multistop towncar trip from lax help - please

Hi Friends,

I am a single mom traveling with 2 daughters under the age of 14 to LAX. We have at least 3 hours before we need to check in at the cruise and I have decided that since we are flying from the east coast and this might not happen again for many many years, that I would like to take a side trip to view my father's grave. He died at sea over 30 years ago and visiting it is extremely important to me.

So I mapquest it and figure everything out. I would go from LAX at about 9:30 or 10am on a Friday morning, to Hollywood Hills Cemetery (6300 Forest Lawn Drive) visit for about 10 minutes and then head straight to the San Pedro cruise pier. It should take less than 2 hours, but most limo rates are usually for three hours.

While if it was just me, I might try UBER or a taxi, but I don't feel confident and want to make sure I pick a reputable organization. Money is very important to me, but I realize that this opportunity is a small window and I am willing to pay to make it happen. I just also want to make sure I pay a reasonable amount.

I contacted a few places including American limos, Execucar, Omega Limo, Masters Limo, and 1st Choice Towncar. I am interested in a small/non flashy automobile, so a towncar/sedan is fine. The lowest price I have gotten is 180 for 3 hours including tax and a tip. They had a three hour min.

Please, can you offer any other suggestions on how I can make this happen, or if I should go with that rate? I certainly want to shop around prices, but also want to make sure I go with an endorsed organization for the safety aspect.

Thanks in advance for your help,

cruising3tlr

$180 for 3 hour minimum is a very reasonable rate...

Hi Friends,

 

I am a single mom traveling with 2 daughters under the age of 14 to LAX. We have at least 3 hours before we need to check in at the cruise and I have decided that since we are flying from the east coast and this might not happen again for many many years, that I would like to take a side trip to view my father's grave. He died at sea over 30 years ago and visiting it is extremely important to me.

 

So I mapquest it and figure everything out. I would go from LAX at about 9:30 or 10am on a Friday morning, to Hollywood Hills Cemetery (6300 Forest Lawn Drive) visit for about 10 minutes and then head straight to the San Pedro cruise pier. It should take less than 2 hours, but most limo rates are usually for three hours.

 

I contacted a few places including American limos, Execucar, Omega Limo, Masters Limo, and 1st Choice Towncar. I am interested in a small/non flashy automobile, so a towncar/sedan is fine. The lowest price I have gotten is 180 for 3 hours including tax and a tip. They had a three hour min.

 

Please, can you offer any other suggestions on how I can make this happen, or if I should go with that rate? I certainly want to shop around prices, but also want to make sure I go with an endorsed organization for the safety aspect.

Let's give this a bigger thought. You are arriving LAX at 10:00. You then are going to drive the opposite way of San Pedro swing around and drive back to the pier. Allowing 3 hours for that is not unreasonable and neither is the price.

If you get to there quickly and have a few minutes to spare, not too far from the cemetery is a train museum. Or the Gene Autry Museum.

Mapping it out mapquest says it is 62 miles but LA traffic can be a bear. My daughter lives 45 miles away from me. Thanksgiving Evening she left my house at 8:30 and got home at 11:00. We have traffic and we have accidents and construction. Save yourself some frustration and book the three hours.

Could you pay your respects after the cruise is over?

Assuming you land at 10. At least 30 minutes to get your luggage, another 15 for the limo, an hour to the cemetery then over an hour to port. That gives you about 2 hours to visit and get onboard. Forest Lawn is huge, can take 30 minutes just to find the grave. Times are off the top of my head, does not take into consideration traffic, accidents, SIG Alerts etc.

Could you pay your respects after the cruise is over?

 

Assuming you land at 10. At least 30 minutes to get your luggage, another 15 for the limo, an hour to the cemetery then over an hour to port. That gives you about 2 hours to visit and get onboard. Forest Lawn is huge, can take 30 minutes just to find the grave. Times are off the top of my head, does not take into consideration traffic, accidents, SIG Alerts etc.

