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Getting In and Out of Long Beach: Cruise Terminal, Catalina, Convention Center, Airport, Transit

Checked against the city's pages: October 2026 By Dana Castellano 13 min read

Photo by Ambassador of Truth on Pexels

On this page

In brief

Getting to the Long Beach Cruise Terminal at 231 Windsor Way, and to Catalina, the Convention Center, the Aquarium or the Queen Mary, means combining pages from separate operators, and several 2026 figures have changed: the free Passport (route 37) runs Friday to Sunday only, the regular water taxis ended on September 7, 2026, Metro’s A Line fare is $1.75, and City Place parking gives 90 minutes free from October 1, 2026. No page from Carnival, the city or the tourism bureau gives a walking time from any hotel to the cruise terminal.

  • Cruise terminal: parking is listed at $23 a day by the tourism bureau on an undated page; Carnival’s own page gives no rate12.
  • LGB to the terminal: Carnival sells a transfer at $31.99 per person, listed at “1.0 hours”; the airport lists a $50 taxi flat rate for “San Pedro/Cruise Ships”89.
  • Catalina Express: leaves from 320 Golden Shore; be at the ticket window at least an hour before departure1011.
  • Aquarium of the Pacific: parking is $8 for the day with the Aquarium’s validation, and weekends and holidays need a reservation1213.
  • Queen Mary: visitor parking is capped at $25 a day on the ship’s page, and day-visitor parking moves to the Pike Parking Garage on October 4 and 1714.

Disclosure: some links on this page are affiliate links, marked by the products, tours and hotels they name. A purchase through these links may earn the site a commission at no cost to you, and it never affects what is recommended. How this works.

Long Beach is reached through a handful of fixed points: the cruise terminal, the Catalina Express landing, the Convention Center, the Aquarium and the Queen Mary on the water; Long Beach Airport (LGB) inland; and the A Line, which links Downtown Long Beach to Los Angeles. Each is run by a different operator, and the official pages rarely say how one connects to the next. This page sorts the options by what you are doing, gives the one-paragraph answer for each purpose, and links the article that holds the detail.

Everything here is described as of October 2026. Where a price, hour or route has changed, the date is printed beside it, and where an operator’s page is silent, this page says so rather than filling the gap. The tourism bureau’s pages are used only where no operator page exists.

The short answer

If you are… Do this
A cruise passenger The terminal is at 231 Windsor Way12. Check a hotel’s own page for a shuttle, because no official page gives a hotel-to-terminal walking time7. See Hotels Near the Long Beach Cruise Terminal
Taking the Catalina Express Sail from 320 Golden Shore; be at the ticket window at least an hour before departure and checked in 30 minutes before1011. See Catalina Express From Long Beach
Attending a convention The Center is at 300 East Ocean Boulevard; its directions page lists parking at “$15.00 per day with no in and out privileges”1516. See Hotels Near the Long Beach Convention Center
Visiting the Aquarium or the Queen Mary Aquarium parking is $8 with validation; the Queen Mary caps visitor parking at $251214. See Aquarium of the Pacific and The Queen Mary in 2026
Flying into LGB Parking is $35 a day in Structure A and $30 in Structure B from October 1; rideshare picks up on the outer curb179. See Long Beach Airport for Visitors
Arriving from LAX Metro’s C Line to Willowbrook/Rosa Parks, a change to the A Line, $1.75185. See LAX to Long Beach
Coming from Anaheim OCTA Route 50 lists a stop at Katella & Harbor; the fare is $2.001920. See Long Beach to Anaheim and Disneyland
Decision tree mapping a Long Beach trip to the right guide: cruise, Catalina and Queen Mary on the water; the Convention Center and Aquarium for events and attractions; and Long Beach Airport, LAX and Anaheim for arrivals from afar.
Which Long Beach guide fits which trip, as of October 2026.

