SAN Pedro from LAX

[beachfanatic]

Any thoughts around an arrival flight into LAX at 11:00 am to make a cruise leaving at 4:00?

[Keith1010]

My advice is not to chance it and to arrive the day before.

 

Too many things can go wrong when you fly in the day of a cruise.

 

Keith

[Putterdude]

You likely have to be aboard the ship by 2:30 or 3: which mean you have about 3.5 hours to grab your luggage and get to San Pedro.....that's about equivalent to one mechanical delay and one freeway tie-up....its just not worth it. Fly the afternoon before.

[SadieN]

The other weekend we experienced not one, but two traffic breaks. That is, CHP stops the freeway to clear debris or accident. Can be minutes or hours.

[Bruin Steve]

You likely have to be aboard the ship by 2:30 or 3: which mean you have about 3.5 hours to grab your luggage and get to San Pedro.....that's about equivalent to one mechanical delay and one freeway tie-up....its just not worth it. Fly the afternoon before.

 

Nope...Not even that good...

If the flight ARRIVES at LAX at 11:00 (assuming zero delays--which would be somewhat amazing), it's going to take time to get off of the airplane as a couple hundred people in front of you slowly remove their carry-ons from the overheads and slowly shuffle toward the exit...Then, you make your way out of the ramp and through the terminal, down the long hallway to baggage claim...where you wait...and wait...and wait...for your luggage to make it onto the conveyor...Then you make your way outside and find a taxi (If you've planned on a shuttle service, expect to wait up to an extra half an hour for the shuttle to find you and them to fill up)...

 

But, say the flight is thankfully right on schedule at 11:00 and you are taking a taxi, you should not plan on departing LAX any sooner than noon...

 

Now, chances are it really won't take two and a half hours to make to down to San Pedro...so they actually will PROBABLY make it...

But, oh so many things can go wrong...starting with a flight delay, then there's that often heard announcement that you are circling the tarmac waiting for another aircraft to vacate your gate, lost luggage, taxi confusion, unpredictable traffic--construction--accidents, etc.

 

So, yes, CHANCES ARE you make it...but, for me, I don't like to leave ANY chance that I don't...

[Cruisin' Chick]

The only times we have not gotten to our embarkation port city at least a day ahead is when we sailing out of the Port of LA, but that's because we're an hour's drive from there. And even then, we're planning to leave by 10am just in case there's traffic. I've commuted for years on either the 405 or the 101 and I know that one little accident or construction project can cause a jam, no matter the day of the week or time of day.

 

And when you start talking about flying: what happens if your flight gets delayed? That happens. What happens if there's weather problems somewhere in the country? Even if your home town and Los Angeles aren't affected directly, it can still affect traffic patterns in the sky. That happens. Mechanical problems, a detour to another airport because a passenger is acting act...the list goes on.

 

Train travel too. We took Amtrak up the west coast to Seattle for an Alaskan cruise, which started on Sunday. We took the train that was to get us there around 8pm on Friday night...we got there just before midnight. But because we had Saturday, we could sleep in, pick up wine at a store there, have a nice dinner, etc. And be relaxed on Sunday once we got on the Sapphire. If we went a week later, we would had a major delay as there was a fire in a tunnel in Oregon that meant all passengers had to get off the train, get on a bus, be driven nine hours (that's what we were told) around to north of the damage, and get on another train to continue on to Seattle.

 

So no, I would agree with the others and say the smart thing to do is to book a pre-cruise hotel in San Pedro for the day before.

[kenish]

Train travel too. <snip> If we went a week later' date=' we would had a major delay as there was a fire in a tunnel in Oregon that meant all passengers had to get off the train, get on a bus, be driven nine hours (that's what we were told) around to north of the damage, and get on another train to continue on to Seattle. [/quote']

 

A friend who works for Amtrak at LA Union Station stopped by to say hello. She had to leave my house in time to be at the station for the arrival from Seattle. She called in, and said we had a lot more time because the train was "running only 6 hours late". I was surprised that 6 hours was a short delay and asked what was typical....she said, "Don't ask" with an eye roll !

