Los Angeles

The Port of Los Angeles (San Pedro) and neighboring Port of Long Beach form the primary departure gateways for voyages down the Pacific coast to Baja California and the Mexican Riviera.

The cruise terminals

Your departure terminal depends strictly on the cruise line you sail with:

• World Cruise Center (San Pedro): Serves Princess Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Holland America Line. Situated on the Main Channel of Los Angeles Harbor.
• Long Beach Cruise Terminal: A massive geodesic dome (formerly housing Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose aircraft) serving Carnival Cruise Line, located directly alongside the permanently berthed RMS Queen Mary.
• Airport access: From Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), allow 40 to 60 minutes for the 20-mile trip south via the I-405 and I-110 freeways. From Long Beach Airport (LGB), travel time is just 20 minutes.

Things to do before boarding

• Battleship USS Iowa Museum: Moored in San Pedro just minutes from the World Cruise Center. Tour the decks of the legendary World War II battleship, including the armored bridge, massive 16-inch guns, and FDR's historic cabin.
• The Queen Mary: Tour the 1936 Art Deco British transatlantic ocean liner in Long Beach. Explore historic first-class staterooms, the engine room, and the observation lounge.
• Aquarium of the Pacific: A world-class ocean aquarium in downtown Long Beach featuring over 12,000 Pacific marine animals, shark lagoons, and touch tanks.
• Catalina Island Ferry: The high-speed Catalina Express passenger ferry departs from San Pedro and Long Beach, reaching Avalon in about one hour for coastal hiking, tile shops, and submarine tours.

Cruising the Pacific Ocean

The Pacific coastal waters off Southern California can be cool and breezy during the first evening at sea, even in summer. Keep a windbreaker or warm sweater in your carry-on luggage for watching the ship sail past Point Fermin and the Palos Verdes Peninsula.