San Pedro from a San Pedran

I see a lot of suggestions for transportation and I am leaning towards hiring a private car from a company recommended on here, but I have one concern. If disembarkation is delayed, will the car wait? Will they send a car when we finally make it off the ship? I am just concerned about going through the hassle and worry of a delay to then find out we don't have a ride to LAX.

Two of the three times we were using a car service from San Pedro (but to go to our home in the Valley so no concerns about time), I had discussed this with the car service and it was arranged that the driver will call when near the port to find out how close we were to getting off the ship. Then we were to call the driver when actually at the shuttle island and he would drive up and look for us.

The time between that went wrong (which is why I can't recommend Prime Time for a private vehicle)...just a recorded message was sent that the driver "was on their way." Turned out he was on his way to our house (and two weeks before that the opposite happened).

So talk to the company you're using to arrange the time you'll be off the ship and make sure you'll get a call directly from the driver.

I'm hoping that one of our local San Pedran's can give us an update. Are there any new restaurants or activities you would recommend for a pre-cruise stay? There are quite a few posts that mention the construction at Ports O' Call Village but don't mention any alternatives.

Getting off a Princess Coastal cruise next September. We think we would like to spend 3 nights before heading home. We have never been to th the LA area. Any suggestions? Where is the best place to stay? Was thinking about Double Tree in San Pedro. Should we rent a car and check out Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive?

Getting off a Princess Coastal cruise next September. We think we would like to spend 3 nights before heading home. We have never been to th the LA area. Any suggestions? Where is the best place to stay? Was thinking about Double Tree in San Pedro. Should we rent a car and check out Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive?

Hotels are cheaper. Free local bus. We used Hotwire, 4 star & got the Hyatt Regency for $85. You pay a little more for ride to the San Pedro pier. Worth it, in our eyes.

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It is OK to ask about Long Beach here?

Will be arriving to Long Beach (Carnival) January 27. If sister-in-law not available to hang out, I am thinking of renting a car. What is the closest/easiest car rental to the port? If they don't pick up at the port, anyone know how much an Uber would cost?

Steve,

Any experience or recommendations for AirBnB is Santa Monica or Venice Beach Area? Found a nice one in Long Beach close to beach.

Steve,

Any experience or recommendations for AirBnB is Santa Monica or Venice Beach Area? Found a nice one in Long Beach close to beach.

I'm not really into AirBnB...Maybe someone else has some ideas for you... Sorry...

If we are coming to San Pedro to cruise on Princess next fall. We will have a car but my husband is handicapped and must use his mobility scooter most of the time. Here in Florida it is very easy to drop off our luggage and then park our car and the we only have about 2-3 blocks to go back to the ship. And our car is safe in an excellent covered garage. Will it be similar to that at the San Pedro, Princess Cruise Line Port?

Also, do any of you have any recommendations for nice hotels that are not $200/night? But still close to the port?

It would NOT be my choice for a hotel...especially with two nights and no car...

It's at a VERY BUSY intersection...near where the 110 Freeway dumps out onto Gafney Street...

What you have close by is a very tacky liquor store, a 7-11, two gas stations, a Burger King, a Wienerschnitzel, a Hawaiian Fast Food place and a donut shop...

All of the decent restaurants and attractions of San Pedro are about a 10 to 20 block walk away minimum...and not exactly a scenic walk...taxis are not easy to find...You are going to have to call for them...and the ride is a little long to walk...and a little short for taxi drivers to want to come get you for the small fare...

 

Did you pre-pay with Hotwire?

 

Well, for any others reading this thread: Please heed my recommendation and, if you plan on being two nights without a car in San Pedro, please choose the Crowne Plaza or Doubletree...

 

The Crown Plaza would have put you within easy walking distance of over a dozen very good restaurants perfectly suited for your family...and close to attractions on the waterfront...The Doubletree would have put you in pleasant surroundings at the Marina and a nice walk along the waterfront...or the DT would shuttle you free to restaurants...

 

And both are much nicer hotels...

 

JMHO...

