Key Aspects:

• There will be a shortage of parking for two upcoming Carnival sailings at the Long Beach Cruise Port in California.
• The first impacted cruise will set sail onboard Carnival Radiance on October 10, 2025, with the second impacting Carnival Firenze’s October 12, 2025, voyage.
• Guests are encouraged to find other means of transportation besides driving to the cruise port, or are warned that they may be redirected to an offsite parking facility.

California’s Long Beach Cruise Terminal, which is owned and operated by Carnival Cruise Line, has been the company’s West Coast base for more than 20 years.

But while the cruise line has port operations down to a science, they sometimes hit a snafu with limited capacity in the on-site parking structure.

Occasionally, Carnival will notify guests when parking will be particularly limited on embarkation day for upcoming sailings, which is the case for two cruises that are just days away from setting sail.

The first impacted cruise will be operated by Carnival Radiance and is a 3-night getaway sailing to Ensenada, Mexico. It embarks on October 10, 2025.

Two days later on October 12, 2025, Carnival Firenze is scheduled to set sail on a 4-night sailing to Ensenada and Catalina Island.

“The parking facility at the cruise terminal has very limited capacity. Please make plans to use alternate transportation that does not require parking,” Carnival wrote to impacted guests.

The Long Beach Cruise Terminal has one main parking structure that is five stories tall and contains 1,450 parking spaces.

But when you consider the number of guests sailing on every Carnival cruise, especially if the cruises are sold out, it’s easy to see how the structure could run out of room.

As a Los Angeles native, I have personally always used rideshare apps or have secured rides from friends or family every time I’ve sailed out of Long Beach so I don’t have to worry about parking.

But if guests are driving themselves to the cruise port, they should be prepared to be redirected to overflow parking.

“If driving (and parking at the port) is your only option, please be prepared to be directed to park at an offsite location operated by the City of Long Beach (not the pier),” the notice continued.

“We have secured a few extra spaces at an offsite facility and full details will be communicated at the cruise terminal.”

Carnival Panorama is not impacted under the latest notice, but the Vista-class ship is also homeporting in Long Beach – which brings in plenty of guests and cars on its own.

How Will Overflow Parking Work?

Guests on these two upcoming sailings should be prepared to be sent to an overflow parking facility offsite.

Either way, drivers will still begin at the Long Beach Cruise Terminal to drop off their luggage and any companions.

If capacity has been reached, they will then receive written directions to the offsite parking facility and a card for entry to the other structure that identifies them as a Carnival guest.

Both the provided card and boarding passes will be checked at the alternate facility.

Offsite parking will cost $23 per day, which is the same price as parking at the cruise terminal, and must be paid upon entry. 

Read Also: Full Guide on Long Beach Cruise Terminal Parking

Passengers who are directed offsite will be shuttled for free to and from to the cruise terminal, with the last shuttle leaving the parking facility 30 minutes prior to the final boarding call on embarkation day.

Even with this extra step, passengers are still encouraged to arrive at the port at their scheduled Terminal Arrival Appointment times, which are selected during the pre-check-in process.

It’s also important to note that oversized vehicles that take up more than one parking space or are higher than 6 feet and 6 inches tall cannot be accommodated at the backup facility Carnival has secured.

Additionally, back-to-back guests who are booked on consecutive voyages are not permitted to park at the overflow site, as parking at this facility will only be available for the length of a single voyage.

Finally, if you are one of the redirected guests, remember to practice patience and kindness. Though the parking may be a bit inconvenient, everyone will still make it onboard the Fun Ships for a fantastic vacation at sea.

Key Aspects:

• Carnival Cruise Line does not typically have open staterooms available on embarkation day and there is no way to upgrade at the Guest Services desk.
• Social media is full of hacks, tips, and tricks to secure cruise vacation upgrades, but experienced cruisers share very different stories.
• The best advice is for guests to budget for and book the stateroom they are most interested in and consider any upgrade offer a bonus.

Every cruise traveler has heard of the “upgrade fairy” and different tips, tricks, and hacks to secure a stateroom upgrade. These are prevalent through social media and seem so simple as to be foolproof.

Unfortunately, “fool” is the operative word, as it is very unlikely that guests can secure upgrades just by asking, even if they are willing to pay an upgrade price.

One guest reached out to John Heald, Carnival Cruise Line’s brand ambassador, explaining the tips they had heard and asking about any possibilities for upgrades on their next cruise. They did not, however, get the answers they’d hoped for either from Heald or other guests.

“I was reading on [social media] that sometimes it’s possible to upgrade your cabin if there are some still available and it can be done for a reasonable fee the day of embarkation at guest services? Is this true?” the guest asked.

“How much is a ‘reasonable fee’ so I can get an idea of what an upgrade may cost? Hopefully Carnival is not being greedy here. … I can only afford to cruise three times a year and always in an inside room.”

The guest shares that their next cruise is the October 10 departure of Carnival Radiance, a 3-night Baja Mexico itinerary from Long Beach with a visit to Ensenada.

Heald quickly responded to the incorrect information because upgrades, in fact, are not typically possible.

“Everyday I am answering questions people ask me for upgrades, every day. And I always have to say the same thing. And that is that I am sorry I cannot help and that most of the time there are none because the cruise is sold out,” he explained.

“We do not offer upgrades from the Guest Services Desk. In fact, we used to have a sign there that used to say ‘No Upgrades Available.'”

Heald says that if any upgrades are available, they are “few and far between” and are offered to select guests based on a very complicated algorithm.

Guests Share Their Upgrade Stories and Warnings

After more than 25 Carnival cruises, I have never been offered an upgrade. I have, however, seen the “No Upgrades Available” and similar signs, such as “Ship Is Fully Booked” and “No Cabins Available” signs, at the Guest Services desk on embarkation day.

Other guests were quick to jump on the original commenter’s post and note that a very easy way to have a better stateroom. Instead of booking three cruises each year, take two and use the extra money for a balcony cabin.

“Pick what cabin you want at the time of the booking,” one guest replied, a sentiment echoed by many others.

Other guests shared their own stories of less-than-desirable upgrades. Many times, the “upgraded” staterooms might be in less desirable locations, such as right underneath the gym or galley. These staterooms can be much noisier, especially through the nighttime hours.

Read Also: Carnival Cruise Line Cabins and Suites – What Are the Options?

“I got an upgrade offer yesterday from a balcony to an extended balcony three floors down and at the opposite end of the ship. Not an upgrade if you ask me,” one guest said.

Upgrade offers might arrive either by email or a phone call. Interested guests should act quickly if they do get such an offer, as the deals are often very limited and first-come, first-served.

Costs for upgrades vary depending on the nature of the offer, the ship’s capacity, and how close the sailing date may be. Upgrading and switching staterooms might also cancel any other offers a guest booked with, so it is important to be careful when taking advantage of such deals.