Back To Back Ft. Lauderdale

[Gaucho39]

Hi - I am thinking of booking a b2b out of Ft Lauderdale.

 

My questions for people who have done this before.

 

I'm somehow thinking that the return to Lauderdale between trips is a wasted day.

(for me anyway) I live in Lauderdale so have no desire to take any of the excursions or explore Lauderdale.

 

Going by past cruises, won't it be a hectic turnaround day?

 

Will the spas and pools be closed? If yes then it's a wasted day for me.

 

Appreciate any feedback

 

Thanks in advance

[jtl513]

Will the spas and pools be closed? If yes then it's a wasted day for me.

 

Appreciate any feedback

On our most recent embarkation day (which was a turnaround day for some people) the Spa was posted as "Look and Book Tours" (only) from 11:30a to 4:00p. There were a couple of things like "Peek Inside the Digital Workshop" and "Culinary Arts Center Open House" and "Bridge Players Meet" at 2:00p, but other than that all I see for you to possibly do is use the pools (starting at 9:00a) or go read a book someplace. If it was me I would probably use my laptop to work on culling/editing photos from my first cruise, writing a sort of a trip report for CC or emails to be posted later, when I can get on-line, etc.

 

Then there's more of the usual embarkation day things, like making restaurant reservations or signing up for classes.

[woody14h]

A good time to replenish your wine supply. Good wine stores nearby. Chill and enjoy the hubbub knowing that you are now seeing this ship from the inside. But yeah, not much to do except relax with a cold one.

[sail7seas]

In FLL, all 'in transit' guests must disembark, clear Immigration in the terminal and wait until the ship has zeroed down and everyone who is leaving that day has done so.

 

We always wait until at the end of disembarkation process so we don't have to stay ashore so long. Normally the wait is about 30 minutes before the authorities allow embarking guests to start going aboard.

 

Guests doing b -to-b bypass check in lines and can go aboard as soon as embarkation begins.

 

[hal lover]

I certainly would not call it a wasted day by any means. You will have to go through customs and re-board. It's no big thing! However, if you have a thermal/hydropool pass for the duration of your cruise, you will NOT be allowed to use it that day. Remember that when you pay for the pass. I had to go to the department head to get my money back for that day. You can enjoy the ship, still eat at the regular times, do not have to go to the muster drill and you get to go to another great sail away party! Have a great cruise!:)

[sail7seas]

We just did b-to-b on Eurodam in February and were not excused from Life Boat Drill the second segment. We have been excused sometimes when we stayed for the next cruise in other port than FLL.

 

[AlanAllyn]

We have done b2bs at Ft. Lauderdale twice on RCCL. Once we had to get off the ship (after everyone else), escorted by a ship's officer, pass through immigration and then return 15 minutes later. We had immediate access to o9ur cabin and the pools, etc. The other time (on the Independence), Immigration came on board. We met them in a dining room and then went about our business. (That time there were about 50 b2bs) It was a quite relaxing day.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done quite a few back-to-back cruises out of Ft Lauderdale.

We have always on HAL had to go through immigration.

You will get a letter the evening of the last night of the first cruise. Sometimes we have been given new ID cards -- sometimes not. You will also be told when and where to meet with a person from the front office to leave the ship to go through immigration. Usually we have been told to meet around 9:15 in a certain lounge. Most times we have sat there with the front office person until about 9:45 before we could leave the ship -- after all the regular passengers have left. The last couple of times we have had to go all the way down into the luggage terminal, go through immigration -- show our Intransit Passes -- and then taken back upstairs where we sit until the ship has completely gonw down to ZERO passengers on board. No one can get back on the ship until this happens. Sometimes we have gotten back on within 15 minutes -- other times we have had to wait for 1 1/2 hours.

When leaving the ship:

if you have been given new ID cards -- you will need to use your old ones to leave the ship and the new ones to get back on -- sometimes our photos have transfered over -- other times -- not

if your ID card has the extended dates -- no problems getting on or off the ship.

If for some reason you wish to leave the terminal -- then you will also have to complete a customs declaration.

On our last few cruises -- in our letters it indicated that we could not take any back-packs off the ship if we wished to leave the terminal.

[Gaucho39]

To all who answered, I really appreciate it.

 

Thank for all the great info.:)

[sail7seas]

You're welcome.

Do a b-to-b...... it's really fun. :)

 

[Himself]

B to B is really nice. I have done it a few times.

[peug]

We did BtoB in November on the Massdam. There we about 60 of us and the longest wait was because 2 didn't show up in the theater and no one could go thru immigration until everyone was together. They had to send security searching the ship for the two women and we were told a fine would be added to their on=board account. They kept us waiting (and everyone waitin to embark) for over an hour. Once we walked thru immigration we waited for the ship to be cleared and then we were walked back onboard before general boarding began. We used the time to do laundry. We didn't have to do the muster and sat and drank coffee in the Lido and enjoyed having it to ourselves.

 

We didn't consider the day wasted - just relaxing.

[PathfinderEss]

Hi - I am thinking of booking a b2b out of Ft Lauderdale.

 

My questions for people who have done this before.

 

I'm somehow thinking that the return to Lauderdale between trips is a wasted day.

(for me anyway) I live in Lauderdale so have no desire to take any of the excursions or explore Lauderdale.

 

Going by past cruises, won't it be a hectic turnaround day?

 

Will the spas and pools be closed? If yes then it's a wasted day for me.

