HRPro Posted September 3, 2013 #1 Share Posted September 3, 2013 We are sailing roundtrip from LA to Hawaii on the Star in February and are trying to figure out our Precuise hotel arrangements. Our flight into LAX doesn't arrive until 4:30pm, which is probably the height of the LA rush hour traffic, so I'm a little concerned about getting to San Pedro that day. Princess offers transfers to the LAX Marriott with a night's stay and transfer to San Pedro the next morning. Would we better to take Princess hotel/transfer package or brave the traffic and reserve a hotel in San Pedro? Would appreciate the advice of LA experts since we have never traveled to LA before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruin Steve Posted September 3, 2013 #2 Share Posted September 3, 2013 We are sailing roundtrip from LA to Hawaii on the Star in February and are trying to figure out our Precuise hotel arrangements. Our flight into LAX doesn't arrive until 4:30pm, which is probably the height of the LA rush hour traffic, so I'm a little concerned about getting to San Pedro that day. Princess offers transfers to the LAX Marriott with a night's stay and transfer to San Pedro the next morning. Would we better to take Princess hotel/transfer package or brave the traffic and reserve a hotel in San Pedro? Would appreciate the advice of LA experts since we have never traveled to LA before. Arriving at 4:30 pm, you are not going to have a lot of time to see anything, if anything at all, in LA... If you stay at the Princess package hotel at LAX (with no car), you, basically, have about three choices: 1) You will be eating dinner at the hotel restaurant (there is nothing much else around there--just more hotels and more hotel restaurants, rental car lots, industrial buildings and some very sleazy retail...and you won't want to walk outside the hotel at night...So, after dinner, back to the room, watch TV and sleep. 2) There is a public bus called the Ocean Express that serves the Century Boulevard hotels bringing visitors there down to Manhattan Beach (just south of the airport) http://www.gatewaytola.org/GWT/assets/File/OE%20schedule%2013(2).pdf It runs until 10:00 pm and costs $5 per person...You can take it to get to some restaurants and shopping; or 3) You can grab a taxi over to Marina del Rey/Venice Beach or up to Santa Monica, have a nice dinner, maybe walk on the Third Street Promenade, the Santa Monica Pier or the Venice Boardwalk and then taxi back to the hotel (Keep the taxi phone number with you...the taxis here don't cruise around looking for fares. Do one of these if the price Princess is quoting is reasonable. You ARE dependent on them to fill up the bus to take you to the ship the next day and the timing might not be what you prefer. The alternative is to just book a hotel in San Pedro (Either the Crowne Plaza or the Doubletree--don't look for bargains). Get a shuttle or towncar to San Pedro--even though it is rush hour, it won't mean that much to you if someone else is doing the driving...It is only a 20 mile trip, so, even in the worse traffic, that will only take an hour...Chances are it takes less... If you stay at the Doubletree, either go to the nearby 22nd Street Landing for dinner--or have the hotel shguttle you for free into Downtown San Pedro with a wide variety of restaurant choices. If you stay at the CP, there are lots of restaurants withing a couple of blocks (I like the San Pedro Brewing Co.--a block from the hotel...lots of others in the area as well... Staying in San Pedro, you can get to the ship as early as you want...These two hotels will shuttle you for free to the pier...a little more relaxing morning than walking up at LAX and first dealing with cruise line buses...... Good luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Putterdude Posted September 3, 2013 #3 Share Posted September 3, 2013 In San Pedro we have often stayed at the Crowne Plaza and the Double Tree Inn; in Long Beach we have stayed at the Hyatt Regency. All of these we have got on Hotwire or bidding on Priceline for under $100. We have used Supper Shuttle at $17 pp for transferring from LAX to hotel. If you stay in Long Beach you will have about a $25 taxi ride to get back to the cruise terminal in San Pedro. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruise_More_Often Posted September 3, 2013 #4 Share Posted September 3, 2013 . . . If you stay at the CP, there are lots of restaurants withing a couple of blocks (I like the San Pedro Brewing Co.--a block from the hotel...lots of others in the area as well...Thanks for the recommendation! It's been a few years since we stayed in San Pedro, and we were looking for a new place for dinner close to the Crowne Plaza. Their menu looks fantastic, and we'll try to get their for "Hoppy Hour" (too cute). I can see one reason you like it -- "Bruin Owned and Operated." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HRPro Posted September 4, 2013 Author #5 Share Posted September 4, 2013 Thanks Bruin Steve and Putterdude--just what I needed to know. It sounds like it would be better to brave the traffic and get to San Pedro and have a nice dinner and a more relaxed morning. Many thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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