Flight Connection! Will We Make It???

[waunabcruizin]

:eek: I had a senior moment when I booked this flight. I'm hoping that we'll make the connection. Comments, please, on whether we can disembark from the Sapphire Princess in L.A. Harbor and make an 11:00 AM flight out of Long Beach. We have PrimeTime transportation reservations who say they will pick us up from the ship at 8:45 AM. Anyone who has disembarked from Sapphire at L.A. Harbor.....will we be able to meet the shuttle on time? Thanks for any info on the disembarkation process.

 

Carol and Linda

[Pia1913]

:eek: I had a senior moment when I booked this flight. I'm hoping that we'll make the connection. Comments, please, on whether we can disembark from the Sapphire Princess in L.A. Harbor and make an 11:00 AM flight out of Long Beach. We have PrimeTime transportation reservations who say they will pick us up from the ship at 8:45 AM. Anyone who has disembarked from Sapphire at L.A. Harbor.....will we be able to meet the shuttle on time? Thanks for any info on the disembarkation process.

 

Carol and Linda

 

You'll make it. The only thing that could hold you up is the ship not getting their clearance.

[Pam in CA]

:eek: I had a senior moment when I booked this flight. I'm hoping that we'll make the connection. Comments, please, on whether we can disembark from the Sapphire Princess in L.A. Harbor and make an 11:00 AM flight out of Long Beach. We have PrimeTime transportation reservations who say they will pick us up from the ship at 8:45 AM. Anyone who has disembarked from Sapphire at L.A. Harbor.....will we be able to meet the shuttle on time? Thanks for any info on the disembarkation process.

Unless something very unusual happens, you shouldn't have any problems getting to LGB for a 11:00am flight. I've been on several cruises disembarking in San Pedro and been among the very last off the ship just after 9am. Only once have we experienced a delay where our limo driver was almost an hour late due to an accident on the exit to Harbour Avenue from the freeway. Also, going to LGB, it's only about 20 minutes away from the pier; not far. Relax and enjoy your cruise.

[Cruisin' Chick]

If it was to LAX, I would say "no way." Hopefully your ship won't be selected for the full customs/immigration treatment or that there will be any other reason that disembarkation starts late.

 

Be sure to keep the dispatchers number for Prime Time handy to call that morning if it looks like your getting off the ship will be delayed.

[waunabcruizin]

Thanks everybody for your comments. I didn't realize that Long Beach was so close to the port. I agree that LAX would have been out of the question, but it seems like LGB should be okay. Boy, I don't know what I would do without CC! Thanks,

 

Carol and Linda.

[TC Cruiser]

We just got back from this cruise. I was worried that a noon flight would be cutting it close so we selected a 3 pm flight instead. Got to the airport at 9:15 and had to wait for hours. You'll make it just fine. Not sure about your luggage but you'll make it.

[juggles]

take your own luggage, don't put it outside your cabin the night before for collection

[Shoalwater]

:eek: I had a senior moment when I booked this flight. I'm hoping that we'll make the connection. Comments, please, on whether we can disembark from the Sapphire Princess in L.A. Harbor and make an 11:00 AM flight out of Long Beach. We have PrimeTime transportation reservations who say they will pick us up from the ship at 8:45 AM. Anyone who has disembarked from Sapphire at L.A. Harbor.....will we be able to meet the shuttle on time? Thanks for any info on the disembarkation process.

 

Carol and Linda

 

Please read this thread http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1087998 and decide.

[Crown Prince]

HI, CAROL & LINDA,

 

Congratulations on your decision to use LGB. I love that airport, so much more friendly than LAX. I also like John Wayne in Santa Ana.

 

Good idea from Patty to have that Prime Time phone number handy to call and confirm as you disembark.

 

;);):D;);)

[merela]

Try carrying all your luggage off the ship on your own if it's possible. The ship will disembark anyone with earlier flights first. Talk to the Purser's office the day before embarkation to get the right disembarkation color tag if you are unable to carry your bags off the ship on your own.

 

Barring any unforeseen events, you should have plenty of time to get to LGB for the 11AM flight if you are one of the first off the ship.

