First trip to LA and looking for advice

[vijoge]

We'll be sailing on the Golden Princess on Sept. 29. I'm thinking it's time to start looking into hotels and transportation options and I have a few questions for those in the know.

 

HOTEL pre-cruise: Are the Doubletree and Crowne Plaza in San Pedro my best choices? If so, is one substantially better than the other?

 

TRANSPORTATION from LAX to the hotel: SuperShuttle or something else? We are arriving early on the 28th-have the first SW flight out of Chicago.

 

FLIGHT HOME: I haven't booked this yet. What is the earliest flight I can comfortably make on debarkation day? We'd like to get home as early as possible but I don't want to get totally stressed out trying to make a close flight.

 

Thanks

[Nanatravel]

HOTEL pre-cruise: Are the Doubletree and Crowne Plaza in San Pedro my best choices? If so, is one substantially better than the other? Yes to best choices and NO to one better than another.

 

TRANSPORTATION from LAX to the hotel: SuperShuttle or something else? We are arriving early on the 28th-have the first SW flight out of Chicago. - Pre-book Super Shuttle and pre-pay. Although there may be a stop or two before your SP hotel, it will not cause your trip to be much longer.

 

FLIGHT HOME: They recommend 1PM from San Pedro. Our flight was at 11AM. I was stressed due to delays of disembarkation (but that wasn't a major factor since we were supposed to get off at 8AM, but were delayed until 8:30AM). Our major hiccup was with Execu Car who had confirmed, never arrived until 45 minutes after we cleared customs and were outside waiting. We were flying on Virgin America, which has it's own gates and security check-in with reduced lines. Although they hadn't started boarding, they were paging our names as we arrived in the gateway area.

[Bruin Steve]

HOTEL pre-cruise: Are the Doubletree and Crowne Plaza in San Pedro my best choices? If so, is one substantially better than the other?

 

Here is the key...Since you are spending only the one night in Los Angeles, you will not have much time. If you had planned to do any sightseeing in the more popular tourist spots like Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, movie/TV studios, theme parks, museums, etc., you will not be anywhere near those. San Pedro is great for people who just want to get into town, rest, catch dinner, get some sleep and get to the port the next morning. I will assume that you are okay with that.

 

Yes, the Crowne Plaza and the Doubletree are the ONLY nice hotels in San Perdo and the only two I'd recommend. Neither is necessarily "better"...depends what you are looking for in a hotel...They are a little different. The Crowne Plaza is in the heart of Downtown Pedro--what there is of it--most of the better restaurants are withing very short walking distance. The pier is actually a short walk away (though you wouldn't walk it with luggage). The Doubletree is in a more relaxed setting--on a small boat marina down the channel a ways from the pier...there aren't many restaurants you would walk to...it's a less urban setting...Both hotels will shuttle you for free to the pier...The Doubletree will shuttle you to area restaurants...Each hotel has its fans...Either is a good choice.

 

TRANSPORTATION from LAX to the hotel: SuperShuttle or something else? We are arriving early on the 28th-have the first SW flight out of Chicago.

SuperShuttle, Prime Time Shuttle or any of the other shuttle services give the most reasonable value for getting from LAX to your hotel...but, it all depends on what you like and how much money you are comfortable spending. There are some on these boards who push public transportation--because it is incredibly cheap, I think...but, IMHO, they are bordering on insanity...yes, it costs about a buck and a half, but you're schlepping your luggage on and off thre buses and can take as much as 3 to 4 hours to get to the port...A shuttle should cost you less than $20 per person each way including tip...and yopu get door to door service in reasonably quick time...If there is a negative to the shuttles it's that first, you may have to wait for them, then they often drive around the airport a few times waiting to fill up with passengers...and they may make other stops on your way to your destination...Taxis or limos are expensive--but you leave as soon as you're ready and drive directly to your destination...So, the shuttle is, for the most part, the best value.

