Guests sailing on upcoming cruises aboard Carnival Miracle out of the Port of Long Beach, California, will have difficulty parking at the terminal, and are being urged to make alternative arrangements if they plan to drive to the port. Carnival Cruise Line has contacted impacted guests about the limit, including options for parking off-site if needed.
No Parking at Long Beach
Guests departing from Long Beach in the coming weeks will face parking difficulties at the cruise terminal. Carnival Cruise Line has reached out to inform guests and offer alternative parking information.
“Due to limited capacity at the cruise terminal garage, parking will not be available for your cruise,” the email reads.
No explanation is given for why cruise terminal parking is not available, but the email is designated for “Carnival Miracle Long Beach Departures” and does not give an indication of how many sailings may be impacted.
For the time being, all Carnival Miracle guests should be prepared with alternative parking arrangements. “If you live in the area and it is convenient to do so, we encourage you to consider making alternate transportation arrangements that include ride sharing/taxi services or being dropped off/picked up by a family member or friend,” the email suggests.
It is not clear if the same limitation applies to Carnival Radiance or Carnival Panorama, both of which are also homeported from Long Beach.
It is possible that construction work on the terminal’s parking garage or roadways leading to the parking structure may be limiting parking availability or closing the garage altogether for the time being.
The presence of three homeported ships may also be overwhelming parking availability, and Carnival Miracle, with a guest capacity of just 2,124, is the smallest of the Carnival ships at Long Beach.
Carnival Radiance and Carnival Panorama have double occupancy capacities of 2,984 and 4,008, respectively, therefore moving the parking for Carnival Miracle‘s guests inconveniences the fewest number of passengers.
Shuttle Option Arranged
Carnival Cruise Line has arranged secured parking for cruise guests at the nearby Long Beach Convention Center, located at 300 East Ocean Boulevard, across the Los Angeles River from the port facility and a 2-mile, 10-minute drive from the cruise terminal.
Cruise guests can drop off their luggage and travel party at the cruise terminal in the designated drop off area, where drivers will be provided with directions to the convention center parking area and a decal identifying them as a Carnival Miracle guest.
On-site signage will also direct drivers to the proper parking facility at the convention center, and a complimentary shuttle will run between the convention center and the cruise terminal both for embarkation and debarkation.
Shuttles will be able to accommodate guests with limited mobility or other needs, and the last shuttle will run 30 minutes prior to the final available boarding time for embarking guests.
“We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and thank you for your understanding,” the email concludes. “We are looking forward to welcoming you aboard for a fun and memorable cruise.”
Parking Costs
Parking at the convention center for cruise guests will be $20 (USD) per day, and only card payments are accepted – cash payment is not available. Guests must pay for their parking upon entry to the parking structure.
Parking at the Long Beach Convention Center generally costs $15 per day, but can vary depending on different events and arrangements, and does not include shuttle service.
At the Long Beach Cruise Terminal, parking is $23 per day, so the shuttle arrangements do represent a parking fee discount for Carnival guests.
Another Option
Guests who may be driving to the Port of Long Beach from further away may also want to consider another option. Many local hotels offer park-and-sail packages for guests who stay 1-2 nights before or after their cruise.
These packages typically represent discounted or free parking combined with hotel rates, and the hotels typically provide free shuttle service to the cruise port.
This can be a great option for travelers arriving early for their cruise, letting them enjoy a night or two in the laid-back California city before setting sail.
The lack of port parking availability is not expected to impact the availability of taxis, airport shuttles, or ride-sharing services, all of which can continue to drop guests off directly at the cruise terminal.
The Spirit-class Carnival Miracle is currently offering roundtrip 3-6 night Baja and Mexican Riviera itineraries, with three upcoming Carnival Journeys 14-night cruises to Hawaii coming up with November 27, January 8, and February 19 departures.
