B2B questions

[LoveThisCruisingThing]

I am thinking about doing a B2B next summer from Vancouver. My question is about the the turn around day. I will want to disembark for the day. When do I get my new card? Will I get it before I disembark or will I need to go through the whole check thing?

[hpeabody]

I would expect you will get your new card the evening before turnaround day. You can inquire at the pursers desk to be sure and perhaps not a bad idea to let them know your plan. Vancouver is a nice city. Try Stanley Park or Grouse Mountain. Enjoy!

[paul929207]

We have always gotten the new cruise card the evening before turnaround day. With it they will include instructions to help make the day easy for you

[Kamloops50]

I am thinking about doing a B2B next summer from Vancouver. My question is about the the turn around day. I will want to disembark for the day. When do I get my new card? Will I get it before I disembark or will I need to go through the whole check thing?

 

If your doing a cruise to Alaska as a B2B . Your turnaround day is in Whittier.

You'll be given your card the day before arrival. Whittier doesn't have a lot of things to do there. You could rent a car and drive over to Seward .

[Nancyquilts]

If your doing a cruise to Alaska as a B2B . Your turnaround day is in Whittier.

You'll be given your card the day before arrival. Whittier doesn't have a lot of things to do there. You could rent a car and drive over to Seward .

 

Or take a glacier tour.

[Lucky TGO]

I do B2B cruise all the time and this was the FIRST time on the Royal Princess.

We did NOT get a new card on the day or night before the turnaround?? just used the same one for 20 days.

Check with the Pursers desk 1 or 2 days before the turnaround.

Good luck and have a great time!!!

 

Tony

[OCruisers]

You will have the information on what you need to do sent to your cabin a day or so before your turnaround day.

EASY .... They walk you through the whole thing. :D

LuLu

[caribill]

You'll be given your card the day before arrival.

 

We did NOT get a new card on the day or night before the turnaround?? just

 

Cruise cards now have a start and end date on them.

 

If you are not changing cabins, lately most Princess ships have been issuing a cruise card that is valid for the entire cruise.

 

If you are only issued one good for the first segment, you should get the one for the second segment the night before turnaround day.

 

You can exit the ship that day anytime you want once disembarkation has started. If this is Whittier, there will be no immigration or customs.

[skynight]

We did a b2b on the Royal in Aug/Sept 2014 (turnaround in Copenhagen) and just completed a b2b2b on the Star. In the past we always received new cruise cards, but on these latest two we received only one card which was good for the entire cruise. Look for the dates in the upper left hand corner of the card. We were in the same cabins both times. We received our detailed instructions the night before turn around day.

Also, in the past when we did b2b's at a US port, Ft Lauderdale, we were not required to complete the US Customs declaration. However, on our latest b2b2b with turn arounds in San Fran. we were required to complete them. Just follow the instructions and it is easy.

[Essiesmom]

We did a B2B on Coral in 2012. Turnaround day in Whittier we took a Princess tour which stopped at a wildlife refuge, Alyeska including the cable car ride, and a few hours in Anchorage, where we had lunch and walked around a bit before getting the bus back to Whittier. EM

[Once Upon A Time]

We recently did a b2b with Vancouver as the turnaround day.. Given new card and instructions at approximately 6pm the night before.. If you want to get off in Vancouver for the day or just do the quick turnaround…it's no problem.. We had a leisurely breakfast, met in the Explorer Lounge at 10am..were escorted off and back on.. some left after clearing customs and came back onboard later in the day.. We were in the same room, but did get a different card with new voyage number..

[caribill]

However, on our latest b2b2b with turn arounds in San Fran. we were required to complete them. Just follow the instructions and it is easy.

 

Who required you to fill out the Customs card, Princess or Customs?

 

Customs should not be asking for them if you have not ended your voyage. One reason is that you are not allowed to claim the $ exemption more than once in 30 days, so theoretically if you claimed it on one turnaround day you would have no exemption at the end of the b2b2b if that was within 30 days.

 

I say theoretically because there is no way they can detect you cleared customs more than once in that time period.

