back to back procedures on Celebrity

[floridafolks]

We are booked on our first B2B and wanted to know Celebrity's procedures for the turnaround day. BTW we added the 2nd leg much later and will not be in the same cabin. Has anyone done a B2B that involved a cabin change? What happens to the luggage in that case on the turnaround day.

 

If alcohol is purchased in the duty free shop during the first cruise, is it delivered to the room the last night of the first cruise or at the end of the second cruise?

Do you get to bring on 2 bottles of wine per cabin at embarkation of both cruises?

[cruisestitch]

The procedure varies a bit by ports -- in the US you would need to leave the ship (usually) and go through immigration. As you will be in Southampton you might not have to leave the ship, although you might want to in order to take in some scenery or visit the area. You should stop by the new cabin a few days ahead of the changeover to let the new steward know, and he/she will generally coordinate with the previous steward to move your luggage and get the new room ready before all others so you can easily go from one to the other. You will close out the shipboard account of cruise one and start a new account for cruise two. In general they will deliver any on-board liquor purchase to stateroom one on the last night of that cruise, although there have been a few cases where this didn't happen.

[rothjer]

We had an experience with a b2b which was very positive for us, but negative for others on the same cruise, let me explain

 

Typically a little heads up to your cabin steward/butler is sufficient, some people would suggest also calling down to the desk and just let them note it as well. However, a couple nights before the end of the first leg you should get a note in your room, indicating a meeting location for all B2B cruisers, usually in michaels lounge, where they arrange for all passengers doing a B2B to go through immigration and then back onboard together. I have heard from these boards that this process is sometimes seamless, on our cruise this was not the case.

 

Of course, you also have the option to debark on your own, go through immigration, and enjoy the port of call at your leisure. You are provided with an "in transit" card , that you show immigration, and then again on the way back into the building. We chose this option, we watched from our balcony until we saw no lines at the port, and walked off the ship (left luggage in our cabin- the cabin steward will arrange to transfer your belongings into your new room. We did have valueables purchased, and were allowed to enter our new room so that we can put the items in the safe and not carry them ashore with us. We packed most of our belongings, but our butler immediatly asked us to stop, relax, and that he would tend to our needs in terms of transferring all belongings to our new room. Luckily he was our butler for the second lap of the cruise too.

 

Once we debarked, we did a quick run through immigration and were out in the taxi line in about 5 minutes. We did a quick run to San Juan, did some shopping, Starbucks, and a delish meal at our favorite place, and did some outlet shopping in old san juan. We made it back to the ship around 12 noon, just in the height of the embarkation. However, I have NEVER seen a line like I did this time. Apparantly they were missing a person, and had to delay the embarkation process. So what did this mean? All of those poor people doing a B2b who opted for walk on/off service were walked off the ship, but were unable to embark for 3 hours, they were forced to stand in the hot pier until the ship cleared completly. In combintation they waited 4 hours - 2 in the lounge and 3 out in the pier. So much for a relaxing process. When we arrived to the pier, we walked straight to the front of the line, much to the dismay of those in line, surrendered our transit passes, and were put right to the front of the security screening line. We were on board in 5 minutes.

 

Lesson of the story- for us at least- I know one of the perks of B2b cruising is the excitement of staying onboard while the ship turns over passengers, but sometimes for various reasons, things get delayed. Also, the ship goes into lockdown, so you cant access your stateroom, food choices and entertainment are limited, so really, going out for 4 hours was the best thing we could have done.

[ghstudio]

Yes, you should get any wine that was "stored" for you on the first cruise back on the last night of that cruise....you can also bring 2 bottles of wine on when you embark on the second cruise.

[floridafolks]

Yes, you should get any wine that was "stored" for you on the first cruise back on the last night of that cruise....you can also bring 2 bottles of wine on when you embark on the second cruise.

 

Since the first cruise leaves from Miami and we are driving there--can I just bring 4 bottles of wine on board and have them "store" 2 of them for the 2nd leg? This would save having to go to wine shop in Southampton to purchase the 2 bottles for the 2nd leg. Also did you mean that I could purchase 2 bottles of wine in duty free on the ship during the first leg and have it delivered to room the last night of the first leg and then those could be my 2 allowed bottles for the 2nd leg. I am trying to see if there is a way not to have to purchase in Southampton and cart back to the ship.

 

 

We do plan to get off the ship to see some sights that turnaround day, so I am glad to know that I can check with my steward to get the luggage transferred. (We did get balcony cabins on the same floor and same side of the ship, so it should not be much problem to transfer luggage.)

[iSailor]

We are booked on our first B2B and wanted to know Celebrity's procedures for the turnaround day. BTW we added the 2nd leg much later and will not be in the same cabin. Has anyone done a B2B that involved a cabin change? What happens to the luggage in that case on the turnaround day.

 

If alcohol is purchased in the duty free shop during the first cruise, is it delivered to the room the last night of the first cruise or at the end of the second cruise?

Do you get to bring on 2 bottles of wine per cabin at embarkation of both cruises?

 

On my last B2B,my room steward helped to move the luggages to the new cabin.

If you purchase the alcohol on the last day of the 1st leg B2B,Celebrity normally allows you to bring them with you to the room.

[Lsimon]

We are booked on our first B2B and wanted to know Celebrity's procedures for the turnaround day. BTW we added the 2nd leg much later and will not be in the same cabin. Has anyone done a B2B that involved a cabin change? What happens to the luggage in that case on the turnaround day.

