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Explorer of the Seas pays first visit to San Francisco

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Port of San Francisco's Michael Nerney presents a plaque to Capt. Kjetil Gjerstad (Photo: Jake Tomlinson)
A plaque presentation marked the maiden call of Royal Caribbean International's Explorer of the Seas to the Port of San Francisco.

The ship visited on the first of three week-long Pacific coastal cruises from Seattle. Other ports are Astoria, Oregon; Santa Barbara, California; and Victoria, BC.

At 138,000gt, Explorer of the Seas this season has been the largest cruise ship ever to operate in Alaska.

The ship docked at San Francisco's James R. Herman Cruise Terminal at Pier 27 for an overnight call before casting off for Victoria on Tuesday. Michael Nerney, maritime marketing manager for the port, presented a plaque to Capt. Kjetil Gjerstad.

Also on hand for the ceremony were staff captain Panos Panagopoulos, hotel director Alastair Crawford, port representatives Aaron Golbus, Shannon Alford, Brandon Chapman, Sandra Oberle and Kimberley Beal, and Metro Cruise Services' Cathryn Lucido and Nate Valente. Six volunteer cruise ship greeters were present, too.

Explorer of the Seas will be back in San Francisco twice more this year, on Sept. 26-27 and Oct. 4.