First Timer out of the West Coast..needs help Please!

[mom22tinks]

Hi, my family of 4 is on the 7 day cruise on the Splendor out of Long Beach from 3/28/-4/4/10. We arrive at LAX at 1:03am on 3/28. We depart LAX at 10:27pm.

 

These are my questions ( I apologize in advance for it being so tedious but after reading the boards I am getting more and more overwhelmed and am just looking for the cheapest, safest, easiest way to do this )

 

1. Since we are arriving so late in the evening should I book a hotel close to LAX adn then travel in the a.m. to the pier or

 

2. Should I book a hotel close to the pier and try and find a shuttle to the port that late at night and if so what hotel do you recommend and does it include shuttle service?

 

3. Can you recommend something close to a liquor store or wine store for before the cruise? Or is there maybe a liquor/wine store in LAX? Although it leaves on a Sunday I am not sure what CA's laws are regarding selling wine or liquor on Sundays.

 

4. After the cruise we will have about 12 hours to kill before our flight. Do you think we should try to rent a car right from the Long Beach Port (will they pick us up there with the car?) And then we would have a place to leave our luggage and hopefully do a little sightseeing. Although the only problem is is that they day we disembard will be Easter Sunday and I am not sure if anything would be open anyway.

 

Thank you in advance for your help!

 

Jessica from NY

'95 Carnival Ecstasy

'99 Carnival Fantasy

'07 Disney Wonder

'08 Disney Wonder

'09 Disney Magic

Next up....2010 Carnival Splendor

[ERTHDOG]

sorry , i'm not much help...but i would go with number 1 if it were me:)

 

oh, and my fam of 4 will be waiting for you to get off the ship so we can get on it:D

 

what a happy easter:cool:

 

dave

[yogi2929]

It will take over an hour to get to Long Beach after your plane lands. I would get a hotel at LAX, then a taxi or shuttle to Long Beach.

 

Search the boards for liquor stores. Wine and Beer are sold practically everywhere, including Target, Walmart, drug stores and supermarkets. Never seen hard liquor ar Target or Walmart but have seen it at the markets and drugstores. The only restriction on liquor is no selling between 2am and 6am(?).

 

What to do after your cruise-- You actually have less time then you think. The ship gets in around 9, plan to be last off around 10:30 or so. And you need about 3 hours before your flight for travel to LAX and Security/Check in. So maybe 7 hours to kill.

 

If you do not want to rent a car, you could go to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Top notch and lots of fun. A shuttle could be arranged to pick you up from here. The aquarium will hold your luggage for you. It open every day except Christmas and during the Long Beach Grand Prix- April 16-18, 2010.

 

http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/

[yogi2929]

Getting in so late you might be able to find an LAX hotel that has it's shuttle still operating. No hotel from LAX has a shuttle to Long Beach.

[kenish]

I would go with #1. Get a shared van service (Karmel, Super Shuttle, or Primetime) to a hotel in Long Beach. I know it will be *very* late, but you will have to wait for a shuttle regardless of whether you choose a LAX or Long Beach hotel. The only time difference will be drive time, which is 30 minutes to LB at that hour.

 

Then you can sleep in, pick up last-minute items, and board the ship. With an LAX hotel you will still have to get a shuttle van to Long Beach in the morning...why not just get it out of the way?

[Cruisin' Chick]

There's no prohibition on selling alcohol here on Sundays. Have not seen beer in our local Target, just wine, and not anything harder than soda in our local Walmart. But things could be different in San Pedro.

 

Definitely Ralphs and Vons, both grocery chains, have beer, wine, and spirits. There's a Vons in San Pedro. Would have to check the Ralphs website to see if there's a Ralphs. CVS, a drug store chain, has the above too. If you have time before the shuttle from the hotel to the port, you can stock up. Or hire a taxi that will take you to one of these stores and wait for you.

[nna]

nothing in CA is closed on easter...

[mom22tinks]

Thank you all for your input. I found it very helpful and direct. :) Now I have to actually put it into action!

