LA Questions....

[gojaysgo]

Hello All,

 

This site is great! Thanks for all the information it provides. My girlfriend and I are planning our very first cruise and its been overwhelming to say the least.

 

I do have a couple of questions.

 

1 - We are planning on sailing on Royal Caribbean's Monarch of the Seas leaving from San Pedro on August 27th. We will be arriving at LAX on the 25th and will shuttle to our hotel in Anaheim to see a couple of baseball games before we set sail. What's the best way to get from Anaheim to the port? Car rental is out of the question (we are both under 25).

 

2 - Don't mean to keep asking, but how early can I book return airfare? We will be flying back east, and would rather not get on a red-eye. If the ship is due back at 6am, could we make a flight out of LAX at 1:15? The ship returns on the 31st (a Friday)

 

3 - I'd like to arrange transportation back to the airport in advance. I'm thinking of a a private towncar through SuperShuttle. What time should I tell them to pick me up? 6am? We're willing to disembark early and carry our luggage off on our own.

 

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide!

[Cuizer2]

1) I hope you are going to an Angels game. Otherwise, the Dodgers are in Los Angeles. Los Angeles is closer to the San Pedro dock than Anaheim is. Super Shuttle, Prime Time, Xpress Shuttle or any other shuttle service might be your best bet for the return trip. A taxi would cost a fortune.

 

However, Enterprise rents to people under the age of 25. Looks like there is a $20 surcharge. Not bad. Enterprise has a rental office across the street from the dock (and at LAX). So give Enterprise a call and see if you can work something out. Here is Enterprises web address ...

 

http://www.enterprise.com/car_rental/deeplinkmap.do?bid=019&cnty=US&language=en&arc=GOTOC6

 

2) The ship may dock at 6:00am but don't expect to be off the ship by 6:05am. Still, I think a 1:15pm flight sounds doable. Just make sure the purser knows you have an early afternoon flight, in case you have to use the colored tag system.

 

3) A shuttle service will work. Or you could return the rental car from the dock to the airport location. Or you could go with a RCI transfer. If you go with Super Shuttle or any other shuttle service, give them a call. Most likely they just keep sending vans to the dock until the ship is empty, but check first (I live in the area, so I don't use any service, just my personal car).

 

4) Better hurry, looks like the ship is at the dock now, waiting for you ...

 

 

[Cuizer2]

Regarding shuttle services, you might want to check out this thread ...

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=485390

[Bruin Steve]

If the ship is due back at 6am, could we make a flight out of LAX at 1:15? I'm thinking of a a private towncar through SuperShuttle. What time should I tell them to pick me up? 6am? We're willing to disembark early and carry our luggage off on our own.

 

Cuizer's handled it well...but allow me to just add a little...

Flying out of LAX on a 1:15 pm flight should be no problem whatsoever...We've wheeled our own luggage off the Monarch a couple of times now...with it being such a short cruise, you really don't have to pack that much...and, if you don't check any luggage, the colored luggage tag system is immaterial...When they announce they're ready to let people off, you just go...

 

When we were on the Monarch about 3 weeks ago, they started letting people off at about 7:30 (the ship may diock at 6 am, but they have a whole list of things they need to do before they let the passengers off)...We missed it since we were in the Dining Room having one last nice breakfast...By the time we realized that people were leaving, we had to wait in a line to get through customs and all...still, we were in our car by 8:30 or 9...I forget exactly...

 

Still, even if you're off the ship and through customs by 10:00 am, even with the worst rush-hour traffic, making it to LAX (20 miles from the pier) by 11:15 for a 1:15 flight (leaving a full two hours for airport security and check-in) should be no problem at all...

 

As to the shuttle services? Well, if you tell them you are going to be one of the first off the ship, they'll know exactly what time to be there...they do this all the time...Even so, like I said, you have plenty of extra time built in...

 

Don't worry and have a good time...

[Bruin Steve]

Oops!! Double post...sorry...

[gojaysgo]

Great, thanks so much for all the great information. Just to clarify, we would be seeing Angel's games (we're from Toronto, and the Blue Jays are in town then).

 

One more thing - do you recommend booking transportation back to the airport in advance? Would there be ample cabs there to take us?

