Looking for LA hotel with both airport and port transfers, pre-cruise????

[Teala]

Im not sure where else to post this, so since im going on a carnival cruise, here it lands.

I am looking for a hotel in LA that has both transfers from LAX and to the carnival cruise port. any one know of any?? i am not sure how to go about searching for this on any websites. its easy to find those w/ airport shuttles but not so easy w/ port shuttles.

help? or at least help w/ how to find one?

 

thanx!

[golfadj]

Look at the port of call page and you will find the info you need.

[Splinter]

You are not going to find both.

 

Hotels near LAX often provide airport shuttles for free.

 

Hotels in Long Beach (where the Carnival port is located) often provide free shuttles to the cruise ship pier.

 

Long Beach is 30 miles from LAX. No hotels in Long Beach provide free shuttles from LAX or even from Long Beach airport that I know of (except for hotels at that airport which is 8 miles from the port). No hotels near LAX offer shuttles to either the Long Beach or San Pedro cruise ship ports.

 

Your best bet is to take a commercial shuttle to your hotel in Long Beach (cost about $18/person one way) and book a hotel there with a free shuttle to the pier. Alternatively you can book a LAX area hotel, get their free shuttle from the airport, and then book (on-line) a paid shuttle to take you to the pier the next morning (again, about $18/person).

[Bruin Steve]

Agree with Splinter...

I'll add though, much better to stay in Long Beach...nicer area than LAX, a few things to do and lots of nearby restaurants and free city shuttle around the central LB area...Nothing worth much around LAX...

 

Pick from these hotels:

Group 1 (Best hotels, best locations): Hyatt, Renaissance, Westin, Avia

Group 2 (Still nice hotels, within a couple of blocks of others): Hilton, Courtyard, Best Western Convention Center (not quite as nice as the others...basic)

Group 3 (Across the channel, closer to pier but further from shops and restaurants, but still close): Maya, Residence Inn Downtown...

 

People have been reporting, of late, bidding $50 to $75 and 3.5 stars and Downtown LB on Priceline and getting the Westin, Hyatt or Renaissance...If you can do this, you've hit the jackpot...

 

Otherwise, there's a Carnival rate at the Hilton for something like $94, which is also a great deal...

 

Just take a Super Shuttle or Primetime Shuttle from LAX to the hotel, once there, the world is yours...

 

DO NOT look for a bargain at any hotel in Long Beach not on this list...there will be a very good reason why it's cheap (BAD area, scuzzy hotel, inconvenient)...

 

Hope this helps...

[faymuiheng]

We are looking into the same as you. We are doing the following.

 

Booked via priceline for airport SHERATON HOTEL. free shuttle from airport and hotel.

 

Then we booked supershuttle next morning from LAX to pier, I think Ncl's is at pier 93. Found a discount code online, and got 3 bucks cheaper per person. 14bucks.

 

We previously stayed at the Crowne plaza in San Pedro, and it was an OK hotel. We paid more there than at LAX, and we stayed in the room once we arrived the day before.

[Teala]

 

Then we booked supershuttle next morning from LAX to pier, I think Ncl's is at pier 93. Found a discount code online, and got 3 bucks cheaper per person. 14bucks.

 

so you go back to the airport in the am? are the shuttles easy to find?

[Teala]

 

Your best bet is to take a commercial shuttle to your hotel in Long Beach (cost about $18/person one way) and book a hotel there with a free shuttle to the pier. Alternatively you can book a LAX area hotel, get their free shuttle from the airport, and then book (on-line) a paid shuttle to take you to the pier the next morning (again, about $18/person).

 

which shuttles do this? ive looked online and they talk only about airports and piers not hotels. i guess calling them directly would be the best choice?

[faymuiheng]

so you go back to the airport in the am? are the shuttles easy to find?

 

 

We have taken the shuttle before and it was totally easy. Just follow the signs. The only thing is, for super shuttle, they have to group you all up to maximize their drivers, but I don't think it will be a problem with the Cruise terminal.

 

free shuttle from the hotel to the airport, and then to the shuttle.

 

Just booked our room at the Sheraton for 77bucks. Discount code with super shuttle brings it down to 14/person.

[Splinter]

Supershuttle will pick you up at any address and take you to the pier. Those who live in the LA area often use them to go to the pier from their home. Just look for the place to enter an address (not a landmark) for your pick-up location on their website. Most of the other large shuttle companies do the same.

[1 Part Sand 1 Part Sea]

this is great info, as i will be on that same cruise!

[eschew]

Agree with Splinter...

 

Pick from these hotels:

Group 1 (Best hotels, best locations): Hyatt, Renaissance, Westin, Avia

Group 2 (Still nice hotels, within a couple of blocks of others): Hilton, Courtyard, Best Western Convention Center (not quite as nice as the others...basic)

Group 3 (Across the channel, closer to pier but further from shops and restaurants, but still close): Maya, Residence Inn Downtown...

