B2B First Time

[BMP57]

We've booked our first B2B cruise beginning next month and will have the same cabin on both cruises. Can someone enlighten me on the process when the first cruise ends and the second begins please? How is checkout handled, do we have to go through customs, etc.

 

Thanks

 

Brian

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

You have to go through imaginations in the morning either by yourself if you want to leave the ship early & do something or with the remaining people doing a B2B trip as a group around mid morning.

[chrysalis]

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2122987&highlight=b2b

[caribill]

Since you are staying in the same cabin, the process is easier.

 

First of all, Princess has changed from having a new cruise card for each segment (if staying in the same cabin) to having one which lists the starting and ending dates for the entire cruise. So you will not be receiving a new cruise card for the second segment.

 

Assuming this is a B2B with turnaround day in Fort Lauderdale, at some point you will need to go through US immigration. You can:

a) Take a Princess excursion that day, going through immigration when you leave the ship

b) Tour on your own that morning, going through immigration when you leave the ship

c) If not off the ship by about 10 AM, you will be asked (in a letter sent to your cabin before that day) to meet with other B2B passengers and go through immigration together. In some cases this means getting off the ship to do so. In come cases recently, immigration personnel came on board so you would not have to leave the ship.

 

If you do leave the ship that day, be sure to have your passport with you. You will be given a card which indicates you are "in transit." You will not have to check in again at the pier to reboard the ship, but you will need to go through security on return.

 

Because this is not the end of your journey, you do not fill out a customs form for turnaround day. (Some people have said they had to fill one out, but it should not be required.)

 

Your onboard account should be carried over to the second segment. I always verify with the Purser's desk that they will do this.

 

If you have purchased an Internet package and have unused minutes, check with the Internet manager during the first segment to make sure your unused minutes will carry over to the second segment.

 

You do not have to attend the muster drill on the second segment.

 

Since the cabin steward will have much work to do on turnaround day, you might want to let him/her know that your cabin can wait until he/she has the cabins for the new passengers ready.

 

The dining room will be open for breakfast, but at earlier hours than normal. The buffet will be open, but it will be very crowded. I suggest a leisurely breakfast in the dining room that morning. (Also for the day when your cruise will end.)

Edited January 27, 2015 by caribill

[DougH]

First of all, Princess has changed from having a new cruise card for each segment (if staying in the same cabin) to having one which lists the starting and ending dates for the entire cruise. So you will not be receiving a new cruise card for the second segment.

 

 

I had not heard this before. I've always received a card for each segment. I've got an upcoming B2B2B but no cabin assignments yet, will see how many cards and cabins I end up with. I like getting the separate cards as I save them in a business card holder to look back thru.

[CruisinFinsUp]

 

First of all, Princess has changed from having a new cruise card for each segment (if staying in the same cabin) to having one which lists the starting and ending dates for the entire cruise. So you will not be receiving a new cruise card for the second segment.

 

Curious - we've purchased drink packages for the first of our B2B, but not our second. Its the all inclusive alcohol package and we don't yet know how it will go. I figured using the spreadsheet that we'll be about even, so we just bought the first week to "try it out".

 

These are stickers on our cruise cards.

 

I wonder how are they going to deal with that?

[caribill]

I had not heard this before. I've always received a card for each segment. I've got an upcoming B2B2B but no cabin assignments yet, will see how many cards and cabins I end up with. I like getting the separate cards as I save them in a business card holder to look back thru.

 

If in different cabins, you will get a new card for each cabin.

[BMP57]

Since you are staying in the same cabin, the process is easier.

 

First of all, Princess has changed from having a new cruise card for each segment (if staying in the same cabin) to having one which lists the starting and ending dates for the entire cruise. So you will not be receiving a new cruise card for the second segment.

 

Assuming this is a B2B with turnaround day in Fort Lauderdale, at some point you will need to go through US immigration. You can:

a) Take a Princess excursion that day, going through immigration when you leave the ship

b) Tour on your own that morning, going through immigration when you leave the ship

c) If not off the ship by about 10 AM, you will be asked (in a letter sent to your cabin before that day) to meet with other B2B passengers and go through immigration together. In some cases this means getting off the ship to do so. In come cases recently, immigration personnel came on board so you would not have to leave the ship.

