Last updated: October 19, 2026 · By Ronen, Stay Near The Venue
Cruises from the Los Angeles area leave from two separate ports: the World Cruise Center in San Pedro (Port of Los Angeles) and the Long Beach Cruise Terminal next to the Queen Mary. They are about 20 to 30 minutes apart, so the first step is to check which port your ship uses.
Quick answer: for San Pedro sailings stay in San Pedro; for Long Beach sailings stay in downtown Long Beach, where several hotels are a short ride from the terminal.
Top hotel picks at a glance
| Hotel | Location & highlights | |
|---|---|---|
| Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor Hotel | San Pedro · about 1.5 miles | Check price |
| DoubleTree by Hilton San Pedro – Port of Los Angeles | San Pedro waterfront · about 3 miles | Check price |
| Hotel Maya – a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel | Long Beach waterfront · about 0.5 miles | Check price |
| Residence Inn Long Beach Downtown | Downtown Long Beach · about 1 mile | Check price |
| Hyatt Centric The Pike Long Beach | Downtown waterfront · about 2 miles | Check price |
| Courtyard Long Beach Downtown | Downtown · about 2 miles | Check price |
Prices change daily – tap “Check price” for live rates on your dates.
This article contains affiliate links. If you book through them we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Shuttle services, prices and hotel policies change often, so always confirm details with the hotel before you book.
San Pedro vs Long Beach
| Port | Where to stay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| World Cruise Center (San Pedro) | San Pedro | Used by many major cruise lines |
| Long Beach Cruise Terminal | Downtown Long Beach | Next to the Queen Mary; walkable downtown |
| Either port | LAX area | About 20 miles; only for late arrivals |
Best hotels near the World Cruise Center (San Pedro)
Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor Hotel
San Pedro · about 1.5 miles
A convenient harbor hotel that has offered round-trip shuttle service to the World Cruise Center.
- Has offered a cruise shuttle
- Harbor location
- Ask about parking packages
Check prices and availability for Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor Hotel
Hotel map: live prices near the Los Angeles & Long Beach Cruise Ports (2026 Guide)
DoubleTree by Hilton San Pedro – Port of Los Angeles
San Pedro waterfront · about 3 miles
A waterfront hotel by the marina, a short drive from the cruise terminal.
- Marina views
- Pool and restaurant
- Short drive to the port
Check prices and availability for DoubleTree by Hilton San Pedro – Port of Los Angeles
Best hotels near the Long Beach Cruise Terminal
Hotel Maya – a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
Long Beach waterfront · about 0.5 miles
A stylish waterfront hotel across the water from downtown, very close to the cruise terminal and the Queen Mary.
- Very close to the terminal
- Waterfront views of downtown
- Resort-style pool
Check prices and availability for Hotel Maya – a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
Residence Inn Long Beach Downtown
Downtown Long Beach · about 1 mile
Suites with kitchens and free breakfast, close to the waterfront.
- Suites with kitchens
- Free breakfast
- Short ride to the terminal
Check prices and availability for Residence Inn Long Beach Downtown
Hyatt Centric The Pike Long Beach
Downtown waterfront · about 2 miles
A modern hotel next to shops and restaurants at The Pike.
- Modern rooms
- Walk to restaurants
- Short ride to the port
Check prices and availability for Hyatt Centric The Pike Long Beach
Courtyard Long Beach Downtown
Downtown · about 2 miles
A reliable mid-range hotel in the center of downtown Long Beach.
- Good value
- Central location
- Short taxi to the terminal
Check prices and availability for Courtyard Long Beach Downtown
Getting from LAX
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is about 20 miles from both ports. Allow 30 to 60 minutes or more in traffic. Long Beach Airport (LGB) is closer to the Long Beach terminal.
Before you sail: three things worth booking ahead
Airport to hotel. If you land at LAX and would rather skip the taxi line, a pre-booked private transfer (Welcome Pickups or Kiwitaxi) gives you a fixed price and a driver waiting at arrivals.
Bags between checkout and boarding. Hotel checkout and boarding time rarely match. Radical Storage lets you leave your luggage for a few hours so you can enjoy the day hands-free before heading to the Port of Los Angeles.
If you arrive a day early. A simple plan is an afternoon on the coast or in Hollywood; you can browse tours and tickets on Klook before you go.
Affiliate links: we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Which port is your ship actually using
Greater Los Angeles has two separate cruise terminals, and the single most important step is to confirm which one your ship uses before you book a hotel. The Port of Los Angeles terminal is the World Cruise Center in San Pedro, which uses berths 91 through 93. The Long Beach Cruise Terminal is a separate facility, and the Queen Mary is permanently docked next to it. The two ports are reported to be about 15 minutes apart by car, which is close, but traffic in Southern California can turn that into much longer.
Check your cruise documents, which name the terminal and the boarding window, and match your hotel to that terminal. Booking a San Pedro hotel for a Long Beach sailing, or the reverse, is a surprisingly common slip, and it adds an unnecessary taxi ride on a stressful morning. If your cruise line has not yet confirmed the terminal, book a refundable room and wait.
How to choose between a port-area hotel and a stay in the city
Los Angeles is a very large metropolitan area, and the port districts sit roughly 20 miles south of downtown Los Angeles. That distance is the main reason to think carefully about where to sleep. A hotel near the port makes sailing day simple, and Long Beach in particular has a walkable waterfront with the Aquarium of the Pacific and The Pike shopping complex. Staying in a central area such as Hollywood or downtown suits travelers who want a full day of sightseeing, but you will then spend time and money getting to the ship.