Edited June 4, 2015 by kenish

[John99]

We (retirees) are currently making plans for a California Costal cruise (7 days) in October of this year. Looking at a Delta flight that lands at LAX approx. 10:35am Saturday -- the day of the cruise. We planned on using transfers provided by the cruise line. Sale away at 4:00pm. After reading the above comments, I starting to rethink my plans. The traffic, etc... could be a problem.

 

Question(s) --

Is Saturday any better (traffic wise) than a weekday to get to the port?

Any suggestion for a hotel in San Padro if we arrive a day before the cruise? Clean, safe, morning breakfast, shopping for wine, etc..

If we arrive a day early -- any suggestion on transportation to San Pedro?

 

John

[Bruin Steve]

We (retirees) are currently making plans for a California Costal cruise (7 days) in October of this year. Looking at a Delta flight that lands at LAX approx. 10:35am Saturday -- the day of the cruise. We planned on using transfers provided by the cruise line. Sale away at 4:00pm. After reading the above comments, I starting to rethink my plans. The traffic, etc... could be a problem.

 

Question(s) --

Is Saturday any better (traffic wise) than a weekday to get to the port?

Any suggestion for a hotel in San Padro if we arrive a day before the cruise? Clean, safe, morning breakfast, shopping for wine, etc..

If we arrive a day early -- any suggestion on transportation to San Pedro?

 

John

 

Saturday, of course, is better than a weekday....but, OTOH, there's always a chance of traffic for various reasons...but it's only 20 miles from LAX to the port, so traffic is actually the least of your concerns...it should only take about a half an hour without traffic, but even if it took an hour and a half, if you arrived at 10:30, you'd be okay.

However, there's a lot more that can go wrong flying in the day of the cruise...flight delays, missed connections...just getting through the airport...and you'll be tired and three hours off your time schedule.

 

If you decide to fly in the day before, either use a shuttle company or a car service (check out SuperShuttle as well as their Execucar service) and stay at the Crowne Plaza San Pedro---lots of restaurants nearby and a great little Wine shop, Off the Vine, just a couple of blocks from the hotel...

 

Good luck...

[Cruisin' Chick]

I've seen traffic jams on the weekend. Sometimes there's factors such as holiday weekends (if people are taking off Monday, they may take to the road). A traffic jam or construction can cause problems too.

 

I just wouldn't want to risk not getting to the port on time, or get on the ship in a stressed out state that could have been prevented by getting to LA the day before and spending the night in San Pedro.

[kenish]

By way of example, a few months ago I was driving the 405 freeway northbound on a Sunday. Traffic bogged down in the area about 5 miles south of LAX, where anyone headed to a cruise at either San Pedro or Long Beach would go. Traffic cleared after a mile...the "problem" was a military convoy that was pulled over on the opposite side of the freeway because one of the trucks had a breakdown. Traffic on that side (southbound) was almost stopped all the way past LAX due to the "gawkers' block". It probably added 30-45 minutes from the airport towards the ports; this just points out that even trivial things often cause major congestion.

Edited June 9, 2015 by kenish

[Desert Cruizers]

We live 2 1/2 hrs from San Diego and cruised from there one year, we drove into San Diego the day before. i don't know the LA traffic as well as others who live in that area, but would never want to try and arrive by air at 11 AM and make a cruise out of San Pedro, knowing the traffic. I would take Steve and others advice who are more familiar with the area of LA.

[elcydcruiser]

Since freeway stories are being shared...here's my most recent story....

From my house in Long Beach to Getty Center is approximately 40 miles and all freeway (no surface streets). We (SoCal residents don't travel in mileage, we travel in time). Last Friday, I went to the Getty; we left my house at 11:30 AM..... We arrived at the Getty Center at 1:00 PM... 1 1/2 hours to go 40 miles. I have the SigAlert App and every freeway that would get us there had a bright RED zone. 5 freeways later we arrived....

If you're unfamiliar with our freeway system or even the major surface streets to get around.....bottom line....Fly in the day before.

