--- title: "Alcatraz Prison Tour & Bay Cruise Combo Tickets" date: 2026-10-27 canonical: https://ticketsalcatraz.com/tours/alcatraz-prison-bay-cruise-tickets/ --- # Alcatraz Prison Tour & Bay Cruise Combo Tickets - Ticket price: From 122 USD per person (Prices checked 2026-10-27, prices may vary) - Duration: 4 hours - Best for: Prison tour plus a scenic bay cruise, any day - Combo tours - Check availability: https://www.getyourguide.com/san-francisco-l61/san-francisco-alcatraz-island-prison-tour-with-bay-cruise-t627184/?partner_id=D7H7I6M&cmp=ticketsalcatraz_com_agent_markdown (GetYourGuide · This site contains affiliate links. We may earn a commission when you book through our links, at no extra cost to you.) - ★ Self-guided Alcatraz cellhouse audio tour included - ★ Separate round-trip bay cruise past the Golden Gate Bridge - ★ Cruise ticket flexes to any day, independent of your Alcatraz date - ★ Views of the Presidio, Fort Mason, and Crissy Field from the water - ★ Free cancellation up to 24 hours before either departure ## Our take This is a smart pick if you want the full island story plus a scenic sail past the Golden Gate Bridge, without needing a live guide for either half. Because the two tickets run on independent schedules, you can spread them across different days if your trip allows it, which is handy if the weather turns on one of them. Where it comes up short: there's no guide on either leg, and the cruise does not stop on Alcatraz itself, so travelers who want narration from a real person throughout should look at a fully guided combo instead. The **Alcatraz prison tour and bay cruise** combo pairs the self-guided Alcatraz cellhouse experience with a separate round-trip sightseeing cruise around San Francisco Bay, two tickets bundled at one price so you see the island's history and the skyline from the water without booking them separately. ## What does the Alcatraz Prison Tour & Bay Cruise include? Your package covers the round-trip ferry from Pier 33 to Alcatraz Island, the 45-minute "Doing Time" audio tour through the cellhouse, and entry to the prison building itself. Separately, it includes a round-trip sightseeing cruise with its own captain and crew that glides past the Presidio, goes beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, and circles close to Alcatraz Island from the water. Guides, food, drinks, and gratuities are not part of the price. ## How does the two-ticket format actually work? These are genuinely two separate experiences rather than one combined cruise. The Alcatraz ferry runs on its own fixed departure time, which you pick when booking, while the bay cruise can be used on any day and departure the operator offers, so you are not locked into doing both on the same afternoon. That flexibility is useful if you want to save the cruise for a clearer, calmer day on the water. ## What should you expect inside the cellhouse? Once you land, a short uphill walk leads to the main prison building, where you pick up an audio headset for the self-guided tour. The stories come from people who actually worked or served time there, covering the cells once used for Al Capone and George "Machine Gun" Kelly and the routines that made Alcatraz one of the country's most feared penitentiaries. Afterward, you're free to explore the island's outdoor areas before heading back to the ferry landing. ## Is the Alcatraz prison and bay cruise combo worth it? Yes, if you want to pair the history of the island with a classic San Francisco Bay view without planning two separate bookings. It bundles a genuinely good value, since the cruise alone typically costs a similar amount to buying it on its own. It makes less sense if you only have a few hours in the city, since the two activities together can fill most of a day once travel time between them is factored in. ## Who should book the Alcatraz prison tour with bay cruise? Travelers with at least two separate time blocks in their itinerary, or more than one day in San Francisco, get the most out of this combo. It also suits visitors who want bay views without being tied to the Alcatraz ferry's specific departure window, since the cruise ticket can flex to a different day entirely. ## How much does the Alcatraz bay cruise combo cost? Prices run from roughly $122 per adult for both tickets