Switching Cruise Ships on Same Day

[knittinggirl]

What's involved in switching cruise ships (all w/ Holland America) ships?

 

Will they move the luggage to the other ship for you?

 

What if the ship we're switching to is late? Do they hold the ship since we'd be coming from another HAL ship?

 

Can we get off the ship a port early and board another ship the next day? How do we do that?

 

We're thinking about an itinerary where we start in Boston and end up in Fort Lauderdale. And flying up to Canada is a major hassle. In orde to do Boston to FLL we need to swap ships or visit something in South America.

 

Is Iceland and Greenland considered a far distant port as far as that PVSA works?

 

We want to see what's involved in this type of itinerary before we start thinking seriously about booking.

[richwmn]

What's involved in switching cruise ships (all w/ Holland America) ships?

 

Will they move the luggage to the other ship for you?

 

What if the ship we're switching to is late? Do they hold the ship since we'd be coming from another HAL ship?

 

Can we get off the ship a port early and board another ship the next day? How do we do that?

 

We're thinking about an itinerary where we start in Boston and end up in Fort Lauderdale. And flying up to Canada is a major hassle. In orde to do Boston to FLL we need to swap ships or visit something in South America.

Is Iceland and Greenland considered a far distant port as far as that PVSA works?

 

We want to see what's involved in this type of itinerary before we start thinking seriously about booking.

 

Without a little more information, your question can't be answered with the exception of the PVSA part. Iceland and Greenland are far ports so transport between two US cities would be allowed. A cruise starting in Boston and ending in FLL would not be allowed, however if you are doing something like the VoV and then continuing from Boston to FLL, it would be ok.

[retafcruiser]

Is Iceland and Greenland considered a far distant port as far as that PVSA works?

 

They are considered distant foreign ports in association with cruises through the northwest passage on another cruise line. So they should also work with your HAL PVSA dilemma.

[3rdGenCunarder]

It sounds like you want to do a northbound one-way Canada cruise, then take a southbound repositioning cruise. Definitely can't do it on the same ship.

 

Are there any fall cruises that go to Iceland or Greenland?

 

Can you find a combination with a gap of a day or two? Maybe changing ports Quebec/Montreal? Someone here will know if that gets around the PVSA.

[knittinggirl]

All the Hal ships arrive and depart the same day. So, I’d be trying something like disembarking the Veendam and embarking the Maasdam.

 

 

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[OlsSalt]

We switched ships in Boston on the same day. Came in to Boston on the Rotterdam from the Voyage of the Vikings and then embarked on the Maasdam to go from Boston to San Deigo via the Panama Canal. There was no HAL help moving things between ships. (We asked and we hoped they would just to an automatic delivery when they took our bags the night before, but no luck)

 

One has to completely disembark, go through any departure formalities, and then wait with their luggage by their side until it is time to embark on the next ship. For us, that was about a two hour lag between ships. In Boston we found no storage lockers, but there were porters who put our suitcases on a trolley and dropped us off at the line waiting to embark on the Massdam which was not an easy walking distance away with all our suitcases (VOV was a long cruise and the two cruise total was 56 days, so we were not traveling light)

 

Other ports may have different amenities. But I sense you will be on your own to make your own independent arrangements for each ship. So no special priorities for our own two HAL ship back to back, even though it looked like we could just toss our suitcases off the aft Lido deck of the Rotterdam and on to the fore deck of the Maasdam right behind us. (Ha ha)

[sail7seas]

We switched ships in Boston on the same day. Came in to Boston on the Rotterdam from the Voyage of the Vikings and then embarked on the Maasdam to go from Boston to San Deigo via the Panama Canal. There was no HAL help moving things between ships. (We asked and we hoped they would just to an automatic delivery when they took our bags the night before, but no luck)

 

One has to completely disembark, go through any departure formalities, and then wait with their luggage by their side until it is time to embark on the next ship. For us, that was about a two hour lag between ships. In Boston we found no storage lockers, but there were porters who put our suitcases on a trolley and dropped us off at the line waiting to embark on the Massdam which was not an easy walking distance away with all our suitcases (VOV was a long cruise and the two cruise total was 56 days, so we were not traveling light)