Thanks so much for all the quick feedback. My flight lands at 8:40 so I built in time to get out of the airport with children that enjoy packing a stuffed friend for their stuffed friend..haha. It is Christmas and the checked bags are free...a small indulgence. Sadly there is no time when we return from the cruise. American Airlines bumped up that flight to a mild maddness time 11:50.. So it is pre-cruise or bust. Thanks for the tip about how large the cemetery is. I called and they wouldn't give me directions over the phone....apparently there are several buildings on site, so they told me to stop at the receptionist for a map.

If you want a town car, I suggest ontime1.com. Very reliable and very punctual. You can call them to see what rate they will offer.:) They also do a meet and greet at baggage claim.

If you want a town car, I suggest ontime1.com. Very reliable and very punctual. You can call them to see what rate they will offer.:) They also do a meet and greet at baggage claim.

Huh, their website doesn't seem to be working. It was not loading. I'll try again later for a quote. Or it is me. Yup, it was me. Checking it out now.

We used Ontime to pick us up from the San Fernando Valley to go to the World Cruise Center and were very pleased (and it was exactly a 180 degree turn with our experience with Prime Time for our last cruise), but there are many shuttle services that will take you point to point.

My bigger concern for you is that you're flying in the same day of the cruise and in addition to that (with the many ways flights can be delayed nowadays -- my family had decided years ago to never fly or take a train to arrive the day of a cruise), you're trying to box in a side trip that is important to you. Wouldn't it be much better to come a day ahead and then you don't risk being late to the port? You can take the time to pay respects and possibly also get in something fun for your kids (even though if they want to go to an amusement park you'll need several hours to do that right, and would have to schedule your ride without requiring the vehicle to wait for you as that would run into quite a bit of money).

My flight lands at 8:40...

Correction...Your flight is scheduled to land at 8:40. What will you do if your flight is delayed a couple hours? It may be too late now, but I would NOT have scheduled a transcontinental flight for the morning of the cruise, even without the side trip to the cemetery. I see that this is a 15 day cruise to Hawaii. If you miss the ship, there will likely be no way to catch up to it. Something to think about.

I knew it was close when I booked it and what could happen. I appreciate the concern and realize the risk I am taking, but there was no way to fly in earlier based on my family schedule. I am staying positive,hoping for the best, and have backup options for the worst.

Hi Friends,

 

I am a single mom traveling with 2 daughters under the age of 14 to LAX. We have at least 3 hours before we need to check in at the cruise and I have decided that since we are flying from the east coast and this might not happen again for many many years, that I would like to take a side trip to view my father's grave. He died at sea over 30 years ago and visiting it is extremely important to me.

 

So I mapquest it and figure everything out. I would go from LAX at about 9:30 or 10am on a Friday morning, to Hollywood Hills Cemetery (6300 Forest Lawn Drive) visit for about 10 minutes and then head straight to the San Pedro cruise pier. It should take less than 2 hours, but most limo rates are usually for three hours.

 

While if it was just me, I might try UBER or a taxi, but I don't feel confident and want to make sure I pick a reputable organization. Money is very important to me, but I realize that this opportunity is a small window and I am willing to pay to make it happen. I just also want to make sure I pay a reasonable amount.

 

I contacted a few places including American limos, Execucar, Omega Limo, Masters Limo, and 1st Choice Towncar. I am interested in a small/non flashy automobile, so a towncar/sedan is fine. The lowest price I have gotten is 180 for 3 hours including tax and a tip. They had a three hour min.

 

Please, can you offer any other suggestions on how I can make this happen, or if I should go with that rate? I certainly want to shop around prices, but also want to make sure I go with an endorsed organization for the safety aspect.

 

Thanks in advance for your help,

cruising3tlr

I am really concerned for you here...

If I am piecing this together correctly, you live in Pittsburgh, PA and are flying in on December 18, a FRIDAY, scheduled to arrive at LAX at 8:40 am for a Hawaii cruise on the Ruby Princess? Your ship is scheduled to depart from San Pedro at 4:00 pm--meaning you need to be onboard by no later than 2:00 pm...

