San Diego Harbor Cruise
4.5
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About
See San Diego’s top sights from the water and save money on transport with this affordable cruise that passes Coronado Bridge, the Naval Base, and sea lions. You’ll learn about the waterway’s importance to the city via narration and enjoy the view indoors or out. With options including a 1- or 2-hour cruise and multiple start times, this cruise fits easily into your sightseeing plans.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 150 per group
Duration: 2h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Live guide: English
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Highlights
- Hear fun facts about San Diego as you sightsee from from water
- Views of San Diego, Coronado Bridge, and the US Naval fleet
- Choose between a 1-hour or 2-hour cruise, depending on your preferences
- Snacks and beverages are available for purchase
- 1-hour harbor cruise (if option selected)
- 2-hour harbor cruise (if option selected)
- Indoor and Outdoor seating
What's not included- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Food and drinks (onboard snack bar available to purchase)
- Gratuities
- Meet for this San Diego cruise on North Harbor Drive. Once you check in, board the boat and find the area that suits you. You can sit indoors or outdoors, including on the sun deck. Your cruise is fully narrated, and you can learn interesting facts about San Diego, its history, and its landmarks. If you’re lucky, you might catch sight of local seals and sea lions, too. What you see depends on whether you’re on the 1-hour or 2-hour cruise. During both cruises, you can see the Coronado Bridge, the US Naval Base, and the Star of India. During the 2-hour cruise, you can also see the North Island Naval Air Station, the Naval Sub Base, and Cabrillo National Monument. Snacks and beverages are available on board to purchase (own expense). Your tour ends back at the meeting place where you boarded your ship.
- Start:
- 990 N Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92132, USAFlagship ticketbooth
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5144_C0001- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travelers can participate
- Please note: you must advise of your preferred departure times in the Special Requirements field at checkout. All times are subject to availability
- Please provide contact information (i.e cell phone) for the local operator to be able to reach you in case of changes to boarding or yacht
- Some ships only have restrooms either up or down a flight of steps
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 150 travelers
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.
- Is parking available near the departure point?
- Yes! Parking is available at the USS Midway parking lot. Parking fees apply and may vary.Answered May 2023
The tour operator has provided the following answers to customers’ questions.- If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 5144_C0001
From
$35.00
per adult
Select date and travelers
Similar experiences
Itinerary
- 990 N Harbor Dr, San Diego, CA 92132, USAFlagship ticketbooth
- 1Enjoy breathtaking view of the beautiful San Diego Bay including downtown San Diego, Midway ship, Coronado Island, Coronado military base, Coronado bridge, cruise ship terminal and many more!Pass byMaritime Museum of San DiegoCoronado BridgeNaval Base San DiegoShelter Island Park ShorelineCabrillo National Monument
About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- B281FNbrib0 contributionsAWFUL!3 cruise with them and by far this was the worst! Special engagement night, and the food was HORRIBLE! First 2 cruises with them were amazing, that’s why I chose them for this special night. It was a different boat and the food, (can’t stress this enough) was DISGUSTING! Also, paid for an open bar, barely got 2 drinks because our server was non existent. EXTREMELY MAD! Go with a different company!Written September 30, 2024
- nataliewU147JN0 contributionsPoor customer serviceMy experienced was ruined by the ticket collector and supposed photographer. Literally begged them to take a picture of me and my husband because it was our first time and she just argued with me which took longer than it would have taken to take the picture. The people in front of us got their picture taken. It was so weird and sucked.Written September 28, 2024
- K4424CVphilr0 contributionsGood times.Awesome food with a great spread and lots to eat. Great Music. I could tell that the DJ was really into music. Would recommend to my friends.Written September 23, 2024
- 689janettel0 contributionsDinner cruise with added drinks.We had a nice experience. The service was good. We purchased the drink package add on. Approx. 160.00 PP. The cruise was also supposed to have music and dancing. The cruise only had one bar tender which made it difficult to get drinks. The music and dancing started at the last 45 minutes of the cruise. Because the cruise was only 2 1/2 hours it just seemed that there wasn’t enough time to really view skylines, have dinner and dancing in the time frame. The food was average and we did have a good experience but I didn’t feel that it was worth 160.PP.Written September 23, 2024
- FrequentFlier7216510 contributionsGood VibrationsThe harbor was stunning at night. Onboard there was not a bad seat, the wait staff was perfectly attentive, and the dinner - choices are made beforehand - was excellent. My wife particularly enjoyed the fish selection. The guests radiated a celebratory spirit that enhanced this wonderful three hour experience.Written September 21, 2024