 

Other ports may have different amenities. But I sense you will be on your own to make your own independent arrangements for each ship. So no special priorities for our own two HAL ship back to back, even though it looked like we could just toss our suitcases off the aft Lido deck of the Rotterdam and on to the fore deck of the Maasdam right behind us. (Ha ha)

 

That is not a b-to-b... It is ' consceutive cruises. One must clear immigrtgion and customs with their luggage when they disembark from cruise #1. HAL can do nothing about that. CBP makes the rules. .

[Kamloops50]

I you go north to Canada from Boston . This cruise is legal under the PVSA . In Canada if you change to different ship that goes to FLL or even the West Coast Coast via the Panama Canal. Both are legal because Canada is a non American port and the PVSA doesn't a[[ly.

[knittinggirl]

It sounds like you want to do a northbound one-way Canada cruise, then take a southbound repositioning cruise. Definitely can't do it on the same ship.

 

Are there any fall cruises that go to Iceland or Greenland?

 

Can you find a combination with a gap of a day or two? Maybe changing ports Quebec/Montreal? Someone here will know if that gets around the PVSA.

We found a Canada NE & Iceland on the Rotterdam for September 2019. It's 24 days. It contains some new (to us) ports.

[knittinggirl]

We did a B2B on Serenade of the Seas that went from Quebec to Fort Lauderdale, to Southern Caribbean.

 

But, I think we could have started in Boston to Quebec, then to FLL since the ship continued to the ABC Islands.

 

Not sure how it works w/ the B2B since they made us leave the ship and go through immigration in FLL. We were off the ship maybe 20 minutes.

[richwmn]

We found a Canada NE & Iceland on the Rotterdam for September 2019. It's 24 days. It contains some new (to us) ports.

I thought that might be what you were talking about, which is why I asked for more information. After that cruise the Rotterdam goes to Montreal, then continues to do Canada NE until 12 October when it goes to Tampa. I don't see a Boston to FLL option.

[Boytjie]

I you go north to Canada from Boston . This cruise is legal under the PVSA . In Canada if you change to different ship that goes to FLL or even the West Coast Coast via the Panama Canal. Both are legal because Canada is a non American port and the PVSA doesn't a[[ly.

 

It does not matter where you change ships; if you go from Boston to Canada and then Canada to Ft. Lauderdale (without visiting a distant foreign port) you run afoul of the PVSA because you were transported from one US port to another US port. (If you went from Canada to San Diego you may be OK IF you stopped at a distant foreign port along the way - and not all of them do).

[thinfool]

You can do the Boston-Montreal trip and then change ships and go from Quebec City to Ft Lauderdale. Neither of these has a PVSA conflict.

 

I believe HAL made these itineraries complementary for just what you are describing.

 

I also believe that you will not be alone if you do this.

 

Suggest you check the roll call here on CC to find kindred spirits.

 

The one issue is that, after disembarking in Montreal you need to scoot along to Quebec City to board the other ship. Be sure that is a reliable connection.

[knittinggirl]

I thought that might be what you were talking about, which is why I asked for more information. After that cruise the Rotterdam goes to Montreal, then continues to do Canada NE until 12 October when it goes to Tampa. I don't see a Boston to FLL option.

I was talking about a cruise that I haven't booked.

 

 

More hypothetical.

 

 

I like to decide on a trip, then not to have to worry about PSVA throwing a monkey wrench into my plans.

 

Personally, I would have loved to fly to Boston go north to Montreal then continue down to FLL, but it's a PSVA violation.

 

Either way, it's a hassle, because DH insists on keeping the same cabin the entire time.

[sail7seas]

You can do the Boston-Montreal trip and then change ships and go from Quebec City to Ft Lauderdale

 

Neither of these has a PVSA conflict.

 

The one issue is that, after disembarking in Montreal you need to scoot along to Quebec City to board the other ship. Be sure that is a reliable connection.

