Post Cruise Tour of Los Angeles with Airport Drop-off

[Milhouse]

We're returning to Los Angeles on Saturday Nov 12 from a Mexican Riviera cruise on X.

X seems to have a post cruise 4hr 45min tour of:  Beachfront Santa Monica, Malibu, and Beverly Hills with Airport drop-off for $85CDN.  Hoping we could kill some time so we can take a cheaper evening flight home.  This would address our luggage and drops us off at the airport.  

 

Wondering if anyone has any insights or reviews on this tour; maybe anyone that is sailing in the weeks before us?  

Assuming it's a coach bus, luggage is handled, time at each destination, do they just drop you off and let you go at it until it's time to leave for the next destination, etc.

 

Not sure if I should be posting this in the West Coast Departures forum but I'm assuming this is a Celebrity specific excursion?

[OrcaGirl]

I'm taking this post-cruise excursion in late October and will report back if no one beats me to it.

[wikoffclan]

4 hours ago, OrcaGirl said:

I'm taking this post-cruise excursion in late October and will report back if no one beats me to it.

Looking forward to your report back on this "excursion". My sister and I are signed up for this as well in December. Our flights are next morning, staying in a hotel close to the airport overnight and figured this was a good way to spend some time in LA. Haven't been there in years and she's never been. Hoping it's an interesting tour. Let us know!

[kb734]

I'm looking at this tour as well.  Did anybody do this tour and can provide feedback?

[BTwurddle]

I took this tour after the same cruise last November! I had a late flight out of LAX and figured it would be better than just sitting in the airport. I’m glad I took it, it was a nice little sampler of the highlights of Los Angeles. 
 

That said here’s a couple things to keep in mind. First, check your flight times. I think the tour description said “for domestic flights departing after 3pm” or something like that. One couple on the tour had a flight departing three minutes after whatever time was mentioned and hadn’t accounted for the fact boarding actually begins 30 minutes prior to a flight. Long story short they had to catch an Uber from one of the later stops so everyone on the tour didn’t have to sacrifice to get them to the airport on time.

 

Second, the itinerary they mention is great and they absolutely try and fit everything in giving you a few stops to get off the coach and take in the area. Remember though you nights have some kind of delay somewhere. (We had a problem with the coach and lost about 45 minutes.) It certainly didn’t ruin the trip and I’m probably more relaxed than some folks so it didn’t bother me at all. We ended up with only about an hour for lunch in Santa Monica because of it but it couldn’t be helped. The tour guide and driver were doing their best to give us a great experience. 
 

Lastly you’ll probably start in Beverly Hills and you’ll get there before most of the stores and businesses have opened. (There are some nice bakeries and coffee shops beside the Beverly Wilshire Hotel that will be open) It still makes for some great pictures and seeing it first hand but if you were planning to go medieval in Louis Vuitton make an appointment so they open the door early for you! 
 

If your flight out gives you plenty of time it’s a great alternative to the dreadful purgatory that is LAX. Take the tour, relax and enjoy the ride. If something happens and you miss a sight or get rerouted just roll with it and you’ll be fine. 
 

Bonus secret society insider tip: if you stop near the shopping mall in Santa Monica and don’t want to walk all the way to the pier there’s a chocolate shop on the left toward the main entrance on the first floor. I picked up a couple treats and now I have a regular order with them every month shipped out to Texas. Worth hunting it up.

 

Enjoy your cruise, it’s a great relaxing time and if the tour works for your times you’ll have a great time.

[JintyGirl]

14 minutes ago, BTwurddle said:

I took this tour after the same cruise last November! I had a late flight out of LAX and figured it would be better than just sitting in the airport. I’m glad I took it, it was a nice little sampler of the highlights of Los Angeles. 
 

That said here’s a couple things to keep in mind. First, check your flight times. I think the tour description said “for domestic flights departing after 3pm” or something like that. One couple on the tour had a flight departing three minutes after whatever time was mentioned and hadn’t accounted for the fact boarding actually begins 30 minutes prior to a flight. Long story short they had to catch an Uber from one of the later stops so everyone on the tour didn’t have to sacrifice to get them to the airport on time.

 

Second, the itinerary they mention is great and they absolutely try and fit everything in giving you a few stops to get off the coach and take in the area. Remember though you nights have some kind of delay somewhere. (We had a problem with the coach and lost about 45 minutes.) It certainly didn’t ruin the trip and I’m probably more relaxed than some folks so it didn’t bother me at all. We ended up with only about an hour for lunch in Santa Monica because of it but it couldn’t be helped. The tour guide and driver were doing their best to give us a great experience. 
 

Lastly you’ll probably start in Beverly Hills and you’ll get there before most of the stores and businesses have opened. (There are some nice bakeries and coffee shops beside the Beverly Wilshire Hotel that will be open) It still makes for some great pictures and seeing it first hand but if you were planning to go medieval in Louis Vuitton make an appointment so they open the door early for you! 
 

If your flight out gives you plenty of time it’s a great alternative to the dreadful purgatory that is LAX. Take the tour, relax and enjoy the ride. If something happens and you miss a sight or get rerouted just roll with it and you’ll be fine. 
 

Bonus secret society insider tip: if you stop near the shopping mall in Santa Monica and don’t want to walk all the way to the pier there’s a chocolate shop on the left toward the main entrance on the first floor. I picked up a couple treats and now I have a regular order with them every month shipped out to Texas. Worth hunting it up.

 

Enjoy your cruise, it’s a great relaxing time and if the tour works for your times you’ll have a great time.

Thanks for the review - we’re booked on this trip next month. What time did you get dropped off at LAX? Our domestic flight is 16:45 so presuming we’ll be ok? 

[capsplace]

Thank you for this great review of this excursion.  We are booked for early May after our Panama Canal cruise.  We fly out around 10PM so no worries, hopefully, on delays.