[sirwired]

Personally, I'm a fan of booking an afternoon flight, and they doing standby on an earlier flight if I happen to get to the airport early enough. If I don't make standby, it's not a big deal... I don't mind just sitting and enjoying a book for a few hours. (Unless the airport is the AA terminals at MIA... easily my least-favorite airport to spend a lot of time in, and I've been to a lot.)

 

SirWired

[justluv2cruisewithhubby]

I just double checked my flight and we leave FLL at 10:35am. I did read a different blog that stated they have DIY (do it yourself) disembarkation as early as 7am if the ship arrives on time which it usually does. Its customs we normally have to wait for. I'm thinking worse case I get held up for two hrs...flag down a cab at 9am and get to the airport by 9:30am. Check bags at curb and jump on the plane.

[Pam in CA]

I just double checked my flight and we leave FLL at 10:35am. I did read a different blog that stated they have DIY (do it yourself) disembarkation as early as 7am if the ship arrives on time which it usually does. Its customs we normally have to wait for. I'm thinking worse case I get held up for two hrs...flag down a cab at 9am and get to the airport by 9:30am. Check bags at curb and jump on the plane.

You should be OK. I just got an email notice from AA that my flight after my April cruise has been changed from 11:15am to 10:30am. It's a HAL cruise on a much smaller ship so I'm debating whether to change my flight.

 

NOTE: Just called AA and changed my flight from 10:30am to 12:55pm. Instead of arriving at SNA at 4pm, I arrive at 6pm. Not a biggie. Phew!

[mamaboss]

I will be planning a hawaii r/t from LA in 2011. After reading this thread I am now wondering if I should be booking a flight to long beach instead of LAX? I travel with my 84 year old mother so I do not like arriving home at 10-11:00 at night. Too long for her. I see the flights to arrive in MI at 6pm leaves LAX at 10:30. Anything leaving LAX later would not arrive in MI till after 10pm. So would I be better off at LBG? Also what is the "prime time" phone number??

[cruzinchris]

Hello, Carol and Linda.

Hope both of you are well and anxiously anticipating your January cruise.

 

Mike and I always book flights after noon but our return flight from FLL following our Ruby Princess cruise in January has been changed to 11:10 from 12:38. Of course, considering that this is Delta/NW, the flight time could very well change again before January, so we're not going to fret about it just yet :D

 

If the flight remains as is, we'll make certain that we have early disembarkation. You will proably be able to make your flight, as well.

 

Bon Voyage!

Chris

[DrivesLikeMario]

We did walk-off disembarkation and barely made our 10:30 am flight at LAX. LGB is actually not that much closer, it's just that there is usually less traffic and it's easier to get in & out of than LAX. Plus, LAX tends to have more bomb scares (usually just hoaxs) and delays.

 

Out of at least 10 times in the Port of LA:

- the latest we've ever been off the ship in LA was just after 10:30am.

- the earliest was at 7:25am.

- the average time is about 8:15 for walk-off disembarkation.

[waunabcruizin]

Thanks to everyone for tales of harrowing departures and piece of cake departures. In general, it appears we might be okay with walk-off disembarkation and no hassels with immigration. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

 

Hi Chris and Mike - We too usually book flights for after noon, but in this case there were only two flights to choose from; one at 11:00 AM and the other not until something like 5:30 PM. We didn't wanna hang out until 5:30 when we could be home by 2:00 PM. Plus Linda has to go to work on Sunday and gets up at 3:30 AM so the later flight would get us home very late for her to get enough sleep before working a 12-hour shift. Will pm you later today.

 

Thanks again for all the information. For those who inquired, Prime Time is a shuttle service between L.A. area airports and various hotels, cruise terminals, etc. And, very good idea to keep Prime Time's phone number handy just in case we're delayed (fingers crossed).

 

We're already really, really, really looking forward to this cruise --- just to see the sun, if nothing else! It's rain, rain and more rain here in the PNW.

Can't wait until Linda can retire so we can become snowbirds. Still a ways in the future, though.

 

Bon Voyage to everyone with a cruise in the works and happy planning to everyone contemplating one.