 

If alcohol is purchased in the duty free shop during the first cruise, is it delivered to the room the last night of the first cruise or at the end of the second cruise?

Do you get to bring on 2 bottles of wine per cabin at embarkation of both cruises?

 

As others have said the procedure varies by port and also because at some ports (like in the USA) you have to go through customs and immigration between cruises and at some ports outside of the USA this isn't necessary. If it isn't necessary you might not need to get off the ship at all.

 

If you have to change rooms you'll arrange with the staff on board to move your belongings to the new cabin on the morning of the turnover. Talk to the stateroom attendant for your new stateroom about this and he'll usually coordinate with the stateroom attendant for your prior room and also will complete your new room early for you. The level of assistance in moving items has varied in reports posted on these boards from little or none to completely moving everything for you. Generally, you will probably have to pack all items, other than items hanging in the closet, and the room stewards will move the bags and hanging items for you.

 

I don't have experience on whether held liquor and wine are returned at the end of cruise one, but I've read reports of it happening both ways so don't take anything for granted.

 

On 2 bottles of wine per cruise: You can get off and buy two more bottles on turnaround day but you can't bring a double allotment on at the beginning.

 

...Typically a little heads up to your cabin steward/butler is sufficient, some people would suggest also calling down to the desk and just let them note it as well....

 

I think you're really supposed to notify the front desk so to make sure you're on the b2b list. This is because they will send you the special instructions and passes for turnaround day and they'll automatically take care of the registration for the second cruise.

 

You also need to notify your cabin steward so they will know you're not checking out, if staying in your cabin, and so they can help you move if you need to change cabins. If you're moving, I'd also talk to the cabin steward of the new cabin before the end of the first cruise and ask him what you need to do to move your items. If you're in a suite, talk to your butlers about this as well.

[Adammara]

This is from my review of our B2B on Eclipse last May:

 

The back to back changeover was really simple. We were told to report

to the Passport bar at 10am with our new seapass card (which were delivered to the cabin).At 10am we signed out with our old card, then signed in with our new one. we were asked to wait half an hour, then register our credit cards at guest services. We were given a transit card, which entitled us to a 'free' lunch in Bistro on 5. There were only 20 passengers doing the back to back, so the ship was very quiet until the next lot of pax boarded around 11.30!

 

We spent most of the time in Cafe Bacio, enjoying some latte's and chatting to the staff. We did not have to change cabins, even though we had booked the 2 cruises at different times.

 

 

Richard

[cruisestitch]

Floridafolks -- you asked about buying wine on-board from the duty-free shop -- you won't find much wine there, if any at all. That's really a liquor store for buying hard liquor and liqueurs.

 

In your case, since you are driving and it's easy to bring four bottles aboard at embarkation, I would say put them in your luggage and maybe they won't be noticed, but if they are, and two of them are put away for you until the last night of cruise #1, that would work out for you to enjoy them on cruise #2.

[Adammara]

Floridafolks

 

If you decide to go ashore, you can go to the town centre on the crew bus or walk as Eclipse berth is quite close. There is a large shopping complex in Southampton called 'West Quay' which has a Marks and Spencers store, which has a food and wine department.

 

Richard

[fleckle]

We have done lots of B2Bs and never needed to notify anyone except our stateroom attendant (and the next stateroom attendant if changing cabins).

 

A few days into the first cruise they give all passengers a disembarkation form to fill out and return. There is a place on the form to check that you will be continuing on the next cruise.

 

All we do is fill out and return that form. Then the night before disembarkation we receive the turnaround/disembarkation instructions and transit passes for the next day. Sometimes we receive our new seapass cards then too, sometimes not.

 

The instructions describe your options for doing the turnaround at that particular port that day.

Sometimes they wanted all the B2B passengers to meet together in a group. Other times we had the choice of either going with an escorted group or on our own, or had the option of not getting off the ship at all.

[floridafolks]

Floridafolks -- you asked about buying wine on-board from the duty-free shop -- you won't find much wine there, if any at all. That's really a liquor store for buying hard liquor and liqueurs.

 

In your case, since you are driving and it's easy to bring four bottles aboard at embarkation, I would say put them in your luggage and maybe they won't be noticed, but if they are, and two of them are put away for you until the last night of cruise #1, that would work out for you to enjoy them on cruise #2.

 

Cruisestitch, I thought that might be the easiest way to get 2 bottles for each cruise since we are driving to the first embarkation port.

 

I have mapped out the route to M & S at West Quay and also the ASDA near to West Quay. But I thought it would be nice not to have to tote the wine back to the ship.

 

It was mentioned that the Duty Free shop onboard mostly only has hard liquor and liquers. What happens if you do buy them during leg 1 and get them delivered the last night of leg 1? Do you get to keep them and enjoy them in your stateroom during leg 2? If so, sounds like a benefit for a B2B.

 

Also what size bottles are permitted in the 2 bottle wine limit? (You can tell that Celebrity is not the line we have the most experience with. Our customary line lets us bring all the wine we want at both embarkation and at the ports. So I am trying to avoid the "naughty" room by learning exactly what the rules are.) Thanks to the frequent Celebrity cruisers for your help.

[cruisestitch]

While the website appears to be silent on the size of bottles (at least the US website), there have been anecdotal reports that large bottles are counted as two, as are large boxes of wine. Better stick with standard size wine bottles.

 

In general, on B2B cruises, you receive your duty-free onboard liquor purchases on the last night of cruise #1

[WpgCruise]

Did you have the same table and wait staff on both segments of the B2B?