How soon before board can you check carryon luggage at the port?

Our ship is due to sail at 5:00 p.m. from whatever LA port HAL uses. How early can we deposit our carryon bags with the porter so we can go into town and collect more bags?

Our ship is due to sail at 5:00 p.m. from whatever LA port HAL uses. How early can we deposit our carryon bags with the porter so we can go into town and collect more bags?

You call them "c arryo"n so you wouildn't be checking a "carrryon", would you? It means you will carry it on yourself.

We've checked bags at FLL as early as 10:00, but don't know about LA Long Beach.

You call them "c arryo"n so you wouildn't be checking a "carrryon", would you? It means you will carry it on yourself.

Sorry, I guess I wasn't too clear. I don't want to spend time waiting to board and then carry them on at that time. I just want to drop them at the port as early as possible and then go shopping. We will board after shopping.

We've checked bags at FLL as early as 10:00, but don't know about LA Long Beach.

Does HAL use both San Pedro and Long Beach?

I have checked luggage at FLL Tampa and Boston as early as 10:30. I have never checked a 'c arry on'.

Does HAL use both San Pedro and Long Beach?

Los Angeles’s San Pedro bay contains 2 cruise ports, the World Cruise Center at the Port of Los Angeles (often named simply San Pedro), and 4 miles away to the east Long Beach Cruise Terminal by the Port of Long Beach. Ships dock at the Word Cruise Center, except most (but not all) Carnival-group ships which dock at Long Beach.

Sorry, I guess I wasn't too clear. I don't want to spend time waiting to board and then carry them on at that time. I just want to drop them at the port as early as possible and then go shopping. We will board after shopping.

At most ports you can probably drop your bags off with the porters as early as 10:00 to 10:30 AM, and the go wherever - as long as you get back a reasonable time (probably at least 90 minutes before sailaway).

But I'm not sure what you mean by "carry on"; regardless of whether you checked luggage on your flight, you will want to keep some "carry on" with you if you go shopping. You want to have in your possession at all times your meds, jewelry, travel docs, and at least one change of clothing - handing luggage to porters does not guarantee that everything will wind up in your stateroom the first afternoon or, in some rare cases, ever.

sanpedro.com/cruise-ships/ says

Most of the Carnival Cruise Line Ships and some ships of the cruise lines owned by Carnival Corporation arrive and depart from Long Beach. All other Cruise ships depart from the The Port of Los Angeles World Cruise Center in San Pedro.

At most ports you can probably drop your bags off with the porters as early as 10:00 to 10:30 AM, and the go wherever - as long as you get back a reasonable time (probably at least 90 minutes before sailaway).

 

But I'm not sure what you mean by "carry on"; regardless of whether you checked luggage on your flight, you will want to keep some "carry on" with you if you go shopping. You want to have in your possession at all times your meds, jewelry, travel docs, and at least one change of clothing - handing luggage to porters does not guarantee that everything will wind up in your stateroom the first afternoon or, in some rare cases, ever.

You make a good point. I think we will board first.

You make a good point. I think we will board first.

Good idea. Have fun.

We almost always drop our things off in the morning but wait to board until just before we have to. I haven't sailed from LA but from San Diego last year we dropped off around 9:30 in the morning.

"Los Angeles" usually means the San Pedro port as opposed to Long Beach.

An alternative plan would be to rent a car from the airport to the cruise terminal, which would allow you to shop at will with your luggage in the trunk.

igraf

Our ship is due to sail at 5:00 p.m. from whatever LA port HAL uses. How early can we deposit our carryon bags with the porter so we can go into town and collect more bags?

"Los Angeles" usually means the San Pedro port as opposed to Long Beach.

 

An alternative plan would be to rent a car from the airport to the cruise terminal, which would allow you to shop at will with your luggage in the trunk.

