12 Best Hotels Near Long Beach Cruise Terminal (2026)

The most useful Long Beach cruise hotel is the one that fits your arrival time, luggage, budget, and pre-cruise plans. Terminal-side stays minimize the transfer, downtown hotels put dinner and attractions outside the door, and an airport hotel can rescue a late arrival.

My quick take

For pure terminal convenience, start with The Queen Mary, The Maya, or Residence Inn Long Beach Downtown on the Queensway side of the harbor. For a proper evening in town, choose a downtown waterfront hotel and plan a short taxi or rideshare to the cruise terminal.

These 12 hotels are not ranked from best to worst because the right answer changes by traveler and date. Rates, parking, deposits, breakfast, room occupancy, and transportation change frequently, so compare the complete price for your exact stay.

The quick facts

• Terminal: the Long Beach Cruise Terminal is beside The Queen Mary and is operated by Carnival Corporation.
• Do not confuse harbors: Long Beach Cruise Terminal and the Los Angeles World Cruise Center in San Pedro are different facilities.
• Closest stay: The Queen Mary occupies the same waterfront complex as the Carnival terminal.
• Best area for an evening out: downtown Long Beach places restaurants, The Pike, the aquarium, and the waterfront nearby.
• Cruise transfer: plan a taxi or rideshare unless the hotel confirms a current terminal service for your date.
• Hotel total: compare taxes, parking, destination or amenity fees, breakfast, cancellation terms, and transfer cost.
• Airport choice: Long Beach Airport is closer than Los Angeles International Airport, but flight schedule and total fare still decide.

Visit Long Beach confirms that the Carnival-operated terminal sits alongside The Queen Mary. It also currently lists terminal parking at $23 per day, subject to change, with a 7-foot garage clearance and no garage parking for vehicles using more than one space.

Read our Long Beach cruise-port guide before booking transportation. If your documents name the Los Angeles World Cruise Center, use San Pedro advice instead.

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Three terminal-side choices

1. The Queen Mary

• Address: 1126 Queens Highway.
• Good for: the shortest practical terminal transfer and a distinctive historic setting.
• Current highlights: rooms aboard the preserved ocean liner, exhibits, dining, and harbor atmosphere.

The official Queen Mary site confirms that it remains a hotel and attraction, while the city’s terminal page places it alongside the Carnival facility. Ask the hotel about the current pedestrian route, luggage handling, accessibility, and any event-related closures before deciding to walk.

Choose it for location and character, not because it behaves like a new convention hotel. Check room climate details, elevator access, bed type, parking, attraction access, and cancellation terms for the exact rate you book.

2. The Maya

• Address: 700 Queensway Drive.
• Good for: a resort-style pre-cruise afternoon close to the terminal side of the harbor.
• Current highlights: waterfront grounds, pool, beach area, on-site dining, and downtown shuttle.

The Maya’s current site describes a 191-room independent resort on 14 acres and a complimentary downtown shuttle. That shuttle is advertised for downtown destinations, not as a cruise-terminal transfer, so plan a taxi or rideshare unless the hotel confirms otherwise.

This is the choice for travelers who will actually use the pool, waterfront, or restaurant before sailing. Compare parking and any resort-style fees with downtown alternatives rather than judging the room rate alone.

3. Residence Inn Long Beach Downtown

• Address: 600 Queensway Drive.
• Good for: families, longer stays, and travelers who want a kitchen.
• Current highlights: suites with full kitchens, complimentary breakfast, outdoor pool, and fitness facilities.

Marriott’s current property page confirms kitchen-equipped suites and complimentary breakfast. Verify breakfast hours against your terminal check-in plan, then arrange a short vehicle transfer to the terminal.

This property can simplify a family morning because breakfast and food storage are handled in one place. Check sofa-bed type, maximum occupancy, parking cost, pet fee, and accessible-room layout before booking.

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Downtown waterfront and Pike hotels

Downtown works best when the pre-cruise evening matters as much as the morning transfer. The harbor makes the terminal less direct than it looks across the water, so do not plan to roll suitcases around the shoreline.

4. Hyatt Centric The Pike Long Beach

• Address: 285 Bay Street.
• Good for: The Pike, aquarium access, restaurants, and a livelier evening.
• Current highlights: rooftop pool, on-site dining, fitness center, and central Pike location.

Hyatt’s property page is the place to confirm room types, parking, and current amenities. Use a taxi or rideshare for embarkation rather than treating the short map distance as a luggage walk.

This is a strong fit for travelers arriving early enough to enjoy the waterfront attractions. Check whether breakfast is included in your selected rate, because hotel category does not answer that question.

