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Your cruise is booked, you have checked the loads and know which airport you are flying in and out of. So what’s the best way to get to your cruise ship? Did you know you have options other than buying the transfers from the cruise ship?
This month we look at sailing from Los Angeles and Long Beach. Most of the cruise lines only offer transfers to and from the LAX airport. Now we all know that when flying standby you have to look at your options. That means Burbank (BUR), Orange County (SNA), Long Beach (LGB), Ontario (ONT), Palm Springs (PSP) and of course Los Angeles International (LAX). So if you can only find seats into an airport other than LAX how do you get from the ship and back without spending an arm and a leg? If you fly into LAX are the cruise ships transfers the best option? Let us answer those questions for you.
Port Location: The Port of Los Angeles’ World Cruise Center in San Pedro is located approximately 19 miles south of (LAX), 25 miles south of Downtown LA and 10 miles west of Downtown Long Beach. There is easy freeway access to the World Cruise Center from all points in Southern California.
Cruise Passengers: If you arrive the same day as your cruise departs, schedule your flights to arrive no later than 1:00 pm the same day. If this is not possible then come a day prior. For return flights, don’t schedule any flights departing earlier than 1:00 pm from Los Angeles.
Cruising from L.A. (including Long Beach)
There are two ports in the LA area and you need to know which one your ship is sailing from. There is Long Beach Cruise Terminal and San Pedro (LA World Cruise Terminal) and they are not near each other!
For Long Beach there are a host of hotels in and around downtown Long Beach you can stay at that will provide transfers to and from the ship. Downtown Long Beach is also home to some great fun restaurants and attractions that make for a great night before your cruise!
Most Carnival Cruise ships and some ships of the cruise lines owned by Carnival Corporation arrive and depart from Long Beach. All other Cruise ships arrive and depart from the Port of Los Angeles World Cruise Center in San Pedro.
At San Pedro, you can stay the night before at the Doubletree, Crowne Plaza or Holiday Inn and they will offer transfer service to the ship. If you are driving you can park your car at the hotel, stay there and they will take you to and from the ship.
If you are sailing from San Pedro, estimated transfer costs are as follows:
Transfers from LAX to either port are $6opp Roundtrip, $30 One Way
Transfers from Long Beach (LGB) Airport are $44pp RT, $22 OW
Transfers from Orange County (SNA) Airport are $64 RT, $32 OW
Shuttle Costs from 3rd party shuttle companies such as Sav-on-Shuttle are as follows: (estimated)
Transfers from LAX to either port are $45 for the first 2 and $9 for extra persons, one way.
Transfers from Long Beach (LGB) Airport are $22 for the first person and $9 for extra persons, one way.
Transfers from Orange County (SNA) Airport are $55 for the first person and $9 for extra persons, one way.
Private Car costs are as follows: (estimated)
$75 to $80 one way for up to 4 people to either pier from LAX or LGB (So for 4 people this is still cheaper than the cruise lines option and with them you have to wait for the bus to load and unload!)
Taxi costs are as follows: (estimated from Yellow Cab)
$56 to $65 one way for up to 6 people in a mini-van or 4 in a cab from LAX Airport to San Pedro
$32 to $38 one way a mini-van or a cab from LGB to the Long Beach Cruise Terminal
So it depends on which airport you are flying into, which cruise terminal you are cruising from and how many people are in your party to determine the best way to get from the airport to your cruise ship. 80 call around, for instance for shuttles, SuperShuttle is $36pp from LAX to either pier. For 2 people that would be $72 one way or $144 roundtrip, whereas the cruise lines would charge you about $120 roundtrip for 2 so in this case the cruise ship transfers would be less. But if you take Save-on-Shuttle the cost would be $45 for 2 or $90 roundtrip, a savings of $30 from LAX over the price from Carnival.
Port of Los Angeles / San Pedro
The Port of Los Angeles World Cruise Center in San Pedro, California is approximately 20.1 miles south of LAX
Travel time is approximately 30 minutes (40 minutes in traffic) from LAX
The Port of Los Angeles World Cruise Center is 19.1 miles from the Long Beach Airport, (LGB), via the 405 and 110 Freeways
Travel time is about 22 minutes (30 minutes in traffic) from the Long Beach Airport.
The Port of Los Angeles World Cruise Center is located 6 miles west of Downtown Long Beach.
Travel times may vary widely depending on traffic conditions. Please allow plenty of time for travel – the airports.
Parking at San Pedro is $12 a day.
Amtrak – The World Cruise Center has Amtrak California Bus service from the San Pedro Thruway Bus Stop at the Catalina Terminal located at Berth 95. There is a free shuttle bus from World Cruise Center. This station is unstaffed and there is no ticket, baggage or package express services. The Amtrak California San Pedro Bus schedule can be found here. This bus service can be used to connect with nationwide Amtrak service at the Los Angeles Union Station. Further information can be obtained by calling (800) USA-RAIL.
Port of Long Beach
The Long Beach Cruise Terminal is 23 miles LAX.
Travel time is approximately 50 minutes Los Angeles International Airport.
The Long Beach Cruise Terminal is 12 miles from the Long Beach Airport
Travel time is approximately 20 minutes from the Long Beach Airport.
Travel times may vary widely depending on traffic conditions. Please allow plenty of time for travel from the airports.
Parking at Long Beach Cruise Terminal is $15 a day.
Long Beach has daily Amtrak California Bus Service from the Long Beach (LBC)
Thruway Bus Stop at the Denny’s Restaurant, 601 Long Beach Blvd
Queen Mary Bus Stop at 1126 Queens Highway. These stations are unstaffed and there are no ticketb baggage or package express services. For more info call (800) USA-RAIL.
Amtrak now provides daily service to Cruise Line Port Areas in Long Beach and San Pedro. Direct Thruways operate from Bakersfield and Los Angeles Union Station to the Queen Mary Carnival Terminal in Long Beach and to Catalina Terminal in San Pedro (where shuttles take you to the nearby San Pedro Cruise Ship Terminal).
Driving directions are:
From LAX – Travel southbound on the San Diego Fwy (Interstate 405). then southbound on the Harbor Fwy. (Interstate 110). Exit at Harbor Blvd. and proceed straight through the Harbor Blvd. intersection. Turn right to enter the Cruise Center.
From Downtown Los Angeles – Travel southbound on the Harbor Freeway (Interstate 110). Exit at Harbor Boulevard and proceed straight through the Harbor Boulevard intersection. Turn right to enter the World Cruise Center.
From Long Beach – Travel eastbound on Ocean Blvd, Seaside Ave. and the Vincent Thomas Bridge (State Highway 47). Exit at Harbor Blvd and proceed straight through the Harbor Blvd intersection. Turn right to enter the World Cruise Center.
Where to Park: The World Cruise Center is located at Berths 91, 92 and 93 NE at the Port of Los Angeles. Porter service for luggage check in is available prior to parking. Parking is $11/24 hours. Parking fees may be paid by cash, travelers checks and major credit cards only. No reservations are required.
There is a high demand for taxicabs during “peak” debarkation hours. At times, taxicabs may not be readily available. Please be patient and prepared to wait as other taxi cabs return to the Cruise Terminal throughout the debarkation morning rush!
Where to Stay:
Hotels near the San Pedro Pier include Best Western Sunrise Hotel, Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor Hotel and Doubletree Hotel San Pedro.
All major chains have hotels in the greater LA area. Most clients will stay either out by the airport or near San Pedro where the cruise ship pier is. If you are going in several days in advance then look around the LA Area and stay near whatever attractions and part of town you want to explore as traffic can be a nightmare to go from one end of LA to the other.