Newbie Sailing out of Long Beach on Pride

[iscrk]

Hi All!! Our family of four is sailing out of Long Beach on the Pride on the Halloween 2008 cruise. Now, we have sailed twice before on the Disney Magic, but to the Caribbean. What is the weather/water temp./seas like in the Mexican Riveria at the end of October? Is there a large threat of tropical storms/hurricanes this time of year? Reading different posts say that the water temp is colder than the carribean, but is it still comfortable to swim/snorkle? And, is the weather still pretty warm this time of year?

 

We are coming from Chicago, and anything is warmer than Chicago at the end of October:D !

 

Also, would LOVE any hotel recommendations and shuttle info. for the Long Beach area. We plan on flying in the day before departure, but may fly in on Sunday (take advantage of the two-hour time difference).

 

Thanks in advance....if you have any Disney Magic questions, we would be happy to advise!

[jleq]

Long Beach will probably be in the 60s. It'll warm up to over 80 by the time you get to Cabo. There shouldn't be a major weather problem that time of year

[neverpar]

We sailed out of Long Beach on the Pride last year at the end of October. The weather was pretty nice while there, but the Santa Ana Winds kicked up and it got pretty windy the first day out..to cold to go up on deck. There was hurricane Kiko down there at that time, and we almost missed going to PV. But she moved west and we were able to get there. The weather was beautiful in PV, Mazatlan and Cabo.

We stayed at the International Guest House, great breakfast in the morning and a free shuttle to the pier.

It was a GREAT cruise you will enjoy the Pride! Other than the wind and it being pretty cold the first day out...we had the best time ever!

[iscrk]

Thanks so far for your help....I need to add one more questions. Are there any hotels with shuttles to the cruise port and/or shuttles to an airport? We really don't want to rent a car if we don't have too...I am searching the boards, but it never hurts to aak!

[neverpar]

Are you flying into LAX or Long Beach airport? Super shuttle will pick you up at either airport and take you to the pier...or your hotel. And you can arrange to have them pick you up the day you sail and take you to the pier the day of the cruise. Here is their web site

http://www.supershuttle.com/default.aspx

[Ykgorbie]

Hi All!! Our family of four is sailing out of Long Beach on the Pride on the Halloween 2008 cruise. Now, we have sailed twice before on the Disney Magic, but to the Caribbean. What is the weather/water temp./seas like in the Mexican Riveria at the end of October? Is there a large threat of tropical storms/hurricanes this time of year? Reading different posts say that the water temp is colder than the carribean, but is it still comfortable to swim/snorkle? And, is the weather still pretty warm this time of year?

 

We are coming from Chicago, and anything is warmer than Chicago at the end of October:D !

 

Also, would LOVE any hotel recommendations and shuttle info. for the Long Beach area. We plan on flying in the day before departure, but may fly in on Sunday (take advantage of the two-hour time difference).

 

Thanks in advance....if you have any Disney Magic questions, we would be happy to advise!

 

We cruised on the Pride in September of 2007, out first cruise and LOVED it. We booked our pre-cruise night at the Queen Mary. It was not the nicest hotel.....it is an old ship that has been renovated into a hotel....we really enjoyed the artifacts and displays on the Queen Mary; the restaurants had great food and the BEST part was in the monring, we walked to the embarkation area. That was the nice part - being right next to the pier and being able to see the ship you were about to board.

To and from LAX, we booked ahead (online) through Prime Time Shuttle. We booked a private van for the four of us (no stopping to pick up and drop people off) and I believe it was about $80.00 for the four of us each way. Hope this helps and HAVE A GREAT TIME !!!

[afcj1]

We're booked on the Pride the week before. We'll be flying into LAX and taking either Super Shuttle or hiring a private car. Apparently, the shuttles will drive around the airport and also make stops until they have enough fares. I booked the Crown Plaza via pRICELINE FOR $65.00 in San Pedro and they'll shuttle you to the pier.

 

I'd encourage you to check out the West Coast Departure boards for lots of wonderful info.

[YooperGale]

We're booked on the Pride the week before. We'll be flying into LAX and taking either Super Shuttle or hiring a private car. Apparently, the shuttles will drive around the airport and also make stops until they have enough fares. I booked the Crown Plaza via pRICELINE FOR $65.00 in San Pedro and they'll shuttle you to the pier.

 

I'd encourage you to check out the West Coast Departure boards for lots of wonderful info.

 

Did you book the Crown Plaza using name your own price? If so, what did you need toknow to get a hotel in the right area?

 

Thanks,

Gale

[YooperGale]

We're booked on the Pride the week before. We'll be flying into LAX and taking either Super Shuttle or hiring a private car. Apparently, the shuttles will drive around the airport and also make stops until they have enough fares. I booked the Crown Plaza via pRICELINE FOR $65.00 in San Pedro and they'll shuttle you to the pier.

 

I'd encourage you to check out the West Coast Departure boards for lots of wonderful info.

 

Did you book the Crown Plaza using name your own price? If so, what did you need toknow to get a hotel in the right area?

 

Thanks,

Gale

[YooperGale]

oops, sorry about that--It told me to wait 30 seconds and try again, so I didn't know one (two!) had already gone through.

 

SORRY:eek:

[shankiko]

We just got home a few hours ago off the beautiful Pride. It was a fantastic trip again! We had a great time as usual. We hope to do the new Splendor in early Nov. Let me know if you have questions.

Shankiko:)

[mom2boys97]

We are sailing out of Long Beach in Nov on the Pride and i/we are so very excited as we are first time cruisers. We booked rooms at the Days Inn on PCH (Pacific Coast Hwy) It looks really nice and the cost was only 63 dollars a night and it came with a free breakfast as well as a shuttle to the pier....

