LAX-Long Beach Town Car

Looking for a reliable town car service from LAX to hotel in Long Beach, and return trip, Carnival pier to LAX. 3 people with luggage (2 each). Would like personal recommendations from folks who have actually used this company, for business or pleasure. (Yikes, this sounds like some kind of personal ad, but you know what I mean, right?)

Thanks!

Thanks ronrythm. Was Karmel reliable?

Karmel has been totally reliable. There have been a few times they called the day before to change my pick up time (to later thank you!) Those times I ended up with a 9 passenger van to myself!

Ron

We are also needing transportation from LAX to Long Beach hotel the night before our cruise. With just 2 of us, is it cheaper to reserve a shuttle or take a cab? I've read of some shuttle services, but I've also read that cabs aren't that much more expensive.

Thanks.

Jean

We use Sky Limo (800-359-1800) to take us to & from LAX on our longer trips. You can get a car or a full limo. They have always been on time, cars always immaculate, drivers always friendly.

Jean, I prefer a cab from LAX over the van services because with only 2 people, you run the risk of them circling the airport looking for more fares. A cab will run you around $50, plus the tip, I think. I would go for the town car service over either of them - we live about 10 minutes from the San Pedro port and it costs about $60 plus tip, but the service is soooooo much better.

I don't know the van prices, but you can check the websites for Super Shuttle (I personally hate them but lots of people here have had good luck with them) or Prime Time (I've used them in Connecticut, but not in LA). Sorry I don't have the net addresses, but a Google search will pull both of them right up.

Taxi's run about the same cost as the shuttles, because they have to pay the same cost to the airport to pick up there. Prime time and Super Shuttle do circle the airport (they are supposed to only go around 3 times by the airport regulations), Karmel (see earlier post) doesn't because they only go there for reservations. Also several local taxi companies have had the same problem as Prime Time and been kicked out of the airport for lack of insurance. Prime Time has been re-instated, but I still would not take tem

Thanks everone for your input. Does anyone know what the drill is at the airport? Do you have to phone the car service and tell them you are there?

What happens when you are picked up at the pier after the cruise? It sounds that it is a crazy scene.

I'm getting a little nervous about all this. Thanks for all the info before I start calling car services! I will definetly post my experiece after my cruise in November.

shawilson, you call after you collect your bags and then for the van service, you go out to the marked area outside the terminal. There are different stations for rental cars, commercial shuttles and hotel shuttles, so be sure you go to the right one (there isn't usually anybody available to point you in the right direction). If you are taking a limo or town car, they will pick you up at the first curb and tell you the car number to look for.

Can't help you with the cruiseline terminal, never having done it. The car or van service should be able to, though. Although there are tons of people around, once you get outside, things move in an orderly fashion.

I live just south of the airport, I could throw a rock across Imperial and almost get it on the runways if I had Roger Clemens arm. Could cut all the shuttle/Taxi rate and make money for my next cruise. What a dream.

Email me if you need any info on where to stay or places to go and I can tell you what street and parts of town to stay out of.