Lax/Long Beach help needed!

[Jayfo]

First, the background info:

Hubby & I are flying into LAX the night before our Carnival cruise out of Long Beach. We don't arrive until 8p.m. We are eating dinner on our long flight (Chicago), so we only need a room to crash for the night.

 

1. Should we stay at the airport hotels, then take the Carnival Shuttle the next morning to the port? At $52 pp, I wonder on the cost factor between the shuttle and catching a cab.

 

2. If we stay in the Long Beach area instead, does anyone have any ideas on the cost for a cab from LAX?

 

3. Being unfamiliar with both areas, I would rather pay a few extra bucks (or attempt 4* Priceline bidding) for a hotel in a safe, non-shady area. :eek: Any suggestions on where to stay are appreciated! I've looked endlessly on hotel booking websites for reviews, but no one understands what I'm looking for better than my trusty CC folks!!!!

 

Thank You SO much!!!:D

[Keith1010]

Either way is fine. There are lots of hotels (more than Long Beach) near LAX so one option is to find a hotel right near the airport that has a shuttle. In the morning, just take a taxi to the Cruise Ship Terminal. Or arrange for a private car. Either way, it will be cheaper than the $52.00 per person. When we were there last we used a private car service that is called Execuar. They are part of SuperShuttle so you can find them on the web site.

 

Keith

[WhiteKnightPPO]

That sounds good to me. Either a hotel in the airport area with an airport shuttle or arrange with a shuttle service like Primetime Shuttle to take you to a hotel with a port shuttle in Long Beach for the night. Either way, it wouldn't cost $52 a person to get there. Primetime charges you about $16 a person on a shared shuttle all the way from LAX to Long Beach. A taxi would be as expensive as the Carnival shuttle.

[Curt Jerome Wild]

First, the background info:

Hubby & I are flying into LAX the night before our Carnival cruise out of Long Beach. We don't arrive until 8p.m. We are eating dinner on our long flight (Chicago), so we only need a room to crash for the night.

 

1. Should we stay at the airport hotels, then take the Carnival Shuttle the next morning to the port? At $52 pp, I wonder on the cost factor between the shuttle and catching a cab.

 

2. If we stay in the Long Beach area instead, does anyone have any ideas on the cost for a cab from LAX?

 

3. Being unfamiliar with both areas, I would rather pay a few extra bucks (or attempt 4* Priceline bidding) for a hotel in a safe, non-shady area. :eek: Any suggestions on where to stay are appreciated! I've looked endlessly on hotel booking websites for reviews, but no one understands what I'm looking for better than my trusty CC folks!!!!

 

Thank You SO much!!!:D

Okay, just a couple more questions (because when I plan on flights and times like this it makes a difference for me!;) )

When you get to LAX at 8 PM (which then you know will take longer because of baggage claim etc) do you just want to get to your hotel ASAP to crash, then take longer in the morning to get to the port?

Or would you rather take longer getting to your hotel (near the port) and then crash and sleep in? So that way, you are right there near the port in the morning - and for me at that point, it would be planning to sleep in and be right there to show up leisurely in the noon time...:)

There's options for both, but I think it's more important to decide what is more important to you in both scenarios...

I can help with better if I know what plan works best for you!

CJW

[Jayfo]

I'm a night person and I don't anticipate falling asleep early the evening we arrive. Besides, I'll be WAY too excited! In that case, crashing right there at LAX is not a necessity.

 

My focus now is taking a cab from LAX to Long Beach area and finding a hotel there.

My choices are now down to trying a 4* Priceline or booking the Coast hotel and just getting it over with. Coast has a package that includes breakfast and a transfer to the pier. I'm still looking into both options, and if you have an opinion, I'd love to hear it!!! :D

Thanks to everyone that responds to my numerous questions----I'm soaking this stuff up!

[WhiteKnightPPO]

All of that is just personal opinion. As for the hotel, you might do better thru Priceline, but if I find a hotel that I like and I'm satisfied with the price and location, it's a done deal. I'd rather deal directly with the hotel than a 3rd party, just as I would with airfare. Also, I'd prefer to get all the distance traveling out of the way when time isn't a necessity and besides, Long Beach is a much better neighborhood to kill time than around the airport. So in short, I book when I'm satisfied with my choice and get to the area I need to be in so as to eliminate any last minute transportation problems and even have an opportunity to look around the area and relax beforehand. You'd probably even meet some of your cruisemates as the hotel will be full of cruisers. That's my take on it.

[Cuizer2]

First, the background info:

Hubby & I are flying into LAX the night before our Carnival cruise out of Long Beach. We don't arrive until 8p.m. We are eating dinner on our long flight (Chicago), so we only need a room to crash for the night.

