Los Angeles Sees First Cruise Ship Return Since Pandemic Began

Princess Cruises returned to Los Angeles yesterday, marking the first cruise vacation departure from San Pedro since the cruise industry’s pause in operations early last year. Jan Swartz, president of Princess Cruises, visited Grand Princess to take part in a ribbon-cutting ceremony officially welcoming the first guests on board. Earlier in the week she visited the ship to thank the officers and crew for being the stars of the show harkening back to the cruise lines’ history as the ocean-going co-start of the hit TV series “The Love Boat” and its recognition in 2018 by the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Princess Cruises, Los Angeles’ hometown cruise line, has been sailing out of the Port of Los Angeles since 1965 and does so more frequently than any other cruise line. Over the past decade, Princess had more than 700 ship visits in Los Angeles—the most of any line in the last decade.

“It is a pride point for us that Grand Princess is returning to service in our hometown port. Our crew members are eager to welcome guests back on board as we continue resuming operations in the United States,” said Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president. “We are grateful to the Port of Los Angeles for their support during the pause and are excited to be working together once again.”

“Princess Cruises is a valued longtime partner, and we are excited to welcome Grand Princess back to Los Angeles for the first passenger cruise since March 2020,” said Port Executive Director Gene Seroka. “We are a full-service port – with cargo, marina, cruise and visitor-serving businesses — and every cruise ship call generates more than $1 million dollars in local economic activity. That’s especially important to the City and Port of Los Angeles right now.”

Grand Princess departs on a 5-Day Cabo San Lucas Getaway, the first of five sailings with this itinerary and the first of 11 sailings from the port of Los Angeles in 2021. Grand Princess offers a MedallionClass vacation, offering the ultimate in effortless, personalized cruising. It begins with OceanMedallion™, a quarter-sized, wearable device that enables everything from touch-free boarding to locating loved ones anywhere on the ship, as well as enhanced service like having whatever guests need, delivered directly to them wherever they are on the ship.