Alcatraz Inside Access Ferry and Audio Tour with Night Option
San Francisco, USA
- 2 to 4 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
Explore our promoted experiences
Overview
What's Included
- Round-trip ferry tickets to Alcatraz Island
- Official Alcatraz admission
- Immersive audio tour from start to finish
- Official Alcatraz Cellhouse audio tour
- Food & Drink
- Live Tour Guide
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Pier 33San Francisco, CA 94133, USA
Please go to Pier 33 (Alcatraz Landing) approximately 30 minutes before your departure time. Boarding will begin 15 minutes prior. Make sure you have the QR codes that will be sent the day before and go directly to the boarding line (not the ticket line).
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Alcatraz Island
Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 100 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
3.9
based on 382 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
The staff was very friendly and the experience was amazing!! Everything went smoothly and the price was fair.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that our staff was friendly, everything went smoothly, and you found the experience amazing and fairly priced.
Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to see you again in the future!
So much history love the audio. You could go at your own pace. The view is beautiful. Went around 5pm so when leaving Alcatraz got the beautiful lights to the city.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re glad you enjoyed the history, the informative audio tour, the freedom to explore at your own pace, and the beautiful views of San Francisco as the city lights came on.
Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to see you again in the future!
Enjoyed the activity but getting tickets to get on the cruise was a hassle. The link to get the tickets gave us a bar code & not the QR code req by the company. Order through the app was not worth it. Next time will not use the app
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re glad you enjoyed the activity, but we’re sorry the ticketing process caused frustration.
We understand how inconvenient it is when the barcode provided does not match the QR code required for boarding. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention and will take your comments into consideration as we continue improving the booking experience.
We hope you’ll give us another chance in the future for a smoother and more enjoyable experience!
Very good tour and informational but be ready to walk up steep hills. LOTS of walking. Glad we had the time to go through at our leisure. Nice variety of souvenirs and gifts in gift shop.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you so much for your review! We’re glad you found the tour informative and enjoyed exploring at your own pace, as well as the variety in the gift shop.
You’re absolutely right that there is quite a bit of walking and some steep hills, so comfortable shoes are always recommended. Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to see you again in the future!
If boat breaks down your trip is cut short
Our time was cut short and we didn't get full tour or audio
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry that the unexpected boat issue shortened your visit and prevented you from enjoying the full tour and audio experience.
Unfortunately, mechanical issues can occasionally occur and are outside of our control, but we completely understand how disappointing this was. We hope you’ll give us another chance in the future for the complete experience you expected.
You should know that if you book a trip with Viator you might save a few dollars, but you will get absolutely no help with issues. I understand the no refund policy, but you should be aware it means even things out of your control such as delayed flights mother nature, etc.....
Viator will tell you to contact the place of your booking to see if they will help you. I now know saving a couple of dollars is not worth that poor service!
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We understand how frustrating unexpected travel disruptions such as flight delays or weather can be.
Our no-refund policy is applied consistently to all reservations, including situations that may be outside a guest’s control, unless otherwise specifically stated in the booking terms. This policy is necessary because tickets, transportation, staffing, and other tour arrangements are often secured in advance and cannot always be recovered once reserved.
We appreciate your understanding and your feedback, and we hope you’ll give us another chance in the future for a smoother experience.
How easy and efficient it was to book and the Tex reminders were helpful
NEEDED TO SAY WE REQUIRED ID IN PASSPORT!!!!!!
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad you found the booking process easy and efficient and that the text reminders were helpful.
Thank you for choosing us, and we hope you’ll give us another chance in the future!
Very informative! Glad we added to our experiences. Quick, clean ferry to the island. Very organized.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re glad you found the experience informative, well organized, and enjoyed the quick and clean ferry ride to the island.
Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to see you again in the future!
Great tour - very informative - Part Service staff very knowledgeable, helpful and friendly - don't miss the gift shop!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you so much for your great review! We’re glad you found the tour informative and our staff knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. We’re also happy you enjoyed the gift shop!
Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to see you again in the future!
It was a great experience. We enjoyed the excursion and would highly recommend it. Get there early s you can explore the wharf.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re glad you had a great experience and enjoyed the excursion. We also appreciate your helpful tip about arriving early to explore the wharf.
Thank you for recommending us, and we hope to see you again in the future for another memorable experience!
Alcatraz was an interesting experience. Learned quite a bit. It was great that we got extra live talks for the night experience
However, there were portions of the exhibit that are under maintenance so we're closed to view until at least late 2027/2028. Because of that, you do get a bit let down with the price you pay. I wish somewhere this was mentioned so I would've saved my money and waited a year to go.
Anyone reading this, wait until the end of 2027 or 2028 to be safe if you want the full experience. Don't go now.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re glad you found Alcatraz interesting and enjoyed the additional live talks offered during the night experience.
We completely understand your disappointment regarding the areas currently closed for maintenance. This work is necessary to preserve and protect Alcatraz so future generations can continue to experience this important historic site. Unfortunately, these restoration projects and temporary closures are managed by the official site operators and are outside of our control.
We appreciate your comments and hope you’ll give us another chance in the future. We hope to see you again for an even more complete and memorable experience!
Experience was great. I enjoyed all the amazing history. More information on the Indian cultural side would be helpful.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you so much for your feedback! We’re glad to hear that you had a great experience and enjoyed learning about the incredible history throughout the tour.
We also truly appreciate your suggestion. Feedback like this helps us continue improving the experience and providing even more meaningful historical context for our guests.
Thank you again for joining us, and we hope we see you again in the future!
This was an awesome tour. We learned learned a lot of interesting facts. Was not aware that indians originally occupied the island.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re very happy to hear that you had an awesome experience and enjoyed learning so many interesting facts about the island and its history.
One of the special parts of the tour is discovering stories and historical details that many guests may not have known before. We’re glad the experience gave you a deeper appreciation of the island’s past.
Thank you again for joining us, and we hope we see you again in the future!
Viator don't sell tickets for Alcatraz, they sell vouchers for tickets. We had to spend 20 minutes in a queue to exchange our vouchers for tickets with people a head of us buying and returning tickets. Those who bought real tickets elsewhere skipped our line and boarded the boat that we missed.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that the ticket redemption process caused delays and resulted in you missing your intended ferry.
When booking through third-party platforms such as Viator, certain reservations may require a ticket or voucher redemption step before boarding. We always encourage guests to carefully follow the instructions provided with their booking and to arrive early enough to allow time for check-in and any required ticket processing.
We understand how frustrating it can be to see other passengers board while waiting in line, and we appreciate you bringing your experience to our attention. Your feedback helps us continue improving the clarity of our instructions and the overall guest experience.
We hope we see you again in the future.
Great way to spend half a day from San Francisco. Short sail, great views, and informative tour of the facility
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your great review! We’re glad you enjoyed the short ferry ride, beautiful views, and informative tour. We hope we see you again in the future!
Easy to find the pier, quick check in process, ferry’s coming every 10-15 minutes with plenty of space/food/restroom. Alcatraz was clean, organized and the audio is included you don’t need a tour guide for this. Recommend!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you so much for your great review! We’re glad everything from finding the pier and check-in to the ferry ride and audio tour was smooth and enjoyable. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope we see you again in the future!
I don’t normally post reviews but I felt compelled to with this activity. I paid $363 for four tickets for my family. It was an enormous amount of money but something that I have always wanted to do so we did it and we were all excited. However, upon arriving for our time slot, I saw that exact same tickets could be purchased for $45 each. Come on guys! This is just so greedy and I hate that. That is an ENORMOUS mark up and it’s totally unfair. I shall not be using Viator again. Greed, I cannot abide.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We understand your concern regarding the price difference. Our pricing is carefully studied to remain fair while reflecting the full experience we provide, including organization, convenience, customer support, and the overall service designed to help our guests enjoy a smooth and memorable adventure.
