Every cruise begins in the same way: with an embarkation process. You enter the terminal to have your documents checked, pass through a security screening, and then on to the final phase where you have your check-in completed and keycards issued. All of this happens before that all-exciting moment when you get to cross over the gangway and onto your cruise ship.
Not all embarkations are created equal, however. Some terminals are little more than temporary sheds; others have long lines, weak air conditioning and a total lack of passenger facilities.
I recently sailed out of Long Beach, Calif., aboard Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Inspiration. Utilized by three Carnival ships year-round, Carnival’s Long Beach terminal is located inside a white geodesic dome that used to house Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose until it was relocated to McMinnville, Ore., in 1993. It is also located adjacent to the RMS Queen Mary, which is permanently moored in Long Beach as a hotel and tourist attraction.
I’ve sailed out of Long Beach many times over the past decade — to be frank, it was never one of my favourite places to embark. Carnival used to only lease a portion of the dome, and it was a cramped, crowded experience from start to finish.
That’s all changed now. Earlier this year, Carnival re-inaugurated its Long Beach terminal after substantial renovations were made. Carnival now occupies 100 per cent of the terminal space and has divided approximately half of it for use during embarkation, while the other half of the terminal is now used for disembarkation processes.
Ordinarily, this wouldn’t be worthy of a news item, but Carnival’s top-to-bottom refit of the terminal is so sweeping and so encompassing that it could set the benchmark for future terminal design and development.
The changes start right when you walk in. Most guests should be able to complete their check-in process right at the doors before being ushered through a quick security process. A series of check-in desks are available post-security for those who need to have documents validated (I was ushered there in order to verify my passport).
All of this takes place in the shadow of a custom-built model of the Spruce Goose that Carnival had made expressly for the terminal; a nice little nod to its heritage.
More impressively, the entire terminal has been designed to mimic a city park by the sea, with blue and green floors, real park benches (with added padding for a more comfortable seat), and a gigantic photo-reproduction backdrop of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Complete with towering palm and olive trees, the entire check-in area looks more like a high-tech film set and less like a cold and austere cruise terminal.
More than 1,500 people can now be seated comfortably in the terminal at one time, eliminating the snaking lines that used to exist in the old design.
Perhaps the best feature of Carnival’s new Long Beach terminal — aside from its pleasing esthetics — is how well-organized it is. Lines are kept to a minimum, processes are efficient, and staff are helpful, friendly and knowledgeable. That, in turn, seemed to make my fellow passengers more calm and collected. I heard few complaints even as I sat waiting for my turn to embark. The new seating area is so pleasant that I wasn’t really aware of how much time had passed before I was ushered on board.
If you have Platinum or Diamond status with Carnival, you can use the new Captain’s Lounge that resembles a swanky airport lounge for frequent flyers. This is the ultimate place to kick back and relax before embarking your ship, and is a nice perk for cruisers who have hit that level of loyalty with the line.
Carnival Inspiration and Imagination sail three- and four-night Baja California cruises out of Long Beach, while the larger Carnival Splendor heads to the Mexican Riviera each Saturday. Next year, Carnival will be homeporting its brand new Carnival Panorama in Long Beach when she enters service, and making improvements to facilities in Ensenada, Mexico. It’s all part of the line’s growth strategy on the West Coast — and it’s working wonders.
Happy cruising.
Visit Portsandbows.com, sponsored by Expedia CruiseShipCenters, 1-800-410-4744, www.cruise.center, for daily updates on the latest cruise news, best deals and behind-the-scenes stories from the industry. You can also sign up for an email newsletter on the site for even more cruise information. Aaron Saunders may be contacted directly at portsandbowsaaron@gmail.com