Coach from Las Vegas to Los Angeles port and drinks and Gratuity charges

[Technoman2]

Hi . Tentatively looking at a cruise and stay hol in feb 2023 that starts in Vegas then after 3 days goes to pick up Crown Princess cruise ship for 14 night cruise to Hawaii . Has anyone done this coach trip from Vegas to Los angeles , if so could you tell me please if the coaches are comfortable and how long it takes. I would guess around 4 hours but i dont know if they have comfort breaks on route of you just have to use the restroom on the coach.

Also could anyone give me and idea what the cost of drinks are like and add on costs like Tips and Gratuities. It may seem an odd question but being from the UK we are not aware of the onboard cost of ships paying (charging) in dollars and sailing from the US. I guess 9 sea days could result in some thirsty passengers and maybe worth considering the drinks package. We probably drink more tea and coffee than alcohol but just looking at what budget we may need.

 

Thanks

[Moondogy]

Depending upon cabin type gratituities run 14 to 15 usd per person per day. Drinks, depending on your poison can be from $7 to $18 from some of the menus I've seen here. You can search menus and find some of the new menus. 

Edited August 16, 2022 by Moondogy

[skynight]

Drive time Las Vegas to San Pedro about 5 to 6 hours. I would imagine you would get at least one break, but that would be up to the driver. The trip is through the desert at least half of the way. 

Hawaii cruise will be 15 nights with 4 ports in Hawaii plus Ensenada, Mexico on the last day. There will be 9 sea days. The first 2 to 3 days from San Pedro most likely will be a little cool and the sea could be choppy. Turns tropical once the ship crosses the Tropic of Cancer.

Highly recommend the plus or premier fares. The plus fare covers unlimited non-alcoholic beverages with some exclusions like canned sodas plus 15 alcoholic beverages/day menu priced up to $12. There is a very large selection of the $12 and under drinks including almost all cocktails. The beverage service charge is included in the fare, no extra charges. Basically two to three alcoholic beverages pp/day is the breakeven. The fare also covers daily gratuities and unlimited internet. There is also a premium fare which covers drinks up to $18. These are mostly wines and single malt spirits. The premium fare also covers some specialty dining as well as other things. You can search on line for all the details. I would not purchase the a beverage package separately. It is more expensive that way and you still will be charged for the daily grats and wifi.

If you have the no frills fare a daily gratuity of between $14.50 to $16.50/pp/day depending on cabin category is charged to your on board accounts. Internet cost about $10/day. There will be an 18% service charge added to the menu price of all beverages, alcoholic and non-alcoholic.

Recommend you research Club Class mini suites. 

[technoman]

Our "Princess Plus" fare includes our Princess Plus Beverage Package, Wi-Fi and Crew Appreciation!

Wow those crew appreciation charges apx £353  for the trip and then 18% on top even if you take out the Princess plus package seem eye watering expensive. It says on the princess website you can adjust the  crew appreciation amount ? is this done at the end of the trip as realistically i would not want to pay more than £150 per cabin.  Maybe i should consider buying some carnival shares (100 shares i think)  to get some on board credit but this only works when you book direct and not through a travel agent. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions

[technoman]

for info

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/static-files/50351a91-4dc0-4f6b-bfec-684647e6129f

[Cruise Raider]

So, I would highly recommend getting a flight on Southwest Airlines from Las Vegas to LAX or even better yet, Long Beach.  You won’t pay extra for luggage on Southwest and it’s such a quick little flight.  just pick a flight that has a flight afterwards that will still get you to the LA area on time to make it to the port, just in case your flight gets delayed or canceled.  
If you can, I’d book thee flight on EZ air as they have been known to get you to your cruise.  

 

[Moondogy]

1 hour ago, technoman said:

Our "Princess Plus" fare includes our Princess Plus Beverage Package, Wi-Fi and Crew Appreciation!

Wow those crew appreciation charges apx £353  for the trip and then 18% on top even if you take out the Princess plus package seem eye watering expensive. It says on the princess website you can adjust the  crew appreciation amount ? is this done at the end of the trip as realistically i would not want to pay more than £150 per cabin.  Maybe i should consider buying some carnival shares (100 shares i think)  to get some on board credit but this only works when you book direct and not through a travel agent. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions

If you have the plus package, that includes the tips for the crew, and the 18% tip for drinks are also included. You still can get the OBC for the 100 shares if booked through a TA. Also, if you are a veteran from the UK you can get OBC for that as well. Just check under the military benefits on the bottom of the princess website.