 

igraf

I've thought of that, but the idea of arriving at 9:00 p.m. at LAX and finding our way to, perhaps, Redondo Beach or Long Beach (the Amsterdam is scheduled to be in Long Beach) is daunting. I don't like traversing strange highways for the first time at dark. Maybe an Uber to Redondo and then rent a car for a couple of days. It would simplify last minute shopping. Does that sound feasible? Or is the the highway from LAX to Redondo an easy trip?

This will be our first time on HAL. We cruise Princess mostly and always carry on our bags so want to confirm we can do that on HAL? Thank you

This will be our first time on HAL. We cruise Princess mostly and always carry on our bags so want to confirm we can do that on HAL? Thank you

Can't really comment on the time but I do have one concern/suggestion. I'll suggest you carefully consider your shopping plans beforehand. San Pedro is a regular embarkation port for Crystal and I've been there a number of times; I can't really remember much shopping that's convenient or attractive in the vicinity of the port.

Roy

I have never seen any cruise ship other than Carnival ships at Long Beach, unless something odd has happened and a ship that normally docks at San Pedro has to do something different.

http://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/los-angeles-port-86?month=2018-09#schedule

The Amsterdam is scheduled to depart from Long Beach on Sep 30.

 

http://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/los-angeles-port-86?month=2018-09#schedule

I would take that with a grain of salt. I've sailed from Long Beach and unless I'm really missing something there is no space for both Amsterdam and Carnival Inspiration. It's a small terminal and a single dock.

Roy

The Amsterdam is scheduled to depart from Long Beach on Sep 30.

 

http://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/los-angeles-port-86?month=2018-09#schedule

Yes, that was what I was going on, although it appears that simply because it is scheduled doesn't mean that it will happen. In any event, I've been convinced to shop before we get to the port.

I have never seen any cruise ship other than Carnival ships at Long Beach, unless something odd has happened and a ship that normally docks at San Pedro has to do something different.

 

OP, you'll likely be dropping your luggage off at San Pedro. I'd not drop anything off earlier than 10:00. Yes, you can drop your luggage off with a porter then leave the pier to do our shopping and return later.

 

I'm also confused about picking up more luggage. Are you shipping it in? Then you say you want to carry on bags, but earlier you say you want to drop your carry ons with a porter.

 

Maybe I shouldn't even be here this early in the morning. I think I need another cup of coffee. :cool:

Sorry for the confusion. We will be flying into LA with only a carry on each. Four of our bags will have been shipped by HAL. However, we can't ship certain things like aerosol containers, and can't carry on liquids of more than 3.4 oz. Hence, I wanted to wait until we deplaned to buy a three-months' supply of those items and, thus, would be carrying those additional "bags" on, as well. Now does it make sense?

You could get a taxi or Uber from either terminal to a large drug or grocery store nearby. Long Beach will likely have more to offer relatively close to the terminal. San Pedro doesn't have much nearby- mainly industrial and the last remnants of Ports O Call Village. I understand most of it is being razed.

Anything you carry on must fit through the scanning machine. (Same size as used at airports for carry-on.) Once we saw a large suitcase jam in the machine at FLL. Nobody was happy about that! :eek:

Thank you. Our largest bag fits:) Another question - forgot to ask the first time - when are cabins ready? We are used to Princess where we can get into the cabin as soon as we arrive.

Thank you. Our largest bag fits:) Another question - forgot to ask the first time - when are cabins ready? We are used to Princess where we can get into the cabin as soon as we arrive.

I would take that with a grain of salt. I've sailed from Long Beach and unless I'm really missing something there is no space for both Amsterdam and Carnival Inspiration. It's a small terminal and a single dock.

 

Roy

http://www.cruisemapper.com/ports/los-angeles-port-86?month=2018-12#schedule

Then I found another schedule that shows the Amsterdam at the World Cruise Center (San Pedro) on both Sep 30 and Dec 21

https://www.portsamerica.com/cruise/los-angeles-terminal.html

so apparently the "cruisemapper" site is calling both locations Long Beach