Jaunted

A three-course dinner is spread out through the cruise's three hours. The food was decent. We splurged on the shrimp cocktail appetizer, which isn't included in our package deal and costs an extra $10. It was good, though we were perplexed as to why it came with crackers. In our meat-duet entree, the flat-iron steak was yummy but the citrus-roasted chicken was mediocre. Our cruisemate's vegetarian option, a portobello mushroom platter with pesto pasta, though filling, was bland. But we both gobbled down the berry cheesecake for dessert.

Hornblower likes to bill these trips as "dinner dance cruises," though the DJ aboard our vessel was horrible, toggling between country music and hip-hop with no transitions. Our five-year-old niece could have done better with an iPod. It was only when classics like "Unchained Melody" played that the couples got up and danced.

Overall, it's steep to pay $69.95 per person. But it's romantic to watch the sunset and take a moonlight stroll with your loved one aboard the ship. Plus, you get some great views of the city's lit-up skyline and it's a relaxing way to wile away the evening. Just head to a club afterward if you want to get your groove on.

Harbor Cruise and Sea Lion Adventure
We hopped aboard the sleek Adventure Hornblower for this two-hour cruise, which runs throughout the day and is narrated by the captain. The way our two-hour cruise worked is it circled the South Bay and returned to the slip to let out the passengers who bought the one-hour tour. Then new one-hour-trip seafarers boarded for a tour of the North Bay. The whole dock-disembark-embark process is cumbersome and interrupts the experience. If you opt for a one-hour trip, definitely choose the gorgeous North Bay leg, and be sure to say so when booking, since the ticket agent doesn't ask you which bay you'd like to see but rather what time you'd like to go.

The North Bay is the "sea lion adventure" portion, as we got to see the cutie creatures lazing out on barges near Point Loma. Though, we didn't get to hear them barking, as Hornblower said in its brochure. Nevertheless, the sea lions were the highlight of the tour. The captain also pointed out other sites along the bay, including Cabrillo Monument, Harbor Island and the H.M.S. Surprise, the ship from the Russell Crowe bomb Master and Commander. It was the more scenic portion of the trip.

The South Bay leg goes near Coronado, which is a draw. But most of the tour focuses on the ships lining the 32nd Street Naval Station. The captain had lots of interesting info on the ships, such as the USNS Mercy—a white Navy hospital vessel with large red crosses emblazoned on it—which aided victims of the Southeast Asia tsunami of 2004. Ship lovers will enjoy this bay, but everyone else not so much (it's when they head to the snack bar for hot dogs and pizza).

Whether you choose the two-hour ($25, $12.50 kids) or one-hour cruise ($20, $10 kids), it's worth it to be on the water, where you can drink in the sun and get a glimpse of the nearby mountains of Mexico.

Related Stories:
· Hornblower Cruises [Official Site]
· San Diego Travel [Jaunted]

[Photos: Jennifer Kester]