Tips and tricks for doing a B2B

[NoShoes2]

My wife and I are booking a B2B on Wonder out of Port Canaveral for next February. Does anyone any tips, trick or advice they would be willing to share? 

 

[smokeybandit]

It's really not that elaborate of a thing to need tips or tricks. 

[NoShoes2]

12 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

It's really not that elaborate of a thing to need tips or tricks. 

Thanks 😕

[c-leg5]

Hopefully you have been able to book the same cabin.

[NoShoes2]

7 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

Hopefully you have been able to book the same cabin.

 

Yes, we have the same cabin

[firefly333]

43 minutes ago, NoShoes2 said:

My wife and I are booking a B2B on Wonder out of Port Canaveral for next February. Does anyone any tips, trick or advice they would be willing to share? 

 

As mentioned it's so  nice to not have to pack up I'd accept a cabin not my first choice rather than have to change cabins the morning of change over.

 

Read the whole letter they leave on your bed for instructions on change over day. I missed there was a b2b lunch in one of the Mdr dining rooms. Almost always some fish I didnt  much like branzino or similar name. Always seem to offer short ribs I do love. Some have 2 some have had 3 choices of appetizers. Grandeur had one dessert, yes or no. Bigger ships might have 2 or even 3 choices but it's a good menu. Sorry I missed it my first few b2bs after covid. 

 

Read the whole letter, not just meet in the ,lobby at 9 or 930 or a dining room, wherever ... read the whole letter lol. My last couple on harmony we met in a conference room and customs came onboard to check our passports so we didnt have tk get off.usually you have to be lead off, get your cards in the terminal and be ,read back on. Varies from ship to ship, time to time.

 

Should have been great to not have to get off the ship. One leg we had 2 stowaways and finally even though they gave us new cards for the next week they finally had to lead us off and the whole crew scearched for a whole hour to find the 2 pax who thought they could hide. You do have to click off the ship and theh know if you didnt get off. On harmony theh brought in a thing where we coukd click in and click out to the conference room. Or the computers shut down on JS another time. 

Edited June 7 by firefly333

[neverbeenhere]

If you have a pack mule, pack all your wine and soda for both cruises on the first embarkation. Have all documents available for security, if necessary.

 

You will be able to get whatever dinner reservations you want for the second cruise as you will have easy access to the staff.

 

Leave the ship early on the first disembarkation and go enjoy the city for the day (return at 2:22pm), accidentally forget the wine and soda that you brought on the first embarkation and bring an additional supply.

🙂

 

Wash you clothes on the latest day of the first cruise allowed or on day one of the second cruise.

 

If you are changing loyalty status between the two cruises, talk with the loyalty staff during the first cruise.

 

 

 

[doghog]

2 hours ago, NoShoes2 said:

My wife and I are booking a B2B on Wonder out of Port Canaveral for next February. Does anyone any tips, trick or advice they would be willing to share? 

 

One tip. Each leg of the B2B cruise is two different cruises. So your onboard account will be closed at the end of the first leg. Nothing carries over to the second leg. Spend all your nonrefundable OBC or you'll lose it.  You will receive a TAD letter a day or two prior to your TAD outlining the entire TAD process. You will also be invited to attend a B2B (consecutive cruisers) meeting a day or two prior to the first leg ending. I recommend you attend as that meeting will be specific to your B2B cruise. Enjoy. 🍻

Edited June 7 by doghog

[cruiselvr04]

The best part is watching everyone else put their bags out and leave.  Meanwhile you get to sleep in a little, and sometimes for an hour or so have the ship to yourself. 
 

There will sometimes be a consecutive cruiser lunch. 
 

Since you have the same cabin I would not consider putting in a Royal up. To us, it’s not worth the move.

[LeeW]

The most important thing if you don't get off the ship early is to report on time to the meeting location in the letter.  They can't zero out the ship if you don't show up and everyone will be stuck in the meeting room until they hunt you down.  Have been tempted in the past to volunteer for the posse.

[NoShoes2]

3 minutes ago, LeeW said:

The most important thing if you don't get off the ship early is to report on time to the meeting location in the letter.  They can't zero out the ship if you don't show up and everyone will be stuck in the meeting room until they hunt you down.  Have been tempted in the past to volunteer for the posse.

 

Thanks!

[c-leg5]

5 hours ago, doghog said:

You will also be invited to attend a B2B (consecutive cruisers) meeting a day or two prior to the first leg ending.

I have never been invited to a pre-meeting!
 

Are they well attended? I am not sure I would want to spend time on vacation hanging out at a meeting when the necessary details are adequately explained in the letter on the bed. What is the purpose of a meeting?
 

It is bad enough getting to the meeting point on time on the day and hanging around waiting  for those that are late as mentioned above.  I wouldn’t want to spend more time prior to the cruise end. What do they explain that isn’t in the letter?

