B2B cruises - do u have to get off?

[janetootsie]

Hi there, We r going on B2B cruise around the Carribbean in March 2010 on CB. Have not done one before and wanted to know do we have to get off the boat, if so for how long. BTW the cruise is from San Juan with a late departure of 23.00hrs. Thanks for any anwsers, Jane and Ciaran

[Toto2Kansas]

Yes, you will have to disembark, but it is quite painless. They take you off, walk you through the check in process, and you have your picture taken for your shipboard account, and check in with your new cruise card. Then you are free to come and go the rest of the day as you wish. It usually doesn't take long. :)

[ridolphi]

Interesting Toto, and you are definitely more experienced at this point than I, as we have not cruised Princess in several years.

 

Going in Sept, sort of B2B, 3night coastal Vancouver to LA, then 7 night Mexican LA to LA. Have been told twice now, that when we check in at Vancouver they will check us in for the whole cruise and we won't have to recheck in in LA. Asked about the fact that we will be changing rooms, and was again told twice that we just needed to go to the Purser's desk on Saturday morning and they will give us new room keys.

 

As I said, I'm sure you know more than I do, guess we will see what happens in Vancouver.

[Toto2Kansas]

Interesting Toto, and you are definitely more experienced at this point than I, as we have not cruised Princess in several years.

 

Going in Sept, sort of B2B, 3night coastal Vancouver to LA, then 7 night Mexican LA to LA. Have been told twice now, that when we check in at Vancouver they will check us in for the whole cruise and we won't have to recheck in in LA. Asked about the fact that we will be changing rooms, and was again told twice that we just needed to go to the Purser's desk on Saturday morning and they will give us new room keys.

 

As I said, I'm sure you know more than I do, guess we will see what happens in Vancouver.

 

BUT, you have to have your picture taken again that links to your new cruise card, even if the Purser's deck supplies you your new cruise card. I would venture to guess, you will be at least walked off the ship and returned to have your photo taken by that cute little machine again on turn around day. :D If you remember afterwards, I would love it if you checked back in here and relayed what process they used. I am wondering if maybe because this is a costal linked to a 7 day, they may have simplified the process. But I do have my doubts about what you were told, only you will be able to supply us the info when you return. ;) This is not the normal procedure when booking a B2B that I have ever witnessed.

[Bill B]

I've done several B2Bs and always went ashore on turnaround days... except last year (on a Vancouver-Whittier-Vancouver) when I never left the ship except in Juneau on the 'first leg'. My second cruise card worked as it should all week... that is, until disembarkation when it sent the security system machine into 'fits of beeping' - it did not recognize me as being on the ship (and thus didn't want to let me off)... LOL.

[ridolphi]

I definitely will post here what the process was. As I said Toto, I'm sure you are much more experienced in this and are probably right. Forgot about the picture thing! I'm sure in any case it will be an easy and quick process.

[JerseyGuys]

We did a back to back in Oct/Nov on the CB, and our new cruise cards were delivered the last night of the first cruise. The plan was that customs would come on board for those completing B2B cruises, but that changed when the head count was off, and everyone was ordered off in San Juan, and then we were immediately ushered back on. We took the Photo then, but as i said that wasn't the plan.

[cdngrl]

on my b2b vancouver-whittier-vancouver in may, we didn't even have to get off the ship. we met in the lounge and they had a scanner set up just outside of it for our new cruise card picture. we all just got our new picture taken on our way out of the lounge.

 

cruise cards were sent out the night before (okay, mine wasn't but it got sorted out). :)

[caribill]

And be sure to tell the Purser's desk during the first leg that you want charges from that leg carried over to the second leg.

[cdngrl]

And be sure to tell the Purser's desk during the first leg that you want charges from that leg carried over to the second leg.

 

that's good to know! i didn't realize they would do that.

[FLACRUISER99]

Hi there, We r going on B2B cruise around the Carribbean in March 2010 on CB. Have not done one before and wanted to know do we have to get off the boat, if so for how long. BTW the cruise is from San Juan with a late departure of 23.00hrs. Thanks for any anwsers, Jane and Ciaran

The answer is you will do whatever Homeland Security or Local Authorities want you to do and it differs in every Port and sometimes changes from week to week.

