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How to Send Flowers to a Cruise Ship at the Port of San Francisco
Cruise ships use Pier 27 on the Embarcadero, with Pier 35 as the overflow berth. Both are minutes from downtown, and that closeness is exactly what misleads people into thinking a florist can walk a bouquet onto the apron.
- Port
- Port of San Francisco
- Location
- San Francisco, California, United States
- Lines here
- 2 with a published gift desk
- Terminals
- 2
Volume figures count passenger movements, which include people getting off as well as getting on. They indicate how busy a port is, not how many cabins sail from it.
Which of the three paths works here
Cruise line pre-order
2 lines sailing from Port of San Francisco run their own gift desk with a published ordering deadline. This is the most reliable way to get flowers into the cabin. The deadlines are below and they are earlier than most people expect.
Pre-cruise hotel drop
Works well here. Union Square and the downtown hotels are a short, predictable run to the Embarcadero, and they are what most embarking passengers book the night before.
Terminal and pier delivery
Pier 27 is the James R. Herman Cruise Terminal on the Embarcadero, with Pier 35 used as a second berth. Both sit inside a controlled Port of San Francisco apron.
This is a real option here, and the one to take the most care with. Deliveries onto a ship go through the vessel's agent and suppliers who hold port credentials. Some florists can arrange that. More advertise it than can actually do it. Before you rely on it, ask three questions and expect clear answers to all three: have they delivered to this specific terminal before, who signs for it at the other end, and can they get it there several hours before departure rather than close to sailing time. A vague answer to any of them means you should use one of the other two paths.
Cruise line gift desks at Port of San Francisco
One listing per line, carrying that line's own published wording. Where a line contradicts itself, the listing prints both statements rather than choosing between them.
- Carnival Cruise Line: The Fun Shops at Port of San Francisco
Published cutoff: Flower orders can be purchased up to 11:59pm ET, 5 business days prior to the cruise departure date
- Princess Cruises: Cruise Gifts and Services at Port of San Francisco
Publishes two deadlines that disagree. Both are printed on the listing.
Terminals
| Terminal | Address | Generally serves |
|---|---|---|
| Pier 27, James R. Herman Cruise Terminal | The Embarcadero at Lombard St | Princess, Carnival |
| Pier 35 | The Embarcadero | Second berth, multiple lines |
Terminal assignments change between seasons and between ships on the same line. Confirm against the booking before you rely on one.
Where the pre-cruise hotels are
A hotel drop only works if you send to the building the passenger is actually sleeping in. These are the clusters that matter at this port.
Union Square and downtown
The cluster most embarking passengers book, and a short run to Pier 27.
Fisherman's Wharf and the Embarcadero
Closest to the piers, and popular with passengers who want a night on the waterfront first.
SFO and the peninsula
Chosen for an early flight. Fine for a hotel drop, and well outside the city.
Florists that publish hotel delivery here
- Chartreuse by Roje: Union Square leftover hotel drop
Published cutoff: Yes, we provide same-day delivery in San Francisco for orders placed before 4:00 PM.
- Elizabeth's Flowers: Union Square / downtown hotel drop
Published cutoff: Yes, we provide same-day delivery in San Francisco for orders placed before 5:00 PM.
If the ship has already sailed
A Union Square hotel will not forward flowers onto a ship that has left the Embarcadero. If you have missed the sailing, send to the home address for their return instead.
Sources for this page
- https://sfport.com/cruise · read 2026-08-31
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