Los Angeles hotels near port

[twoshots]

:) Hello,

We will be departing from LA next January cruising on Island Princess to Hawaii. We live in NJ and want to fly out one day early in case we have bad weather here on the east coast. We need a hotel and transportaton to it, and transportation to the dock the next day.

Can you help us? What do you recommend.?

Thanks!

Jan & Rich

[LMCAT123]

I assume you are flying into LAX which is not eactly close to where the ships leave from. You can take a taxi to a hotel in San Pedro area (figure approx. $50 - but that varies depending on time of day and traffic) or Super Shuttle (they have a website). You can also hire a limo/towncar.

 

If you are only staying overnight and not worrying about going sightseeing, etc. there is a Holiday Inn Express near the pier with shuttle service to the ship. There is also a Crowne Plaza (part of Holiday Inn family of hotels) nearby with shuttle service to the pier. I know alot of people say "stay in Long Beach", but if it is only for 1 night I wouldn't bother as you will need a taxi to get to the Princess pier in San Pedro and taxi's can get expensive.

[newkim]

We just got back from the Sapphire. I looked around and was trying to figure out what to do just like you as we flew in on Friday and the cruise left on Saturday. None of the hotels in San Pedro looked that great so I ended up booking in Long Beach. I did it through Priceline and our 4 star hotel was the Long Beach Hilton. It was really nice, newly renovated and a lot better than I had read about. It was a great hotel.

 

For transportation, we rented a van from Enterprise for less than $40 total including taxes for the day and did a one way rental. We took the Enterprise shuttle from LAX and got the van. We used it all day on Friday, went to the hotel and then drove ourselves to the pier in San Pedro. It is less than a 10 minute drive from the Hilton. There is an Enterprise office right by the pier where we dropped the van off and Enterprise drove us to the pier in their shuttle. You could probably even walk to the pier it is that close if you dropped your luggage off first. When we got off the ship we took a Super Shuttle van back to LAX. You could rent from Enterprise and drive yourself back the the airport but we had a flight at 1pm and didn't have a lot of extra time and it was a quicker but more expensive option to take the Super Shuttle back to the airport.

 

Hope that helps you out. I would do the exact same thing again if we were cruising out of San Pedro again. My husband was amazed on how smooth it all went.

[twoshots]

Hi and thanks for the information. We will check out the hotels and transportation choices you've given us. We do appreciate it! :o

Jan & Rich

[KU Cruiser]

newkim

 

Did Enterprise charge you a drop fee for the one-way rental? I priced a $42.00 overnight rental which included a $25 drop fee.

 

KU Cruiser

[GoodAsGold]

Look for my posts on The Marina Hotel in San Pedro (will be a Doubletree later this year. Used to be a Hilton.) I booked through Priceline twice in 2003. $45. 3-star hotel with FREE parking for cruise duration. I parked there for 11 nights back then. FREE shuttle to and from the ship and within a 5 mile radius. They dropped us off at a nearby reataurant for dinner the evening we arrived. It's situated on the Cabrillo Marina. I booked it again for April 9 through Priceline. This time it's $72 (give or take a dollar or two:) They will shuttle us free over to Long Beach to our ship and back. Restaurant and gift shop on the premises. Here is a link:

 

Marina Hotel San Pedro – San Pedro / Port of Los Angeles

 

 

:) Hello,

We will be departing from LA next January cruising on Island Princess to Hawaii. We live in NJ and want to fly out one day early in case we have bad weather here on the east coast. We need a hotel and transportaton to it, and transportation to the dock the next day.

Can you help us? What do you recommend.?

Thanks!

Jan & Rich

[newkim]

KU Cruiser - We weren't charged a drop fee. I read on here that there were some that were being charged a drop fee and others that weren't. I called the LAX location of Enterprise directly when I made the booking and told that there was a drop fee. I called several times again and was told that there was a drop fee too. I was prepared to pay the drop fee as renting from Enterprise was still our best option even if we had to pay the drop fee. When we got to Enterprise, I told the person at the desk that there had been inconsistency in whether there was a drop fee or not based on my research (really just the many threads trying to determine if there was or wasn't here on Cruise Critic but I didn't tell him that). The Enterprise person at the location we were taken to from LAX just said "okay we won't charge you a drop fee". It was as easy as asking. We dropped the van at the San Pedro Enterprise office on Saturday morning and I think they were glad to have the van as there were cruisers waiting to rent from them and no vehicles in the parking lot.

