LA area airport help for Southwest

[lovecruzin]

I know this has been asked and answered, but I am getting confused.:confused:

 

We are taking a Panama Canal cruise which ends in San Pedro on a Sat (1/3). It sounds like Burbank is not a good choice for airport but it would save us $120 over LAX or SNA. Maybe the savings would be well used to get a car service and avoid LAX?

 

And, any feedback on how busy the SW terminal at LAX is on Saturday in general?

 

Thanks.

[Bruin Steve]

I know this has been asked and answered, but I am getting confused.:confused:

 

We are taking a Panama Canal cruise which ends in San Pedro on a Sat (1/3). It sounds like Burbank is not a good choice for airport but it would save us $120 over LAX or SNA. Maybe the savings would be well used to get a car service and avoid LAX?

 

And, any feedback on how busy the SW terminal at LAX is on Saturday in general?

 

Thanks.

 

Burbank is a GREAT little airport...

I use it all the time...

The reason it's seldom recommended for cruisers is that it's about 37 miles from the pier in Pedro...almost twice as far as to LAX...and you have to go through the heart of LA and Downtown to get there (Do NOT expect to do it on public transportation)...

 

Also, the cost for a cab or shuttle MAY be more (but not $120 more)...I just went to PrimeTime Shuttle's site...and it looks like they charge the SAME $32 for two from the pier to LAX OR Burbank!!!

I would check out the cost with the shuttle companies just to be sure...

 

Usually, the reason to use Burbank would be if you were doing a post-cruise in the Hollywood/Universal area--which is very close to the Burbank Airport...

 

Lines will be nothing like at LAX...

Burbank has only one small terminal...

You walk in the front door--right in front of the area where a cab or shuttle will drop you off...and you turn right to the handful of Southwest gates (Left has a couple of gates for other airlines)...You walk just a few yards down the hall and there's "Security" (I've never waited more than a couple of minutes there), then the "gates" are right behind that...You actually board planes the old-fashioned way--you go outside and they have those rolling stairways pushed up to both the front and back of the plane...

 

It's EASY...

[kenish]

If you have the time to spare, BUR is well worth the $120 savings especially if that's per person. I suggest a flight that arrives between 9am and 2pm to miss rush hour traffic. Since you're coming back on Saturday and a semi-holiday there should be little or no freeway congestion.

 

If you have a lot of time, the floats from the Tournament of Roses parade will be on static display in Pasadena, about 20-30 minutes from BUR.

 

Answer to the Southwest @ LAX question, the terminal can sometimes be total mayhem; since I assume you're arriving into LAX (not departing) you won't have to worry about the occasionally lengthy security lines.

[Cruisin' Chick]

As Steve says, Burbank is quite a distance from San Pedro, and would involve traveling on several freeways. You would want to get an afternoon or later flight if you decide on this airport. Plus figure in the cost of transportation.

 

About the Rose Parade floats, it takes a lot of time just to get through the line. And there's special viewing times for special groups, such as the handicapped, so I would check out the details before heading to Pasadena so you won't be disappointed.

[lovecruzin]

Thanks for the input, I think the alternatives we are considering are:

 

Limo from San Pedro to BUR or

Picking up a rental car at Long Beach airport and driving to BUR or Ontario. I am familiar with ONT, I think it is further but is it any it any more convenient than BUR. I would prefer to avoid LAX!

 

Thoughts?

[SF Cfan]

Thanks for the input, I think the alternatives we are considering are:

 

Limo from San Pedro to BUR or

Picking up a rental car at Long Beach airport and driving to BUR or Ontario. I am familiar with ONT, I think it is further but is it any it any more convenient than BUR. I would prefer to avoid LAX!

 

Thoughts?

 

Can I ask which airport you are flying back to? There may be other options to discuss depending on where you are headed.

[lovecruzin]

There Flying back to SMF (Sacramento). Jet Blue is the only other non stop but flight isn't until late afternoon (we could almost get home earlier if we drove). Southwest with frequent non stop flights and no luggage fees is my only option. Just trying to decide which airport!!

 

Thanks

[SF Cfan]

Three Flying back to SMF (Sacramento). Jet Blue is the only other non stop but flight isn't until late afternoon (we could almost get home earlier if we drove). Southwest with frequent non stop flights and no luggage fees is my only option. Just trying to decide which airport!!

 

Thanks

 

Got it. Thanks for the additional info. I see what you mean about the potential $120.00 savings for the group going out of Burbank.

 

Unfortunately, I'm not crazy about the 12:45 departure out of Burbank necessary to take advantage of the $59.00 fare. I'll defer to others for input on that as well.