A reasonable compromise is to spend your sightseeing days in the city before your cruise, then move to a port-area hotel for the final night. That way you see Los Angeles without carrying your luggage across the region on the morning you sail.
Traffic, timing and the drive from the airport
A typical estimate for the trip from Los Angeles International Airport to the port is at least 30 minutes, and sometimes much longer in heavy traffic. Mornings and late afternoons on weekdays are the hardest. If you are flying in on the day you sail, schedule a flight that lands many hours before your boarding window, not just a few. Better still, fly in the day before.
If you are using a rideshare or a prearranged shuttle, book it ahead for busy periods. Allow time for luggage drop-off at the terminal, which can be slower when several ships sail the same day. Put your travel documents in your carry-on, not in checked bags.
Parking and park-and-cruise packages
Both ports have on-site parking, and published rates are reported to be around the low twenties of dollars per day, but you should check the current figures on the port websites since prices change. Some hotels offer park-and-cruise packages that combine a room, parking for the duration of the cruise and a shuttle to the terminal. Compare the package price to the cost of separate parking plus a rideshare, and read what the package includes, how long the car can stay and whether shuttles run at your boarding time.
If you leave a car at a hotel for a week or more, ask about security, and take valuables with you. Photograph the car and note your parking location before leaving.
A simple plan for a day or two around your cruise
If you have time before sailing, a Long Beach stay can be paired with a visit to the Aquarium of the Pacific and a stroll along the waterfront. The Queen Mary, which is docked near the cruise terminal, is another well-known attraction, though you should check current opening hours and tour availability on its official website. San Pedro visitors can explore the waterfront and the local dining scene.
Keep the final afternoon relaxed and avoid long drives. Pack your carry-on the night before, charge your phone, and make sure your boarding pass and identification are accessible.
Questions to ask a hotel near either port
Before you confirm a room in San Pedro or Long Beach, ask whether the hotel runs a shuttle to the terminal, how often it runs, and whether it operates at the time your boarding window opens. Ask if luggage can be held after checkout, whether parking is included or charged separately, and how many days a car may stay. If anyone in your group uses a wheelchair or has trouble with stairs, ask about accessible rooms and step-free entrances. Confirm check-in and check-out times in writing, and keep the answers with your cruise documents.
Los Angeles and Long Beach cruise terminals, parking and transit
The Port of Los Angeles cruise terminal is at 100 Swinford Street in San Pedro (berths 91 to 93) and is operated by Ports America. The port lists parking run by Parking Concepts with 2,560 overnight spaces, priced at free for the first hour and then $2 per hour, with a $23 daily maximum for standard vehicles and $40 for oversized ones. LAX is about 18 miles away, and the port names Metro J Line Silver 950, LADOT Commuter Express 142, LADOT DASH and the San Pedro Red Trolley among the public transit options. Enterprise and Hertz offer free pickups at the terminal.
In Long Beach, Visit Long Beach lists cruise parking at $23 per day, with short-term parking free for 0 to 30 minutes, $4 for 31 to 59 minutes and $8 for 1 to 2 hours, and a height limit of 7 feet. Guests aged 16 and over need photo ID on domestic cruises. Confirm current rates on the official sites before you go.
How we checked this guide
The “Last updated” date at the top of this page is when we last reviewed it end to end.
- Parking rates, shuttle fees and transport times are taken from the port’s, venue’s or operator’s own published pages and from each hotel’s own website — not from aggregator sites.
- Distances and journey times are the figures the venue or transit operator publishes, not our estimates. Where we give a distance, we say what it is measured to.
- Hotel amenities (breakfast, shuttle hours, pet and parking policies) come from each hotel’s own site. These change more often than anything else here, so confirm them when you book.
- Room rates are deliberately not listed anywhere on this site. They move daily, and a price written one month is wrong the next. Our links take you to live pricing instead.
- We have not stayed at every hotel we write about. Where we contacted a property directly, the guide says so and gives the date. Where a figure comes from a third-party report rather than an official source, we say that too.
Found something out of date or wrong? Tell us and we will fix it.
Related guides
- Where to Stay Near the Manhattan Cruise Terminal: Best Hotels (2026 Guide)
- Where to Stay Near the New Orleans Cruise Port: Best Hotels (2026 Guide)
- Hotels Near Piraeus Cruise Port: Where to Stay Before Your Athens Cruise (2026 Guide)
- Port Canaveral Hotels With Shuttle & Parking (2026 Guide)
- All cruise port guides
Frequently asked questions
Are the Los Angeles and Long Beach cruise ports the same?
No. San Pedro (World Cruise Center) and Long Beach are separate ports about 20 to 30 minutes apart.
Should I stay near LAX before my cruise?
Only if you land late. Staying near your port avoids LA traffic on the morning of your cruise.
More cruise port hotel guides: Port Canaveral · PortMiami · Port Everglades · Tampa · Galveston · New Orleans · New York · Baltimore · Boston · Seattle · Vancouver · Los Angeles & Long Beach · San Diego · Barcelona · Southampton · Civitavecchia (Rome)
Comparing ports? See our side-by-side guide to 16 cruise ports.
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We start at the venue and work outward: walking time, shuttle and transit options first, then guest review scores and value for money. Hotels can’t pay to be listed. Some links are affiliate links, so we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Prices and availability change daily, so always check live rates before you book.