5. Hyatt Regency Long Beach

• Address: 200 South Pine Avenue.
• Good for: full-service amenities beside the convention center and waterfront.
• Current highlights: harbor setting, outdoor pool, dining, and event-sized common areas.

The official Hyatt page should be your source for the room, accessibility, parking, and cancellation terms. It is downtown, not beside the cruise dome, so plan a vehicle transfer.

Groups may appreciate the larger lobby and full-service setup, especially when rooms are booked separately. Confirm connecting-room requests and bedding rather than assuming the hotel can join every family configuration.

6. Marriott Long Beach Downtown

• Address: 111 East Ocean Boulevard.
• Good for: a polished downtown stay near dining and the waterfront.
• Current highlights: outdoor pool, restaurants, fitness center, and Marriott club-lounge options on eligible rates.

Marriott’s current page positions the hotel between downtown and the waterfront and advertises pre- and post-cruise stays. Its current “stay, sail and save” offer concerns late checkout and discounted hotel parking, not a cruise-terminal shuttle.

This works well for Marriott loyalists and groups who want central dining options. Price the room, parking, club access, breakfast, and terminal ride as separate line items.

7. The Westin Long Beach

• Address: 333 East Ocean Boulevard.
• Good for: a quieter full-service downtown base near the convention center.
• Current highlights: outdoor pool, fitness facilities, dining, and event services.

Visit Long Beach’s current Westin listing confirms the property and central address. Check Marriott’s rate details for parking, breakfast, pet terms, and room accessibility, then arrange terminal transportation.

The Westin is practical when brand familiarity and a conventional hotel layout matter more than maritime theme. Event weekends can affect both price and lobby traffic, so compare flexible rates early.

8. Fairmont Breakers Long Beach

• Address: 210 East Ocean Boulevard.
• Good for: a luxury pre-cruise night with time to enjoy the hotel.
• Current highlights: restored historic design, spa, restaurants, rooftop spaces, and upscale rooms.

The official Fairmont Breakers site confirms the operating hotel and its facilities. Book it when the property itself is part of the vacation, then check the final bill for parking, breakfast, spa reservations, and any package inclusions.

A late airport arrival would leave little time to enjoy what you are paying for. The terminal remains a drive away, so reserve enough time for vehicle pickup and Carnival’s assigned arrival window.

9. Hilton Long Beach

• Address: 701 West Ocean Boulevard.
• Good for: Hilton loyalists and drivers approaching the west side of downtown.
• Current highlights: restaurant, outdoor pool, fitness center, connecting-room options, and digital-key features.

Visit Long Beach maintains a current listing for the hotel, and Hilton publishes live room and amenity details. Confirm parking, breakfast, airport transportation, and cruise transportation separately because one shuttle does not imply the other.

This is a sensible downtown option when the rate or loyalty benefits beat waterfront competitors. Ask about the exact pickup point for a large vehicle if your group has cruise-sized luggage.

10. Courtyard by Marriott Long Beach Downtown

• Address: 500 East First Street.
• Good for: a familiar select-service setup near downtown dining.
• Current highlights: on-site food and beverage, outdoor pool, fitness facilities, and Marriott loyalty participation.

Use the hotel or Marriott site to confirm the exact room, breakfast arrangement, parking, and current policies. Plan a taxi or rideshare to the Carnival terminal unless the property gives you a different confirmed option.

Courtyard can be a smart middle ground when full-service hotel rates jump. Compare it with the nearby Best Western because included breakfast and parking can reverse an apparent room-rate win.

11. Best Western Plus Hotel at the Convention Center

• Address: 517 East First Street.
• Good for: travelers who value included breakfast and a central downtown location.
• Current highlights: complimentary breakfast, indoor pool, fitness facilities, and free high-speed internet.

Best Western’s official listing confirms the address and core amenities. Check parking charges, breakfast hours, room occupancy, and cancellation terms for your rate.

This is a useful value comparison, not a promise that it will be cheapest on a cruise weekend. The terminal still requires a drive around the harbor.

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Airport-side backup

12. Homewood Suites by Hilton Long Beach Airport

• Address: 3771 North Lakewood Boulevard.
• Good for: a late Long Beach Airport arrival, families, and travelers who prefer a suite with a kitchen.
• Current highlights: complimentary breakfast, kitchen-equipped suites, and airport transportation under the hotel’s current schedule.

This hotel is near the airport rather than the cruise terminal, so allow more road time on embarkation morning. Confirm the airport-shuttle hours, and do not assume that service continues to the Carnival terminal.

It earns a place on the list for a specific use case, not proximity bragging rights. Compare the easier airport night with the extra morning transfer before booking.

Why Hotel Mai and Hotel Current are no longer on this shortlist

Earlier versions included Hotel Mai and Hotel Current, but current primary-source verification was not strong enough for this 2026 recommendation update. A hotel should not keep a “best” label simply because an old listing still circulates online.

