Epic Back to back to back cruise

[DKJ]

Just wondering how ncl handles the deposit on a 11 day, 3 day, 3 day back to back cruises ? Full deposit on all three?

[Demonyte]

Just wondering how ncl handles the deposit on a 11 day, 3 day, 3 day back to back cruises ? Full deposit on all three?

 

If booked as three separate cruises, then yes.

 

NCL also sells some alternating itineraries as ready-made B2Bs (f.ex. Jade's 14 day cruises in the Mediterranean this summer) and by booking one like that, you only book one cruise (one deposit) despite the ship actually doing two shorter cruises.

[Homecruiser]

We are doing two 7 Day Epic Dec 7 to 21. We used one cruise reward certificate worth $250 ( but actually paid $150 because they gave us an immediate $1 00 obc) to hold the cabin for both weeks back to back!

[DKJ]

The NCL 2013-2015 Freestyle Book I received via HSN show a 17 day transatlantic western med. Miami to Rome but the NCL website didn't have it listed that way. It was listed as an 11 day transatlantic from Miami to Barcelona, and separately a 3 day Barc r/t and then another 3 day Barc to Rome. So that is how I had to book it, 3 separate cruises 3 separate deposits, ouch! :confused:

I ended up doing a balc on the 11 day and then switching to inside for the remainder to keep the cost down a bit. But with the NCL OBC and HSN OBC it's not to bad.

 

 

B2B2B

[Blondie008]

I dont know as we are UK if our system differs as our deposits are non refundable - but when I was booking our B2B on Epic - at frst - they wanted £800 deposit - £200 per person for each cruise - I said it was too much - the girl then told me she could combine the cruises - so that - our paperwork now reads one x 15 night cruise, and that way, we only needed to pay £400 deposit. Our NCL paperwork had just one reference, and it reads "15 nights" as opposed to an "7 + 8". They seemed to know what they were doing.

[Homecruiser]

That is basically what appended to me. I could not do it online had to call NCL and speak to an agent

[DKJ]

I dont know as we are UK if our system differs as our deposits are non refundable - but when I was booking our B2B on Epic - at frst - they wanted £800 deposit - £200 per person for each cruise - I said it was too much - the girl then told me she could combine the cruises - so that - our paperwork now reads one x 15 night cruise, and that way, we only needed to pay £400 deposit. Our NCL paperwork had just one reference, and it reads "15 nights" as opposed to an "7 + 8". They seemed to know what they were doing.

 

Wow, nonrefundable deposits. If the deposits were nonrefundable for us I wouldn't be cruising as much :eek: Since I just had to put out 1200.00 for deposits. I wanted to wait for reduced deposits but I wasn't sure how long til that sale again.

[BadKitteh]

Hubby and I did a B2B with 2, 7 day cruises on the Epic for our honeymoon. We paid for the cruises as 2 separate trips but the only thing we did differently was disembark and turn right around for priority re-boarding.

[DKJ]

Ok ...we are booked on 11 day transatlantic balcony and then the 3 day Barcelona r/t in an inside and then another 3 day from Barcelona to Rome in the same inside cabin. Do we have to disembark after each one and then get back on or just stay on and switch cabins after the TA and then stay on in between the two 3 days since we have the same cabin ? This is a weird itinerary but we wanted to get off in Rome to spend a few days. Hopefully someone out there has done 3 b2b on the same ship ??

[Demonyte]

Ok ...we are booked on 11 day transatlantic balcony and then the 3 day Barcelona r/t in an inside and then another 3 day from Barcelona to Rome in the same inside cabin. Do we have to disembark after each one and then get back on or just stay on and switch cabins after the TA and then stay on in between the two 3 days since we have the same cabin ? This is a weird itinerary but we wanted to get off in Rome to spend a few days. Hopefully someone out there has done 3 b2b on the same ship ??

 

When you are staying onboard after a cruise, they will direct you to contact guest services in the last few days of the cruise to make arrangements. I'm quite sure that you do not need to do extra checkins and also since Epic's Med trips are usually continuous loops with more than one embarkation port (also all ports are inside the Schengen area), there is a good chance that you don't need to even get off the ship for the customs clearance like in the States.

 

I haven't done B2Bs in different cabins so I can't say about that but I think that I've read somewhere that (in US) if you pack your bags in one cabin, leave the ship for the customs clearance after all normal passengers have left and then come back, staff would move your luggage from one room to another - but as I said, IIRC. Don't know how that's done in Europe. :)

 

Happy cruising, I'm quite envious for your B2B2B - even if it's on Epic! :D

[Blondie008]

Wow, nonrefundable deposits. If the deposits were nonrefundable for us I wouldn't be cruising as much :eek: Since I just had to put out 1200.00 for deposits. I wanted to wait for reduced deposits but I wasn't sure how long til that sale again.

