Florida is extensively considered the cruise capital of the world, with a number of the busiest cruise ports anyplace. Between Port Miami, Port Everglades, and Port Canaveral, I hardly ever have to journey far to cruise as a Florida resident.
On this means, cruising from Florida is extraordinarily handy and budget-friendly for me. Like all Florida resident, I’m lucky to have quick access to a number of the world’s latest, largest, and most superior cruise ships. That stated, I by no means restrict myself to only crusing from Florida.
I’m at all times desirous to discover new locations, even when it means flying the world over for a bucket-list crusing. For instance, I lately flew all the best way to Singapore for a 12-night cruise by means of Asia, and final fall, I traveled to the Land Down Beneath for an Australian cruise from Sydney. I’ve even traveled all the best way to Mauritius for a once-in-a-lifetime safari cruise throughout South Africa.
Whereas Royal Caribbean has a heavy presence in Florida, the cruise line operates globally with sailings all around the world. That is why I used to be particularly excited when Royal Caribbean introduced Ovation of the Seas could be crusing from Los Angeles, California as the largest ship to ever sail from the port.
After crusing on each ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, I’ve discovered the Quantum class to be certainly one of my favorites. These cruise ships function a glossy, trendy design, loads of facilities, and infrequently sail to extra thrilling locations. I’ve sailed on almost each Quantum class ship in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, so I used to be particularly excited to lastly verify Ovation of the Seas off my record.
Moreover, I hadn’t cruised from the West Coast in additional than 15 years. In reality, my final West Coast cruise was in 2008 on the now-retired Monarch of the Seas from San Diego. Evidently, I used to be overdue for a West Coast cruise! And I couldn’t resist an incredible deal on a 5-night cruise to Cabo San Lucas for certainly one of Ovation of the Seas’ inaugural sailings from Los Angeles.
Even higher, this itinerary featured an in a single day port keep in Cabo San Lucas, which is certainly one of my favourite itinerary options! Having an in a single day permits you extra time to expertise the vacation spot, and also you sometimes aren’t as rushed throughout your time ashore. I used to be thrilled that my mother wished to hitch this cruise for our first mother-daughter cruise collectively!
Though we had a good time throughout our cruise from California and beloved visiting Cabo San Lucas for the primary time, I most likely gained’t be crusing once more from the West Coast anytime quickly.
First, it wasn’t simple attending to the West Coast for this cruise.
I reside within the Florida Panhandle, so I often desire cruising from Port Canaveral in Central Florida. It’s only a 6-hour drive, so this port is probably the most handy with many alternative itineraries and cruise strains to select from. I even have household in Orlando, so I by no means have to spend extra cash on a resort room the evening earlier than a cruise.
Nonetheless, there are solely so many locations you may go to once you cruise from the identical disembarkation port. You are inclined to repeat quite a lot of the identical itineraries aboard the identical cruise ships. Don’t ask what number of instances I’ve been to Cozumel, as a result of I’ve misplaced depend!
For this itinerary, I deliberate to fly into LAX the evening earlier than the beginning of our cruise (as you at all times ought to). My native airport is on the smaller aspect, so I often have to attach by means of Atlanta, Georgia. Between my 4 hour layover and two totally different flights, my complete journey time was over ten hours from Florida!
Since I don’t fly to the West Coast fairly often, I truthfully simply forgot how lengthy it takes to get from Florida to Los Angeles! I used to be naive to assume my journey day wouldn’t be that lengthy.
In hindsight, I most likely ought to’ve accomplished a bit of extra planning. I did find yourself needing to take an additional day of PTO simply to account for the lengthy journey day. By the point I landed in LAX, I spotted the journey time was nearly so long as flying to Europe!
To high it off, this flight wasn’t low cost both. It ended up costing near $500 for the round-trip airfare. That’s almost what I paid for my upcoming journey to Denmark later this summer season.
On the finish of the day, I simply wish to benefit from my money and time after I journey. For me, that usually means discovering new locations to discover if I’m going to spend greater than ten hours on the airport!
Navigating the huge LAX airport was additionally extra hectic than I anticipated.
I’m no stranger to navigating large airports, however I undoubtedly recognize the convenience and comfort of smaller airports. For instance, after I cruise from Miami, I truly desire flying into Fort Lauderdale’s Hollywood Worldwide airport as a substitute. It’s near PortMiami and much simpler to navigate than the busier Miami airport.
For this cruise, my mother and I flew individually into LAX, as she was touring from South Dakota and I used to be coming from Florida. Realizing how hectic massive airports may be, particularly when navigating them alone, my mother determined to attend within the Delta SkyClub lounge till I landed a number of hours later.
I used to be grateful she had a snug and secure place to calm down till I arrived. I’m additionally glad my mother didn’t attempt to navigate the airport on her personal, because it was extra hectic and complicated than both of us anticipated. After I landed within the late night, we made our option to the resort earlier than boarding Ovation of the Seas the next day.
We finally discovered the free airport shuttle to the designated ride-share and taxi space, however the signage was a bit of complicated, particularly contemplating it was late at evening. It didn’t assist that different vacationers on the shuttle didn’t appear too keen to supply instructions. To make issues worse, my mother and I have been each exhausted from an extended day of flying throughout the nation.
