VIFP B2B priority boarding question

[wo5m]

I am currently 8 days away from turning Platinum and I am thinking about doing 2 5day cruises B2B, but with two different groups of people. The first will be with my scuba buddies and the second will be with my family. I understand that I will be Platinum for the second cruise, but since my wife and son will be staying in my cabin so they should also get priority boarding right?  The problem is I will be printing up all the boarding passes and tags prior to the first cruise and since I haven't completed it yet, I thinking it will not reflect my new Platinum status on the second cruise tags, right?   I know having her reprint the passes the morning of cruise would probably work, although problematic since she is not tech savvy. Any thoughts?

[Essiesmom]

Hmmm... Noone on your second cruise can start boarding until the ship is zeroed down.  This will include you.  Your new S&S card will show platinum, but I'm not sure your account will be updated right away, so your boarding pass for the second cruise won't be, either.  Not sure there is a VIFP rep onboard who might be able to update things and reprint the boarding passes.  If they could, you could debark, meet them and go through boarding with them.  Hope someone will come along who has a better idea... EM

[drafterdw]

So, if I turn Platinum during my cruise I get the Platinum perks?

[skrufy]

53 minutes ago, wo5m said:

I am currently 8 days away from turning Platinum and I am thinking about doing 2 5day cruises B2B, but with two different groups of people. The first will be with my scuba buddies and the second will be with my family. I understand that I will be Platinum for the second cruise, but since my wife and son will be staying in my cabin so they should also get priority boarding right?  The problem is I will be printing up all the boarding passes and tags prior to the first cruise and since I haven't completed it yet, I thinking it will not reflect my new Platinum status on the second cruise tags, right?   I know having her reprint the passes the morning of cruise would probably work, although problematic since she is not tech savvy. Any thoughts?

Your family will be considered platinum along with you. The way I understand b2bs, you will be escorted off the ship, then back through all security checks, then back to your cabin. Your new S&S card will reflect you being platinum. No need for new luggage tags and boarding passes. Unless you want to get off and reboard with your friends, you will need boarding passes and all your Identification with you. Hope this helps.

[Davey Wavey]

On a B2B, you will be Platinum on BOTH legs even though you only earn platinum on the second. I am not sure if your family's boarding passes will show priority, but if they don't, you can exit the ship and reboard with your family. Make SURE you take your ID, boarding pass for the second leg, and the Transit Pass they will include in your envelope of instructions for what to do to stay on the ship or exit and reboard.

 

So, if you go to print your boarding passes and tags prior to your first cruise and they somehow don't reflect your priority status, call guest services and tell them you turn platinum on your 2nd leg of a B2B so they can make sure your bookings are linked and the platinum shows up for the first leg.

Edited May 16, 2019 by Davey Wavey

[PhillyFan33579]

13 hours ago, skrufy said:

Your family will be considered platinum along with you. The way I understand b2bs, you will be escorted off the ship, then back through all security checks, then back to your cabin. Your new S&S card will reflect you being platinum. No need for new luggage tags and boarding passes. Unless you want to get off and reboard with your friends, you will need boarding passes and all your Identification with you. Hope this helps.

 

If you are Platinum, your family is not considered Platinum unless they are Platinum too. However, if family is staying in the same cabin with the person who is Platinum, they will get some perks associated with being Platinum like priority boarding and priority luggage tags 

[Doggielover68]

I have done several b2b cruises and while your family might have priority on their boarding pass, they won't get on any sooner than others with priority passes. Most of the time when we go through customs escorted by guest services, there aren't any people in the terminal yet or they are just starting to filter in. That being said, it isn't very long before they start boarding the first groups. Platinum and other priority guests typically start boarding 30 min to an hour after b2b people get back on the ship. 

[maryred]

20 hours ago, wo5m said:

I am currently 8 days away from turning Platinum and I am thinking about doing 2 5day cruises B2B, but with two different groups of people. The first will be with my scuba buddies and the second will be with my family. I understand that I will be Platinum for the second cruise, but since my wife and son will be staying in my cabin so they should also get priority boarding right?  The problem is I will be printing up all the boarding passes and tags prior to the first cruise and since I haven't completed it yet, I thinking it will not reflect my new Platinum status on the second cruise tags, right?   I know having her reprint the passes the morning of cruise would probably work, although problematic since she is not tech savvy. Any thoughts?

OK here's my take on this situation. cruise phase 1 you and dive buddies are sharing a cabin, phase 2 on the next turn around day your dive buddies disembark and your family arrives to share a cabin and on this portion you will reach your Platinum status. Technically each cruise is stand alone in loyalty status  and updates only after your are confirmed as finishing a cruise. The points to your VIFP listing may take 2 days to a week after that cruise to reflect your new status. This may not affect the second cruise boarding passes but you won't know until you printout your tags and boarding passes. The boarding pass and tags can not be printed out after 11:59pm eastern time the night before the cruise, even if your new status updates prior to the completion of the first leg of the B2B. So if Priority is not showing on the passes and tags when you print them prior to you leaving on the first leg nothing will change on those during your cruise. Here's is where an experienced PVP or TA comes into play, as they know whom to contact at corporate to make sure your family has the correct priority printed on their boarding passes and luggage tags with your new level. 