Edited August 16, 2022 by Moondogy

[skynight]

The plus fare is inclusive. Believe it is GBP40/pp/day extra over the standard fare  for the three benefits, beverage package, wifi (unlimited internet), crew appreciation (daily gratuities). The value, not what you actually pay, of the gratuities is shown as GBP353 or GBP176.50 per person for the 15 days. The gratuity is part of the fare and can not be eliminated or changed. You can only change the daily hotel gratuity when you select the standard fare where the daily hotel gratuity is charged separately each day to your accounts. The standard daily gratuity charged for those that do not have an inclusive fare is $14.50/pp/day for balcony cabins or less, $15.50/pp/day for mini suites and $16.50/pp/day for full suites. Basically Princess allocates some of your fare to a crew gratuity pool and then rewards those included in the pool. You can not adjust this.

You mention 18% service charge. This is the standard service charge for beverages and IS included with your fare. Nothing extra is charged for beverages included in the package. If you do happen to purchase a beverage that is over $12 then you will be charged the difference in price + 18%. Examples, you order a glass of wine priced at $14. Your account will be charged $2.00 +18% for a total of $2.36. You can not remove the 18%; you order a bottle of wine for $40, you receive the 25% discount and are then charged $30+18% or $35.40.

Suggest you read the full terms and conditions of the beverage package.

https://www.princess.com/cruise-deals-promotions/plus-premier-cruise-packages/

 

[JF - retired RRT]

2 hours ago, technoman said:

Maybe i should consider buying some carnival shares (100 shares i think)  to get some on board credit but this only works when you book direct and not through a travel agent. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions

Yes. Buy Carnival shares. The price is likely as low as it could go...$11 usd/share today (OMG!!). I paid $35 in 2013. It was in the $60s pre-Covid.

You get the OBC regardless of how you book (direct w/Princess or a TA). Just send proof of ownership. Check Google for the process, while you're researching the military OBC (if you qualify). $250 usd for EACH. That's $500 usd for that one cruise.

The shares would cost you ~$120 usd. Easy decision.

Edited August 16, 2022 by JF - retired RRT

[cr8tiv1]

I am not aware of a Princess sponsored coach from Las Vegas to LA Harbor.  You would still need to find your way to the port from wherever the drop off point is.  In addition, I would think you would  have to catch the coach a day before then stay at a hotel for the night.

 

The suggestion to fly day of, on Southwest, to LGB (Long Beach) is s good suggestion.  

[skynight]

2 minutes ago, cr8tiv1 said:

I am not aware of a Princess sponsored coach from Las Vegas to LA Harbor.  You would still need to find your way to the port from wherever the drop off point is.  In addition, I would think you would  have to catch the coach a day before then stay at a hotel for the night.

 

The suggestion to fly day of, on Southwest, to LGB (Long Beach) is s good suggestion.  

OP may be booking a package from a T.A. in the UK, with the Las Vegas to San Pedro included.

[Ptroxx]

2 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

So, I would highly recommend getting a flight on Southwest Airlines from Las Vegas to LAX or even better yet, Long Beach.  You won’t pay extra for luggage on Southwest and it’s such a quick little flight.  just pick a flight that has a flight afterwards that will still get you to the LA area on time to make it to the port, just in case your flight gets delayed or canceled.  
If you can, I’d book thee flight on EZ air as they have been known to get you to your cruise.  

 

Up to 2 bags.   More then there’s a charge.  FYI. 

[Cruise Raider]

14 minutes ago, Ptroxx said:

Up to 2 bags.   More then there’s a charge.  FYI. 

 

But, up to 2 bags pp.  Plus a carry on pp and a personal item pp.  That's a lot of luggage for free!!  

[Ptroxx]

3 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

But, up to 2 bags pp.  Plus a carry on pp and a personal item pp.  That's a lot of luggage for free!!  

Yes it is, 2 free bags.   But my guess is someone coming from the UK for 3 + weeks may need more luggage.   Lol. 

[Cruise Raider]

33 minutes ago, Ptroxx said:

Yes it is, 2 free bags.   But my guess is someone coming from the UK for 3 + weeks may need more luggage.   Lol. 

 

Wow ... lol

That's already 4 large bags, 2 carry on size bags and 2 personal items per couple.  Heck, we did a 3 week trip, part of it on a cruise, in Hawaii in carry on luggage only.  I would worry more about finding a bus or an UberX to take that much luggage than I would a flight.  

