Hotels in San Pedro

[funcruises]

Looking to arrive in San Pedro day before cruise. Been checking San Pedro and Long Beach hotels. Anyone have any suggestions? Does anyone know if the cruise terminal has any car rental drop off in the area. I've been searching online and just get more confused. Would like to hear from people that have done this too. Thanks.

[Happy ks]

What cruiseline are you sailing? How many days pre-cruise will you be staying? What airport are you flying into?

 

Another suggestion is to go to the lines board here (RCL or Carnival) and perhaps you will find others going on your same cruise. Or, look on the roll call board to see if you can find others there on your cruise.

 

If you are just here one day prior to the cruise, I would suggest to forget the rental car and take a shuttle to your hotel. If it were me, I would stay at the Hotel Queen Mary and spend the day before touring her. They also have a wonderful Sunday Brunch and if you are going on Carnival Pride, the dock is right there, you used to be able to check onto the ship from the hotel, I don't know if they still do that.

 

I'm sorry I don't have more info for you, since we are local, we don't stay in hotels in the area (except QM) we drive and park at the terminal. If you visit the other boards, there are many helpful people who have done just what you are looking to do.

 

Good luck and have fun!

[BJs mom]

We're staying at the Holiday Inn San Pedro and then taking a shuttle in the morning to the Carnival pier.

[ccletzgo]

the holiday inn, san pedro is very nice. You will be able to see your ship come in, in the morning from your window.

 

If you are sailing out of L.A. its a good choice. If not, I wouldnt stay in San Pedro.

[immargaret]

I've read a lot of good reviews about the Sheraton in San Pedro, so I booked it for a prenight cruise stay. They have an Enterprise car rental desk in their lobby. They also have a cruise special which includes shuttle from the airport, champagne, breakfast, etc. You can see the ships from the hotel, at least that is what I have been told. They have a shuttle to the pier as well.

[CoolCanadian]

I booked the Sheraton in San Pedro last October for our cruise March 12th. I was looking on their website and it looks like they will be renovating until March 31st. Should I cancel and book elsewhere, or hope I get one of the renovated rooms when I arrive. :eek: Also, how did you make your booking? Anyone have a good review? I've heard good and bad. I just need a place to sleep after a long flight so that I can get ready for cruising on the Diamond. It's convenient and close to the cruise terminal. :rolleyes:

[hadleys9538]

I booked the Sheraton in San Pedro last October for our cruise March 12th. I was looking on their website and it looks like they will be renovating until March 31st. Should I cancel and book elsewhere, or hope I get one of the renovated rooms when I arrive. :eek: Also, how did you make your booking? Anyone have a good review? I've heard good and bad. I just need a place to sleep after a long flight so that I can get ready for cruising on the Diamond. It's convenient and close to the cruise terminal. :rolleyes:

 

Wow! I'll have to pass that along to my parents, who are also booked at the Sheraton pre-cruise the weekend of March 26th. We're going in a little earlier than they are, so are staying out at Venice Beach. Thanks for the info. Forewarned is forearmed.

[marilynbn]

We just got back from our NCL Mexico cruise. We stayed one night pre and one night post cruise at the Sheraton in San Pedro. It was fine. It is definately a one night stay kind of hotel. The rooms are drab but large. Yes they are renovating but nothing is a bother or noticeable. They have a great park and sail package for one night stay pre-cruise, breakfast, shuttle service and parking for your car during your cruise for $149. I thought this was reasonable. This is a nothing special kind of hotel but they do offer the drop off and pickup shuttle to the pier and that was handy. Marilyn

[funcruises]

We are on RCCL 3/13. We've decided to stay in Long Beach the day before, and rent a car to do some exploring. FYI, with Hertz or Avis you can pick up a car at LAX and drop it off in Long Beach for no extra fee. Then take a taxi to the pier. Thanks for all the input.

[realproperty]

We are grateful that all we did was drop off our Enterprise car at the Sheraton in San Pedro. The thought of overnighting there was very unappealing. We thought we would lunch there before going to the Diamond. The hotel restaurant was not open for lunch. We found a Mexican restaurant 2 streets away and that was all there was. This is a town in which to arrive late and leave early. We arrived in LA the day before, picked up a rental car at LAX, stayed in Westwood, tooled around Rodeo Drive, Beverly Hills, had a gret meal in Westwood where you can very safely walk around and drove down at noon to San Pedro, dumped the car and took the shuttle to the ship. It was easy and and very good start to the cruise. To start with a day in SP would have been depressing.

[Lp56]

Did you have a drop off fee of $25? Another person said they were told they would have to pay the fee to pick up the car at Lax and drop it at San Pedro.