Just ask again when you rent and you might not be charged a drop fee too. They were a very good company to deal with. Would do it again in a heart beat if we cruise from LA again.

[smilin47]

My brother & his wife sailed on the Sapphire Princess last October. They flew into Los Angeles and stayed at the Airport Marriott which they booked through the cruise-line. They were provided with transportation from the hotel to the pier and then upon their arrival back in LA, they had transfers from the pier back to the airport. They said the hotel was wonderful.

 

When we sailed on the Summit in January, my nephew rented a vehicle through Avis at the airport. We stayed 2 nights in the Costa Mesa/Newport Beach area at the Marriott Residence Inn. They were what I would call a "housekeeping/efficiency unit" with a small kitchen. Costa Mesa is probably a half hour from San Pedro. The rental vehicle had to be dropped off at the Avis location in San Pedro & it cost my nephew $18 for the taxi ride to get back to the pier. I don't think there was a drop-off fee for the vehicle.

 

The weather in LA in January was comfortable through the day ... perhaps low 70's but quite cool in the evenings. The first two days at sea will be considerably cooler...you will need a sweater & long pants. You know you're gonna have some cool weather when they have wool blankets in the towel racks on the swimming pool level instead of beach towels!:D

[KU Cruiser]

newkim

 

I'm always willing to ask. Thanks for the information. This will be our first trip to LA and want to do a little touring ourselves before the cruise.

 

KU Cruiser

[shofer]

We booked the hotel thru Celebrity and stayed at the Hyatt-Long Beach which was a very nice property. We took the Super Shuttle from LAX and it was $17/pp. Because we had booked thru the cruiseline, we had a shuttle to take us to the pier.

 

The hotel was next door to the convention center and there were several restaurants and attractions across the street. We went to the Aquarium of the Pacific and spent the afternoon there. If the weather is nicer, you can go on whale watching trips, deep-sea fishing or harbor tours. It was too nippy in January for open boats for us. Everything looks new which our friends who live in San Pedro confimed that Long Beach is trying to get the tourist/family crowd to go there.

[jla418]

I've stayed at the Sheraton San Pedro for both of my cruises out of LA. Service was excellent, and it is within walking distance of several restaurants, or they will shuttle you to places close by. They also have a free shuttle to the pier the next day. For the first cruise we Supershuttled from the airport to the hotel, there were only 2 of us. For the second cruise there were 4 of us and it was less expensive to hire a Limo.

[jla418]

Oops....It is no longer a Sheraton. Now just the Los Angeles Harbor Hotel, converting to Crowne Plaza hopefully by June....Sorry I'm a little behind, but the world changes so fast!

[jaybird from SC]

:) Hello,

We will be departing from LA next January cruising on Island Princess to Hawaii. We live in NJ and want to fly out one day early in case we have bad weather here on the east coast. We need a hotel and transportaton to it, and transportation to the dock the next day.

Can you help us? What do you recommend.?

Thanks!

Jan & Rich

Our group of eight recently cruised out of San Pedro. We had a beautiful hotel (Renaissance Monture LAX) for $98 ser night senior rate. We were able to get transportation through the hotel concierge to the port. Beautiful hotel and our transfer to the port was quick and efficient. Check them out on the web.

[jaybird from SC]

Our group of eight recently cruised out of San Pedro. We had a beautiful hotel (Renaissance Monture LAX) for $98 ser night senior rate. We were able to get transportation through the hotel concierge to the port. Beautiful hotel and our transfer to the port was quick and efficient. Check them out on the web.

