Checking for two cruises or one?

[Alphen]

I hope one of you experienced cruisers have come across this situation before.

 

Currently there is also a thread about a real B2B through FLL, but this is not entirely the case for our cruise, although I did get some valuable information on that thread like what happens when you have to move from one cabin to another.

 

We will be departing for our cruise shortly, we are on two consecutive cruises, not an official B2B. Because of this, we have been issued two sets of “express documents”, for both individual cruises. We are in two different cabins for both cruises, so we have to switch cabins half way.

 

The questions that we have are;

1. At initial check in, do we have to present both sets of express documents?

 

2. Will we be able to check in for both cruises at the same time (we have booked two individual cruises, which were later also available as one, but not at the time we booked)?

 

3. Since we are switching cabins in between, I know we will also get new sea passes, half way. Will we be receiving those on board when arriving at our intermediate stop, or will we have to go through some sort of embarkation process on shore? We will be taking (HAL) excursion upon arrival at our intermediate destination. I have already read on CC that everybody has to leave the ship to facilitate a “zero situation”, to start off with an empty ship. I am just curious at what moment and at what location, we will be getting our sea passes for the second part of our cruise, to make sure we can get back on board on conclusion of our excursion.

[I_r_a]

HI Alp,

 

Have you considered calling HAL?

 

Enjoy your cruises.

 

Ira

[Alphen]

HI Alp,

 

Have you considered calling HAL?

 

Enjoy your cruises.

 

Ira

 

Good point, no not yet, although the most likely answer from HAL will be that I have to contact my TA. This is the standard answer I get on all of my direct questions and my TA is not that helpfull on most occasions, I think fellow CC's are more experienced that my TA. :D

[Mary Ellen]

Given that you don't live in North America, calling HAL isn't a viable option.

 

When we've taken a cruise where we've needed a new cabin key for the following cruise, we've received a letter (from the Front Desk) detailing the procedures for turnaround day. We had our new key card before turnaround day.

 

We've given the docs for all cruises (in our case it was 3) when we checked in for the first.

 

Don't worry, they won't be expecting you to know the procedures. They will let you know. If you are still concerned just stop by the Front Desk and ask them what will happen.

[shrimpboat123]

I'm in a similar situation. I have two 7 day cruises that are consecutive.

 

I plan to check in for the first cruise as per normal. After a day or two, I will go to the Front Desk and ask what to do about getting checked in for the second cruise and obtaining a key (where and when). I will also let my room stewards know the situation. I'm sure they will help move us to the new cabin on the turn around day.

[Alphen]

Given that you don't live in North America, calling HAL isn't a viable option.

 

When we've taken a cruise where we've needed a new cabin key for the following cruise, we've received a letter (from the Front Desk) detailing the procedures for turnaround day. We had our new key card before turnaround day.

 

We've given the docs for all cruises (in our case it was 3) when we checked in for the first.

 

Don't worry, they won't be expecting you to know the procedures. They will let you know. If you are still concerned just stop by the Front Desk and ask them what will happen.

 

 

Thank you so very much, you have been very helpful.

 

This is the information I was looking for and probably also the (re)assurance. Maybe I am too much of a control freak, but I like to come prepared and if possible, know ahead.

Edited October 1, 2014 by Alphen

[Alphen]

I'm in a similar situation. I have two 7 day cruises that are consecutive.

 

I plan to check in for the first cruise as per normal. After a day or two, I will go to the Front Desk and ask what to do about getting checked in for the second cruise and obtaining a key (where and when). I will also let my room stewards know the situation. I'm sure they will help move us to the new cabin on the turn around day.

 

Regarding the moving, I find this thread; http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2100011 most helpfull!

Edited October 1, 2014 by Alphen

[shrimpboat123]

Regarding the moving, I find this thread; http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2100011 most helpfull!

 

Yes it was. That's where I got my initial info on what to do regarding the move.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Before HAL started Collector Cruises we did many back-to-back cruises.

We got 2 sets of documents.

You will present the first set of boarding passes when you check in at the pier.

On the last full day of the cruise you will get a letter telling you what place and time to meet to get off the ship. Being as you are not from the US, you will be instructed to report at a certain place on the ship to go through immigration but you will still be required to get off the ship like everyone else. No one can get back on the ship until the ship is down to "zero" count.

In your letter you should get new ID cards. On the Intransit morning you can take the second set of boarding passes to the front desk and drop them off there.

You will use your old ID cards to get off the ship and the new ID cards to get back onto the ship.

[Alphen]

Before HAL started Collector Cruises we did many back-to-back cruises.

 

We got 2 sets of documents.

 

You will present the first set of boarding passes when you check in at the pier.

