Ft Lauderdale turn around

[MARYVB]

For those of us doing 7 day back to backs, has anyone got any idea how they will handle the zeroing of the ship on turn around day? In my past experiences, they have made us get off, travel thru the crowds to appear before the immigration and control people, OR the piled us into the theater and checked us back onto the ship from there. Both turn around procedures work, but both also have a tendency to pile a lot of people up into a small space. So being curious, I wonder if anyone knows what we can expect for the Nieuw Amsterdam come November?

[Horizon chaser 1957]

That’s an interesting question in these times. I’ve been told by a number of people that we have to leave the ship to zero out. However, in COVID times, they may prefer to limit the amount of contact those staying on have with the rest of the port. The only certain thing is that the procedure will change several times over the next year.

[T8NCruise]

We have been escorted off the ship in FLL, done a quick walk past the border agent, and back onto the ship.  

In other ports, for example Boston, we just had to gather on the.promenade deck, then back inside once zeroed down.  

Who knows how it will be handled post-Covid 

Edited June 30, 2021 by T8NCruise

[CruiserBruce]

Given that currently all people on HAL ships are supposed to be vaccinated, gathering a relatively small number of people in a relatively crowded area shouldn't be an issue.

 

But, until things get under way again nobody is going to know what the protocol will be.

[highscar]

Several years ago they had tours for B2B passengers and late flyers. On the way back to the ship we dropped off the passengers that had late flights home at the airport then returned to the ship. 

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

5 years ago 40 of us were waiting till 2 people finally got off at 11 am 

You never know

Health inspection

Crew inspection 

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

But, until things get under way again nobody is going to know what the protocol will be.

 

This is probably the wisest answer to the OP's question.

 

In the past, I have experienced being required to leave the ship for the zero count, standing in long lines in Terminal 26 for some time while waiting for a fellow inconsiderate guest to get his act together and join us.  (Entertainment:  one should have heard what all of us hope he heard from us fellow guests!)  

 

The most guest friendly "zeroing down" is when b2b guests are able to do it on the ship with CPB agents boarding the ship to do so.  That seems to be more of an exception than what is "normal".  

[Florida_gal_50]

3 hours ago, Gail & Marty sailing away said:

5 years ago 40 of us were waiting till 2 people finally got off at 11 am 

You never know

Health inspection

Crew inspection 

I think this happens on every b2b I’ve ever been on.  I think people think that everyone but them needs to follow the instructions 🙄.

[msmayor]

Others may know for sure, but I wonder if it depends on how HAL is selling the cruise...sometimes, two itineraries are sold as one voyage (even two 7-night Caribbean).

 

We did an 11-night on Eurodam which was also sold as a 4-night Pacific Coastal and 7-day Mexican Riviera...but we were booked as 11-night guests.  When we arrived in San Diego (the end of the four-day segment) there was no mention at all of us needing to leave the ship or get to zero-count...they said anyone remaining on for the next 7 days was pretty much free to treat this as a normal port stop.  We were told we could remain on board if we wanted or come/go freely at the port.  We left the ship around 9am to walk around a bit and re-boarded around noon, heading through a different line for 'in-transit'.  

 

We didn't even need to do muster drill again.  I remember being in our Lido Cabana that afternoon by the pool, our attendant making sure we had a drink before the bars shut down, and hearing the drill over the loudspeaker while we relaxed.

[richwmn]

15 minutes ago, msmayor said:

Others may know for sure, but I wonder if it depends on how HAL is selling the cruise...sometimes, two itineraries are sold as one voyage (even two 7-night Caribbean).

It doesn't depend on how HAL is selling the cruise, what controls is the port authorities. In the past Fort Lauderdale has been notorious for wanting all passengers to be accounted for as 'off the ship' although sometimes that would be gathered in the showroom and scanned off, then back on. The authorities in each port control the situation.

 

As to the muster drill. Many years ago HAL required all passengers to attend all muster drills. More recently HAL has been allowing those continuing pax who have done a muster drill within a short time frame to skip a drill. This conforms to SOLAS and USCG regulations.

