EXTREMELY POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE at San Pedro Counter: Does not open their counter until exactly 1 hr. before first departure (my departure was 5/1/17 at 8:45am) -- Don't come before-- you will stand in line for 15-20 minutes like I did-- with no one saying "you can go sit down"-- just was told, "we'll be with you in a minute"-- 10 minutes before they actually opened the counters-- Like any other monopoly "They don't care, they don't have to". They also don't reply to questions posed on their web site. On board it was different-- the people working the snack counters [CASH ONLY-beware] were talkative and nice (both comeing and going)... The boat was precisely on-time regarding their departures at San Pedro and Avalon-- Nice to see that. My crossings were uneventful...POOR first impression at the counter in San Pedro read more

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They need to open the restaurant back up. They make you arrive 30 min early and the restaurant is closed due to COVID for 2 years. There are no food options anywhere near the terminal. The boat is basically a vending machine that has crappy snacks. They have the staff and they have the l capacity to open. They just don't care about how the guests feel. This is what happens when there is no competition for business. They are still selling tickets are full price ($175 round trip btw) even though the amenities are gone. Why would they ever open the restaurant if they sell out? What a joke, garbage business who treats their guests like crap. read more

I took the Catalina Express a few weekends ago. We were camping so we brought on all of our food and gear. When the boat got out into open water I opened a spiked seltzer. Some random guy that worked there walked up and literally lost his shit on me. Complete power trip because I couldn't have a personal drink but could only drink things I paid for because of their liquor license. However, by no one and nowhere was that previously stated. 1. I have been on cruises and you can.. have your own drinks once you get out to open water. 2. If this is an issue, state the issue and be kind.. you are selling vacations right? 3. Random dudes do not have the right to power trip and yell at women, who are not at all being confrontational.. ever. And why the hell would you.. you are selling vacations right? 4. I am a 40 year old woman. A solid part of the California community. Why is it appropriate to think, as a worker on a boat, you can yell at me? 5. Parking to board the boat is 20$ a day, the boat is 75$ round trip, camping at the island was 100$ a day. No one should pay that kind of money for "camping" when it involves being policed by power trippers. The island is overpriced and understaffed. There isn't anything specifically cool to see until you get to the northern islands (ocean kayaking is super fun in Anacapa and no one yells at you) I personally would never take a trip back and not give my money to the Catalina Express. Chill out and be fun.. you are selling vacations. No one cares about your power trip. read more

Crew is beyond rude and terrible to large groups boarding. Really gross treatment this past weekend. Not worth the trip.

Perfect trip. We almost missed our take off time but we made it. Such a fun experience. Very accommodating. I was feeling nauseated and they helped me feel better. Lots of couples. Everyone ready for a great trip. Romantic. When my kid's are older and potty trained I will be excited to bring them. Until then this trip will be just for mom and dad:) read more

Get to the boat on time or they will leave your ass behind. Seriously, they don't wait for you. Oh, but you bought the VIP Commodore ticket...they will still leave your ass behind. I appreciate the timeliness. It's an easy check-in process when you arrive. Purchase your tickets online beforehand, especially if it's a holiday weekend. The Express will sell out. Gets you there in 1 hour. By the time you begin to think about ralphing from sea sickness...ride is over! That just got me to thinking though...why is ralphing slang for vomit. Was this the worst 5th grade insult someone could think of to a guy named Ralph who got teased for looking like vomit? If you're going to the island for camping, your belongings will be disembarked and island staff will drive your equipment up to your site. Restrooms are nasty. Go before or hold it until after. It's about $70 roundtrip. A little pricey, but worth the feeling of someplace exotic so close to home. Parking: When you drive into the port there is a large private lot. The first hour or two are free for the person dropping you off. read more