 

What does eating on the plane have to do with dinner? Thats like going to Las Vegas and saying you've seen a pyramid. Finally, is crash a good word to use when discussing an airplane flight you are on?

 

8:00pm local time is 10:00pm your time. How do you normally feel around 10:00pm? If I were in your shoes, and I felt up to it, I would get to Long Beach. If however, you don't feel up to it, then there are several very nice hotels next to LAX.

 

CJW is the local hotel expert, so I'm not going to step on his toes (besides, I live in the area and thus don't stay in any of the local hotels).

[Jayfo]

<

What does eating on the plane have to do with dinner?>

 

We're lucky enough to be in the first class cabin that will include a meal. I don't care if it's a ham sandwich. My belly's being fed and that's good enough.

 

<Finally, is crash a good word to use when discussing an airplane flight you are on?>

 

It's only language/text. If the plane crashes with me on it, then I guess it's my time to go. It is completely out of my hands at that point. :rolleyes:

[Curt Jerome Wild]

I'm a night person and I don't anticipate falling asleep early the evening we arrive. Besides, I'll be WAY too excited! In that case, crashing right there at LAX is not a necessity.

 

My focus now is taking a cab from LAX to Long Beach area and finding a hotel there.

My choices are now down to trying a 4* Priceline or booking the Coast hotel and just getting it over with. Coast has a package that includes breakfast and a transfer to the pier. I'm still looking into both options, and if you have an opinion, I'd love to hear it!!! :D

Thanks to everyone that responds to my numerous questions----I'm soaking this stuff up!

This is what I needed to hear! You sound like me!

At any rate, if you do the Priceline thing, it may be less expensive, but if you add in breakfast for two and the shuttle(cab)to the port it will probably end up the same or more than the Coast deal.

And those 4 stars in the area are nice, but more downtown.

I would personally (my opinion) for you, book the Coast, request a bay view room (that was you can see the Queen Mary out your window the night before and see your ship in the morning);) .

Another bonus of that hotel. is that you are literally 1/4 mile or less from the Queen Mary which has early Carnival check in at the back.

You could go there early (I think it's 9 AM to 11AM, but don't quote me)...

Get all your passes and everything done. Avoid the wait later.

Then you can either jump first in line to get onboard, or go back to the hotel and lounge around unitl later.

Just ideas, and my two cents - there you go!

CJW

 

And I see that you already found the thread on the early check in:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=579761

[Curt Jerome Wild]

And if you have VIP check in (Category 11 or 12 or Platinum status), then for me I might even take my time even further.

There are only 50 VIP cabins on that ship. And a separate VIP check in line, which is usually no one else in line, or very short.

So no

I'd just show up leisurely/later, just keep asking the Carnival people with badges or clipboards "Where's the VIP check in?", they'll direct you.

They probably won't have this open until after 11 AM though...

Then I'd just forget early check in at Queen Mary.

Way fast and easy.

Just another thought.

CJW

[Jayfo]

We do have VIP check in available to us (cat. 11) and I am pretty much leaning towards the Coast Hotel. Can you walk to the cruise terminal from the hotel property?

Thanks!!!!!

[SoCalCruiserGal]

Hi there!

 

I would highly recommend the Coast Hotel. I can't tell you enough great things about it. At first I was a bit hesitant about it since it's not a popular named hotel. I am so glad that I finally chose to stay there.

 

From the general staff to the manger, everyone was really great during my stay last October. If you are so lucky as to run into Gopal, he will just make you smile. His personality is so warm and friendly. He took exceptionally good care of me as I had had a pretty big surgery just a month before. He also took very good care of my friends, which was nice.

 

The room was the best room I have ever had at a hotel. The standard room had a living room, pretty large bathroom, and quite large bedroom. Alot of space throughout the room. There were vaulted ceilings that helped take away the feeling of a hotel. There was a balcony with chairs that looked completely over the bay and directly at Carnival's port. Really nice view and nice to sit outside to see the activity of the port.

 

That morning that we were scheduled to cruise, I made sure that I was awake to see the ship come into port. It was still completely dark, and then this bright light started to appear which was the front end of the ship. Gradually, the rest of the ship moved in, with all of her lights still brightly shining. Within minutes, the sun began to rise. I have the best pictures of the whole thing. It was actually pretty stunning and it was the perfect way to start a cruising vacation.

 

That hotel and experience in the morning definitely set precidence for me for all future cruises. Now, when I'm able to book a hotel on the water, to see the ship come in, I'm all about that. But, I won't go into the story of Galveston and getting up at 4:00 a.m. to watch the ship that didn't come in to port until 7:00 a.m. since it was never on time. LOL.

 

Happy Sailing!

Stacey

[SoCalCruiserGal]

Oh yeah, it's not the shortest walk to the port from the hotel. It's actually a pretty good distance. Although looking from the water, it does seem fairly short. I'd definitley ask for the shuttle. The Coast offers a package that includes the shuttle to the port.