 

Carol and Linda.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I will be planning a hawaii r/t from LA in 2011. After reading this thread I am now wondering if I should be booking a flight to long beach instead of LAX? I travel with my 84 year old mother so I do not like arriving home at 10-11:00 at night. Too long for her. I see the flights to arrive in MI at 6pm leaves LAX at 10:30. Anything leaving LAX later would not arrive in MI till after 10pm. So would I be better off at LBG? Also what is the "prime time" phone number??

 

There are more options for flights and airlines out of LAX, but you can always check the flights out of Long Beach. I haven't gone out of that airport, but LAX is huge. And the freeway that goes up to LAX from the Port area (from the Harbor freeway, you'll take the 405 San Diego freeway -- yes, I know you're traveling the opposite direction from SD, but that's what we call the 405) can get jammed up even on a Saturday or Sunday morning if there's construction or an accident.

 

Prime Time Shuttle is one of the shuttle services you can book. So if you're using them, make sure you get the dispatcher's phone number just in case there's any delay getting off the ship. There's also Supershuttle. And some lesser known companies (I used coolrides and called them from the ship when the disembarkation on my last cruise out of San Pedro was delayed and they told me what to do when we finally got off the ship) can be prebooked too. It could be that you'll get off the ship in a timely manner, but immigrations and customs are something you or the cruiseline will have no say in.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Thanks to everyone for tales of harrowing departures and piece of cake departures. In general, it appears we might be okay with walk-off disembarkation and no hassels with immigration. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

 

Hi Chris and Mike - We too usually book flights for after noon, but in this case there were only two flights to choose from; one at 11:00 AM and the other not until something like 5:30 PM. We didn't wanna hang out until 5:30 when we could be home by 2:00 PM. Plus Linda has to go to work on Sunday and gets up at 3:30 AM so the later flight would get us home very late for her to get enough sleep before working a 12-hour shift. Will pm you later today.

 

Thanks again for all the information. For those who inquired, Prime Time is a shuttle service between L.A. area airports and various hotels, cruise terminals, etc. And, very good idea to keep Prime Time's phone number handy just in case we're delayed (fingers crossed).

 

We're already really, really, really looking forward to this cruise --- just to see the sun, if nothing else! It's rain, rain and more rain here in the PNW.

Can't wait until Linda can retire so we can become snowbirds. Still a ways in the future, though.

 

Bon Voyage to everyone with a cruise in the works and happy planning to everyone contemplating one.

 

Carol and Linda.

 

Don't forget that January is in the midst of the rainy season here in LA. This is supposed to be an El Nino year, but we sure need that rain. So bring an umbrella just in case it's raining on your sailaway. The last time we were in Seattle, we got there during a heat spell. During our Alaskan cruise, it started to rain and it was pouring when we got off the ship. Still I love that area. And my hubby and daughter fell in love with it too.

[waunabcruizin]

Hey, Cruisin' Chick - Thanks for the heads up about the January/February weather in L.A. Linda and I are both ex-Angelinos (North Hollywood and Reseda) so we're aware. But living in the Seattle area for about 23 years prompts us to say, 'we don't need no stinkin' umbrellas - we're part water fowl'. Lol. Thanks for all the good info.

 

Carol and Linda.

[Pam in CA]

I will be planning a hawaii r/t from LA in 2011. After reading this thread I am now wondering if I should be booking a flight to long beach instead of LAX? I travel with my 84 year old mother so I do not like arriving home at 10-11:00 at night. Too long for her. I see the flights to arrive in MI at 6pm leaves LAX at 10:30. Anything leaving LAX later would not arrive in MI till after 10pm. So would I be better off at LBG? Also what is the "prime time" phone number??

There are pluses and minus' to flying out of Long Beach vs. LAX. Long Beach is closer and less traffic but it's also often more expensive to fly to LGB than LAX and there are a lot fewer flights to choose from. It's also harder to find a non-stop flight to LGB than LAX.

 

Even living only about 20 minutes south of SNA (Orange County/John Wayne), we usually fly in and out of LAX (an hour away) because of the non-stop flights, more flight choices and less-expensive fares.