Family Cruise Advisor

Beginning today, you’ll be able to book Disney Cruise Line’s 2010 sailings in Europe. Continue Reading »

During my two decades of cruising, I’ve learned that family vacations can take one of two tacks: Either they are full-on disasters or they go down as one of the “best vacations ever.” Over the years, I’ve experienced both.

On the full-on disaster side, my wife and I had been a little too ambitious, hauling our daughter, not yet six months old, to Walt Disney World and, only a few months later, across six time zones to England. What were we thinking?

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My daughter was only six weeks old when she traveled with mom and dad on our first family vacation — to Walt Disney World in Orlando. Only a few months later, at the tender age of five months, she crossed the Atlantic with dad (a travel writer) and mom to cruise to the Canary Islands on Cunard Line’s Queen Elizabeth 2. Lucky girl, right? Wrong. Both experiences were miserable.

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In the past several years, San Diego’s cruise ship calls and passenger counts have more than tripled, making the Southern California city the West Coast’s fastest-growing cruise port.

Why the surge in popularity? First, San Diego is possibly the West Coast port with the most varied cruise itineraries. More than 100 cruises set sail from the downtown cruise terminal.

Among the regular offerings: Mexico (from five days to 15 days); Sea of Cortez cruises; 14-day and 15-day Hawaii; and Panama Canal cruises of 12 days or more.

Moreover, San Diego may just be the world’s most convenient port of departure. Abundant airlift brings 62 percent of all cruise passengers from destinations worldwide. Plus, the airport, cruise terminal and city center all are within five minutes of one another.

Add to that the many attractions within close reach of the cruise terminal, and San Diego makes one perfect port.

San Diego’s biggest attraction is the harbor itself, known as The Big Bay. You could design a pre- and post-cruise vacation around the Big Bay itself and have a perfectly satisfying experience — with no need to rent a car. If you’re staying a few days or more, you’ll have a good choice of hotels: No fewer than 13 line the Big Bay’s 34 miles of waterfront.

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For pre- and post-cruise vacationers, San Diego offers a variety of day trips, all within San Diego County. The seaside resort of La Jolla is only 15 minutes north of the city center. Borrego Springs, a tiny desert town that is home to the largest state park in the contiguous United States (Anza-Borrego Desert State Park) is only 85 miles east of San Diego.

Suggestions for accommodations in these destinations: La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, 12 miles north of downtown San Diego. The original structure of this 90-room resort was built in 1927 and resembles a Spanish-style hacienda. Residing on 14 acres, the resort is one of only two beachfront properties in the exclusive La Jolla Shores section of La Jolla.

Borrego Springs is home to the AAA-Four Diamond La Casa Del Zorro Desert Resort. Families will enjoy one- to four-bedroom casitas, each with fireplace, private pool and/or spa. The 42-acre resort is situated in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.