I departed out of the San Pedro location. The Berth does not have much frills whatsoever. If you are leaving here in the morning which I am pretty sure you are, there is food here (not good food but alright food). Anyhow, I have included a link below since it gives you $7.50 off an adult fare. Although, in order to get the discount, you have to show this to the ticket counter. Even if you made your reservation over the phone, they don't charge your ticket until you get to the ticket counter according to their representative. http://www.couponsforfun.com/couponsforfun.com/CA_Catalina_Express_savings.html I have to say that they are very prompt and professional. It took approximately an hour to get there and back. The ride to Catalina was smooth. The ride back was rather bumpy. Since this ride is short, you probably won't get sea sick although I took Dramamine anyhow to counteract seasickness. When you get to the island, if you want to change your ticket to an earlier time, they charge $5 dollars for a change. Parking was cheap. The first hour is free in the lot, every subsequent hour is a $1 up to a maximum of $12 per day. Also, San Pedro's Catalina Express' Berth is so easy to find. Actually, all you have to do is exit the freeway if you are coming from LA and go straight into the parking lot. How's that for convenience! read more

I enjoyed the entire experience, from check-in and the wait area, to the I hour ride over. There was even a whale sighting but I missed it! Great service and a fairly smooth ride. read more

Catalina Express - Boat Charters Near Me - San Pedro, California

My family and I went to Catalina Island on my birthday! The best part is that if you prove yourself to be a birthday boy or girl, you get a round-trip fare for free :D You even get a cute little 'birthday ribbon' that you pin on your shirt :D Ordering tickets is very convenient, as you just select your date, port, and time of travel and reserve online. You then go to the Catalina Catalina Sea & Air Terminal (we departed from the San Pedro location), stand in line (opens at 8AM), and pick up your tickets (as well as show your ID for the complimentary birthday fare & ribbon). While you wait at the Terminal, you can go to the information desk and check out any additional activities you may be interested in adding on (all additional charge) - there are scenic tours, food walking tours, ghost tours, under-the-sea tours, snorkeling/scuba expeditions, etc. (we chose a scenic bus tour that came with free admissions to the miniature golf course!). There is also a list of 'specials & discounts' for the birthday passenger on the Island (such as a free scoop of ice cream, additional discounts for shopping, etc.). The Catalina Express is the only year-round boat service that departs from San Pedro (there are other departure points in Long Beach and in Dana Point), and you ride for about 22 miles to the Island. This company has been around for over 30 years, and millions of passengers choose this company for the commute. The trip itself takes about an hour, which isn't so bad (we all took a brief nap :P The boat captain and staff are all very friendly and safe in navigating, and the ride itself wasn't all that choppy (you can take anti-motion sickness meds to be safe). There are plenty of seats, all 2-seaters, but I suggest in you grabbing ones in the back as that is less turbulent There is also a little food stand inside where you can get drinks and snacks if you're thirsty/hungry. You either arrive at Avalon (the main picturesque town) or at Two Harbors (the latter being the campgrounds/beaches) - we chose Avalon as we were only spending the day. I loved that the staff on the boat all said 'Happy Birthday' as they're really good in scoping out the birthday ribbons on passengers :D +reserve tickets online (pick them up at the Terminal starting at 8AM) +free roundtrip fare if you go on your birthday :D (and, you get a birthday ribbon to wear!) +only paid parking available at the terminal for your vehicle +about an hour trip to the Island +check schedule for times (limited times on weekends) read more

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Our first time riding Catalina Express. The ride to Catalina was awesome, and so was the staff! I did a YouTube video review check it out click here https://youtu.be/FE7Tw319LGk read more

Fish do fly and if your chances of seeing this are high if you are on your on the Catalina Express. You often see the dolphins too dancing in the wake. They have a bar if you want a cocktail but if you do not have your sea legs I recommend staying up on deck. Matter of fact stay there anyways because there is always someone getting sick downstairs about halfway through the ride. Last time I got to speak with the captain and see all of the cool controls. It's about 18 miles and less than an hour. Enjoy the ride over it's a lot of fun. They also leave from 2 different ports in Long Beach as well. read more