[jfv379]

On our B2B last year, originally booked as two week cruise, all we did is that when we got off to tour San Juan was have a new S&S card made right at the security point where you debarked.

 

We didn't have to bother with customs as the stop the day before was St. Thomas.

 

Maybe it's changed now.

[JerseyGuys]

The answer is you will do whatever Homeland Security or Local Authorities want you to do and it differs in every Port and sometimes changes from week to week.

 

The poster is correct ...it is also dependent of what port you visited just prior to the turn around port.

[cityguy300]

Hi there, We r going on B2B cruise around the Carribbean in March 2010 on CB. Have not done one before and wanted to know do we have to get off the boat, if so for how long. BTW the cruise is from San Juan with a late departure of 23.00hrs. Thanks for any anwsers, Jane and Ciaran

 

Are you doing the 7-day southern Caribbean (Aruba, Bonaire, Grenada, Dominica) followed by the 7-day eastern Caribbean (Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua, Tortola)? I did this on CB this past March.

 

If your experience was like ours, you should receive a letter in your cabin before the first Sunday, entitling you to leave the ship anytime that morning to do your own independent sightseeing. When you return, you'll go to a separate counter in the terminal lobby (no need to queue up behind the new arrivals) and pick up your new card then, and get photographed by the machine as you embark just like on the first day.

 

If you choose to stay on-board, you'll be called to the Explorer's Lounge mid-morning after all the other passengers have disembarked. Your group will then be led down to the terminal to pick up your new cards. You can then either go right back onto the ship or exit the terminal for sightseeing.

[janetootsie]

Thank u everyone for your replys - it obviously does vary a bit from cruise to cruise. I guess we will just decide what to do on the day!

 

Yes that is the itinery we r doing - do u have any advice or must dos? I am trying not to get too excited just yet, as still a long time to go - but it's not easy!!

[cityguy300]

Yes that is the itinery we r doing - do u have any advice or must dos? I am trying not to get too excited just yet, as still a long time to go - but it's not easy!!

 

Without knowing your interests or what you were planning to do at each island, the only advice that leaps to mind has to do with the ship itself. You will find that the dinner menus and entertainment are identical the 2nd week as the 1st since these are parallel itineraries. So if you can't decide between activities or what to order at dinner, don't worry because you will have a chance to alternate on Week 2, lol.

 

Have fun! It was a very thorough itinerary as you know, covering ten distinct ports (including San Juan and the double-dipped St. Thomas -- wait until your second go to buy anything there, in case you see it cheaper elsewhere). The weather was perfect in March, but the airport is a zoo and the only part of our vacation that got messed up (on the departure end fortunately, as we arrived day of embarkation from Toronto). I would check out other threads here about SJU so you're not caught unawares, especially as Princess doesn't tell you what to expect (e.g. the agricultural scanner queue).

[jericho2009]

Each port is different but LA makes you get off - at least they have the last two times we have gone through on B2B. When we were there this past April, although told otherwise in a letter delivered to our room the night before, we were asked in the morning to disembark and we had to stay in the Elite Lounge until it was time for everyone to board the ship. Take a book and a sweater - it can be chilly in that room!

 

Cheers.

[jfv379]

Thank u everyone for your replys - it obviously does vary a bit from cruise to cruise. I guess we will just decide what to do on the day!

 

Yes that is the itinery we r doing - do u have any advice or must dos? I am trying not to get too excited just yet, as still a long time to go - but it's not easy!!

 

 

I think we only did three ship excursions on our trip. The best was a catamaran from the port to Souferrie with a stop into Margot Bay, not really a stop just sailed into the bay and out again, and around the Pitons. Then back to the ship from Souferrie to Castries by bus. Stop at the Drive through Volcano and a operational Plantation. Very nice, lunch included, and the scenery on the return drive was georgeous. I think the cost was $99.00 pp.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[TM]

We just did a B2B on the Coral last month and we did not have to leave the ship. Our new cards were issued to us the evening before, as well as a piece of paper stating we were "passengers in transit". We were requested to go to Plaza Deck between the hours of 11:00 and 12:00 to have our new cards activated and new pictures taken. Very easy, and very cool to be on the ship all morning. On this sailing there was only 22 of us doing the B2B. This was our first B2B, but will not be our last. Enjoy!