Reservations: Do your booking on their website: https://catalinaexpress.com/schedule-fares/ or call…read morethem at: (800) 805-9201. Discounts: No discounts here. Costco use to sell Catalina Express gift cards. They haven't sold them since covid. Parking: There's a parking place and a shuttle bus that takes you from the parking lot to the terminal. About $22 for all day parking. Ferry's Ambiance: The ferry's are relatively clean, has a decent amount of seats inside and outside, and a couple of working unisex restrooms. The boat ride is about an hour long. So make sure you take your Scopolamine or any other sea sick pills. If you schedule a evening ride back, please do yourself a favor and seek shelter inside or wear a lot of layers of clothes when sitting out. It's get a bit chilly and slightly wet. Sightseeing: You'll be able to see the famous vincent thomas bridge and a lighthouse nearby. When you get closer to Catalina Island, you'll be able to see the Casino. Food and Drink Of Choice: Haven't had any food or drinks, but they do sell them. Note: You're able to bring food and non-alcoholic drinks onboard. Catalina Express For Thought: Only company that shuttles you to Catalina (Long Beach, San Pedro, and Dana Point) besides Catalina Flyer (Newport). I guess i'll have to travel via Catalina express.

2024 & 2025 | San Pedro | The Catalina Express is always a fun adventure with friends or when I…read moretravel solo! Great customer service, speedy ride & well-organized! I also love the great vibes of everyone excited to get to Catalina Island, it's awesome!! On Board | Plenty of seats, upstairs and downstairs of the boat! It also depends on which boat arrives, one is bigger than the other! I like sitting on the inside of the ferry & glancing out of the large windows! Sometimes there are Catalina Express Magazines on board to look through! Restrooms are inside of the building, as well as on board! Tickets | Buy online! $42 each way! I always buy a round-trip ticket, as sometimes, especially on holidays, the ferries can be fully booked; sold out! Also, if you need to change the time on your booking, it's $5! Parking | Plentiful! $22 per day! Free for the 1st hour! $2 afterwards! Refreshments | Cafe | Upon arrival, inside of the building and on board! I usually go to the café inside of the building and get a freshly made egg and cheese burrito to go...so delicious, especially with the side of salsa! There are tables and chairs outside to sit down and eat! Arrival | Arrive early to get a great seat, as there are no assigned seats! Customer Service | Incredibly friendly! You're greeted by someone who scans the ticket on your phone, as you're boarding, as you hand your one item/luggage(23″x23″x37″, also allowed 1 carry-on) over to the baggage handler, on board and during the trip! I've gone back-and-forth to Catalina so many times that some of the crew and I recognize each other! Hahaha! Larger Ferry Arrives | There are tables & seating and some areas! Instead of having over your luggage, you wheel your luggage onto the ferry! Other Passengers | On my first ferry ride, a day trip, I sat near a solo traveler from South Asia! We ended up talking plenty, had plenty in common, including travels and she joined my friend and I throughout the day exploring Catalina Island, was so much fun! Overall | I'm always excited to board the Catalina Express, as there's always an adventure in store! Let's go!!

There are two options to get to Catalina island: ferry or flight…read more We bought a one day two way ferry ticket from Long Beach to Avalon. The weekend tickets sells out fast, please reserve at least one month ahead. I could not find any regular tickets by the time I booked our seats and had to change our plan to a Sunday with inside cabin seat. I had seasickness while seating inside and had to come out to the desk to sooth myself. The regular open air ticket costs about $88 but the inside cabin is about ~$134. The inside cabin ticket includes a free drink and a small snack ( cookies vs pretzels). There is restroom conveniently located inside. Staffs are courteous and friendly.

