HELP with LA port

[long_shot45]

I am looking at a cruise out of LA and can't seem to find answers to my question. Is closest airport LAX?

How far from airport to cruise dock?

Best way to get there?

Thanks for any help.

[ggprincess2004]

You might want to check the boards for the west coast departures.:)

 

The closest airport is Long Beach, but we fly into LAX and use Super Shuttle for transfer to the pier. They have a website.

 

Actually we fly in the day before and reserve the shuttle from our hotel near the airport. If you stay at one of the hotels that Princess uses, you might be able to find the Princess rep, and if you do, you are very likely to be able to get them to put your checked bags on the luggage truck and take them to the pier for you. One less thing to hassle with.

[cruznliz]

According to MapQuest it is 20 miles and takes 25 minutes to get there. (Of course this is Los Angeles, so 25 minutes can also mean an hour, depending on traffic.) It is a good idea to come in a day early, particularly if you are flying a long way. Many people stay in San Pedro rather than in the airport area. Long Beach Airport might be closer, but it is not a major airport and many airlines don't fly there.

 

You can book a shuttle from the airport or your hotel, or take a Princess transfer. As mentioned, the West Coast Departures board might contain more detailed information. Good luck!

[CrusinAgain]

I would definitely take the Princess shuttle as it stops at a hotel and you register for the ship while they take your luggage on a truck. You then as a group go inside the terminal to a small desk to get your cabin key and proceed directly to ship as a group bypassing all the other passengers.

 

Supershuttle can make other stops along the way and you do have to pay in advance of their service. There were no waits on the Princess transfer buses either way and for the return to LA you were in a special group for Princess buses only making it a no wait once you board the bus. We were on the road to the airport by 9 a.m.

 

But closest airport is Long Beach if you can find a good flight there. We were not impressed with LA airport.

[Pam in CA]

The closest airport is Long Beach but often, you can find much cheaper fares and better flight options, particularly flying home, at LAX. As the others have said, go the day before and either stay at the LAX Marriott through Princess for $69/nite/pp (including transfer to the dock) or stay at a hotel in San Pedro that has a free shuttle. I've used both Super Shuttle and Prime Time Shuttle to get to hotels in San Pedro. They're pretty much equal.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Just remember that all roads leading to LAX are often full of bumper to bumper traffic even on the weekends. It may be less stressful to go in a day ahead and stay on the coast (Long Beach apparently has some nice hotels according to the West Coast departures board here). And don't book a morning flight out of LA.

[DuaneO]

I live by LGB (Long Beach). Jet Blue, Alaskan, US Air and AA fly in, but it's limited service. Jet Blue is the prime airline at that airport. The driving distance is 5-8 miles closer tahn LAX, and there are tons of first rate hotels in the Long Beach area (by Airport and in downtown). If you stay in Downtown Long Beach, it's a 7 mile taxi ride to the ship (<$20). As for LAX, it's 25 miles away, hotels are found at the airport, and going to the ship on Hwy 405. Take care in chosing your hotel location, some areas may be not to your liking.

 

Best bet, is downtown Long Beach, most of the hotels are on Ocean Blvd. and by the convention center. BTW, tons of first rate resturants in the downtown area.

 

As for San Pedro, they are working on the cleanup and refurbishing of the town, there are 4-5 star resturants there and the wyndam (spelling) hotel there.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[kendon]

Super shuttle can be a long trip if the van is full. Many stops before yours can make your trip up to 1 1/2 hours long without traffic! It's $17 pp using the super shuttle, or about $50 per taxi which takes you directly. For our family of 4, the taxi worked out to be quicker, more comfortable, and a better deal.

[ggprincess2004]

Super shuttle can be a long trip if the van is full. Many stops before yours can make your trip up to 1 1/2 hours long without traffic! It's $17 pp using the super shuttle, or about $50 per taxi which takes you directly. For our family of 4, the taxi worked out to be quicker, more comfortable, and a better deal.

 

If you have enough people in your group, and it only takes 4 for this to make sense, you get a "private" shuttle for your group, and in our, case the driver will swing by a wine store on the way....

The problem with taxi fare is it is so unpredictable depending upon traffic.

[HJH]

As far as I know, Princess still uses San Pedro as their port in Los Angeles. We sailed from there on a 19 day cruise on the Regal Princess last September.

 

Being local residents, we hired a limo to take and pick up. It is about 15 miles from LAX using the 405 and 110 freeways. However, that's one that might be worth paying for the Princess transfers unless there are enough people involved to warrant hiring private transportation.

 

You could make it in a half hour or less during non-congested and no accident/construction periods but that would be the exception rather than the rule.

[DrivesLikeMario]

LAX is not the closest to the Port of LA. It takes about 40-45 mins. to the Port from LAX if there isn't any traffic or accidents.

 

Long Beach is the closest - the code is LGB. It's much smaller and easier to get in & out of too. Not many carriers fly out of it on a regular basis although JetBlue does quite a few flights. Travel time is about 30 mins. depending on traffic.

 

The next closest is SNA or John Wayne (commonly known as Orange County Airport) which takes about 55 mins. or so depending on traffic.

[ReadyToCruiseAgain]

End of cruise, our Ship arrives at LA Port (San Pedro?) 12/21 at 7am. So we should probably use Cruise Ship Shuttle to LGB Airport?? What's the earliest departure/flight we can safely count on. It will be Friday Morning 4 days before Christmas. Thanks

[ocean.queen]

ggprincess2004...the taxis at LAX will give you a flat rate to the pier...last time I checked it was $50.

 

ReadyToCruiseAgain...our Friday traffic is a bit lighter than other days and Christmas vacation is even lighter. You'll have no problem getting to LGB in about 15 minutes. If you do self-debarkation and grab a cab you will be ahead of the Princess shuttles. In April, we arrived on a Friday and they started the process about 7:45am. They took two groups of self-carry and then the early flight group including the Princess shuttles. Then the last group of self-carry (us). We were through customs and out the door just before 9:00am.