Back to back to back cruise

[Wayfairers]

We’ve booked our first back to back to back cruise on the NS for next year.   We’ve never done a back to back.  Any issues or positives with doing that?

[Ken the cruiser]

You will probably see the same shows on every leg and possibly some of the guest entertainers, depending on their contract agreement. Also, if you like playing trivia, you may hear some of the same questions, especially if they are still doing the BBC Earth trivia game. Not sure if your shipboard account credit/debt carries over to the next leg. You may want to confirm that, especially if your TA posts OBC and/or other perks to it before you sail.

 

But most importantly, have a fun time!!

Edited April 1, 2019 by Ken the cruiser

[knittinggirl]

On our last B2B, they added up the onboard spending for both legs.  Then they put the mariner points on the first leg, and no mariner points on the second leg.

 

I think Royal Caribbean handles B2B cruises better.  We would get free alcohol at the B2B meeting, and sometimes a special lunch in the MDR depending on the number of continuing passengers.

 

On HAL, no goodies, just a meeting.

 

Depending on how long your cruises are, you may not be required to muster the second cruise.  We mustered upon embarkation in San Francisco, didn't need to muster in Hawaii, but needed to muster in Sydney.  Depends in your overall cruise lasts more than 30 days.

Edited April 1, 2019 by knittinggirl

[VMax1700]

We ate curtently on B2B cruises on Koningsdam. Two different bookings with different booking numbers and was not available as a 'collector' cruise.

We booked VH G'tee cabins and were allocated different cabins for each cruise. A quick email fixed that! We were appreciative of that as we understand the risks of g'tees.

When we arrived onboard there was a letter welcoming us on our 'collector' cruise! Strange! But a plus from that is that we got the 23day internet price instead of the 11+13 price.

On a previous B2B there was a 'collectors' indonesian lunch held. Have not received any notification of a lunch this time. But then again we are not strictly on a collectors cruise!

[CruiserBruce]

We have done several B2Bs. The room account has always been for the entire, combined cruise. They usually give you a advisory statement at the turnaround day.

 

They have had a cocktail party for the people on the B2B, but I don't think it has been every B2B we have been on. It has been an Indonesian lunch a couple of times.

[SeagoingMom]

We just returned from a 14 night back-to-back on Oosterdam, E/W Caribbean. We did a similar one on Eurodam last spring. I can tell you what happened on our cruises, but you should not assume that what we experienced is what you will experience.  Our back-to-back this year was different in some ways from last years'!

 

We booked each cruise as a 14-night Collector's cruise, which meant we got an oversized map of the itinerary at the end as a souvenir.  We stayed in the same cabin for both weeks, but some I suppose who book each cruise separately may not be able to do that?

 

Those of us who were in the Mariner's Club were invited to two champagne luncheons: one for each week.

 

On this year's cruise, when we got back to Ft. Lauderdale after the first leg, all of us staying on board were required to gather in a lounge (our belongings stayed in our cabins) to be escorted off the ship back into the terminal to walk past U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents and show them our passports. Then we got back onboard.  On the previous year's cruise, when we got to Ft. Lauderdale, those of us staying onboard for the next cruise gathered in the dining room, and Customs and Border Protection agents came onboard and had everyone file past and show their passports. So clearly the policy set by Customs and Border Protection, who run the show, had changed one year to the next. You should expect it may change again.

 

Anyone who was on the back-to-back but had booked a ship excursion for Ft. Lauderdale (yes, they are available) or wanted to get off the ship for any reason was offered a "transit pass," and exited the ship the same as everyone who was disembarking (except transit passengers did not have their luggage), went through customs (I think), and later got back on board the same as new passengers who were embarking.  That is my understanding of how the system worked, though we never got off at Ft. Lauderdale as transit passengers, so I am not speaking from experience.

 

Our account carried over from one week to the next - we did not have to close it out at the end of the first cruise.  Nor did we have to get new ship cards. But again, those who book their cruises separately might have to do that.
 

We did not have to repeat the muster drill on the second leg. However, a crew member was sent to ask us why we were not at the muster drill when someone spotted us on an upper outside deck during muster.

 

Some (not all) of the entertainment was the same both weeks.  But even when the entertainers were the same, the programs were often different -- the comic told different jokes, musical groups played different pieces. Some entertainment, such as the BBC World show, was probably identical.

 

The dining room menus differed each week, though some menu items appeared both weeks.

 

If you have any specific questions, I would be happy to try to answer them!

[ottahand7]

I also wondered about this, big help thanks for the great responses. 

 

[ToBe]

2 hours ago, SeagoingMom said:

We just returned from a 14 night back-to-back on Oosterdam, E/W Caribbean. We did a similar one on Eurodam last spring. I can tell you what happened on our cruises, but you should not assume that what we experienced is what you will experience.  Our back-to-back this year was different in some ways from last years'!

 

We booked each cruise as a 14-night Collector's cruise, which meant we got an oversized map of the itinerary at the end as a souvenir.  We stayed in the same cabin for both weeks, but some I suppose who book each cruise separately may not be able to do that?

 

Those of us who were in the Mariner's Club were invited to two champagne luncheons: one for each week.