Linda

[realproperty]

When I booked our car, I told Enterprise that I had heard that they waive the drop off fee if you are picking up at LAX and dropping off at SP if you are going on a cruise. They said no problem and wisely, I got the name of the agent with whom I did the booking. When I picked up the car in LA, and told them that I was dropping off in SP with no drop off charge, they asked "who said so" since they "don't normally waive the charge." Fortunately I told them her name, they went into the back room, got authorization and waived the charge. When I picked up the car, the rep in the lot told me I would have to pay a drop off fee and went through the process again. Back inside and this time, they wrote in big letters on the form, no drop off charge.

 

Oherwise, Enterprise was just fine and it is right across the road from the pier. My advice is call to confirm your reservation and that the drop off fee is waived, make a note of the reservation clerk's name and have it available when you check in. Have them write "drop off fee waived" on the rental form to avoid questioning by the rep in the car pick-up area.

 

One last thing--we dropped the car off after noon on Saturday and did the drop off at the Sheraton in SP. They will shuttle you to the pier but needed a little prodding to move their butts for a non-Sheraton guest but it was still worth it. If you plan to have lunch in SP, check with the hotel in advance to see if their restaurant is open. We arrived with that expectation only to find the restaurant in the hotel was not open for lunch. What hotel does not have a restaurant open for lunch? I would not have spent a night in SP for any money.

[hadleys9538]

When I booked our car, I told Enterprise that I had heard that they waive the drop off fee if you are picking up at LAX and dropping off at SP if you are going on a cruise. They said no problem and wisely, I got the name of the agent with whom I did the booking. When I picked up the car in LA, and told them that I was dropping off in SP with no drop off charge, they asked "who said so" since they "don't normally waive the charge." Fortunately I told them her name, they went into the back room, got authorization and waived the charge. When I picked up the car, the rep in the lot told me I would have to pay a drop off fee and went through the process again. Back inside and this time, they wrote in big letters on the form, no drop off charge.

 

Oherwise, Enterprise was just fine and it is right across the road from the pier. My advice is call to confirm your reservation and that the drop off fee is waived, make a note of the reservation clerk's name and have it available when you check in. Have them write "drop off fee waived" on the rental form to avoid questioning by the rep in the car pick-up area.

 

One last thing--we dropped the car off after noon on Saturday and did the drop off at the Sheraton in SP. They will shuttle you to the pier but needed a little prodding to move their butts for a non-Sheraton guest but it was still worth it. If you plan to have lunch in SP, check with the hotel in advance to see if their restaurant is open. We arrived with that expectation only to find the restaurant in the hotel was not open for lunch. What hotel does not have a restaurant open for lunch? I would not have spent a night in SP for any money.

 

We're renting a car at LAX, staying out at Venice Beach, and won't be returning the car until Sunday, when I know Enterprise is closed. My parents are actually staying at the Sheraton in SP, so it would be great to leave the car there and go over to the ship with them. How were you able to ride the Sheraton shuttle when you weren't a Sheraton guest? Thanks. Cheryl

[hadleys9538]

Real Property - Just one more question - When you booked, did you use the 800 number, or did you call the San Pedro or LAX office directly. Thanks again. Cheryl

[realproperty]

I booked through the LAX office. Even though we live in Toronto, for the long distance charge, I would rather deal direct. So when I told them at the LAX office that Myrna waived the fee, they knew who Myrna was. It might be worth asking them when you book to make sure it is noted on the reservation that the drop off is waived so you don't have hassles. Do not let them push you around at the desk. I am sure it happens all the time and if you let them or have no answer to their questions, they refuse to waive the fee.

 

As for the shuttle, this is what happened to us. When we were ready to go to the pier, there were a number of other people also waiting in line. We were a group of four and last in the line and everyone got on the shuttle but us. We spoke to the concierge/bell captain who said the shuttle would be back in 20 minutes and they would shuttle us since we dropped off an Enterprise car when the shuttle returned. When the shuttle returned, the driver just parked the van. We then spoke to the bell captain again and he got another guy to drive us to the pier. We gave him $20 for his effort and in our own vindictive way to give him the opportunity to tell the other driver that he missed out.

 

If your parents will be guests of the hotel, you should have no problem with the shuttle. Worst coming to worst, you can get a cab. The pier is really 7 blocks away so it is no problem. I would still not stay in SP for the sake of a shuttle.

[hadleys9538]

Real Property -- Thanks so much for all of the info. I'm going to take your advice and book directly through the LAX office. This should work out great for us, and then on the way back, I think I'll arrange for a car to pick us up. I've been told they run around $55 one way for a town car. Again, thanks so much for all of the info.