[pablo222]

Customs should not be asking for them if you have not ended your voyage. One reason is that you are not allowed to claim the $ exemption more than once in 30 days, so theoretically if you claimed it on one turnaround day you would have no exemption at the end of the b2b2b if that was within 30 days.

 

When I have done b2b, I have always gone off independently.

 

This puts you in the middle of other disembarking passengers.

The other passengers are all turning in Customs declarations.

Princess asks you to turn in a customs declaration.

 

So, I do.

 

I've attached the princess form letter.

[skynight]

Who required you to fill out the Customs card, Princess or Customs?

 

Customs should not be asking for them if you have not ended your voyage. One reason is that you are not allowed to claim the $ exemption more than once in 30 days, so theoretically if you claimed it on one turnaround day you would have no exemption at the end of the b2b2b if that was within 30 days.

 

I say theoretically because there is no way they can detect you cleared customs more than once in that time period.

 

It was a requirement of U.S. Customs and Immigration at the port of S.F..

 

On the first turnaround day we had completed the 10 night Mexico where we purchased a few items which remained on board, and we choose not to go ashore. After all the passengers disembarked, in the normal b2b manner 26 of us walked through the immigration lines where immigration examined our passports and stamped and collected the Customs declaration. As we were not bringing any foreign purchased items into the U.S. we showed zero $ in that section. On the second turn around after the Hawaii trip we decided to go ashore. No special lines, we had to wait with all the disembarking passengers. We had to complete the Customs declaration and carry our passport and in-transit cards. Once through immigration the Customs declaration was stamped and returned to us. We had to turn it in to the Customs officer when leaving the terminal. Again the foreign purchased item section showed zero $. On our final disembarkation we turned in another Customs declaration showing the few items we purchased in Mexico the first time we were there, less than $50.

It was explained that if you were going to import items during the turnarounds then you had to report to Customs officer on the way out of the terminal. By the way, by scanning your passports Immigration and Customs do know how many times you have entered the U.S. in the last 30 days, and for that matter for years and years.

 

Hope this helps you understand the process in S.F.

Edited March 28, 2015 by sknight

[LENORA516]

I will be going on my first ever B2B and I am hoping that I will be given a new card because I will be moving up from Platinum to Elite after the first segment.:)

 

I have two separate booking numbers for the 2 cruises, can I get the shareholder benefit for both cruises? Are the two cruises considered separately when getting the internet benefit ?

[JF - retired RRT]

I will be going on my first ever B2B and I am hoping that I will be given a new card because I will be moving up from Platinum to Elite after the first segment.:)

 

I have two separate booking numbers for the 2 cruises, can I get the shareholder benefit for both cruises? Are the two cruises considered separately when getting the internet benefit ?

When you have 2 separate booking numbers, you get 2 internet minutes and 2 shareholder benefits (when you send in the shareholder info put both booking #s on the page).

The new system with one card for both legs is only if you are in the same cabin.

If you want a new color card on your second leg you probably need to talk to PAX services or the Captain Circle rep.

[LENORA516]

When you have 2 separate booking numbers, you get 2 internet minutes and 2 shareholder benefits (when you send in the shareholder info put both booking #s on the page).

The new system with one card for both legs is only if you are in the same cabin.

If you want a new color card on your second leg you probably need to talk to PAX services or the Captain Circle rep.

 

Thanks for the info !:)

[san diego sue]

Recently cruising with a friend who was on B2B. After our first cruise,

she became Elite. Circle Host updated her on his computer because he said Princess wouldn't be able to do it until the next day. Once updated she went to the Pursers desk and requested (and received her new Black Card).

 

We have also noticed no longer are we given new cruise cards on B2B, booking as two cruises with two cruise numbers.And we didn't change cabins. Night before we were given letter with instructions and also in transit cards. In Los Angeles, we had to report to Immigration and Customs and fill out the Customs form. Our first week was Mexico, also had to fill out form second week too(Coastal).

Edited April 27, 2015 by san diego sue

[retrembl]

I am thinking about doing a B2B next summer from Vancouver. My question is about the the turn around day. I will want to disembark for the day. When do I get my new card? Will I get it before I disembark or will I need to go through the whole check thing?

