Celebrity Pier in LA compared to San Diego Pier??

[2Canucks]

How does the LA pier that Celebrity uses compare to the San Diego Cruiseship Terminal?? Is it easy to find?

 

Is it easy to check-in and check-out, like San Diego?? Can a person go earlier to check-in? We went at Noon in LA and had no problem getting on the ship at that time. What's the surrounding area like? Can you walk around like San Diego? Is there a webcam to see the pier online?

 

Hopefully someone in the know can help answer my questions. Looking forward to hearing from you!

 

Pat :)

[RockyTopMom]

Pat:

The Celebrity pier in Los Angeles is the Port of Los Angeles, but is actually located in San Pedro. You can walk around, but there isn't much to see or do in this area. I don't know if there is a web cam at this pier or not, sorry.

 

As for getting onboard early, that depends if the ship returns from it's previous cruise when scheduled (or earlier than scheduled), the cleaning and restocking, etc. It's never the same for two cruises in a row.

[Splinter]

There is no pier webcam in LA. Not sure why. The closest webcam shows a very distant view of the channel from up on Palos Verdes.

 

The pier is very different from San Diego where you are in the heart of downtown. In San Pedro you are on the edge of a large industrial shipping area (the largest container ship port on the West Coast). There are really no nearby shops or parks.

 

If you are driving to the pier, it is very easy to get there from the Harbor Fwy (110) south, taking the Terminal Island Exit, but don't miss the almost immediate exit to the cruise ship pier (Harbor Blvd.) or you will have to drive all the way over the Vincent Thomas Bridge to Terminal Island before you can turn around and go back. http://www.sanpedro.com/spcom/crusshp.htm

 

If you have time, I could recommend taking that historic Red Car trolley (total of 3 miles in length) from the west side of the cruise ship parking lot down to visit the Los Angeles Maritime Museum. Lots of old ship models, information about the history of ships and sailing, located in the old historic ferry building (where you crossed to Terminal Island before they built the Vincent Thomas Bridge).

 

You can also walk over to see the Lane Victory, which is a floating museum about the Liberty Ships used in WWII. It is a couple of blocks from the cruise ship pier (although much closer as the crow flies).

 

You can also take the Red Line above all the way to Seaport Village which is an area of shops and restaurants, but it has seen better days. Many of the shops are closed, and few of the restaurants are worth your time.

 

If there is more than one ship in port the day you are there, I would not plan on getting early boarding. If there are 3, rarely will you be able to get on before 1PM. We usually plan to arrive about 2 or 2:30 PM and usually just get right on with no wait. You can check your bags if you get there early (but not too early as the porters will be busy unloading those disembarking) and then go see some of the sights I described above.

[Cuizer2]

Here is what the port of Los Angeles looks like ...

 

 

The train station is actually a trolly stop. In fact, I think I see it pulling up to the station now ...

 

 

If you ride this trolly to the other end of the line ($1.00 buys you an all day pass) ...

 

 

You will end up at Ports of Call, which is like Seaport Village in San Diego, except a little smaller.

 

The Lane Victory is a WWII Liberty ship. It is labeled in the photo below ...

 

 

Be aware that Carnival uses the Long Beach port. They are only a few miles apart. Make sure you go to the San Pedro port for Celebrity.

[Splinter]

Ports 'o Call Village is NOT similar to Seaport Village. It was maybe 30 years ago, but Ports 'o Call has become run-down, with many shops closed, and few decent places to eat. I get depressed everytime I go there. I grew up near there and remember when it really was a fun place to spend an afternoon. I never go there now when I am in the area.

[Cuizer2]

Ports 'o Call Village is NOT similar to Seaport Village. It was maybe 30 years ago, but Ports 'o Call has become run-down, with many shops closed, and few decent places to eat. I get depressed everytime I go there. I grew up near there and remember when it really was a fun place to spend an afternoon. I never go there now when I am in the area.

 

The two are similar. Just because you like one over the other does not make them dissimilar. If you get depressed everytime you go there, then I suggest you don't go there any more.