 

On the last full day of the cruise you will get a letter telling you what place and time to meet to get off the ship. Being as you are not from the US, you will be instructed to report at a certain place on the ship to go through immigration but you will still be required to get off the ship like everyone else. No one can get back on the ship until the ship is down to "zero" count.

 

In your letter you should get new ID cards. On the Intransit morning you can take the second set of boarding passes to the front desk and drop them off there.

 

You will use your old ID cards to get off the ship and the new ID cards to get back onto the ship.

 

 

Thank you for all this most welcome information, since we are leaving the ship temporarily for an excursion, I hope the paperwork does not involve too much time, nor to much paperwork itself, having it carrying it around on shore excursion..

[sapper1]

We did a repo cruise on the Zuiderdam from Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver in April of this year. We then stayed onboard for a cruise to Alaska, all in the same room.

We only did one check-in and that was in Fort Lauderdale. We only showed our Fort Lauderdale boarding pass to get inside the terminal.

 

On this cruise the ship cleared Canadian customs in Victoria so when we arrived in Vancouver we just took our in transit cards that were provided and went shopping. I thought we would be issued new room cards but on inspection I noticed the dates on our cards that were issued in Fort Lauderdale covered both cruises.

 

When we arrived back at the terminal we just showed our in transit cards and then had to go through US customs as we were going to Alaska -----we had taken our passports ashore with us. There was no second check in procedure for the second cruise.

 

We only had one issue that took the usual multiple tries at the front desk to straighten out. My husband was paying for the Panama cruise and I was paying for the Alaska cruise so I did our online registration for each cruise and registered his credit card for Panama and mine for Alaska. The day before our arrival in Vancouver we got a letter from the front desk saying that for "our"convenience they would be just continuing our billing through the next cruise and putting it all on the same credit card.

 

I went to the front desk and lined up to tell them that it was two separate cruises and I wanted the charges applied to the cards that were registered for each cruise. They said that was no problem. I checked after a few days and the print out showed this had not been done.

 

Since we were dealing with OBC's for both cruises it was not going to be fun when we got home to try to sit down and separate everything. It took two more trips to the front desk for me to get them to cut off charges to the first card at the end of the first cruise, issue a final bill, apply the credits for the second cruise to my registered credit card and issue a bill accordingly at the end of the second cruise.

 

They finally got it right but what should have been a simple accounting procedure turned into an exercise in frustration.

[adrift@sea]

 

In your letter you should get new ID cards. On the Intransit morning you can take the second set of boarding passes to the front desk and drop them off there.

 

You will use your old ID cards to get off the ship and the new ID cards to get back onto the ship.

 

It really is not necessary to turn in your boarding passes to the Front Office for the second cruise. You only need to check in once---when you initially board. The Front Office will be aware that you are remaining on board.

 

It is important that when you get off the ship, you have your old ID cards to scan "OFF" the ship and your new cards to scan "ON" again. You MUST have the Intransit card with you before you leave the ship as you will need this to present to Officials with your passport, and it will allow you to bypass the check-in lines when reboarding. You should receive the new ID cards and Intransit card(s) the day before you dock.

Edited October 2, 2014 by adrift@sea

[take us away]

We did a repo cruise on the Zuiderdam from Fort Lauderdale to Vancouver in April of this year. We then stayed onboard for a cruise to Alaska, all in the same room.

 

I went to the front desk and lined up to tell them that it was two separate cruises and I wanted the charges applied to the cards that were registered for each cruise. They said that was no problem. I checked after a few days and the print out showed this had not been done.

 

They finally got it right but what should have been a simple accounting procedure turned into an exercise in frustration.

 

Appreciate your frustration. We just get one bill for the entire time on board as we love longer cruises so we frequently do B2B's, then we settle up with each other when we get home. So much easier to just write a check after the fact!

[Essiesmom]

Thank you for all this most welcome information, since we are leaving the ship temporarily for an excursion, I hope the paperwork does not involve too much time, nor to much paperwork itself, having it carrying it around on shore excursion..

 

Since you are taking an excursion, you will not need to wait to leave the ship. Take your old card to check out of the ship, and the new one to check back in. And the transit pass to skip the line coming back. EM

[sail7seas]

Thank you for all this most welcome information, since we are leaving the ship temporarily for an excursion, I hope the paperwork does not involve too much time, nor to much paperwork itself, having it carrying it around on shore excursion..

 

Presenting your express boarding passes at the front office for the second cruise will take under two minutes. :)

 

Speak with the front office during the first cruise to see exactly how they, on that ship, that cruise, those individuals want you to proceed on turnaround day. They may 'tweak' it their way with small variations so why make it any more complicated than necessary. It really is a very fast, easy process so don't stress about it. You will be required to do very little. :)