 

Yup that applies for us in the UK with ALL travel be it cruise or land vacation. I have £400 paid on our January cruise - they did originally want £800 - but once they managed to get our B2B into one booking, only one lot of £200 each was needed. But yup, even five minutes after paying - thats it, no going back or if we do, we lose the deposits. We CAN transfer it to another booking (with the same cruise line) but this usually costs around £50 per person admin. Also, here, we cannot travel without travel insurance. Not an option - a "must have". Our travel insurance would however cover us for loss of deposits if we cancelled due to illness bereavment etc - but yes, UK non refundable - its a bummer huh :(

[NMLady]

Ok ...we are booked on 11 day transatlantic balcony and then the 3 day Barcelona r/t in an inside and then another 3 day from Barcelona to Rome in the same inside cabin. Do we have to disembark after each one and then get back on or just stay on and switch cabins after the TA and then stay on in between the two 3 days since we have the same cabin ? This is a weird itinerary but we wanted to get off in Rome to spend a few days. Hopefully someone out there has done 3 b2b on the same ship ??

 

In Europe you don't have to disembark. You can stay on the ship if you wish. Doesn't matter if you have the same cabin or not.

The night before each ending port you will get a paper telling you what to do.

[Homecruiser]

I am doing a b2b on the Epic from Mami...same itinerary twice. I could not book it on line as one booking. I had to call NCL. I used one cruise reward certificate for the entire 2 weeks. it apears now on my reservation as one 2 week cruise. I will not have to vacate my cabin or check in again. I could probably leave the ship in Mami if I want to...however I suspect that would be mayhem!

[Blondie008]

I am doing a b2b on the Epic from Mami...same itinerary twice. I could not book it on line as one booking. I had to call NCL. I used one cruise reward certificate for the entire 2 weeks. it apears now on my reservation as one 2 week cruise. I will not have to vacate my cabin or check in again. I could probably leave the ship in Mami if I want to...however I suspect that would be mayhem!

 

Oh thats news - I thought even if it was made into one booking we would still have to go through the usual back 2 back rigmarole - thats great if this is the case? Have you done this with ncl before? We are also on Epic and our cruise booking now reads x 15 nights (its a 7 + 8) You think we dont need to get off clear customs and back on again in Miami?

[Powriv]

Have done a B2B on Pearl, when we stopped in LA, the group of people doing B2Bs from Vancouver were held back till all other passengers left ship then crew escorted the B2B group off the ship through customs and then back on ship

[Goldygolfer]

Have done a B2B on Pearl, when we stopped in LA, the group of people doing B2Bs from Vancouver were held back till all other passengers left ship then crew escorted the B2B group off the ship through customs and then back on ship

 

We are doing 4 btobs on the Pearl next April/May. Our "turnaround" days will be in Miami, LA and Vancouver. Do I understand that we will have to wait until all other passengers have disembarked in each of these ports, go through customs and then immediately get back on the ship ?

 

If so, then this will be very disappointing as we will have little opportunity to explore any of these interesting ports.

[Homecruiser]

When I booked NCK advised that I did not have to leave the ship. However, If I do choose to leave I think I would have to do the customs process...because we have been to foreign ports.

 

Getting back onto the ship assuming you have your sail and sign should mean the process to get back on the ship would be quick because you do not have to set up your accounts.

[Goldygolfer]

Thanks Homecruiser. I am hoping that we will be able to go off the ship earlish in the morning (around 8.30) to sightsee just like in any other port.

Going through customs should not be a hassle as we would (hopefully) not have our luggage - only perhaps a hanbag and/or backpack. We are in the same cabin for all 4 cruises so I assume that our luggage can stay in the cabin.

 

However, I am assuming that we will have to re-board prior to the minimal 2 hrs for an embarcation port, instead of the "normal" 1 hr in other ports.

[djmess]

In Europe you don't have to disembark. You can stay on the ship if you wish. Doesn't matter if you have the same cabin or not.

The night before each ending port you will get a paper telling you what to do.

 

Now I'm a bit worried.

 

I'm doing a back to back Med cruise on the Epic. I'm boarding in Rome, 7 day round trip, then a 4 day from Rome to Barcelona. I was hoping that I would be able to book a romeinlimo tour on that turn around day. If I have to wait for everyone and clear customs, re check in, then I might not be able to do my tour. Also the tour will be one of those all day 8-9hour things.

 

Help and information please from anyone that has first hand knowledge of B2B in Europe.

[Homecruiser]

When I really think about it I did not even think to ask if I have to clear customs in Mami and re board the ship. I assumed when told I did not have to vacate my cabin it extended to the ship as well.