The ride-share space at LAX was not like something I’ve seen earlier than, that includes a slew of temporary-looking white tents scattered throughout the car parking zone. Journey-share costs have been additionally unusually excessive for such a brief distance. I used to be being quoted over $40 for a fast 5-minute trip, which is outrageous!
We ended up taking a taxi as a substitute for $20 to the resort, though the expertise wasn’t precisely heat and welcoming from our taxi driver. All that to say, we couldn’t wait to fall asleep and board Ovation of the Seas the subsequent morning for our cruise!
Since LAX gives probably the most flight choices and is the closest airport to Royal Caribbean’s World Cruise Terminal, it’s undoubtedly probably the most sensible selection. Nonetheless, I feel most can agree the scale and chaos of the airport may be overwhelming. Subsequent time, I’d plan to reach earlier within the day and prearrange a switch to make the expertise smoother.
Cruise choices are nonetheless fairly restricted from the West Coast.
Royal Caribbean is planning to develop its West Coast presence within the coming years, and operations are already ramping up! Earlier than Ovation of the Seas arrived, Royal Caribbean had beforehand deployed Navigator of the Seas — an older Voyager class ship — as the biggest ship to depart from Los Angeles in 2021. Previous to that, Royal Caribbean hadn’t operated in California for over a decade.
Navigator of the Seas began providing shorter itineraries to Mexico, and there’s clearly a robust demand for it. Now, the addition of recent ships will present much more alternatives for West Coast locals to cruise with Royal Caribbean.
In 2026, Serenade of the Seas will likely be crusing from San Diego because the third ship for Royal Caribbean to function in California. As well as, Quantum of the Seas and Voyager of the Seas may even have a stint calling California residence this fall when each ships arrive in October 2025.
Though Royal Caribbean is increasing its presence, itineraries are nonetheless restricted largely to Mexico. These sailings function ports of name to Ensenada, Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta, and Mazatlan, together with one distinctive repositioning cruise again to Asia.
With only a handful of cruise ships providing largely quick getaway itineraries to Mexico, these sailings are typically higher fitted to native California residents. Comparatively, I’m fortunate to have quite a lot of itineraries from Florida all through the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, Bahamas, and South America. You possibly can even cruise all the best way to Europe on transatlantic cruises from Florida!
There are nonetheless some locations that I have not visited all through the Caribbean, such because the ABC Islands of Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao. Quite than flying to the West Coast, I’d desire to concentrate on visiting new ports of name which can be extra simply accessible from Florida.
Nonetheless, Royal Caribbean has the biggest West Coast presence.
In comparison with different cruise strains, Royal Caribbean’s dedication to the West Coast is unmatched. Loyal Royal Caribbean cruisers now have extra probabilities than ever to set sail on a number of the cruise line’s finest ships.
For instance, sister-brand Superstar Cruises solely gives restricted sailings from Los Angeles, primarily consisting of one-time Panama Canal repositioning cruises. Moreover, Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line function sailings from California, however sometimes with only one or two ships all year long.
With Royal Caribbean increasing its West Coast presence, cruisers can now discover Baja Mexico on a greater diversity of itineraries. For the summer season, Ovation of the Seas will rotate between 3-night, 5-night, and 6-night cruises till she repositions to Southeast Asia within the fall. Till then, company can expertise a number of the hottest ports of name all through Mexico.
Throughout my current 5-night cruise to Cabo San Lucas, my mother and I have been blown away by how stunning town was. We have been pleasantly stunned by the port, together with how clear, secure, and well-maintained it was. The surroundings was additionally completely breathtaking, making Cabo San Lucas one of many nicest locations I’ve visited within the nation.
In hindsight, I want I had booked an extended itinerary to expertise extra of the area throughout my journey to the West Coast, as I haven’t visited ports like Puerto Vallarta or Mazatlan.
Even nonetheless, I’m unsure if I’ll cruise once more from California anytime quickly.
Royal Caribbean is deploying extra mega ships to cruise from California, which is nice information for these dwelling on the West Coast. With an rising variety of amenity-packed ships crusing from the area, the cruise line is clearly making a long-term funding within the West Coast market.
Nonetheless, I’ll most likely stick with cruises from Florida. For me, that is largely because of the distance and price to journey to California.
Throughout our crusing, almost everybody we met was from the native space, which possible displays Royal Caribbean’s target market for these itineraries. Most individuals hadn’t traveled so far as we had for the 5-night crusing to Cabo. That stated, I had a implausible time on the cruise itself, and I beloved experiencing Ovation of the Seas for the primary time. The leisure, eating choices, and onboard facilities are a few of Royal Caribbean’s finest. My mother and I had a beautiful mother-daughter trip collectively and cherished our time onboard.
As a frequent cruiser, I’ve discovered that some itineraries are finest loved as soon as, and that’s completely okay. For me, it simply makes extra sense to stay with cruises from Florida for comfort. If I need a fast weekend getaway cruise to Mexico, I can do this with out flying throughout the nation.
Nonetheless, for these dwelling on the West Coast, Royal Caribbean’s California sailings are a handy and interesting possibility. Identical to I wouldn’t wish to fly throughout the nation for a brief cruise, I think about many Californians really feel the identical about flying to Florida. I’m genuinely excited that West Coasters get to expertise, in my view, certainly one of Royal Caribbean’s finest ships with Ovation of the Seas.
