Los Angeles / Long Beach Cruise Ports Cruise Parking
Three ways to park for a Los Angeles / Long Beach Cruise Ports cruise: park at the terminals for the most convenience, use an off-site park & ride to save money, or bundle parking with a pre-cruise hotel. Here's how they compare and how to choose.
Last updated July 9, 2026
We may earn a commission if you book through some links on this page, at no extra cost to you. We recommend options based on traveler usefulness, not only commission. How this works
Compare your options
| Option | Type | To terminal | Shuttle | Reservation | Covered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port-Operated Terminal Parking (San Pedro or Long Beach — differs by port) | Port-operated | At terminal | Walk to terminal | Not required | Mixed |
| Independent Off-Site Cruise Parking | Off-site | ~3 mi | Included | Required | Varies |
| Hotel Park-and-Cruise Package (e.g. DoubleTree San Pedro, Crowne Plaza LA Harbor) | Hotel package | ~1 mi | Included | Required | Varies |
Our take on each option
Port-Operated Terminal Parking (San Pedro or Long Beach — differs by port)
Best for Cruisers who want to park and walk straight to the terminal with no shuttle wait
- Distance
- At terminal
- Shuttle
- Walk to terminal
- Reservation
- Not required
- Covered
- Mixed
- No shuttle needed — walk directly to check-in
- Secured, monitored lot run by the terminal
- Simple walk-up process at San Pedro, no advance reservation required
- Generally the most expensive parking option at either port
- Long Beach garage excludes oversized/lifted vehicles over 7'0"
- Rates and structure differ by port, so pricing assumptions from one don't carry over to the other
Check current price. San Pedro's World Cruise Center charges an hourly rate (with a free first hour and a daily cap); the Long Beach Cruise Terminal garage charges a flat daily rate and enforces a 7'0" height limit. Rates differ by terminal, so confirm for your specific port before you go.
See the official parking pageIndependent Off-Site Cruise Parking
Best for Budget-conscious cruisers willing to add a short shuttle ride to save on parking, especially for longer cruises
- Distance
- ~3 mi
- Shuttle
- Included
- Reservation
- Required
- Covered
- Varies
- Usually cheaper than on-site terminal parking, especially over 7+ nights
- Shuttle to/from the terminal included in the price
- Often includes luggage handling at drop-off
- Adds a shuttle wait on both embarkation and disembarkation day
- Quality, security, and coverage vary by operator — vet reviews before booking
- Independent lots are more established near Long Beach; options directly adjacent to San Pedro are more limited, so compare current listings for your specific port
Check current price — independent lots typically undercut on-site garage rates in exchange for a shuttle ride; availability and exact locations vary by port and should be confirmed directly with the operator.
Visit the parking operator's siteHotel Park-and-Cruise Package (e.g. DoubleTree San Pedro, Crowne Plaza LA Harbor)
Best for San Pedro sailings where you want a pre-cruise night and worry-free parking bundled into one booking
- Distance
- ~1 mi
- Shuttle
- Included
- Reservation
- Required
- Covered
- Varies
- Parking and a shuttle are bundled with the room, so there's no separate parking transaction
- Several San Pedro-area hotels (DoubleTree, Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor) are within a mile of the World Cruise Center
- Removes the need to drive on embarkation morning entirely
- Mainly available for San Pedro sailings — fewer bundled options exist for the Long Beach Carnival terminal
- Requires booking a hotel night to access the parking rate
- Shuttles typically run on a set schedule rather than on-demand
Check current price — packages typically bundle one pre-cruise night, parking for the full length of the cruise, and a shuttle to the World Cruise Center into a single room rate.
Check Klook availabilityIf you're driving to your Los Angeles-area cruise, the parking decision starts with a question most guides skip: which port are you actually sailing from? San Pedro's World Cruise Center and the Long Beach Cruise Terminal run separate lots with different pricing structures, so confirm your terminal before you compare options.
The three options
Port-operated terminal parking puts you right at the dock with no shuttle wait — San Pedro's World Cruise Center bills hourly with a free first hour and a daily cap, while the Long Beach garage charges a flat daily rate and enforces a 7'0" height limit that rules out oversized or lifted vehicles. Independent off-site lots are typically cheaper over a full cruise and include a shuttle, though options directly next to San Pedro are more limited than what's available near Long Beach — check current listings for your specific port. Hotel park-and-cruise packages, offered by properties like the DoubleTree San Pedro and Crowne Plaza Los Angeles Harbor, bundle a pre-cruise night with parking and a shuttle, mainly for San Pedro sailings.
Los Angeles specifics
Reserve off-site and hotel-package parking ahead of time, especially in peak season — port-operated lots are generally walk-up. If you drive anything tall or lifted, check the Long Beach garage's height limit before you go; San Pedro's lot doesn't share that restriction. And don't assume pricing from one port carries over to the other — the two run entirely separate systems.
Prices and terms change by lot and season, so we don't publish live rates — check the current price directly with the operator before you book.
Los Angeles / Long Beach Cruise Ports parking FAQ
Are the parking systems the same at both ports?
No. San Pedro's World Cruise Center bills hourly (with a free first hour, then a per-hour rate up to a daily cap), while the Long Beach Cruise Terminal garage charges a flat daily rate and has a 7'0" height limit that excludes oversized or lifted vehicles. Check current pricing for your specific terminal before you go.
Is on-site parking safe for the length of a cruise?
Yes — both terminals run secured, monitored parking (San Pedro's lot is managed by Parking Concepts, Inc.; Long Beach has its own on-site structure), designed for multi-day cruise parking, not just short-term visits.
Can I save money by parking off-site?
Often yes. Independent off-site lots and hotel park-and-cruise packages near both ports are frequently priced below the on-site garage rate, in exchange for a short shuttle ride to the terminal — worth comparing for longer cruises.
Do I need to reserve parking in advance?
On-site terminal parking is generally walk-up, but off-site independent lots and hotel park-and-cruise packages should be reserved ahead of time, especially around holidays and peak cruise season.
Sources & verification
Parking specifics change often. Confirm current rates, shuttle times, and reservation rules with the operator or the official port site before booking.