Not only is this a Friday, it's the Friday before Christmas--pretty much one of the worst days of the year for LAX, one of the busiest airports in the world.

I take it that you are on American Flight 727, departing PIT at 6:05 am and arriving at LAX at 8:41 am...

First, know that lots can go wrong with flight delays--especially leaving cities in the northeast in December...So, there is never any kind of guaranty that 8:41 am is anywhere near dependable...

Then, once you get to LAX, there is considerable time needed to actually exit a large jet--especially if you are seated near the back of the plane--and a LONG walk from gate to luggage carousel...And, from my experience, luggage takes a LONG time to make it out to the carousel--I have waited as much as an hour before...So, even getting on the road by 10:00 am is questionable...A lot of stuff has to go right...

But, now, here's the next big problem...FRIDAY morning traffic between LAX and Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills (which is really ACROSS the hills from Hollywood--more in Burbank) can be incredible. There is no direct route by Freeway. You either go on mostly city streets--La Tijera to La Cienega to Stocker to La Brea to Highland to the 101 to Barham to Forest Lawn Drive--this route takes you through a lot of turns, a lot of back-up, through most of LA and through the heart of Hollywood--eternal gridlock...but, right now, THAT is the route Google Maps is recommending--because it would actually take LESS time than on the Freeways! Still well over an hour at this time of the morning. But LA Rush Hour is like nowhere else: At 10:00, it is STILL Rush Hour!

The other options are either the 105 to the 110 to either the 101 or the 5...both of which take you right through the heart of Downtown Los Angeles...OR the 405 to the 101--which takes you through the very busy West Side and Sepulveda Pass--including the 405/10 interchange and the 405/101 interchange--the two busiest freeway interchanges in the country...

Then, after your visit to the grave, you are taking the 5 to the 101 to the 110, straight through the heart of Downtown Los Angeles and, pretty much the entire length of the city north to south...Another trip of well over an hour.

Yes, it IS possible, if you really get into a car at LAX at 10:00 am, go directly to Forest Lawn, get there by 11:30 am, spend a half an hour FINDING and visiting the grave (yes, the cemetery is MASSIVE) and get out by noon and drive straight to the port (with, hopefully--and that is NOT a sure thing--less traffic at Noon--remember, this is Noon on the FRIDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS), that you might get to your cruise with a few minutes to spare...

BUT, you really DO need everything to go right...and you probably will also go OVER that 3 hour time slot with the limo company (figuring an hour and a half each way with traffic and 30 minutes at the cemetery--that's 3.5 hours right there)...

I really wish you would have planned this to come in the day before--you could have gotten a shuttle from LAX to a hotel up in the Universal City area (not far from the cemetery), checked in and grabbed a taxi over to the grave site, then taken your girls to Universal Studios, a dinner somewhere like along Citywalk, gotten a good night's sleep, then caught a shuttle to the port in San Pedro Friday morning and arrived in plenty of time to board the ship, have a nice lunch onboard and a relaxing day on the ship...

Good luck...

EDIT/Add: You may want to try arranging it with your limo company where you can play it by ear...only do the trip to the cemetery if your flight is on time and a check of morning traffic that morning shows a clear route to Forest Lawn...But, if the flight is delayed, where you can cancel and have them take you straight to San Pedro instead and charge you only for the time actually taken (IOW, no three hour minimum)?

I am really concerned for you here...

If I am piecing this together correctly, you live in Pittsburgh, PA and are flying in on December 18, a FRIDAY, scheduled to arrive at LAX at 8:40 am for a Hawaii cruise on the Ruby Princess? Your ship is scheduled to depart from San Pedro at 4:00 pm--meaning you need to be onboard by no later than 2:00 pm...

 

Not only is this a Friday, it's the Friday before Christmas--pretty much one of the worst days of the year for LAX, one of the busiest airports in the world.

I take it that you are on American Flight 727, departing PIT at 6:05 am and arriving at LAX at 8:41 am...