Their removal is not a claim that either property has closed or is unsuitable. It is a transparency decision until current official operating details can be confirmed.

Best areas before a Long Beach cruise

Queensway and the Queen Mary side

Choose this side for the shortest terminal logistics and a waterfront setting. Dining and shopping choices are fewer than downtown, so check hotel restaurants and operating hours if you arrive late.

Downtown waterfront and The Pike

Choose downtown for restaurants, Shoreline Village, the Aquarium of the Pacific, and an evening walk. The cruise terminal looks close across the water, but the road route wraps around the harbor.

Long Beach Airport area

Choose the airport area when a late flight or very early arrival makes a nearby bed more valuable than a waterfront evening. Build a separate terminal transfer into the morning plan.

Cruise shuttles, hotel shuttles, and water taxis

A hotel’s downtown or airport shuttle is not automatically a cruise shuttle. Confirm the destination, operating hours, reservation requirement, luggage capacity, mobility access, fee, and return service directly with the hotel.

Long Beach Transit’s water-taxi service is seasonal and designed for waterfront transportation, not dependable embarkation luggage handling. Enjoy it for sightseeing only when the current schedule works, and use a road transfer for the cruise unless the operator explicitly says otherwise.

Getting from the airport

Long Beach Airport is the closer airport to these hotels, while Los Angeles International Airport usually offers more flights. Compare total fare, schedule, baggage, transfer cost, and the risk of freeway delays rather than distance alone.

Arrive at least the day before sailing whenever practical. A hotel night is much cheaper than watching the ship leave while your airplane practices patience over Southern California.

Carnival’s Long Beach page and your cruise documents are the current sources for sailing and check-in instructions. Reconfirm the terminal before ordering a car because schedules and assignments can change.

Luggage and accessibility

Do not judge the transfer by mileage alone. Elevators, valet retrieval, luggage storage, curb congestion, vehicle size, wheelchair space, and terminal security can take longer than the drive.

Ask the hotel for a step-free route from the room to pickup, and ask the transportation provider whether it can carry your mobility device and luggage. Our accessible cruise-port planning guide covers questions that deserve answers before travel day.

Request an accessible room by its actual features, such as roll-in shower, tub, bed clearance, visual alarms, or connecting layout. The word “accessible” alone is not a room description.

How to compare hotel prices honestly

• Search the exact pre-cruise date because weekend events and sailing demand can move rates sharply.
• Add lodging taxes, parking, destination or amenity fees, breakfast, pet charges, and terminal transportation.
• Check whether the quoted room sleeps every traveler in the beds shown, not merely the maximum occupancy.
• Compare refundable and nonrefundable terms while flights and cruise details can still change.
• Confirm check-in time, late-arrival policy, luggage storage, and checkout against the cruise schedule.
• Book parking or a park-and-cruise package only when the written rate includes the full cruise length.
• Recheck the hotel’s official page and your reservation shortly before travel.

Avoid relying on a “typical 2026 rate” because there is no useful typical night. The price that matters is the complete cancellable or nonrefundable offer for your date, room, party, and vehicle.

Quick answers

What is the closest hotel to Long Beach Cruise Terminal?

The Queen Mary is alongside the terminal complex. Confirm the current pedestrian route and luggage plan before deciding to walk.

Can I walk from downtown to the Carnival terminal?

The road route is much less direct than the view across the harbor suggests. A taxi or rideshare is the practical choice for most travelers with luggage.

Do Long Beach hotels offer free cruise shuttles?

Do not assume so. Some properties advertise airport or downtown transportation, but you need written confirmation that your service goes to the Carnival terminal on your date.

Should I stay in Long Beach or San Pedro?

Stay in Long Beach for the Long Beach Cruise Terminal and generally in San Pedro for the Los Angeles World Cruise Center. Follow the terminal named in your cruise documents.

Which hotel is best for a family?

Residence Inn and Homewood Suites are practical starting points because they advertise kitchens and breakfast, but room layout and transfer distance differ. Compare the exact bed setup, occupancy, parking, and terminal ride.

Which hotel is best for a pre-cruise evening?

A downtown property near The Pike or waterfront gives you the broadest restaurant and attraction choice. Pick by complete price and the amenities you will actually use.

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The bottom line

The Queen Mary, The Maya, and Residence Inn win on terminal-side geography, while downtown hotels win on the night before. Homewood Suites solves the airport-arrival problem but asks you to trade for a longer morning ride.

Book the use case, not a ranking number. Then confirm the harbor, total hotel cost, transfer, and Carnival arrival instructions so cruise morning stays deliciously uneventful.