[Jen1000]

I would stay by the airport. When we arrive late/early AM places it is just easier to get an airport hotel. With kids, they will be tired and grumpy and the last thing they want is to take a shuttle for 30 plus minutes to get to the hotel, to check in, find room, ready for bed, etc. Just make life easier and stay by the airport. There are 2 Embassy Suites that are at the airport that will give you free hot breakfast and are good for families. LAX airport shuttles should run 24 hours a day but call and confirm before booking. You could arrange a private shuttle that will let you stop at a grocery store for alcohol in the AM on the way to the port. You will have plenty of time in the AM to get to the port. Several have posted reviews of private shuttles that are similar price to a shared van.

 

In CA you can buy alcohol 7 days a week!

 

Jen in SoCal

 

Hi, my family of 4 is on the 7 day cruise on the Splendor out of Long Beach from 3/28/-4/4/10. We arrive at LAX at 1:03am on 3/28. We depart LAX at 10:27pm.

 

These are my questions ( I apologize in advance for it being so tedious but after reading the boards I am getting more and more overwhelmed and am just looking for the cheapest, safest, easiest way to do this )

 

1. Since we are arriving so late in the evening should I book a hotel close to LAX adn then travel in the a.m. to the pier or

 

2. Should I book a hotel close to the pier and try and find a shuttle to the port that late at night and if so what hotel do you recommend and does it include shuttle service?

 

3. Can you recommend something close to a liquor store or wine store for before the cruise? Or is there maybe a liquor/wine store in LAX? Although it leaves on a Sunday I am not sure what CA's laws are regarding selling wine or liquor on Sundays.

 

4. After the cruise we will have about 12 hours to kill before our flight. Do you think we should try to rent a car right from the Long Beach Port (will they pick us up there with the car?) And then we would have a place to leave our luggage and hopefully do a little sightseeing. Although the only problem is is that they day we disembard will be Easter Sunday and I am not sure if anything would be open anyway.

 

Thank you in advance for your help!

 

Jessica from NY

'95 Carnival Ecstasy

'99 Carnival Fantasy

'07 Disney Wonder

'08 Disney Wonder

'09 Disney Magic

Next up....2010 Carnival Splendor

[mom22tinks]

Thanks Jen. While I've been researching other options none of them seemed to work without it being a big pain in the butt. I think your solution is probably the best. Thank you for making my planning a bit easier. I think I will take you advice and stay at one of the Embassy suites. Would you recommend one over the other? North versus South? Thanks again!

Jessica, NY

[cruise-aholicRN]

A few years ago we flew in late and spent the night at a Crown Plaza right by LAX. It was wonderful. It was very comfortable and very affordable. It seems to me that we used a discount through the Entertainment Book (if you happen to have one of those). The next morning the concierge arranged transportation to the pier for us. I am sure the concierge would also be able to answer questins regarding where to buy wine. Have a great cruise!!!

T.J.

[Jen1000]

Sorry, I just saw your post. I have personally stayed at the ES South a couple of times. It was nice, typical ES. It is in a bit better area than the North. For your purposes I would just stay at whichever is cheaper, either should be fine.

 

Jen in SoCal

 

Thanks Jen. While I've been researching other options none of them seemed to work without it being a big pain in the butt. I think your solution is probably the best. Thank you for making my planning a bit easier. I think I will take you advice and stay at one of the Embassy suites. Would you recommend one over the other? North versus South? Thanks again!

Jessica, NY

[PatriciaF]

Here's some info about a new service from Supershuttle. Should offer the flexibility to stop at a liquor store, grocery, or drug store to buy the alcohol you want to bring on board.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1138326

 

Here's a map showing my usual grocery, Ralph's. I would stop at the one at E-its on the way to Long Beach.

 

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&rls=com.microsoft:en-us&rlz=1I7ADFA_en&q=embassy%20suites%20south%20el%20segundo%20map&oq=&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wl

[Nancyquilts]

Or with 4 of you, if you stayed overnight near LAX, you could probably hire a taxi to Long Beach even cheaper than the shuttle, and then you could stop anywhere you wanted in the morning.