This was our second cruise, both with Carnival, the first being a 3 day to Nassau, Bahamas from Miami. This cruise, however, was a 4 day that left from the port of Long Beach and visited Catalina Island, and Ensenada, Mexico.
We flew down one day early to avoid any problems with flight delays etc. and stayed at the Comfort Inn and Suites in Long Beach. A modern hotel with nice rooms and a helpful staff, but in a rougher area of Long Beach.
Embarkation - We completed the Fun Pass online and as a result had a very smooth embarkation. My wife was driving a mobility scooter so we were given preferential treatment and whisked through the line-up. We boarded the ship too early for our stateroom to be ready, so we headed up to the Lido deck for a bite to eat.