 

 

That is an 'inconvenient sc oot.' Too bad both ships won't be in Motnreal, same time ,

[DaveOKC]

I just booked a Quebec to Fort Lauderdale cruise and received an email from HAL that I could not combine it with the preceding New York to Quebec cruise (no problem since I was not going to do this anyway).

[OlsSalt]

That is not a b-to-b... It is ' consceutive cruises. One must clear immigrtgion and customs with their luggage when they disembark from cruise #1. HAL can do nothing about that. CBP makes the rules. .

 

Agree, I was using the term B2B loosely. I should not have since it is a term of art for "collector" type cruises which are B2B, but on the same ships. Our own unofficial "B2B" was on two different HAL ships. Thank you for catching this potential confusion.

[richwmn]

That is not a b-to-b... It is ' consceutive cruises. One must clear immigrtgion and customs with their luggage when they disembark from cruise #1. HAL can do nothing about that. CBP makes the rules. .

 

Agree, I was using the term B2B loosely. I should not have since it is a term of art for "collector" type cruises which are B2B, but on the same ships. Our own unofficial "B2B" was on two different HAL ships. Thank you for catching this potential confusion.

 

I believe the term "B2B" has been generally used on this board, and the others on CC, to denote all consecutive cruises, regardless of ship or even cruise line. See these entries from the current Future Cruise List

 

Ruby Princess - 14-Jul-18 - 7 day Alaska

luvteaching - B2B with Eurodam July 21st

Volendam - 18-Jul-18 - 11 night cruise tour Y4C Vancouver to Anchorage

rafinmd - completing the R class, B2B2B Westerdam Jul 29 & Crystal Sumphony Aug. 10th

[Dr.Dobro]

In the fall of 2016 we took Koningsdam from Rome to Ft Lauderdale, got off and boarded Zuiderdam for a Panama Canal cruise, leaving the same day.

 

I was asking at the Koningsdam desk about how far away the Zuiderdam would be in the port, and they volunteered to transport us and our luggage at no charge.

 

We had to go through customs, but we were instructed to get on a HAL transfer bus headed for the airport. The HAL shore rep knew we were coming, and they dropped us off at Zuiderdam on the way out of the port. Great service.

[kazu]

I believe the term "B2B" has been generally used on this board, and the others on CC, to denote all consecutive cruises, regardless of ship or even cruise line. See these entries from the current Future Cruise List

 

 

 

Yes indeed. Stating B2B on the FCL seemed the easiest way to do it ;). As long as people are getting on another ship or continuing on the same ship on the same day under a different booking number, that's what I have been calling it as do the people who post on the FCL to advise me of their cruises. ;):halo:

[1of4]

<snip>

 

The one issue is that, after disembarking in Montreal you need to scoot along to Quebec City to board the other ship. Be sure that is a reliable connection.

 

The driving time between Montréal and Québec City is 2 hours. You can also take a bus or train. Not all ships can fit under the bridges to get to the port of Montréal.

[Kamloops50]

The driving time between Montréal and Québec City is 2 hours. You can also take a bus or train. Not all ships can fit under the bridges to get to the port of Montréal.

 

Mapquest shows a driving time of almost 3 hours.

[catl331]

Mapquest shows a driving time of almost 3 hours.

Google Earth agrees - 2:47 pier-to-pier

[1of4]

Mapquest shows a driving time of almost 3 hours.

 

:confused: I lived in Montréal for 22 years and it was always a 2 hour drive. But that said it is always wise to leave more time. My experience with Mapquest is that is always overestimates the time...plus Québecers aren’t known for their slow driving :o.

 

Of course it is very dependent upon day of week and time of day as you have to get off the island of Montréal (tunnel is best for where you are going) and the cross the St.Lawrence to get into Quebec City if my memory serves. But things (and roads) change.

[catl331]

:confused:My experience with Mapquest is that is always overestimates the time...plus Québecers aren’t known for their slow driving.

There's the key! Mapquest/Google etc presume legal speeds!