Key Aspects:
- A recent cruise guest has shared how scammers are becoming increasingly common at the Port of Long Beach, and hopes Carnival Cruise Line will offer assistance.
- While traffic in and out of the port area is not in the cruise line’s control, Carnival is going to try and work with port authorities to see if the problem can be addressed.
- Transportation scams such as fake drivers and dramatically inflated pricing are not uncommon at many popular cruise homeports.
Debarkation day can be confusing and nerve-wracking as thousands of guests try to find their luggage, keep their party together, and make their way onward after leaving the cruise ship. When this involves getting a taxi or ride share, it can be even more confusing, especially when scams get involved.
This is exactly the situation happening more and more at the Port of Long Beach, Carnival Cruise Line’s most popular California homeport. One guest has reached out to John Heald, the cruise line’s brand ambassador, to see if Carnival can offer any assistance.
“I am writing to express my uncomfortable displeasure with the debarkation process at the Long Beach Cruise Terminal due to the overwhelming number of individuals attempting to scam guests under the guise of offering Uber or transportation services,” the guest explained.
“The situation was unnerving, to the point that a security guard intervened and cautioned us not to engage with these individuals, warning that their intent was fraudulent. This type of activity left a negative impression at the very end of what was otherwise an enjoyable cruise.”
The guest did not disclose which Carnival ship they sailed on or when. At the moment, three ships are offering sailings from the southern California homeport: Carnival Firenze, Carnival Panorama, and Carnival Radiance.
All three ships offer Baja and Mexican Riviera itineraries ranging from 3-8 nights, depending on ship and sailing date. Carnival Radiance also offers 14-night Hawaii sailings on select departure dates.
Regardless of the ship, destinations, or cruise length, however, the original poster notes that encountering fraud and scams minutes after debarking the ship can be unsettling.
“Incidents like this do not reflect the safe, welcoming environment we have come to expect from Carnival,” they said. “Whether by partnering with port authorities, increasing official guidance for passengers, or strengthening security presence, I believe steps can and should be taken to protect your guests from being targeted.”
Heald is not unsympathetic to the guest’s concerns. The cruise line does not actually have anything to do with traffic in and out of the port, however, whether drivers are offering legitimate transportation options or hoping to scam passengers.
“I absolutely understand. I just want to mention it we do not control the traffic into the port, although that is port security and the port authority,” he noted. “I will share this now with my colleagues and ask them to speak with our friends at the port authority.”
There may not be much Carnival Cruise Line could do to crack down on scams. At least drawing attention to the practice with signage at the cruise terminal or notices in the Fun Times newsletter or debarkation information onboard could be helpful.
Parking Problems at Long Beach
The ongoing parking issues and lack of on-site parking at Long Beach may be contributing to the rise of transportation scams.
Carnival Cruise Line has been sending notices to guests for years about parking shortages and the need to utilize off-site parking for the Port of Long Beach.
This opens up opportunities for scammers to seemingly offer faster, cheaper deals for guests, especially if they aren’t familiar with ride share services but are just wanting to head home after their cruise vacation.
More From Cruise Hive
Transportation scams aren’t limited to Long Beach, either. Cruise guests at Port Canaveral, more than 2,200 miles away, have also been targeted by scammers.
Frequent cruisers have shared similar scams in Seattle and other cruise homeports and ports of call as well.
Savvy guests should always confirm their travel arrangements. Being familiar with how different transportation options work, including ride shares, taxi services, and cruise line shuttles, can help guests avoid becoming victims of potentially dangerous and expensive scams.