If we are coming to San Pedro to cruise on Princess next fall. We will have a car but my husband is handicapped and must use his mobility scooter most of the time. Here in Florida it is very easy to drop off our luggage and then park our car and the we only have about 2-3 blocks to go back to the ship. And our car is safe in an excellent covered garage. Will it be similar to that at the San Pedro, Princess Cruise Line Port?

Also, do any of you have any recommendations for nice hotels that are not $200/night? But still close to the port?

You can drop off right at the front door of the terminal, then circle back and park...but you’ll also find that the parking lot is incredibly close...get there early...like when others are still getting off the last cruise...and you can park within a few yards of the door...especially with a handicapped placard.

As to nice hotels close to port, sorry, LA is an expensive hotel town (though San Pedro is more reasonably priced than many other parts of town), San Pedro has a very limited number of hotels...and sad to say, most you’d really want to stay away from. The Crowne Plaza and the Doubletree are really the only two very nice hotels in town. The Best Western is not in an attractive location, but is at least passable as a decent motel...and often a little cheaper than the top two. There is nothing else in San Pedro I would even consider.

Of course, with a car, you are not restricted to staying in San Pedro...though you will be leaving yourself with a bit of a drive the morning of the cruise. Some prefer Long Beach...which is a bit more modern and touristy than Pedro...but 6-8 miles away. And hotels there are usually more expensive than Pedro. If you look there, stick to the area near the Convention Center/Aquarium. Stick to this list for a nice hotel and decent area: Hyatt Regency, Hyatt Centric at the Pike, Renaissance, Westin, Hilton, Residence Inn Downtown, Maya Doubletree. The Maya has a special “Carnival Rate”...but I don’t think they really care if you’re cruising Carnival or not. You might look into that. Don’t go off of that list for Long Beach...just a few blocks away may put you in a questionable location. Another area you might look at a few miles away from San Pedro is the Del Amo Mall area of Torrance...several hotels around the mall there and you may find a lower price there...but you will be driving several miles to the pier.

If you find what you think is a great deal, run it by us here...there may be issues we’d know about. Also, as the date gets closer, you may want to try Priceline for a bargain...but be careful when using it to enter the right parameters...

Good luck

The Crowne Plaza and the Doubletree are really the only two very nice hotels in town. The Best Western is not in an attractive location, but is at least passable as a decent motel...and often a little cheaper than the top two. There is nothing else in San Pedro I would even consider.

 

Good luck

The Crown is our favorite choice, But more that once for one reason or another we weren’t able to stay there ... we have stayed at the Sunrise. While it wasn’t the quality of the Crown ... we felt safe and the ship is across the street....

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Steve? Anyone?

It is OK to ask about Long Beach here?

 

Will be arriving to Long Beach (Carnival) January 27. If sister-in-law not available to hang out, I am thinking of renting a car. What is the closest/easiest car rental to the port? If they don't pick up at the port, anyone know how much an Uber would cost?

Steve? Anyone?

There are car rental offices on Ocean Blvd a few miles from the Carnival Terminal in Long Beach. Many either are closed on Sunday or have limited hours. Then you may need to go to the Long Beach Airport for a car rental.

If you google car rental 90801, you should get Avis, Hertz, Budget. You could probably get there on the free Long Beach Passport bus that loads by the Queen Mary.

Where do you want to go after your cruise that you need a car or an Uber?

Our flight home is not until like 6 pm. I cannot imagine sitting in LAX for that long. We do currently have a reservation at the Avis Downtown Long Beach IBC Building. Probably Uber there unless that free bus goes near there.

Where do we plan on going? ? Santa Monica, Olveria St?

There is also a possibility that our son might be willing to drive from Phoenix are to spend some time with us. He would then visit with a cousin and spend the night before driving back home. Got to love a son that would volunteer to drive so far just to see his parents for less than half of a day.

Are there drugstores or big box stores in SP where we can pick up toiletries and wine prior to boarding, or is Redondo Beach a better choice?

