We live in the San Francisco Bay Area, so leaving and returning to San Francisco was a real plus for us. No airport hassles. The ship departed right on time, and we enjoyed sailing under the Golden Gate Bridge. Gives you a totally different perspective of this iconic structure. The cruise was a lot of fun for our group of 10. We enjoyed each of the stops (Astoria, Seattle, Vancouver, and Victoria). The staff of the Grand Princess were fantastic. They made the cruise enjoyable for everyone aboard; from our cabin steward Myrcel, to the dining room staff, to the bar server Daniela. Everyone was on top of their game. The shipboard entertainment was also very good. We enjoyed the Modern Gentlemen Quartet, Alex Ramon magician, and the Princess singers and dancers. We were also treated to an unexpected pod of whales off the port side on the first day of the cruise. What a show they put on. We'd definitely consider another cruise from San Francisco.