LA World Cruise center to LAX - Princess Debark?

[jtslattery]

This will be my first Princess cruise. My cruise is scheduled to arrive at 6:15 am. I currently have a 10:00 am reservation from LAX. 

Will that timing work?  Any tips on the best way to navigate getting off the ship and on the way? Does princess collect the luggage the night before like other lines?

[skynight]

A 10am flight is really very tight. Earliest you can disembark is around 7am to 7:30am with early walk off, meaning you wheel all your own luggage. Allow around 30 minutes to get through immigration and out to a cab. Without freeway traffic delays it's maybe 30 to 40 minutes to the airport by private taxi.

Yes, Princess will collect luggage placed outside your cabin the evening before. But, those passengers do not begin to disembark until around 8am and then it takes extra time to locate you luggage in the terminal. If you stay with a 10am flight you will have to do the self disembark early walk off. Have a back up plan.

I want to add that the above information applies if the ship has been on routine cruises to and from U.S. ports. If the ship is coming from South America or other locations immigration will be delayed.

Edited June 27, 2019 by skynight

[dockman]

One little glitch and a 10 am flight will be missed.  Any ship delay, immigration delay or famous LA Freeway traffic snarl  or LAX security delays will do you in.  Way too tight a schedule for my taste as I really don't want to have missing a flight to worry about for the duration of my cruise.

 

It is certainly possible to make 10 am but if feasible i would sure look at changing the flight for the sake of peace of mind.

[riffatsea]

Unless you walk off with your own luggage in an early group I would change the flight to a later one.

Not sure why you booked such an early flight when going to LAX??

It can take an hour to get there if there's traffic on the road or even traffic at the airport itself going to the terminals. Then you have to check luggage in and go through security so you have absolutely no wiggle room! Everything has to go just perfectly for you to make it.

Which airline did you use??

Some have very good same day change policies so that if you see that you'll be late you can call and change your flight before you get to the airport.

[waltd]

LAX is under construction.    They are putting in a monorail.    Things are moving pretty slow.  

[lx200gps]

Agree 10AM is a bit tight.  Last month, we disembarked with early walkoff around 7:20 on a Saturday and were among the first off. Because we were so early, NO lineup at customs at all and were standing on the road by 7:30. We walked up to the first Supershuttle van with no reservations, and sat for another 10 minutes while he filled the remaining 4 seats, then we were off. The driver told us it would be 20 minutes to LAX and he was correct to the minute. Still, I wouldn't risk a 10AM flight, ours was 11:15.

[pms4104]

2 hours ago, jtslattery said:

This will be my first Princess cruise. My cruise is scheduled to arrive at 6:15 am. I currently have a 10:00 am reservation from LAX. 

Will that timing work?  Any tips on the best way to navigate getting off the ship and on the way? Does princess collect the luggage the night before like other lines?

A 10am flite is way iffy ... guessing that flite is uber-cheap ... there's a reason for that

 

Whst's your backup plsn???

[Haboob]

Have a Plan 'B', for fog delays if nothing else.

[neverbeenhere]

Nope

Edited June 27, 2019 by neverbeenhere
And i will try to make close flights.

[CineGraphic]

You'd have to be in the first walk off group and have a ride waiting for you to have any chance.

[Colo Cruiser]

I agree be in the first walk off group with luggage.

Take an Uber/Lyft.

[rbrad3]

uyou need to be at airport by8 am at the latest it wont work

[Colo Cruiser]

2 hours ago, rbrad3 said:

uyou need to be at airport by8 am at the latest it wont work

Why?

[neverbeenhere]

Like Princess boarding times, two hours prior to a domestic flight is only a suggestion. 

[rbrad3]

4 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Why?

once you get off the freeway from the entrance of the airport it can take another 30 40 minutes to your drop off point

 

[cruisingrob21]

Is your cruise RT LA or start somewhere else?  Starting somewhere else or even the Mexican Riviera can have more intense customs.

[hpeabody]

Was the flight you chose at 10:00 AM within the Princess guidelines?  I live here in So Cal about 25 miles east of LAX and my minimum time allowance is to leave home is 2 1/2 to 3 hours before flight time.  LAX has pretty bad TSA snaky lines at times, especially peak times in the morning.  You can also be held at the port in San Pedro if the authorities don't clear the ship right away, then you may have immigration/customs too at San Pedro depending where you came in from.  IMO opinion 10:00 AM is risky.  Good luck to you

[MitzyG]

I booked the princess bus to go to the airport.  If you do that, you may NOT walk off with your luggage!  I only learned this when I had been on the ship for 5 days (12 day cruise) and asked nicely if I could carry my luggage off the ship.   It was explained in very rude terms "Look, FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS IN YOUR CABIN"  (and yes, that's a quote, add some attitude with that).    I'm on a pleasure cruise, I'm not an inmate in jail!   This was from the passenger service desk.

 

 If you're going to attempt it, I would walk off with the luggage then head straight for the taxi/uber.   I wouldn't let them coordinate the walk off with the bus etc.   Though, I will say, that process is quite efficient.   However, I was not in a hurry and had lunch at Carl's Jr before going to the gate...

[Kartgv]

What day of the week?   If it's a weekend, you might get very lucky, but on a weekday morning, your odds are pretty slim.    We'd had it take well over an hour to make that drive, another 30 minutes just to get to your terminal once you get to the airport, and as much as an hour going through security.    These haven't all happened on the same trip, or every time, but all can happen frequently enough to be a real issue.    As someone else mentioned, if you elect not to change your flight, make sure to have a "Plan B'.   

[caribill]

For some passengers, gambling ends when the cruise enters USA waters on the final evening.

 

For some other passengers gambling continues with a bet on making a flight that is earlier than Princess guidelines.

 

The guidelines are set for anticipated worst case scenarios, so in most cases a flight reasonably earlier than the guidelines can be practical since 12:30 PM is, in my opinion, being a bit too cautious.

 

Los Angeles

Disembarking Passengers
For voyages arriving in San Pedro at 6:15 am, the earliest flight departure 6 hours and 15 minutes after ship's arrival for domestic flights.
For voyages arriving in San Pedro at 7:00 am, the earliest flight departure 5 hours and 30 minutes after ship's arrival for domestic flights.

[jtslattery]

Thanks for all of the great advice - looks like I need to change my flights. 

[donswife]

7 hours ago, jtslattery said:

Thanks for all of the great advice - looks like I need to change my flights. 

Are you able to get to your destination by flying out of Long Beach airport and skipping LAX altogether? It is closer, smaller, and less crowded.

[travelplus]

My Father and I arrived in LA on Princess from Fort Lauderdale and scheduled a 6:00 PM flight. We were at LAX by 1 PM and spent time in the Delta Lounge before the flight.  I always allow more time than less time.