We always strive to provide value that goes beyond the cost of the admission ticket itself, and we’re sorry the experience did not meet your expectations in this regard. We appreciate your feedback and hope we see you again in the future.
Everything is great beside the pooopooo smells I almost threw up. Wear a mask or something would help a lot!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed the experience overall. We’re sorry the unpleasant odors affected part of your visit, and we appreciate you sharing this with us. We hope we see you again in the future!
Do not book through Viator!!
First of all I made a mistake and looked it a day early, I got in touch with viator to see if i could change it and tge reply was simply no we are fully booked for the next day, enjoy your trip, which was as sarcastic as can be!! So we tried our best to get there for 6.30 which was the time we booked it for (does say get there 30mins before) but cause it was the wrong day we were pushed for time and arrived at 6.25 thinking we would still be okay, to be told sorry you will have to get in touch with your tour operator, you've missed the boat. So tried reaching out to viator no response. So we just thought, we are here now we will just book it through the trip organiser themselves, cost us around £35 per ticket.. When we booked through Viator it was around £80 per ticket for the same exact ticket, more than double, come on Viator that's pure and simple ripping people off, with dam right rude and unhelpful customer service.
The trip itself was amazing but got down to pier 33 and book it yourself you'll save alot.
Good day and seemless logistics getting over and back. The audio tour was awesome and the Park Service nailed the experience.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you so much for your review! We’re glad you enjoyed the smooth logistics, ferry ride, and especially the excellent audio tour experience. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope we see you again in the future!
First, access to the ferry and Alcatraz Island was great, although very busy. We went on a Sunday afternoon with hundreds of others, making for long lines.
The 3-star rating is due to the misleading information on the Audio Tour.
While there is one included, it is not a tour of the whole island. To be fair the was some interesting information included.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re glad to hear that access to the ferry and Alcatraz Island went smoothly and that you found parts of the audio experience interesting.
Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to see you again in the future for an even better and more enjoyable experience!
I was VERY disappointed to find that I couldn’t switch my ticket time after I purchased them. My family and I were meeting up in San Francisco for the weekend. So I purchased the tickets. Some family was coming in later than expected because of work obligations. So I tried to moved ticket times out and my request was denied.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, and we're sorry to hear your experience didn't go as planned.
uring high season, availability can be extremely limited, and ticket time changes are only possible when another time slot is available.
We understand that travel plans can change unexpectedly, and we always do our best to accommodate requests whenever availability allows.
We appreciate your understanding and hope we see you again in the future!
SCAM. This is a scam, we got charged 3 times the real ticket value, don’t fall for it, buy directly.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that you were disappointed with the pricing.
We understand that guests may compare our rates with direct ticket prices. Our pricing reflects not only the ticket itself, but also the convenience of booking, availability, customer support, and the overall service we provide. In many cases, especially during busy periods or when direct tickets are sold out, our service helps guests secure access that may otherwise be difficult to obtain.
We appreciate your comments and will continue working to provide clear information and good value for our customers. We hope you will consider giving us another opportunity in the future for a better experience.
We were able to find last minute tickets here where multiple sites were sold out.
We had a great experience with the whole tour and every step went smooth with the whole process.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re delighted to hear that we were able to help you secure last-minute tickets when other options were sold out, and that the entire process went smoothly from start to finish.
We truly appreciate your feedback and are so glad you had a great experience with the tour. Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to see you again in the future for another memorable experience!
DO NOT BOOK THIS!
They charge more than the official website, and when I contacted them about the price difference, they refused to refund the difference. **Book directly through the official website—it’s cheaper.**
They also advertise a “Night Tour,” which is false advertising. The experience I received did not match what was advertised.
Save yourself the hassle and book directly through the official site!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that the experience did not meet your expectations.