Opps..Didn't proof read close enough. That was Renaissance Montura Hotel. Happy sailing. Ruth

[Carol51]

Thanks so much for the information on the Marina Hotel. Were you able to get the free parking during the cruise when you used Priceline? That sounds too good to be true. Their AAA rate including parking is $149 - still not a bad price, but not as good as Priceline. If you're still reading this post, let me know - we live just outside San Fran and are thinking about a cruise from LA/

[GoodAsGold]

Hi!

 

Yep. Free parking and free shuttle. $72 through Priceline this time. I verified it more than once with their reservation desk when I called to specify that we needed two rooms with two beds in each. More than one person assured me that everything is the same as it was back in 2003. Since they're in the process of renovating to a Doubletree Hotel, I just wanted to make sure. :) I can't believe we got it for $45 a night 3 years ago and we parked free for 10 nights while we were cruising! But, $72 isn't bad, considering we'd be paying $12 a day at the port.

 

 

 

 

Thanks so much for the information on the Marina Hotel. Were you able to get the free parking during the cruise when you used Priceline? That sounds too good to be true. Their AAA rate including parking is $149 - still not a bad price, but not as good as Priceline. If you're still reading this post, let me know - we live just outside San Fran and are thinking about a cruise from LA/

[suziehmkr]

Does anyone know WHEN the name will change to Doubletree? I am still worried about bidding on this hotel for later this year, only to find out that they will be discontinuing the free parking & free shuttle to Long Beach.... I know that is the risk of Priceline, but if we had a date that the changeover would take place then I could plan better.

 

Thanks!! :)

[GoodAsGold]

I just called them and they assured me it was still free parking and shuttle. They don't expect to have it totally refurbished and transitioned into a Doubletree until a little later this year. Not sure when exactly. You might call them and ask if they'll continue to honor the free parking and shuttle after it's become a Doubletree...or if the change will even be completed by the time you cruise.

 

 

Does anyone know WHEN the name will change to Doubletree? I am still worried about bidding on this hotel for later this year, only to find out that they will be discontinuing the free parking & free shuttle to Long Beach.... I know that is the risk of Priceline, but if we had a date that the changeover would take place then I could plan better.

 

Thanks!! :)

[iancal]

My spouse is on a Mexican cruise (LA based) right now. We do our own air so we always go a day early. Got her and her friend a $76. Priceline room at the Hilton Long Beach. Spoke to her after that stay. The shuttle took them past San Pedro (neither of us had been there before) and she was very happy not to have stayed there since she had an afternoon and a morning to kill prior to the cruise. She really liked L.B. They were able to walk, shop, and had a choice of many places to eat. They liked the Hilton very much. Cab ride to San Pedro on Sunday AM was about $15. Supershuttle from LAX-Hilton Long Beach was $15. pre booked on the web.

[buggsie10]

this is for the adventurous. we just got back from the mexican rivera on carnival pride. the cruise was great but living in the north east forgot to check the weather. LA was pretty cold. anyway, we stayed in the best western long beach for $79, a night. not the ritz but very clean, good breakfast in the morning(including waffles) and free trip to the port,and friendly staff. outside the front door is the metro rail and for $3. took us to LA, (hollywood, walk of fame, chinese theater, kodak theater, china town, queen mary etc, ) we spent 2 days getting on and off. it was great, we saw all we wanted to for a total of $6. just pack warm clothing. we had a balcony but it was usually to cold to sit out , mexico was a little to over stimulating for me, as everywere you went there were peddlers, worse than jamica. we took to supper shuttle from the airport, which indeed circles the airport about 4 times looking for fair. took a cab

back to LAX post cruise and it was cheaper.

[suziehmkr]

I just called them and they assured me it was still free parking and shuttle. They don't expect to have it totally refurbished and transitioned into a Doubletree until a little later this year. Not sure when exactly. You might call them and ask if they'll continue to honor the free parking and shuttle after it's become a Doubletree...or if the change will even be completed by the time you cruise.

I just got an email from the manager (I think) and they said the renovation would be done around August 1st... parking, Yes... shuttle to Long Beach, No. I am just going to stick with my Best Western Long Beach reservation and not even worry about it any longer.... it will be fine - was just trying to save a few bucks.. ;)