 

If you have any questions, please ask.

[Cuizer2]

We do have VIP check in available to us (cat. 11) and I am pretty much leaning towards the Coast Hotel. Can you walk to the cruise terminal from the hotel property?

Thanks!!!!!

 

The Coast Hotel is where the green arrow is ...

 

 

The Carnival dock is next to the Queen Mary ...

 

[vplsh]

We're taking the Golden Princess in March and are wondering whether we should fly in the night before or that Sat. morning. Any thoughts as to a good hotel near that pier? Honestly, I don't know which pier that would be!

 

Thanks.

[Cuizer2]

We're taking the Golden Princess in March and are wondering whether we should fly in the night before or that Sat. morning. Any thoughts as to a good hotel near that pier? Honestly, I don't know which pier that would be!

 

Thanks.

 

1) If you are going to take the Golden Princess then I suggest you don't fly, since you'll never get the ship on the plane. I would think you would need a truck, a very large trailer, a big crane and a very large blanket to throw over the ship to hide it.

 

2) I would bet that the Golden Princess will leave from San Pedro. This is why ...

 

http://www.princess.com/ports/LAX_X.html

 

Notice the words between Los Angeles and California.

 

3) I highly recommend that you fly in the day before. There are several threads from people who tried to fly to the ship on the day it was leaving and missed it for several different reasons.

 

For example, can you rule out snow in Northern NJ in March? Are you on a non-stop? Can you rule out weather related problems at the hub where you will get your connecting flight? Can you rule out mechanical problems delaying your flight? Can you rule out a computer problem that delays or cancels your flight?

 

Have you read this thread? http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=391074&highlight=denver

[Cruisin' Chick]

1) If you are going to take the Golden Princess then I suggest you don't fly, since you'll never get the ship on the plane. I would think you would need a truck, a very large trailer, a big crane and a very large blanket to throw over the ship to hide it.

 

2) I would bet that the Golden Princess will leave from San Pedro. This is why ...

 

http://www.princess.com/ports/LAX_X.html

 

Notice the words between Los Angeles and California.

 

3) I highly recommend that you fly in the day before. There are several threads from people who tried to fly to the ship on the day it was leaving and missed it for several different reasons.

 

For example, can you rule out snow in Northern NJ in March? Are you on a non-stop? Can you rule out weather related problems at the hub where you will get your connecting flight? Can you rule out mechanical problems delaying your flight? Can you rule out a computer problem that delays or cancels your flight?

 

Have you read this thread? http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=391074&highlight=denver

 

Great reasons to fly in the day before. And add flight cancellations (seems to be happening a lot more) and labor problems (not maternity, but employee....just trying to stay ahead of cuizer2):) .

 

About the ports, just remember Carnival = Long Beach; all other cruiselines (99 per cent of the time) = San Pedro.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Why do you need to hide the ship?

 

"1) If you are going to take the Golden Princess then I suggest you don't fly, since you'll never get the ship on the plane. I would think you would need a truck, a very large trailer, a big crane and a very large blanket to throw over the ship to hide it."

[Cuizer2]

Why do you need to hide the ship?

 

"1) If you are going to take the Golden Princess then I suggest you don't fly' date=' since you'll never get the ship on the plane. I would think you would need a truck, a very large trailer, a big crane and a very large blanket to throw over the ship to hide it."[/quote']

 

So security does not see Vplsh taking the ship. Vplsh said ...

 

We're taking the Golden Princess in March

[vplsh]

So security does not see Vplsh taking the ship. Vplsh said ...

 

We're taking the Golden Princess in March

 

Boy am I glad you cleared that one up for me! :D I totally missed where you were going with it. Oh, and by the way, where are you "going with" the Golden Princess when you take it????

 

Thanks for the advice. I bid on and got a great price at the Crowne Plaza for the Friday night before we leave and booked the airline tickets to leave NJ on Friday evening. Hopefully there will be no snow then (although it has happened before) and all other technical difficulties will be avoided!

[Cruisin' Chick]

Boy am I glad you cleared that one up for me! :D I totally missed where you were going with it. Oh, and by the way, where are you "going with" the Golden Princess when you take it????

 

Thanks for the advice. I bid on and got a great price at the Crowne Plaza for the Friday night before we leave and booked the airline tickets to leave NJ on Friday evening. Hopefully there will be no snow then (although it has happened before) and all other technical difficulties will be avoided!

 

Hopefully there won't be snow here (Malibu did get some last year, I swear that's true).

[Cuizer2]

In 1969 it snowed in the San Fernando Valley, but the snow did not stick. In 1989 it snowed in the San Fernando Valley and the snow did stick.