Sailing on 14 Day Princess Cruise that Returns to Ft. Lauderdale after the first leg.

[bairdg3]

Any advice/tips/info for a cruise like this? Does the entertainment change? Do we need to do anything special when they are boarding new passengers for the second leg? I assume we can stay on the boat??? Anything else we should know?

[easyboy]

You have the choice to stay on ship while others are disembarking after the first voyage. You will receive a letter in your cabin stating what you will do on disembarkation, including the time and place where all passengers staying for the second voyage will meet. You then just have to follow the Princess staff’s instructions after. Early this year, we just all went to the terminal for immigration purposes and then went back to the ship after.

 

 

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[BRANDEE]

Any advice/tips/info for a cruise like this? Does the entertainment change? Do we need to do anything special when they are boarding new passengers for the second leg? I assume we can stay on the boat??? Anything else we should know?

 

 

Did this cruise this past March (and the year before)..the menu in dining rooms were repeated the second week, but depending when the formal nights are scheduled, there might be a night or two out of order. The main production shows were repeated, unless you catch the cruise when a new show is being introduced. There were new comedians, magicians and featured singers the second week. Also, the house bands were the same the second week.

 

Regarding turn around day, as previous poster said, you will get info where to report at what time for immigration. Sometimes you get off and sometimes immigration comes onboard. You do not have to report for the second muster drill..unless the captain decides differently.

 

A good day to get a great cushion seat at the movie under the stars pool. Relax and enjoy. You need to get your drinks before the muster drill..all bars are closed at that point. Have a great trip!

Edited October 28, 2017 by BRANDEE
added

[Mud_Shark]

For us last year - yes, menus repeated. Two production shows repeated, but they added a new one (new to us - not to the ship). Entertainers changed.

 

We were given the option to go ashore or stay on board. We chose to go ashore but they did warn you, if you did disembark, you would not be able to get back on board until a certain time in the afternoon (somewhere around 2pm I think - but can't recall exactly). You get an in transit card to get back on board without having to go through all the check in , screening and waiting of the new passengers.

 

Don

[skynight]

Any advice/tips/info for a cruise like this? Does the entertainment change? Do we need to do anything special when they are boarding new passengers for the second leg? I assume we can stay on the boat??? Anything else we should know?

Entertainment - Production shows will stay the same. Guest entertainers may change. Cruise staff activities may change.

Turn Around Day - You will receive information in your cabin a few days before turn around day. Read it carefully and follow the instructions exactly. It will have two choices.

Choice one, stay on the ship. If you choose this choice you MUST, I'll repeat that, you MUST, report to the location, usually the theater, with the proper documents, at or before the time indicated. You will wait there until all other passengers have disembarked. You will then be walked through immigration by a staff member. This may be on the ship, or it may be through the terminal. If even one person fails to show the process is delayed. I have waited an hour while ship staff searched for one couple that failed to read the instructions..

Choice two. Disembark the ship anytime before the last call which is usually around 10am. Bring the required documents with you including the intransit card. Go through immigration. Then you are free to do whatever you like in Ft. Lauderdale. You may board anytime after general boarding has begun, usually around noon. The intransit allows you to go directly on board, no lines to wait in. If you are a wine drinker you are permitted to carry on an additional bottle per person without charge.

[geoherb]

When we did our b2b cruises, we chose to stay on the ship and report to the group location. The first time we did this, a mother/daughter pair decided not to show up. They were repeated paged. Finally the Princess employee led us off the ship to go through the immigration process. We were held off the ship until the mother and daughter finally showed up.

 

Both times we ate lunch in the dining room and then I walked to Total Wine to get our additional bottles for the second cruise. I've read that some people have successfully brought all of their allowed bottles on the first cruise without having to pay the corkage. I've never tried, because I like getting off the ship.

[voljeep]

Where is Total Wine in relation to the Parking Garage across from the terminal? Never seen it, but also never looked for it since we just park and then go get in line to board

[floridalover5623]

 

Both times we ate lunch in the dining room and then I walked to Total Wine to get our additional bottles for the second cruise. I've read that some people have successfully brought all of their allowed bottles on the first cruise without having to pay the corkage. I've never tried, because I like getting off the ship.

I've never tried that approach. Did they record that your brought the extra 2 bottles for the next voyage on your initial boarding?