Catalina Express - Boat Charters Near Me - San Pedro, California

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I took advantage of the birthday promotion they extended through this year. The registration process was super easy, and the port was very easy to find. The parking lot is pretty big and it has the generous grace period of 1 hour for free, and it is $12/day if you're leaving your car there. The line was long, but it moved quickly. The customer service rep found my info quickly, and provided me with a birthday ribbon to sport while I'm on the island. Before I went, I read some scary reviews that warned me of unhappy and rude customer service reps, but I found mine to be very pleasant and very helpful! Boarding was smooth, and the boat left on time. The departing boat was pretty luxurious, with 3 levels, a bartender, and tables to sit at. The ride was smooth, and we arrived on the island sooner than expected! The return boat, however, was smaller and, therefore, the journey was rockier. It was a much less pleasant experience, leading me to believe they want to encourage their passengers to get excited about going to the island, and compound the disappointment of returning to reality with a less impressive boatride back to San Pedro. In all honesty, it was probably the luck of the draw that the boats were different, but my experience leads me to believe that Catalina Express is very strategic about bringing visitors back to their beautiful island. The birthday ribbon was fun to wear, as people on the island treated me like I was at Disneyland for my birthday! You also can't beat the deal of a free roundtrip ride for your birthday! I would definitely recommend taking this trip for your birthday to be able to experience a beautiful, secluded island getaway only 90 minutes away from San Pedro. read more

I don't know why they tell you that the ride to Catalina is just over an hour. It takes over 90 minutes each way. The terminal is really nice with a very nice Bistro. We got there early, they told us to get there an hour early so we had time to eat at the Bistro. The ride was comfortable, the boat is pretty stable. We got discount cards at Costco so we were able to get Commodore seating for basically the same price as the regular tickets. The view is actually better in the regular seating because you can see in front of the boat. We just had a view of the bar area. read more

All these many, many years, I've looked across the channel to Catalina and thought, "Someday". Finally did it. The "Ride free on your birthday" offer was the incentive. We just had to pay the Senior Citizen discount price of $68 for a round trip for the hubby. Note: They consider the age of 55 to be a Senior. Parking was $16 a day. The terminal was really nice! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/catalina-express-san-pedro?select=KWLghjp6Vg-Ns6ubSC2wFA#KWLghjp6Vg-Ns6ubSC2wFA There was also a cafe inside and a pretty courtyard with plenty of benches & tables outside. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/catalina-express-san-pedro?select=KWLghjp6Vg-Ns6ubSC2wFA#s8Nt4CAGlucGZ0a6Df1x4g The day of, the weather forecast wasn't looking too good and the clouds were ominously dark. Aw well. We're doing this, rain or shine! Thankfully, it was in the middle of the week and not crowded. NOTE: Best two seats on the bottom level. Right side, 4th row, next to the door, no seats in front of you which gives plenty of leg room. The ride over wasn't bad at all in spite of the weather. http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/catalina-express-san-pedro?select=KWLghjp6Vg-Ns6ubSC2wFA#v8hk_a8jNI3nC0uGnFRK2A The ride back was a different story. The captain said something like "The weather's getting bad, so don't expect a great ride" and gave extra safety precautions. Let me tell you how I got through this. I had broken a toe before the trip and at the end of day, my foot was throbbing. I popped a lovely prescribed pain pill an hour before and it turned me into a little kid riding the Indiana Jones ride like at Disneyland. While mostly everyone was looking a bit green (hubby included) and a few were puking, I was all like "Woo hoo!". The ride was so bumpy that I was surprised to find that an additional 4,000+ steps showed up on my pedometer! Good times! Thank you Catalina Express! http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/catalina-express-san-pedro?select=KWLghjp6Vg-Ns6ubSC2wFA#Mp-0KT3ZPik6PTcwZS2h4g read more

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The boat ride from San Pedro to Avalon was long because we stopped at Two Harbors before arriving in Avalon; which added at least an hour to the trip. Keep that in mind if you have the option between departing from San Pedro or Long Beach. We tried to get tickets at the Long Beach Pier, but they were sold out. The boat(s) coming to and from San Pedro had inside seating but the seats were dirty and it was really hot because there was no air conditioning, you couldn't open windows. During COVID it would be nice to have air circulation. My suggestion would be to get an outside upper deck seat when you board; since these boat(s) were on the smaller side, the outside seating filled up quickly. read more

