Back to Back Cruise Logistics

[beverland]

Please tell me your experience. We decided to do a back to back after we had already booked the first cruise.

 

We may or may not have the same cabin. We are working on that. Any hints? :confused:

 

I'd like to know how the morning will go if we are not in the same cabin and also if we are.

 

Any info is greatly appreciated!

[BMT]

We frequently do B2B's. Depends on the ship - but usually requested to meet at about 10.00am, disembark escorted by an officer - quick immigration - and back on.

 

Sometimes the ship will organise a nice special lunch in a side Dining Room.

 

Haven't changed cabins, but again reports differ as to the different ships.

[TBSCruiser]

If you keep your same cabin then you just leave everything there and check out and recheck in as described above.

 

If you have to move, have your current room steward contact the next cruises room steward and arrange for the moving of your stuff.

 

We did have to switch and they brought a dolly that we could just hang all our hang up clothes and then we packed everything else. Our steward had talked to his counterpart for the next cruise and had her clean that room first so our stuff could be moved. Very simple though now I try to always book the same room.

[mjldvlks]

We did B2B on Monarch last year [same cabin]. Our steward, Michael, actually came to me the day [or so] before and said he knew we were staying and told us just to leave everything where it was -- no problem. I was impressed he came to us to let us know how it would work. He said that if we had been switching cabins, we would just have to put all of our loose stuff in our luggage and they would move it. The hanging stuff they would just put on a moblie rack -- we would not have had to pack that. Even though we were in a port hole cabin on 2 [the aquarium], I have to say Michael was about the best room steward we have ever had.

 

We were escorted through the disembark/embark procedures and given good guidance by the ship's staff. We were given a time to meet at guest relations [there were only about a dozen of us] and then escorted off the ship and through the reimbark station. Don't recall the time, but I recall it was not real early -- plenty of time for breakfast without getting up early.

 

We were unfortunate in that our B2B switch date happened to fall on the day the crew had to go through customs. I understand that happens once a month or so. For that reason, we had to wait in a shore side lounge for a little while. Otherwise, we probably would have wlaked right back on board. Because we were B2B, we were placed in the Platinum/Diamond lounge which had some refreshments even though we were only C&A Gold at the time. We were the first passengers allowed on for the new cruise. We were back on board by 11ish I think.

 

Great experience. I highly recommend it. The ship's crew [on Monarch at least] takes good care of B2B'ers.

 

By the way, watching the non-B2B'ers getting off [and knowing I was getting back on] was very satisfying.

[rae8836]

We did our b2b between a northbound and a southbound Alaska trip. It's even easier there since you don't have to deal with the customs folks - we never had to leave the ship.

 

I'd suggest the key thing is to be sure to check at least a couple of days before with your stateroom attendant. The actual room issues are their responsibility. In our case we were changing rooms. Our stateroom attendant reset our 'new' room first thing, then let us know the room was ready. We put all our loose stuff in bags. Stateroom attendant moved bags and all stuff on hangars. Process was painless and done in less than 30 mins once the stateroom attendant let us know that the 'new' room was available.

 

Staying on when everyone else leaves is a _great_ feeling. It was funny - at the start of the second week we kept asking each other who these new people were on 'our' ship...........:)

 

RAE

[pmshirl]

We just recently did a B2B on the AOS ( June 2009).

 

Each port can be different whether you have to get off the ship and get back on.

 

In June we didn't even have to meet in a lounge ( usually you would get a letter the last nite of the 1st leg, telling you where and when to meet the next day), we got our New SeaPass card on the last nite of the 1st leg, along with another card that had on it..IN TRANSIT.

 

The In Transit card was If you wanted to leave the ship the next day, you would just show that card to get off and back on. We did this same B2B on the AOS in June 2007, and got the letter to meet in the Lounge the next morning!

 

We always had the same cabin, just left our things in there, and went about our merry way! Our Cabin Steward would allow us to go back n forth to our cabin at any time. There are times, they want you out of the cabin and won't let you back in until the cabins are all ready for the next group.

 

I have read, if you Do Not have the same cabin, that the stewards will help MOVE your items to your new cabin, but you have to do the packing! How extensive you have to pack is beyond me!:) Probably can take your clothes that are on hangers and just move them that way to the next cabin. I don't think you can do that with things in your drawers!:D

 

Most of the B2B's I have done you have met in a lounge on turn around day. I think RC has changed that to giving you your ew SeaPass card on the last nite of the 1st leg, Now! You will have a brand new balance on your New Seapass card, since they clear your prior balance from the week before! They use your same credit info from week1.

 

I will see if this is how it is done again in Jan. 2010 when I do my next B2B.

It is a different Ship, but the same turnaround Port. San Juan!

 

Have a Great B2B Cruise .:) I would like to do a couple B2B2B2B2B. Maybe some day soon!

