Catalina Express ABANDONS San Pedro for the Winter!

[drbill]

The last few years Catalina Express has seriously cut down its Catalina boat service to and from San Pedro. The last two years there were no boats Tue-Wed-Thu. I just checked their web site for the new schedule and discovered they are offering NO boat service via San Pedro period this winter. Grrrr!

Now I realize this economic downturn has seriously affected businesses all over the country. Visitor counts to the island are down I believe, and certainly the economy bears a significant part of the reason for that.

I just sent them an e-mail (Mail@CatalinaExpress.com) asking why they ceased service to San Pedro yet still run service from TWO ports in Long Beach (Downtown Landing and Queen Mary). It seems cutting the Queen Mary service out and retaining San Pedro would make more sense from a visitor (and resident) perspective.

Dr. Bill
Marooned on Catalina

 

[paradicio]

Totally agree with you Dr Bill. I'm not sure how busy the Long Beach Queen Mary port is, but it would make sense to run more boats out of Down Town Long Beach (if necessary) than to close down San Pedro...

Are you feeling island fever already??

 

[fnfalman]

I like the San Pedro port too. You don't have to walk five hundred miles between the parking lot and the port like you do at Long Beach.

 

[drbill]

The morning after I posted this, I got a call from upper management at the Express. Turned ot their Google search bot had discovered the thread and the individual (who I've known for many years) wanted to clarify the situation.

The economics of the San Pedro run don't surprise me. The reason I didn't hear about it was that they didn't have my e-mail address on file. Turns out they e-mailed a heads up to commuters who run out of San Pedro. Also, boats are NOT leaving from the Queen Mary this winter either.

The individual who called me had some good suggestions about where I could find reasonable parking in Long Beach for the winter (if not "permanently" to take advantage of the always better schedule from the downtown LB port). I appreciated his call.

 

[JMdiver]

So where is the reasonable parking?

John

 

[FrankPro1]

I was looking forward to the easy access of the San Pedro Catalina Express terminals this winter diving season. Seems like I'll have to spend the extra time and effort when going to the dive park. Not what I like to hear, but its not going to stop me.