From the Pilot House

San Diego Crew Classic

It’s common to see sailboats, yachts and stand-up paddlers crossing San Diego Bay, but next weekend brings a fresh sense of excitement. The 40th San Diego Crew Classic comes to Mission Bay on Saturday and Sunday, April 6 and 7, with more than 4,000 rowers from around the world participating. Some 100 races make up the two-day event, and spectators can watch all the action from the lawns of Mission Bay Park. Big screens will be set up, as well, providing close-up views of the junior-, collegiate-, masters- and Olympic-level contests.

For a complete race schedule, transportation and hotel information, tickets, and details on related events, visit www.crewclassic.org.

Free Sunday Champagne Brunch Cruise

Hornblower Cruises & Events is giving away a Sunday Champagne Brunch Cruise to one lucky winner on each of our Facebook pages. Visit the San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles or New York Facebook page, and click on the Celebrate Spring Sweepstakes icon to enter.

The Sunday Champagne Brunch Cruise is a first-class event that includes a decadent array of food and beverage options (including free-flowing champagne and/or bottomless mimosas) and some of the best views of the city.

The Celebrate Spring Sweepstakes runs through April 1, 2013, and awards a free Sunday Champagne Brunch Cruise for 4 guests to one winner on each Facebook page. Only one entry per person is allowed.

Enter today for your chance to win this incredible cruise around your city!

Fifty Years After Alcatraz

Attorney General Robert Kennedy called for the closing of Alcatraz Penitentiary in early 1963, and the last convicts left the infamous prison on March 21, 1963. Fifty years later, guests remain fascinated by the storied island off San Francisco’s northern shores.

After transforming from military fortress to federal prison to national park, The Rock today is better known for gardens and tours than guards and troops. Tales of Native American occupation, escape attempts and Al Capone’s imprisonment contribute to the mystique that defines Alcatraz. To learn more about the island, check out histories by the Bureau of Prisons and Alcatraz Cruises.

Enter to Win a First-Class Brunch Cruise

Spring is finally here, and what better time to see the outdoors come to life than from your seat on one of our first-class brunch cruises. Enter our Celebrate Spring Cruise Sweepstakes and you could win a complimentary Sunday Champagne Brunch Cruise for you and three other guests. Enjoy free-flowing champagne and/or bottomless mimosas plus all the breathtaking views of the city.

To enter, just visit our New York, Sacramento, Los Angeles, San Francisco or San Diego Facebook page, click on the sweepstakes icon and submit your information. One entry per person is allowed, and there will be one winner per Facebook page. The contest runs through April 1, 2013. 

When Irish Eyes are Smiling

With just days until St. Patrick's Day, it’s time to get your green on!

Plan now to make the most of this festive holiday. Plenty of California cities host parades in celebration of all things Irish, including San Diego (folk singers and a Celtic village highlight a family-friendly festival that follows the morning parade) and Sacramento (drummers and dancers and are among more than 1,000 parade participants).

Or, sign up for shamrock-themed fun runs and race events in Long Beach or San Diego. Hornblower also offers a St. Patrick's Day River Cruise in Sacramento, complete with face painting and balloon art for the kids and green beer for Mom and Dad!

The Bay Lights Opens Today

Tonight, after twilight, the Bay Bridge takes on a whole new look as organizers flip the switch on The Bay Lights. Artist Leo Villareal designed the 1.8-mile LED light sculpture, which covers the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge with 25,000 white bulbs that will twinkle in delicate patterns each evening. Workers began the six-month process of hanging lights on the cables and 500-foot-high towers of the Bay Bridge's western span last September; after tonight’s grand lighting ceremony, the installation will shine until 2015.

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New Exhibit Spotlights New York Nature

Sure, New York has all the skyscrapers you’d expect in an urban area. But, an exhibit opening later this week brings the city’s natural appeal into focus. Benjamin Swett took 28 color portraits for New York City of Trees, on display at the Arsenal Gallery in Central Park through April 26. The freelance photographer and former New York parks worker traveled to all five boroughs for the project, snapping shots of trees tucked away in corners throughout the city.

If you can’t make it to Manhattan for the exhibition, check out the spring release of Swett’s book by the same name.

Film Festivals Make Their Spring Debut

This year's Oscars are over, but California's film festival season is just getting started. Spring means silver screen magic in Orange County, where the 14th annual Newport Beach Film Festival happens from April 25 to May 2. The eight-day event takes place in 15 venues around town and spotlights 300 films from 40 countries. The San Francisco International Film Festival kicks off on April 25, as well, showing nearly 300 movies in 41 languages. Some 200 filmmakers participate in the 15-day affair.

Several upcoming events in Sacramento also toast French, Jewish and Japanese films, as well as other feature productions.

Step Back in Time in Old Sacramento

As California's capital city and a hub of activity during the Gold Rush era, Sacramento is one of the state’s historic treasures. Guests can trace the legends and lore at places like the Sacramento History Museum and the California Museum. On the second Sunday of each month, Sacramento Antique Faire vendors sell relics from the past, as well -- everything from military items and musical instruments to oil paintings, toys, vintage clothing, jewelry and more. The outdoor event is especially fun in the spring, and the next one takes place on Sunday, March 10. Visit the website for directions and details.

While you're in town, why not check out Hornblower's Champagne Brunch Cruise? The two-hour excursion travels the Sacramento River, passing Old Sacramento sites and pretty scenery along the way. Tickets start at just $45 for adults. Reserve your spot today!

Super mega-pod of Dolphins Spotted in San Diego

Guests on board Hornblower San Diego’s Whale Watching Cruise this past Valentine’s Day got to see an amazing spectacle of over 100,000 dolphins swimming by. The yacht followed the massive pod of dolphins spanning across 7 miles of ocean for around an hour. Our Captain Joe Dutra who has over 40 years of experience said it was truly spectacular and he felt lucky to enjoy such a rare phenomenon. Usually dolphins travel in packs of about 200 or less but a super-pod is not unheard of, dolphins are an extremely social animal.

Join Hornblower Cruises & Events San Diego to enjoy all the marine life the San Diego coast has to offer, there are two whale watching cruises daily at 9:30am and 1:30 pm and they also offer 1 and 2 hour  narrated Harbor Cruises daily.