I have been using Catalina Express for quite some time, but today's experience was absolutely…read moredisappointing. I went to the refreshment counter to grab a drink. When I approached the counter, the employee with blonde hair was focused on texting on her phone and did not acknowledge me for an extended period of time. Even after finally greeting me, her attention still seemed to be on her phone rather than assisting me. I simply asked whether they offered a matcha drink. Instead of providing a helpful response, she told me to look at the menu and pointed out that they only served regular coffee. What was frustrating was that I had already reviewed the menu and was only asking a follow-up question for clarification. As some time servers can offer other options. Had she been paying attention, she likely would have recognized that. The issue wasn't that matcha wasn't available it was the lack of awareness, attentiveness, and basic customer service. As a regular customer, I expect to be treated with courtesy and professionalism. Unfortunately, this interaction was dismissive and unwelcoming. I hope management addresses the importance of customer engagement and professionalism, as experiences like this can leave a lasting negative impression.

We recently took the Catalina Express to Two Harbors and had a great experience. Booking the…read moretickets and downloading the QR code was easy, and once we arrived at the terminal, everything went smoothly. The crew onboard did a great job. On the outbound trip, the weather was beautiful and the ride was smooth. The return trip was much windier, but the crew let us know in advance so we could be prepared. We appreciated their communication and professionalism throughout the trip.

My wife and I took the Catalina Express from San Pedro to Avalon, and both the trip there and back…read morewere great. The whole process was very easy--navigation to the boat was straightforward, and since we paid for our tickets online, we just scanned our QR codes and hopped on. Super smooth and stress-free. The boats themselves are a bit older and show some wear, which makes sense given how many passengers they transport daily, but they're functional and comfortable enough. There are bathrooms onboard and a snack bar with decent prices. Just a heads-up: there is absolutely no smoking of any kind allowed, including vapes. One of the highlights was the top observation deck--it's really cool and worth checking out during the ride. One thing to be aware of is parking. Parking at the terminal is very expensive at $22 per day, so be prepared to spend a good amount on parking. Overall, we had a great experience and would highly recommend Catalina Express.

I've gone on their whale watching tour twice now, the first time in December and the last time was…read moreyesterday, May 29th. I was hoping I'd see just one whale but in December, we saw 5 humpbacks ! Yesterday I wasn't too confident because one of the staff said the tour prior, they saw absolutely no life. Not even birds. But we went out and we saw a Minke whale and 3 humpback whales! One even waved for us. It was great. The staff is very knowledgeable about the whales and other animal life and even the surrounding area. Will definitely be back.

I took the 2 1/2 hour Whale Watching & Dolphin Tour. I've always wanted to see a whale…read more When you check in you get a paper ticket and they tell you which dock you go to then you line up. There was a lot of people in line. I was in the middle and thought I wouldn't get good seats, but I ended up sitting outside in the front. The boat is really nice and big. The front is the best place to sit with a good view of the whales and dolphins. The inside was packed and you don't really see a lot and sitting outside in the back you could smell the fumes from the engine. I did see dolphins and whales - the mom and the calf. They had a couple of experts talk about the whales and dolphins. We were past Newport Beach when we finally saw the whales. We spent a good amount of time seeing them. Then we went back. It's gets windy. It was a fun experience.

Came for a work dinner cruise. It was a nice touch as we…read moreboarded to be met with champagne (and martinelli's for us non-drinkers) There were two different buffets. The upstairs had salmon, salad and roasted potatoes, the downstairs had chicken, salad, clam chowder, brocollini, shrimp. The downstairs buffet quickly ran out of brocollini and shrimp and there wasn't anymore coming. I heard the salmon was good, I mostly ate the potatoes. There is a super tiny kitchen so it must be difficult to feed 100 people in a short amount of time. The dessert buffet was mostly thawed pre-made items but not bad. The cruise itself seemed to mostly focus on shipping containers. Overall it was a pleasant trip. Enjoyable conversations with my coworkers.

It was amazing me and my Wife and my sister in law and sister on Valentine the crew and the Chef's…read morethe food the Drinks wow nice everything was ready for all the guests we got our seats and drinks, champagne at arrival Love it plenty plenty of food the Desserts were Delicious me and my guests said we would Definitely come again the Ambience was superb great weather that day the ocean was clam wow couldn't ask for anymore great deal

I live in Long Beach California. World War 2 battle ship in my backyard…read more I highly recommend this Naval Battle ship tour. You can spend literally hours on the ship. Plenty of knowledgeable to soak up. God Bless the US Navy!! I recommend.