 

[Florida_gal_50]

1 hour ago, msmayor said:

Others may know for sure, but I wonder if it depends on how HAL is selling the cruise...sometimes, two itineraries are sold as one voyage (even two 7-night Caribbean).

 

We did an 11-night on Eurodam which was also sold as a 4-night Pacific Coastal and 7-day Mexican Riviera...but we were booked as 11-night guests.  When we arrived in San Diego (the end of the four-day segment) there was no mention at all of us needing to leave the ship or get to zero-count...they said anyone remaining on for the next 7 days was pretty much free to treat this as a normal port stop.  We were told we could remain on board if we wanted or come/go freely at the port.  We left the ship around 9am to walk around a bit and re-boarded around noon, heading through a different line for 'in-transit'.  

 

We didn't even need to do muster drill again.  I remember being in our Lido Cabana that afternoon by the pool, our attendant making sure we had a drink before the bars shut down, and hearing the drill over the loudspeaker while we relaxed.

I’ve had the same experience in San Diego.  Fort Lauderdale is a different experience.

[CruiserBruce]

1 hour ago, msmayor said:

Others may know for sure, but I wonder if it depends on how HAL is selling the cruise...sometimes, two itineraries are sold as one voyage (even two 7-night Caribbean).

 

We did an 11-night on Eurodam which was also sold as a 4-night Pacific Coastal and 7-day Mexican Riviera...but we were booked as 11-night guests.  When we arrived in San Diego (the end of the four-day segment) there was no mention at all of us needing to leave the ship or get to zero-count...they said anyone remaining on for the next 7 days was pretty much free to treat this as a normal port stop.  We were told we could remain on board if we wanted or come/go freely at the port.  We left the ship around 9am to walk around a bit and re-boarded around noon, heading through a different line for 'in-transit'.  

 

We didn't even need to do muster drill again.  I remember being in our Lido Cabana that afternoon by the pool, our attendant making sure we had a drink before the bars shut down, and hearing the drill over the loudspeaker while we relaxed.

The difference here is that you stopped at a US port prior to San Diego, so Immigration and Customs issues were dealt with prior to San Diego. Or, if you sailed direct from Vancouver, you cleared US Immigration and Customs as you boarded in Vancouver. That doesn't happen at Ft Lauderdale, as you don't stop at a US port on the vast majority of Caribbean cruises, or if you do, you stop at another foreign port before you get back to FLL.

[msmayor]

3 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

The difference here is that you stopped at a US port prior to San Diego, so Immigration and Customs issues were dealt with prior to San Diego. Or, if you sailed direct from Vancouver, you cleared US Immigration and Customs as you boarded in Vancouver. That doesn't happen at Ft Lauderdale, as you don't stop at a US port on the vast majority of Caribbean cruises, or if you do, you stop at another foreign port before you get back to FLL.

Ahhh...OK.  That does make sense.

 

We sailed from Vancouver and you are right, cleared customs as we walked into the terminal to check in.  I remember thinking that was odd until I realized "OK, that means when we get to Santa Barbara we're good to go!"  San Diego, same thing.

[rkacruiser]

12 hours ago, richwmn said:

More recently HAL has been allowing those continuing pax who have done a muster drill within a short time frame to skip a drill. This conforms to SOLAS and USCG regulations.

 

I still attend.  It does not hurt me to refresh my memory.  Plus, it's an opportunity to see who my lifeboat crew probably would be as well as who my fellow guests might be in an evacuation situation.  

[NCTribeFan]

I was just coming here to ask about my 12-night December sailing on NA.  I'm booked on that as one cruise.  I have friends who are boarding for the 2nd leg (the 5-night portion).  Sailing out of Port Everglades.  I was wondering whether those of us on the full 12 nights will be treated as though it is a 7+5 B2B and have to jump through the hoops of disembarking, clearing immigrations, then re-boarding.