[doghog]

23 minutes ago, c-leg5 said:

I have never been invited to a pre-meeting!
 

Are they well attended? I am not sure I would want to spend time on vacation hanging out at a meeting when the necessary details are adequately explained in the letter on the bed. What is the purpose of a meeting?
 

It is bad enough getting to the meeting point on time on the day and hanging around waiting  for those that are late as mentioned above.  I wouldn’t want to spend more time prior to the cruise end. What do they explain that isn’t in the letter?

To each their own.. Haven't been to one in awhile. Some are well attended. Good info and Q and A for someone that hasn't done a B2B  cruise. The ones I've attended in the past have been held on a  sea day in the early afternoon. 

[mets123]

I've done a few B2B the past few and never saw mention of a pre-, meeting.

[c-leg5]

5 minutes ago, doghog said:

To each their own.. Haven't been to one in awhile. Some are well attended. Good info and Q and A for someone that hasn't done a B2B  cruise. The ones I've attended in the past have been held on a  sea day in the early afternoon. 

Well it is the first time I have even heard of them. 
 

I guess they have never had them at the ports I sail from, or I wasn’t special enough to be invited!
 

 I still remember many years ago, before I even knew B2B was a “thing”, just getting off in the morning and checking back in in the afternoon after a day of sightseeing. 
 

 

 

[cruisegirl1]

8 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

It's really not that elaborate of a thing to need tips or tricks. 

This - 

 

except - book early if you want the same cabin.   Moving is no big deal ( of course not moving is better).

 

Read the instruction letter that will be left in the cabin towards the end of the first  cruise  and follow it. 

 

If you have the same cabin and want to royal up understand both cruises will NOT be royaled up and the chances of getting a successful  royal up twice  and to the same  cabin  on both cruises in  less than nil. 

 

enjoy

[cruisegirl1]

15 minutes ago, mets123 said:

I've done a few B2B the past few and never saw mention of a pre-, meeting.

You will get a letter towards the end of the first  cruise with instructions where you will meet on turnaround day.  The letter is self explanatory.  Years ago - maybe 10, there used to be an occasional  pre B2B meeting but I haven't experienced  that type of meeting  in years.  

 

M

 

[Miickra]

Do you need to inform Royal when you’re on board about a back-to-back or prior to boarding the first sailing?

[cruisegirl1]

16 minutes ago, Miickra said:

Do you need to inform Royal when you’re on board about a back-to-back or prior to boarding the first sailing?

No - they know.  If you are B2B and don't get the B2B letter  but instead get departure info and tags, ( has never happened to us in dozens of B2B)  visit Guest Services.

M

[Tlbecker1]

1 hour ago, cruisegirl1 said:

You will get a letter towards the end of the first  cruise with instructions where you will meet on turnaround day.  The letter is self explanatory.  Years ago - maybe 10, there used to be an occasional  pre B2B meeting but I haven't experienced  that type of meeting  in years.  

 

M

 

I agree with you.  The last time I did a B2B meeting was ten years ago.

[vjmatty]

3 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

I have never been invited to a pre-meeting!
 

Are they well attended? I am not sure I would want to spend time on vacation hanging out at a meeting when the necessary details are adequately explained in the letter on the bed. What is the purpose of a meeting?
 

It is bad enough getting to the meeting point on time on the day and hanging around waiting  for those that are late as mentioned above.  I wouldn’t want to spend more time prior to the cruise end. What do they explain that isn’t in the letter?

I used to have a supervisor who said “all meetings should be emails.” I tend to agree. 

[vjmatty]

8 hours ago, doghog said:

One tip. Each leg of the B2B cruise is two different cruises. So your onboard account will be closed at the end of the first leg. Nothing carries over to the second leg. Spend all your nonrefundable OBC or you'll lose it.

This is only true if you book the b2b as two separate cruises instead of a single cruise. It’s good to try pricing both ways to see which is cheaper and which gives you more OBC.

 

ETA: Whoops! Sorry, I don’t think Royal offers multi legs as a single cruise. I was thinking of Princess.

 

 

Edited June 7 by vjmatty
ETA

[RogueMonk]

11 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

It's really not that elaborate of a thing to need tips or tricks. 

Grump.

[PhillyFan33579]

3 hours ago, doghog said:

To each their own.. Haven't been to one in awhile. Some are well attended. Good info and Q and A for someone that hasn't done a B2B  cruise. The ones I've attended in the past have been held on a  sea day in the early afternoon. 

When was the last time you attending a B2B meeting? I have never heard of a B2B meeting. I know it has never been mentioned in any B2B letter I received providing information/instructions on what to do for the next cruise. 

[deepcman]

17 hours ago, c-leg5 said:

I have never been invited to a pre-meeting!

What's a pre-meeting? Is that a meeting before a meeting? 🤣