[skynight]

Where is Total Wine in relation to the Parking Garage across from the terminal? Never seen it, but also never looked for it since we just park and then go get in line to board

It is in the mall behind the Embassy Suites hotel next to Publix supermarket. It is a little over 1/2 mile from pier 2.

[OCruisers]

Happily, on Princess you are not required to attend the muster drill for your second leg. :)

[bairdg3]

On 10/28/2017 at 12:19 AM, BRANDEE said:

A good day to get a great cushion seat at the movie under the stars pool. Relax and enjoy. You need to get your drinks before the muster drill..all bars are closed at that point. Have a great trip!

 

Thanks! Yes, we will be watching the super bowl the first day of the second leg, so we'll be sure to grab a great seat before the new cruisers get onboard.

[paul929207]

That is a definite advancage

[TracieABD]

On 10/28/2017 at 9:13 AM, geoherb said:

When we did our b2b cruises, we chose to stay on the ship and report to the group location. The first time we did this, a mother/daughter pair decided not to show up. They were repeated paged. Finally the Princess employee led us off the ship to go through the immigration process. We were held off the ship until the mother and daughter finally showed up.

Ugh... I have heard of this happening. Sadly, this can impact boarding for all of the new passengers too- as the transit passengers have to clear first.

 

Sadly, there are probably no consequences for people who just decide not to show up to the transit call. Shameful.

[skynight]

26 minutes ago, TracieABD said:

Ugh... I have heard of this happening. Sadly, this can impact boarding for all of the new passengers too- as the transit passengers have to clear first.

 

Sadly, there are probably no consequences for people who just decide not to show up to the transit call. Shameful.

Medallions with their location ability may solve or at least reduce this problem.

[Colo Cruiser]

2 hours ago, skynight said:

Medallions with their location ability may solve or at least reduce this problem.

Apparently not if they are wrapped in foil as a few paranoid cruisers said they would do in fear of being tracked onboard.

[waltd]

4 minutes ago, Colo Cruiser said:

Apparently not if they are wrapped in foil as a few paranoid cruisers said they would do in fear of being tracked onboard.

I usually wear the foil on my head.   Aliens ya know ! :)

[Colo Cruiser]

2 minutes ago, waltd said:

I usually wear the foil on my head.   Aliens ya know ! 🙂

Apparently that’s where the medallion is.

Killing 2 birds.......

[floridalover5623]

12 hours ago, skynight said:

Medallions with their location ability may solve or at least reduce this problem.

It hasn't helped at all. They still can't locate the missing pax much faster. 

 

I've given up on staying on the ship &  go for a walk to go shopping and just return just before lunch.

Anything is better then spending the morning waiting for the stragglers to show up.

[EightFurryPaws]

On a recent B2B, when we were sitting in immigration for a very long time, security

finally dragged a husband and wife into the location. He kept saying there was

no reason for them to go thru immigration because they are american citizens. 

 

Everyone was steamed, wasting all morning for something as stupid at that.

[floridalover5623]

15 hours ago, EightFurryPaws said:

On a recent B2B, when we were sitting in immigration for a very long time, security

finally dragged a husband and wife into the location. He kept saying there was

no reason for them to go thru immigration because they are american citizens. 

 

Everyone was steamed, wasting all morning for something as stupid at that.

All it takes is one person and there always seems to be at least one who can't comprehend the written instructions. 😠

 

[suzyed]

On 10/28/2017 at 10:27 AM, OCruisers said:

Happily, on Princess you are not required to attend the muster drill for your second leg. 🙂

Which is what we were told, so we didn't attend the second muster.  Then we got a letter in our cabin that evening that said they noticed we didn't attend the muster and started talking about how important it is.  Our friends traveling with us didn't get the letter, only us.
We just ignored it.  

[floridalover5623]

8 hours ago, suzyed said:

Which is what we were told, so we didn't attend the second muster.  Then we got a letter in our cabin that evening that said they noticed we didn't attend the muster and started talking about how important it is.  Our friends traveling with us didn't get the letter, only us.
We just ignored it.  

On our last trip (first leg) they made an announcement after muster that some people weren't in attendance and that a certain percentage must attend. The names were not called.   

Those that weren't at the first muster were supposed to immediately go to a second one. 

There were no further announcements.