 

Appreciate any feedback

 

Thanks in advance

We've done it several time. We find the return trip to Ft Lauderdale is a wasted day, but we like it. We usually sit by the pool and enjoy the solitude for a few hours.

[sail7seas]

We did BtoB in November on the Massdam. There we about 60 of us and the longest wait was because 2 didn't show up in the theater and no one could go thru immigration until everyone was together. They had to send security searching the ship for the two women and we were told a fine would be added to their on=board account. They kept us waiting (and everyone waitin to embark) for over an hour. Once we walked thru immigration we waited for the ship to be cleared and then we were walked back onboard before general boarding began. We used the time to do laundry. We didn't have to do the muster and sat and drank coffee in the Lido and enjoyed having it to ourselves.

 

We didn't consider the day wasted - just relaxing.

 

 

I think maybe you offered the answer.

We have never met and been escorted to Immigration in FLL. But there has never been a big crowd of b-to-b'ers on our turn around day. I often ask how many there are and the answer we've gotten is ten and less. We go to the terminal on our own and then wait until we can reboard.

 

Maybe the escort is only done when there are many doing b-to-b.

[AlexandNessa]

On our B2B in Ft Lauderdale, we enjoyed practically having the promenade to ourselves for a few laps and then the pool on turnaround day. You can spot a B2B-er in a heartbeat. We were settled at the pool with no luggage and in our swimsuits. Most everyone else at the pool had their carry-on luggage and were still wearing their embarkation clothes.

Now, we were traveling with my BIL & SIL who live in FLL. They got off the ship and took the quick drive back to their condo to trade out clothes and take care of some things, etc. They said they would not do that again because they lost some relaxation in that process. Hubby and I only left the ship for the minimum required time to zero out the ship and loved it.

[usha]

There were over 200 doing the b2b we did on Westerdam last Feb. We had to meet up in the theater, and were escorted off the ship, through immigration, and then escorted back on after the ship was cleared. Not too bad, but we did have to go to the lifeboat drill again.

They also had a special luncheon in the diningroom for b2b pax; very nice.

Was it a wasted day? Any day I get to keep cruising instead of going home is definitely NOT a wasted day!:D

[Krazy Kruizers]

I think maybe you offered the answer.

We have never met and been escorted to Immigration in FLL. But there has never been a big crowd of b-to-b'ers on our turn around day. I often ask how many there are and the answer we've gotten is ten and less. We go to the terminal on our own and then wait until we can reboard.

 

Maybe the escort is only done when there are many doing b-to-b.

 

On our Zuiderdam cruise there were only 4 of us doing the back-to-back cruise. All 4 of us met at the Ocean Bar and we were escorted off the ship and escorted back on.

Only once didn't we get off the ship -- Noordam 2009 -- there were 280 of us. Immigration decided to have us just meet them in the show lounge -- took less than 5 minutes.

[woody14h]

Our Apr 23 20 day cruise on the Noordam is a back to back being sold as a 20 day but is 2 - 10 days. They crowd remaining will be huge so I expect typical chaos. And delays. At least we don't have to drag luggage around.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Our Apr 23 20 day cruise on the Noordam is a back to back being sold as a 20 day but is 2 - 10 days. They crowd remaining will be huge so I expect typical chaos. And delays. At least we don't have to drag luggage around.

 

The crew on the Noordam is excellent at handling these Collector's cruises. They have been doing it for over a year now.

Ours was not chaos. We have done many other back-to-back cruises on various ships. Most went very well.

[sail7seas]

They have even set up Canada/New England b-to-b as Collector Cruise. We made our booking for 2011 and saved a bit more by booking it as Collector vs usual b-to-b.

 

[lilith1155]

I'm not sure if this qualifies as a b2b, but my partner and I are hoping to take the 7 day Inner Passage Alaska cruise next September, and remain on the ship in the same cabin as it continues on down through the Panama Canal. My question is two part, do you take out 2 separate insurance policies for each leg, and does the $60/day hold apply to the entire trip or to each leg?

 

Thanks for any info!

[pomgo]

Nothing to do with your question, however, as you live in FLL can you please advise us the best way to get to Miami INt Airport for flight to San Fran.Do we take shuttle or taxi belive th trip is about 30 miles yes.

 

Many thanks doing the Panama on Zuderim.But last time with RCL Radiance.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I'm not sure if this qualifies as a b2b, but my partner and I are hoping to take the 7 day Inner Passage Alaska cruise next September, and remain on the ship in the same cabin as it continues on down through the Panama Canal. My question is two part, do you take out 2 separate insurance policies for each leg, and does the $60/day hold apply to the entire trip or to each leg?

 

Thanks for any info!

 

We did the opposite a couple of years ago -- Ft Lauderdale to Seattle as one cruise and then stayed on for an Alaskan cruise.

Two cruises -- back-to-back.

We bought only one insurance policy for the entire 26 days.

The $60 per day hold applied to each leg as we had 2 separate bookings.

[GeriatricNurse]

We just did b-to-b on Eurodam in February and were not excused from Life Boat Drill the second segment. We have been excused sometimes when we stayed for the next cruise in other port than FLL.

 

 

And I just did a b-to-b on Westerdam in February and WAS excused from Life Boat Drill the second segment, (as were all the other 170+ b-to-b passengers)!:)

[sail7seas]

No consistency, it seems. :shrug: