Back to Back Cruises - Question

[Soontobegoodsell]

Hi there,

We are considering a B2B cruise this fall and wanted to know some answers that seem to be up in the air, and also would love to hear some comments from people who have done this in the past.

1. We are considering concierge for both trips, is there any difference if we do not do concierge? Wondered if it would be smoother since we'd be concierge both cruises, not just one of them.

2. We have family joining us on the second leg, can we wait for them in the terminal or do we have to be escorted off and then back on the boat?

3. I know we'll have to pack up our luggage (obviously), but do they move it for us or do we have to check it again, etc? Or do we get to carry it off and then back on.

Any pros and cons?

Let me know if you've done this and your thoughts.

Thanks!

 

[Bishoparc]

3. I know we'll have to pack up our luggage (obviously), but do they move it for us or do we have to check it again, etc? Or do we get to carry it off and then back on.

I can only answer this one, if you are in the same room you do not have to pack. The only time you have to pack is if changing rooms and yes they will move it for you.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hi there,

We are considering a B2B cruise this fall and wanted to know some answers that seem to be up in the air, and also would love to hear some comments from people who have done this in the past.

1. We are considering concierge for both trips, is there any difference if we do not do concierge? Wondered if it would be smoother since we'd be concierge both cruises, not just one of them.

2. We have family joining us on the second leg, can we wait for them in the terminal or do we have to be escorted off and then back on the boat?

3. I know we'll have to pack up our luggage (obviously), but do they move it for us or do we have to check it again, etc? Or do we get to carry it off and then back on.

Any pros and cons?

Let me know if you've done this and your thoughts.

Thanks!

1. Don't know whether it's "easier" or not if you do Concierge. But the basic process is the same.
2. If the turnaround port is a US port, you will be required to debark the ship and check in again for the second cruise. You'll receive a letter at the end of your first leg telling your your specific process (it can vary from cruise to cruise). You may be told to be off the ship on your own, or meet in a specific area to be escorted off. Once off the ship, you go through immigration/customs and then back up the escalator to the terminal. You will be in there before the "new" cruisers. Typically check in for the B2B people will start just before the terminal opens for the new cruisers, around 10:00-10:15. After check in, you will be given a B2B boarding pass and directed to wait in the Concierge Lounge (even if you are not actually in a Concierge room). B2B people are boarded just prior to the boarding process around 11:10-11:15. You may choose to wait for your friends, but you will be required to board with them, when their boarding number is called, if they have one. Your time n the terminal can vary from 30 minutes to 2 hours.

3. You carry off the ship only those things you need to keep with you (in your carry on bags) - electronics, medications, documents for checking in. If you are in the same room, you may leave the rest of your stuff in the room. If you're changing rooms, you will (most of the time) be directed to pack up your checked bags, and your room host will get them from you around 8:00 to be taken to your next room.

 

[Quellman]

Hi there,

We are considering a B2B cruise this fall and wanted to know some answers that seem to be up in the air, and also would love to hear some comments from people who have done this in the past.

1. We are considering concierge for both trips, is there any difference if we do not do concierge? Wondered if it would be smoother since we'd be concierge both cruises, not just one of them.
The process is the same for both concierge and non-concierge back to back cruisers.
2. We have family joining us on the second leg, can we wait for them in the terminal or do we have to be escorted off and then back on the boat?
You can decide to wait in the terminal if you so choose. The only benefit is walking on together when their boarding number is called. Back to backers get a special boarding and are most usually boarded before anyone else including concierge. In fact often are back on board before the terminal is opened.
Sometimes you may be escorted off, but not back on.

3. I know we'll have to pack up our luggage (obviously), but do they move it for us or do we have to check it again, etc? Or do we get to carry it off and then back on.
If you stay in the same room, you do not need to pack. If you change rooms, pack your stuff and your room host will move it for you. (We have done both).

Any pros and cons?
The menus repeat and you will be really good at trivia the second time around. I have found that wait staff really like B2B cruisers.
Let me know if you've done this and your thoughts.

Thanks!

 

[Cackyschmackers]

@Quellman How did you arrange your luggage be moved when you changed rooms on the second leg? We have different rooms on our second leg of our B2B this summer.

 

[DCLDVC1]

@Quellman How did you arrange your luggage be moved when you changed rooms on the second leg? We have different rooms on our second leg of our B2B this summer.

We switched rooms on one of our B2Bs and just left our bags in the room. The stateroom attendant(s) moved everything for us.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

@Quellman How did you arrange your luggage be moved when you changed rooms on the second leg? We have different rooms on our second leg of our B2B this summer.

You don't have to "arrange" it. The room host knows you're doing a B2B and will, with the assistance of the "new" room host (if there is one), will move the bags the morning of the turn around.

 

[waggles02673]

Ok so I think I can help answer all of your questions as we have done 2 B2B cruises in a Concierge level room.
Does a Concierge room make it easier? No Concierge staff escort Concierge guests off the ship between 7:30-8am. Doing a B2B stay on the boat as long as possible (usually 9-9:30) so you don't have to sit in the terminal as long. On the second leg you should be able to wait for your family in the terminal. Usually they escort B2B guests back on the ship between 10:30-11 (this is our experience on both B2B). The Cove Cafe will be open at that time and you can usually go to your room if not switching rooms if you need anything. If you are switching rooms you will pack everything up and leave it in your room and they will move it to your new stateroom. We did this once going from a 1BR to 12000 1BR between the Royals. We found it far easier to stay in the same stateroom. As for pros if you are sailing in a Concierge suite you get all the Concierge perks obviously and when you get on for the second leg you can usually get into the lounge for coffee or a snack. As for Cons for us it used to be considerably less cost to do a B2B compared to a 7 night cruise in the same Concierge Suite. What I have found now is that the prices are much closer in price between the two so we would opt for the 7 night and not have the same menus, shows etc. If you have any other questions let me know.

 

[apathetic]

Do you have to stay in the terminal between the 2 cruises? Or can you leave and wander around. I realize you have to come back and do the check in, but I'm assuming you don't have to re-board as soon as they open it.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Do you have to stay in the terminal between the 2 cruises? Or can you leave and wander around. I realize you have to come back and do the check in, but I'm assuming you don't have to re-board as soon as they open it.

If you leave the terminal, you will not be allowed to re-enter until it opens for the new cruisers. Otherwise, you just wait in the terminal.

There's not really much to "wander around" and see at the port.

 

[apathetic]

If you leave the terminal, you will not be allowed to re-enter until it opens for the new cruisers. Otherwise, you just wait in the terminal.

There's not really much to "wander around" and see at the port.

I guess that depends on the port. If you were on a b2b on the transatlantic then a Norwegian cruise or to Vancouver before an Alaska cruise, I would assume those ports would be worth exploring. We are looking at a similar scenario but weren't 100% sure you could leave the terminal and return.

 

[Trera]

Ok so I think I can help answer all of your questions as we have done 2 B2B cruises in a Concierge level room.
Does a Concierge room make it easier? No Concierge staff escort Concierge guests off the ship between 7:30-8am. Doing a B2B stay on the boat as long as possible (usually 9-9:30) so you don't have to sit in the terminal as long. On the second leg you should be able to wait for your family in the terminal. Usually they escort B2B guests back on the ship between 10:30-11 (this is our experience on both B2B). The Cove Cafe will be open at that time and you can usually go to your room if not switching rooms if you need anything. If you are switching rooms you will pack everything up and leave it in your room and they will move it to your new stateroom. We did this once going from a 1BR to 12000 1BR between the Royals. We found it far easier to stay in the same stateroom. As for pros if you are sailing in a Concierge suite you get all the Concierge perks obviously and when you get on for the second leg you can usually get into the lounge for coffee or a snack. As for Cons for us it used to be considerably less cost to do a B2B compared to a 7 night cruise in the same Concierge Suite. What I have found now is that the prices are much closer in price between the two so we would opt for the 7 night and not have the same menus, shows etc. If you have any other questions let me know.

