Cruise Ships Everywhere!

It's not every morning that you wake up to find a Libra class cruise ship lurking at the end of the street, peering through your windows as you make your morning coffee.  And yet, with the Norwegian Star docked at Pier 30/32, that's exactly what I woke to find this morning.

And it's not alone.

Inspired by the floating bow, I fired up my long-ignored car for a little tool down the Embarcadero.  Sure, I could have taken the metro (also pictured above), but once every couple of months you want to be sure that the expensive knick-knack in the garage still works; and since Critical Mass cyclists will take over the roads tomorrow and I'll be leaving town soon after that for an extended visit South, today seemed as good a time as any to give it a whirl.

So.

The Norwegian Star is moored at Pier 30/32, yes, and her sister ship, the Norwegian Pearl is moored just a little further up the bay.  What brings The Star here, I do not know, but The Pearl is finishing up a 5-day Pacific Coastal cruise en route to LA, where it will pick up passengers for a Panama Canal run on the 26th.  The Star will also depart LA on the 26th, en route to the Mexican Riviera. 

Further still down the bay, near Pier 39, is the Golden Princess, belonging to another cruise line altogether.  And it's not alone, either.  On the other side of town, near Pier 48, its sister ship, the Sea Princess, seems to be taking lifeboats out for a spin....

...  while spinning in its own right.

Presumably, these are sea trials marking the end of the ship's refurbishment in dry-dock on Pier 70 since mid-month.

Ah... back on the water again!