Cruise passenger: the terminal, hotels and parking

The Long Beach Cruise Terminal is at 231 Windsor Way, Long Beach, CA 90802, alongside the Queen Mary, and no official page gives a walking time from a hotel to it.127

Two hotels state a terminal shuttle on their own pages. The Maya, at 700 Queensway Drive, offers a “Bon Voyage Park & Cruise” package whose shuttle “must be scheduled with the Front Desk upon arrival”21. The Cove Hotel, at 200 E Willow Street, lists a cruise package that “Includes 1-night accommodation, parking for up to 7 nights while you’re on your cruise, and transportation to and from the Long Beach Cruise Terminal”22. The tourism bureau lists terminal parking at $23 a day with a 7’0″ height limit; Carnival’s own page gives no rate and says parking is limited, so confirm it in Carnival’s emails12.

Without a hotel shuttle, the free Passport reaches the terminal stop from 10th & Pine in 19 minutes on the printed Friday table, and runs Friday to Sunday only3. The full list of hotel addresses and offers is in Hotels Near the Long Beach Cruise Terminal. Bag storage before a sailing is planned in Luggage Storage in Long Beach Before or After a Cruise.

Catalina day trip

Catalina Express sails from Catalina Landing at 320 Golden Shore; the trip to Avalon takes “approximately 1 hr”, and passengers should be at the ticket window at least an hour before departure.1011

Be checked in, tickets in hand, 30 minutes before departure; seats are forfeited if you are not checked in 15 minutes before11. Parking is run by ABM Parking Services at a daily maximum of $24.95 or $26.95, and the page that prints those figures gives no year10. The adult round trip is $99 for travel before October 6, 2026 and $103 from that date, and the schedule-and-fares page prints different one-way figures from the Long Beach-Avalon page1123. For September 8 to October 19, 2026, the Long Beach table shows 6:00 a.m., 9:50 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. departures every day, with more on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays23.

Luggage is two pieces up to 50 pounds and 23″ x 23″ x 37″ each, plus one carry-on; bikes and surfboards need a reservation at $3.50 each way24. The detail is in Catalina Express From Long Beach.

Convention attendee

The Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center is at 300 East Ocean Boulevard, and its own directions page lists parking at “$15.00 per day with no in and out privileges”.1516

The city’s parking operator lists a $10 flat rate for scheduled events at the Convention Center Garage25. The Center’s attendee page lists no hotels and states no distances26. The tourism bureau lists six downtown hotels by address: Westin Long Beach (333 East Ocean Boulevard), Fairmont Breakers (210 East), Marriott Long Beach Downtown (111 East), Courtyard (500 East First Street), Best Western Plus (517 East 1st Street) and Hotel Metropolitan (505 E Broadway)7. Its only distance statement is general: “most” of the city’s 5,000-plus rooms are “within walking distance of conference facilities, entertainment and dining”7. See Hotels Near the Long Beach Convention Center; the planned Long Beach Convention Center: Parking, Entrances and Getting There and Attending a Show at the Long Beach Convention Center will cover the rest.

Aquarium or Queen Mary visit

Aquarium parking is $8 for the day if you validate your parking ticket at the scanner inside the Aquarium, and weekends and holidays need a reservation.1213

The Aquarium is at 100 Aquarium Way, and the garage is at 99 Aquarium Way27. Without validation, the city’s rate table for that garage runs from free for 30 minutes to $16 for 8 to 24 hours27. Tickets are “not valid until the hour of your reservation and will be accepted the remainder of that day”; general admission on the Aquarium’s own page is $49.95 for adults, $46.95 for seniors (62+) and $34.95 for children (3-11), with no date printed beside the prices1328. See Aquarium of the Pacific: Parking, Validation, Timed Entry and Tickets.

The Queen Mary at 1126 Queens Highway lists general admission at $45 for adults and $40 for children, daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with visitor parking capped at $25 a day.2914

The ship’s parking page gives free parking for 0 to 10 minutes, $15 for 11 to 59 minutes and $39 per night for overnight guests14. The ship’s page and the city’s parking site disagree on short-stay rates, so confirm on the day1430. On October 4 and 17 the ship moves day-visitor parking to the Pike Parking Garage at 65 Cedar Ave., with a complimentary shuttle; the page gives no year14. See The Queen Mary in 2026.

