Expert: Curtis Thorsen - 11/9/2009

Question
The carnival will arrive in LA(Long Beach) at 8:00am but I will have to be in Pomona by 2:00pm sharp.  How long is the disembarkation process and will I be off the cruise and ready to leave in time for Pomona? Also is the Carnvial Cruise ever late on schedule? Thanks

Answer
The ship is "SCHEDULED" to arrive at 8am, and in most cases will arrive at that time or possibly earlier. What you have to factor in is that Customs Officials must clear the ship before any passengers may debark. I have seen sailings where the debarkation time started as early as 8:30am and then I have seen it start as late as 10am. There is no guarantee at all on this even for folks w/ early flights they booked on their own.

Not knowing how far away Pomona is from the ship makes it difficult for me to say what is the latest time you would have to be off the ship to meet your timeline of arrival there.

I will suggest that you take advantage of "Self Debarkation" where you actually carry off all your luggage from the ship and do not leave it outside your stateroom on the last night of the cruise. Those doing self debarkation are among the first to get off the ship after VIP passengers have debarked.

Good luck.