LAX to San Pedro? Best to use Ship Transfers?

[Mike07]

I've had no issues with Uber, granted a direct flight from my local airport is in LA at 7 am.... So, even in the worst of traffic scenarios, I can get to San Pedro on time.

[SKCruiser007]

In January, we took a Lyft from LAX to San Pedro after taking the LAXit shuttle to the lot where rideshares wait. On the way back, we were going to take a taxi, but we spotted (or were spotted by) a private car driver that asked if we wanted a ride. It was about $50 both ways, and very convenient.

[Shelly97060]

We took a cab yesterday from LAX to San Pedro cruise terminal and it was $58 plus tip. 

[SomewhereGirl]

Does anyone know if it's possible purchase a Princess transfer from LAX upon landing?  Can they sell you a transfer on the spot if there space available and perhaps charge it to your onboard account? I'm too close to sailing to pre-purchase the transfer now.

Edited April 5, 2022 by SomewhereGirl

[sfaaa]

A TA on youtube said it is possible but obviously not a guarantee. Better have a Plan B in place just in case.

[pompeii]

1 hour ago, SomewhereGirl said:

Does anyone know if it's possible purchase a Princess transfer from LAX upon landing?  Can they sell you a transfer on the spot if there space available and perhaps charge it to your onboard account? I'm too close to sailing to pre-purchase the transfer now.

Someone did that while we were waiting for the transfer to the Grand last month. It didn’t seem to be a big deal or even out of the ordinary. I believe the Princess transfer agent just wrote their names and cabin number down on her list so their account could be charged. 

[sboh]

I used the Princess transfer last Sunday, April 3rd, from LAX to pier and wished I had just gotten a taxi. Flight arrived at 9:45am, collected my luggage and found rep, very easy, but then had to wait an additional hour and 15 minutes for the actual shuttle and there is no where to sit. Ended up sitting on luggage carousel. Very unpleasant experience. I was supposed to be in arrival group A but didn’t even get to port until well after and by then it was very crowded and more waiting. The bus itself and drive were fine but I had gotten up at 4:15 Eastern time to take flight so it ended up being an exhausting day.

[nini]

On 4/3/2022 at 2:25 PM, Guardsy said:

We generally prefer to NOT use the ship transfer buses, but have never cruised out of the Port of San Pedro.

 

It appears the Princess transfers are $34 per person each way.  Taxi appears to be $55, plus tip.  Uber, who knows where gas prices will put rates at.

 

30 Miles from LAX to the Port?

 

Experiences by others?

 

 

Hi fellow Washingtonian! We took Uber to San Pedro and it was about $35.00 but that was in 2018. Quick and easy to our hotel. If you can fly into Long Beach, then it will be much closer.

[nini]

8 hours ago, SomewhereGirl said:

Does anyone know if it's possible purchase a Princess transfer from LAX upon landing?  Can they sell you a transfer on the spot if there space available and perhaps charge it to your onboard account? I'm too close to sailing to pre-purchase the transfer now.

Unless you are sailing tomorrow, why can't you call Princess and book the transfer?

[Coral]

10 hours ago, sboh said:

I used the Princess transfer last Sunday, April 3rd, from LAX to pier and wished I had just gotten a taxi. Flight arrived at 9:45am, collected my luggage and found rep, very easy, but then had to wait an additional hour and 15 minutes for the actual shuttle and there is no where to sit. Ended up sitting on luggage carousel. Very unpleasant experience. I was supposed to be in arrival group A but didn’t even get to port until well after and by then it was very crowded and more waiting. The bus itself and drive were fine but I had gotten up at 4:15 Eastern time to take flight so it ended up being an exhausting day.

I had a similar experience. My flight was later but it felt like 2 hours from the time I got my bags at the airport to the time I got on the ship. The rep at the airport had no idea how to use her phone and we had no clue when the bus was coming.

[SomewhereGirl]

4 hours ago, nini said:

Unless you are sailing tomorrow, why can't you call Princess and book the transfer?

 

I assumed that when the option to purchase was no longer available in the Cruise Personalizer that the option to prebook was no longer available at all.

[pompeii]

11 hours ago, sboh said:

I used the Princess transfer last Sunday, April 3rd, from LAX to pier and wished I had just gotten a taxi. Flight arrived at 9:45am, collected my luggage and found rep, very easy, but then had to wait an additional hour and 15 minutes for the actual shuttle and there is no where to sit. Ended up sitting on luggage carousel. Very unpleasant experience. I was supposed to be in arrival group A but didn’t even get to port until well after and by then it was very crowded and more waiting. The bus itself and drive were fine but I had gotten up at 4:15 Eastern time to take flight so it ended up being an exhausting day.

This was exactly our experience.  We also flew very early out of Cleveland for a flight arriving at LAX at 9am, but then waited by the baggage carousels for 2 hours before a bus showed up.  We tried sitting outside on one of the benches for a little while so we would be in "fresh" air, but that was unpleasant with all the noise and exhaust fumes from the vehicles.  A taxi or Uber would have been much more pleasant.