How else do you get to Catalina? I don't even know. I guess if you've achieved baller status, you could ride the helicopter... But for most people, the only way is taking this boat shuttle from one of the four mainland ports. The service is basically like your everyday flight. Arrive 1hr before departure, check in your bags if you have any, and get on the boat. The seating is similar to those on an airplane, except you can ride outside (2nd floor) or in the nose (front of the boat), which is pretty nifty. The ride is quick, about 75minutes, but bumpy! Beware, if you get motion-sickness easily! Tips: Ask around for corporate discounts. They bloody company keeps jacking up the prices! read more

Catalina Express - Catamaran - Boat Charters Near Me - San Pedro, California

Super quick and easy process to get tickets to the ferry for Catalina. The transportation to the island took about 2 hours and the staff was super helpful and kind when my friend got seasick. They have a rule that everyone must wear a mask while on board and they do not have food or drinks available and ask the passengers do not eat or drink on the ferry. The port in LA did not have food or drinks either so I recommend you eat before you go and bring a bottle of water for while you wait! read more

When we went back so we should to wait our boat . Our time in ticket was 22-30 , but island we leave just 23-20 Was so cold to waiting read more

These guys go back and forth - back and forth to Catalina and the staff is always helpful and cheerful. The RIDE FREE on your birthday is nice. Every time I've rode the Catalina Express I've had an easy time making changes to times (even ports!) and they are efficient. The people who work there actually are there to help you! Also - and this is a plus - the Captain will ALWAYS slow down if you happen by a family of Dolphins or on my last trip a pod of Blue Whales! That was great! I know fuel is high but a round trip ticket is high - $72.50 in the summer. Nice way to spend a day. read more

Decided to go for a day trip out of San Pedro. This boat was smaller than what I expected but could fit a good amount of people. The trip to Avalon was beautiful out and smooth all the way as we sat outside. The trip was was a little choppy but still made it within 70 minutes on both trios. They are very good at enforcing mask wearing thought still not much distancing going on. read more

****I love Catalina Express**** This is a wonderful experience to get to Catalina Island!! I have taken the ride from both San Pedro and Long Beach and enjoy the ride both inside and outside (as long as the weather permits). For San Pedro, there is a beautiful outside waiting area that has a covered tables and the beautiful view of the St. Vincent Thomas bridge. When you first take off from this location, you can see the Ports of Call (which will be getting a huge update in the near future) and view all the other cruise ships and other harbor cruise boats (with everyone waving of course) There is a bar/snack area on the bottom floor and bathrooms on both levels. I have enjoyed all my rides back and forth and cannot wait to go again on my birthday :) read more

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Don't know why I reviewing this since it's not like you have a lot of options when you want to go to Catalina....but by and large, I can't say I've ever had any beefs with the Cat Express....never had a delay, the boats are relatively spacious, and they get you where you're going. Just beware that some boats are direct to Avalon / 2 Harbors, others have one stop depending on where you're going. Try to avoid the stop, it will waste 45+ mins of your time, just take another boat. My only gripe is that once you stay a day the parking becomes daily- if you stay for 25 hours, you pay for 2 full days instead of a day plus a hour- kinda bogus. read more

FREE birthday ride! Make reservations online in case it gets busy. The process was simple. Pay for it, they'll send you with an email, print it out, day of take it to check in and redeem it for real tickets. The boat ride was rough going there because it was smaller. On the way back, the boat was 2x as bigger, so it was smoother. The staff is nice and I recommend sitting out on the deck. If it's the smaller boat--you'll get wet. If you get motion sickness, stay outside. I find staying inside of a small room filled with people makes it worse. read more

Terrible service! Be warned! After failing to warn us that e bikes are not allowed on board when we bought our 1/2 ticket per bike they then refused to help us store the bikes once they refused to let us bring it on board. Monica at the front desk was especially unhelpful and refused to even try anything. Catalina Express clearly does not give a shit about their customers. I would almost skip Catalina just I don't have to deal with this terrible company. read more

Booked the catalina express to go to Catalina Island (Avalon), staff were friendly, takes about 1 hour to go from San pedro to Avalon. Costs about $70 for an adult. Ship can be a bit rocky at times because of the waves, some people did get sea sick. They sell coffee and snack on the ferry as well. read more

