Back to Back Cruise Auto Tips

[seafish]

How are auto tips handled for back to back cruises? I assume total tips are charged at time of final disembarkation - correct?

[Pam in CA]

How are auto tips handled for back to back cruises? I assume total tips are charged at time of final disembarkation - correct?

The auto tips are charged to your onboard account on a daily basis. Your onboard account is charged to your credit card or whatever at the end of the cruise. It doesn't matter whether you're on a B2B -- the tips are put on your account daily.

[cherylandtk]

I could be wrong on this, but I believe that each cruise is charged separately to your credit card; meaning that Princess treats it as if you finish one cruise and then immediately start a new one. Our friends recently did a B2B and they said they had to go turn in their cruise cards at the purser's office and get new ones, and had to close out their account. They were in the same cabin for the second portion, and Princess made it relatively painless, but they did have to spend 15 minutes or so changing from 1st cruise to 2nd cruise.

 

Pam is correct in that each night of the cruise Princess puts a hold on your credit card for the total in your onboard account.

[seafish]

Cherylandtk - thanks for the reply. I'm familar with auto tips but - was not sure how B2B's were handled. We too are staying in the same cabin for the second cruise - so your info that Princess handles as two separate cruises with an account close-out at the end of each cruise is helpful. We'll now be prepared for that. I suspect that a trip to the purser's office early in cruise #1 to make arrangements would be a good idea. Thanks for the heads-up. SeaFish

[cherylandtk]

Seafish,

Our friends received a letter from the purser's office the last full day of the first cruise with instructions as to where to go the next morning (while the rest of us were gathering in the assigned lounges to disembark). As they were not disembarking they did not have to clear their stateroom, but they did have to go through a customs or immigration "inspection" onboard, but it was a simple process. They said there were about two dozen other passengers in the same lounge doing the same thing on a B2B. Princess had it all arranged in advance, and our friends did not have to make the inquiries themselves. They were given an option of staying on the ship or taking a free shore excursion; but they could not just come and go from the ship during certain hours while Princess was disembarking and embarking the bulk of the passengers. They chose to stay onboard, did laundry and enjoyed the pools and buffet.

[PEB]

I do back to backs all the time and have done them several times on Princess. Last year was my last back to back on Princess and I am booked on a back to back to back on Princess for next year.

 

Sometime during your first cruise you can go to the pursers desk and turn in your tickets for the next cruise. This can be done anytime during the cruise.

 

A few days before the end of the first cruise you will receive a letter telling you the process for changing over to the next cruise.

 

The night before the end of the first cruise on Princess you will receive the new sign and sail card for the next cruise. It will not work in the doors or on the ship until after 10:00 a.m. the day of cruise turn over.

 

That night you will get a copy of your billing for the first cruise as you normally would do if you were finishing a cruise.

 

Princess will also give you a piece of paper that states that you are a passenger that is continueing on with your cruise. This is so you can leave the ship and do tours or walk around and return to the ship without going through the long lines in the terminal.

 

Even if you do NOT have to leave the ship on turn around day, you MUST go off the ship at sometime during the day and turn around and enter the ship again. This is so your new sail and sign card is activated at the security entrance to the ship. You will stick your card in the kiosk and have your picture taken as if it were your first boarding for the cruise.

 

As far as dealing with customs that is up to customs in the port of embarkation for the next cruise. Sometimes you can stay onboard the ship sometimes you must get off the ship go through customs then you can get back onboard the ship. It is all up to the customs officers in the area. Either way you do NOT have to take any of your belongings with you just your customs form and ID as normal. You will be given a letter explaining what to do prior to the end of the first cruise.

 

The two cruises are billed as two different cruises.

[seafish]

PEB - Got it! Excellent info thanks. BTW - this is the 5/3/2006 Coral Princess Panama FLL-SFO cruise with the 5/18 SFO-YVR 4 day add-on that you guys are on. We finally did get the 4 day add-on cost resolved with Princess. Appreciate your help. SeaFish

[UK Cruiser]

You can actually choose whether to carry the account over to the second week or pay as two separate weeks. We were asked which was we wanted to deal and chose to pay at the end of the second week. We received our account details at the end of the first week which was shown as carried forward and on our new account (we had changed cabins) it was shown as an opening balance. Just tell the Pursers' desk which way you prefer to handle it.

