Anyone just back from the California coastal?

[joeyancho]

Did you have a good time?

What did you do in port?

Did you stop in Santa Barbara or Monterrey?

How was the weather?

How was the food?

[trbarton]

Did you have a good time?

What did you do in port?

Did you stop in Santa Barbara or Monterrey?

How was the weather?

How was the food?

 

I'm not doing a Coastal but I'm doing 2 B2B next month on the Ruby. The first a 5 day to Cabo San Lucas & the second, 4 days to Santa Barbara & Enesenda. I'll post my thoughts if that will be helpful.

Tom😎

[joeyancho]

Thanks Tom

[jennybenny]

Did you have a good time?

What did you do in port?

Did you stop in Santa Barbara or Monterrey?

How was the weather?

How was the food?

 

 

 

Went in April of last year. Loved it!!

We started in LA, went to

San Diego -Ballast Point for lunch and a few breweries close by then back to ship. Uber there and back

Santa Barbara-wine tasting at the many wineries within walking distance

San Francisco- stayed on, we are locals

Ensenada- did some window shopping, bought nothing wished I had not gotten off the ship

 

It was fun and relaxing

We did dinner at the Crown Grill when in Santa Barbara and got charged a tax on our dinner

 

Forgot weather! It rained in San Diego and it was in the high 70's to mid 80's

 

Food was good

 

 

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[Thrak]

If they went out to sea and steamed around in circles for 5 days I would still enjoy it. :cool:

[tonit964]

We went last March, just about a year ago. We had a great time. The weather was a bit cooler than the Mexican Riviera cruises.

I referred to this cruise as my backyard cruise, it was so close to home for me.

 

I have to say, in all of my cruises, we hit the worst weather ever (which I don't mind), in the middle of the night, it got really rocky, things were falling off the bathroom shelves, we found a few items on the floor the next morning. I didn't get much sleep that night.

 

In San Francisco, we did the Muir Woods and Sausalito tour which was really nice. Santa Barbara, we just walked up State Street and the pier. In San Diego we took the train to Old Town. In Ensenada, I took my DD 16 and her friend who came with us, into town so they could get souvenirs.

 

We are going again in March 2018.

[SadieN]

Went a year or so ago on a CA Coastal first week in March. Perfect weather and seas.

 

San Francisco- stayed in the port area. Checked out the Aquarium, Mechanical Museum, lunch at Boudin's, ice cream at Ghirardelli, ended up on a Duck Tour.

 

Santa Barbara (tender atbthe dock just north of State Street) - took the trolley up to the Market and ate lunch. Hint-- to get back take the trolley up the street, going back is crowded. There was a huge info booth with maps etc.

 

San Diego-- over the years we've done lots of stuff, Maritime Museum including a ride on the 100+yo Pilot Boat. Midway (do the Island first), bus to Shoreline Village and walked back. Last time had lunch at Anthony's. It's now closed :(. Could go up to Old Town etc.

 

Ensenada- we eat. The Malecon remodel is finally finished. The dancing fountain is beautiful. The museum at the highway is also finally open. About $3 and a 30 minute museum. Signage in Spanish and English.

 

Being local we've gone to these places many times by car.

[Astro Flyer]

With being able to drive to the Port of LA, we sail the CA Coastal cruise once or twice per year and have never been disappointed. Our most recent Coastal was on the Crown last April & it was great.

 

In SB we'll walk to one of the many wine tasting rooms, go to the mission, or go to Trip Advisor's top rated thing to do by visiting their historical courthouse. They have a great public transportation system & as I recall it was only $0.25 for seniors.

 

In SD we visit my first cruise ship the aircraft carrier USS Midway, walk to the Gaslamp district or take the tram to Old Town.

 

In SF we've been to most sites so will walk along the Embarcadero to Ghiradelli's for an ice cream treat & the next time will tour the Walt Disney Museum.

 

We don't do much in Ensenada & many times it's a sea day in port on an uncrowded ship the day before ending the cruise. Once we enjoyed taking a wine tasting tour to two different wineries.

