B2B in England and going from Silver to Gold

[Luv2Diz]

We have the Norway cruise booked for next year and are seriously considering adding the British Isles cruise to make this a B2B. The port is Dover.

This makes cruises 5 and 6 for me, so I will be changing to Gold status. A few questions:

1. When doing online check-in, I would guess that I do Silver check-in for the 6th cruise since I won’t have completed the 5th cruise by check-in?

2. Do they give out new lanyards for the 2nd cruise when doing B2B? I want that gold lanyard because I have certainly paid enough to earn it!

3. We are not able to get the same cabin for both cruises. I believe we pack up and Disney moves the luggage for us? We would be on the same deck, just moving from port to starboard.

Thanks!

 

[Dug720]

I can only answer Question 1... Yes, you would be doing online check-in as Silver because you do not attain the new level until you have actually completed that cruise. Otherwise anyone wanted to could book enough cruises to bump them to the next level on the one they really wanted, check in at the "new" level on that date, and cancel all the other reservations. I mean, it's a lot of money to tie up, but I guess if someone REALLY wanted an excursion that they knew sold out at the next level...

 

[ACQUADUCK]

We have the Norway cruise booked for next year and are seriously considering adding the British Isles cruise to make this a B2B. The port is Dover.

This makes cruises 5 and 6 for me, so I will be changing to Gold status. A few questions:

1. When doing online check-in, I would guess that I do Silver check-in for the 6th cruise since I won’t have completed the 5th cruise by check-in?

2. Do they give out new lanyards for the 2nd cruise when doing B2B? I want that gold lanyard because I have certainly paid enough to earn it!

3. We are not able to get the same cabin for both cruises. I believe we pack up and Disney moves the luggage for us? We would be on the same deck, just moving from port to starboard.

Thanks!

1- correct the computer only recognises the " status" when cruises are completed.
- online check in, for cruise1 - departure details- select new cruise Disney Magic.
2- you will get off ship in Dover walk along the bridge/ gangway, then up to the terminal, wait there for everyone off, then when the computers go to next cruise check in, get the new lanyard and then go back on.
At Dover it's all pre prepared for you, unlike port Canaveral, so there will be a new card for cruise2 and a new Gold lanyard.
3/ I have done B2B in fact B2B again in a month in Barcelona, But I always gave sane cabins do leave our clothes there, ( or in the laundry with a note we are B2B. Do not put luggage out last night, but do pack up, your stateroom host will move it in the morning, some move it themselves.But best advice leave it to the host.

Consider a taxi to Dover Castle in the morning that's wonderful, then a walk down into the town there are some shops there, ( if a Sunday limited hours from 11 am). If you do not have any luggage with you, you should be able to walk back to the ship, you can't miss where it is. There is a shingle and sand beach there to rest and as an alternative do the cliffs walk.

On B2B you will get a letter last night with instructions at the end of cruise1, where to meet, say at 9 am, and if there are many you will be escorted.
Tips and stateroom accounts etc are settled at the end of both cruises, you will get two Castaway gifts , at the start of both cruises, and you will be asked if you want to keep the same servers for cruise 2 or choose a rotation. ( one or other).

 

[GPaLarry]

Agree with comments above. We did a B2B Med./WBTA and used the switchover day to see more of Barcelona...planned it that way months in advance. Some feel that that day is wasted...you can make it a plus+++. Several years ago we did a Baltic Capitals DCL cruise out of Dover. Landed in London several days in advance to see that city. Day of cruise we looked up at the Dover Castle and wished we had time to go through it, as Acquaduck suggests. Wish we were doing a B2B soon, but, alas, we have to move next month...only three miles away but it might as well be 1,000. Have fun with the water Mouse.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We have the Norway cruise booked for next year and are seriously considering adding the British Isles cruise to make this a B2B. The port is Dover.

This makes cruises 5 and 6 for me, so I will be changing to Gold status. A few questions:

1. When doing online check-in, I would guess that I do Silver check-in for the 6th cruise since I won’t have completed the 5th cruise by check-in?

2. Do they give out new lanyards for the 2nd cruise when doing B2B? I want that gold lanyard because I have certainly paid enough to earn it!

3. We are not able to get the same cabin for both cruises. I believe we pack up and Disney moves the luggage for us? We would be on the same deck, just moving from port to starboard.

