West Coast Cruise - tours for LA

[Jaberwocky]

We will be getting off a West Coast cruise on a Saturday morning - arrival in port is scheduled for 7am. Our flight does not leave from LAX until 4pm. Does anyone know if Princess offers any short tours for those leaving the ship? We would like to do something other than sit at the airport until 4:00, but realize we won't have much time in a city as spread out as LA. Thanks for any information - we are just starting to make plans.

[Astro Flyer]

We will be getting off a West Coast cruise on a Saturday morning - arrival in port is scheduled for 7am. Our flight does not leave from LAX until 4pm. Does anyone know if Princess offers any short tours for those leaving the ship? We would like to do something other than sit at the airport until 4:00, but realize we won't have much time in a city as spread out as LA. Thanks for any information - we are just starting to make plans.

When we arrived in the Port of LA in early April the only post cruise excursion offered just took you to Long Beach so you could tour independently and then transportation to LAX.

[USNUZULOOSE]

You could visit the Queen Mary in Long Beach. They will hold your luggage as well.

[Astro Flyer]

You could visit the Queen Mary in Long Beach. They will hold your luggage as well.

 

Or the battleship USS Iowa which is the sister ship of the USS Missouri & is now a museum next to the Port of LA cruise terminals.

Edited May 14, 2014 by Astro Flyer

[shastatroy]

Rent a car at Enterprise (6th St San Pedro), drive around the coast of Palos Verdes, have lunch at Terranea, continue up PCH and check out the beach towns and return the car at LAX.

[Bruin Steve]

We will be getting off a West Coast cruise on a Saturday morning - arrival in port is scheduled for 7am. Our flight does not leave from LAX until 4pm. Does anyone know if Princess offers any short tours for those leaving the ship? We would like to do something other than sit at the airport until 4:00, but realize we won't have much time in a city as spread out as LA. Thanks for any information - we are just starting to make plans.

 

Princess may post something later in the way of an LA tour with airport drop-off...

 

You can also arrange a private tour with Sunseeker Tours--they will pick up at the pier and drop off at the aiport...

 

BUT, here's the big issue...You really don't have near as much time as you think...

LAX usually recommends getting there two hours before flight time...So, in your case 2:00 pm...

And, just because the ship claims to dock at 7:00 am doesn't mean you are getting off the ship by then...

9:00 am is probably a more realistic exstimate...And remember, you have to collect your luggage and clear customs...along with the other 3,000 sailing with you...

 

So, your more realistic window is from 9:00 or 10:00 to 2:00...So, only 4 to 5 hours...

Driving to, say, Hollywood from San Pedro, depending on traffic, likely takes you an hour...as does getting from Hollywood back to LAX...So, the window for any actual sightseeing is only 2 to 3 hours...

 

You could also store your luggage somewhere and do some things locally in the harbor area--like the Aquarium and Queen Mary in Long Beach or the Maritime Museum and the USS Iowa in San Pedro, grab some lunch, then head to LAX...

[USNUZULOOSE]

Or the battleship USS Iowa which is the sister ship of the USS Missouri & is now a museum next to the Port of LA cruise terminals.

 

I did not know that, but if I get to sail from there now I have an option for something.

[SingerEsq]

I agree with Bruin Steve ... you do not have that much time. We just got off the Crown a couple of weeks ago in LA. Ship arrived into port at 6:30 or so and and could not get off the ship until after 11 a.m. If you do first "walk-off," you will probably get off earlier (this requires that you carry all of your own luggage).

 

The day we got in, there was a lack of personnel at immigration and the lines were loooooonnnnng, thus causing the delay.

 

Princess may offer a shore excursion that gets you off the ship first, and takes or hold your luggage.

 

I would agree that the most you should set your sites on is Long Beach for the Aquarium (world class) and the QM (which I understand has been renovated somewhat ... a few years ago, she was in pretty bad shape.) They used to have a 2-fer ticket where you could tour the Aquarium and then the QM, which is nearby. You would probably have to have a car or take cabs. We also hope to tour the USS Iowa at some point, which is literally within walking distance from the cruise terminal.

Edited May 14, 2014 by SingerEsq

[Cruisin' Chick]

From what I understand, the Aquarium of the Pacific will hold your luggage for you. It's on the waterfront near the Port of Long Beach so if you can get a taxi from San Pedro that'll hold your luggage, it'll be a nice outing. You can even get your hands stamped and go for a walk (or take the free shuttle) and head to Shoreline Village (right near where the QM is berthed) and have a nice lunch and then return to the Aquarium to collect your belongings and head to the airport.

[BroncoLvrs]

We did the Princess excursion at Aquarium of the Pacific and it was great. Your luggage stays on the bus and we had plenty of time at the aquarium. We even managed to fit in a "Behind the Scenes" tour. When we were finished we got back on the bus and were dropped off at the airport. Very easy! You can book it via the cruise personalizer just as you do other excursions.

[Astro Flyer]

We did the Princess excursion at Aquarium of the Pacific and it was great. Your luggage stays on the bus and we had plenty of time at the aquarium. We even managed to fit in a "Behind the Scenes" tour. When we were finished we got back on the bus and were dropped off at the airport. Very easy! You can book it via the cruise personalizer just as you do other excursions.

 

My recent experience is that this excursion is not always offered & they only had a ride to Long Beach for independent touring and then to LAX. :(

[Jaberwocky]

Thanks for all of your ideas. I think we will hope that the cruise line offers something that includes transportation to LAX later. We were concerned about how everything is so spread out and worried about running out of time to get to the airport.

[Bill B]

It's been my experience they always offer disembarkation day tours that drop you off at the airport. However, there is no information - itinerary/schedule - given until a few days before the end of the cruise.

[Working 2 Cruise]

Also, remember that traffic in LA can be horrific... if there is an accident, it could take even longer. I would also suggest something close, or you may miss your flight. From what I understand, you must arrive 2 hours before your scheduled flight or before, so you must be at the airport before 2.