 

I would lean toward the 1:35 p.m. departure out of Orange County. I know that there is a big difference at $112.00 versus $59.00 per person. But, I think the safer flight out of Burbank would be the 2:40 p.m. flight, which is showing a $99.00 fare. So, Orange County would definitely be the more convenient choice for the $13.00 difference.

 

Sorry to muddy the waters.

[lovecruzin]

And I thought the flight home would be a no brainer vs our flight to Miami, how wrong I was :)

 

If it helps, we are sailing on Azamara, so 700~ passengers to disembark vs several thousand? It seems like every other cruise we are off the ship by 9 or 10...

[Bruin Steve]

12:30 flight out of Burbank on a Saturday? I'd take it in a heartbeat...

 

Burbank isn't even close in size to even Ontario...

 

And, as I noted above, it looks like you might even be able to get a shuttle to Burbank for the same price as one to LAX...

 

One thing to know is that, with Southwest at Burbank, you really don't have to get there even an hour ahead of the flight...it's that small and easy...

 

You will likely be off the ship by 9 at the latest...and, despite the freeway trip through LA, it will take you less than an hour to go the 37 miles...If all heck broke loose and you didn't get off the ship until 10 and didn't find your shuttle or cab until 10:30...and hit completely unexpected traffic, you would STILL make your flight...

 

Do arrange for a shuttle or cab though...renting a car--which entails a shuttle to the car rental office from the ship and check-out time and shuttle from the car rental lot at the airport-- just adds unnecessary time...a cab or shuttle will pick you up right from the ship and drop you off literally 100 yards or less from the gate at Burbank...

[kenish]

Not only a Saturday, but right after New Year's. Traffic won't be an issue unless there's a massive pileup on I-405. In that case the shuttle driver will know detours.

 

Funny you're going to SMF. Driving home you would go right past BUR and already covered 10% of the distance!

[Cruisin' Chick]

I wouldn't consider Ontario airport, unless you're staying with friends there, and afterwards they're taking your to the airport. Otherwise, you'll be sending a lot on a shuttle.

[yogi2929]

Ontario is almost 60 miles away, but what an easy airport!

[lovecruzin]

OK, I went for the 12:30 out of Burbank - if we get there early maybe we can catch the 11:45. Thanks for the replies and suggestions.

[jstallt]

Hey BruinSteve - you look like someone who knows the LA area....how about this? I'm flying in from Atlanta on Saturday, January 31, 2009. Arrival is 12:15PM. Norwegian Star sailing is at 4:00PM - will it be tight?

 

Your thoughts will be appreciated - thanks so much.

 

Jennifer

[Bruin Steve]

Hey BruinSteve - you look like someone who knows the LA area....how about this? I'm flying in from Atlanta on Saturday, January 31, 2009. Arrival is 12:15PM. Norwegian Star sailing is at 4:00PM - will it be tight?

 

Your thoughts will be appreciated - thanks so much.

 

Jennifer

 

(I'll assume it's LAX you're arriving at, correct?)

 

Jennifer,

Arriving at LAX poses different problems than leaving from there...

Obviously, you won't have to worry about check-in or security...

 

The biggest hang-up will likely be waiting for your luggage. For some reason, it sometimes seems like it takes an incredible amount of time...

 

Traffic should not be bad LAX to the pier on a Saturday afternoon, but here's what I'd worry about:

 

1) Flight arriving on time. Do you have a non-stop from Atlanta?

 

2) Delays from landing to gate. It's a really busy airport. Just because the schedule says 12:15 and the plane actually lands on time doesn't mean you get to the gate at 12:15...or get off the plane anywhere near that time. Sometimes there's a domino effect. Some other plane is late and is still in the gate when you are supposed to arrive. You could end up taxiing around the airport wasting precious time...

 

3) Walking to the baggage retrieval area. It's a big airport...depending on your airline and gate, it could be a long walk...but probably the least of concerns since your luggage likely won't be there yet anyway.

 

4) The ride to the pier. If you are concerned about time, take a taxi, not a shuttle. Shared shuttles often circle the airport waiting to be filled, then they may make other stops. A cab will take you directly. Trip should take only about 30 minutes...unless there's traffic--which could happen any time.

 

5) Boarding time. If the ship sets sail at 4:00 pm, they typically want you on board by 3:00 pm...

 

 

Best case scenario: Your flight actually arrives on time at 12:15 and you are off the plane by 12:30. Your luggage is among the first to the conveyor by around 12:50 and you're in a cab by 1:00 pm. You arrive at the pier at 1:30...and are on the ship by 1:45...with an hour and a quarter to spare...

