B2B in LA

[1stCruiser]

Doing first B2B ever and it's in LA. We are planning on spending the day in LA and looking at options for tours. I assume we can get off anytime since we have no luggage and only have to go through immigration. Is there are special process for B2B cruisers when we re-embark?

 

Thanks for any insight!

[skynight]

Here is the process.

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.

[bcnvcanada]

LA is a bit different   than most  ports on turn around days.  After everyone is off the

ship, back to back have to sit a wait for the ship to zero out.  Then comes the 

old crew leaving(end of contracts) new crew arrivals, and then back to back

paxs can reboard.  Along with transit card and passport check.  This happens 

around 12:00.  If you are taking a tour, not Princess, or a Princess tour, you will

have to go thru security check and wait turn to board.  

[skynight]

The OP is not staying on the ship. They are getting off to tour around and then re-embarking before final embarkation time. They will not have to wait for the zero out, crew arrivals. They will be off and doing their thing.

[Cruise Raider]

37 minutes ago, skynight said:

Here is the process.

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.

 

Thank you for this info.  Per chance, do you know the process that occurs in Vancouver for a B2B?  I noticed that there is an exception states to this port in the statement above. 

[skynight]

2 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

Thank you for this info.  Per chance, do you know the process that occurs in Vancouver for a B2B?  I noticed that there is an exception states to this port in the statement above. 

When you board in Vancouver for a northbound Alaska cruise you go through U.S. immigration while boarding. Therefore, at the end of the northbound voyage in Whitter no requirement to go through immigration again. 

[Cruise Raider]

17 minutes ago, skynight said:

When you board in Vancouver for a northbound Alaska cruise you go through U.S. immigration while boarding. Therefore, at the end of the northbound voyage in Whitter no requirement to go through immigration again. 

 

I misread that post.  I can see my error in rereading it.  I was asking about a B2B, both originating in Vancouver.  My bad!  

[casofilia]

1st Cruiser.  Where are you arriving in LA from on your first cruise of the two?   That could make quite a difference to how long clearing is going to take.

[skynight]

To add.

Reading what is currently happening at the port of San Pedro, might be wise to re-think a trip into L.A. Certainly you could walk around San Pedro or take a cab over to Long Beach.

 

[Coral]

17 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

Thank you for this info.  Per chance, do you know the process that occurs in Vancouver for a B2B?  I noticed that there is an exception states to this port in the statement above. 

We did a B2B in Vancouver. We did LA to Vancouver, Vancouver to Whittier and then back to Vancouver.

 

It was early in the season and all I can say is early in the season is a mess in Vancouver every year. We did have to leave the ship (Princess people did not leave the ship with us). We were supposed to go through customs/immigration and then come back on right away but no one at the pier had any clue and we were told to "sit down and wait with everyone to board". It didn't matter who I asked. I had some spouses of some people working on the ship who disembarked with us and they didn't have any luck either (Beverage Manager's spouse, Hotel Manager's spouse, etc...). I started wandering around and did find a sign that said "Crew Only". I grabbed the people who disembarked with us and we went through there and got back on the ship.

 

The person who told us we could walk off and get back on was appalled at what we were put through. She thought it would be "easy".

 

If you are going early in the season, expect chaos.

 

 

Edited January 4, 2020 by Coral

[Cruise Raider]

2 hours ago, Coral said:

We did a B2B in Vancouver. We did LA to Vancouver, Vancouver to Whittier and then back to Vancouver.

 

It was early in the season and all I can say is early in the season is a mess in Vancouver every year. We did have to leave the ship (Princess people did not leave the ship with us). We were supposed to go through customs/immigration and then come back on right away but no one at the pier had any clue and we were told to "sit down and wait with everyone to board". It didn't matter who I asked. I had some spouses of some people working on the ship who disembarked with us and they didn't have any luck either (Beverage Manager's spouse, Hotel Manager's spouse, etc...). I started wandering around and did find a sign that said "Crew Only". I grabbed the people who disembarked with us and we went through there and got back on the ship.

 

The person who told us we could walk off and get back on was appalled at what we were put through. She thought it would be "easy".

 

If you are going early in the season, expect chaos.

 

 

 

Thank you ... that is exactly what I was wondering.  I asked because we experienced mass confusion and awful waits up in Vancouver as well ... just not on a B2B.  We happened to know the hotel director on our cruise early in the season and he actually apologized for this situation .. really  not his fault!!  It's just that Canada Place, as beautiful as it is, they really need to get their act together.  That was the third and worst time we experienced this .. nobody seemed to know what to do and with three ships in port at the time, they were extremely understaffed.  

Luckily, we are on a late season sailing but, I know that at least 2 ships will be in port and don't want to spend the day with all that frustration.  I actually like the itinerary on the previous sailing better than being on the same ship ... so, if I have to go through all the hassle anyway, I may do my B2B on two different ships.  Hmmmm??  Now, I am honestly going to look into this.  The only additional hassle may be packing up my stuff.  

[1stCruiser]

15 hours ago, casofilia said:

1st Cruiser.  Where are you arriving in LA from on your first cruise of the two?   That could make quite a difference to how long clearing is going to take.

The first cruise is 4 days stop in Catalina Island, then Ensenada. Will that make a difference?

[1stCruiser]

Has anyone done a day-tour on turnaround day in LA?

[casofilia]

@1stCruiser

 

The cruises we have been on when there has been a BIG wait to debark for a B2B have been long trans-ocean cruises.  Especially when there have been lots of crew changes since the ship was last in an American port and those crew have to "jump through the hoop".  Also when the Coastguard want to do an overall ship check.

You should be OK.

[Coral]

5 hours ago, Cruise Raider said:

 

Luckily, we are on a late season sailing but, I know that at least 2 ships will be in port and don't want to spend the day with all that frustration.  I actually like the itinerary on the previous sailing better than being on the same ship ... so, if I have to go through all the hassle anyway, I may do my B2B on two different ships.  Hmmmm??  Now, I am honestly going to look into this.  The only additional hassle may be packing up my stuff.  

I was with a parent who had hurt her back on a previous trip and I had  her in a wheel chair (usually she is not) and had her Seeing Eye dog with me. Honestly, if it was just me, I would have walked off the ship and walked around downtown Vancouver and then came back later in the day and walked through. I think the chaos was that this was the first time the ship was in Vancouver for the season. It sounds like the pier is crazy every year for the first few weeks.

[alanasgpa]

 I would do Long Beach  ports of call wouldn't go any further than that 10 min in Uber lots to see and do 10 min back