The wife and I had come down from Cambria and were feeling exhausted, particularly after dealing with one of mankind's greatest atrocities, specifically Interstate 405. So once we got off I-110 with about 30 minutes to spare until the checkin for the 5:00 was to start, we were looking to catch our breath for a few minutes, maybe have a meal while we were at it. See, the website makes it seem as if there are very strict protocols for riding the ferry to Avalon. Must be checked in and ready to go 30 minutes prior to departure or your credit card will get charged, and you will lose your first born. Baggage must fit within certain dimensions or your jacket will be tossed overboard. And so on. Fine and well - we made extra sure our suitcases came nowhere close to the limits, and even tossed some things we thought might be a burden. So it was somewhat disconcerting that essentially none of these warnings wound up mattering in the slightest. We were even told to take the 3:30, although it was already 3:27. "Won't they take off"? we asked the ticketperson. "Nah, don't worry about it, they know you're coming". "Well, Okay.." I responded. We walk-ran out to the boat where there were two casuals awaiting to say "Welcome to the boat!" Turns out there were at most 20 people on this run.. it being a Thursday maybe this shouldn't have been a surprise. The boat itself was quite warm, possibly due to triple digit and over temperatures from less than a week ago. Refreshments including beer and water were available, which we took advantage of. We also got to witness a small child vomiting repeatedly within the cabin, for which the deckhands had little to offer apart from suggesting the parents take the kid outside. In the end, the boat got us to Catalina without real incident, and the same was true for the ride back. I'd suggest thinking about how many people are likely to be making the journey, and adjust accordingly. read more

We took the Catalina Express yesterday and were extremely disappointed -No air condition?? It was so hot and everyone shoved in like cattle. It was reiterated how this is "public transportation" -even a city bus has AC -With it being so hot, the galley was closed so we couldn't even get water. The website states "passengers may once again consume their own food and non-alcoholic beverages onboard". Nowhere does it say there is no option for purchase. Over an hour on a hot sweaty vessel with no options is not acceptable. -Customer service- the crew was friendly but their only job seemed to be ensuring masks were on - there were TVs by the galley, how about a video or music? It was a terrible way to bring us to Catalina, especially for the amount we paid. read more

Great crew people are really nice and the boats are pretty clean the tickets can be seem expensive but its worth it. read more

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Had blast! I had to go out to Avalon to work. Made my reservations online and took my wife and kids with me so they could spend the day in the island while worked. Showed up early and had a bite to eat. The only downside for the trip were the drunk passengers that were already hammered before they got on. Of course they got rowdy and we had to drive back from almost the light house to drop them off in the custody of the police. Drinks made me an hour late. My daughter and I spent the trip on the deck so we could feel the air in our faces. The trip back was very choppy. From the rear deck I could see the captain was steering in and out of the waves. Very rough ride, my daughter and myself still rode it out on the upper deck. Loads of fun. Can't wait till we do it again!! read more

For the first time I went to Catalina island. The trip was on 5/11/2021. I went on the Catalina express. It was one of the best trips that I've had. The Catalina express was absolutely wonderful. I appreciated the safety of their passengers. By following the CDC guide. For the mask wearing. Yes it was a little inconvenient to take it off to eat or drink and put it back on again. But it's better to be safe than sorry. The boat was absolutely beautiful. Absolutely clean. The bathroom was spotless. And the food that they sold was really good. The staff on the Catalina express was very helpful and very kind and accommodating. I highly recommend this trip to anyone who wants to go to Catalina. Thank you to all the staff for all the wonderful service they provided for us. And I want to thank each and one of them for wearing the masks and being proactive on helping the spread of COVID-19. read more

Catalina Express - Outlook of Catalina Island - Boat Charters Near Me - San Pedro, California

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Had a great ride and experience. The terminal had a place to order breakfast and get snacks before we boarded. The ride was fun and views were gorgeous. The price is a bit scary especially for a family. I have to say it was worth it. It was beautiful and something you should see. It was a place where you can get away from the busy day to day and relax. I can't wait to come back and spend a few days. We sat at the beach for an hour and took a golf cart ride around the island. It was really pretty cheap for the fun and picture opportunities at the top overlooking the city of Avalon. Great! Just go and see for yourself. read more

