LA Pre-Cruise Hotel Suggestions

[TravelingBeyondBoundaries]

My daughter and I will be sailing from LA and I'm looking for pre-cruise hotel suggestions. Is it better to stay near the port? Or maybe by the airport? I'm a little nervous traveling alone there. What's the best option for getting to/from the hotel? My daughter is small and needs a car seat.

I was sad to find out that Royal no longer offers pre-cruise packages and miss the convenience of them just taking care of me lol. Do they still offer shuttles from/to the airport?

Thanks!

[smokeybandit]

Stay in Long Beach. More options for hotels and food/entertainment. Then it's a quick Uber to the port.

[TravelingBeyondBoundaries]

42 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Stay in Long Beach. More options for hotels and food/entertainment. Then it's a quick Uber to the port.

Unfortunately Uber doesn't have car seats in LA

[smokeybandit]

15 minutes ago, TravelingBeyondBoundaries said:

Unfortunately Uber doesn't have car seats in LA

Would you already have a car seat with you though?

[TravelingBeyondBoundaries]

37 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Would you already have a car seat with you though?

No, she doesn't need one for the flight.

[Va4fam]

Our flight arrived after 10:00 Pm at LAX so we stayed at the Embassy Suites (LAX Airport).  

Quick Lyft ride to the port the next morning.

If we had arrived earlier I would have "lyfted" to the Doubletree or Hilton near the cruise terminal and slept in the next morning. 

Car rental places offer car seats, not sure if UBER/Lyft do.

[CruisingNewb]

I know that this may be an unpopular suggestion regarding car seats, but....

When we used to travel with our children, when they still needed car seats and strollers, we would fly into the destination, take public transportation to the nearest Walmart, buy the cheapest $20 stroller and $20 car seat, and use it during the vacation.  

Prior to flying back home, we would try to give away the car seat and stroller to anyone at the airport who had kids.  If no takers, we would leave them behind at lost and found.

We just found that the convenience in traveling light outweighed $40 to $60 dollars in buying a limited use car seat and stroller.

[CruisingNewb]

Oh...here is a novel idea:

Stay at the Queen Mary! It is a short taxi ride to the San Pedro Cruise Terminal and taxis are required by law to carry a car seat for young children.

[Matt]

Bring an inflatable car seat so you can use Lyft: https://amzn.to/3xZIK4m

[TravelingBeyondBoundaries]

Thanks but she's only 30 lbs (even though she's 5). There is one in Canada called the mifold which is also certified for the US that folds very small but I don't think she will be heavy enough for it. I'll be happy when she is though lol

[steverk]

I stay at the Best Western Los Angeles Worldport in Wilmington CA.  It's what you'd expect from a Best Western.  Clean and comfortable but not a 5 star hotel. Some rooms are noisy, but I didn't have any issues.

The price is reasonable to LA area. I looked at the website and found rooms for $139.

It's about 5 miles from the cruise port and an easy UBER ride. I've heard they offer cruise parking, but I cannot confirm that.

The hotel has a free breakfast and is next to a Denny's restaurant.

[Cactus527]

I have stayed in both Long Beach and by LAX.

In Long Beach, we did the Hyatt Centric. Clean, comfortable, great rooftop pool, right by a big shopping/restaurant area, and a 12 minute Lyft drive to the port ($25?). Took a Lyft from LAX to the hotel upon arrival ~$70. 

In LAX, I stayed at the Hyatt House right by LAX. Free shuttle to the hotel, free breakfast, and then I went back over to LAX in the morning to take the RC shuttle. Convenient, easy, and $35 one way. 

If I had to choose, I would recommend Long Beach. Quieter, more beautiful, and quick to get over to the port.

[FireFishII]

When my kids travel with my grandkids, they bring along the car seat.  The car seat is checked luggage.  They usually wrap the car seat in an extra large and hefty trash bag.  You can buy car seat travel covers. 

[Bruin Steve]

Okay...I am a "local"...but I've also stayed in hotels overnight pre-cruise (personal preference--I live about an hour and a half drive from the port and don't like to deal with much on embarkation day)...

For the absolute most in convenience, it is best to head down to San Pedro as soon as you arrive...Uber/Lyft best (but we'll get to that later).  The ONLY two hotels I would stay at in San Pedro are the Crowne Plaza and the Doubletree.  I have stayed in both.  The CP is right in the heart of Downtown San Pedro, about three blocks from the pier...and VERY close to several good, casual restaurants--like within a block of several (I really like the San Pedro Brewing Co., half a block from the CP.  Several others right there as well...most of them casual and reasonably priced).  The Doubletree is very nice and in a more serene setting on the small boat marina--but distant from most restaurants and the pier.

Long Beach is 6-8 miles from the pier.  Great if you have a lot of time and want to go to the Aquarium of the Pacific...but it also means an extra Uber/Lyft ride or two.  If you stay in Long Beach, try to stick to these hotels:  Hyatt Regency, H/yatt Centric at the Pike, Renaissance, Westin, maybe the Maya Doubletree, Residence Inn Downtown or Hilton.  Other Long Beach hotels are either far from the port or in bad neighborhoods.  Long Beach is a big city on its own.

I would NOT stay in Wilmington (NOT a great neighborhood, if you catch my drift).  Also not a fan of the LAX area.

As to transportation, Uber/Lyft is, generally, the most efficient and most reasonable mode of travel.  Of course, as you've figured out, you have a car seat issue.  To get to the Uber/Lyft/Taxi pick-up lot at LAX, unless ytou're at Terminal 1, you likely have to take a short shuttle ride...but, at least it's very short and you may not need a car seat for that.  But, for the long ride to the port, you will need a car seat.  There are also some shuttle companies operating out of LAX which supply car seats:

https://laxairportshuttle.com/child-car-safety

https://laxviptransport.com/child-seat-car-service/

There are others...You may want to check with them directly...AND, make sure the car seat is expressly noted in any reservation.

Again, it may be a good idea to stay at the Crowne Plaza, San Pedro...You'll only need to deal with a car seat for the two rides:  LAX to the CP and from the ship back to LAX...and, if you don't want to carry a car seat with you, use a shuttle company with car seats.  You cn walk to a restaurant from the hotel...and, though it might be a little long of a walk with a five year old and luggage (pack light if you can), you can walk to the pier (less than 3/4 of a mile, flat, only one major street to cross.

Good luck. 

[TravelingBeyondBoundaries]

Thanks everyone! I actually found a travel restraint called a RideSafer vest that is legal in all states. My daughter is large enough for that so even though it's pricey it's worth having in order to be able to take an Uber. 

Thanks for all the suggestions, can't wait for our adventure!

[FireFishII]

2 hours ago, TravelingBeyondBoundaries said:

I actually found a travel restraint called a RideSafer vest that is legal in all states.

Thanks for sharing this information.  I know what to get my kids for Christmas - ok, it may be an early Christmas present when they come out to visit this fall.