 

 

We are looking at booking the Queen Mary hotel. Quoted $85 plus tax a night (reg $129 plus tax) but don't know what type of cabin or facilities available. Anyone has any experience with Queen Mary?

[Cruisin' Chick]

which shuttles do this? ive looked online and they talk only about airports and piers not hotels. i guess calling them directly would be the best choice?

 

Supershuttle will pick you up at any address and take you to the pier. Those who live in the LA area often use them to go to the pier from their home. Just look for the place to enter an address (not a landmark) for your pick-up location on their website. Most of the other large shuttle companies do the same.

 

As Splinter said, there may be a place on the shuttles' websites to enter an address other than an airport or the ports. You can call their 800 numbers. We used a shuttle service (Coolrides) to go from the Valley from our home to the Port of LA a few years ago because we knew we wouldn't be able to fit 15-days worth of luggage in either of our car's trunks.

I would definitely book a hotel nearer to the port than one by LAX. You can probably find a deal (Auto Club discount, or whatever) or check out the Priceline sticky on the main page of Western destinations.

We are looking at booking the Queen Mary hotel. Quoted $85 plus tax a night (reg $129 plus tax) but don't know what type of cabin or facilities available. Anyone has any experience with Queen Mary?

 

Some people have reported loving their stay there. But if you want something modern or spacious, then you should think about a regular hotel instead. Also the restaurant there seems a bit pricey (I had been invited to go to a pre-cruise party there last year and had checked out the menu).

[eschew]

I heard food price is expensive too but it is suppose to be walking distance to a lot of other places? It's been a while now and the last time I was around there, the Spruce Goose was still there...

 

I shoudl call and find out. Rumor has it that they have shuttle to surrounding areas (shopping etc)

[Splinter]

The cabins on the Queen Mary are tiny and (I think) shabby. There is not anything you can walk to from there except the Carnival cruise ship pier. The Spruce Goose is long gone.

 

You could do just as well booking through Priceline for a Long Beach downtown/convention center 4* hotel and be closer to walk to shops and restaurants or take the free shuttle bus that goes around that area.

[eschew]

Maybe I should rent a car just in case. DW seems to have mind set on QM. Unless I prepay, I can always change my mind after the first night.

Been to LA many times but never to that part of town. DOne all the usual tourist things... Disney, Sea World, Universal etc.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Maybe I should rent a car just in case. DW seems to have mind set on QM. Unless I prepay, I can always change my mind after the first night.

Been to LA many times but never to that part of town. DOne all the usual tourist things... Disney, Sea World, Universal etc.

 

Here's a suggestion: check out the hotels that Bruin Steve recommended for Long Beach. If you get in early enough the day before your cruise, you can check in, and then head to the port and go on a Queen Mary tour. Personally, I would rather skip that ship and head to the Aquarium of Pacific in the same area. That's a great place to see.

[eschew]

As it turns out, the food price is not all that bad. Food quality is okay. Not used to havng general tourist (not hotel guest) wandering around the ship and the hallways where the cabins are located.

 

Took part on the ship's tours, some interesting, some not. Shops on the ship are unexciting. Beautiful ship with a lot of histories. The Grand Ballroom and the Main Dining Room are must see. They use them for banquets only. Take a past on the Ghost and Legend unless you want to see the swimming pool and the other areas.

 

Transportation is surprisingly easy. There is a free bus to the door and takes you everywhere. It is called the "Passort" and is run by the Long Beach Transit. It takes you to downtown restaurant districts (Pine Street), City Place (shopping), Convention Center, Aquarium, Catalina Landing, and many major hotels along the way, among many other places. There are 4 routes in all and the schedule is published. The Passport runs from 6 am to midnight and beyond, between 10 to 20 minutes apart. Not bad at all. Felt very safe, very convienent and the drivers are freindly (weaing Hawaiin shirts) and knowledgable of the area. Been on it everyday to go places. FREE!

 

At the Transit Mall (a stop of the bus), you can take free transfers on the other "passport" routes, or pay to ride "Go Metro" or city transit. The Metro will take you to LAX, Universal, Hollywood, Chinatown etc; within the whole LA area.

 

If you don't have much luggage, you can actually go easily from LAX to the Queen Mary for the cost of $1.25 per person. (Senior, 62 or over, pays only 25 cents on off peak hours, but fare is going up on July 1)

 

Take free airport shuttle to the Aviation/LAX Metro station, take the Green line to Imperial/Wilminton, transfer to the Blue line south to Transit Mall, take the Pasport C and you are right at the Queen Mary and the Carnival cruise terminal.

 

Unfortuantely, we embark on the San Pedra terminal so it will be a shuttle ride with Prime Time.