I was originally booked to go all the way to San Francisco (34 days) on this cruise, but I got off in Los Angeles. Four men from New Orleans who had worked on the ship's life boats and tenders for three weeks helped me off the ship. Then a wonderful man who was a temp worker at the port got a wheelchair and we loaded my bags into it. He whisked me through customs. There is no global entry machine at the port, but I gave my card to the customs agent anyway. I felt really, really sorry for all the foreigners who had to go through US customs at LA. The lines were huge and there was no help.
The sewage problem was severe on the ship. I was in an inside cabin by myself. The smell was awful!!! The cabin had old ratty carpet and uncomfortable mattresses on the bed. At one point I saw sewage water come up out of the shower drain. The ship is scheduled for remodeling, but not until 2018!
My cabin stewardess was absolutely wonderful. We got to know each other during the 32 days I was on the ship. I speak Spanish fluently so I was not dependent upon the ship's tours.
Needs upgrade. Mattresses were old. Sofa was old. Carpet torn. Horrible smell coming from the plumbing. Sewage came up out of the shower at one point.
We arrived on Easter Sunday. I took a taxi to a mall. It was the only thing open.
A couple of my fellow passengers and I grabbed a taxi and went in search of alpaca yarn. We finally found a warehouse for a fair trade company. And the taxi driver found a local fish restaurant that was economical and good. I invited him to lunch with us.
I didn't take a tour here either. I had wanted to return to Lake Atitlan, but there was no way to get there. The ship's tours were set up for cruise passengers to go shopping. So I went to the shops at the port, bought some lovely things, then sat in a cafe drinking soda and talking with the guys who ran the place.