Went on a Saturday with a friend whose father was a mariner. The ship has a colorful and diverse…read morehistory. Hosting Presidents, involved in conflicts spanning decades, numerous upgrades and refits. For a military history nerd like myself the experience was unforgettable. We did the self guided tour and spent time absorbing the videos and explanations posted throughout. The volunteers were more than happy to answer questions and provide additional information. Seeing how the 16 inch guns operated especially sustaining the rate of fire they did was unbelievable. I came away with a new level of respect for those sailors. There is a lot of history here and is worth taking the time to learn and share it.

I went on a 7 night Mexican Riviera cruise with my family in January 2026. We had a wonderful time…read more It was our first time on Norwegian. It stopped by Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo. Tip: The further you go outside the port, the cheaper the taxis. Always negotiate a total price. As for shows, we saw Icons, the Beatles show, Jersey Boys and a few comedy shows. Jersey Boys was the best. They need some kids shows. They didn't have any. A magic or dancing show would be good. Food I liked the food. Felt it was better than Disney and Carnival. I prepaid for the restaurants as well. We got to try three including Le Bistro, Cagneys and the Asian fusion restaurant. The Asian restaurant was our favorite, although my daughter loved Le Bistro. She still talks about the escargot. The main buffet was good. They have different themes each night. I appreciated the staff encouraging everyone to wash their hands before entering. They had a catchy washy washy song. We enjoyed Gelato and soft serve after every meal. They charge extra for room service, which sucks. The other cruise lines do not charge for this. I didn't like that they had an age restriction in the gym. I took my son to work out with me but after 30 mins, the staff kicked him out. So we left. I think Norwegian should revisit the age restriction on teens especially, if they are accompanied by adults. I'm all for not allowing teens in by themselves. Overall, it was enjoyable. I'll probably try Royal Caribbean next.

Second time on Norwegian Cruise Lines but a first on NCL Bliss which is considerably bigger and…read moreupdated than the Jewel. We sailed to the Mexican Riviera on a 7 night cruise. Pre sailing with NCL is easy. The app works great. The terminal at port of Los Angeles is confusing. I have cruised out of port of LA on Royal Caribbean many times. It seems more chaotic this time. I'm not sure who to blame. I needed wheelchair assistance for my mom but was told Haven Guests have a different check in. The staff at this terminal were curt and down right rude. I don't even think they know what they are doing. We chose to go through security and check in at the Haven stand. Lady there was ok but it wasn't the warmest of check ins. We then went to another desk where we received our cabin cards. There the staff were pleasant. Next, we went to the Haven waiting area. This is where you receive the wheelchair assistance. Communication was very much lacking all around! The drinks and snacks were very nice and appreciated. The NCL Bliss is a stunning ship! There is plenty to see and do. The standouts were the observation lounge, water slides, cleanliness, jogging track (only before 7am or after 7pm), outdoor movie theater, entertainment staff, the pool, and the Haven. We had cabin 18714 and 17712 in the Haven area. This was the highlight of the cruise. My experience with NCL is mostly with Haven because everything here is elevated from service, cabin amenities to food. There were some hits and misses in the Haven restaurant. I wish they rotated the menu daily. It is the same every single day. The restaurant was empty every day and I believe it's because the menu does not change. Service from the butlers, Jane and Shree were amazing. The stewards did a great job of cleaning. The rooms were amazing. They are starting to look out dated but overall we were pleased. They use LOccitane products which I love! The four stars really is for the Haven experience. I would give 3 stars for the rest of the ship. The speedway looks fun but you have to pay! The food At the buffet and main dining room were subpar. The buffet wasn't my favorite. I got real tired of the food there. I did like the ice cream scoops and the crepes. The entertainment was a 3/5. They had a magician who was more a mentalist that then tried to sell his program on memory. Odd! The Beatles band from Argentina played twice. It was good. They had plenty of dancing and dance classes. Cruise Director was great. I would go on NCL again if it's in the Haven!

