Re-boarding procedure on a B2B

[umpy10]

We're on a B2B next month on the Sun (7Day Alaska & 4 Day Pacific Coastal) and we will also have the same cabin for both cruises. Could anyone who has had a B2B like ours remember what the procedure was between disembarking and embarking ?

We don't plan on packing/unpacking our luggage, so it will remain in our cabin. Is there anyone on-board that we should specifically speak to about the where's and what for's on the procedure for that (Sun) specific ship ?

Thank you in advance.

 

cheers...the Ump...:D

[Demonyte]

It's not so much ship dependent as it is port dependent. In US ports you need to exit the ship for the officials to clear it for new passengers but that is relatively short process (maybe a half an hour or so) and you'll get back on board before new passengers.

 

You should get a instruction letter to your cabin and if your original key card does not show the final disembarkation day, you need to get a new one from the guest services before the end of the first leg.

[BayouDoc]

if you purchase liquor on board during week one of a B to B, can you pick it up on the last day of the first week, put it in your luggage, leave the luggage in the room, and have it available for your second week on ship?

[Demonyte]

if you purchase liquor on board during week one of a B to B, can you pick it up on the last day of the first week, put it in your luggage, leave the luggage in the room, and have it available for your second week on ship?

 

 

In my experience from our both real B2Bs the answer is yes, but things can vary.

[rbrugler]

We had to go to the customer service desk the night before and were issued new key cards. The day of debarkation we were given "Still on Vacation" tags to wear, and we went into the city for a few hours, and walked back on without standing in any line. We felt like royalty!

[NMLady]

You will receive a letter in your cabin with instructions. In US ports you must exit the ship. But you will get an In Transit card that lets you re-board without standing in line with new cruisers if you already have your key card.

 

Does your key card have your final disembarkation date on it? If not, go to Guest Services during the first segment and get a new key card with final date on it.

Edited August 27, 2015 by NMLady

[CoffeeGoddess]

I'm glad this thread was started. I'm in little different situation as I'm in a suite leaving Hamburg and then at Southampton I transfer to a studio for the night. The PCC said I would not need to leave the ship but we all know how they can give incorrect information. So, has anyone done a B2B outside of the US where you switch rooms and can confirm I don't need to leave the ship?

 

Thanks!

[Demonyte]

Yes, there have been numerous reports here by people not having had to leave the ship when doing B2Bs in Europe.

[davesgirl51]

You don't have to leave the ship on a b2b when in Europe.

 

If you have the same stateroom, you don't have to go to muster.

 

Have fun ! :)

[umpy10]

Thank you to all who replied, as usual all great replies and info coming from CC. For those who are asking about the procedure outside of the U.S.A., I'll let you know when I return how it worked out. Our 1st cruise is Vancouver and return, but our 2nd one is Vancouver to San Diego. So after reading all of the replies I'm expecting we'll be asked to disembark for a short period of time and then be allowed back on for the 2nd portion of our cruise.

 

 

cheers...the Ump...:D

[Doughboy139]

I'm glad this thread was started. I'm in little different situation as I'm in a suite leaving Hamburg and then at Southampton I transfer to a studio for the night. The PCC said I would not need to leave the ship but we all know how they can give incorrect information. So, has anyone done a B2B outside of the US where you switch rooms and can confirm I don't need to leave the ship?

 

Thanks!

 

I've done a B2B cruise in europe......You do not have to leave the ship, as for changing cabins, talk to your room steward, what usually happens is they will move your belongings to your new room, no work for you to be done except doing some packing for the move. you will also get a letter from the front desk explaining all of this a few days before the change over.

[CoffeeGoddess]

I've done a B2B cruise in europe......You do not have to leave the ship, as for changing cabins, talk to your room steward, what usually happens is they will move your belongings to your new room, no work for you to be done except doing some packing for the move. you will also get a letter from the front desk explaining all of this a few days before the change over.

 

 

Thanks, Doughboy, and the others who responded!

[BabsinTX]

if you purchase liquor on board during week one of a B to B, can you pick it up on the last day of the first week, put it in your luggage, leave the luggage in the room, and have it available for your second week on ship?

 

As long as your B2B is booked as two separate cruises, you're good. We go to the ship's store on the last night of the first cruise, buy our liquor (using our 1st leg's keycard) and carry it back to our room. Voila! We've bought liquor for folks whose B2Bs were booked as a single cruise, since they couldn't take advantage of this.

[canadianeh934]

My wife and I are doing a Back to back, we are changing cabins, they are two doors away, any suggestions or does anyone who has done similar can tell me what they experienced.

 

Will be be able to leave our luggage on board?

 

Will we be give a card that allows us to get on board without having to go though the whole process again?

[Demonyte]

Yes and yes. The whole B2B procedure (in the same or different cabins) has been explained in posts #2, #5, #6 and #11 in this very thread.

[NMLady]

As long as your B2B is booked as two separate cruises, you're good. We go to the ship's store on the last night of the first cruise, buy our liquor (using our 1st leg's keycard) and carry it back to our room. Voila! We've bought liquor for folks whose B2Bs were booked as a single cruise, since they couldn't take advantage of this.

