back to back cruises

[Belfast Castle]

can anyone tell me how this works? Firstly do you just book 2 cruises or do you contact RC to advise them this is what you want? Do you retain the same cabin? And when docked on the last day do you leave the ship or can you stay on board?

Thanks - any help appreciated

[wraithe]

You can do it either way, if you want them "connected", then you'd need to call RC. You can keep the same cabin, easier, since you don't have to move, but if you'd rather have the GS for one cruise and an inside for the other, you can do that, too. Your cabin attendant will make the arrangements (I'm told) to move your luggage from one to the other cabin.

[TEXASMUNK]

RCI has a "back to Back" desk that can assist you!

Also, you will have to disembark and check in again. This is NOT an RCi requirement, so please don't start one of those RCI is a villian threads, it is a requirement of Customs and Immigration.

We have just set up our first back to back and cannot wait to wave goodbye and say hello all over again!!!!

[GTO-Girl]

I am hoping we can book a B2B for 2009. It is something I have always wanted to do!

 

We have a big 40th anniversary and DH has his big 60th birthday next year so I think that would be a perfect time.....don't you?

 

Dianne

[moknits]

We booked our b2b while we were onboard. We had an idea of what 2 weeks we wanted, and the on board booking agent was able to find us a balcony room (rear balcony!) that was available for both cruisings. Then you just put your deposit on both just like you were booking separate cruises.

 

If you're not going to be onboard to book, a cruise travel agent will be able to help you or call RCI and ask specifically for a back to back agent. The RCI agents by phone are hit-or-miss and you'll want someone who knows what they're doing for this.

 

And, by the way, we LOVED the back to back. It was the greatest thing ever.

[Chip and Dale]

We booked a B2B on Legend in March 2007 for Feb 17 and Feb 24, 2008. Our TA contacted the Vacation company and booked the cabins. RCI picks up on it being a B2B, you don't need to worry, they will link your two reservation numbers there should not be a problem.

 

We were in Santo Domingo. We received our new cards the night before we docked for our turnaround. First week we had an inside, second week a Grand Suite....wierd or what! The cabin steward did not know how to accomplish the move so we packed everything up in our bags and he wheeled our bags up to the suite when we were ready at about 9:00 a.m. We took the elevator up to the suite and put our bags in the cabin and our valuables in the safe. We went for breakfast in the dining room and were walking off the ship at about 10:00 a.m. to go on a walking tour. This was the Dominican Republic and there was no Immigration at all. They had a separate line for B2B Pax to get back on the ship, we went through the security scanner but that was it. Very very simple.

 

B2B is done in a very different way at times depending on the port and the ship. Our reservations showed that they were linked as soon as we started looking at excursions when they became available. If you stay inn the same cabin it is even simpler because you just leave your belongings in your cabin and the cabin steward just comes along and cleans like on a regular day.

 

By the way everyone, on some ships the safes require the magnetic strip on a credit card to lock the safe, which means that you are either hiding a credit card in your cabin or carry it with you. I figured out very quickly that my Costco card worked, all the safe needs is the magnetic strip and it will lock. We always figured if my Costco card was lost or stolen, no great loss.

 

Enjoy your B2B it was sooooooooo good for us!

Dee

[DHADEN]

can anyone tell me how this works? Firstly do you just book 2 cruises or do you contact RC to advise them this is what you want? Do you retain the same cabin? And when docked on the last day do you leave the ship or can you stay on board?

Thanks - any help appreciated

 

Back to your original questions:

 

You should "contact RC to advise them this is what you want" and at that time "you just book 2 cruises".

 

Find an Iteneraray that you want (Eastern/Western, or Southern Twice, etc) and get the bookings so you can BOOK THE SAME CABIN BOTH WEEKS. This makes a HUGE difference in your pleasure of B-2-B. That way, on the last night when everyone else is packing, you can enjoy the evening and stay out late.

 

You will get a notice in your cabin as to what to do on the "Turn-Around" day:

You and a few others doing B-2-B's will meet with one of the ship's officer/staff (usually around 10:00, so you can sleep in)

They will walk you off the ship and through customs, give you your new Seapass for the second week, and you go back to the ship.

The whole process takes about 1/2 hour.

 

Once back on board, you can have a great time with the Ship to yourself. This is a great time to get pictures of all the areas without people.

 

Hope This Helps.

[CruiseKeeper]

RCI has a "back to Back" desk that can assist you!

Also, you will have to disembark and check in again. This is NOT an RCi requirement, so please don't start one of those RCI is a villian threads, it is a requirement of Customs and Immigration.

We have just set up our first back to back and cannot wait to wave goodbye and say hello all over again!!!!

 

 

We are booked on our second b2b but are not aware of a a "back to back desk" that can assist us. Our first b2b did not occur smoothly. Is this desk onboard and if so what ship was this and/or do you ask for it when calling RCI? I really dislike the online feature at RCCL.com that locks your b2b from being accessed for bill paying, etc. Any assistance would be welcomed! Here's the perepetual message I get when I try to access my reservations.

 

We are currently unable to retrieve your reservation. Please contact Customer Service.

 

I know about the "back door" to access the reservations while not being signed in, but it still does not allow me to make payments. I like putting a couple of hundred on here and there to knock down the final amount due.

[Micki Dee]

We are booked on our second b2b but are not aware of a a "back to back desk" that can assist us. Our first b2b did not occur smoothly. Is this desk onboard and if so what ship was this and/or do you ask for it when calling RCI? I really dislike the online feature at RCCL.com that locks your b2b from being accessed for bill paying, etc. Any assistance would be welcomed! Here's the perepetual message I get when I try to access my reservations.

 

We are currently unable to retrieve your reservation. Please contact Customer Service.

 

 

I absolutely hated this feature on our b2b this past January. I didn't link my ressies until final payment was due. I called the b2b department to have them linked. After that I couldn't even access my e-docs once the b2b department took control of my reservation. I was told it was because my reservation was now considered a group cruise, and so I could not access it online. What a bunch of horse poo!! Thank goodness, I had already purchased all of my shore excursions, and RCCL was able to talk me through getting access to print off my set sail passes.

 

Your best bet, don't link your reservations right away. Link them once you have made final payment, bought your shore excursions, and printed your set-sail passes. Also, ask for your docs to be mailed to you. Unless someone knows how to get around the system, you won't be able to access e-docs once the b2b department takes control.