Carnival Warns Long Beach Cruisers of Limited Terminal Parking

Carnival Cruise Line is warning guests sailing from Long Beach, California, that limited on-site parking at the Long Beach Cruise Terminal could require some drivers to use a City of Long Beach overflow lot during several holiday and early-January departures.

In messages sent to booked passengers, the cruise line urged travelers to plan ahead and consider alternatives to leaving a vehicle at the terminal. “The parking facility at the cruise terminal has very limited capacity. Please make plans to use alternate transportation that does not require parking,” Carnival wrote.

Sailings covered by the Long Beach parking advisory

Carnival said the parking notices apply to select departures on Carnival Radiance and Carnival Firenze, which homeport in Long Beach. The impacted sailings include:

• Carnival Radiance departing Dec. 26, 2025, which Carnival identified as a three-night cruise to Ensenada, Mexico.
• Carnival Firenze departing Dec. 27, 2025, which Carnival identified as a three-night cruise to Ensenada, Mexico.
• Carnival Radiance departing Jan. 5, 2026, which Carnival flagged for the same limited-capacity parking conditions during peak embarkation demand.
• Carnival Firenze departing Jan. 8, 2026, which Carnival also flagged for potential overflow parking if the terminal garage fills.

Carnival Radiance’s Dec. 26, 2025, and Jan. 5, 2026, sailings, along with Carnival Firenze’s Dec. 27, 2025, and Jan. 8, 2026, departures, were described as Ensenada-bound itineraries in the guest guidance.

What Carnival is asking guests to do before embarkation

Carnival’s primary recommendation is to avoid parking at the terminal when possible by using rideshares, drop-offs, or other transportation options. For guests who still plan to drive, the cruise line said they should be prepared for the possibility of being redirected.

“If driving (and parking at the port) is your only option, please be prepared to be directed to park at an offsite location operated by the City of Long Beach (not the pier),” Carnival told guests.

How the overflow parking process works on embarkation day

According to Carnival’s instructions, guests who need overflow parking should still begin at the cruise terminal. Travelers can drop off luggage and their party first, then follow direction from port teams if on-site parking is full.

Carnival said it will not disclose the overflow lot’s location in advance for security reasons. Instead, guests who are redirected will receive written directions and an access or entry card after arriving at the terminal.

At the off-site facility, guests will need to show their cruise boarding pass and pay the parking fee before taking a shuttle back to the terminal. Carnival said shuttle service is complimentary, and the final shuttle from the overflow lot will depart 30 minutes before the day’s final boarding time.

Parking prices and arrival-time reminders

Carnival’s guest guidance cited different daily rates depending on where a vehicle is parked:

• Off-site overflow parking costs $20 per day, including embarkation and debarkation days, and requires taking a shuttle to and from the terminal.
• On-site terminal garage parking costs $23 per day at the rate cited in Carnival’s advisory, although availability can be limited on peak days.

Carnival also reiterated that guests should follow their pre-selected Terminal Arrival Appointment times, even if they anticipate parking delays. The cruise line cautioned that port teams may not be able to accommodate passengers who arrive earlier than scheduled.

Why Long Beach parking constraints keep resurfacing

The Long Beach Cruise Terminal’s on-site parking garage is a five-story facility with 1,450 spaces, which can be outpaced by demand when multiple ships are turning over. Carnival notes that the three ships that homeport in Long Beach can collectively carry more than 11,000 guests based on double-occupancy figures.

Carnival-related capacity information cited in the advisories lists Carnival Firenze at 4,126 guests, Carnival Radiance at 2,984 guests, and Carnival Panorama at up to 4,008 passengers. While not every guest arrives by car, the number of vehicles can still exceed available spaces during busy travel periods, prompting overflow operations.

What could ease pressure in the future

Carnival has previously indicated plans to expand the on-site parking garage to accommodate more than 2,000 vehicles, although no timeline has been announced. The cruise line also expects some relief when Carnival Firenze is redeployed to the East Coast in early 2027, reducing the number of passengers embarking from Long Beach across Carnival’s local homeported fleet.

Other January reminders on Carnival sailings

Separate from the Long Beach parking advisories, Carnival has also issued guest-facing reminders and procedure updates tied to select January departures elsewhere in its network.

On Carnival Miracle’s Jan. 4, 2026, voyage departing from Tampa, the cruise line said it will temporarily revert to traditional muster drills instead of the e-muster process introduced after the pandemic. Guests on the seven-night Western Caribbean sailing will participate in group safety briefings at assigned muster stations before departure, which Carnival described as part of its commitment to safety and crew training.

On Carnival Venezia’s Jan. 11, 2026, voyage from Port Canaveral to the Caribbean and Panama, the cruise line reminded guests who use mobility scooters that devices cannot obstruct emergency exits or be left in public areas. Carnival said scooters must be no wider than 21 inches to fit in standard staterooms; otherwise, passengers must book fully accessible accommodations, and devices exceeding the size limit will not be permitted onboard.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Will I know the off-site parking address before I arrive in Long Beach?

No. Carnival said it will not publicly disclose the overflow lot location in advance, and guests who are redirected will receive written directions and an entry card when they arrive at the terminal.

If I am sent to overflow parking, can I still drop off luggage and my travel party first?

Yes. Carnival’s instructions say guests should start at the cruise terminal, drop off luggage and companions, then follow directions if they need to park at an off-site location.

How much does overflow parking cost compared with the Long Beach terminal garage?

Carnival cited a rate of $20 per day for off-site overflow parking, including embarkation and debarkation days, versus $23 per day for the on-site terminal garage.

What is the traditional muster drill that Carnival is using on the Jan. 4, 2026, Carnival Miracle sailing?

Carnival said guests will gather at assigned muster stations for in-person group safety briefings before departure, rather than using the e-muster process implemented after the pandemic.

What mobility scooter rules did Carnival highlight for the Jan. 11, 2026, Carnival Venezia sailing?

Carnival reminded guests that scooters cannot block emergency exits or be stored in public areas, and that devices must be no wider than 21 inches to fit in standard staterooms. Guests with larger devices must book fully accessible accommodations, and scooters exceeding the size limit will not be allowed onboard.