Flying into LGB

Long Beach Airport (LGB), at 4100 Donald Douglas Dr., lists parking at $35 a day in Structure A, $30 a day in Structure B and $5 an hour, “effective October 1”, with valet at $42 a day “effective November 1”.1731

Airline operations “must be scheduled between 7am-10pm”, with 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. allowed only for delays caused by weather, air traffic or mechanical issues32. The airport’s page names Southwest, Hawaiian, Delta and Alaska, with 21 nonstop destinations31. Parking can be reserved online up to a year ahead and no later than one hour before arrival; a convenience fee applies33.

On the ground, rideshare picks up on the outer curb in front of the terminal, the taxi stand is next to Parking Structure A, and Long Beach Transit routes 102, 104, 111 and 405 serve the airport at $1.25; the nearest Metro station is Wardlow on the A Line9. To the cruise terminal, Carnival sells a transfer at $31.99 per person from “Baggage claim 1”, with a service window of 9:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and a flight that must land by 12:30 p.m.; the airport lists a $50 taxi flat rate to “San Pedro/Cruise Ships”, and no operator publishes a distance or a drive time89. See Long Beach Airport for Visitors and Long Beach Airport to the Cruise Terminal.

Arriving from LAX

The published public-transit route is Metro’s C Line from LAX/Metro Transit Center to Willowbrook/Rosa Parks, a change to the A Line, then the A Line toward Long Beach, at $1.75 with free transfers within 2 hours of tapping.18345

The C Line timetable effective June 7, 2026 shows about 19 minutes for the first leg; Metro’s A Line time is not stated for this trip, so no total is given18. Metro’s fare page adds “Never pay more than $5” in a day5. The airport’s taxi page lists a flat rate to LAX of $75 and states nothing for a cab from LAX, and no operator page cited here publishes a rideshare fare or a general shuttle rate9. See LAX to Long Beach.

Coming from Anaheim

OCTA Route 50, “Long Beach to Orange via Katella Ave”, lists a timepoint at Katella & Harbor and another at the Anaheim Regional Transportation Intermodal Center (ARTIC); the regular fare is $2.00 one way.1920

The route’s August 9, 2026 timetable shows trips about every 18 minutes at peaks and about every 30 minutes midday19. The rail option is Metro’s A Line to Union Station, 66 minutes from Downtown Long Beach on the printed weekday table35. No source cited here gives a driving distance or time, or a walking distance from Katella & Harbor to a park entrance19. See Long Beach to Anaheim and Disneyland.

The 2026 changes in one place

Older pages still describe a Long Beach that no longer exists. These are the figures the operators publish as of October 2026.

Item What the operator publishes Date
Passport, route 37 Free; Friday, Saturday and Sunday only; about every 30 minutes; four stops from 10th & Pine to Queen Mary / Cruise Terminal3 Timetable effective August 23, 2026
Water taxis Regular service ended for the season; “Regular service will return in 2027”; the AquaBus is out of service until further notice; a $12 round-trip concert-day service continues through 20264 Ended September 7, 2026
Metro fare $1.75 a ride, with a daily cap of $5 and a weekly cap of $185 As of October 2026
Long Beach Transit buses $1.25 single ride and a $4 day pass, with no transfers within its own service area36 As of October 2026
City Place A, B and C “First 90 minutes free. After 90 minutes, parking remains $2.00 every 30 minutes, with a $12.00 daily maximum”63738 Effective October 1, 2026
Catalina Express adult round trip $99 before the change, $103 after11 October 6, 2026
LGB parking Structure A $35 a day, Structure B $30, $5 an hour; valet $42 a day17 October 1 and November 1

Official pages disagree The tourism bureau’s transit page still describes the Passport as it used to run, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. every 15 minutes, and still lists the water taxis as live39. Long Beach Transit’s own timetable and water taxi pages show Friday to Sunday service about every 30 minutes and no regular water taxi until 202734. Plan around the operator.

Metro’s $1.75 is the A Line fare; Long Beach Transit’s buses are a separate $1.25536. The Passport and A Line pieces are laid out in Long Beach Transit in 2026, and the parking changes in Downtown Long Beach Parking by Trip.