 

FLIGHT HOME: I haven't booked this yet. What is the earliest flight I can comfortably make on debarkation day? We'd like to get home as early as possible but I don't want to get totally stressed out trying to make a close flight.

 

You'll hear all opinions on this...reasonably, I'd feel safe with anything after noon...the variable is really how fast they get you off the ship...LAX recommends getting to the airport a full two hours before your flight...Sometimes, it seems like you need it--check-in and security lines can be long and tedious...but, I have found that it depends on airline, timing and other factors...At times, I have been from curb to gate in under 15 minutes...luck of the draw...Of course, that time may be cut shorter if your airline has internet check-in, if you're able to check bags at the curb or limit yourself to carry-ons or other factors...but figure on 2 hours, just in case...

 

Getting from the ship to LAX on a weekend morning should not take more than about a half an hour...but, if you have an earlier flight, you may consider a taxi or limo, prearranged perhaps, rather than a shuttle...then you won't wait for others...

 

So, you can generally count backwards and figure you must be in cab or shuttle and on the road at least 2.5 hours before your flight time to be completely safe...

 

So, for a noon flight, for example, you must be off the ship by no later than 9:30...Which, most cruises out of LA I've been on, is no problem...

 

You do have to be concerned with those rare sailings when there's a hangup with customs...and also be prepared to wait in a line for awhile going through customs leaving the ship...So, you really want to be walking off the ship by 9 for a noon flight...and it never hurts to work a little extra time in if you can...so, if your flight's earlier, consider wheeling your luggage off yourself...

 

Don't get too nervous if your flight's a little before noon (like 11:45, for example), you still should be able to make it easily...but do not book too much earlier than that...Take an 11:00 am flight, for example and you may make it...but you may be a nervous wreck...

 

Good luck...

[vijoge]

Here is the key...Since you are spending only the one night in Los Angeles, you will not have much time. If you had planned to do any sightseeing in the more popular tourist spots like Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, movie/TV studios, theme parks, museums, etc., you will not be anywhere near those. ...

 

Yes, I'm thinking about that, too. Since we will be arriving LAX so early we'll have at least a full 24 hours before boarding our ship. Maybe I will look into doing something in LA beforehand.

[Bruin Steve]

Yes, I'm thinking about that, too. Since we will be arriving LAX so early we'll have at least a full 24 hours before boarding our ship. Maybe I will look into doing something in LA beforehand.

 

Not as simple as it sounds...

When, exactly, does your flight get in?

 

For argument's sake, let's say your flight arrives at noon...

You will not get out of the airport all that fast...it's a long walk to the baggage claim and then you may wait a long time for your luggage...

Maybe you are out of the airport by 1:30...but, you have that luggage with you...

 

San Pedro is 20 miles SOUTH...

Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, Malibu are 10-20 miles North...

 

Hollywood, Universal City and Burbank are 15-25 miles Northeast...

 

And, with LA traffic, they don't even seem that close...and, unless you check into your hotel first, you have your luggage with you...

 

You could rent a car for the day...then, at least, you can keep your luggage in the trunk and manage your time efficiently...

 

Or, rather than San Pedro, especially if you won't have a rental car, you might choose to spend the night in a different area--say Santa Monica or Universal...This of course would mean two longer shuttle rides...But, say, if you stayed in one of those areas, you could tour that area after checking in and dropping your luggage, eat in the area, enjoy a little nightlife...spend the night and check out and shuttle to the pier the next morning...That way, at least, you can see a small taste of "LA", not just the harbor area...

 

But, reasonably, next time, try flying in at least tow or three days early...

[vijoge]

But, reasonably, next time, try flying in at least tow or three days early...

 

I'd love to, but we had enough trouble getting this much time off , between work and raising two tween-age granddaughters!

[vijoge]

When, exactly, does your flight get in?

 

Our flight is due to arrive LAX at 9:35AM.