B2B w/ Canada Being Second Cruise

[cruisegirl1]

Regarding B2B meeting - we've done at least 30 sets of B2B cruises.   There was  a B2B meeting ONCE, and that was to let us now that there would be a coast guard review of the ship and we would have to spend an extra hour or so in the terminal. 

 

The B2B  letter provided usually provides all the info you need.  Any testing information/requirements will be provided as well. 

 

M

[brillohead]

25 minutes ago, KATHYMAC68 said:

Is it the day before turnaround day?

My apologies, I read "where" instead of "when".

It's the morning of turnaround.  

[brillohead]

5 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Regarding B2B meeting - we've done at least 30 sets of B2B cruises.   There was  a B2B meeting ONCE, and that was to let us now that there would be a coast guard review of the ship and we would have to spend an extra hour or so in the terminal. 

 

The B2B  letter provided usually provides all the info you need.  Any testing information/requirements will be provided as well. 

 

M

We're not talking about an "informational" meeting, we're talking about where they actually give you your next cruise's SeaPass card and then walk you off the ship and then back onto the ship.

Please don't tell people that there is no B2B meeting!

 

[cruisegirl1]

53 minutes ago, brillohead said:

We're not talking about an "informational" meeting, we're talking about where they actually give you your next cruise's SeaPass card and then walk you off the ship and then back onto the ship.

Please don't tell people that there is no B2B meeting!

 

I misunderstood.    Once we had an informational  meeting the DAY PRIOR to the B2B.   Thought that was the discussion because the OP asked if the meeting was the day before turnaround. (That is when an informational meeting might be held) 

 

Of course, there is a place/time to get the new sea pass cards, be escorted off the ship, go through the customs face recognition and then be escorted to a waiting area, or back on board.

 

However, all the information needed is provided in writing to all those taking a B2B. 

 

M

Edited September 12, 2022 by cruisegirl1

[joyandjerry]

15 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

I misunderstood.    Once we had an informational  meeting the DAY PRIOR to the B2B.   Thought that was the discussion because the OP asked if the meeting was the day before turnaround. (That is when an informational meeting might be held) 

 

Of course, there is a place/time to get the new sea pass cards, be escorted off the ship, go through the customs face recognition and then be escorted to a waiting area, or back on board.

 

However, all the information needed is provided in writing to all those taking a B2B. 

 

M

Thanks for the info! When were you tested, and how soon did you get the results? How did you vacate your room before the other one was ready? Jerry and I could just carry our stuff on hangers down a few doors, as it seems like a waste to repack like you're disembarking.

[cruisegirl1]

4 minutes ago, joyandjerry said:

Thanks for the info! When were you tested, and how soon did you get the results? How did you vacate your room before the other one was ready? Jerry and I could just carry our stuff on hangers down a few doors, as it seems like a waste to repack like you're disembarking.

We've had to move cabins in nearly half our sets of B2B.  In all of our experiences, we only packed the drawers in our suitcases.  Left the hanging clothes in the closet.  We usually meet the cabin attendant of the new cabin sometime during the week.  He/she usually gets word that a B2B is coming in and will try to get that room serviced as soon as possible.  It depends on when the current occupants leave.  We vacate our cabin to have breakfast, kill time and then meet the turnaround group.  

 

If the new room is serviced prior to when we are scheduled to meet for the turnaround, we simply roll our suitcases to the new cabin. (This would be the "kill time" period.)    The cabin attendant or some other staff will move the hanging clothes later. (Usually during turn around or sometimes a bit later.)   OR- just leave the suitcases/hanging clothes in the old room and they will bring it all to the new room (usually during turn around or maybe a bit later).   Once you get back on the ship, you can go to the new cabin and unpack. 

 

I am not on the Bermuda/Canada cruise but when we needed testing for B2B (no longer needed for many cruises - some exceptions) it was done the last full day of the first cruise.  Written instructions/information was provided regarding where/when to get tested.  It was always early in the AM, like around 8am.  There was some registration/email info to enter online.   Seem to recall test results emailed a few hours later.  

 

Hope this helps.  It is easier than it sounds.  Guest services can assist if you have any questions once on board. 

Enjoy

M

 

[joyandjerry]

14 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

We've had to move cabins in nearly half our sets of B2B.  In all of our experiences, we only packed the drawers in our suitcases.  Left the hanging clothes in the closet.  We usually meet the cabin attendant of the new cabin sometime during the week.  He/she usually gets word that a B2B is coming in and will try to get that room serviced as soon as possible.  It depends on when the current occupants leave.  We vacate our cabin to have breakfast, kill time and then meet the turnaround group.  

 

If the new room is serviced prior to when we are scheduled to meet for the turnaround, we simply roll our suitcases to the new cabin. (This would be the "kill time" period.)    The cabin attendant or some other staff will move the hanging clothes later. (Usually during turn around or sometimes a bit later.)   OR- just leave the suitcases/hanging clothes in the old room and they will bring it all to the new room (usually during turn around or maybe a bit later).   Once you get back on the ship, you can go to the new cabin and unpack. 

 

I am not on the Bermuda/Canada cruise but when we needed testing for B2B (no longer needed for many cruises - some exceptions) it was done the last full day of the first cruise.  Written instructions/information was provided regarding where/when to get tested.  It was always early in the AM, like around 8am.  There was some registration/email info to enter online.   Seem to recall test results emailed a few hours later.  

 

Hope this helps.  It is easier than it sounds.  Guest services can assist if you have any questions once on board. 

Enjoy

M

 

Great, detailed information! Really helps. But I will not have the internet on the ship.

[cruisegirl1]

1 hour ago, joyandjerry said:

Great, detailed information! Really helps. But I will not have the internet on the ship.

Go to guest services if you have to register for a test. They will assist you. Regarding the results, If positive,  they will find you. 
 

I recall the  tests were scheduled early in the AM, so results are available before we arrived at a port and got  off the ship. 
 

m

[joyandjerry]

@cruisegirl 1, I didn't have time last evening to thank you for the detailed response. You are a shining example of how one person can make a posiitve difference in the lives of many! I am printing it and taking it with us. Having never done this, I am rather stressing myself about it. My main concern is the COVID testing, but all we can do is take precautions for the first leg of the cruise. At least everyone will need a COVID test for Bermuda, although there are false negatives.  We will just have to mask up everywhere, even the gym.

 

The ships are at capacity now and pax are serving themselves in the WJ. When we went in March, it was 65% capacity and staff served. On Carnival in May, we were at 80% (?) and I got some symptoms on the way home. I don't sleep well at the best of times, and the Bermuda TA thing was really screwed up at the time and I was really run down. DId not test positive till four days later, and Jerry in six, so he caught it from me at home. Concerned b/c I am seeing on other sites (Shipmate app) pax saying they took precautions and got it anyway. I really don't want to be paranoid the whole first leg. Amazing the grocery workers, etc. here and just about all do not wear masks and are in contact with hundreds of peeps daily. Of course, if they are not being tested, they may be positive.

 

It just seems like such rotten luck we are going the two places that require testing! The protocols change so much that one cannot not know that when they book. E.g., I booked the Canada/NE one well over a year ago. When RCCL dropped testing for B2B cruisers (a while back), I didn't realize Canada was singling out cruise ship passengers, as I read that they had dropped testing to enter. Also didn't realize ArriveCAN applied to us originally. At least is easy to create an account and save your info for later.

[DaKahuna]

We did not even have a B2B meeting on Quantum.  There was a letter delivered to our stateroom with instruction on where to go and when.

 

Then again, no testing was required for ours so a meeting was really unnecessary. 
 

[KATHYMAC68]

21 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

I misunderstood.    Once we had an informational  meeting the DAY PRIOR to the B2B.   Thought that was the discussion because the OP asked if the meeting was the day before turnaround. (That is when an informational meeting might be held) 

 

Of course, there is a place/time to get the new sea pass cards, be escorted off the ship, go through the customs face recognition and then be escorted to a waiting area, or back on board.

 

However, all the information needed is provided in writing to all those taking a B2B. 

 

M

Thank you! I actually was asking when they will have the informational meeting. I assume then they will tell us where and when to meet the turnaround morning. So that will happen the day before TAD, correct?

[brillohead]

1 hour ago, KATHYMAC68 said:

Thank you! I actually was asking when they will have the informational meeting. I assume then they will tell us where and when to meet the turnaround morning. So that will happen the day before TAD, correct?