[Desert Cruizers]

elcydcruiser, friends have asked us why we say it took us X hrs to drive rather then miles, DH & I tell them because we recall the hrs better then the miles plus with the distances within So Calif alone it is much easier to say it took us X hrs.:)

[Cruisin' Chick]

My recent freeway story is just from last Saturday. It didn't involve the freeways to the port but between the San Fernando Valley and downtown LA. A major traffic jam early on a Saturday, but still a jam. Fortunately hubby was driving and from his many years of commuting to downtown, knew the detour routes. We got to the seminar a bit late, but fortunately they started late.

 

Mid afternoon, there was a lot of traffic to get back home.

[SadieN]

Favorite freeway stories---

CHP closed down the 405 just north of the 10 looking for bank robbers. They were clearing each lane one car at a time.

 

Had a deer cross the east bound 210 at the Eagle Rock. She got all the way to the carpool lane before being hit.

 

Who remembers the Honda commercial being shot in the Sepulveda Pass many years ago? That was truly horrible.

 

Favorite recent one, in Northern CA, off the 580(?) There was a rodeo going on. Saw several riders while stuck in that traffic.

[kenish]

Favorite freeway stories---

 

The owner of a company I worked for was deeply into organic and natural foods. They would special-order fresh, organic, Thanksgiving turkeys for all the employees from a farm in Central California. One year we waited and waited for the turkeys to arrive so we could all go home. Finally the owner told everyone to just buy a turkey and get reimbursed later.

 

Turns out the turkey farm's refrigerated bobtail truck overturned and spilled fresh turkeys all over the 405 near LAX....caused an epic Thanksgiving Eve traffic jam!!

[Cruisin' Chick]

The owner of a company I worked for was deeply into organic and natural foods. They would special-order fresh, organic, Thanksgiving turkeys for all the employees from a farm in Central California. One year we waited and waited for the turkeys to arrive so we could all go home. Finally the owner told everyone to just buy a turkey and get reimbursed later.

 

Turns out the turkey farm's refrigerated bobtail truck overturned and spilled fresh turkeys all over the 405 near LAX....caused an epic Thanksgiving Eve traffic jam!!

 

Reminds somewhat of the infamous turkey episode of "WKRP in Cincinnati."

 

Some years ago I was so glad that I was going to a class in Santa Monica from my job in Hollywood one evening. That afternoon, someone jumped from a bridge and caused one of the all time traffic jams and at least at 10pm, much of it was cleared.

[frantic36]

Hmmm I am not sure whether I should post here or start my own thread?

 

I was planning to leave my disneyland hotel at 12MD to go to San Pedro to embark on Seabourn Odyssey. It will be 4 January on a Monday and the ship departs at 4pm. From previous experience I know muster is around 3pm. I have a private car booked.

 

Based on this information have I left myself enough time? If not what time should I book the car for?

 

Thank you for any help.

 

Julie

[swedish weave]

Now that the "fearmongers" have had their say, I will let you know I commeted the Los Angeles freeways for 27 years, and my territory encompassed the entire Los Angeles basin.

 

I made it to work and to meetings all during that time. I also have made many cruises out of San Pedro and haven't missed ANY OF THEM.

 

The freeways can jam up, but if you have a professional driver or a good GPS, you can get around the tie-ups with some delay.

 

Relating problems from years ago may make you feel good, but it serves no purpose other than cost others money for hotels.

[SadieN]

Just letting them know that things happen, out of our control, and need to reroute and/or add extra time. It's easy enough to reroute around the President when he's in town. The other day all the east/west streets were blocked bc of his visit.

 

As Angelenos we know if you leave early you'll get to your destination with no problems. Leave 'on time' and you'll have turkeys on the freeways. We always seem to end up being the first car in the traffic break or just past the exit. No going around then.

Edited June 20, 2015 by SadieN

[Bruin Steve]

Now that the "fearmongers" have had their say, I will let you know I commeted the Los Angeles freeways for 27 years, and my territory encompassed the entire Los Angeles basin.

