Need advice, please! 12:00 flight LAX!

[runningcrazy]

We will be on the Star on April 23 as it docks in LA. I did not realize when I booked our flights--12:00 pm--that the ship doesn't dock until 8:00 am. I "assumed" it was at 7:00--Dummy! Anyway, it is $150 per flight to change--so that is not an option. We were planning to do self-disembark anyway, but I was wondering for those who have been to LA, will we have enough time, if we are among the first to get off--we will be waiting and ready--to get a cab and get to LAX by noon.

 

I had thought about getting a private car as well, but wanted to get your opinions. This will be our first time on NCL--we have been on Carnival several times, but always out of a Florida port, so we have no knowledge of how crazy LA might be.

 

Any help, advice, opinions will be appreciated--Thanks so much!:eek:

[Bfson]

No worries. Even on a weekday in commute traffic you should be fine. If you get off by 9am that gives you 2 hours to get to LAX (I assume you want to be there at 11am for a noon flight) LA traffic can be bad but not that bad.

[cacj]

I agree, I think you will be fine. Taxi or shuttle, but don't wait for the NCL bus...that eats up time!

[runningcrazy]

Thank you for getting back to me--I am a worrier! I actually just got off the phone with "Execucar"--they were great! Booked a "business class" private mini-van shuttle for $55 plus tip--picking us up at 8:45! The price was good so I went ahead and booked the same shuttle from LAX to the Crowne on the previous Friday. Reading on the boards I was getting a taxi fare anywhere from $45-65, so I figured I was in the ball park and it's private and already paid for in case there is traffic etc... the meter won't be clicking away.

 

Thank you again for those of you that responded!:D

[Clay Clayton]

You might want to consider trying to be really ready to go when they call for express disembarkation to start. When we were on Sun, Thanksgiving 2008, it was a MADHOUSE to get off the ship. Once we were ashore, all was fine but I wished we had of figured out a way to have our luggage down stairs earlier. Ended up having the elderly parents wait for the elevator while the two of us schlepped their and our luggage down the stairs with the other zillion folks doing the same thing.

 

Regarding the airport, you should be fine - we were. In fact three in our party ended up catching an earlier flight that left at 10:30 though I wouldn't chance that.

 

I highly recommend that you have b'fast before you embark at the Egg and Waffle...yummy. For more details, see my review, titled something like, "giving thanks for thanksgiving on Star". For other suggestions, be sure to check out the West Coast departures board.

 

Have a great cruise!

[billie5]

I agree that you will have plenty of time (unless a rare unforeseen event delays your arrival/immigration, but if you are going to worry about that, you should also be on the alert to duck from meteorites).

 

I also agree with the last poster about being ready. The biggest problems seem to stem from the number of passengers lining up for disembark, some less than civil. Here, if you are worried about a time constraint, you really need to line up a half hour before you are supposed to line up (Don't worry, there will already be a sizable line).

 

Bill

[marelind]

You might want to consider trying to be really ready to go when they call for express disembarkation to start. When we were on Sun, Thanksgiving 2008, it was a MADHOUSE to get off the ship. Once we were ashore, all was fine but I wished we had of figured out a way to have our luggage down stairs earlier. Ended up having the elderly parents wait for the elevator while the two of us schlepped their and our luggage down the stairs with the other zillion folks doing the same thing.

 

Regarding the airport, you should be fine - we were. In fact three in our party ended up catching an earlier flight that left at 10:30 though I wouldn't chance that.

 

We were on the Pearl in April, disembarking in LA. Customs and Border Patrol insisted on having the passengers go through customs ON the ship. (This also happened disembarking in LA on a Crystal Cruises in 2008). It was a ZOO!! :eek: They were running late, people were very angry (as if it was NCL's fault). There were lines running all over deck 7 (I think). I suppose it is possible if you a) are in a suite, and/or b) do a walk yourself off carrying your own luggage.

 

In addition, LAX is well known that you need to get there at least 2 hours before departure to get checked in and through TSA. It is a huge airport with long corridors.

 

With that said, if I were you I'd be very proactive in finding a way to get off as early as possible.

[roger001]

Last Nov., getting of the Star and a shuttle to LAX wasn't bad. However, at LAX, the Southwest checkin line was out the terminal and up the street. Finally, after that, we had to hand carry all checked bags ourselves to the customs scanning machines. Then, we had to do the shoes off security check in and that line was back out the terminal and half a block up the street. Apparently, 3 cruise ships arrived that morning and the Star was the last and everybody an all three was flying SWA.

[runningcrazy]

I checked the cruise calendar for San Pedro port on the morning of disembark and there will be two ships in port--the Star and Saphire Princess. My question now turns to if we are supposed to dock at 8:00, what time and what deck should I be on in order to be "expedited" off of the ship? We have self-disembarked every time we have cruised so schleping our bags is not an issue--one for each of us and they are on rollers. I have the shuttle pick up time scheduled for 8:45--hopefully that won't just be "wishful" planning.

[Whippets]

We cruised the Star this last April and had a 1 PM flight out of LAX. We carried our own luggage off the ship, had SAS Transportation pick us up. ($15. PP) We were through security and was able to get on an 11AM flight, got home two hours earlier than we expected. There were 3 ships in port that day but I guess they weren't all flying U S Airways.