together. Children aged 4 and under travel free, and booking early for both pieces helps secure the departure times you want, especially in peak summer months when Alcatraz ferry slots sell out first. ## Getting to pickup for your tickets Ticket pickup for this combo is at 571 Post Street, and the operator recommends arriving at least two hours before your scheduled Alcatraz departure to collect both vouchers and avoid rushing to Pier 33 afterward. Pier 33 itself sits along the Embarcadero, a short walk from Fisherman's Wharf. ## Insider tips for this combo ticket Book your Alcatraz ferry slot for the morning and save the bay cruise for later in your trip if the forecast looks better on a different day, since the cruise ticket is flexible and the ferry isn't. Bring a jacket for both legs: the bay is almost always windier than it looks from shore, especially once the boat passes under the Golden Gate Bridge. ## How does this compare to other Alcatraz combos? If you'd rather have everything happen back to back on one ticket instead of two flexible bookings, the [standalone sightseeing cruise](https://ticketsalcatraz.com/tours/alcatraz-bay-cruise-tickets/) is a shorter, cheaper way to see the island from the water without landing on it. Travelers who want a live guide walking them through the city as well should compare the [Alcatraz city highlights tour](https://ticketsalcatraz.com/tours/alcatraz-city-tour-tickets/), which swaps the bay cruise for a guided drive past Lombard Street and the Golden Gate Bridge. ## What's included - ✓ Round-trip ferry to Alcatraz Island from Pier 33 - ✓ Alcatraz Cellhouse Audio Tour - ✓ Alcatraz Island admission - ✓ Separate round-trip sightseeing bay cruise with captain and crew - ✗ Live guide - ✗ Food and drinks - ✗ Gratuities ## Route and itinerary 1. **Pick up both tickets at 571 Post Street**: Collect your Alcatraz ferry voucher and your bay cruise ticket at the pickup office on Post Street. The operator recommends arriving at least two hours before your scheduled Alcatraz departure time. 2. **Board the ferry at Pier 33**: Head to Pier 33, the Alcatraz Landing, for your timed departure. Arrive with a buffer since the ferry runs on a fixed schedule and will not hold for late arrivals. 3. **Walk the Cellhouse Audio Tour**: Follow the self-guided Doing Time audio tour through the cell blocks, hearing firsthand accounts from former officers and inmates, including the cells once used by Al Capone and George Machine Gun Kelly. Plan for 45 minutes to an hour. 4. **Explore the island before heading back**: Use any remaining time to walk the outdoor grounds and take in the San Francisco skyline before catching a return ferry, which departs roughly every 30 to 45 minutes. 5. **Choose your bay cruise date**: On the same day or a different one, use your second voucher for the round-trip sightseeing cruise. Check in at the departure dock listed on your ticket. 6. **Cruise past the Golden Gate Bridge and the Presidio**: The boat sails beneath the Golden Gate Bridge and along the waterfront past the Presidio, Fort Mason, and Crissy Field, with Alcatraz Island visible from the water for most of the route. ## FAQs ### Do I have to do the Alcatraz tour and the bay cruise on the same day? No. The Alcatraz ferry has a fixed departure time you pick at booking, but the bay cruise can be used on any available day and sailing, so you can split them across your trip. ### How much does the Alcatraz prison tour and bay cruise combo cost? Prices start around $122 per adult for both tickets. Children aged 4 and under travel free on the Alcatraz portion. ### Where do I pick up my tickets for this combo? Pickup is at 571 Post Street. The operator recommends arriving at least two hours before your scheduled Alcatraz departure time. ### Does the bay cruise stop at Alcatraz Island? No, the sightseeing cruise sails past Alcatraz and under the Golden Gate Bridge but does not land. Only the Alcatraz ferry ticket includes going ashore. ### Is there a guide on either part of this combo? No. Both the Alcatraz cellhouse visit and the bay cruise are self-guided, using an audio tour on the island and the captain's narration on the cruise. ### Can I cancel this combo ticket? Yes, both tickets can be canceled up to 24 hours before their respective departures for a full refund.