 

If you do leave the ship that day, be sure to have your passport with you. You will be given a card which indicates you are "in transit." You will not have to check in again at the pier to reboard the ship, but you will need to go through security on return.

 

Because this is not the end of your journey, you do not fill out a customs form for turnaround day. (Some people have said they had to fill one out, but it should not be required.)

 

Your onboard account should be carried over to the second segment. I always verify with the Purser's desk that they will do this.

 

If you have purchased an Internet package and have unused minutes, check with the Internet manager during the first segment to make sure your unused minutes will carry over to the second segment.

 

You do not have to attend the muster drill on the second segment.

 

Since the cabin steward will have much work to do on turnaround day, you might want to let him/her know that your cabin can wait until he/she has the cabins for the new passengers ready.

 

The dining room will be open for breakfast, but at earlier hours than normal. The buffet will be open, but it will be very crowded. I suggest a leisurely breakfast in the dining room that morning. (Also for the day when your cruise will end.)

 

 

Thanks for the great info; this cruise is sailing from Houston.

 

Brian

[caribill]

Thanks for the great info; this cruise is sailing from Houston.

 

 

Same information applies to Houston.

[mmckm]

If you want the package for your second week of the B2B you will have to purchase it onboard and they will put a new sticker on your card, that will be different then the one you used for the first week. We bought ours after re-boarding for the second week.

[OCruisers]

Just want to add that we've taken many B2B cruises though Princess. It's EASY! They will "Mother Hen" you. :D

LuLu

[CruisinFinsUp]

If you want the package for your second week of the B2B you will have to purchase it onboard and they will put a new sticker on your card, that will be different then the one you used for the first week. We bought ours after re-boarding for the second week.

 

Ahh. Different sticker!! That makes sense!!

Thanks!

[helby]

I'm going on my first B2B in the same cabin and will be Platinum on the second segment (already on boarding pass). I guess I will get another card even if that isn't the current practice. If anyone had that happen recently please let me know. thanks

[molme]

Helby

We went from Ruby to Platinum on our B2B in Aug and got a new card for the second segment of the cruise. Also got the info on the Evening Cocktail party in sky walkers.

[Dudleydog73]

I'm going on my first B2B in the same cabin and will be Platinum on the second segment (already on boarding pass). I guess I will get another card even if that isn't the current practice. If anyone had that happen recently please let me know. thanks

 

 

We just did this on our b2b that we debarked yesterday. After our first segment we were platinum and we got our platinum cruise card and in transit card for the second segment the night before the first segment ended. It was super easy. All will be explained in the letter you get!

[rdsqrl]

Thanks for the great info; this cruise is sailing from Houston.

 

Brian

Me, too, doing b2b from Houston, and we overlap -- my first leg is on your second leg. If we run into one another onboard, you can fill me in on how the turn-around day worked. This is my first time doing a b2b, and although I've certainly read tons about the procedure in FLL, Texas is a whole different country, so to speak.

 

[diverward]

We have booked a B2B but as a single booking. What Princess calls a Logical cruise. This is actually two cruises combined and Princess is selling it as one. So only one booking number and it shows on Cruise Personalizer as a 14 day trip. Would we get the 250 minutes for a 14 day cruise or two 100 minutes for each 7 day cruise? I understand we will go through US Immigration and the same procedures as two 7 days cruises. Is this correct? Thanks for any info. Our first time doing a B2B.

[helby]

Thanks Dudleydog73 for the info and thanks to everyone giving info about B2Bs.

[caribill]

We have booked a B2B but as a single booking. What Princess calls a Logical cruise. This is actually two cruises combined and Princess is selling it as one. So only one booking number and it shows on Cruise Personalizer as a 14 day trip. Would we get the 250 minutes for a 14 day cruise or two 100 minutes for each 7 day cruise? I understand we will go through US Immigration and the same procedures as two 7 days cruises. Is this correct? Thanks for any info. Our first time doing a B2B.