 

Also, the day we leave, how early can we board the ship?

 

Thanks again - I appreciate everyone's thoughts.

[Bruin Steve]

Great, thanks so much for all the great information. Just to clarify, we would be seeing Angel's games (we're from Toronto, and the Blue Jays are in town then).

 

One more thing - do you recommend booking transportation back to the airport in advance? Would there be ample cabs there to take us?

 

Also, the day we leave, how early can we board the ship?

 

Thanks again - I appreciate everyone's thoughts.

 

I'd book a cab or shuttle in advance...

This is LA...Taxis just don't hover around most places looking for fares as they do in other cities...and they're generally not going to head down to Pedro, spending all that money on gas to get there in hope that someone needs them,,,

 

As to what time they let you on the ship, our experience is that it's a little before noon--maybe around 11:30...but they don't let you go to the cabins until around 1:00 pm...

 

So, check your luggage and head to the Windjammer...

 

Are you doing anything in Anaheim other than the Baseball games?

Obviously, Disney is there...Another amusement park, Knott's Berry Farm is a short way away, like the next town over--Buena Park...

 

Without paying to get into one of the Disney parks, you can stroll around Downtown Disney--which has shops and restaurants...

 

Have fun...

[Cuizer2]

Great, thanks so much for all the great information. Just to clarify, we would be seeing Angel's games (we're from Toronto, and the Blue Jays are in town then).

 

One more thing - do you recommend booking transportation back to the airport in advance? Would there be ample cabs there to take us?

 

Also, the day we leave, how early can we board the ship?

 

Thanks again - I appreciate everyone's thoughts.

 

I see a few blue jays now and then. My sister has a bird feeder and she sees more blue jays than I do. Do you see many orioles or cardinals (lots of cardinals in Rome I would assume) in Toronto?

 

If you are going to book the RCI transfer back to LAX, then yes, you have to book that in advance. As to the shuttle shuttle services, I would call them and ask, but I would think it would be wise to book a shuttle service in advance. For a taxi (figure about $50 + tip - from the Long Beach Airport to LAX in August 2004 it cost me more than $40 + tip) I am sure you will find plenty around the dock.

 

As to boarding, I would not arrive before 11am. You could come earlier, but you would just have to wait longer just to be a little quicker on the ship. I would assume boarding would begin around 11:30 to noon. Being the prior cruise is short (a weekend cruise) most people are not likely packing too much, so I would assume debarkation (of the prior passengers) probably goes a little smoother than what I am used to (my last four cruises have all been 7 or 8 nights following a 7 or 8 night cruise).

[gojaysgo]

Bruin Steve - we really haven't thought much about what we would do in Anaheim. We'll be there two nights and would see games both days. Probably not Disney - we are leaving for Orlando in 10 days so we will have had our fill. Downtown Disney is a good idea.

 

Cuizer - probably more Cardinals in Rome than in Toronto :-) We'll see them sometimes in the spring but that's about it...

 

Any thoughts on hotels in Anaheim? We are thinking of staying at the Doubletree Hotel Anaheim/Orange County. I read that its fairly close to the stadium....

[gojaysgo]

Sorry, one more question - if I book the return shuttle through the cruiseline, is it a shared shuttle? If so, would they pair us with people going directly to the airport?

[Cuizer2]

Sorry, one more question - if I book the return shuttle through the cruiseline, is it a shared shuttle? If so, would they pair us with people going directly to the airport?

 

With a couple? No. Think bigger. The RCI transfer would be via bus, with about 38 of your new found friends.

[gojaysgo]

LOL - I see....

 

So, even if we disembark as early as possible, we would still have to wait for others, even though we have an early flight? What's the advantage then?

[Cuizer2]

LOL - I see....

 

So, even if we disembark as early as possible, we would still have to wait for others, even though we have an early flight? What's the advantage then?

 

Most likely a lower cost. Also, if you are one of the early ones off the ship you are not likely to have to wait too long to fill the bus. But mostly I was just trying to offer a different option.

 

My advise is to check out the different options, look at the pros and cons, and decide which is best for you. Basically the more convenient it is for you (personal limo) the more expensive it is. As you give up convenience, the price drops. You have to balance one against the other.