[Ptroxx]

25 minutes ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

Wow ... lol

That's already 4 large bags, 2 carry on size bags and 2 personal items per couple.  Heck, we did a 3 week trip, part of it on a cruise, in Hawaii in carry on luggage only.  I would worry more about finding a bus or an UberX to take that much luggage than I would a flight.  

My comments a general statement that only 2 bags are free on SW.   

so what if this persons a photographer with a lot of gear. 
or their wife packs a suitcase for just her purses and her husband has a suitcase for his shoes.     
sure some people  travel light.  Some don’t.   
 

[mtnesterz]

L.A.local here.

Much prefer the suggested option of taking air service instead of a bus, Southwest is a budget carrier with very frequent service from Las Vegas to LAX. Five to six hours on a bus vs one hour on a plane.

First of all, you don't know where the bus is going to leave you. Could be downtown Los Angeles. A long way from San Pedro with no help getting there.

Long Beach Airport can be a good option, but personally, we opt for Princess airport transfers. If this is your preference, Princess only serves LAX.

You say you don't drink much alcohol and if this is the case, it makes no sense to go Princess Plus. 

That leaves tipping. Here in the US, tipping is much debated and in the UK, not common to my understanding. I think you'd call what Princess does a, "tronc scheme." This is automatic, but you can adjust the amount up or down at the Passenger Services desk. I think you should be comfortable with whatever you choose to do about that.  If you prefer, Passenger Services gives out envelopes at the end of the cruise and we see some hand out envelopes. Whether this is instead of, or addition to, I don't know.

Edited August 16, 2022 by mtnesterz

[KeepCalmBearOn]

 

4 hours ago, technoman said:

Our "Princess Plus" fare includes our Princess Plus Beverage Package, Wi-Fi and Crew Appreciation!

Wow those crew appreciation charges apx £353  for the trip and then 18% on top even if you take out the Princess plus package seem eye watering expensive. It says on the princess website you can adjust the  crew appreciation amount ? is this done at the end of the trip as realistically i would not want to pay more than £150 per cabin.  Maybe i should consider buying some carnival shares (100 shares i think)  to get some on board credit but this only works when you book direct and not through a travel agent. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions

 

I would drop the idea of a Las Vegas/cruise package unless you are saving boatloads of money and do a DYI, UK to Vegas (LAS), fly to Long Beach, Hawaii cruise, back to UK from LAX.

 

I think you will get a better quality hotel in Vegas, enjoy the 1 hour flight vs the 6 hour bus ride and have more flexibility in cruise fares.

[cr8tiv1]

2 hours ago, Ptroxx said:

My comments a general statement that only 2 bags are free on SW.   

so what if this persons a photographer with a lot of gear. 
or their wife packs a suitcase for just her purses and her husband has a suitcase for his shoes.     
sure some people  travel light.  Some don’t.   
 

 

2 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

Wow ... lol

That's already 4 large bags, 2 carry on size bags and 2 personal items per couple.  Heck, we did a 3 week trip, part of it on a cruise, in Hawaii in carry on luggage only.  I would worry more about finding a bus or an UberX to take that much luggage than I would a flight.  

 

3 hours ago, Ptroxx said:

Yes it is, 2 free bags.   But my guess is someone coming from the UK for 3 + weeks may need more luggage.   Lol. 

 

3 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

But, up to 2 bags pp.  Plus a carry on pp and a personal item pp.  That's a lot of luggage for free!!  

 

I ONLY wish I could learn to travel light (carry on only).  In all my years of travel, I have never been able to do that.  And as I get older, I seem to have more "baggage".

 

BUT...I am able to check in 2 pieces of luggage (and sometimes a third for free) for a 3 month trip to the islands.  BUT...handling that much is quite a challenge.  AND most of my clothes and other necessities are already in the islands.  You would think, I'd be able to. get over there with a carry on.  I don't ever see that happening.  

 

That's why I love cruising from a home port.  I can take as much as I want, including the kitchen sink.  

 

So much for injecting some anecdotal humor.  Now back to the thread.  

1.  Las Vegas to LAX with a Princess transfer (do not do this on your own, too many problems)

2.  Las Vegas to LGB and do it your own.  (my vote)

[Mike45LC]

@Mtnesterz: The OP’s coach is a charter from the travel agent.  It presumably picks up at the Vegas hotel that is part of the package and drops off at the dock.  So the OP does not need to worry about any transportation.

 

To fly (aside from the fact that the OP already would have the coach paid for as part of his package), the OP would need to Uber to LAS and from the Los Angeles airport (Long Beach or LAX or ??).  