[joeyancho]

Bump. Still looking for someone who has been recently. There seems to be some confusion on the website as to whether the ship stops in Santa Barbara or Monterey

[triple7tahoe]

Bump. Still looking for someone who has been recently. There seems to be some confusion on the website as to whether the ship stops in Santa Barbara or Monterey

We are going on Saturday. Our ship will be stopping Santa Barbara , along with SF, San Diego and Ensenada. I will answer more when we get back.

[Colo Cruiser]

Bump. Still looking for someone who has been recently. There seems to be some confusion on the website as to whether the ship stops in Santa Barbara or Monterey

 

We are leaving next Sat. We stop in SB.

 

I think it's only Monterey when they can't stop in SB.

[Happy2cruise]

If they went out to sea and steamed around in circles for 5 days I would still enjoy it. :cool:

My kind of cruise;)

[Dobermangal]

Aprils 10 day r/t Vancouver on the star goes to SB. The October star 10 day r/t Vancouver goes to Monterey.

[trbarton]

Santa Barbara Tours Info

I had the Food & Photo tour booked through Princess , $149.95 & then I found this tour through "Trip Advisor", Funk Zone Food & Photo Tour, 3 hrs for only $92. They pick up right where the tender stops, 11:30 am - 2:30 pm. Here's what they emailed me "Most are booking their tickets for the food tour through the ship's excursion desk or via the Princess Cruises website, but if you're looking to avoid the mark-up we'll just make sure you make it into the correct group. We take off from Sea Landing which is where the tenders disembark (look for the Food & Photo Tour excursion sign on the sidewalk) and we end a few blocks away in the Funk Zone. To purchase a ticket for that day and to join the rest of the cruise ship passengers, use this link:

https://kiosk.eztix.co/kiosk-optimised/267237".

 

I feel lucky that I found this site & can save around $58 & be on the same tour as the people that paid on the ship.



I signed up for the trolly tour through the ship & it finishes up 1 hr before the Food Tour.



Tom😁

 

[Bruinboy]

OP, thanks for posting. We will be at LA, SB, Catalina, and SF on a round trip from Vancouver leaving April 11. Great to hear what people did, and liked, on some of those stops. Jennybenny, thanks for the info about tasting rooms within walking distance of where the tender docks. We love wine so will be all over that in mid April.

 

 

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[jennybenny]

Bump. Still looking for someone who has been recently. There seems to be some confusion on the website as to whether the ship stops in Santa Barbara or Monterey

 

 

 

They do both.

Depends on the cruise date . My next Coastal cruise does Monterey instead of Santa Barbara. Last year I don't recall Monterey being an option, we did Santa Barbara

 

 

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[waltd]

They do both.

Depends on the cruise date . My next Coastal cruise does Monterey instead of Santa Barbara. Last year I don't recall Monterey being an option, we did Santa Barbara

 

 

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I think you are correct on this. I believe Monterey was a very limited port option many years ago. Then it was dropped and has only been add, possibly, this year. Nice to have it on the list again. It is a tender port so it will be interesting to see how many times it has to be canceled due to poor sea conditions.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Recently, we were supposed to go to SB but ended up getting diverted due to the weather. I agree about the Sausalito-Muir Woods tour in San Francisco being really nice. Our next one is due to call in Monterey (depending on weather).

[USNUZULOOSE]

We went a few years back,so we know the area frolicking in southern ca. We rented a car and went to the antique stores to shop. We had a blast.

[dfields1814]

My wife and I and another couple went on this cruise last year. Did not stop at Santa Barbara or Monterrey. The weather was good, little or no rain. Seas were calm. We ended up in Vancouver where we stayed a night. Then I booked a one day cruise to Seattle. (The one day was a great cruise. A lot of partying going on. You could not even get into Skywalkers after 11:30 or so. )

 

The food was standard Princess which is fine with us. However in ports I would suggest spend the money and eat at local restaurants as much as possible,

 

Since I was familiar with all the ports no need for Princess excursions or guided tours.

 

San Francisco Alcatraz Last time was 20 yrs ago. Lots of improvements since then. (Buy Tickets on line before going) Dinner at Fisherman's Wharf which is walkable from the terminal

Astoria; Walked over to the Maritime Museum which was very good. Found a pub and had lunch and drank beer! Great Day!! Minor drizzle in the morning.

