PLANES, BOATS & SHUTTLES

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PLANES, BOATS & SHUTTLES

You are on your own.

IMPORTANT: Although the cruise lines post schedules on their web sites, be sure to verbally double check the departure times when you reserve; various printed schedules do NOT quite always agree with their sites. To be safe, allow around 2-1/2 to 3 hours between arrival at LAX and boat departure time.

There are two companies with boats to Avalon on Catalina Island: Catalina Cruises and Catalina Express. There are fast (< 1 hr) and slow (~2 hr) boats; fares are $25-$38 RT

Catalina Cruises (fast & slow boats; from Long Beach only).
Catalina Express (fast only; from Long Beach, San Pedro, Dana Point).
[4/7/00, KTM: The fast boats take 150 passengers, but all seats will likely be reserved well before the day of departure. RESERVE NOW! $38 round trip. The web schedule seems not to be up to date. For example, on Friday May 19 there is an Avalon -> Long Beach boat at 6 pm, and an Avalon -> San Pedro boat at 6:45 pm. Apparently if you are not on the boat 15 min prior to the nominal departure time, your seat will be given away to standby passengers.]
If you drive: Parking at the boat terminals is ~$8/day.

Some airport shuttles have vans specifically for the boat terminals.
Fares are $12-18 one way/1 person (ask for group rates for more than one).
Drive time is 45 min - 1 hr.
Reservations and advance arrival time are recommended.

Shuttles, in the order in which they seemed to be least expensive and/or most convenient:
Caravan Shuttle: 888-488-6767 [Single fare = $18. Group rate of $45 per vehicle of 5-6 persons. But we must reserve in advance. K.McD has reserved for 7:15pm at Long Beach, May 19 = nominal arrival time of the 6pm Catalina Express boat from Avalon. Let me know if you wish to join this shuttle: mcdonald@puphep.princeton.edu ]
SuperShuttle: 310-782-6600
Xpress Shuttle: 800-606-7433
Carmel Shuttle: 888-995-7433
Express Shuttle: 800-4SHUTTLE
On Catalina Island, the Best Western Catalina has a complimentary 7-person shuttle from the dock for those staying at the hotel.
We have alerted the hotel of our nominal departure time of 5 pm, Friday May 19, asking that both of their shuttles be available then. In addition, we have rented a 20-person shuttle bus for that time, so that a large group can board the Avalon-Long Beach boat by 5:45 pm.

	You are on your own.
	IMPORTANT: Although the cruise lines post schedules on their web sites, be sure to verbally double check the departure times when you reserve; various printed schedules do NOT quite always agree with their sites. To be safe, allow around 2-1/2 to 3 hours between arrival at LAX and boat departure time.