 

I have seen the Internet done both ways. If you do not get the 250 minutes, speak with the Captain's Circle rep during the first segment.

 

Yes, you will do the same immigration procedures no matter how it was booked.

[caribill]

I'm going on my first B2B in the same cabin and will be Platinum on the second segment (already on boarding pass). I guess I will get another card even if that isn't the current practice. If anyone had that happen recently please let me know. thanks

 

You may want to speak with the Captain's Circle rep during the first segment to make sure this happens.

[Dudleydog73]

First of all, Princess has changed from having a new cruise card for each segment (if staying in the same cabin) to having one which lists the starting and ending dates for the entire cruise. So you will not be receiving a new cruise card for the second segment.

 

 

Bill,

 

This is not true. Must be the consistent inconsistency. FLL checkin stated they did not do the cards that spanned multiple cruises anymore. Both of our rooms were given the first cruise card at checkin with dates for just the first cruise. We were given our new cruise cards the last night of the first cruise with our intransit cards and letter of instructions.

[TomCruises]

Now as I recall we had to all meet in MDR (those that were BtoB) and complete a Customs Immigration Form (even though we were staying aboard) and then were escorted from the ship to Customs/Immigration where we walked in/through and back returning to the ship.I even asked one of the C/I staff if the stupid form was necessary since we were not disembarking and they said NO!I also thought we were able to keep our stateroom (booked as such),our cruise cards and had access to all remaining ammenities that we had purchased during the 1st 10 days as well as any Platinum perks.

This was two years ago,SO IF SOMETHING HAS CHANGED,PLEASE ADVISE/HELP!

Thanks again.:)

[Dudleydog73]

Now as I recall we had to all meet in MDR (those that were BtoB) and complete a Customs Immigration Form (even though we were staying aboard) and then were escorted from the ship to Customs/Immigration where we walked in/through and back returning to the ship.I even asked one of the C/I staff if the stupid form was necessary since we were not disembarking and they said NO!I also thought we were able to keep our stateroom (booked as such),our cruise cards and had access to all remaining ammenities that we had purchased during the 1st 10 days as well as any Platinum perks.

This was two years ago,SO IF SOMETHING HAS CHANGED,PLEASE ADVISE/HELP!

Thanks again.:)

 

Your letter will tell you where to meet. We did an airboat excursion in the Everglades to kill the time so we did not join the group (350 folks were on our B2B per the pursers desk) that met up to process through immigration together.

 

We did not fill in a customs form as we had an in transit card we showed and they waived us right through after a cursory look at our passports.

 

As for other ammenities my FIL did not have his platinum minutes carry over to the next cruise and the internet manager basically told him tough, they were use or lose per each segment. Not sure if that was true or not, but it was what it was on the CB.

[donh1]

A few years ago we did a back to back and on the last day of the first leg I purchased a bottle of Bailey's at the ships dutyfree with no problem which I enjoyed on the second leg of the cruise. Also while in St. Thomas on the first leg I had a bottle of rum confiscated at the gangway only to have it delivered to my stateroom midcruise. Anyone else have similar experiences.

[Dudleydog73]

A few years ago we did a back to back and on the last day of the first leg I purchased a bottle of Bailey's at the ships dutyfree with no problem which I enjoyed on the second leg of the cruise. Also while in St. Thomas on the first leg I had a bottle of rum confiscated at the gangway only to have it delivered to my stateroom midcruise. Anyone else have similar experiences.

 

It was a mixed bag on the cruise we just got off. The duty free store on the ship allowed us to sign and carry any alcohol purchases back to our room the last day of the first cruise, so in theory we would have had access to that for the second cruise but we wanted to bring it home so left it bagged up and on the shelf in the closet.

 

We had some rum we bough on Grand Cayman and it was delivered to the ship on our behalf and we didnt see that until the last day of our second cruise, so it would appear those holding the duty free liquor from shore purchases have a record of exactly when we are leaving and deliver accordingly.