- RAT8600 contributionsThe BestBOOK THIS CRUISE!!!! Went to San Diego for our Anniversary and booked this dinner cruise. 100% the most wonderful staff, service, food, ambiance, etc, you name it, they have it! Mimi on the tunes, Awesome DJ, Thank you Mimi! She actually goes around to see who's celebrating something, so that was pretty F N cool, to feel that they care!! Champagne upon arrival, Yes please! A nice photo op, (when you're looking your best), as you arrive! We ordered the surf n turf, hello, delish!! Desert too folks. May I have a moment for the staff!?!?!?!?!! Incredible professional, truly want to make sure you have the best experience! So awesome!! Best Dinner cruise!! I will say the waiter/server assigned to us, GOD BLESS YOU!! Mitchell!!!!! Not sure how he stayed so professional!! That man is the most beautiful man ever!! So kind, caring, great sense of humor, attentive!! Even found us 2 levels up to make sure we were having the best experience!!! Well done Flagship! Give your employees a raise, you found the perfect crew! We'll definitely be back! Thinking about another cruise, the Coronado cruise!!! Yes!!! BOOK FLAGSHIP!! WORTH EVERY SINGLE CENT!!!Written September 16, 2024
- shanitram0 contributionsBrunch Cruise of HappinessOmg, definitely enjoyed myself. Went solo and server Arturo made me feel so special and made sure Mt champagne glass stayed full. He also smelled good. Lol. But also, Director Art sang a lovely song to me for my birthday. Only suggestion is to maybe add a DJ during the time because there wasn't much to do besides eat and drink. However the food was absolutely delicious. I left fulfilled! Will definitely go back.Written September 15, 2024
- Cruiser311052936490 contributionsNew BeginningsHad a great time…. Great views of the city.. excellent staff and the food /drink were fantastic. Enjoyed the DJ and the view from observation deck.Written September 15, 2024
- k0rbels0 contributionsGreatest 30 minutes spentThe boat ride and the staff were wonderful. It was a Very exhilarating ride. And it was fun for the whole family. I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone.Written September 14, 2024
- Robden060 contributionsFantastic!Had a great time on the Patriot Jet Boat Ride! Fun, fast & worth getting wet if you decide not to wear a poncho - refreshing as it was a hot day! Great views of San Diego from the bay too! The crew were fab & the music played added to the experience. Highly recommend!Written September 13, 2024
- F8547ZWcarolineo0 contributionsA Fantastic Brunch ExperienceThe brunch cruise was worth every penny! We came to celebrate my mom's birthday. The food was excellent, and none of us ever saw the bottom of our bottomless mimosa/bottomless sparkling cider. The servers are phenomenal and so nice! The musician is fabulous. You can tell that the staff enjoy their job, and their joy is contagious. The ship is very well taken care of. The decks and restrooms are clean. It was just such a fun experience all around. We can't wait to come back!Written September 9, 2024
- amk680 contributionsAmazing Dinner CruiseThe dinner trip was so amazing and so relaxing. The crew and staff were even more amazing. We definitely will do this again when visiting San Diego.Written September 9, 2024
- fredericksK9812OO0 contributionsDefinitely worth it, and you will not regret it.The ship was very nice, the service was excellent! The food was very good, the views were awesome. Perfect amount of time on the water. Our waiter, Cesar, was awesome! It was a great evening that you will not regret.Written September 9, 2024
- Climber685444371920 contributionsExcellent Dinner cruiseThis was a fantastic experience. When you board, you're immediately greeted with a glass of champagne. The food was good and the service was top notch. I highly recommend this dinner cruiseWritten September 9, 2024
- nicolemiczek0 contributionsBest cruise ever!This cruise was the best, my daughter got engaged and me and my friends and family enjoyed every minute! Jay took excellent care of us the entire time!!!! Thank you!!Written September 8, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
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4.5
1,158 reviews
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210
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Poor
42
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29
Christina D
1 contribution
Oct 2021 • Family
Purchased a Groupon for 4 adults. It was easy to make the reservations and process the Groupon through their website. They email you confirmation and your ticket. We arrived 15 mins early as stated. There is a line and because it’s first come first serve to get a good spot, you should get there 20-25 min early. When they started boarding the lady ANNA scanned my ticket but stated it was only valid for 1 adult, the ticket said “1-Adult Groupon for 4” which should be obvious it’s actually for 4 adults. Instead of being professional and understanding she proceeded to tell me to get out of line and go “figure it out at the booth!”. It was clear she wasn’t going to be helpful to the situation so I walked to the booth as she very loudly said “ugh she’s so stupid!” to everyone who was behind me in line. Then suddenly she appeared next to me and said “I’m going to go ahead and stand with you so you see you’re wrong” at this point I realize she’s clearly insane because I was never argumentative and never asked for her further assistance. I only stated one thing to her and she lost it “it’s a Groupon for 4, here’s my email confirmation” she proceeded to go off the hinges all while standing directly in front of me now, mask down and no matter how much I moved away from her she would move closer. I then politely ask her to move away from me and give me my personal space back. Her response was “no, I’m ok!” so then I moved and finally was assisted at the service booth. According to the lady at the booth, Flagship has not updated their systems related to groupons and most “ticket scanning” employees are unaware of the Groupon’s so they just direct you to the booth. Which is fine but hopefully you don’t run into ANNA because she will berate you. My best advice, just go the booth first. Sadly we lost our place in line and didn’t get a good spot to sit. Overall fun cruise, staff on board were very nice.