Catalina Express - Just the beach .... - Boat Charters Near Me - San Pedro, California

Catalina Express ..is top notch ! Easy parking at both Long beach and San Pedro The staff is friendly ...a nice bunch of people Usually my family and I leave from San Pedro since we normally go to Two Harbors. This last trip we took to the island we decided on Avalon so we departed from Long Beach . Even At 6 am... The parking was easy , the coffee was hot and the boat ride was so smooth I fell asleep .. Can't recommend this enough! read more

No more free birthday trip for one . You have to bring another person that pays full price . And they have to depart the same day from the island . Lame lame . Seen more complaints on here about the new policy. Makes zero cents . So now I will buy groupon tickets for the Catalina flyer and pay $39 bucks round trip . Fuck you Catalina express!! Your new policy sucks just as bad as your reviews read more

Catalina Express basically provides big water bus transportation to Avalon & Two Harbors on Catalina Island. They have terminals in San Pedro (under the Vincent Thomas Bridge) & Long Beach (near Queen Mary). The big jet cats are quick: LB to Avalon under an hour, from SP a little longer because of the harbor cruise down the POLA main channel. The boats are clean & they run on-time. The jet catamarans also run smooth, so you're less likely to get seasick. The boats also have a bar on boats. The smaller boats offer a private stateroom. The boats run year-round & the schedule varies. read more

Love it !!! The boat ride to the the stores to the beach and everywhere there just perfect for a vacation

Will use the Catalina express quite a bit and we have a lot of fun people are really good I go to Catalina been to Long Beach than a few other place we had a good time enjoy yourself tell him Captain Morgan sent you read more

Went to Catalina for the first time last month and had a nice experience with the ride there. The high price tickets could be lower but I can't really complain since I had discount tickets. The workers were nice and professional and both trips were smooth and on time, The San Pedro location was easy to get there and easy to get out of. Lots of parking and they had a cafe. read more

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I get really seasick so the idea of a long-ish ride on a small-ish boat isn't very appealing to me, despite how cool I think Catalina is. The first trip I took as an adult on the Catalina Express a few years ago taught me that dramamine is a must. However, with that and a planning, I managed to have an okay trip to the island and back during our NYE expedition to the island. The crew was friendly and helpful, and we were able to make last minute changes to our reservation for both legs of our trip by phone without any real problems. The only thing that was kind of annoying was having to spend an extra 40 minutes or so on board during the trip to Avalon since the later boat we ended up needing to take stopped at Two Harbors first. On the ride back, there was a crying baby situation, but it seemed like almost all the crew was involved in helping to calm the baby and Mom down, which was nice to see. I would probably bring earplugs or at least headphones next time, especially if I manage to find some non-drowsy dramamine or another solution since the boat itself is pretty loud. Also, the terminal is now kinda fancy with a cafe in the waiting area (is that why you don't get a free birthday ride anymore?) I kind of miss the old space tbh. Felt much more cohesive with the Catalina experience which can be kind of rustic and nostalgic. read more

This was my first time to Catalina and it was amazing. The boat was a little dated but it was clean plus you're only on the boat for a little over an hour. There's outside and upper and lower seating. I didn't get sea sick and I have gotten sea sick on a harbor cruise and kayaking in the ocean so the ride was very smooth. The terminal in San Pedro was very nice and everyone there was super friendly. The terminal in Avalon was very quaint and cute. The crew on both ships there and back were very friendly and helpful. Activity wise defiantly try out the Ariel Adventure and do the golf cart tour. I defiantly recommend the Catalina Express! read more

Catalina Express - Boat Charters Near Me - San Pedro, California

Went to Avalon this past weekend, and as the 10 previous trips, my husband and I always enjoy the boat ride. The staff is always terrific. Coffee, cocktails, snacks, All good. The boat ride to the island is a favorite time for us. We get to slow down, take a deep breath and enjoy the time of being together...sharing in conversation, laughter, a quick kiss every now and then. By the time we get to Avalon we're ready to shope, eat, drink and be merry! We always, also enjoy the boat ride back to the main land ' cause it is the best time for a super nap! read more