Thanks!

1. As noted, since you'll still be Silver at the time, you don't get earlier check in for that second cruise.
2. Yes, you get new lanyards.
3. Yes, you may be required to pack up. Sometimes the room host will just have you pack up the stuff in the drawers/shelves. Then they just change out the hangers between the rooms. Don't forget to bring a carry on off with you with the important documents/electronics/medications.

 

[ACQUADUCK]

1. As noted, since you'll still be Silver at the time, you don't get earlier check in for that second cruise.
2. Yes, you get new lanyards.
3. Yes, you may be required to pack up. Sometimes the room host will just have you pack up the stuff in the drawers/shelves. Then they just change out the hangers between the rooms. Don't forget to bring a carry on off with you with the important documents/electronics/medications.

Thank you for the confirmation.

 

[Luv2Diz]

1- correct the computer only recognises the " status" when cruises are completed.
- online check in, for cruise1 - departure details- select new cruise Disney Magic.
2- you will get off ship in Dover walk along the bridge/ gangway, then up to the terminal, wait there for everyone off, then when the computers go to next cruise check in, get the new lanyard and then go back on.
At Dover it's all pre prepared for you, unlike port Canaveral, so there will be a new card for cruise2 and a new Gold lanyard.
3/ I have done B2B in fact B2B again in a month in Barcelona, But I always gave sane cabins do leave our clothes there, ( or in the laundry with a note we are B2B. Do not put luggage out last night, but do pack up, your stateroom host will move it in the morning, some move it themselves.But best advice leave it to the host.

Consider a taxi to Dover Castle in the morning that's wonderful, then a walk down into the town there are some shops there, ( if a Sunday limited hours from 11 am). If you do not have any luggage with you, you should be able to walk back to the ship, you can't miss where it is. There is a shingle and sand beach there to rest and as an alternative do the cliffs walk.

On B2B you will get a letter last night with instructions at the end of cruise1, where to meet, say at 9 am, and if there are many you will be escorted.
Tips and stateroom accounts etc are settled at the end of both cruises, you will get two Castaway gifts , at the start of both cruises, and you will be asked if you want to keep the same servers for cruise 2 or choose a rotation. ( one or other).

Thank you! It is especially helpful to know the process in Dover. We do want to see Dover Castle. Thinking about arriving in Dover the afternoon before our cruise and spending the night there. Lots of research and planning to do but we have plenty of time.

 

[mmmears]

If you really want to have the same cabin for both cruises I'd keep checking. We booked our upcoming Magic cruise late by Disney standards (11 months in advance ) and at the time there were very few cabins available. I kept checking and was able to get closer to what we wanted a few months ago and then to get exactly what we wanted about a month before platinum PIF dates. In that time, so many cabins opened up and then were filled and the inventory kept shifting around from week to week. Just wanted to let you know in case it's something that matters to you. :

 

[Luv2Diz]

If you really want to have the same cabin for both cruises I'd keep checking. We booked our upcoming Magic cruise late by Disney standards (11 months in advance ) and at the time there were very few cabins available. I kept checking and was able to get closer to what we wanted a few months ago and then to get exactly what we wanted about a month before platinum PIF dates. In that time, so many cabins opened up and then were filled and the inventory kept shifting around from week to week. Just wanted to let you know in case it's something that matters to you. :

Good point about the cabins opening up closer to PIF dates, if not before. I will check periodically. It would be nice to not have to pack up and move. Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Good point about the cabins opening up closer to PIF dates, if not before. I will check periodically. It would be nice to not have to pack up and move. Thanks!

It's really not so bad. You don't have to have everything packed up the night before (like everyone else). We didn't have to have our bags ready until like 8:00 the next morning. And the room host was waiting for it when we opened the door. Took them right away to the next room. Didn't have to have EVERYTHING in the suitcases, either. Took our random bags that we just tossed the bathroom/shelf stuff into.

 

[ACQUADUCK]

Thank you! It is especially helpful to know the process in Dover. We do want to see Dover Castle. Thinking about arriving in Dover the afternoon before our cruise and spending the night there. Lots of research and planning to do but we have plenty of time.