We always tell our stateroom host to do the deep clean in our room while we are at Castaway Cay of our first cruise, that way when we get to port he can do a pretty quick turnaround on our room so that when we get back on the boat...........he has our room clean and ready for us incase we want to spend some time in there.

 

[Quellman]

@Quellman How did you arrange your luggage be moved when you changed rooms on the second leg? We have different rooms on our second leg of our B2B this summer.

I let my stateroom host know that we were going to be moving to another room at the end of the cruise. This way they would be ready with all of our luggage. We tagged a few of the pieces with the new room number and then left them in the stateroom when we left for the morning. We left a lot of our carry on luggage in the room as well, only taking a backpack off. While we were only 2 doors down, we ended up with a different room host. Our room host actually introduced us prior to the cruise ending and our new host said our room would be ready by the time we got back on board.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

I let my stateroom host know that we were going to be moving to another room at the end of the cruise. This way they would be ready with all of our luggage. We tagged a few of the pieces with the new room number and then left them in the stateroom when we left for the morning. We left a lot of our carry on luggage in the room as well, only taking a backpack off. While we were only 2 doors down, we ended up with a different room host. Our room host actually introduced us prior to the cruise ending and our new host said our room would be ready by the time we got back on board.

Thanks so much. We're on completely different decks for the second leg, so I wasn't sure what we're supposed to do. Did you use the Disney luggage tags when you left your luggage in your room? Is that what you meant?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks so much. We're on completely different decks for the second leg, so I wasn't sure what we're supposed to do. Did you use the Disney luggage tags when you left your luggage in your room? Is that what you meant?

The letter we got in our room directed us to put the tags on, and have our bags outside the room by 8:00 am on the turn around day. Our room host was waiting when we opened the door to take the bags.

 

[Quellman]

Thanks so much. We're on completely different decks for the second leg, so I wasn't sure what we're supposed to do. Did you use the Disney luggage tags when you left your luggage in your room? Is that what you meant?

You're welcome. I did use the Disney luggage tags that I would normally have used if I was arriving for a cruise for my luggage that I left in my room. This way my host would have an idea of where it needed to go.

I hope you'll share some knowledge on what it was like to change decks.

 

[Jojoba77]

Hi,
A few more B2B questions!
Do the children have to re register for kids clubs/keep same band?
Do you still have the same servers on both cruises or do they change it?
Are all the shows/entertainment repeated, or is it mixed up at all?
We are doing eastern/western B2B in august so trying to find information!
Thanks in advance, Jo x

 

[Quellman]

Hi,
A few more B2B questions!
Do the children have to re register for kids clubs/keep same band?
Do you still have the same servers on both cruises or do they change it?
Are all the shows/entertainment repeated, or is it mixed up at all?
We are doing eastern/western B2B in august so trying to find information!
Thanks in advance, Jo x

You can request the same or different servers. The head server should come around either the last or second to last night of your cruise and ask if you want to keep the same group, wanted ot be seated alone, etc.

The shows and entertainment are repeated with the only variation doing a back to back cruise where the number of days are different. For example a 3 and 4 day on the Dream. The entertainment may also change as one contract with a performer may be ending. Your shows will likely be the same for both sailings.

 

[Cackyschmackers]

Do the children have to re register for kids clubs/keep same band?

Good question: I haven't seen the answer to that anywhere... hopefully someone will chime in. The band has a charge ($12.95 I believe) associated with it if you do not return it (it will get charged to your room). I know you have to close out your on-board accounts for each leg. So I'm wondering what the situation is w/the kids clubs/bands.

 

[MPS516]

It is a totally different cruise, you will re-check into kids clubs. A little note about Concierge, when checking back in the Concierge/Platinum desk was prepped but did not open until terminal opened, agent never said a word. The B2B registration is at regular counter next to supervisor station.