Panorama question

[wemjam]

So we have done it... we finally booked our first (in almost 50!) West Coast Cruise!  

 

Will be sailing on her in May and can't wait.  I made sure to book our air the day before (since we are in Michigan and have a long way to go), and will also be staying by LAX the night we disembark and fly home the next day (just so we didn't run into any issues).  Also, made arrangements to do a day tour of LA area for the day we disembark since we have never been in this area.

 

Had a couple questions.  Having mostly always said from a Florida port (Baltimore and Nola once or twice), anything special I need to be aware of that might be different for this this sailing/ship?   I did plan on taking an Uber from our LAX hotel to the port as this seems to be the best way?  I planned to allot about 45 minutes for the drive (even though I know it is only like 23 miles, but I read traffic can be bad) Any better options (that aren't shared)?

 

Also, anything different to expect right at the Port in her boarding procedures?  Or business as usual.

 

The only new thing I see on her that I haven't seen on some of the ships I have been on is the possible cooking classes, which sounds interesting to me.  I know these were shut down over Covid, are they back up and running and how do you book one?

 

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

 

 

[MeganGC1983]

3 minutes ago, wemjam said:

So we have done it... we finally booked our first (in almost 50!) West Coast Cruise!  

 

Will be sailing on her in May and can't wait.  I made sure to book our air the day before (since we are in Michigan and have a long way to go), and will also be staying by LAX the night we disembark and fly home the next day (just so we didn't run into any issues).  Also, made arrangements to do a day tour of LA area for the day we disembark since we have never been in this area.

 

Had a couple questions.  Having mostly always said from a Florida port (Baltimore and Nola once or twice), anything special I need to be aware of that might be different for this this sailing/ship?   I did plan on taking an Uber from our LAX hotel to the port as this seems to be the best way?  I planned to allot about 45 minutes for the drive (even though I know it is only like 23 miles, but I read traffic can be bad) Any better options (that aren't shared)?

 

Also, anything different to expect right at the Port in her boarding procedures?  Or business as usual.

 

The only new thing I see on her that I haven't seen on some of the ships I have been on is the possible cooking classes, which sounds interesting to me.  I know these were shut down over Covid, are they back up and running and how do you book one?

 

Any insight is greatly appreciated.

 

 

Traffic at this port seems to me to be a little heavier. There are some one way streets around (more than normal) and it definitely backed up both for embarkation and disembarkation. 
Kitchen classes are up and running. I hear they sell out quickly especially sushi. 

[wemjam]

2 minutes ago, MeganGC1983 said:

Traffic at this port seems to me to be a little heavier. There are some one way streets around (more than normal) and it definitely backed up both for embarkation and disembarkation. 
Kitchen classes are up and running. I hear they sell out quickly especially sushi. 

Thank you!  Any idea on the "how" you book the cooking class?

[wemjam]

Just now, wemjam said:

Thank you!  Any idea on the "how" you book the cooking class?

FOUND it, it is under the specialty dinning.  I was looking under excursions. DUH!

[WildBlueYonder64]

Unless your flight is arriving later in the evening, I would recommend heading to Long Beach from the airport and spending your pre-cruise night there. There are a number of good restaurants in the area, and it would eliminate the possibility of any delays (accidents, traffic tie-ups, etc) getting to the port the next morning.

[MeganGC1983]

1 hour ago, wemjam said:

Thank you!  Any idea on the "how" you book the cooking class?

On the app once on board. 

[wemjam]

48 minutes ago, WildBlueYonder64 said:

Unless your flight is arriving later in the evening, I would recommend heading to Long Beach from the airport and spending your pre-cruise night there. There are a number of good restaurants in the area, and it would eliminate the possibility of any delays (accidents, traffic tie-ups, etc) getting to the port the next morning.

You know, I did contemplate that.  We do arrive late in the evening.  9:30pm ish LAX time, but I thought about just taking an Uber to Long Beach area and spending the night in the hotel there to avoid the chaos in the morning.

 

So this begs the question do we do that late in the evening on a Friday night, or do we just sleep by the airport and take the Uber in the morning on a Saturday.  Which would be better and "lighter" traffic.  Anyone in the area have an idea?

[mkcurran]

Closer to the port is better. Some hotels offer a free shuttle to the port in the morning as well.

[edspec]

The Queen Mary hotel might be re-opened by May, I've read that it is opening tomorrow for tours.   Decor very dated but if you're a Poseidon Adventure fan you'll recognize several of the public areas.   You really can't get any more convenient. We stayed there for our 12/19 Panorama cruise and it was great to walk across the parking lot to the terminal the morning of the cruise.  As alternatives there are two other hotels on that side, Hotel Maya and Residence Inn.  Both are on a walkway that leads straight to the Queen Mary, then the terminal.  Since The Queen Mary was closed last July we stayed at the Residence Inn.  Nice hotel, good breakfast, and a nice stroll to the terminal.