 

You will need to go to the Pursers Desk and get you new Cruise Card the last night of your cruise. If you get off the ship while it's in port, you will not be allowed back on until they start Embarkation, but you won't need to go through the entire entry line. You will need to go through the carry on bag line for check in.

Have a great cruise

[skynight]

I will be going on my first ever B2B and I am hoping that I will be given a new card because I will be moving up from Platinum to Elite after the first segment.:)

 

I have two separate booking numbers for the 2 cruises, can I get the shareholder benefit for both cruises? Are the two cruises considered separately when getting the internet benefit ?

The card question has been answered.

 

Shareholder's Benefit: Apply for each booking number and you will get the shareholder's benefit for each segment. We have not seen this as automatic, we had to apply for each leg of the b2b.

Yes, you will get new internet mins. for each leg of the cruise. On our September 2014 Royal cruise our leftover internet mins. where still there and our new mins were additive. In March 2015 on the Star at the end of each leg any leftover mins. were eliminated and we had to re-establish our accounts.

You didn't ask: The balance on your folio account for the first cruise will be carried over to the second cruise. You will receive one charge to your Credit Card at the end of the b2b's.

[Miss Pat]

I really don't know which is correct but on all our B2B trips my DH gets off the ship to unload whatever we don't need for the next voyage. Laundry, purchases, etc. He simply fills in the customs card with the total amount that we've purchased for the whole trip each time he hands in a card. I suppose if they were to get sticky about it they could request receipts but we're usually much under the allotment all the time.

[Lucky TGO]

I was on a B2B and became Elite on the second cruise I got my Elite card in my cabin the night before we started the second cruise. I had two booking numbers.

I book separately all the time and get the extra Internet benefit. My friend booked his B2B as a 20 days and did not get the Int. benefit. He tried to get them and was told no.

 

Congratulation it's good to be Elite!!! Lol

 

Tony

[Maddle]

The B2B we booked for next spring had the option of two 10-day bookings, or one long 20-day cruise. We chose one long cruise because it was more economical. We are staying in one room.

 

For our status, will this count as two cruises (even though only one booking number?) or just one? Someone is almost a platinum.

 

For the elite card holder in the room, will she get a second mini-bar set up on the turn around day?

 

Thank you -

Maddle

[Lucky TGO]

The B2B we booked for next spring had the option of two 10-day bookings, or one long 20-day cruise. We chose one long cruise because it was more economical. We are staying in one room.

 

For our status, will this count as two cruises (even though only one booking number?) or just one? Someone is almost a platinum.

 

For the elite card holder in the room, will she get a second mini-bar set up on the turn around day?

 

Thank you -

Maddle

 

You will only get credit for one cruise but you will get credit for 20 days.

 

The Elite card holder will only get one mini-bar set up.

 

That's what happened to my friend on the Royal Princess this year.

 

He is Elite and only got free internet minutes for one cruise.

 

He was told you need 2 booking numbers.

 

My status is Elite and I had 2 booking numbers and got 2 mini-bar setups and 500 free minutes.

 

Tony

[caribill]

The B2B we booked for next spring had the option of two 10-day bookings, or one long 20-day cruise. We chose one long cruise because it was more economical. We are staying in one room.

 

For our status, will this count as two cruises (even though only one booking number?) or just one? Someone is almost a platinum.

 

For the elite card holder in the room, will she get a second mini-bar set up on the turn around day?

 

Thank you -

Maddle

 

You will only get credit for one cruise but you will get credit for 20 days.

 

The Elite card holder will only get one mini-bar set up.

 

That's what happened to my friend on the Royal Princess this year.

 

He is Elite and only got free internet minutes for one cruise.

 

He was told you need 2 booking numbers.

 

My status is Elite and I had 2 booking numbers and got 2 mini-bar setups and 500 free minutes.

 

Tony

 

Not quite.

 

You will get credit for two cruises. (If you look in your My Princess account you might already see them posted as to be earned when you take the cruise.) If you do not get two credits, just call Princess after the cruise and they will give you the second credit.

 

The elite person should get a second setup at the start of the second segment.

 

Tony is right about the Internet minutes when there is just one booking number. Be sure to check with the Internet manager to make sure the unused minutes carry over to the second segment.