[iscrk]

Thanks afcj1!! I did not realize that there were separate boards for west coast departures! This can be a bad thing though...now I have a new board to read through...I'll never get anything done:o !

[Curt Jerome Wild]

We are sailing out of Long Beach in Nov on the Pride and i/we are so very excited as we are first time cruisers. We booked rooms at the Days Inn on PCH (Pacific Coast Hwy) It looks really nice and the cost was only 63 dollars a night and it came with a free breakfast as well as a shuttle to the pier....

I'd be wary of this...

PCH at that area is not that great. Kind of fleabaggy.

(it's inland also, not even on the coast)...

 

Just want to let you know.

[Curt Jerome Wild]

Thanks afcj1!! I did not realize that there were separate boards for west coast departures! This can be a bad thing though...now I have a new board to read through...I'll never get anything done:o !

afcj1

This will probably get moved over to The West Coast Departures at some point anyway...

 

In the meantime here are some options with not renting a car (click on the links for reviews and pictures):

 

Coast Hotel - Long Beach

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=602024

Get a super shuttle from the airport, but Coast has free shuttle to and from the pier

 

Hyatt - Long Beach

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=604242

no shuttle to and from the pier, so taxi

 

Crowne Plaza - San Pedro

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=601984

This is the only hotel in the area that has an airport shuttle on contract, and will also shuttle you to and from Long Beach/Carnival pier.

 

See if you like any of those options, they're all good in different ways.

[wantsavacanow]

I am also sailing on the Pride Oct26...I booked the Queen Mary so I can walk to the pier in the morning. I have a great website for hotels in Long Beach, it beats anything I have found elsewhere online.

[katt]

We stayed at the Coast Hotel very nice. It is very close to the pier you could walk (without luggage that is). They do have a free shuttle from the pier. We drove over and took advantage of the sail and park special they had. The hotel is on the water, nice grounds, rooms were quite nice ours had a patio facing the water and a nice walking path. I would recommend it.

[Payd]

We booked the Queen Mary. It was awesome historically, and although old the room was very comfortable.

 

There was a water taxi for a small fee, and a free bus that took us to the waterfront area.

 

Also an easy walk to early check in and we could walk our luggage over to the porter.

 

Would probably do it again.

 

Payd:)

[skiorcruise]

One thing no one has mentioned - the early check-in on the Queen Mary. No matter where you stay or how you get to the pier, once you get there:

drop your luggage with a porter.

Walk to the Queen Mary (very close and easy, unless you use a cane or walker), aft entrance closest to the Pride.

go the the Carnival check-in desk (9:30 to 11:00 I think)

 

a quick and easy sign in without the big lines in the dome.

You get a zone number, and get to bypass the lines when you board.

 

Lots of things to look at on the Queen while you wait to board.

 

SkiorCruise

[neverpar]

One thing no one has mentioned - the early check-in on the Queen Mary. No matter where you stay or how you get to the pier, once you get there:

drop your luggage with a porter.

Walk to the Queen Mary (very close and easy, unless you use a cane or walker), aft entrance closest to the Pride.

go the the Carnival check-in desk (9:30 to 11:00 I think)

 

a quick and easy sign in without the big lines in the dome.

You get a zone number, and get to bypass the lines when you board.

 

Lots of things to look at on the Queen while you wait to board.

 

SkiorCruise

 

Skiorcruise is correct! We used the early check in and we were on the ship in no time....

[afdds]

Sailing the Pride in July....having a blonde moment ;) Can you explain this early check-in. We are staying the night at Coast Hotel. Are you saying, drop your luggage with a Carnival porter and then walk to the Queen Mary and check in at the Carnival Desk? What is a zone number?

 

Not sure what time the first shuttle is from the Coast Hotel? Last time I was at the Queen Mary there was a fee to board the ship and look around.

[cathyz]

Sailing the Pride in July....having a blonde moment ;) Can you explain this early check-in. We are staying the night at Coast Hotel. Are you saying, drop your luggage with a Carnival porter and then walk to the Queen Mary and check in at the Carnival Desk? What is a zone number?

 

Not sure what time the first shuttle is from the Coast Hotel? Last time I was at the Queen Mary there was a fee to board the ship and look around.

There is an early check-in area in the aft of the QM that is for Carnival's early check-in which is open from about 9:00 to about 11:00 a.m. Once you do your check-in, they give you a 'zone number' which is just a piece of paper that will probably say 'zone 1' which means you can line up in the 'zone 1' line to go throuth security in the dome and then onto the ship. Anyone who doesn't do the early check-in on the QM will be behind you in line because they need to do their check-in in the dome at the regular check-in area and will be later getting on the ship. We've stayed twice at the Coast Hotel and always sign up for their first shuttle which is 10:00, it takes 5 mins to drive there, they drop you in the drop-off area of the garage where the porters are who take your luggage, then you walk to the QM (it's obvious, they have many signs and people to direct you), do your check-in, then walk back to the front of the dome area where the lines start to form about 11:00. There is no fee to go to the Carnival area on the QM or to many other public areas (hotel/restaurant areas). There are some pics in my signature under the Pride and the Paradise.

[afdds]

Thanks Cathyz for going over that again. One quick question....If you get a Zone number is there any hurry to get back to the Pride by any certain time. If we get lucky and are holding Zone 1 but Zone 1 has already boarded, can we just join up with the next zone. Silly question, but I thought it might be fun to check out some of the QM and have some coffee or something.

 

Thanks again for the help!

Debra

[SmooCruise]

Please visit my Pride website for pics, info and reviews. I LOVE the Pride! Link is in my signature...