While doing a B2B how to bring wine onboard for the second leg of the cruise

[sunor]

We know that we can bring on-board 2 bottles of wine per cabin, but what happens when you are doing a B2B. Can you buy 2 bottles at the duty free on the first leg and will it be delivered at the end of the 1st leg so we would have it for the 2nd leg?

 

Have you done this before?

 

Thank you and happy cruising

Suz

[LustforLife]

Hi there,

 

I haven't had personal experience with this as the only time I did a back to back we only brought 2 bottles...however...

From other posts I've read on here, if you bring 4 bottles and they happen to hold two of them until the end of your cruise, they will deliver them to your stateroom on the last night of your first leg. Then you just keep the second two for the second leg of the trip.

 

Perhaps someone else can confirm that's had experience with this.

 

Good luck and happy cruising!

[cruisestitch]

my TA says that B2B cruises are more=or=less two separate cruises. You may (depending on the port involved) be asked to leave the ship, go through arrival and departure formalities, and come back aboard. (Your luggage, as I understand it, stays on board). As two separate cruises, you would get two separate shareholder credits, if applicable, and so forth. Seems to me, as you leave cruise #1 and go ashore, you could buy two bottles of wine for cruise #2 and bring them on board with you. Not quite what the OP asked, but think it applies.

[mick70]

If it was me I would find some one on board on the fist half of your back to back to visit duty free on board (on your behave)and you leave it in your cabin for the next half.;)

[biker1972]

Shouldn't be a problem. They hold 2 bottles until the end of the first cruise, you get them back for the 2nd. Bring 2 bottles on board at the beginning of the 2nd might also be possible since you might get off. What I understand is that if you buy liquor while on the first cruise, even the last night, they might check a list of B2B cabins, and not let you have your bottle(s) until the end of the 2nd cruise. Anyone have experience with this?

[sunor]

Thanks everyone for your answers to my question. I guess we shall see what happens.

 

If anyone else has experience this, please let me know how it went.

 

Suz

[Lsimon]

On our b2b cruise we headed to the wine store while we were in port on the turn around day and stocked up for the second leg.

 

I've heard different things about whether alcoholic beverages "stored for you" during the first leg are returned at the end of the first leg or not. Some b2b cruisers have reported it was and some have reported that they tracked the b2b guests and that it was not returned until the end of the final leg. We didn't try this on our cruise.

[sunor]

On our b2b cruise we headed to the wine store while we were in port on the turn around day and stocked up for the second leg.

 

I've heard different things about whether alcoholic beverages "stored for you" during the first leg are returned at the end of the first leg or not. Some b2b cruisers have reported it was and some have reported that they tracked the b2b guests and that it was not returned until the end of the final leg. We didn't try this on our cruise.

 

That would not be feasible for us to do, and we would not be buying liquor on board in the duty free but just wine. It is not a big deal, but was just wondering if it could be done with duty free. Seems like the most logical place to get wine for the second leg.

 

Thanks again for all your input.

 

Suz

[Denny01]

We completed a Solstice B2B in Nov/Dec, a Rome-Rome E Med followed by a Rome-FLL TA. We brought two bottles of wine on in Rome. Bought some wine in Snatorini and it was stored for us along with some Ouzo we bought in Rhodes. In Rome, we had both the wine and the liquor waiting for us at the end of the 1st cruise and could use it on the 2nd leg, including the Ouzo. We didn't - since it was special, we kept it for home.

 

So for direct experience, you get your purchaes back at the end of the 1st cruise.

 

As to luggage and so on. If you have the same SR, the end of the 1st cruise is just like another port, at least in European cruises. You don't leave the ship, they give you a new ship card/ID for the next cruise and you close out your OB account for the 1st cruise. If you are doing a US port B2B, you usually have to step off the ship, go through security/customs and come back on. They give you a new card on the ship before you step off and you just go through the formalities without going through Celebrity check-in. Many times, they have you meet in the morning in a lounge and escort you off and back on as required.

 

If you change SR's, you'll need to pack up your items in drawers and the BR and your steward will move your luggage and your hanging items (don't pack those up) to the new SR.

 

Enjoy! We love B2B's and will do one again. Almost like an extended cruise with the turnaround like another port of call. You can go do tours and all kinds of things.

 

Denny

[LustforLife]

IMHO, they should not "keep" the extra wine if you are on a back to back until the last night of the second sailing. It's 2 bottles per stateroom, per cruise. You are paying for two cruises, so you should be allowed the 4 bottles. It seems petty and cheap that they would not allow the second two bottles for the second leg. I follow the rules, so should they (and they get a good bar tab out of me regardless of the wine I bring).