 

Only B2B I've ever done was on Carnival out of Charleston.  There were only 5 of us.  We met in the Lobby and once everyone else had disembarked, we were escorted off, had some official check us off for something, given new Sign & Sail cards, and escorted back onto the ship.  It was so nice to wander the empty ship for a couple of hours.

 

[rafinmd]

Is CDC even allowing B2B now.  I thought that was an issue someone had on a booking from San Diego.

 

Roy

[CruiserBruce]

3 hours ago, rafinmd said:

Is CDC even allowing B2B now.  I thought that was an issue someone had on a booking from San Diego.

 

Roy

After November 1st, they will be allowing B2B. Outside the US, B2B is allowed.

[albingirl]

We are hoping it will be speedy.  We do have a B2B in December.  Can't wait.

[tamsno]

Since we're talking about B2B in Ft. Lauderdale, I'm considering adding the 4-day following the first Rotterdam Transatlantic Arriving Nov.3.  As it's the first US port of the new ship I'm sure there will be Coast Guard and other official business involved in disembarkation/embarkation.   In Boston in Sept 2019  it was first US port of Zuiderdam that year and we waited until after 2:00 before boarding began.  Full crew safety drill on deck,  ship inspection, etc.   Any opinion about how this might work?

[tamsno]

I'll be on the transatlantic as well.

[CruiserBruce]

5 hours ago, tamsno said:

Since we're talking about B2B in Ft. Lauderdale, I'm considering adding the 4-day following the first Rotterdam Transatlantic Arriving Nov.3.  As it's the first US port of the new ship I'm sure there will be Coast Guard and other official business involved in disembarkation/embarkation.   In Boston in Sept 2019  it was first US port of Zuiderdam that year and we waited until after 2:00 before boarding began.  Full crew safety drill on deck,  ship inspection, etc.   Any opinion about how this might work?

Guaranteed there will be inspections. The policy is inspect every cruise ship that arrives in the US after being gone for awhile,  like a season in the Europe, for example. 

[aliaschief]

On 7/1/2021 at 6:43 PM, rkacruiser said:

 

I still attend.  It does not hurt me to refresh my memory.  Plus, it's an opportunity to see who my lifeboat crew probably would be as well as who my fellow guests might be in an evacuation situation.  

That part used to scare me when I looked around at some of the folks I was going to have to share a lifeboat with in a survival situation. Plus I got the feeling sometimes they were thinking the same thing about me.🛳😁

Edited July 9, 2021 by aliaschief

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, aliaschief said:

That part used to scare me when I looked around at some of the folks I was going to have to share a lifeboat with in a survival situation

 

A reaction to my post that I have never considered!  I am always interested in who the "officials" responsible for my lifeboat will be, i.e. the Boat Commander, etc.  I understand that these crew members have received the appropriate training for their duties.  And, have always been satisfied with their professionalism during the Muster Drill.  

 

Have yet to have my Wine Steward assigned to my lifeboat, however.  😁

[SusieKIslandGirl]

We've used the turnaround in Ft. Lauderdale for a quick taxi ride across the highway for a stop at Total Wine and the grocery store.

[regnig]

On 7/2/2021 at 9:49 AM, NCTribeFan said:

I was just coming here to ask about my 12-night December sailing on NA.  I'm booked on that as one cruise.  I have friends who are boarding for the 2nd leg (the 5-night portion).  Sailing out of Port Everglades.  I was wondering whether those of us on the full 12 nights will be treated as though it is a 7+5 B2B and have to jump through the hoops of disembarking, clearing immigrations, then re-boarding.

 

Only B2B I've ever done was on Carnival out of Charleston.  There were only 5 of us.  We met in the Lobby and once everyone else had disembarked, we were escorted off, had some official check us off for something, given new Sign & Sail cards, and escorted back onto the ship.  It was so nice to wander the empty ship for a couple of hours.

 

Yes those of you who have booked it as a "full 12 nights" will be treated as if it was just a B2B.  What "hoops" you will have to go through could vary and probably won't be set in stone.  It is not the cruise lines but rather US Immigration that determine those "hoops".