The total cost is not as cheap as you’d like to think.  

Also, it is not a fair comparison of a “one hour flight” versus a five hour bus ride.  That “one hour flight” requires transportation time from the LV hotel to LAS (I always allow 30 minutes),  arrival at the airport two hours early (I think that is still the TSA recommendation), and luggage claim at LAX, and travel from LAS to the port (45 minutes?).  Almost 4 hours total.  NOT just the “one hour flight”.  As someone who used to drive round trip from LA to Vegas every week, I am well aware of how misleading that “one hour flight” comparison is!

 

[KeepCalmBearOn]

46 minutes ago, Mike45LC said:

As someone who used to drive round trip from LA to Vegas every week.....

 

How many of those were "in a coach"?

[PTMary]

7 hours ago, technoman said:

Our "Princess Plus" fare includes our Princess Plus Beverage Package, Wi-Fi and Crew Appreciation!

Wow those crew appreciation charges apx £353  for the trip and then 18% on top even if you take out the Princess plus package seem eye watering expensive. It says on the princess website you can adjust the  crew appreciation amount ? is this done at the end of the trip as realistically i would not want to pay more than £150 per cabin.  Maybe i should consider buying some carnival shares (100 shares i think)  to get some on board credit but this only works when you book direct and not through a travel agent. Thanks for taking the time to answer my questions

 

Please don't reduce the gratuities for the crew. They work very hard to make your cruise as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. They count on the gratuities to supplement their wages, and if they are removed, you would be taking advantage of them - ie: making them work for less pay then they deserve. I have never had any reason to reduce the grats on any of my cruises. If you aren't satisfied with the service, speak to the customer service desk and get it resolved THEN, not live with it and reduce the grats at the end as punishment. Be kind and considerate and let them have what they have earned. Please. 

Edited August 16, 2022 by PTMary

[Mike45LC]

Scott, I usually drove between LA and Las Vegas in one of my cars, but over the course of five years, I took a bus about 50 to 60 times (one round trip every other month or so).  I had posted about the "Chinatown buses" when I first began to use them.  I boarded the bus in Chinatown in LA (in front of Bank of America) and it dropped me off on the Strip in Las Vegas -- at Planet Hollywood or Bally's.  (Or vice versa.) 

 

There was a stop somewhere in the Imperial Valley in LA at a Chinese grocery store (99 Ranch, maybe).  Because of this detour and stop, the bus took about an hour longer than by car. 

 

Taking the bus allowed me to sleep and/or work on the drive.  Almost all of the passengers were Chinese and they left me alone, except to smile at me and occasionally offer me food and when they were taking up a collection to tip the driver.  I almost always got the center seat in the last row, where my feet could extend down the aisle -- right next to the comfort room, which fortunately didn't stink much.  The unlimited leg room was great.

 

The worst part of taking the bus was getting from Chinatown to my home on L.A. buses.  

 

There was also a "Koreatown bus" between LA and Vegas that would pick up and drop off at a shopping center on Western just south of Wilshire.  From this shopping center, I could walk to the MetroRail at Western and Wilshire.  I don't remember the color of the line, but it was the one that ended at that stop and not the one that went up to Hollywood.

[skynight]

1 hour ago, Mike45LC said:

@Mtnesterz: The OP’s coach is a charter from the travel agent.  It presumably picks up at the Vegas hotel that is part of the package and drops off at the dock.  So the OP does not need to worry about any transportation.

This is how I understood the OPs arrangement. Believe it's a package deal which includes 3 nights in L.V. and a bus transfer from L.V. directly to the ship. Package trips are common way to book in the UK. All the postings about flying, busses dropping you off in downtown, etc. is probably confusing to the OP. 

[sloopsailor]

1 hour ago, PTMary said:

 

Please don't reduce the gratuities for the crew. They work very hard to make your cruise as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. They count on the gratuities to supplement their wages, and if they are removed, you would be taking advantage of them - ie: making them work for less pay then they deserve. I have never had any reason to reduce the grats on any of my cruises. If you aren't satisfied with the service, speak to the customer service desk and get it resolved THEN, not live with it and reduce the grats at the end as punishment. Be kind and considerate and let them have what they have earned. Please. 

Well said! It never fails to amaze me that some people decide to cheat the staff out of their usual earnings to save a few bucks that they certainly can afford if the can afford to cruise in the first place. That a person would willingly remove a part of the income of people who are much less affluent than the passenger is, and need that money much more than the passenger does, is extremely disappointing. Thank you for saying it so well.