Day 3: Harbor Freeway, Los Angeles to San Pedro, May 2, 2004
Complimentary hot coffee and the Sunday LA Times is delivered to our room at 7:00AM. Breakfast in the Café on the third floor of the Omni, overlooking a garden and reflecting pool, however, is expensive. $29.00 for two, plus tax and gratuities, for a Continental buffet, is a wake-up call that reminds us we're not in Klamath Falls any longer. But the food and service were top notch.
Overpriced LA. The hotel's concierge offers to arrange a Town Car to get to get us to our cruise ship at a price of $138.00 for the 30 minute drive down the Harbor Freeway to the World Cruise Center in San Pedro. He estimated a taxi would cost $100.00. Ted picks up the Yellow Pages, does some comparison shopping, and settles on Dakine Limousine Service, at 1 800 542 3773. They charge only $69.00.
The temperature at1:15 PM is 96 degrees according to Francisco, our driver. He assures us that it is best to get to the pier early as there will be traffic jams closer to the 5 PM sailing time. Our luggage is collected by the stevedores as we arrive, and will appear in our cabin before long.
TRAVEL TIP 1: Amtrak has an arrangement for a 25% discount off the entire fare, including your sleeping car charges -- for travel in conjunction with certain cruise ships. Restrictions and blackout dates apply, so consult your Amtrak-appointed travel agent for details.
TRAVEL TIP 2: Bargains in cruise fares are in abundance this year, perhaps more so than ever before. Many brand-new ships have just began sailing, including the large-capacity Queen Mary 2. This means there are many more cabins to fill, and price competition is fierce. So if you've always wondered if cruising is for you, this is the time to find out!
TRAVEL TIP 3: While low fares are good news for the traveler, keep in mind that it takes a certain amount of income to operate a ship, and cutthroat price wars don't change that fact. So the lines have resorted to collecting onboard fees that may surprise you. You may be subjected to high pressure sales techniques when you are boarding, as crew members try to hawk wine pre-purchase plans and spa appointments.
Ask your travel agent what extra charges you will need to plan for once you are onboard, as some cruise lines are collecting money for items such as bottled water, soft drinks, etc.
Dinner in the boutique specialty restaurants on board, which used to be first come, first served, at no extra charge, now has a price tag. Even Holland America has discontinued their long time and popular "no tipping" policy and now adds a mandatory gratuity to your total bill.
TRAVEL TIP 4: Deep discounting and overcapacity, with most cruises going out with some empty cabins, puts the financial health of the cruise industry on an uncertain footing. In the past, we've seen a number of cruise lines suddenly, and with no prior warning, cease operations. Carrier default insurance is a wise investment, so rather than purchasing trip insurance from the cruise line itself, ask your agent to sell you a policy from a company such as TravelGuard, which will cover not only cancellation penalties if you cannot travel because of health problems, but also carrier default -- if purchased within 14 days of making your original deposit. .. At five o'clock, the "Vision of the Seas" sailed off into the sunset headed for Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan, and Puerta Vallarta.
Internet access on the "Vision of the Seas" is uncertain, so our trip report will resume on Wednesday, May 12, when we'll be on the rails again.
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