Back 2 Back

[pkhilberling]

We talked to a lot of folks on last cruise doing back to backs . Never thought to ask but do you have to disembark or can you just stay on board and in same room . 
What’s the advantage or disadvantages of booking as one vs two cruises . 
Thanks and enjoy 

[paul929207]

44 minutes ago, pkhilberling said:

We talked to a lot of folks on last cruise doing back to backs . Never thought to ask but do you have to disembark or can you just stay on board and in same room . 
What’s the advantage or disadvantages of booking as one vs two cruises . 
Thanks and enjoy 

The answer depends on where you are on turnaround and immigration rules there. We have never gone thru any immigration on turnaround day at a US port.

 

In the US we have had to get off the ship and go thru immigration for reboarding. Other times we have met in the theater  and did immigration as we left the room.

[cruzrbachoua]

Also depends on if your cabin is available.  We just did a b2b that our cabin was only available sold as 2 b2b cruises vs 1 long one.  It was the Caribbean and on turnaround day in FLL we all gathered in a lounge after the others disembarked...were led off to a side area of the terminal...once the ship was "zeroed" and cleared they escorted us right back on.  We sat in the terminal area roughly 30 min...mainly because one family didn't pay attention came late and packed all their belongings.  They send a letter stating there will be a meeting near the end of the 1st leg, then they send another letter recapping what was said in the meeting.  If you are staying in the same cabin you leave everything there your steward knows.  If for some reason you have to or want to book 2 different cabins the stewards work together to transport your belongings I believe it said you just had to empty your safe and perhaps the drawers as then they would bring a trolley in and take all bags and hanging clothes and wheel it over to the new cabin....but we were in same cabin so don't quote me on all of that as I didn't read all that section of the letter. 

[jondfk]

Yes, unfortunately for a B2B which turns around in the U.S. every passenger has to be seen by U.S. customs and immigration.  

 

You'll receive a letter with precise instructions - if everyone doing B2B's follows instruction - the process will be quick and painless.  Our most recent experience in San Pedro on Royal last October:

 

We were told to meet at Club 6 at 10:00.  There were 47 of us, a small group as I understand it.  Everyone was on time.

 

One of the ships jr officers, upon receiving word that INS was clear, led us through the terminal and to our meeting with immigrations.  I wouldn't say it was a cursory review, each person took 30 seconds to a minute.  We all gathered again with our officer outside the hall.

 

She led us back to security screening, things got a bit chaotic here since new passengers were also being screened.  B2B guests were mixed in with all of the others.  Yes, all 47 of us went in one after the other, but there were 5 or 6 metal detectors, some moving far faster than others, the group was split up over all of them and some separation was introduced as a result.

 

We were led to seating near the escalator to the gangway, this was near the Elite lounge and Elites who know the terminal well were waiting outside of the very small Elite lounge near the door to the escalator.  This was the only problem we had - when the all clear signal was radioed to our officer the door to the escalator was opened and a couple of Elite pax jumped up and sprinted towards the escalator with bags flying behind him (it's always a him).  Security had to physically restrain him from the escalator allowing the small B2B group to reboard, the whole time we could here him shouting "I'm Elite, I'm Elite, why do they get to go ahead of me" a little less use of the mouth and more use of the ears would have clarified things, but I digress.

 

My long message makes it sound like a long process.  It wasn't.  From the time we sat down in the lounge about 9:45 until we were back in the Sanctuary in our loungers was something like 50 minutes.  We didn't change cabins so I can't offer any insight on that process.

[skynight]

1 hour ago, pkhilberling said:

We talked to a lot of folks on last cruise doing back to backs . Never thought to ask but do you have to disembark or can you just stay on board and in same room . 
What’s the advantage or disadvantages of booking as one vs two cruises . 
Thanks and enjoy 

Can you stay in the same cabin? Yes, if the same cabin is booked for both legs. When booking as two separate booking numbers have you bookings marked no upgrade. This will give you a much better chance of the same cabin for both legs.

Advantages & Disadvantages. We generally book as two separate cruises. This provides us with greater flexibility. Usually the cost of booking as a single booking number or two booking numbers are very close. You have to do the math with fares and OBC. Once on board, no difference. You receive a cruise credit for each leg no matter how booked. There will be one final invoice charged on final disembarkation day.

..do you have to disembark or can you just stay on board and in same room?

This depends on the country where you do the turn around. If your turn around is in the United States then you are required by law to go through immigration. Here are the basic instructions for turn around in U.S. ports, excluding Whittier, AK. At most non U.S. ports, not all, turn around day is just like any other port day.

Turn Around Day at U.S. Ports (except Whitter, AK when boarding in Vancouver)

 

You receive instructions in your cabin. Be sure to fully read and follow the instructions exactly for turn around day.
You will have two choices:
a) Exit the ship anytime after disembarkation has begun up to the final call around 9:30/10:00am. Take your passport, cruise card(s), medallion if used, and intransit card with you. Return to the ship anytime after embarkation has begun, around 11:30am. With the intransit card you will get right on the ship. You will have to go through immigration on exit and security when you return.
b) Stay on the ship and report NO LATER THAN THE TIME INDICATED to the location indicated in the directions, usually the theater. Bring your passport and cruise card(s), medallion if used, with you. If you stay on the ship you must report, NO EXCEPTIONS. A staff member will guide you through immigration and back on the ship.