We are cruising out of San Pedro in 2 weeks, staying at Double Tree 1 night precruise. We will not have a vehicle. Looking for some suggestions for dinner. We will either use the hotel shuttle or a taxi so looking for something fairly close. A nice steak House or Mexican food possibly... Any suggestions appreciated.

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We are cruising out of San Pedro in 2 weeks, staying at Double Tree 1 night precruise. We will not have a vehicle. Looking for some suggestions for dinner. We will either use the hotel shuttle or a taxi so looking for something fairly close. A nice steak House or Mexican food possibly... Any suggestions appreciated.

The only restaurant of note in walking distance to the Doubletree is the 22nd Street Landing--mostly known for seafood, but they have steaks as well:

http://22ndstlandingrestaurant.com/menu/

For anything else, you'll need a ride into downtown San Pedro. For Mexican, there are two popular choices:

Green Onion:

http://www.greenonionmexicanrestaurant.com/

and Acapulco:

https://locations.acapulcorestaurants.com/store/ports-o-call

Acapulco is a local chain...but one of the attractions to this one is that it is right on the waterfront...you can have drinks on the patio out over the water...

Another to consider is my personal favorite:

http://www.sanpedrobrewing.com/index.html

Good luck...

We are cruising out of San Pedro in 2 weeks, staying at Double Tree 1 night precruise. We will not have a vehicle. Looking for some suggestions for dinner. We will either use the hotel shuttle or a taxi so looking for something fairly close. A nice steak House or Mexican food possibly... Any suggestions appreciated.

 

 

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The Doubletree has a shuttle that will take you places.

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Thank you so much for your suggestions!

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There are car rental offices on Ocean Blvd a few miles from the Carnival Terminal in Long Beach. Many either are closed on Sunday or have limited hours. Then you may need to go to the Long Beach Airport for a car rental.

 

If you google car rental 90801, you should get Avis, Hertz, Budget. You could probably get there on the free Long Beach Passport bus that loads by the Queen Mary.

 

Where do you want to go after your cruise that you need a car or an Uber?

Thanks so much for maintaining these posts -- we too are in need of a car rental -- luckily on a MONDAY ~~ we are heading up to San Jose... I am reading / guessing correctly -- -no car rental does a pier shuttle?? or have I missed that post?? Seems odd - but ..... are there taxis readily available?

We have been thru San Pedro before - used cruise shuttle to the airport ..............that dropped us off between terminals - and the driver didn't speak English ( so he indicated ) -- a long walk for alot of us -- ha ha -- travel is interesting

thanks again --

azippy

What transportation method would you recommend to get from LAX to the DoubleTree in San Pedro? We are considering SuperShuttle but open to alternative options. Is Uber an option? Thanks much!

What transportation method would you recommend to get from LAX to the DoubleTree in San Pedro? We are considering SuperShuttle but open to alternative options. Is Uber an option? Thanks much!

Uber is definitely an option...though, sometimes when leaving a crowded LAX, you get hit with "surge pricing"...

Another option is a car service...one of the more reasonable ones is "Execucar" which is run by Super Shuttle...

Super Shuttle--or other shared shuttle services--are the most cost effective method...but you deal with the chance of circling LAX waiting for them to fill up the van o...or making other stops on your way to your hotel...

I know the answer is embedded here somewhere but could you indulge me with repeating an answer to the question about buying a few bottles of wine close to the Doubletree? THANK YOU!

I know the answer is embedded here somewhere but could you indulge me with repeating an answer to the question about buying a few bottles of wine close to the Doubletree? THANK YOU!

All you need to do is goggle the Double tree, and then click on map, and then in nearby, enter liquor stores or supermarkets, and you have you answer in front of you.:)

What transportation method would you recommend to get from LAX to the DoubleTree in San Pedro? We are considering SuperShuttle but open to alternative options. Is Uber an option? Thanks much!

We just returned from our cruise on the Ruby 2/10-2/17. Stayed at Doubletree pre-cruise and used Lotus transportation from LAX to hotel and for return to LAX from ship. Excellent service, comfortable and on time. We were a group of 6 adults and the cost was $78 each way plus gratuity. You can’t beat $13 per person for a private shuttle.

Marking spot

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