Back to Back Crusing Question

[flipperfan]

We are sailing on Liberty of the Seas in March 08 on a back to back. We have never done this before. Can we get off the ship in Miami between cruises? Do we have to get a new soda card for the second cruise? Any tips on back to back cruising would be appreciated. Can't Wait!

 

Thanks

Alan and M-J

[balanceok]

On our Jewell b2b we disembarked only briefly in FLL after all the other passengers had left the ship. This was only to clear customs and then we had to get back on the ship.

 

And yes, you will need to purchase a new soda card. They actually issue you a new sea-pass card and treat the cruises as two separate cruises for accounting and charge purposes.

 

We were not allowed of the ship to shop, etc. I suppose if we had booked an RCI excursion, it might have been different.

[PhoenixCruiser]

Do you have the same cabin booked for both cruises?

 

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[flipperfan]

Yes, we are booked in cabin 8712 aft!

M-J

[Merion_Mom]

As I told you on your other thread, M-J, you have a FABULOUS cabin for this two week cruise! I have never done a B2B out of Miami, but I am surprised to hear (read) balanceok say that they were NOT ALLOWED off the ship in between.

 

That's news to me.

 

But they are treated as two completely separate cruises: they "close the books" on each cruise as the passengers disembark. You should tip separately, buy soda cards separately, make Portofino and/or Chops reservations separately (although you can have a time edge to race up there and grab exactly the day and time you want!), spa reservations (ditto), etc.

 

But the best part? Doing the "nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah, nyah!" thing as everyone else has to get off in the morning of turnaround day!

[PH8]

Now I didnt do such a glamourous b2b as you're doing,but I did do one on the Sovereign........we were allowed off in between cruises(Not that i did--but I know others did)I liked staying on.....felt like I had the whole ship to myself........

[flipperfan]

Are the pools, windjammer and other things on the ship still open between the cruises?

Thanks Again,

M-J

[PH8]

Windjammer will be open only till 8 or 9 for departing guests........no food options available till it opens again for lunch..........

 

If the pools arent being cleaned(but they very well could be),yes, they are open....not too much really open................just get a book and relax on the pool deck as you watch others leaving and then eventually the new group coming on......

[petel]

Other threads have discussed this subject and you might profit from them:

 

Back-to-back on same ship

 

Within that thread there is another link to another B2B discussion. Enjoy! :)

[sea-cruise]

I'm surprised that you weren't allowed off the ship to see the sights or shop. We did some back to backs on different lines, and we were always allowed to do as we pleased on that day. During our b2b on Sovereign, we took a taxi to South Beach and shopped in the mall, then walked around the area where the Art Deco style hotels are across from the beach.

[PH8]

I'm surprised that you weren't allowed off the ship to see the sights or shop. We did some back to backs on different lines, and we were always allowed to do as we pleased on that day. During our b2b on Sovereign, we took a taxi to South Beach and shopped in the mall, then walked around the area where the Art Deco style hotels are across from the beach.

You must have done the Sovereign a long time ago or else had one hefty taxi cab fare from Pt Canaveral..:p

[Merion_Mom]

Are the pools, windjammer and other things on the ship still open between the cruises?

Thanks Again,

M-J

 

In my experience, no, things are not open. The crew is very very busy getting ready for the new cruisers, and it's best to just stay out of their way.

 

I got coffee from the always-open beverage station on the pool deck outside the WJ and sat and chatted with an officer's wife by the pool. It was lovely. We watched the crew do an Oscar-Oscar-Oscar drill (man overboard), in which they tossed a human dummy into the water. Then they tossed a life ring at it. That dummy was dead, dead, dead - they just left the dummy AND the life ring floating in the water! :eek:

 

It was a LOT of fun hearing about life on board from the viewpoint of an officer's wife!!! ;)

[critterchick]

We were allowed to leave the ship in FLL if we wanted to in between our Jewel B2B segments. We elected to stay onboard, though. I did disembark Monarch in between legs to go home, see my dogs & pick up some clean clothes, but that's because I live near the port.

 

On the Jewel, they gave us new Seapasses onboard, took us off, processed us & then we reboarded right away. On the Monarch, those who chose to wait at the port had to wait about an hour to reboard, but were the first ones on the ship.