San Pedro Port - what is it like

[Ottawa Lynne]

We've cruised out of Miami three times now so know what to expect, but know nothing about the San Pedro port for NCL. I guessing there are porters to put your bag on the ship - how much do they expect for a tip (we each will have a 50lb bag plus a small carry-on)? Are there security worries when you drop off your bag?

 

Anything else I should know? We leave on New Years Day and I'm getting excited:rolleyes:

[Keith1010]

In terms of passenger cruise ships there are usually one to three at any given time.

 

There are porters who will take your bags and you would tip them as you would in Miami.

They will take your bags as they do in Miami. You should carry on those items onto the ship as you normally would such as jewelry, cameras, other equipment and any other valuables.

 

Keith

[Putterdude]

The porters at the "World Cruise Center" (always get a kick out of that name) are probably the nicest that we have ever encountered anywhere...for the most part clean cut and very helpful. They actually take your luggage from the curb and put in on their carts and take it away. We always tip $2 per bag rounding it to the nearest $5. We have never been concerned about security matters in the least.

[elcydcruiser]

You're lucky - NCL will be the only ship in port on New Year's Day. The longies that work the terminal are friendly and have probably cruised before, so they know what you expect. $1 - $5 is the going rate for tips.

[CaseyJr]

Aren't most of the "porters" moonlighting longshoremen?

[Cruisin' Chick]

We've gone on cruises out of San Pedro six times. Aside from one officious port official back in 2003 (she made me take my soda bottle and my kid's juice box off of a little table -- she wanted to use it for her own water bottle as it turned out; plus, when my hubby offered to take a photo of some large family group, she stomped over and said "no photographs," which may be per security -- but she said it so nastily), we haven't had any problems.

 

And we've always felt our car was secured in that parking lot.

[reefgirl]

You didn't mention if you were parking a car or not, but my DH and I parked our car there for our cruise and the parking lot was locked and closed when we went back to get our car after the cruise. It was an incredible PITA to get our car back. Otherwise the port was fine

[Putterdude]

Aren't most of the "porters" moonlighting longshoremen?

 

They are not moonlighting, they are very highly paid members of the Longshoreman's Union....on the east coast the Stevedores Union.

[Ottawa Lynne]

I was worrying about this because it's in LA and LA is such a foreign land for us (and I've watched too many detective shows)

 

ok that worry is done on to the next!

 

thanks again

[kenish]

Don't worry. You won't find LA any more strange or foreign than I find Ottawa when I'm there on business from LA! :D (Love Ottawa BTW, most European city in North America IMO)

[Cruisin' Chick]

You didn't mention if you were parking a car or not, but my DH and I parked our car there for our cruise and the parking lot was locked and closed when we went back to get our car after the cruise. It was an incredible PITA to get our car back. Otherwise the port was fine

 

Please explain this. I have never heard that the port's parking lot was closed during the day. I don't think it would even be closed in the early evening either -- at least whenever we went to check out the ships and wave to people, we were able to park in the lot and then leave after sailaway (of course, we haven't done that in years).

[reefgirl]

Please explain this. I have never heard that the port's parking lot was closed during the day. I don't think it would even be closed in the early evening either -- at least whenever we went to check out the ships and wave to people' date=' we were able to park in the lot and then leave after sailaway (of course, we haven't done that in years).[/quote']

 

We took a cruise from LA to Vancouver. We flew from Vancuover back to LA and arrived by cab at the port about 5:30-6:00pm. The parking lot was locked up. We had to drag our luggage around the port until we finally found someone who took us to a couple of people who had keys to the lot. They actually didn't work for the company that owned the lot and were very hesitant to let us have our car. I believe they were security. Anyway, I gave them what we owed for the parking and were on our way. It was a very frustrating way to end an otherwise wonderful cruise. If I had it to do over again I would have left my car at the hotel.

[elcydcruiser]

They are not moonlighting, they are very highly paid members of the Longshoreman's Union....on the east coast the Stevedores Union.

Thanks...appreciate the back-up.

[Cruisin' Chick]

We took a cruise from LA to Vancouver. We flew from Vancuover back to LA and arrived by cab at the port about 5:30-6:00pm. The parking lot was locked up. We had to drag our luggage around the port until we finally found someone who took us to a couple of people who had keys to the lot. They actually didn't work for the company that owned the lot and were very hesitant to let us have our car. I believe they were security. Anyway, I gave them what we owed for the parking and were on our way. It was a very frustrating way to end an otherwise wonderful cruise. If I had it to do over again I would have left my car at the hotel.