 

First, know that lots can go wrong with flight delays--especially leaving cities in the northeast in December...So, there is never any kind of guaranty that 8:41 am is anywhere near dependable...

 

Then, once you get to LAX, there is considerable time needed to actually exit a large jet--especially if you are seated near the back of the plane--and a LONG walk from gate to luggage carousel...And, from my experience, luggage takes a LONG time to make it out to the carousel--I have waited as much as an hour before...So, even getting on the road by 10:00 am is questionable...A lot of stuff has to go right...

 

But, now, here's the next big problem...FRIDAY morning traffic between LAX and Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills (which is really ACROSS the hills from Hollywood--more in Burbank) can be incredible. There is no direct route by Freeway. You either go on mostly city streets--La Tijera to La Cienega to Stocker to La Brea to Highland to the 101 to Barham to Forest Lawn Drive--this route takes you through a lot of turns, a lot of back-up, through most of LA and through the heart of Hollywood--eternal gridlock...but, right now, THAT is the route Google Maps is recommending--because it would actually take LESS time than on the Freeways! Still well over an hour at this time of the morning. But LA Rush Hour is like nowhere else: At 10:00, it is STILL Rush Hour!

 

The other options are either the 105 to the 110 to either the 101 or the 5...both of which take you right through the heart of Downtown Los Angeles...OR the 405 to the 101--which takes you through the very busy West Side and Sepulveda Pass--including the 405/10 interchange and the 405/101 interchange--the two busiest freeway interchanges in the country...

 

Then, after your visit to the grave, you are taking the 5 to the 101 to the 110, straight through the heart of Downtown Los Angeles and, pretty much the entire length of the city north to south...Another trip of well over an hour.

 

Yes, it IS possible, if you really get into a car at LAX at 10:00 am, go directly to Forest Lawn, get there by 11:30 am, spend a half an hour FINDING and visiting the grave (yes, the cemetery is MASSIVE) and get out by noon and drive straight to the port (with, hopefully--and that is NOT a sure thing--less traffic at Noon--remember, this is Noon on the FRIDAY BEFORE CHRISTMAS), that you might get to your cruise with a few minutes to spare...

 

BUT, you really DO need everything to go right...and you probably will also go OVER that 3 hour time slot with the limo company (figuring an hour and a half each way with traffic and 30 minutes at the cemetery--that's 3.5 hours right there)...

 

I really wish you would have planned this to come in the day before--you could have gotten a shuttle from LAX to a hotel up in the Universal City area (not far from the cemetery), checked in and grabbed a taxi over to the grave site, then taken your girls to Universal Studios, a dinner somewhere like along Citywalk, gotten a good night's sleep, then caught a shuttle to the port in San Pedro Friday morning and arrived in plenty of time to board the ship, have a nice lunch onboard and a relaxing day on the ship...

 

Good luck...

 

EDIT/Add: You may want to try arranging it with your limo company where you can play it by ear...only do the trip to the cemetery if your flight is on time and a check of morning traffic that morning shows a clear route to Forest Lawn...But, if the flight is delayed, where you can cancel and have them take you straight to San Pedro instead and charge you only for the time actually taken (IOW, no three hour minimum)?

Hi Bruin Steve,

You have pieced things together well. I booked this flight when it was usair. It has changed twice from original time. This isn't my typical rush time. I really appreciate the info on traffic. The cemetery is only possible if time permits and princess doesn't have me boarding until 1...although I always arrive early and wait. I don't like the staggered boarding at all. Since I am platinum we enjoy the little boarding area slightly secluded. Emphasis on slightly.

Your insight into rush hour and routes is highly appreciated since that area is foreign to me.

...princess doesn't have me boarding until 1...although I always arrive early and wait. I don't like the staggered boarding at all. Since I am platinum we enjoy the little boarding area slightly secluded. Emphasis on slightly.

It may not matter much here since you are going to try to go to the Cemetery before boarding, BUT, in general, I've learned to ignore Princess' staggered boarding...