 

I made it to work and to meetings all during that time. I also have made many cruises out of San Pedro and haven't missed ANY OF THEM.

 

The freeways can jam up, but if you have a professional driver or a good GPS, you can get around the tie-ups with some delay.

 

Relating problems from years ago may make you feel good, but it serves no purpose other than cost others money for hotels.

 

My friend, I am glad for you that in 27 years of driving in LA you never were late for work or missed a meeting due to traffic. That is truly remarkable. I have driven the freeways of So Cal for 45 years and have been late to work and/or meetings several times. I think it is inevitable...even in towns other than LA.

 

And, if you think the OPs question...or the advice on this thread...is merely about driving around traffic, you are just WAY wrong...

 

And I don't have to go back to "problems from years ago" to make my point. I only have to go back to yesterday afternoon. We were returning from our Alaska cruise on the 1:00 Air Canada flight YVR-LAX. There had also been a 9:30 am YVR-LAX and there were cruise passengers for a cruise out of San Pedro booked on that one. BUT it was delayed until 1:30 pm!!

 

Some of those cruise passengers were able to change to our flight--which was on time--scheduled to arrive at LAX at 4:03 pm. When we landed, the pilot announced this over the PA and asked everyone to stay seated and allow the cruise passengers to deplane first (didn't really work, of course).

 

And, of course, these cruise passengers had to get through the terminal and wait for their luggage (which, again, took some time--and they twice changed which carousel our luggage was arriving on)...Then, they could find a taxi to take them to San Pedro...during afternoon rush hour...on a FRIDAY!

 

I don't know if they made the ship...I am guessing NOT.

I also imagine there were others on their delayed flight who couldn't get seats on our flight and couldn't get out of YVR until 1:30pm...

 

There are just too many things that can go wrong with flying in the day of a cruise with not enough lead time...

 

Actually, our Air Alaska flight TO Anchorage to get to the cruise was also delayed a considerable time. When the aircraft arrived at LAX, they discovered a mechanical problem and thought they needed to order a part...so, they delayed the flight a considerable time and let the flight crew leave the airport. The crew took a shuttle int Westchester to go have Dinner. When they found they had the part and fixed the problem so it didn't need to be delayed, the crew was nowhere nearby and needed a ride back...so, the flight was delayed anyway.

 

Luckily for us, this was the night before the cruise that we had this planned for...So, even though the flight arrived late--at 2:00 am--we were still able to get some sleep...and be there to meet our ride to Seward at 9:00 am...

 

ANY travel to meet a cruise entails some considerable risk...and far more than just LA traffic. I am NOT a "fearmonger". I believe I offer sage advice. And MY credibility should be apparent...far more than someone who claims to never have traffic cause them to be late to work in 27 years!

[Cruisin' Chick]

Just letting them know that things happen, out of our control, and need to reroute and/or add extra time. It's easy enough to reroute around the President when he's in town. The other day all the east/west streets were blocked bc of his visit.

 

As Angelenos we know if you leave early you'll get to your destination with no problems. Leave 'on time' and you'll have turkeys on the freeways. We always seem to end up being the first car in the traffic break or just past the exit. No going around then.

 

My friend, I am glad for you that in 27 years of driving in LA you never were late for work or missed a meeting due to traffic. That is truly remarkable. I have driven the freeways of So Cal for 45 years and have been late to work and/or meetings several times. I think it is inevitable...even in towns other than LA.

 

And, if you think the OPs question...or the advice on this thread...is merely about driving around traffic, you are just WAY wrong...

 

...

There are just too many things that can go wrong with flying in the day of a cruise with not enough lead time...

 

...

 

ANY travel to meet a cruise entails some considerable risk...and far more than just LA traffic. I am NOT a "fearmonger". I believe I offer sage advice. And MY credibility should be apparent...far more than someone who claims to never have traffic cause them to be late to work in 27 years!

 

I agree that we're not trying to spread fear, just being real here. I too have commuted for many years and have had that sheepish look on my face when coming in late many a time...as did anyone who didn't normally come in at some ungodly time such as 7am (usually these are the head honchos who do this).

