Back to back cruise

[kyjoe]

We've platinum on Princess Cruises, but this will be our first back to back cruise. Do you have to get off the ship after the first 7 days when you land in Fort Lauderdale, or can you stay onboard?? If you have to get off, how long before you can get back on???

[Ron the Rev]

Procedure varies. We have had, somtimes, to disembark for immigration checks and sometimes the immigration officers come on board to check. I suppose it depends on the numbers of passengers on b2b. Anyway you will get a notification late on into your cruise as to what to do.😎   

[Coral]

It also depends on what type of cruise you are on. Are you doing 2 Caribbean cruises B2B. If so, yes, you have to get off. On other B2Bs you don't necessarily have to get off.

[Essiesmom]

In US ports, ships are required to 'zero down' before new guests can be allowed to board.  If they walk you off in a group, they do this after all departing guests have dinged out, and you can reboard immediately.  As mentioned, if there is a large group doing a B2B, they may come onboard and take care of you in a lounge.  You do have the option of leaving the ship early, going ashore and touring or doing errands.  But in that case, you cannot reboard until such time as they start boarding new passengers.  You would have a transit pass to avoid the check in area.  EM

[Coral]

11 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

In US ports, ships are required to 'zero down' before new guests can be allowed to board.  

This is not true in all ports. It depends on where your cruises go.

 

For example - if I do an Alaskan cruise from Vancouver to Whittier (US) and then back to Vancouver - they do not have to "zero down" or whatever you call it before new guests board in Whittier. You can stay on the ship. I did another cruise from Vancouver to LA and then stayed on and went to Mexico. We did not have to leave the ship either.

 

 

[Belle]

In the Caribbean you have to get off. Will take you downstairs..when ship is empty will take you

back up. How long you wait will depend when all the b2b's show up. Always seems like someone

always shows up late.  When you do get back on you can enjoy an almost empty ship for awhile. 

[birdiebill]

My wife and I have done a BTB in the Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale the past two years.  Regal Princess---Eastern Caribbean followed by Western.  In 2018 we met in the theatre with all other in-transit passengers.  Customs/immigration came to us and checked our passports there.  In 2019 we met in the theatre with all other in transit passengers, a lot more than in 2018.  We then all had to disembark into the terminal.  After a while Immigration came and checked our passports and we immediately were allowed to go back onto the ship.

 

Three or four years ago we did another BTB on Princess out of Ft. Lauderdale on the Royal Princess.  On that one we met in the theatre, had to all go into the terminal, were checked there when Immigration came and then went back onboard.

 

So we have experienced it both ways in Fort Lauderdale.  It may depend upon the number of in-transit passengers.

[idahospud]

8 minutes ago, birdiebill said:

So we have experienced it both ways in Fort Lauderdale.  It may depend upon the number of in-transit passengers.

 

Yep. We've been on B2Bs in Fort Lauderdale with 50 people where we've had to get off the ship. We've also been on B2Bs there with over 600 in transits where the officials came onto the ship.

Edited August 17, 2019 by idahospud