Doing a B2B on the POA

[NextOne]

We are booked for back-to-back cruises on the POA next February, and have fingers & toes crossed that it will happen! I have a question that NCL (at least the staff that responded to my question) was unable to answer.  We have the same stateroom booked for each segment. My question was whether (1)we'd be allowed to leave our belongings in the cabin on transition day, or (2)whether we'd have to pack everything up, disembark, and reboard like it was the first time. My first contact responded with #2, and my second said "maybe" #1, but we'd have to talk to the front desk when we boarded for the first leg. Has anyone had any experience with this? Guidance would be appreciated - thank you!

Edited February 10, 2021 by NextOne

[njhorseman]

1 minute ago, NextOne said:

We are booked for back-to-back cruises on the POA next February, and have fingers & toes crossed that it will happen! I have a question that NCL (at least the staff that responded to my question) was unable to answer.  We have the same stateroom booked for each segment. My question was whether (1)we'd be allowed to leave our belongings in the cabin on transition day, or (2)whether we'd have to pack everything up, disembark, and reboard like it was the first time. My first contact responded with #2, and my second said "maybe" #1, but we'd have to talk to the front desk when we boarded for the first leg. Has anyone had any experience with this? Guidance would be appreciated - thank you!

I've taken many b2b cruises, although not on POA, but that shouldn't matter. You can leave all your possessions in your cabin. Your cabin steward will know you're on a b2b. You will likely get a letter during the cruise from guest services telling you to get a new room key card from the desk on changeover day. No need to check in again on the pier. 

[chengkp75]

Not only that, but there is no customs or immigration on POA, so no need to zero count the ship, so leaving your stuff in the cabin is fine (though covid cleaning may change that some).

[julig22]

You can leave all your stuff but you will get a new keycard. You probably will either need to leave the ship or you will meet somewhere on the ship with all the b2b passenges so that they can verify that all passengers on the 1st leg have been accounted for.

[NextOne]

Thank you! One thing I had read was that POA contracts out the ship cleaning, rather than having it done by the housekeeping staff. I wondered if that made a difference.

Edited February 10, 2021 by NextOne

[zqvol]

2 hours ago, NextOne said:

We are booked for back-to-back cruises on the POA next February, and have fingers & toes crossed that it will happen! I have a question that NCL (at least the staff that responded to my question) was unable to answer.  We have the same stateroom booked for each segment. My question was whether (1)we'd be allowed to leave our belongings in the cabin on transition day, or (2)whether we'd have to pack everything up, disembark, and reboard like it was the first time. My first contact responded with #2, and my second said "maybe" #1, but we'd have to talk to the front desk when we boarded for the first leg. Has anyone had any experience with this? Guidance would be appreciated - thank you!

Assuming it is like the B2B we did on Dawn on a Canadian cruise, you don't have to do anything except go down the day before the end of the first cruise and get your new key cards. No packing, nothing special at all. There is no customs on immigration since you never leave Hawaii.

[MeHeartCruising]

If it hasn’t been done already, call NCL now and have them link the reservations for the 2 cruises as back-to-backs. This helps the ship know you are a through passenger between the two cruises.  An NCL reservations agent can do this for you.  It doesn’t do anything noticeable on your side, but it does on their side.  It is still considered 2 cruises.  But they are now linked. 

[NextOne]

Good to know -- thank you!

[katiecat]

I've done B2B's on carnival & royal with the same cabin and never packed up a thing. A letter is left in your stateroom on details for your turnaround day. It's a great experience, Enjoy!

Great tip: whatever you buy at the tax & duty free store's on or off the ship first week is yours for the second cruise delivered to your stateroom.

 

I'm getting ready to book a second cruise on a different ship the second leg in Miami port. Two 9 day cruises Jan/Feb. 2022 to make up for our loss this winter. I have a in port question? Can I walk from one ship to the other? Getting off the Sky and getting on the Getaway if that matters to where they park in port.

 

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, katiecat said:

 

Great tip: whatever you buy at the tax & duty free store's on or off the ship first week is yours for the second cruise delivered to your stateroom.

FYI there's no duty free shop on the Pride of America since it operates only within the United States.

[MeHeartCruising]

2 hours ago, katiecat said:

I've done B2B's on carnival & royal with the same cabin and never packed up a thing. A letter is left in your stateroom on details for your turnaround day. It's a great experience, Enjoy!

Great tip: whatever you buy at the tax & duty free store's on or off the ship first week is yours for the second cruise delivered to your stateroom.

 

I'm getting ready to book a second cruise on a different ship the second leg in Miami port. Two 9 day cruises Jan/Feb. 2022 to make up for our loss this winter. I have a in port question? Can I walk from one ship to the other? Getting off the Sky and getting on the Getaway if that matters to where they park in port.

 

I think the safest answer right now is somewhere between “probably” and “possibly”.  NCL has built a brand new terminal, but it’s not exactly certain when it will be ready.  It should be done by now but with no sailings due to Covid, there isn’t any proof yet.  The larger of your 2 ships, the Getaway, would likely dock there.  Prior to the new terminal, NCL would use Terminal B/C which is directly next door to the new terminal.  It is 2 terminals in one large building with appropriate entry doors at each end of the building.  Assuming the Getaway is at the new terminal and the Sky is at B or C, the walk would not be that far.  However, with all the recent construction, it’s unclear what the access is between the terminals.  I would hope there is sidewalk, but it’s not going to be known until sailing resumes.  There is another possible wrinkle.  In the past, when multiple NCL ships were in port, they used another terminal as their secondary dock.  I believe it is Terminal F.  This terminal is way at the other end of the line of terminals.  That walk is probably further than I would suggest walking.  Not to say it can’t be done, but it’s not ideal with luggage, for sure.  That would be about the length of 5 ships plus some roadways, lots, buildings, etc.  

 

if any of these distances don’t work for you walking, the advice seems to be to just jump in a taxi to go from terminal to terminal.  You may need to sweeten the deal off the meter to convince a taxi to go the relatively short distance.  I’d probably offer a $20 bill to make it worth the while for them.