[wemjam]

9 minutes ago, edspec said:

The Queen Mary hotel might be re-opened by May, I've read that it is opening tomorrow for tours.   Decor very dated but if you're a Poseidon Adventure fan you'll recognize several of the public areas.   You really can't get any more convenient. We stayed there for our 12/19 Panorama cruise and it was great to walk across the parking lot to the terminal the morning of the cruise.  As alternatives there are two other hotels on that side, Hotel Maya and Residence Inn.  Both are on a walkway that leads straight to the Queen Mary, then the terminal.  Since The Queen Mary was closed last July we stayed at the Residence Inn.  Nice hotel, good breakfast, and a nice stroll to the terminal.

Thanks for the advice all!

 

I am switching to a hotel in Long Beach for the night instead (and decided instead of Uber which I read can be $50-$100, just going to set up a car for $95 to take us from LAX to hotel).

 

edspec funny thing is already was looking at that Residence Inn and planned on booking it so good choice I guess 🤪  I am SO going to see if we can stay on the Queen Mary though... I would LOVE that.  I will have to watch and see if it opens up for bookings!

[sanmarcosman]

1 minute ago, wemjam said:

  I am SO going to see if we can stay on the Queen Mary though... I would LOVE that.  I will have to watch and see if it opens up for bookings!

Not going to happen for years if ever. The City of Long Beach is stuck with it and would like someone to take it over but the future is grim.

[cruisingguy007]

2 hours ago, WildBlueYonder64 said:

Unless your flight is arriving later in the evening, I would recommend heading to Long Beach from the airport and spending your pre-cruise night there. There are a number of good restaurants in the area, and it would eliminate the possibility of any delays (accidents, traffic tie-ups, etc) getting to the port the next morning.

 

Considering Panorama embarks/debarks on a Saturday, there really shouldn't be much traffic like there is on weekdays, in fact, moving around on a Friday would likely see more traffic. There will be some folks heading down to San Diego and such but not like in summer months. I drive in day of all the way from the Tri-Valley area and it's not nearly as bad as weekdays, especially in the mornings. Hotels can be much cheaper in LA proper as well, you can get some nice 4/5 star joints for cheap through hotel arbitrage sites. I use those to look for deals and then usually get a bit cheaper of a rate by booking direct with nonrefundable rate or AAA discount. LA has much more going on than LBC and if coming in early I'd just as soon choose something there, especially on a Friday to avoid the commute mess. Plus carpool will also help make the trip a breeze on a Saturday morning.  

Edited December 14, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[skrufy]

3 hours ago, wemjam said:

You know, I did contemplate that.  We do arrive late in the evening.  9:30pm ish LAX time, but I thought about just taking an Uber to Long Beach area and spending the night in the hotel there to avoid the chaos in the morning.

 

So this begs the question do we do that late in the evening on a Friday night, or do we just sleep by the airport and take the Uber in the morning on a Saturday.  Which would be better and "lighter" traffic.  Anyone in the area have an idea?

Agree with the going straight to Long Beach. Don't sleep in LAX. Why begin your cruise with a long plane ride and then sleeping in an airport. Crash in a Long Beach hotel, wake up the next morning refreshed and ready for your cruise that's about15 minutes away. Have you thought of flying into Long Beach. Price can be high, but you can catch a good deal once is while. Small but very convenient airport. We are here in Illinois and have flown to SoCa on a few occasions. 

Edited December 14, 2022 by skrufy
Addition

[wemjam]

3 minutes ago, skrufy said:

Agree with the going straight to Long Beach. Don't sleep in LAX. Why begin your cruise with a long plane ride and then sleeping in an airport. Crash in a Long Beach hotel, wake up the next morning refreshed and ready for your cruise that's about15 minutes away. Have you thought of flying into Long Beach. Price can be high, but you can catch a good deal once is while. Small but very convenient airport. We are here in Illinois and have flown to SoCa on a few occasions. 

Yea, we looked, but from Michigan for us it was WAY more pricey!

[skrufy]

Just now, wemjam said:

Yea, we looked, but from Michigan for us it was WAY more pricey!

Yes, it's outrageous. We are heading out for a cruise in April. Found a great rate out of Ohare. Only draw back is there's so few non stops now that we have to transfer most of the time in Denver.

[csm5986142]

LAX is probably my least favorite airport, but it seems LGB just hasn't recovered from covid (tough to find decent flights there). The last time we flew to LAX for a cruise, we sat on the runway for 50 minutes after landing (waiting for a gate) - they are just so busy, so you are smart to go the night before.

Anyway, just wanted to mention that you can't take an Uber/Lyft from the airport - you have to go to their ride share lot (not a big deal but it can be kind of confusing the first time).  It takes about 15 minutes to walk there or a shuttle runs pretty consistently.  It's just kind of a pain if you have a lot of luggage or someone with mobility issues.