There is no such thing as an "informational meeting" unless you have a rare event happening (like a Coast Guard inspection).  

If it's a normal turn around day, you will receive a letter mid-week telling you when and where to meet on TAD.  That letter itself is your "informational meeting".  You will need to bring your passport/documents and your SeaPass card to the meeting that morning.  If you have already checked in for your next cruise, they will give you your new SeaPass card and maybe take your picture, then you just sit around until they get the rest of the passengers off the ship.  If you haven't already checked in for your next cruise, you will have to go through the rigmarole of having them scan your credit card, take down emergency contact info, scan your passport, etc.

When the rest of the passengers are off the ship, the whole group will be escorted off the ship (you ding off with your old SeaPass card), through Customs/Border Patrol, and then back onto the ship (you ding on with your new SeaPass card).  

That's all there is to it.  There's no need for an informational meeting, because there is no other information on a standard B2B cruise other than "show up at X location at Y time with your documents in hand".  

[cruisegirl1]

17 minutes ago, brillohead said:

There is no such thing as an "informational meeting" unless you have a rare event happening (like a Coast Guard inspection).  

 

Isn’t that what I said when you scolded me?  

[cruisegirl1]

1 hour ago, KATHYMAC68 said:

Thank you! I actually was asking when they will have the informational meeting. I assume then they will tell us where and when to meet the turnaround morning. So that will happen the day before TAD, correct?

Generally  all the info you need will be in a  letter delivered to your cabin. The letter will tell you when/where to meet, what documents you need to bring. There is often a bit of sitting around and waiting so bring a book. 
 

m

[brillohead]

18 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

Isn’t that what I said when you scolded me?  

Nope... you said there wasn't normally a "B2B meeting", when what you were intending to say is that there isn't normally an "informational meeting".  The B2B meeting is what happens for consecutive cruisers on Turn Around Day, and I wanted to make sure the OP understood that they will definitely have a B2B meeting.

The OP was the one getting confused between an "informational meeting held in advance" and the "turn around day meeting" and just calling all of it a "B2B meeting" when they are two very different things.... that's why I wanted to make sure that the confusion was cleared up.  

[joyandjerry]

41 minutes ago, brillohead said:

There is no such thing as an "informational meeting" unless you have a rare event happening (like a Coast Guard inspection).  

If it's a normal turn around day, you will receive a letter mid-week telling you when and where to meet on TAD.  That letter itself is your "informational meeting".  You will need to bring your passport/documents and your SeaPass card to the meeting that morning.  If you have already checked in for your next cruise, they will give you your new SeaPass card and maybe take your picture, then you just sit around until they get the rest of the passengers off the ship.  If you haven't already checked in for your next cruise, you will have to go through the rigmarole of having them scan your credit card, take down emergency contact info, scan your passport, etc.

When the rest of the passengers are off the ship, the whole group will be escorted off the ship (you ding off with your old SeaPass card), through Customs/Border Patrol, and then back onto the ship (you ding on with your new SeaPass card).  

That's all there is to it.  There's no need for an informational meeting, because there is no other information on a standard B2B cruise other than "show up at X location at Y time with your documents in hand".  

Thanks for the explanation. Something new always seems complicated. You said, " if you have already checked in for your next cruise". How and where is that done?

[brillohead]

4 minutes ago, joyandjerry said:

Thanks for the explanation. Something new always seems complicated. You said, " if you have already checked in for your next cruise". How and where is that done?

Online, you can check in on the Cruise Planner (website) or on the App starting 45 days before you sail.

This is where you can enter your passport and credit card details, emergency contact information, etc.

If you check in online for each leg of your trip, they have everything in the system already and just hand you the new card for the next leg.  If you haven't entered all the information yet, they have to do that manually.  Some ships seem to be able to transfer the info over magically, other ships seem to have to retype/rescan everything.  I find it ever so much simpler to just do it myself in advance.

[joyandjerry]

40 minutes ago, brillohead said:

Online, you can check in on the Cruise Planner (website) or on the App starting 45 days before you sail.

This is where you can enter your passport and credit card details, emergency contact information, etc.

If you check in online for each leg of your trip, they have everything in the system already and just hand you the new card for the next leg.  If you haven't entered all the information yet, they have to do that manually.  Some ships seem to be able to transfer the info over magically, other ships seem to have to retype/rescan everything.  I find it ever so much simpler to just do it myself in advance.