You do not have to go to a second muster drill.

If you are staying in the same cabin your cabin steward will prepare your cabin just like any other day. Nothing is removed. We normally advise the cabin steward to schedule our cabin last to provide more time to get cabins ready for the new passengers. Just a courtesy.

 

If you are changing cabins your cabin steward will arrange for the move. Keep as much on hangers as possible. Pack other items in your luggage.

 

[geoherb]

Look to the benefits you'll receive versus cost to determine whether to book as one cruise or two--if booking as one cruise is even available. For instance, you'll receive $250 in onboard shareholder or military credit for booking a 14-day cruise versus $200 for two 7-day cruises if eligible. You'll receive 250 free internet minutes for a 14-day cruise if you're Platinum or above versus 300 for two 7-day cruises (if applied correctly). 

Edited December 19, 2019 by geoherb

[Renmar]

Don't forget the 2 bar set-ups if you are Elite and book as a B2B instead of one cruise. Also no corkage fee for 2 bottles of wine per person on a B2B (no status required 😁).

 

Theo

[Papa Yoda]

 

All the above and ...

 

Great knowing your vacation isn't over while most others have to get the heck off your ship!

 

Don't have to go to Muster Drill on leg 2 (unless you're on for more than 30 days).

 

If you do have to change cabins, the crew takes care of the move for you, just take docs, valuables and meds with you.  Pack up drawers and leave hanging clothes for them to move.  In all it's just another port day for you.

[skynight]

9 hours ago, Renmar said:

Don't forget the 2 bar set-ups if you are Elite and book as a B2B instead of one cruise. Also no corkage fee for 2 bottles of wine per person on a B2B (no status required 😁).

 

Theo

My experience sailing many b2b's each year since 2011. The elite mini bar is delivered to your cabin at the beginning of each leg of the voyage. b2b = 2 mini bars, b2b2b = 3 mini bars and so on. Amount of booking numbers isn't in play. 

[Thumper007]

If your Captains Circle status changes between cruises, do you get new cards or medallions for the second leg?

 

[Papa Yoda]

 

Yes

 

See Captains Circle Host to make sure your status is updated in the ship's system, get your new lapel pins, then go to Passenger Services.  Once we got all that delivered to the cabin on turnaround.

[paul929207]

Loyalty OBC is based on how you book. So one cruise gets one award. Book as two cruises and get 2.

[PoohUnderstands]

Also as someone mentioned in their reply I will do a B2B when it is necessary to get the room I want.  On my next Med. cruise on the Enchanted Princess in order to get one of the two S7 category rooms(Window Suite) I had to book it as two 7 day cruises, b2b rather than one 14 day cruise which was available.  It cost me maybe $100 or so pp more, but I got my WS!  And I got two cruise credits instead of 1. And this way, I will be elite for the second 7 days!

 

Pooh

Edited December 19, 2019 by PoohUnderstands

[ghstudio]

If you are considering a back 2 back cruise, check to see if Princess offers both cruises together as a longer cruise....and price it both ways....booking 2 cruises vs 1 longer cruise.

 

Recent example: we have a 12 night cruise booked around the UK....$8000 for the M1 cabin.  The preceding trip is the TA from Ft Lauderdale to Southampton....booking the TA in the same class (M1) would have cost $5000.  However, Princess offers booking one 27 night cruise (the TA plus the cruise we already booked)....and if you book an M1 on that longer cruise, the cost is $9600.  That's one heck of a saving on the first TA cruise....just $1600 (Note: all prices are total for 2 people, not PP).

 

There's no right answer....you have to check all the options.  We would have had more OBC if we booked two cruises, but not $3400 worth....our decision was easy...cancel and rebook.  

[BrennerM]

50 minutes ago, paul929207 said:

Loyalty OBC is based on how you book. So one cruise gets one award. Book as two cruises and get 2.

 

This is not always true.  We did a 14-day Med cruise this past summer and we booked it as a 14-day (right on the Princess website, no TA) but in reality it was treated as two 7-day cruises B2B by Princess.  We got two cruise credits for it and 150 minutes of internet for each 7-day stretch.

[ghstudio]

Every situation is different...and BTW, Travel Agents are not always on top of the options.  Because of the way HAL and Princess price cruises where there are multiple legs....and the variety of pricing options, it's almost a full time job to just figure out how to book the cruises YOU want to do.

 

One thing I forgot on my previous post....Princess holds cabins for those who want to book the longer cruise (27 night cruise in my case)..If you look at the TA and/or the next cruise we booked today, it shows no M1's available, not even guaranteed.  The 27 night cruise shows one M1 available and also a guaranteed M1.  It just adds another level of difficulty.