Guides in this section

Written guides:

Planned guides:

The site earns a commission on some hotel, ticket, transfer and parking links, which does not affect what is recommended.

Tours and tickets sold through this site, from the whale-watching boats to the Catalina packages with hotel pickup, are listed by type on the tours page; each guide above names the ones that solve its problem, with the reason.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the address of the Long Beach cruise terminal?

231 Windsor Way, Long Beach, CA 9080212.

How much does it cost to park at the Long Beach cruise terminal?

The tourism bureau lists $23 per day with a 7’0″ height limit on an undated page; Carnival’s own page gives no rate and warns that parking is limited12.

Is the Passport free in Long Beach?

Yes. Long Beach Transit’s route 37 runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday, on a timetable effective August 23, 2026, and its southern stop is Queen Mary / Cruise Terminal3.

Are the Long Beach water taxis running?

Not on the regular schedule: the 2026 season ran to Labor Day, September 7, and regular service returns in 2027; the AquaBus is “out of service until further notice”, and a $12 round-trip concert-day service continues through 20264.

How much is the Metro A Line fare?

$1.75 a ride, with fare capping at $5 a day5.

How early should I arrive for the Catalina Express?

At the ticket window at least an hour before departure, and checked in 30 minutes before11.

How long is the ferry from Long Beach to Avalon?

The Catalina Express page says “approximately 1 hr”11.

Does Long Beach Airport have a curfew?

Airline operations must be scheduled between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m., with 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. allowed only for delays caused by weather, air traffic or mechanical issues32.

Sources

  1. Cruise terminal help — Carnival Cruise Line. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  2. Cruise Terminal Information — Visit Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  3. Passport route 37 schedule, effective August 23, 2026 — Long Beach Transit. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  4. Water Taxis — Long Beach Transit. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  5. Fares — Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  6. City Place A (50 E. 6th St.) — City of Long Beach parking. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  7. Long Beach Hotels — Visit Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  8. Transportation: Long Beach Airport to Port LGB — Carnival Cruise Line. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  9. Ground Transportation — Long Beach Airport, City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  10. Long Beach Port (Catalina Landing) — Catalina Express. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  11. Long Beach to Avalon Ferry Ticket — Catalina Express. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  12. Parking — Aquarium of the Pacific. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  13. Tickets and Reservations — Aquarium of the Pacific. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  14. Hours & Parking — The Queen Mary. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  15. Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center — Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  16. Parking & Directions — Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  17. Parking and Directions — Long Beach Airport, City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  18. C Line timetable, effective June 7, 2026 — Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  19. Route 50, Long Beach to Orange via Katella Ave, effective August 9, 2026 — Orange County Transportation Authority. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  20. Fares and Passes — Orange County Transportation Authority. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  21. Special Offers: Bon Voyage Park & Cruise — The Maya, a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  22. The Cove Hotel: Long Beach Cruise Package — The Cove Hotel. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  23. Schedule & Fares — Catalina Express. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  24. Baggage Guidelines — Catalina Express. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  25. Convention Center Garage — City of Long Beach parking. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  26. Attendees — Long Beach Convention & Entertainment Center. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  27. Aquarium/Queensway Bay Parking Garage — City of Long Beach parking. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  28. Plan Your Visit — Aquarium of the Pacific. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  29. Pricing — The Queen Mary. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  30. Queen Mary Lot — City of Long Beach parking. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  31. Airlines and Destinations — Long Beach Airport, City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  32. Noise Office FAQ — Long Beach Airport, City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  33. Long Beach Airport launches online parking reservations — Long Beach Airport, City of Long Beach. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  34. A Line — Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  35. A Line timetable and route map, effective June 7, 2026 — Los Angeles Metro. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  36. Fares — Long Beach Transit. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  37. City Place B (50 E. 5th St.) — City of Long Beach parking. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  38. City Place C (51 E. 3rd St.) — City of Long Beach parking. Accessed 2026-10-01.
  39. Public Transit — Visit Long Beach, the tourism bureau (its own listings). Accessed 2026-10-01.