Oh, sorry about the silly question! Of course I checked in for both in advance. Thanks again!

[brillohead]

10 minutes ago, joyandjerry said:

Oh, sorry about the silly question! Of course I checked in for both in advance. Thanks again!

Happy to help!  

[LeeW]

Procedures on Vancouver-Seward-Vancouver B2B returning last weekend:

 

Had to test prior to first cruise.  When I got onboard I asked about test for second cruise back to Vancouver - no covid test required for second cruise.  The initial test required by Canada was sufficient for the B2B.

 

No meeting before the turnaround day in Seward (although in the past we have done this many times).  Just letter.  Two choices:  1. Pick up new cruise card and answer precruise questions at Guest Services (can't do it on app) between 7:15-8:30 on turnaround day if you wanted to leave the ship.  Since we had a tour planned we did this and most folks in line were doing the same thing. 2. Report to a lounge at 8:30 and get new cruise card and then wait for up to two hours for the ship to clear.  Would not be allowed out or off ship during that time due to public area cleaning.

 

They did provide info for the ArriveCan app, but we had already done ours before we even got on the ship (board in Vancouver, depart in Vancouver 14 days later).  Although my responses didn't quite match the recommended one we were not questioned on this.

 

 

Edited September 13, 2022 by LeeW
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[KATHYMAC68]

8 hours ago, LeeW said:

Procedures on Vancouver-Seward-Vancouver B2B returning last weekend:

 

Had to test prior to first cruise.  When I got onboard I asked about test for second cruise back to Vancouver - no covid test required for second cruise.  The initial test required by Canada was sufficient for the B2B.

 

No meeting before the turnaround day in Seward (although in the past we have done this many times).  Just letter.  Two choices:  1. Pick up new cruise card and answer precruise questions at Guest Services (can't do it on app) between 7:15-8:30 on turnaround day if you wanted to leave the ship.  Since we had a tour planned we did this and most folks in line were doing the same thing. 2. Report to a lounge at 8:30 and get new cruise card and then wait for up to two hours for the ship to clear.  Would not be allowed out or off ship during that time due to public area cleaning.

 

They did provide info for the ArriveCan app, but we had already done ours before we even got on the ship (board in Vancouver, depart in Vancouver 14 days later).  Although my responses didn't quite match the recommended one we were not questioned on this.

 

 

A few people have said that they didn’t get a second test for the next Canadian leg. I’m hoping that is the case. But RC said they will test. So either way we don’t have to worry about it.
Thank you!  

[joyandjerry]

21 hours ago, brillohead said:

Happy to help!  

I am like that old TV detective, Colombo, with "just one more question"! When you leave your first room then you have to take all of the items in your safe (wallet, passport) on your person b/c you won't have the safe to use yet in the "new" room?

[joyandjerry]

12 hours ago, KATHYMAC68 said:

A few people have said that they didn’t get a second test for the next Canadian leg. I’m hoping that is the case. But RC said they will test. So either way we don’t have to worry about it.
Thank you!  

I pray Canada will drop the testing requirement, but not likely. I don't want to be paranoid the whole first leg that Jerry or I will test positive, despite precautions.

[cruisegirl1]

8 minutes ago, joyandjerry said:

I am like that old TV detective, Colombo, with "just one more question"! When you leave your first room then you have to take all of the items in your safe (wallet, passport) on your person b/c you won't have the safe to use yet in the "new" room?

Yes-that is also noted in the instruction letter.

m

[brillohead]

5 hours ago, joyandjerry said:

I am like that old TV detective, Colombo, with "just one more question"! When you leave your first room then you have to take all of the items in your safe (wallet, passport) on your person b/c you won't have the safe to use yet in the "new" room?

Yes, unless you make arrangements with your new room attendant to move your belongings yourself before you to go the B2B meeting.  In that case, you can take your belongings from one safe and put them in the next safe.  

Depending on the port, however, you may need to bring your passport to the B2B meeting (it will be detailed in your letter) in order to go through Customs/Border Patrol as you get off and back on the ship. 

(And I really don't mind the questions one bit -- we all have to learn somehow, and I like helping people have as stress-free a cruise as possible!)