 

We were able to do that even though our b2b was booked as a single cruise.

We'd purchased the liquor during the first segment and then picked it up the last night of the first segment. The shop employees do not look at the disembarkation date on your card if you're simply picking up the liquor. IIRC we didn't even give them our card since the liqour had already been paid for -- just said name and cabin number and we were handed our previouly paid for purchase.

[Demonyte]

We were able to do that even though our b2b was booked as a single cruise.

 

We'd purchased the liquor during the first segment and then picked it up the last night of the first segment. The shop employees do not look at the disembarkation date on your card if you're simply picking up the liquor. IIRC we didn't even give them our card since the liqour had already been paid for -- just said name and cabin number and we were handed our previouly paid for purchase.

 

 

Same here. But as I already said in my earlier reply, things can vary.

 

We have had pretty much all possible scenarios happening on the last night of cruise/leg with onboard liquor purchases: pickup at store, pickup from crew area doorway and delivery directly to cabin.

[edawn]

I don't know if things have changed since November of 2014 but we were not required to leave the ship on a B2B in NOLA. We did change rooms. We did keep our alcohol purchased on the first cruise. Interestingly, the service desk told us they were not sure if we would have to leave the ship. They said it was up to the captain.

[casofilia]

We have had a few and you cannot guarantee what will happen. In Europe it was simple. In Copenhagen they had free WiFi on the Wharf and I went off & on at will using the "In Transit" / "Still on Holiday" sticker you will receive to bypass all real checks, except the bag scan. If you are allowed to stay on board still wear the sticker then you won't get "hassled" by the crew as if you are a "newby". :D

 

The idea of missing a repeat Safety Drill works sometimes!! We have been told to go away but once we had to stay. No consistency with this.

 

We boarded once in Vancouver and those who were returning onboard, I'm sure the boat had had to be cleared, had to go through all formalities as they were going from Canada to the USA. There were a lot of very annoyed cruisers that day. :mad:

 

In San Pedro (LA) I went off the boat with my sticker but my wife stayed on board. We had come from another US port which we visited after leaving Vancouver. I got back on without any hassles just the bag scan. :)

 

I don't know what happened in Miami (It was a B2B2B) as we took an Everglades tour. However when we got back to the boat there were long queues and the ship's security chief met the coach and ushered us through, again only the bag scan, we were wearing our stickers. ;)

 

If you are changing cabins then you will have to pack your bags and the room steward will see that they get to the new cabin. :D

 

If you have booked a long cruise (which could be booked as two B2B) the Cabin key will probably show the final debark date. If you have booked as separate B2B then the key will more likely finish at the end of the first cruise. Go and get a new one on the last evening from Services.

 

I think the ship has to be cleared when it has gone from an American port to a foreign port and then going to an American port again.

 

Have never thought about the grog issue but sounds possible, must try it!!! :D

 

Mike

Pom by Birth; Coin Collecting Retired Kiwi by Choice.

[handy4u]

Going on our first ever B2B in a few weeks (refer to signature). Gotta say this has been one of the most useful threads EVER!!! Great advice, thanks!

 

I hope we don't have to repeat the muster drill too.

[casofilia]

Going on our first ever B2B in a few weeks (refer to signature). Gotta say this has been one of the most useful threads EVER!!! Great advice, thanks!

 

I hope we don't have to repeat the muster drill too.

 

The first time we went to the second Muster Drill and they added our names to the list they had. The second time we were told to "go away" very politely. The third time we never even thought about going; no one came to look for us!!

 

Mike

[mugtech]

When we did a b2b with the first cruise ending in Vancouver on the Sun, we had to leave the ship, got that special in transit sticker, and we're back on the ship ahead of the new cruisers for the second cruise in about an hour. We did avoid the second lifeboat drill.

[umpy10]

My apologies to all as I had forgotten about this post. Well I can say that when we went to check in, we got a lovely surprise, we received VIP status !

very nice, totally unexpected.

As for what happened at port when we returned to Vancouver, we received an "In-transit Tag" in case we wanted to leave the ship with instructions to re-board where the crew would enter.

We decided to stay on board, we we're not required to leave the ship at all, it was different to say the least, had full use of our cabin as we told our Steward that all was good, just change some towels. Of course that was great for him as there were four of us with 2 cabins.

 

Can't say enough about how we were treated on both cruises, as they extended the VIP status for the 2nd leg to San Diego. Elvina our Concierge was amazing.

 

cheers...Tasso & Ilene...:D

[marelind]

Will the refundable OBC I purchase ahead of time for the first leg be transferred to my account on the second leg if I don't use it up, or do they insist on closing out the book and mailing a refund and start all over again for the second leg? (I purchase ahead to use the credit card points to their best advantage.)

[mugtech]

Will the refundable OBC I purchase ahead of time for the first leg be transferred to my account on the second leg if I don't use it up, or do they insist on closing out the book and mailing a refund and start all over again for the second leg? (I purchase ahead to use the credit card points to their best advantage.)

Did you book it as 2 cruises or one big cruise? If 2 cruises it will probably be refunded.