Travel Tips for Los Angeles and Long Beach Cruise
Whether it’s your first trip or your 100th, the point of your cruise is to have a fun and relaxing vacation. Unfortunately, we all know how stressful traveling can be. Don’t let the stress get in the way of having a fantastic cruise.
There’s always something that can help make your next cruise better. A great cruise starts with smart sailing. Our cruise tips are the best way to start your next trip.
Do Your Research
Even if you’ve already booked the cruise, doing a little research about what it might be like onboard is wise, especially if this is your first cruise, or just your first time traveling with this line. One of the best cruise tips we can offer is to go online and see what others have had to say about their experiences beyond just reviews. Consider it like watching a trailer for a movie before you see it – ‘previewing’ your cruise ahead of time.
Researching a cruise before you board can have a number of benefits. For one, there’s no telling what quirks or perks you might not have noticed when you first booked the trip. For example, watching a YouTube video may help you choose which restaurant to go to and which to avoid, or help you know when the pool might be less crowded.
If there’s still time, finding a second opinion online can even lead you to upgrade – or even downgrade – your trip package.
And, at the very least, previewing and can excite you and your travel party to set sail and inspire fun ideas for your itinerary.
Ways to ‘Preview’ Your Cruise
YouTube
YouTube is filled with cruise-goers, from casual first-timers to those who make travel their lifestyle, who have likely filmed the details of their voyage. Search the ship you’ll be boarding and see what you can find. For example, suppose you’re headed out on a Disney cruise. In that case, a quick YouTube search will bring up hundreds of results, offering opinions from travelers of all demographics and levels of cruise experience showing off their stay.
Travel Blogs
Travel pros and cruise aficionados are always willing to share their anecdotes of cruise ship excursions in blogs and online travel diaries. They’ll usually include plenty of pictures, too.
Some of these blogs may even include the pre-trip details, with cruise tips shared from their experience. They’ll likely have in-depth tips on how to book economically, the best ways to get to cruise ports, which packages are worth it, and much more!
Social media
While it can be more hit or miss, trawling Twitter, Instagram, or TikTok to find accounts of those who’ve taken your cruise in the past can be helpful. Instagram may get you excited with gorgeous photos of everything from the sea itself to the meals they were served. Twitter could lead you to firsthand, real-time accounts of how a trip is going. TikTok’s snappy, short-form videos tend to pack a lot of information into a bite-sized package.
In particular, Reddit’s r/Cruise deserves a shoutout. Search up the cruise you’ll be setting sail on (Carnival Vista? Eight days with Norwegian? Princess?) and find dozens of reviews, frequently asked questions, and opinions written by their user base – which is 300k users strong.
Pack Wisely
Packing is perhaps the most critical part of preparing for your cruise. While most cruises do have amenities onboard in the event that you’ve forgotten your toothbrush or need to iron your nice button-down before heading to that formal restaurant, it’s best to be well-prepared prior to boarding. Remember, you’ll be in the middle of the ocean – if you don’t have it, and the ship doesn’t have it, you simply cannot get it until you’re ashore!
However, this doesn’t mean you should over-pack. Not only can this lead to a bag that’s too heavy to take on a plane, and difficult to get to the airport besides, but a crammed suitcase is much harder to unpack than one that’s been wisely packed.
General Cruise Tips for Packing
- Know what you’re doing first: The best cruise tips from the most storied of sailors will suggest that you plan your itinerary before you pack. Lay out an overhead view of the day-to-day activities and plan your items accordingly.
- Rewear outfits: Pack items that you can mix and match into multiple outfits. A button-down shirt can be dressed down by rolling up the sleeves and pairing it with jeans, or dressed up with worn with a tie and slacks.
- Pack warm: Even if you’re headed to a hot, sunny locale in the middle of summer, bringing a coat or jacket, even a light one, may be a lifesaver on a chilly night at sea.
- Cubes and organizers: Packing cubes that compress your items into a smaller space are a travel fanatic’s dream come true. There are travel organizers for almost anything you can think of out there, and they can make a world of difference when it comes to space-saving.