[skrufy]

57 minutes ago, csm5986142 said:

LAX is probably my least favorite airport, but it seems LGB just hasn't recovered from covid (tough to find decent flights there). The last time we flew to LAX for a cruise, we sat on the runway for 50 minutes after landing (waiting for a gate) - they are just so busy, so you are smart to go the night before.

Anyway, just wanted to mention that you can't take an Uber/Lyft from the airport - you have to go to their ride share lot (not a big deal but it can be kind of confusing the first time).  It takes about 15 minutes to walk there or a shuttle runs pretty consistently.  It's just kind of a pain if you have a lot of luggage or someone with mobility issues.

Checked flights for this April, both Long Beach and LAX. The selection was horrible for LAX. Not one non stop and high prices. Found a reasonable price to LGB. We flew into and out of LGB last March and had no problems, all went smoothly.

[csm5986142]

2 hours ago, skrufy said:

Found a reasonable price to LGB.

 

I'm jealous - LGB is my favorite airport (I love how you can wait out in the fresh air for your flight).  

[kona_wahine]

We are flying into John Wayne Orange County SNA, I hear it’s better then LAX. We land around 5 on Friday so staying near airport instead of fighting the 5:00 traffic. Figure Saturday morning traffic would be easier. 

[Itried4498]

People overthink this.  

 

Traffic is rarely an issue headed from LAX-area hotels to the pier on Saturday mornings.  Ubers are fairly abundant, routes like LAX-area hotels -> pier are popular among drivers (easy drive that's less than 30 minutes) and the fare will run you around $40-$50.  Unless you have money to burn, stick with LAX and an Uber -> spend the $150+ you'll save on a few nice dinner upgrades instead.

 

LGB is a convenient small airport, but service is heavily limited.  My parent's last two flights (one on AA, one on DL) were both late, which would've caused them to misconnect -> I ended up picking them up, changing their flight to & dropping them off at LAX.

[cruisingguy007]

1 hour ago, kona_wahine said:

We are flying into John Wayne Orange County SNA, I hear it’s better then LAX. We land around 5 on Friday so staying near airport instead of fighting the 5:00 traffic. Figure Saturday morning traffic would be easier. 

 

Smart plan. The only problem with John Wayne is that the hotels are much more than hotels near LAX. Basically the same hotels for double or triple the money. Irvine is a boring corporatocracy town and Newport Beach can be pricey but there are some good values like Holiday Inn Express Newport if you want location/value over elegance. Should be a easy drive in Saturday either way.     

[cruisingguy007]

6 minutes ago, Itried4498 said:

People overthink this.  

 

Traffic is rarely an issue headed from LAX-area hotels to the pier on Saturday mornings.  Ubers are fairly abundant, routes like LAX-area hotels -> pier are popular among drivers (easy drive that's less than 30 minutes) and the fare will run you around $40-$50.  Unless you have money to burn, stick with LAX and an Uber -> spend the $150+ you'll save on a few nice dinner upgrades instead.

 

LGB is a convenient small airport, but service is heavily limited.  My parent's last two flights (one on AA, one on DL) were both late, which would've caused them to misconnect -> I ended up picking them up, changing their flight to & dropping them off at LAX.

 

Yup. 

[grimpil]

We are doing a back to back in Feb on the panorama and wondering if there is a walkable place to pick up wine nearby on our turn around day. Did anyone have experience with corking fees in MDR? We are flying in the day before and staying at the Hotel Royal in Long Beach, very reasonable price  so a little nervous about that one but we will see

[skrufy]

41 minutes ago, grimpil said:

We are doing a back to back in Feb on the panorama and wondering if there is a walkable place to pick up wine nearby on our turn around day. Did anyone have experience with corking fees in MDR? We are flying in the day before and staying at the Hotel Royal in Long Beach, very reasonable price  so a little nervous about that one

43 minutes ago, grimpil said:

We are doing a back to back in Feb on the panorama and wondering if there is a walkable place to pick up wine nearby on our turn around day. Did anyone have experience with corking fees in MDR? We are flying in the day before and staying at the Hotel Royal in Long Beach, very reasonable price  so a little nervous about that one but we will see

Just across the bay you'll find Liqueur stores. Grab an Uber the driver will get you to one. We are staying at The Royal also, got a great rate for two nights in April. Has a good rating and beats the outrageous prices for the other hotels. As for corking fees, it's charged and not. You will have to wait till your at dinner to find out.

[sanmarcosman]

9 hours ago, kona_wahine said:

We are flying into John Wayne Orange County SNA, I hear it’s better then LAX. We land around 5 on Friday so staying near airport instead of fighting the 5:00 traffic. Figure Saturday morning traffic would be easier. 

It's 32 miles to the ship, does Carnival offer a shuttle from JW?