[bmazzo]

We did a B2B on Majesty in Sept and had the same cabin. This is a great trip to do the Majesty since the Ship clears customs in Key West the day before you arrive back to Miami. Our new Seapass cards were delivered the last night of the first cruise and we (and about 8 others) stayed on board. We had full access to out room until they began boarding the next cruise when the access was blocked till 1pm. Our set sail account was closed out and re opened for each leg, but it was very simple and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

[John&LaLa]

just back from B2B on FOS out of port Canaveral. we met in the disco the day before debarkation to get our next weeks card. we were instucted to meet in the champagne bar the day of debarkation at 9:15. the group was quite large, easily more than 50 people. they checked us off a list and just after 9:30 tehy escorted us off the ship to customs. got through customs in about 10 minutes, but they would not let us back on because the ship could not clear because there were a couple of unnaccounted for passengers. about 20 minutes later they finally let us back on, but the card readers were not working very well and it took another 20 minutes to get through the gangway. all together it took just over an hour to get back on the ship. we did have a special lunch, but it was pretty much the regular dining room lunch. try and get the same room, that is the best way to do it. oh, and by the way. if you purchase liquor in the general store on teh last night of the first leg you can take it back to your cabin for the next week. if you buy it on the islands they will not deliver it to you until the final night of 2nd week.;)

[publicpersona]

We did B2B on Enchantment, with a change of rooms. We were very pleased with the process. We packed all but our hanging clothes. Room attendants took care of it all. We had to get off the ship and sit in a room for about 20 minutes, then get back on. It wasn't zero hassle, but as smooth as it could be.

[amybeth4]

Beverland, as you can see, everyone thinks they have the right answer because of their experience...but there IS no right answer. It's done differently depending on your itinerary.

 

On my Majesty B2B I too did the 4-night part first so we cleared customs in Key West. At some point (don't remember) I had been told to go to the Library on the last morning at 10am. By then everyone was completely off the ship so I was constantly being told, "You need to leave," and I'd just say, "I'm doing a B2B" and they'd say, "OK have fun."

 

I got to the library at about 9:45. I was the only one doing a B2B. About five minutes later a woman in a security uniform walked up to me, asked if I was Amy and handed me my new seapass card and told me, "Have fun." I didn't have to leave and it was pretty cool being the ONLY passenger onboard until about 11:10.

 

I changed rooms and asked my steward about moving my stuff the night before. He had NO idea I was staying and told me it was my responsibility to tell Guest Relations. I didn't think that was right but I agreed (I'm not gonna argue).

 

I packed my bags and left the hanging clothes on their hangers in the closet. The steward wanted this done by 8am. After getting my new seapass card, I went to my new room. The door was open and my new steward welcomed me and my bag was already waiting for me. Doors all along the hallway were open so I was able to see other rooms, and how HORRIBLY obstructed my view was, whereas most others weren't nearly as bad because I had the big metal doohickey blocking half my view.

 

But I digress... :)

[publicpersona]

He had NO idea I was staying and told me it was my responsibility to tell Guest Relations. I didn't think that was right but I agreed (I'm not gonna argue).

There is someone on here that always chimes in that it is very important to have your two reservations "linked" by calling the consecutive cruise desk at RCL prior to your B2B .. because this way you have all your charges on one account. Well .. I could care less about whether I get one bill or two for onboard charges during the back to back, but point is well taken that this probably how the know to communicate with you about that ship/port procedure for B2B.

[cruisenfever]

There is someone on here that always chimes in that it is very important to have your two reservations "linked" by calling the consecutive cruise desk at RCL prior to your B2B .. because this way you have all your charges on one account. Well .. I could care less about whether I get one bill or two for onboard charges during the back to back, but point is well taken that this probably how the know to communicate with you about that ship/port procedure for B2B.

When doing consecutive cruises, each cruise is handled independently and therefore when the first cruise is completed your SeaPass Account is closed and a new account is started for the next cruise. Nothing is carried over from one cruise to the next and that includes OBC's.

 

There are many reasons why RCI has set up a b2b desk for those that are doing consecutive cruises.......one of which is the communication between ship and pax regarding turn around day. I don't think you would want to disembark the ship early with all the other pax on turnaround day and then have to wait in the terminal to reboard the ship.:eek:

 

Another reason is that their passenger manifest has to be turned in 60 minutes prior to sailing. By knowing which pax are staying on board and in transit.........makes their job a whole lot easier and eliminates any delay in leaving the port on time.

[izzypooch]

We will doing our first B2B in November. We drive to the port (Miami). For those of you who have done that is there anything differently that should be done when parking? I assume just tell them you need to pay for both cruises?

 

Thx.

 

:)

[amybeth4]

There is someone on here that always chimes in that it is very important to have your two reservations "linked" by calling the consecutive cruise desk at RCL prior to your B2B .. because this way you have all your charges on one account. Well .. I could care less about whether I get one bill or two for onboard charges during the back to back, but point is well taken that this probably how the know to communicate with you about that ship/port procedure for B2B.

 

I DID have them linked. I wanted to make sure RCI knew I was doing the B2B so that I wouldn't have to get off the ship in between. But no one told the steward. He said that was my responsibility.

 

I've also never heard of B2B cruises giving you only one bill at the end of the 2nd. As far as I know, no matter what, you have to close your first account and start a new one (which is done automatically anyway).