My husband surprised me with a flight over to Catalina island and now we're spoiled. The boat ride…read moreback just didn't complete. Maverick was easy to checkin with, they loaded our bags and took photos for us. Six of us rode over and it was comfortable, safe, and great views. They had even called ahead for a taxi ride to come get us at the island station

Great experience! Staff was great and very friendly. Pilot was very nice and talked about the…read morecompany as if it were his own. This is definitely the way to get to Catalina, money well spent!

Our first cruise with Royal Caribbean exceeded every expectation and turned out to be one of the…read morebest vacations we've ever taken. From the incredible crew to the food, entertainment, and overall experience, we had an amazing time and are already looking forward to our next cruise. We took a 7-day cruise to Cabo, Mazatlán, and Puerto Vallarta. What made our first cruise truly incredible was the exceptional customer service from every crew member we encountered. As soon as we boarded, we headed to Playmakers for a drink, and Caesar immediately set the tone for an amazing trip. As first-time cruisers, we appreciated him taking the time to explain the ship and share great recommendations. Before arriving in Cabo, we ran into an issue securing an early tender because we had booked a third-party excursion. Florina was incredibly kind and determined to make sure we got there on time. Thanks to her, we made it! Our favorite pool bar was the Solarium, and bartender Anthony was a big reason why. He memorized our drink orders, always had a smile on his face, and we loved talking with him about life working on a cruise ship. In the Main Dining Room, our server Menard and assistant server Dewa were outstanding every evening. My boyfriend and I have both worked in fine dining for years, so we pay close attention to service. Their hospitality, timing, attention to detail, and recommendations were consistently excellent. Our stateroom attendant, Shomari, was equally amazing. He helped track down our luggage before we even asked, checked in with us every day, greeted us by name whenever we saw him, and quickly helped when we had issues with neighboring guests. His kindness made us feel genuinely cared for throughout the cruise. The food was another major highlight. We loved the Main Dining Room, Windjammer buffet, Café Promenade pizza, and the Mexican food by the pool. The rotating dinner menus kept things exciting, and everything we ordered was excellent. We also spent plenty of time in the buffet and loved the variety, from American breakfast to Indian and Asian cuisine. Everything was consistently delicious. However, I don't think we'll ever get the "washy washy" song out of our heads! Our balcony stateroom (1364 on Deck 10) was another highlight. The location was perfect--just one flight of stairs from the buffet and pool deck and a quick elevator ride to the dining room and entertainment. The balcony was worth every penny, with beautiful sunsets, endless ocean views, and even a lightning storm. The room felt surprisingly spacious for two people. The only downside was the TV, which frequently lost signal because of satellite reception. I'd recommend purchasing Wi-Fi and bringing a laptop or tablet if you like watching shows during downtime. We bought Wi-Fi for two devices, but honestly one would have been enough since it's easy to switch devices. We also debated buying the drink package before sailing. Since we don't drink much, knew we'd be in port for three days, and ended up getting seasick, skipping it was definitely the right choice. House drinks averaged about $9, daily specials were around $8.50, and specialty cocktails were about $14. Between the two of us, we spent around $400 on drinks during the entire cruise. The drink package would have cost us nearly $1,000, so we saved a lot of money. We also brought refillable water bottles and filled them at the buffet throughout the trip. The pool areas were nice, but we consistently struggled to find space in the pools, hot tubs, and chairs around the main pool deck, even though the ship didn't seem full. We usually found chairs on the Sun Deck instead. We also spent some time in the casino. We didn't have much luck, but it was still a fun experience gambling while out at sea. There was never a shortage of entertainment. Between the live music, bars, shows, activities, and simply exploring the ship, we honestly could have stayed another week and still not experienced everything. Our only significant negative experience involved the neighboring cabin. A group of unsupervised boys repeatedly knocked on our door, stole our door magnets, and prank-called our stateroom phone while leaving screaming, profanity-filled voicemails. The crew spoke with the family after we reported it, but we felt the situation could have been handled better. Thankfully, it was our only real issue during the trip. Despite that isolated experience, we absolutely loved our cruise. The food was fantastic, the entertainment was endless, our room was wonderful, and the crew delivered some of the best hospitality we've ever experienced. Royal Caribbean has set the bar incredibly high, and we can't wait to cruise with them again.