 

We do try to be on top of possible traffic situations such as when the POTUS is in town (usually you can find out the route and avoid it if possible), but usually it's the accidents and construction that will cause the jams outside of rush hour (which is more rush hours).

 

As I said before, we try to leave for a cruise by 10am at the latest for the 50-mile trip. We would avoid flying in the day of a cruise anywhere else. If we ever go on a cruise out of San Diego, we would stay there at least the night before. Again, why stress yourself out, especially when many of the possibilities will be out of your control?

 

There are some CC members who say that they always book a morning flight out after disembarkation and always make the flight. I would hate for someone else to base their decision to fly in the day of a flight or fly out on a 10am flight after disembarkation based on some of these claims. You're the one taking the risk, right?

[swedish weave]

My friend, I am glad for you that in 27 years of driving in LA you never were late for work or missed a meeting due to traffic. That is truly remarkable. I have driven the freeways of So Cal for 45 years and have been late to work and/or meetings several times. I think it is inevitable...even in towns other than LA.

 

And, if you think the OPs question...or the advice on this thread...is merely about driving around traffic, you are just WAY wrong...

 

And I don't have to go back to "problems from years ago" to make my point. I only have to go back to yesterday afternoon. We were returning from our Alaska cruise on the 1:00 Air Canada flight YVR-LAX. There had also been a 9:30 am YVR-LAX and there were cruise passengers for a cruise out of San Pedro booked on that one. BUT it was delayed until 1:30 pm!!

 

Some of those cruise passengers were able to change to our flight--which was on time--scheduled to arrive at LAX at 4:03 pm. When we landed, the pilot announced this over the PA and asked everyone to stay seated and allow the cruise passengers to deplane first (didn't really work, of course).

 

And, of course, these cruise passengers had to get through the terminal and wait for their luggage (which, again, took some time--and they twice changed which carousel our luggage was arriving on)...Then, they could find a taxi to take them to San Pedro...during afternoon rush hour...on a FRIDAY!

 

I don't know if they made the ship...I am guessing NOT.

I also imagine there were others on their delayed flight who couldn't get seats on our flight and couldn't get out of YVR until 1:30pm...

 

There are just too many things that can go wrong with flying in the day of a cruise with not enough lead time...

 

Actually, our Air Alaska flight TO Anchorage to get to the cruise was also delayed a considerable time. When the aircraft arrived at LAX, they discovered a mechanical problem and thought they needed to order a part...so, they delayed the flight a considerable time and let the flight crew leave the airport. The crew took a shuttle int Westchester to go have Dinner. When they found they had the part and fixed the problem so it didn't need to be delayed, the crew was nowhere nearby and needed a ride back...so, the flight was delayed anyway.

 

Luckily for us, this was the night before the cruise that we had this planned for...So, even though the flight arrived late--at 2:00 am--we were still able to get some sleep...and be there to meet our ride to Seward at 9:00 am...

 

ANY travel to meet a cruise entails some considerable risk...and far more than just LA traffic. I am NOT a "fearmonger". I believe I offer sage advice. And MY credibility should be apparent...far more than someone who claims to never have traffic cause them to be late to work in 27 years!

 

Your response covers much other than the commute from LAX to San Pedro. Sorry you have so many more problems than I do.

Edited June 21, 2015 by swedish weave

[Bruin Steve]

Your response covers much other than the commute from LAX to San Pedro. Sorry you have so many more problems than I do.

 

Go back and read the thread. The OP's original question was:

Any thoughts around an arrival flight into LAX at 11:00 am to make a cruise leaving at 4:00?

 

It was NOT "How's the traffic in LA?"

 

So, yes, my responses...and the responses of others here... have covered much more than the commute from LAX to San Pedro. And these responses came from caring local individuals wishing to help the OP form avoiding a situation where the OP might endanger their getting to the cruise. All responses were cordial and caring...and respectful of other posters...until YOU came on here with the name-calling. AND, you still, apparently, don't get it.

Edited June 21, 2015 by Bruin Steve