 

Hope this helps?

[seafish]

UK Cruiser - thanks very much for your info. Doing the payment option at second cruise end would work well for us. As suggested - we will check with the Purser. Again - thanks. SeaFish

[Coral]

Just a FYI - I have done (2) b2bs in the 15 months (May 2004 and May 2005), both to Alaska.

 

On one cruise, we had an option if we wanted to carry our balances forward and have one bill at the end of two weeks or to treat the 2 cruises separately.

 

This past May - we had no choice and it was treated as 2 separate cruises.

 

Auto tips are posted to your account each day.

[PescadoAmarillo]

On the B2Bs we've done, every ship, every cruise line, every port has treated the situation a bit differently. On one Princess B2B, we were given the carry-over option for our shipboard account (and took it, delaying our credit card payment by one month!); on the other, we weren't. Regardless of the situation, without a doubt, Princess has handled the B2Bs better than any other cruise line (with RC a close second). I actually took Princess's B2B letter to Celebrity and showed them how it SHOULD be done!

[Coral]

On the B2Bs we've done, every ship, every cruise line, every port has treated the situation a bit differently.

 

I actually took Princess's B2B letter to Celebrity and showed them how it SHOULD be done!

 

I agree - both of my B2Bs had turn over day in Whittier and they were handled much differently.

 

Also - on my last B2B - we had no "Princess letter explaining how things would be handled" like I did on the first B2B. Go figure. Oh well - I got to spend 2 weeks on the ship and had a great time!

[seafish]

Coral + JMB410 - thanks for the info. The info from all has been a great help for the upcoming B2B. SeasFish

[kruisey]

Last year I stayed on for the coastal section of three days.

The night before disembarkation on the first leg Princess sent my package and new key card to my cabin,I didnot need to go near the pursers desk.My account for the the first section billed to my credit card was placed in the mail holder outside my door during the night. My new key card worked in my door when I returned from breakfast.

I did go through customs on the ship and decided to go off for day.....was given no restrictions about coming and going off the ship . Everything went very simply,I felt very relaxed and had a lovely day in SF :)

[Murphey]

We have done 9 b2b's, the most recent in May, our next in Nov. Each turnaround day is a little different, depending on where you are. We have never had to close out our first cruise portfolio the first week, they have always rolled over our bill to the second cruise (or SBC rolled over, as the case may be). We are totally addicted to b2b's and haven't done anything else for 3 years. Sometimes we have to move, sometimes we don't. Sometimes we have to get off the ship and go through customs, sometimes we don't (Whittier is the most recent experience). The only bad experience with a "turnaround day" was last year on the Star when they really didn't communicate very well. But in reality,the fiasco only lasted 1 1/2 hours so wasn't a big deal in the end. Princess used to host private parties and a during the first cruise for anyone continuing on, (plus a price break) but alas, those days are gone!! Also, any extra tipping we leave til the end of the trip. We have always left any extra tipping until the end of the trip unless we've changed cabins/waiters.

[HELENROSE]

I have to agree with most of the postings. Except for the extra tipping. Out of our 7 B2B cruises, we always gave the extra at the end of each cruise. Even if we stayed in the same cabin. Once we had a different cabin steward and 4 times a different waiter or asst. waiter. It is easier in case of changes. B2B are great. That IS the only way to go. It is great seeing the other passengers getting off and you have another cruise to go. Also it is getting a whole extra full day on the cruise.

[susancruzs]

Interesting reading and helpful info! I am so excited to be doing my first B2B on the Sea Princess! First cruise is Sept. 3rd for 7 days, Sept. 10th, transatlantic for 14 days, woohoo, I cannot wait, 13 days to go!

 

Because I'm onboard for 21 days, I'll probably do some laundry first thing but then I'm hoping to get off and see the museum in Southampton and maybe buy some Pepsi!

 

I was curious about the shipboard account, how they handle it, close it out or carry it over, really doesn't matter that much to me. I'm not changing cabins, don't want to do that, bringing too much stuff! Lisbon will be 80, Iceland will be 50, could be rainy, dressing for dinner, warm jacket, swim stuff, didn't they used to use trunks??? :-)

 

Susie, who wants to start packing!

[seafish]

kruisey, Murphey & HELENROSE - thank you for your input. Really appreciate all the experienced CC info. SeaFish