If you are going down in advance I would suggest a couple of things.
Either stay just out if town, like at the Ramada Dover,

https://www.wyndhamhotels.com/en-uk...verview?CID=PS:RA:GGL:BMM:15814&iata=00093096

Or

A stay in Canterbury before.

Dover city centre is ok in the day but imho not nice at night, it actually got voted the worst town in the UK recently. It's a commercial ferry port, and an immigration entry point to the UK, you have trucks going through 24/7.
The shops are open in the day, the centre us dead at night and I felt uncomfortable.

Ramada is a mile or two out if town, we stayed there so did many cruisers.

It has run shuttles to the cruise, but it's a cheap taxi away. There is a nearby large Tesco supermarket, ( like Walmart) and McDonald's next to it.

A short taxi to the castle is easy from the hotel.

As an alternative Canterbury is a wonderful place to visit and stay. Very famous city with its cathedral.

Note Dover cruise port is small , they are strict no vehicles in before 10.30, some walk up before and are held outside the terminal. Do not arrive before 10.30 am.

 

[clten]

2. Do they give out new lanyards for the 2nd cruise when doing B2B? I want that gold lanyard because I have certainly paid enough to earn it!

Just wanted to give you a heads up. We did b2b where one in our party changed status. It was not immediately noted so when they checked in for the second cruise they did not give them the correct lanyard. They did show that they were on the last cruise (had their KTTW cards and were checking in as B2B so it should have been obvious). But the agent said they had to go by what the screen was saying and then put in a message. By day 3 of the cruise, Guest Services contacted the affected party and they were given the updated status (left new lanyards in their room). Just wanted to give you the heads up that it may not be immediate. And you may want to make sure your status is upgraded to Gold because it might affect more than the colored lanyards you receive, it may affect if the gold discount is applied in the shops onboard.

 

[Luv2Diz]

Thank you all again for the variety of helpful information.

A couple more questions. What do we select for PAT during online checkin for the 2nd cruise since we are doing the B2B? And are you assigned to the same serving team for both cruises?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thank you all again for the variety of helpful information.

A couple more questions. What do we select for PAT during online checkin for the 2nd cruise since we are doing the B2B? And are you assigned to the same serving team for both cruises?

Toward the end of the first cruise, you head server will (well, should) ask you if you wish to continue with the same rotation/servers. You can choose at that time whether they work for you.

I just picked a PAT, although it's not necessary, as you're already at the port. Some people have reported not having to choose one for a B2B, but we always did.

 

[ACQUADUCK]

Thank you all again for the variety of helpful information.

A couple more questions. What do we select for PAT during online checkin for the 2nd cruise since we are doing the B2B? And are you assigned to the same serving team for both cruises?

I have another B2B coming up, now whilst Platinum I do not need to choose a PAT it didn't come up at all, and didn't in past B2Bs, you do have to select...
End of cruise 1...going to Disney Ship...and write Disney Magic.
On Cruise2 where travelling from ( typically flying in) from Disney Magic.

There have been updates to online check in on B2Bs over the years.

As mentioned in my prior post you can choose to stay with your server team or choose a rotation, if you choose your server team, then you have to go on their assigned rotation they will not change it, and tip at the end of each cruise.

I am back to back in July so can update changes.

 

[dcassetta]

Just wanted to give you a heads up. We did b2b where one in our party changed status. It was not immediately noted so when they checked in for the second cruise they did not give them the correct lanyard. They did show that they were on the last cruise (had their KTTW cards and were checking in as B2B so it should have been obvious). But the agent said they had to go by what the screen was saying and then put in a message. By day 3 of the cruise, Guest Services contacted the affected party and they were given the updated status (left new lanyards in their room). Just wanted to give you the heads up that it may not be immediate. And you may want to make sure your status is upgraded to Gold because it might affect more than the colored lanyards you receive, it may affect if the gold discount is applied in the shops onboard.

Experienced this last fall. For some reason, when checking in for the cruise in NYC, the system said we were new cruisers. I do not usually wear a lanyard, but thought it was odd when lanyards were not offered and inquired. The check-in person filled out a form before boarding and we received a call from guest services later that day saying they were looking into the issue. We had the same cabin steward from a previous cruise and he asked what was up as there were no gifts or platinum letter to leave in our room. It was all sorted by the next day.