 

On this year's cruise, when we got back to Ft. Lauderdale after the first leg, all of us staying on board were required to gather in a lounge (our belongings stayed in our cabins) to be escorted off the ship back into the terminal to walk past U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents and show them our passports. Then we got back onboard.  On the previous year's cruise, when we got to Ft. Lauderdale, those of us staying onboard for the next cruise gathered in the dining room, and Customs and Border Protection agents came onboard and had everyone file past and show their passports. So clearly the policy set by Customs and Border Protection, who run the show, had changed one year to the next. You should expect it may change again.

 

Anyone who was on the back-to-back but had booked a ship excursion for Ft. Lauderdale (yes, they are available) or wanted to get off the ship for any reason was offered a "transit pass," and exited the ship the same as everyone who was disembarking (except transit passengers did not have their luggage), went through customs (I think), and later got back on board the same as new passengers who were embarking.  That is my understanding of how the system worked, though we never got off at Ft. Lauderdale as transit passengers, so I am not speaking from experience.

 

Our account carried over from one week to the next - we did not have to close it out at the end of the first cruise.  Nor did we have to get new ship cards. But again, those who book their cruises separately might have to do that.
 

We did not have to repeat the muster drill on the second leg. However, a crew member was sent to ask us why we were not at the muster drill when someone spotted us on an upper outside deck during muster.

 

Some (not all) of the entertainment was the same both weeks.  But even when the entertainers were the same, the programs were often different -- the comic told different jokes, musical groups played different pieces. Some entertainment, such as the BBC World show, was probably identical.

 

The dining room menus differed each week, though some menu items appeared both weeks.

 

If you have any specific questions, I would be happy to try to answer them!

 

 

We've done B2B and then additional legs in Asia, Australia, and Europe.  Your onboard card is for your entire voyage not just the B2B. Your account carries to the end also. You can buy WiFi for up to a 30 day cruise and the rate is much less expensive than buying daily. We then could buy additional WiFi days. You do not have to go to the safety drill until you will be on more than 30 days .  We like to do our own tours during days that people disembark/embark.. We have always been given transit passes. We have had to go through passport control in Australia this year when we were continuing the voyage. 

[SAPMAN]

Just did B2B last week in Ft Lauderdale (Mar 24). Process same as above.  If you switch cabins, keep old card to get off and before you get off get a new cabin one at Guest Services that morning.  Everyone gathers in BB King until last non B2B person gets off.  That sometimes takes quite a while (30+ minutes) as a number of stragglers.   AND they waited until all of those had got bags and process thru Border Protection before letting you off the ship.   From that point a very short process to go down to Customs area and walk past with passport open and then back on ship.     No need to do another muster.  We waiting on aft of Lido deck to "save" seats for those new Cruise Critic folks coming on for the Sailaway.    We could not buy drinks until they ended the Muster drill.   

 

 

 

 

 

[frankc98376]

We are doing B2B Coastal and Alaska. Turnaround day is in Vancouver. Last time we did this we got a letter telling us to go through US Customs at some point during the day. We were free to stay aboard.  This was a few years ago- anyone have more recent experience in Vancouver with B2B?

Edited April 2, 2019 by frankc98376

[wyobean]

Also remember if you have 2 booking numbers you can get the shareholder credit for each one.

[caribill]

3 hours ago, wyobean said:

Also remember if you have 2 booking numbers you can get the shareholder credit for each one.

 

True, but you can get $250 if one booking number for 14 days while if two 7 day cruises you get a total of $200 ($100 each segment).

[DeepWaterMariner]

We've had different experiences on different ships.  Sometimes we've been invited to the Indonesian lunch and sometimes its been a reception.  Sometimes we've had to attend all the muster drills and sometimes not.  We did a combination of collector and back to back cruises on Prinsendam for a total of 56 days.  The production shows repeated but the guest entertainers did not.  The menus also varied, including Dutch Lido lunches where we would discover something we liked only to have it disappear the next time they had the Dutch lunch.

[Wayfairers]

Thanks for the great information!   Sounds like the turn around day varies.  Both of our turn around days will be in Amsterdam.   I considered booking a private tour for the day but sounds like I cannot know for sure what time we will be allowed to leave the ship so that may not be a good idea.  

[CruiserBruce]

47 minutes ago, Wayfairers said:

Thanks for the great information!   Sounds like the turn around day varies.  Both of our turn around days will be in Amsterdam.   I considered booking a private tour for the day but sounds like I cannot know for sure what time we will be allowed to leave the ship so that may not be a good idea.  

 

As frequently discussed here, turnaround day only typically varies if you are at a US port, or a non US port. US ports have formal procedures, non-US ports treat turnaround day as another port day for those staying on board.

[Wayfairers]

18 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

 

As frequently discussed here, turnaround day only typically varies if you are at a US port, or a non US port. US ports have formal procedures, non-US ports treat turnaround day as another port day for those staying on board.

Awesome news.   Thought I had read all the comments on this post but I must have missed that info.  Thanks for sharing it again   

[tamsno]

Did B2B on Koningsdam to Iceland. Embark, turnaround, and disembark in the nice port facilities in Amsterdam 2 years ago.  All worked very easily.  HAL tour on turnaround day got us off the ship quickly. Return to ship only required showing in transit card and waiting in line with everyone for usual security bag check. HAL airport transfers, and the very nice Movenpick hotel next to terminal before embark made it all seamless. HAL picked up luggage from room.  Before England and Scotland ports UK officials came on board for face to face with everyone including crew.  Have a great trip.