The Best Cruises From Los Angeles

I've always felt the best cruise at any given time, is the cruise you're currently on.

Actually, as s travel agent, I always tell my client there is not "best" or "worst" cruise line or ship for everyone. The "best" cruise is the one that meets your expectations, goes to the ports you're interested in and fits your budget.

Since it costs nothing to use a travel agent, I would suggest you use the services of a good travel agent to help you explore and find the best cruise option for your vacation. All travel agencies and cruiselines get exactly the same fare-for the exact same room type (referred to in the travel lingo as room "category.") (I recently tested this out by contacting five travel agencies local and online and the cruiseline all fares for the same category room was the same down to the penny.) There are many different room categories in every room type, so it's important to compare "apples to apples" when you're pricing cruises with different agencies. A good travel consultant will ask you what you like to do on vacation, the type of foods you enjoy, and other lifestyle questions to match you up with your "perfect" cruise. Prices vary from day to day, sometimes hour to hour, as the cruiselines monitor their inventory, striving to sell every ship at manimum capacity. The ships usually sail out full so you'll find your lowest price 12 months to 18 months out. If a price does drop, often your travel agency or the cruiseline can get you the lower price.

There are several great cruises leaving from Los Angeles, California. You'll find two ports serving the LA area San Pedro which is the official Port of Los Angeles, and one other in nearby Long Beach. The Carnival ships leave from Long Beach and that's also where the Queen Mary is berthed. In fact, you might take a tour of the Queen Mary before you board your Carnival cruise. The other cruise lines that leave from Long Beach include RCCL (Royal Caribbean), NCL (Norwegian Cruise Line), Holland America, Celebrity and others.

Many of these cruises sail roundtrip from these ports to Baja, California and the Mexican Riviera. Currently, only two cruiselines go to Baja Carnival on the Pride and the Paradise both great ships I've been on both. RCCL has Monarch of the Seas which goes to Baja also, in addition to Catalina Island and San Diego. Both of these lines offer a 3-day weekend cruise to Baja, departing Friday afternoon and returning on

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