Back to back Cruise in Disney Dream

[rangermom]

We are doing a B2B on the Dream this October. I just completed our onboard check-in and the only place that I saw to add that we were doing a b2b was on the first cruise in the section on what plans we had after disembarkment. I selected Disney Cruise and it auto populated Disney Dream.

My question is how does this work? We are in the same stateroom. I know we disembark after first cruise but do we go through security again? Do we leave our items in th room? TIA.

 

[lorimay]

We are doing a B2B on the Dream this October. I just completed our onboard check-in and the only place that I saw to add that we were doing a b2b was on the first cruise in the section on what plans we had after disembarkment. I selected Disney Cruise and it auto populated Disney Dream.

My question is how does this work? We are in the same stateroom. I know we disembark after first cruise but do we go through security again? Do we leave our items in th room? TIA.

We did one last year with the same cabin, yes you leave your belongings in the room.
**You should get a letter in your room on the last night of your first cruise that tells you where to go in the morning and what to bring with you.
I star it because we didn't receive the letter on our last night and we had to go down to guest services to ask.
Apparently quite a few people didn't receive the letter and this was a Southern Caribbean cruise and then a re-po to Port Canaveral so there were a lot of people staying on.
We were sent to wait at one of the clubs (sorry can't remember the name) and then they came collected out KTTW cards and we waited until all the other guests were off the ship then they swiped us off and we went into the terminal and they put us back into the system for the new cruise and we were able to go back on to the ship. This didn't go smoothly at all, of course the computers were down when we got there so we were waiting around for almost and hour before we could re-board. We maybe had an hour or so before new guests came on.
The departing guests sure took their time debarking too, it was frustrating just waiting, there was a lot of waiting that day. It was San Juan though, so that could be the reason.
They will ask you not to go back and forth to your room before the 1:30 time when the rooms are opened to all.

Have fun!

 

[DietCokeMommy]

We were sent to wait at one of the clubs (sorry can't remember the name) and then they came collected out KTTW cards and we waited until all the other guests were off the ship then they swiped us off and we went into the terminal and they put us back into the system for the new cruise and we were able to go back on to the ship. This didn't go smoothly at all, of course the computers were down when we got there so we were waiting around for almost and hour before we could re-board. We maybe had an hour or so before new guests came on.

We plan to do this same trip in 2020. We did just the repo this year and want to add on the southern next time. We plan to get off on the changeover day and do some stuff in old San Juan. Do you know if everyone has to go meet in the room together and wait? I was thinking we could just get off and come back after lunch time without much waiting. Or do you only need to wait with everyone if you want to immediately get back on?

 

[lorimay]

We plan to do this same trip in 2020. We did just the repo this year and want to add on the southern next time. We plan to get off on the changeover day and do some stuff in old San Juan. Do you know if everyone has to go meet in the room together and wait? I was thinking we could just get off and come back after lunch time without much waiting. Or do you only need to wait with everyone if you want to immediately get back on?

Yes, if you want to go and explore bring everything you need for re-check in just like the first cruise. You will be able to board again with the new guests.

Have fun, its a great cruise.

 

[rangermom]

Thanks for the response! We’re very excited. Always wanted to do a B2B and we get Gold status after this trip

 

[Starwind]

We did a B2B on the Dream a few years ago and are booked to do another. We also stayed in the same stateroom for both legs.

When booking the cruise the DCL rep did something in their computer system that linked them so it showed we were on consecutive cruises -- this is something they have to do, you can't do it yourself.

When doing online checkin we noted our destination after the first cruise as a disney cruise, and IIRC the origination before the first cruise as a disney cruise.

The last night of the first cruise we received a letter in our stateroom with instructions for the next day It gave us the time we had to be off the ship, and how the unboarding/reboarding would work. For our B2B we were to go off on our own, there was no meeting of the B2Bers on board, but I have read that sometimes theere is. Follow the instructions in the letter.

Since we were in the same stateroom for both legs we did not need to pack our bags. We took a day bag with us to the port that had some bottled water, something to read, etc, as well as our documents and IDs including passports.

When we got off the ship we had to go through US Customs. We told them we were getting right back on the ship. There was little line by that point so getting through was pretty quick.

As you head out of the Customs hall there is a CM near the exit who is directing people where to go (eg to the buses) and you tell them you are doing a Back to Back. They will point you where to go -- you go back up the escalator into the terminal. We did NOT have to go through security again, but it is possible that would change.

Once in the terminal the checkin counters will probably not be ready yet. A CM explained they have to wait until everyone is off, then there is a bit of wait while the computes close out that ship and load up the next. We were invited to explore the (nearly empty - great for taking pictures !) termina, take a seat and relax.

Once the computers are up for the next cruise they let you know you can check in. We checked in and then were told t o wait in the concierge lounge in the terminal.

Our wait was a little longer than normal because they were doing some filming on board. But once the ship was ready for us the B2B group was escorted back onto the ship.

You CAN go back to your stateroom but they ask you do not go back and forth from it until 130 when everone else is allowed to their staterooms - so you need to decide what you want to do. You will have a brief window before the other guests are allowed on board, but after that you basically need to be at your stateroom or elsewhere.

We quite enjoyed our B2B. Our serving team knew we were B2B and were quite excited at that. The last night the head server asked if we wanted the same table and same serving team and their rotation and we said yes, but we could have changed if we wanted. our rotation for the second cruise was different than for the first.

SW

 

[LoveMickey]

We also did the B2B on the Dream a year ago March. It was fun and loved getting to CC twice. We were supposed to get the infamous letter the night before and did not. I woke up early and did laundry and it was done well before we disembarked. our relatives did laundry and put it into the dryer while we were getting off the ship. We waited in the atrium until most of the passengers got off the ship. We then got in line to get off. Luckily we were with others who were doing B2B. they told us we had to have a 'colored' card to get back onto the ship. Since we did not get the letter, we did not have the card. As others have said, after clearing customs (make sure you have your passport and ID) you just go back up the escalator to check in. We are platinum and that area was not open yet, so we just checked in again on the regular side (and we asked them for the colored card). They then put us into the sectioned off area for Concierge guests. After about an hour, we went through the Non Mickey Ears door (that's where they collected the colored cards) and onto the ship. there is no one there to announce you, so I announced ourselves. We were able to back to our room and we saw our letter and colored card. We then got a good seat by the pool and went on the Aqua Duck a few times before lunch. It was fun doing this.