As other posters have stated those doing a B2B have a special procedure that is followed for re-boarding their second leg. Generally after all other passengers have left the ship you will be escorted through the terminal for a special customs check and new in person check-in. This is usually done before the wedding party (if any) even arrives at the terminal, the process is usually followed by B2B passengers immediately reboarding for a private reception. Though you can ask the purser that escorts you through the terminal if you can wait for your family skipping the reception, the decision is ultimately up to port personel. In fact port personel may ask that you leave the building and return after they open to the (priority) public for processing.  

SO my advice is to look over your boarding passes and tags at least 2 weeks prior to leaving on the first leg. IF the second leg paperwork does not reflect Priority status call your PVP or TA (not the general call center /customer service #) have them figure out the way to accommodate the deserved status for your family members in your cabin. ONCE adjusted printout the boarding passes and luggage tags for your wife and son. THEN have 2 plans in place A) where to meet  your family if you are allowed to wait for them off ship and B) where on board you will meet them if you can not wait in or near the terminal for them.

[Retired_to_Cruise]

On 5/16/2019 at 5:57 AM, Davey Wavey said:

On a B2B, you will be Platinum on BOTH legs even though you only earn platinum on the second. I am not sure if your family's boarding passes will show priority, but if they don't, you can exit the ship and reboard with your family. Make SURE you take your ID, boarding pass for the second leg, and the Transit Pass they will include in your envelope of instructions for what to do to stay on the ship or exit and reboard.

 

So, if you go to print your boarding passes and tags prior to your first cruise and they somehow don't reflect your priority status, call guest services and tell them you turn platinum on your 2nd leg of a B2B so they can make sure your bookings are linked and the platinum shows up for the first leg.

I  do not think they will be platinum on the first of the B2B cruises. Since they are looked at as separate cruises for accounting and days sailed purposes.

[wo5m]

2 hours ago, Retired_to_Cruise said:

I  do not think they will be platinum on the first of the B2B cruises. Since they are looked at as separate cruises for accounting and days sailed purposes.

 

This is what I thought, but after seeing Davey port, I reached out to our PVP(we actually have a good relationship with ours) and asked him that question. He said he was going to ask around, but didn't see why not. I'll let you know what I find out. I've always wanted to do a B2B for many reasons.  I've always wanted to go up to my dinning room waiter(or someone else I interact with a lot) on the first night of the second leg and go "Shhhh....I'm a stowaway"🤣

[Retired_to_Cruise]

20 hours ago, wo5m said:

 

This is what I thought, but after seeing Davey port, I reached out to our PVP(we actually have a good relationship with ours) and asked him that question. He said he was going to ask around, but didn't see why not. I'll let you know what I find out. I've always wanted to do a B2B for many reasons.  I've always wanted to go up to my dinning room waiter(or someone else I interact with a lot) on the first night of the second leg and go "Shhhh....I'm a stowaway"🤣

A couple of years ago, we decided that 7 days was not enough. We have since then done B2Bs. We love the fact that we get to deal with the same crew two weeks in a row and get the benefits of their first weeks experience of what we like, etc. We also love that we are amortizing the airline cost over 2 weeks rather than 1. Staying in the same cabin is a must in our minds. We prefer B2B over Journey cruises which are usually overrun with VIPFs. We just got off a B2B on the Conquest and there were only 15 and 18 diamonds on the two cruises. It made the diamond lunch 3 table affairs on each week and allowed 2 to 3 members of the senior crew members at each table. The totals of Platinum and Diamond members each week were 60 to 70 which made the cocktail parties much more intimate as well.  We do at least 2 B2Bs a year and think it is the only way to go. Thank God for retirement.

[Shaded Lady]

4 hours ago, Retired_to_Cruise said:

A couple of years ago, we decided that 7 days was not enough. We have since then done B2Bs. We love the fact that we get to deal with the same crew two weeks in a row and get the benefits of their first weeks experience of what we like, etc. We also love that we are amortizing the airline cost over 2 weeks rather than 1. Staying in the same cabin is a must in our minds. We prefer B2B over Journey cruises which are usually overrun with VIPFs. We just got off a B2B on the Conquest and there were only 15 and 18 diamonds on the two cruises. It made the diamond lunch 3 table affairs on each week and allowed 2 to 3 members of the senior crew members at each table. The totals of Platinum and Diamond members each week were 60 to 70 which made the cocktail parties much more intimate as well.  We do at least 2 B2Bs a year and think it is the only way to go. Thank God for retirement.

I want to be you when I grow up!!!

 

(don't tell anyone, I'm pretty close to retirement already!)