 

...but that is in a "perfect world"...

 

Typical scenario: Your plane is a little late and touches down around 12:25...but there's another plane in the gate...You taxi around the tarmac and actually pull into the gate at 12:45...By the time they set up the walkway and open the door and all the slow people sitting in front of you pull their carry-ons from the overhead bins, you are off the plane by 1:00 pm...You walk to the luggage area and get there about 1:15...but there is no luggage yet...About 1:30, the luggage starts coming off the conveyor belt...but your bags are nowhere to be found...At about 2:00, your bags finally appear...you grab them and run outside to get a taxi...others are waiting in front of you (and LA does not have a very large fleet of taxis)...at 2:15, you finally get a taxi...You jump in and the cabbie heads down Century Boulevard, hitting every traffic light along the way...When he pulls onto the 405, inexplicably traffic is at a dead stop...there's an accident somewhere on the South Bay Curve and it's already 2:30 and ticking...Patience...You finally pull up to the cruise terminal and it's already after 3:30 pm...You grab your bags, pay the cab in cash...keep the change...and print for the check-in desk as the agents all seem to be packing to leave...and you just make it as the last passengers on the ship...

 

Worst scenario: The same as above except your flight was delayed a half an hour...

 

This is why I usually recommend this: Take the SAME flight...but on Friday. Book a room at the Crowne Plaza in San Pedro...Take a cab or shuttle to the hotel...arrive THERE at 3:30 on FRIDAY...relax a little...maybe walk around downtown Pedro, maybe just rest at the hotel...Grab a nice dinner at San Pedro Brewing Company...or Papadakis...or Acapulco...or Trani's...Then, get a good night's sleep--remember, you are already three hours off...Sleep in a little the next morning...maybe grab a small breakfast--nothing too big, you'll be eating well enough later...check out of the hotel and have them shuttle you to the pier...get there nice and early...and relax on board that first afternoon...

 

Of course, that's if you can do that...

 

Good luck...

[Cruisin' Chick]

Don't the cruiselines want you to arrive at least 90 minutes before sailaway time now???? If so, you are cutting it really close. And if there are any delays at any point of your trip, including your plane getting clearance to land if things get backed up.... I just wouldn't want to risk it.

 

I would suggest taking Steve's advice and getting in at least a day early. Even if that is taking another vacation day, at least, you won't be starting your vacation on a stressful note.

[mlj555]

I had scheduled a flight on Sat. and then realized it was cutting it way too close. So I cancelled and rebooked on Southwest on Fri. No matter how long it takes to get out of LAX and to the hotel on Fri. afternoon, Sat. will be "smooth sailing". Nothing is worse than stressing over late flights, traffic, missing the ship!

[jstallt]

I think you're all right. Thanks so much - this is exactly what we were fretting over. I'll take your advice and have a worry-free travel day. Thanks so much.

 

Jennifer

[scottbee]

I just checked WN's website, and you can get a flight from SNA (Orange County) - SMF for $69 on the 3rd

 

WN1822 dep SNA 13:35 arr SMF 14:55

[danfiveoh]

A couple of questions. Does NCL go out of Long Beach? Is the the same of San Pedro?

I can get the same price flights to Orange County and LAX. Is one better than the other to get to the ship?

[Cruisin' Chick]

A couple of questions. Does NCL go out of Long Beach? Is the the same of San Pedro?

I can get the same price flights to Orange County and LAX. Is one better than the other to get to the ship?

 

Carnival uses Long Beach. All others use San Pedro (which is the Port of Los Angeles and the cruise area is called the World Cruise Center). It is extremely rare that a ship other than Carnival would use LB.

[Cuizer2]

Thanks for the input, I think the alternatives we are considering are:

 

Limo from San Pedro to BUR or

Picking up a rental car at Long Beach airport and driving to BUR or Ontario. I am familiar with ONT, I think it is further but is it any it any more convenient than BUR. I would prefer to avoid LAX!

 

Thoughts?

 

I live near the Burbank Airport and I got a private limo from home to the port in February 2008 for about $100 (it was a one way repo cruise, it would do no good to leave my car at the port).

[Cuizer2]

Burbank isn't even close in size to even Ontario

 

Burbank is seven letters and Ontario is seven letters, so Burbank is just about the same size as Ontario. If you count just unique letters, Burbank has six, as does Ontario, so both words are about the same size using that method also.

[cruiserbryce]

A couple of questions. Does NCL go out of Long Beach? Is the the same of San Pedro?

 

 

Nope...NCL uses San Pedro. Carnival is the only line that docks in LB