 

I am not planning to leave the ship or spend time in Miami so I really was not thinking about those logistics. I am travelling with my nephew who is disabled and having done this a few times, the worst part of cruising is navigating on and off the ship with someone in a wheelchair, especially if the arthritis in my knee is acting up. So we will opt to stay on the ship if that is possible. My sister and kids will be joining us on board for the second week! We are happy to wait for them to arrive!

[Goldygolfer]

Now I'm a bit worried.

 

I'm doing a back to back Med cruise on the Epic. I'm boarding in Rome, 7 day round trip, then a 4 day from Rome to Barcelona. I was hoping that I would be able to book a romeinlimo tour on that turn around day. If I have to wait for everyone and clear customs, re check in, then I might not be able to do my tour. Also the tour will be one of those all day 8-9hour things.

 

Help and information please from anyone that has first hand knowledge of B2B in Europe.

 

We did a btob in Europe a couple of years ago and the turnaround day was in Athens. We went off the ship early and did a 7-hour private tour without any problems. In fact we were the last people back on board before sailaway. However, that was on a different cruise line.

 

BTW I notice in your signature that you are sailing on NCL Pearl through the Panama Canal on 18th April next year. That is the second leg of the 4 btobs that we are doing. I have started a Roll Call for the 37-day cruise that we are doing (commencing April 11), but some are only doing the same 15 days that you are on. You are very welcome to join in.

[Demonyte]

Hey everyone, on the turnaround day one can enjoy the port just as it was a normal port of call during the cruise - even in US ports. The main point in US is that they must have you logged out from the ship (just as you are everytime you leave the ship in other ports) when it's cleared by customs - absolutely all passengers must be off the ship and through the customs for the ship to be cleared.

 

So in Miami, there is the necessity of at least leaving the ship and go to the terminal for a while (my mother told me that it was about 30 mins process total, with the customs line and all). On all my Miami-based B2Bs I've always spent the day in Miami, we just left at the morning with the disembarkating passengers (going through customs as usual and then directly to taxis) and got back in the afternoon waving our passports and cabin keys and telling them that we were "in transit" or "back-to-backs" and got directly back onboard.

 

And for the Epic's Med B2Bs, because this customs thing doesn't happen in most of the Europe (once you have entered the Schengen area, there are no border controls inside - free mobility of people and goods), you are free to do what ever you want, booking a tour for the day is a very good option - no worries. Only thing might be a little problem would be the possible change of cabin during the day but I'm pretty sure that if you have a tour booked and need to leave for the day, the staff will assist you if you can't be there yourself.

[Demonyte]

Yup that applies for us in the UK with ALL travel be it cruise or land vacation. I have £400 paid on our January cruise - they did originally want £800 - but once they managed to get our B2B into one booking, only one lot of £200 each was needed. But yup, even five minutes after paying - thats it, no going back or if we do, we lose the deposits. We CAN transfer it to another booking (with the same cruise line) but this usually costs around £50 per person admin. Also, here, we cannot travel without travel insurance. Not an option - a "must have". Our travel insurance would however cover us for loss of deposits if we cancelled due to illness bereavment etc - but yes, UK non refundable - its a bummer huh :(

 

I do have to ask, why not purchase your travels from other countries like from US to get around that non-refundability? Myself living in Finland have never bought any cruise from local TAs, always from either NCL's US offices directly (I've had PCCs from Florida and Arizona) or US online TAs.

[bluesea777]

Please bear in mind that b2b cruises in USA differ from the ones in Europe!

 

In USA you have to get off ship to clear the US Immigration (not Customs - they are two different concepts!) at the turnaround port - because you would have been to a foreign country during the cruise.

 

In Europe you are already within the Schengen area so you can do what you please, however, I would think that the first time you enter Europe (TA from Miami to Barcelona) you would need to go thru the Immigration.

 

Last Oct we did B2B from Rome-Barcelona-Miami. We were given In-Transit badges and had the choice to get off ship or stay on ship.

[bluesea777]

When I really think about it I did not even think to ask if I have to clear customs in Mami and re board the ship. I assumed when told I did not have to vacate my cabin it extended to the ship as well.

 

I am not planning to leave the ship or spend time in Miami so I really was not thinking about those logistics. I am travelling with my nephew who is disabled and having done this a few times, the worst part of cruising is navigating on and off the ship with someone in a wheelchair, especially if the arthritis in my knee is acting up. So we will opt to stay on the ship if that is possible. My sister and kids will be joining us on board for the second week! We are happy to wait for them to arrive!

 

I'm afraid you both will HAVE to leave the ship to go thru the US Immigration. You will receive B2B papers telling you what to do. You will meet in one place and be escorted off the ship together and then re-embark before the new pax embark.

 

If you ask for assistance beforehand, I'm sure they will help.