Written October 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lyn
San Diego, CA4 contributions
Sep 2021 • Friends
Been on this tour multiple times would normally highly recommend it. The narrator is always very animated and gives interesting information however this time there was just far too many people. Had to fight for a seat and then there were so many people upstairs you couldn't see the sites. I know you're trying to make up for being closed last year but having this many people defeats the point.
Written September 6, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian M
2 contributions
Jul 2021
WARNING: Their website is totally misleading. The boat in the pic is NOT the one we got. Everybody in line felt like they got scammed. We signed up for the Fourth of July Big Bay Boom and ended up a speed boat. We brought it to the attention of the ticket taker and she said "yeah I get that all the time." Pictures taken beforehand were "lost" and our captain seemed to not be paying attention during the 20 minute firework show. He kept spinning us in circles to see all the barges shooting fireworks, except smoke covered up the ones he kept pointing to, although he did make an announcement at the end that tips were allowed.
Written July 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mike M
Lewes, DE542 contributions
Aug 2021
Make sure to get to the ship on time as it leaves promptly at the designated time and leave time to find parking. We cut is close ourselves.
We visited San Diego for our niece's wedding and this was one of the trips that we took. We signed for the 2 hour tour so first we went to the southern end of the bay, returned to port and then departed for the northern end. The ship was clean and the staff friendly. As you would expect, there was a long line for the bar when the boat departed and the drinks were priced a bit high.
The tour guide certainly knew every bit of the San Diego Bay and just about every ship located there. All I can say about that is LESS is better as it seemed like he droned on and on. I think if if highlighted the more fascinating ships or other sights and skipped the lesser known, it would have kept more interest especially when the ship passengers ranged in age from babies to grandparents.
The best part was probably seeing the sea lions sun bathing.
We visited San Diego for our niece's wedding and this was one of the trips that we took. We signed for the 2 hour tour so first we went to the southern end of the bay, returned to port and then departed for the northern end. The ship was clean and the staff friendly. As you would expect, there was a long line for the bar when the boat departed and the drinks were priced a bit high.
The tour guide certainly knew every bit of the San Diego Bay and just about every ship located there. All I can say about that is LESS is better as it seemed like he droned on and on. I think if if highlighted the more fascinating ships or other sights and skipped the lesser known, it would have kept more interest especially when the ship passengers ranged in age from babies to grandparents.
The best part was probably seeing the sea lions sun bathing.
Written August 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thanks for the detailed review Mike! We appreciate your feedback.
Written February 3, 2022
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jack M
Tucson, AZ27 contributions
Oct 2020
We thoroughly enjoyed the entire cruise. The tour guides were knowledgeable and helpful. Please note: If you buy your ticket from Trip Advisor, you cannot use it to board the boat. You must go the the ticket booth and exchange it for a proper boarding pass. I hope TA will be more thoughtful in the future and put those instructions with the "ticket".
Written October 7, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rose
4 contributions
Sep 2021 • Family
Very nice boat ride along the southern and northern harbor shores of beautiful San Diego. They provided great information on all parts and the military water/air crafts and the base located on Coronado. Snacks, hotdogs, Sodas and alcohol beverages available, plus Bathroom access. Sit inside for a side view with A/C on or outside on the back deck or the very top. Wear a hat and apply sunscreen. Parking is easy during the week. I suggest to pay the metered parking of $2.50 for 3 hrs or park on side of USS MIDWAY museum for $10 all day.
Written September 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeff P
2 contributions
Sep 2021
It was all great. The weather was perfect, which always helps, but that said, the crew was clearly experienced, very helpful and knowledgeable. The narration of sites was informative and well paced.