[sunor]

We completed a Solstice B2B in Nov/Dec, a Rome-Rome E Med followed by a Rome-FLL TA. We brought two bottles of wine on in Rome. Bought some wine in Snatorini and it was stored for us along with some Ouzo we bought in Rhodes. In Rome, we had both the wine and the liquor waiting for us at the end of the 1st cruise and could use it on the 2nd leg, including the Ouzo. We didn't - since it was special, we kept it for home.

 

So for direct experience, you get your purchaes back at the end of the 1st cruise.

 

As to luggage and so on. If you have the same SR, the end of the 1st cruise is just like another port, at least in European cruises. You don't leave the ship, they give you a new ship card/ID for the next cruise and you close out your OB account for the 1st cruise. If you are doing a US port B2B, you usually have to step off the ship, go through security/customs and come back on. They give you a new card on the ship before you step off and you just go through the formalities without going through Celebrity check-in. Many times, they have you meet in the morning in a lounge and escort you off and back on as required.

 

If you change SR's, you'll need to pack up your items in drawers and the BR and your steward will move your luggage and your hanging items (don't pack those up) to the new SR.

 

Enjoy! We love B2B's and will do one again. Almost like an extended cruise with the turnaround like another port of call. You can go do tours and all kinds of things.

 

Denny

 

Denny, thank you for your information. It is what I think should happen. So we will plan on buying 2 bottles while in port during our first leg and hopefully we will get them in our cabin an the end of the first leg so we can enjoy it on our second leg. As you can see in my signature, we are doing a few b2bs in Jan/Feb on X. One we are changing ships so that should be no problem to bring from one ship to the other.

 

As for the procedure of the b2b, we have done a few now in the US and so far have had to get off go through immigration, get our new cards and board the ship again. Then we pretend that the ship is ours for an hour or so before the new passengers board. We will be keeping the same cabin.

 

IMHO, they should not "keep" the extra wine if you are on a back to back until the last night of the second sailing. It's 2 bottles per stateroom, per cruise. You are paying for two cruises, so you should be allowed the 4 bottles. It seems petty and cheap that they would not allow the second two bottles for the second leg. I follow the rules, so should they (and they get a good bar tab out of me regardless of the wine I bring).

 

Lustforlife I agree, it is 2 cruises so we should be entitles to 4 bottles all together.

 

We will see what happends.

 

Thanks again for both your inputs.

 

Suz

[sunor]

Does anyone else done this before? How did you get the wine for the 2nd leg?

 

Thanks

Suz

[Wine-O]

Does anyone else done this before? How did you get the wine for the 2nd leg?

 

Thanks

Suz

 

I recall seeing a duty free shop at the port of Civitavecchia right near (walking distance) the luggage dropoff area. We passed it on the way in. I would hop off the ship and check it out.

[donh1]

Our experience has been that if your wine is packed different suitcases and in your carry-on you have no problem getting lots on. On the busy embarkation day the staff simply does not have time to associate one bag to another and draw the conclusion that you have 4 bottles rather than two. To link your checked bags that have been handed off to the outside luggage handlers with your carry-on would be nearly impossible. My advice is to not have more than two bottles in any one piece of luggage and pack then in a manner that reduces the chances of them getting broken and then bring a couple on with your carry-on.

We have had very good luck with back to back cruises. Our shore and duty free purchases have been delivered to our cabin after the first leg.

Have a great cruise.

[sunor]

I recall seeing a duty free shop at the port of Civitavecchia right near (walking distance) the luggage dropoff area. We passed it on the way in. I would hop off the ship and check it out.

 

Our turn around is Miami. Thanks for your answer it might help someone else.

 

Our experience has been that if your wine is packed different suitcases and in your carry-on you have no problem getting lots on. On the busy embarkation day the staff simply does not have time to associate one bag to another and draw the conclusion that you have 4 bottles rather than two. To link your checked bags that have been handed off to the outside luggage handlers with your carry-on would be nearly impossible. My advice is to not have more than two bottles in any one piece of luggage and pack then in a manner that reduces the chances of them getting broken and then bring a couple on with your carry-on.

We have had very good luck with back to back cruises. Our shore and duty free purchases have been delivered to our cabin after the first leg.

Have a great cruise.

 

Thanks, something to keep in mind. I would be worried about the bottles breaking and ruining our clothes.

 

Suz

[ghstudio]

Actually, pack two bottles in each carry on bag and two bottles in each large bag which goes separately from you. There is a high likelihood that you will have eight bottles of wine for the first trip (or if someone cares, they will store four of the bottles for you...and return them to you at the end of the first cruise, but they are already on the ship. Then Between cruises, buy four more bottles (two in each carry on) and board the ship separately.

 

Alternatively, take eight bottles on board in your carry on and let them confiscate four until the end of the first cruise when they will return them to your room. Pack those four bottles in your bags (or put them somewhere) while you get off the ship and buy four more. They have no idea if you are B2B when you go thru the machines.

 

Lots of ways to do this, if you really want.