Navigator of the Seas, launched December 2002, GT 139,999. Since launch the ship has seen numerous…read moreupdates. My steward asked if it were possible for him to refresh my cabin after 4pm, this worked out great for me because I like to get cleaned up and change before Dinner. I also asked for an extra bath towel, and blankets for the room. Reasonable requests will almost always be meet. Included food via the Windjammer Buffet that as of June 2026, includes a live cook station that makes omelettes in the morning, and changes daily during the Lunch and Dinner service. Large Washy Washy area when entering, and it's important to note the space is closed to guests between Lunch and Dinner services, and after the evening meal has completed. Limited access means this space is not available for groups wanting to play cards or other games in the later evening. Freestyle beverage dispenser but only available when the space can be accessed during meals. Main Dinning Room is spread across 3 decks with the lowest deck being where a sit down Breakfast and a Mid Day Meal are served. Great service, standard menu items plus a rotating selection during Dinner. I'd often change out Rice for Mashed Potato with entrees, and ask for Entree Pastas to be served as an appetizer and request it be the last appetizer served. The main miss in the Dinning room was that all risottos served at MDR table all contained raw rice. Promenade has a cafe serving handheld savory options, sweets, coffee and tea, 4 types of pizza by the slice, fresh fruit, etc. not a huge seating area but overflow did sit in the evening across the way at playmakers. Food was okay though I mostly just had the pizza and morning croissants. There is also a freestyle beverage dispenser in the general area. Soft serve, and Mexican inspired fare on the same deck as the buffet, only cones available at the soft serve shack so grab a bowl at the buffet if you want the option. Entertainment, singers, bands, production shows and events in the Theater, Ice Skating Space, Lounges, and the Promenade. During my sailing in the Skate Space enjoyed iSkate Reach for the Stars, Battle of the Sexes, and Crazy Quest, and late night dancing, they also have hours when you can skate, I'd arrive at least 15 minutes early. Theater, enjoyed Love and Marriage, Singers Las Vegas Tenors, and 2 production shows one of which was a Vegas style ShowGirl review, and Ballroom Fever, plus a Comedian. Large space but still I'd get there a few minutes early. Ships central promenade was used for nightly parties, and during my sailing a Memorial Day event, brass bands, singers, music, etc. Audible levels reduced by 11pm. Numerous lounges spread across the ship that were often busy with events and music. Casino received an update since my February 2026, sailing. Numerous Dancing Drum Slot variations added, some Red Tamale Slots, etc. Tables were busy. Nice bar area if you do not want to wait for wandering staff to take drink orders. RCL did though increase the starting point for host offers from 400 to 600 points, see the QR code at the host desk to plan your point goal. Lots of diversions and other options that I did not partake, pools, hot tubs, slides, specialty dinning, plus for a reasonable fee baby sitting for toddlers. My sailing was over Memorial Day, and with University sessions just ending we had a strong presence of young adults who often moved about the ship in groups, and I noticed numerous large generational parties. Overall a great ship energy and environment during my sailing.

Irena and the whole crew here are amazing. Words can not express how helpful they have been for…read moreus. Going above and beyond. Guiding helping with documents and travel. We live about an hour and a half away, but drive all the way down here because we know we're gonna get 100% attention with our service and everything always comes out smoothly. We did a lot of phone emailing and then come down in person when we have to for translations, notary and travel. Highly recommend this fabulous crew for all your needs.

We used Peter to book our trip to Croatia. We were celebrating our son's graduation from college…read more Croatia was beautiful ! Wonderful vacation for us. We flew Lufthansa Airlines. They were not so wonderful. This airline is horrible! Going to Croatia and coming home our flights were screwed up. We got stuck flying to different cities both ways and had to stay the night in a hotel . They would not comp us a room. Missed the first day of vacation in Croatia. On the way home our flights were screwed up again, missed our flight in Frankfurt, Germany. We had to stay an extra night on the East coast due to Lufthansa Airline incompetence . We live in California , had to fly to Boston and stay the night. They would not comp us a room. In the morning we flew to Denver and back to California. Peter was great . My suggestion would be NOT to use Lufthansa Airlines when booking your trip .