- Pack an extra outfit: While you should prioritize saving space, having an ‘emergency’ outfit will come in handy in the event of spills, tears, or splashes.
- Keep shopping in mind: If you’re going ashore to visit a faraway locale, keep in mind that you might be buying souvenirs for your loved ones – or just for yourself. Ensure that you’re leaving a bit of wiggle room in your luggage to accommodate.
Packing Your Carry-on
The carry-on bag is essential, as it will likely be your inventory from the airport to when you touch down in your room. In some cases, depending on when you board, you may need to wait until your stateroom is ready before you can finally unlock the door and settle in. Or, even if you head right to your cabin, you may be tired from a day of travel, and not in the mood to start unpacking right away.
That’s why your carry-on is a vital part of the packing equation. No matter what line you’re sailing or how long you’re staying, you should always tuck the following items into your carry-on bag:
- A water bottle
- Your smartphone and a charger
- Your laptop or tablet
- Credit cards and cash.
- Your ID/passport/visa
- Sunscreen
- Hand sanitizer
- Cruise-specific documentation, like their itinerary, your boarding pass or ticket, or anything that the line suggests you have on hand.
- Something to pass the time offline – a good book, crossword puzzles, playing cards, etc.
We also suggest that you have a small cache of toiletries – you never know when you might need to freshen up, especially if you’ve had to travel a long way to get to the cruise ship. You don’t need the entire 10-step shower routine, but a toothbrush, deodorant, cologne or perfume, lotion or moisturizer, hairbrush or comb, or makeup can easily fit into a carry-on, and it can make you feel a bit more comfortable and fresh if you’re going from a plane to the ship, before heading right to dinner. If you have room in your carry-on, you might be able to get away with storing a change of clothes.
As an additional cruise tip, we suggest using a backpack act as your carry-on. They’re roomy, durable, and can double as a day bag to bring ashore for an excursion.
Take the Excursions
Be sure to check out all the excursions that the cruise lines offer – even if they seem like an extra expense, they’re worth it in the end. Besides – group excursions provided by cruise lines are often less expensive than private tours. These tours are aware of time limitations and are designed for your cruise experience.
Before you sign up for anything, though, be sure to read the shore tour descriptions critically. Get a solid idea of the time involved and how long you’ll be on a bus during on-shore trips.
Check out the Daily Program
Your daily program is the most valuable resource on your trip -it can provide a helpful outline for what you’ll be up to each day, and will create the foundation of your experience.
This is the best way to find out about changes in entertainment schedules, dining venues, theme parties, daytime activities, and special promotions and one-off events. It’s a good idea to bring a highlighter and a paper clip – you’ll end up with lots of papers by the time to disembark – to best organize your daily schedule.
Check the cruise ship’s site to see what they offer to help you manage your program. Some cruises even have a bespoke app designed to help keep track of your schedule.
Manage Your Money
It’s very easy to lose track of spending on a cruise. Between the cost of the cruise itself, to buying meals and drinks that aren’t part of your cruise package, to picking up souvenirs here and there, an already pricy trip can get even more expensive.
When possible, pay upfront by pre-booking specialty restaurants, buying drink packages, and prepaying gratuities. However, make sure to pick packages wisely – will you drink enough to make it worth it?
Pre-booking your expenditures and doing your research is a great way to keep track of how much you’re spending on your cruise.
Book Transportation
If you’re heading out to your cruise, book a cruise shuttle to and from the cruise port. This is a great way to avoid driving and long-term parking costs. A cruise shuttle is also a better alternative to public transportation; no one wants to lug two weeks’ worth of luggage from a train station or bus stop. Cruise shuttles can drop you right off at your port of call, saving you a cumbersome walk.
Save yourself and your travel party the headache of getting to and from the cruise port or the airport by having your shuttle booked in advance, meaning there’s no rush – and no stress.
Xpress Shuttles offers cruise transportation and car services to San Pedro Cruise Terminal in LA, the Port of Long Beach, Dana Point Harbor, and more.