Clients setting sail from Western U.S. states have a number of ports to consider.
From north to south, the primary homeports along the Western seaboard include Seattle, Washington, and the California ports of San Francisco, Long Beach, San Pedro and San Diego. Following is a guide to the cruise lines that sail from these ports, and where ships are heading.
Editor’s Note: This is the first of a three-part series on ocean cruise homeports conveniently located in the United States. Future installments will cover homeports along the Southern and Eastern coastlines.
Carnival Cruise Line sails out of Seattle on Alaska-bound cruises.
Credit: 2025 Carnival Cruise LineSeattle, Washington
Along with Vancouver, British Columbia, Seattle is a popular port for seasonal summer cruises to Alaska. While the Passenger Vessel Services Act of 1886 requires most of these voyages to also visit Canada, Seattle remains one of the easiest departure points for U.S. citizens heading to Alaskan ports.
Companies that frequently make berth in the rainy city are Carnival Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean. Cunard, Oceania Cruises and American Cruise Lines also frequently operate from Seattle. American Cruise Lines sails Puget Sound cruises roundtrip from Seattle.
Seattle has two main piers: Pier 66 and Pier 91. The Bell Street Cruise Terminal at Pier 66 is right in the heart of the city, within walking distance of several hotels. The Smith Cove Cruise Terminal at Pier 91 is outside the city, so clients will need transportation to access it.
San Francisco, California
San Francisco serves as a departure point for cruises to Alaska, Mexico, the California coast and Hawaii. Princess Cruises is a year-round operator, while seasonal brands include Carnival Cruise Line, Cunard, Holland America Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Seabourn and more.
Most embarkations occur at Pier 27, a new terminal at the northern part of The Embarcadero waterfront. Some operators still use the older Pier 35 near the popular Pier 39 shopping center and attraction, as well as Piers 30/32, which is a mile away from the Ferry Building. All are near several hotels.
Long Beach, California
Another cruise line sailing year-round from California is Carnival Cruise Line, which sails to Mexico and Hawaii from its exclusive Long Beach facility. This terminal is housed in the iconic former Spruce Goose Dome adjacent to the permanently moored Queen Mary, which is now a museum and hotel. This Long Beach terminal provides travelers with a seamless Carnival-branded experience, from check-in to embarkation.
While there is an on-site parking garage servicing the single pier, it fills up fast, so taxis and rideshares are the best bets for clients leaving on ships such as Carnival Firenze, Carnival Panorama and Carnival Radiance.
San Pedro, California
San Pedro's B92 and B93 berths serve as the regular homeports for Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean, with routes to Mexico, Hawaii and the California coast. Other operators such as Crystal Cruises, Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises and Viking also make visits.
Parking is limited, so passenger drop-off options (taxi, Uber) are recommended. Nearby attractions include the Los Angeles Maritime Museum.
San Diego, California
Although it is less frequently utilized for cruise calls, San Diego’s terminal offers a particularly convenient location, with the international airport and train depot both within a mile radius. This gem of a port continues to gain popularity with increasingly more routes to Mexico, Hawaii and even the South Pacific.
Holland America Line has been a major player in San Diego for years, while Disney Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean have recently set up a homeport there. Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and Viking also periodically dock here.
There are a total of three berths across the B Street and Broadway piers, both located near multiple hotels, the Maritime Museum of San Diego and several other metropolitan attractions.
Additional Cruise Ports to Know in Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington
It’s worth noting that, although Alaska and Hawaii are often destinations for West Coast cruises, they have embarkation terminals of their own. One-way cruises in Alaska begin and end in Anchorage, Seward or Whittier. Meanwhile, Norwegian Cruise Line’s U.S.-registered Pride of America, the only available intra-island Hawaiian cruise, departs roundtrip from Honolulu.
Additionally, small-ship operators like American Cruise Lines and National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions offer departures from Portland, Oregon, and Clarkston, Washington.