Victoria We did take the Princess shuttle into town. Shopped and had High Tea at the Empress Hotel

Vancouver Went to the opera house to see a production of Evita which was excellent

Seattle Rented a car and spent a couple of days at the Lake Quinault Lodge. Worth every penny!

[Colo Cruiser]

My wife and I and another couple went on this cruise last year. Did not stop at Santa Barbara or Monterrey. The weather was good, little or no rain. Seas were calm. We ended up in Vancouver where we stayed a night. Then I booked a one day cruise to Seattle. (The one day was a great cruise. A lot of partying going on. You could not even get into Skywalkers after 11:30 or so. )

 

The food was standard Princess which is fine with us. However in ports I would suggest spend the money and eat at local restaurants as much as possible,

 

Since I was familiar with all the ports no need for Princess excursions or guided tours.

 

San Francisco Alcatraz Last time was 20 yrs ago. Lots of improvements since then. (Buy Tickets on line before going) Dinner at Fisherman's Wharf which is walkable from the terminal

Astoria; Walked over to the Maritime Museum which was very good. Found a pub and had lunch and drank beer! Great Day!! Minor drizzle in the morning.

Victoria We did take the Princess shuttle into town. Shopped and had High Tea at the Empress Hotel

Vancouver Went to the opera house to see a production of Evita which was excellent

Seattle Rented a car and spent a couple of days at the Lake Quinault Lodge. Worth every penny!

 

 

Sounds like your cruise was a repo for the start of Alaska season?

[klm9851]

Did this last October. In San Fran did Alcatraz in am and Love Tour (best tour ever) in pm and had dinner on wharf. Santa Barbara - went to Mission, and pier, San Diego Hop on Hop Off, went to Old Town (lots of Day of the Dead stuff), and Ensanada went into town shopped , drank and had lunch. One of our better cruises. (the seals in Ensanada at the pier were adorable and very noisy!

[jsiegel]

Since you are in American Canyon are you considering a sailing leaving from SF? I did a coastal out of there last October. We did stop in Santa Barbara as well as Long Beach, San Diego and Ensenada.

 

Santa Barbara is very walkable. If you aren't on a ship tour try to make it to the courthouse, it is stunning with all the hand painted tile work and the views from the clock tower.

 

The Long Beach stop docks right next to the Queen Mary. You can get on to the Queen Mary and self-tour for free by just showing your cruise card.

 

San Diego - we spent an entire day on the aircraft carrier Midway.

 

In Ensenada I did the winery tour. It was worth the price (relatively cheap) and the drive through the countryside to get to the wineries was interesting.

 

Jackie

[CoffeHound]

It has been about a year since we did this one but we usually do at least 1 California coastal a year since now we can sail Princess out of San Francisco. I just wanted to say that the last time we were in Santa Barbara we did a Pedicab wine tour. Really, really fun! We got to visit 4 or 5 wine tasting rooms that were more spread out from the downtown corridor since we weren't walking and they were way less crowded. Worth a try if you are looking for something a little different.

[CRUISEWITHH]

With being able to drive to the Port of LA, we sail the CA Coastal cruise once or twice per year and have never been disappointed. Our most recent Coastal was on the Crown last April & it was great.

 

In SB we'll walk to one of the many wine tasting rooms, go to the mission, or go to Trip Advisor's top rated thing to do by visiting their historical courthouse. They have a great public transportation system & as I recall it was only $0.25 for seniors.

 

In SD we visit my first cruise ship the aircraft carrier USS Midway, walk to the Gaslamp district or take the tram to Old Town.

 

In SF we've been to most sites so will walk along the Embarcadero to Ghiradelli's for an ice cream treat & the next time will tour the Walt Disney Museum.

 

We don't do much in Ensenada & many times it's a sea day in port on an uncrowded ship the day before ending the cruise. Once we enjoyed taking a wine tasting tour to two different wineries.

 

We will be on the Ruby next month and have a stop in San Francisco. Can you give me any info on the best way to get to the Walt Disney Museum. We cannot take public transportation with my husband in his mobility scooter unless their buses are equipped for it.

 

Thanks for the help