There’s something slightly nerve-racking about standing on the top deck of a cruise ship and watching an enormous bridge get closer and closer.
Some sail-unders happen in the middle of the night or early in the morning, but they can be well worth setting an alarm for. On certain routes, the gap above the ship can look impossibly small from the deck.
From San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge to Sydney Harbour Bridge, here are seven of the most impressive bridges you can sail beneath on a cruise, including a few where not every cruise ship is small enough to fit.
1. Golden Gate Bridge, San Francisco, USA
The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most famous suspension bridges in the world. Cruising beneath its distinctive orange-red structure is an incredible way to arrive in or leave San Francisco, especially when the bridge is partly hidden by the city’s famous fog.
Its two towers rise 746 feet above the water, while the main suspension span stretches for 4,200 feet.
Cruise ships sailing to and from San Francisco pass beneath the Golden Gate Bridge, making it one of the most memorable sail-unders you can experience on a cruise.
2. Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney, Australia
Known as “The Coathanger” because of its distinctive arch design, sailing under the Sydney Harbour Bridge is a fantastic way to see one of Australia’s most famous landmarks from the water.
The steel arch spans approximately 503 metres and reaches 134 metres above sea level at its highest point. However, the clearance beneath the bridge is only around 49 metres, which means larger cruise ships can’t fit underneath.
Smaller cruise ships heading to White Bay Cruise Terminal do sail beneath the bridge, giving passengers brilliant views of Sydney Harbour along the way.
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While I haven’t cruised under this bridge on a ship, when I lived in Australia, my daily commute from Manly to the Central Business District involved sailing past the bridge on a ferry. It was the best way to start the day!
3. Tower Bridge, London, UK
London’s iconic Tower Bridge has stood over the River Thames since 1894. Cruising beneath it is particularly special because the bridge’s bascules actually open to allow ships through.
Only smaller cruise ships can travel this far up the Thames, with ships from lines including Windstar and Silversea having sailed beneath Tower Bridge. Windstar even offers cruises departing from beside HMS Belfast, giving passengers the chance to sail right through the heart of London.
I was lucky enough to cruise up the Thames on Windstar Cruises’ Star Legend, although the ship went under the bridge at 4 am, so I missed it!
4. Ponte 25 de Abril, Lisbon, Portugal
This suspension bridge bears a striking resemblance to the Golden Gate Bridge. Sailing under the Ponte 25 de Abril on the River Tagus gives you spectacular views of Lisbon as your ship approaches or leaves the city.
The bridge’s main span measures 1,013 metres, with around 70 metres of navigational clearance beneath it, allowing large ships to pass underneath.
Many cruise ships visiting Lisbon sail beneath the bridge, making it one of the most impressive arrivals into any European cruise port.
I sailed under this bridge on P&O Cruises’ Iona when the ship made an unscheduled call into Lisbon to offload a sick passenger. Being a tall ship with 19 decks, the ship just fit under the bridge! It was incredible to watch.
5. Bosphorus Bridge, Istanbul, Turkey
The Bosphorus Bridge, officially known as the 15 July Martyrs Bridge, spans the Bosphorus Strait in Istanbul, connecting the European and Asian sides of the city.
Sailing beneath it is particularly memorable because you’re passing between two continents. The bridge stretches for 1,560 metres in total, with a main span of 1,074 metres and around 64 metres of clearance beneath it.
Cruise ships sailing through the Bosphorus can pass beneath the bridge, making it one of the most impressive sights on the approach to or departure from Istanbul.
6. Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, New York, USA
The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge is the gateway to New York Harbor, so cruise ships sailing to and from terminals in Manhattan and Brooklyn have to pass beneath it.
The bridge has around 228 feet (69 metres) of clearance at mean high water, which can make the sail-under look incredibly tight from the top deck.
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 was even designed with the bridge in mind. Her funnel was made low enough to allow her to pass underneath, with only around 13 feet of clearance at high tide.
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7. The Øresund Bridge, connecting Denmark and Sweden
The Øresund Bridge connects Denmark and Sweden across the Øresund Strait, carrying both road and rail traffic between Copenhagen and Malmö.
The bridge itself stretches for almost 8 kilometres, with a 490-metre main span and 57 metres of clearance over the shipping channel.
That clearance means some cruise ships can sail beneath the bridge, while taller ships are unable to fit. Seeing it from the deck is particularly impressive, with the bridge eventually disappearing towards the artificial island of Peberholm and continuing towards Denmark through a tunnel.
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Final Word
Sailing beneath a huge bridge is one of those cruise experiences that can be easy to miss if you don’t know it’s coming. Some of the best sail-unders happen early in the morning or late at night, so it’s worth checking your route and setting an alarm if you need to.
I’ve missed a few myself, but when you do make it onto deck at the right time, watching the ship seemingly squeeze beneath a bridge is an incredible sight. Just remember that clearance varies by ship, so even cruises visiting the same port won’t necessarily take you under the same bridges.