 

Not discounting what you went through, but I just went to the Port of LA website to check on hours (we're planning our next cruise) and here's the info on parking hours:

 

Where can I park if I take a cruise out of the Port of Los Angeles?

Overnight parking is available and no reservations are required. Most lots are open seven days/week, 24 hours/day. Courtesy shuttles are provided to and from the cruise terminal on scheduled ship days. Shuttles are not wheelchair accessible. Parking rates are $1 each hour for the first 10 hours, with a $12 daily maximum. Cash, Travelers Checks, and Credit Cards are accepted. For more information, call Parking Concepts at 1-800-540-PARK.

[Mingus]

Not discounting what you went through' date=' but I just went to the Port of LA website to check on hours (we're planning our next cruise) and here's the info on parking hours:

 

[b']Where can I park if I take a cruise out of the Port of Los Angeles?[/b]

Overnight parking is available and no reservations are required. Most lots are open seven days/week, 24 hours/day. Courtesy shuttles are provided to and from the cruise terminal on scheduled ship days. Shuttles are not wheelchair accessible. Parking rates are $1 each hour for the first 10 hours, with a $12 daily maximum. Cash, Travelers Checks, and Credit Cards are accepted. For more information, call Parking Concepts at 1-800-540-PARK.

We've parked a couple of times at San Pedro without any problems, but you have to pay attention to which lot you use.

Lots 1 & 2 are 9:00am to 6:00pm. Lots 6,7 & 8 are 24 hours.

 

http://www.cruisecenterparking.com/ratesindex.html

[Cruisin' Chick]

Thanks for the link. I didn't know there were more than one lots there. My hubby just follows the path up to the berth for our ship, unload our stuff and the girl and me, then he drives back down and parks. We're usually within sight of the ship. The last time I drove there myself (for a tour), I ended up parking right by the ship.

 

I'll see if I can find a map of the parking area relative to the berths, unless someone else can find it (Cuizer?).

[reefgirl]

Not discounting what you went through' date=' but I just went to the Port of LA website to check on hours (we're planning our next cruise) and here's the info on parking hours:

 

[b']Where can I park if I take a cruise out of the Port of Los Angeles?[/b]

Overnight parking is available and no reservations are required. Most lots are open seven days/week, 24 hours/day. Courtesy shuttles are provided to and from the cruise terminal on scheduled ship days. Shuttles are not wheelchair accessible. Parking rates are $1 each hour for the first 10 hours, with a $12 daily maximum. Cash, Travelers Checks, and Credit Cards are accepted. For more information, call Parking Concepts at 1-800-540-PARK.

 

Believe what you want. Our cruise was in May 2009 and we had a very difficult time getting our car out of the lot. It was a scenario I would never have expected from a world-class port. I will never do this again. Ever.

[reefgirl]

I would like to add that this was over a year ago. I'm sure they've corrected whatever the problem was.

[Mingus]

I would like to add that this was over a year ago. I'm sure they've corrected whatever the problem was.

We parked there in 2008 and the setup was the same as now....we just made sure we were in one of the 24 hour lots.

 

Thanks for the link. I didn't know there were more than one lots there. My hubby just follows the path up to the berth for our ship' date=' unload our stuff and the girl and me, then he drives back down and parks. We're usually within sight of the ship. The last time I drove there myself (for a tour), I ended up parking right by the ship.

 

I'll see if I can find a map of the parking area relative to the berths, unless someone else can find it (Cuizer?).[/quote']

I thought there used to be a map on the Port of LA site, but don't see it any more.

 

Here's a Google map of the World Cruise Center.

http://wiki.worldflicks.org/berth_91-93_world_cruise_center.html#coords=%2833.7477068,-118.2772851%29&z=17

The ship is at Pier 93 and the parking directly beside the ship is the 9am to 6pm lots.

The parking under the Vincent Thomas bridge are the 24 hour lots. There are shuttle buses to take you back to Pier 91 or 93, but it was just as easy to walk.

[CaseyJr]

They are not moonlighting, they are very highly paid members of the Longshoreman's Union....on the east coast the Stevedores Union.

 

Sorry, I didn't mean for that comment to offend anyone. I didn't realize that the Longshoreman's union also included being a porter for the cruise ships. I knew they worked with all vessels in the port but I didn't realize the job of porter was a union job.