ST. NICK CLIMBS ABOARD FOR BRUNCH ON THE BAY

On the roof of the Belle there arose such a clatter…but it was expected, so nothing was the matter.

Santa stopped in to San Francisco for the first of three weekends of brunch cruising on the San Francisco Bay as part of Santa’s Champagne Brunch aboard the California Hornblower. Christmas cheer was evident on all decks as Santa visited children both old and young.

With live entertainers on each deck and a sumptuous brunch buffet, Santa wasn’t the only draw on board. Guests were greeted with a free-flowing glass of champagne or a mimosa and a view unparalleled along the Northern California coastline.

“Where are Rudolph and the reindeer and your sleigh, Santa?” Little voices piped up as Santa descended the stairs to the main deck?

“Do you see that big boat, the one that says ‘San Francisco Belle’?” The children looked out the window, wide-eyed and nodded.

“They are up there,” said Santa. “When I come to San Francisco, I always park my sleigh on the top deck of the Belle.”

Guests packed all three decks of the California, filling plates with waffles and valencia french toast topped with berries and whipped cream, scrambled eggs with cheese, chives and salsa, or an array of salads, seafood and vegetables. Dessert bites included cheesecake, bite-sized tropical fruit tartes or slices of pumpkin pie. The dessert selection varied by the hour and the deck, encouraging passengers to snag something new as they limbed to the top of the yacht to survey the scenery and get a touch of the crisp San Francisco season.

To end the afternoon’s festivities, Santa settled in to his plush red throne, flanked by a tree and piles of presents to listen to the Christmas wishes of all the good little girls and boys.

Holiday dining cruises continue all month long. Spend the holidays with Hornblower!