[nini]

5 hours ago, SomewhereGirl said:

 

I assumed that when the option to purchase was no longer available in the Cruise Personalizer that the option to prebook was no longer available at all.

It is worth a call.

[Nebr.cruiser]

Normally we don't do cruise line shuttles, but after our experience at LAX last week, we should have at this port.

 

We flew in the morning of the cruise--which we also never do--for various reasons, using Princess Air.  After getting our bags and then finding my sister, who was on a different airline, we had quite a long walk to the Uber area; no Laxit shuttles where they were supposed to be.  It seemed like a mile or more, hauling our luggage.

 

Uber to San Pedro for the three of us was over $90.  We saved hardly anything and it wasn't worth the hassle.  

 

We booked a Prince transfer for our return which worked fine.  Due to traffic and having to take a shuttle to our gate after checking in, we got there barely 20 minutes before boarding.

 

IMO, Lax is not the port to try Uber or Lyft.

[sfaaa]

13 hours ago, nini said:

Unless you are sailing tomorrow, why can't you call Princess and book the transfer?

On my upcoming cruise, Princess said the bus is now full and transfer no longer available.

[Mike07]

22 hours ago, SomewhereGirl said:

Does anyone know if it's possible purchase a Princess transfer from LAX upon landing?  Can they sell you a transfer on the spot if there space available and perhaps charge it to your onboard account? I'm too close to sailing to pre-purchase the transfer now.

 

 

If Princess has space available, I would be shocked if they said "no".  I've asked before when flying in what the price would be, and then I end up taking Uber.

 

 

[ilenekm]

We are arriving a couple of days before the cruise and are renting a car. It is more than $200 more to drop a rental car at San Pedro vs LAX.  From the car rental drop off at LAX will we be able to get an Uber or Lyft or do we need to go to the terminal and then to the waiting area for rideshare?  What about taxis?

[nini]

3 hours ago, sfaaa said:

On my upcoming cruise, Princess said the bus is now full and transfer no longer available.

At least you tried. Have a great cruise!

[CT D&N]

We typically use Uber for most of our cruise transportation but for future cruises I'll consider a Princess transfer based on my recent experience.  My wife and I cruised out of San Pedro on 3/27 and returned 4/3.  We took an Uber to our hotel in Long Beach from LAX the day before and it was $127 before tip (we selected a mini van)!  Based on this Uber cost we decided to look into a Princess transfer for our return to LAX (we had plenty of time to make our flight).  We ended up booking a Princess transfer onboard the ship for our return to LAX for $34 per person. After disembarking and getting our bags we walked onto the bus and waited for about 20 minutes and were dropped off at LAX Terminal 2 without a problem. I don't think there is a right or wrong answer but you need to factor into your decision distance, flight times and potential Princess transfer time variability with filling up a bus before heading off to the airport, etc.

[sboh]

On 4/5/2022 at 8:48 PM, sboh said:

I used the Princess transfer last Sunday, April 3rd, from LAX to pier and wished I had just gotten a taxi. Flight arrived at 9:45am, collected my luggage and found rep, very easy, but then had to wait an additional hour and 15 minutes for the actual shuttle and there is no where to sit. Ended up sitting on luggage carousel. Very unpleasant experience. I was supposed to be in arrival group A but didn’t even get to port until well after and by then it was very crowded and more waiting. The bus itself and drive were fine but I had gotten up at 4:15 Eastern time to take flight so it ended up being an exhausting day.

I wanted to post an update since I also used the Princess transfer when I disembarked yesterday, April 10th. Everything was very organized and ran smoothly, busses we’re waiting at the pier, it took about 20 minutes to get everybody and their luggage loaded and I arrived at airport with plenty of time to spare. 

[JudithLynne]

sboh.... what time was your flight?

[sboh]

5 hours ago, JudithLynne said:

sboh.... what time was your flight?

My flight was at 12:42pm. I was on United at terminal 7 which is the last drop off and still had about three hours to kill.

[JudithLynne]

Thank you for your quick response.  We cruise in Nov and are using Princess transfers both ways.  Our return flight is at 12:40, Terminal 7, so you have given me peace of mind.  Thank you again for posting.

[Nebr.cruiser]

10 hours ago, JudithLynne said:

Thank you for your quick response.  We cruise in Nov and are using Princess transfers both ways.  Our return flight is at 12:40, Terminal 7, so you have given me peace of mind.  Thank you again for posting.

 

Edited April 12, 2022 by Nebr.cruiser
delete

[hubble]

I don't usually use Princess transfers, but I booked one for our cruise this upcoming Sunday.  My husband is disabled - he can walk short distances only.  We are traveling with his transport wheelchair, plus a walker that we are bringing as checked luggage in a travel bag.  Due to his disabilities, I opted for Princess trf with the assumption that it would be easy to pull the luggage off the carousel and easily turn it over to Princess in the same vicinity for the transfer to the ship.  There is no way I could haul the luggage & his mobility aids myself if we were to take a Uber or super shuttle.   Is this assumption correct, that princess will be right there next to baggage claim to hand over our luggage to?    

Edited April 12, 2022 by hubble