Special call out to Michael, the bartender on the sun deck. I asked for daiquiri, but lacking the ingredients to prepare that drink, I simply asked for something tropical. Michael prepared a tasty concoction I simply told the many other passengers who asked me...it is something tropical with rum! It was the hit of the tour.
Michael...give it a name, I'll even offer one, the Flagship Rum Runner!
Kidding aside, the cruise was quite delightful, and will be a regular repeat on my visits to San Diego
Special call out to Michael, the bartender on the sun deck. I asked for daiquiri, but lacking the ingredients to prepare that drink, I simply asked for something tropical. Michael prepared a tasty concoction I simply told the many other passengers who asked me...it is something tropical with rum! It was the hit of the tour.
Michael...give it a name, I'll even offer one, the Flagship Rum Runner!
Kidding aside, the cruise was quite delightful, and will be a regular repeat on my visits to San Diego
Written September 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RedDog323
Riverton, UT55 contributions
We took the two hour North and South harbor tour. The guide gave a thorough and interesting narrative of the ships and surroundings. There was a little problem with the PA system, but he worked quickly to rectify that and made sure we could hear. I've read some reviews saying to be sure to get on one particular side of the boat for the best viewing, but we didn't find that important. We stayed on the top deck and could wander around for the best photos. We had good weather, which helped a lot.
This company gives a $5 discount for holders of a USS Midway Museum ticket. The website didn't have a function to claim the discount, but when we showed up with our prepaid harbor cruise tickets and the previous day's Midway tickets, the ticket office credited our credit card for the discount. We recommend this tour to anyone interested in the harbor, but if you can do only the north or south portion of the tour, we'd recommend the south leg.
This company gives a $5 discount for holders of a USS Midway Museum ticket. The website didn't have a function to claim the discount, but when we showed up with our prepaid harbor cruise tickets and the previous day's Midway tickets, the ticket office credited our credit card for the discount. We recommend this tour to anyone interested in the harbor, but if you can do only the north or south portion of the tour, we'd recommend the south leg.
Written March 29, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Tammy M
1 contribution
Jul 2021 • Friends
The guide was knowledgeable and informative and boat was in good condition. But I would not recommend … there was no attempt at COVID safety protocol. We were asked to step in and close our ranks while waiting on line. Then once we boarded it was evident that there had been no attempt to clean the boat, especially the high contact areas such as railings and bathrooms, between sailings. The tables were full of the last cruise trash and debris. We had to bus and wipe down our own table and chairs. The women’s bathroom had a non working stall which another passenger has to de-clog. I never saw any one wipe down the hand railings. And everyone crowded the stairs getting on and off - it was impossible to maintain any kind of distance.
We booked the 2 hour cruise and no where does the website explain it was really 2 separate one hour cruises back to back. I probably would not have booked if I had know I would have to sit through 2 separate boardings
We booked the 2 hour cruise and no where does the website explain it was really 2 separate one hour cruises back to back. I probably would not have booked if I had know I would have to sit through 2 separate boardings
Written July 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jeri B
14 contributions
Mar 2020
We were satisfied with our cruise. We booked the 2-hour cruise. The first hour was more interesting and longer and took us out to Point Loma and where the bay meets the Pacific Ocean. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable. Then the boat went back to the dock and the hour cruise people got off and others got on. The second hour of our cruise was shorter because of this change of passengers. This part of the cruise went the opposite way in the bay, pretty much viewing Coronado Island and the ports of San Diego. The whole trip was worth it, as the 2 hour was only $5 more per person than the hour cruise. But the first hour was just more interesting to me. Check out which direction the hour one is going before you book if you just want the hour cruise.
Written March 10, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We used Uber everywhere in San Diego saved tons for parking also there are some parking areas at seaport village and there are some bicycles that you can catch from seaport to the terminal
Written April 16, 2023
If make reservations on line, do you have to wait in ticket box line ?
Written May 8, 2022
What is the difference between the south and the north bay tour
Written January 18, 2022
South bay tour was more interesting to me - you go under the Coronado bridge and right past to most of the big naval ships (though not the active duty nuclear carriers) at the navy base. The north bay was interesting too - you go close to Point Loma and see a bunch of sea lions sunning by fishing bait area. And you get additional information about the Coronado naval base.
Written March 27, 2022
Sorry, I don't know. They're very nice; give them a call.
Written November 12, 2021
Will my service dog be allowed on the boat with me. She has her on water vest?
Written September 8, 2021
Will be able to bring my service dog with me on cruise? She has her own water vest
Written September 8, 2021
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