We understand that guests may compare prices with other booking options, including the official website. Our pricing reflects the service, convenience, availability, customer support, and overall experience we provide. We believe our rates are fair and appropriate for the level of service offered to our customers.
We'd truly welcome the opportunity to make things right on your next visit to San Francisco — please reach out to us directly beforehand and we'll do everything we can to ensure a smooth experience.
Very interesting and informative. The cells are so small. We would probably reduce crime if current prisons were like this.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re glad to hear that you found the visit both interesting and informative. Seeing the size of the cells and learning about daily life inside Alcatraz really gives visitors a unique perspective on the history of the prison.
Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to see you again in the future for another memorable experience!
Nice ferry ride. Audio was entertaining and easy to follow
Island is much more than a prison
Very interesting
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re glad you enjoyed the ferry ride and found the audio tour entertaining and easy to follow.
Alcatraz has such a fascinating history beyond the prison itself, and we’re happy you had the opportunity to discover more about the island during your visit.
Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to see you again in the future for another memorable experience!
WORST EXPERIENCE EVER!! We had a car crash in our uber on the way to the Ferry Terminal (Pier 33). Thankfully we were ok however we arrived 5 minutes late as a result. We spoke to the ticket office who were trying their best to accommodate and rebook us on the next leaving ferry. However as we booked through 3rd party company ‘Must-See’ via Viator, it meant they couldn’t do it on their systems and told us to contact must-see directly to sort. We did so after explaining our situation. It took an age for them to reply and the response wasn’t worth waiting for. After waiting by the ferry terminal for almost half the day they told us that because it was our fault we were late they wouldn’t rebook us or give us a refund. They basically showed 0 compassion and kept over $150 of our money for themselves after something occurring through no fault of our own. I did offer them multiple alternative dates we could do (which even included the following month outside their peak season to ensure there was extra space fee). I am in the process of getting the money back from my bank now as they are still refusing to pay it to me. SHOCKING COMPANY, EVEN WORSE CUSTOMER SERVICE… DO NOT USE!!! Book the tour Directly ONLY!!
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, and we're sorry to hear your experience didn't go as planned.
First and foremost, we’re very sorry to hear about the accident you experienced on the way to Pier 33, and we’re relieved to know that everyone was okay.
We completely understand how upsetting and frustrating the situation must have been. Unfortunately, once Alcatraz tickets have been purchased and the reservation is within 48 hours of the scheduled departure, the tickets are non-refundable and cannot always be changed or reissued. These tickets are secured in advance for a specific date and departure, and once that period has passed, our ability to make changes is extremely limited.
We’re sorry that we were unable to accommodate an alternative departure or date in this situation, and we understand your disappointment. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope you will consider giving us another opportunity in the future so we can provide you with a much smoother and more enjoyable experience.
Terrible on-site customer service. Staff refused to scan our tickets at 11:00 AM despite passengers still boarding the boat right in front of us. When sent to Will Call, the agent was dismissive and unhelpful simply because we purchased our tickets through a third-party partner. Having to walk back and forth with a leg injury made a stressful situation even worse. The lack of basic empathy and professionalism was very disappointing.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback, and we're sorry to hear your experience didn't go as planned.
For Alcatraz departures, we strongly advise all guests to arrive at least 30 minutes before the scheduled departure time. Boarding procedures are very strict, and once the boarding window is closing, staff may no longer be able to accept additional passengers even if the boat is still physically at the pier.
We hope you will consider giving us another opportunity in the future so we can provide you with a smoother and more enjoyable experience.
Great way to get full experience of Alcatraz. On the island it’s highly suggested to do the audio tour which is available in many language.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the full Alcatraz experience and found the audio tour to be such a valuable part of the visit. It’s especially helpful that the audio tour is available in multiple languages, making the history and stories of Alcatraz accessible to visitors from around the world.
We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to see you again in the future for another memorable experience!
Member Pricing
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$86.44
per personWas $90.99(-5%)
-You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
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Alcatraz Inside Access Ferry and Audio Tour with Night Option
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