, Biscayne Bay boat cruise, and an Everglades airboat in one $69.99 combo day with big views and tight timing.
“Tour covered everything but tour operators were bad, some didnt knew english and were non courteous so didnt find them good”
Half-day open-top bus plus a 90-minute Biscayne Bay yacht cruise with English/Spanish narration, free Wi‑Fi, and millionaire views.
“It was such a fun boat trip. Great value for what we paid.The guide was very funny and engaging too!”
Hop-on open-top bus plus a 90-minute Biscayne Bay cruise past Millionaire’s Row, with English and Spanish narration and onboard Wi‑Fi.
“I love the View of the City, the ride was pleasant and beautiful. I wish I wore a tie down hat to block the sun. It’s windy up there lol. There are multiple bus tours, it was confusing on who to look for if you’re hoping on at the Lincoln location. There’s no podium or…”
Narrated Seattle harbor cruise from Pier 55. One hour of skyline views, shipping terminals, and mountain panoramas with indoor/outdoor seating.
“The cruise was fantastic! Our host was so knowledgeable and friendly and so was the rest of the staff! We lucked out with an absolutely beautiful day which made the experience unforgettable!”
Triple Miami combo: Everglades airboat and wildlife show, open-top city bus, plus Biscayne Bay cruise past Millionaire’s Row.
“Great time to spend looking at how the other 1 percent live !!!!! Mind you I love where I live in Australia.”
Three Miami hits in one ticket: Everglades airboat and alligator show, open-top city bus sights, plus a Biscayne Bay cruise.
“friendly people , great value for the money, the only negative was that the buses stopped around 5-6 pm .”
60-minute narrated San Francisco Bay cruise from Pier 43 1/2, under the Golden Gate Bridge past Alcatraz, Angel Island.
“I have not taken this boat tour before but I liked it more than others. it has much better narratory very engaging. it comes very close to Alkatraz and slowly pass through with really good story. it didn't feel rushed or commercial as others to me”
Inside Alcatraz audio tour with ferry and a 60-minute Bay Cruise. Skip lines, see the Golden Gate, and explore Alcatraz at your pace.
“This was a chance to visit the iconic Alcatraz, whilst we were visiting San Francisco. We were blessed with ideal Spring weather, great visibility and relatively small crowds. We visited in March, before the main summer rush. It was still very busy so be prepared for big crowds and book well in advance to be…”
A 1-hour skip-the-line Bay Cruise from Pier 39 with narration, sea lions, the Golden Gate Bridge, and an Alcatraz view from the water.
“Being able to see the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz up close from water amazing!”
A 90-minute narrated Bay cruise with straight-to-gate access, sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge and circling Alcatraz from every angle.
“It was really nice and you had a lot of opportunities to take beautiful pictures of both the golden gate bridge and Alcatraz. I highly recommend to be there as early as they tell you to be so that you are one of the first to pick a good seat. Do not forget your jacket…”
A 1-hour narrated Boston Harbor cruise from Long Wharf with Revolutionary War stories, USS Constitution, Boston Light, and skyline views.
“It was ok. The windows on the lower deck were dirty and difficult to see out of. There were not many snacks to choose from even though it looked as if they had had quite an assortment before. It was difficult to hear/understand the tour guide on the lower level. But it was only $45…”
Sail San Diego’s bay on a 360° yacht for about $37. See Coronado Bridge, Navy ships, waterfront landmarks, and marine life with live narration.
“North and south tour of san diego bay with very good and informative commentary from Rusty. So much to see combining the land and sea. Pointed out the wildlife as well as the naval connections. Great directions from joining email including route to starting place. Great value for money. Highly recommend this tour with Flagship.…”
Sightseeing sailings, sunset cruises and island runs, in the bays and harbours that do them best.