As Platinum or Elite, you get to the terminal EARLY and they let you on first anyway...So I try to be there around 11:30, no matter what they officially tell me...and I am usually onboard right away--and go right to the dining room for a nice lunch.

I think they only send out info about staggered boarding in order to TRY to get people spread out so as not to have a crunch at the terminal...But, in my experience, all of that is really irrelevant...Boarding is, basically, Suites and Elites first, then Platinum, then everyone else based on what time they arrived at the terminal...

Heck, when I was on the Crown in January, they delayed boarding until after 6:00 due to a Norovirus deep cleaning. I was told that my boarding time, based on deck, was 8:30 pm! I arrived very early...and they started the process at 5:00...and boarding Suites, Elites and Platinum, regardless of deck, at about 5:30...I was onboard right about 5:30...Went right to dinner and was one of few on that cruise who even got to dine in the main dining room that night as they closed it off around 7:00 due to a 7:30 muster drill!

Last week on the Star Princess, due to my wife needing to be at meetings at work that morning (it was a Friday departure), we didn't get to the port until 2:00 pm--but, being Platinum, we avoided the long line and went right to the desk via the Elite/Platinum line...and right onto the ship in only a few minutes...But I really missed my usual nice first day lunch...

Didn't realize your flying in on the 18th! Traffic will start getting bad on the 17th and continue til the 19th. All schools are off starting that week, lots more people on the road.

When airlines change flight times you can call to rearrange for a better flight time.

If you miss the ship you'll have lots of in LA. Did you book Princess air? If not, you'll probably not be able to catch up with the ship. If they allow you to you'll probably have to pay the PVSA fine.

Hi Bruin Steve,

 

You have pieced things together well. I booked this flight when it was usair. It has changed twice from original time. This isn't my typical rush time. I really appreciate the info on traffic. The cemetery is only possible if time permits and princess doesn't have me boarding until 1...although I always arrive early and wait. I don't like the staggered boarding at all. Since I am platinum we enjoy the little boarding area slightly secluded. Emphasis on slightly.

 

Your insight into rush hour and routes is highly appreciated since that area is foreign to me.

BruinSteve laid it out perfectly for you. He explained it much better than I did. I also didn't realize that it was the Friday before Christmas. You don't have a chance. As many routes as he laid out for you, that really is the way we here in LA think when dealing with point A to B.

Like I said earlier, my DD left my house at 8:30 Thanksgiving night, drove 45 miles and it only took her 2-1/2 hours to get home in bumper to bumper traffic. Part of her route is the same one you would be taking. Basically the 101 to the 5 split which is near the cemetery. Twenty of those miles she had no traffic hold ups.

Any chance of doing a red eye the night before?

I didn't realize you're on a Hawaiian cruise. If you miss the ship in San Pedro, you've missed several days of the cruise. As long as the ship's foreign stop (Ensenada) is the final stop, you (I think, but I could be wrong about this) might not get hit with the PVSA fine as long as you're on board between the islands and Ensenada (if you miss the ship at the last Hawaiian port, you'll be violation).

As far as the staggered boarding times, as Steve has said, you generally won't be held to this. My last three cruises have been out of San Pedro (and all three were the Hawaiian RTs) and we ignored the 1pm time. We were never asked what time we were given. I think they just use the email to get passengers to come at different times to spread out the arrivals.

I also missed the date you're coming in. I've been at LAX during holiday times and it's not fun. And at that time of year there could be weather issues. Even if your starting point doesn't have snow, bad weather in some areas could affect traffic patterns throughout the country. And with kids out of school and families staying in town heading here and there...traffic might be a bit iffy.

In fact, we were coming back from being up north for several days and got caught in "road warrior" traffic. Not a big deal for us but we wanted to return our rental car Sunday. We realized somewhere around Valencia that there was no way we'll get to Budget by 2pm when they close. If it wasn't one for stuck bus that messed up traffic for a long time, we may have been okay even with heavy traffic in Santa Clarita as we got home by 2:15pm. So we had to eat the additional day of the rental. But if going on a cruise, we wouldn't have been so cavalier about when we left our last hotel.