Back to Back cruise info ?

[LoveMickey]

Hello friends. You folks have the best info so here are my questions

We're doing a b2b dream cruse in March and I was looking for info on how the procedure works.

We are staying in the same room. And I've read different trip report (some older ones) where you have to get off the ship and some where you just have to go to a separate are on the ship. What is the current procedure? What's the approximate time to get back to doing things on the ship. Aqua duck, etc

Someone said something about having to pack up the room, even though we are in the same room. I hope this is not the case. I assume you cannot get back to your room, because they will be roped off.

Any other info on this would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

 

[clten]

First, if you are staying in the same room, you do NOT have to pack everything up. I always make sure the stateroom host knows we are back to back (while it has always been on the reservation, it has been hit and miss if the stateroom host knows). That way they aren't shocked that there is still stuff in there and also they are supposed to make up the b2b rooms first. (A lot of times they'll do the cleaning they would normally do on turnover day the day before for b2b rooms, that way they only need to straighten things up on turnover day.)

Since you are sailing from Port Canaveral, the current process is that you do have to disembark and go through customs, check back in and then wait to re-board. Now how the process works and how long it takes varies sailing to sailing. The one thing that is consistent is that you will get a letter explaining the process. In the morning, you will either have a meeting place and be escorted off the ship (usually this is only if they have several groups doing b2b) or they will tell you that you need to be off by X:XX time. If it is not escorted, I recommend you waiting until almost everyone else is off. There are much more comfortable places to sit and wait onboard than in the terminal and getting into the terminal will NOT get you back on board any sooner.

Once you go through customs and go back upstairs to check in, you have to wait until the ship is cleared to bring new passengers onboard. That is totally dependent on what is going on and the crew on board. When we've done b2b on the classic ships, we've typically only had to wait 30-45 minutes and usually get on at least 45-1 hr before new guests. With the larger ships, we haven't done as many b2b's but our wait in the terminal has always been longer and it was closer to 20-30 minutes max before new guests started boarding.

Regardless of when you re-board, things like the pools, AquaDuck, etc. probably won't be ready for you to go on. The pools will open after they have been cleaned. Anything that requires a crew member - like the AquaDuck - will not open until their regular scheduled time - when new guests will be on board too. (The exception is that usually someplace like Cove Cafe is open for coffee and snacks -- they'll let you know in the letter.)

As far as going back to your room, you can do that before new guests get onboard. Once new guests start arriving, people tend to either stay in their stateroom until 1:30 or leave the stateroom and not go back until 1:30 when they open up staterooms for everyone.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hello friends. You folks have the best info so here are my questions

We're doing a b2b dream cruse in March and I was looking for info on how the procedure works.

We are staying in the same room. And I've read different trip report (some older ones) where you have to get off the ship and some where you just have to go to a separate are on the ship. What is the current procedure? What's the approximate time to get back to doing things on the ship. Aqua duck, etc

Someone said something about having to pack up the room, even though we are in the same room. I hope this is not the case. I assume you cannot get back to your room, because they will be roped off.

Any other info on this would be greatly appreciated

Thanks

The only thing that remains constant about back to back cruising is that you'll receive a letter in your room at the end of your first cruise telling you what your specific procedure is going to be.

Basically, you will be told what time you must be off the ship (sometimes, if there are a lot of B2B people they will have everyone meet onboard and be escorted off. But, mostly, you'll get yourself off).

Once off the ship, you will check in again in the terminal, before the new cruisers are allowed in.

You may be off the ship anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours. Bring something to amuse yourself.

When you check in, you will be directed to wait in the Concierge Lounge. You will board before the Concierge guests (sometimes just before, other times quite a while before).

If you are staying in the same room, you won't have to pack up.

Generally, you can access your room freely once back onboard until the new cruisers start boarding. Then you are asked to either remain in your room, or stay out of your room until the rooms are open for everyone.

 

[kiford]

And I've read different trip report (some older ones) where you have to get off the ship and some where you just have to go to a separate are on the ship.

I'm guessing that what you read may have been that some people were told to gather in a particular place on the ship and then escorted off to check back in again. They still had to disembark.

Other possibility is that what you read was that people were put in a separate area in the terminal after checking back in again until they were allowed back on (we were put in the concierge lounge in the Port Canaveral terminal after checking back in - only two families that trip other than us so we weren't escorted off).

Or you might have read that about some European ports where you may or may not have to disembark (depending on location).

As others have said, the only consistent thing is the letter you get the night before. It will explain everything so don't worry about it.

If you have the same room, don't pack just check with your stateroom attendant as others have said. Ours knew already. Also check with the head server. If you like your servers, let him know so that they can ensure you stay in their section (assuming they're on the next sailing) or move if you want to. We stayed with our servers. They were not only good (assistant server was probably the best we ever had) but then they already knew what we liked. Originally the head server had planned to move us to another section and to put us at our own table (which we don't like).

 

[Flounder89]

Stupid question: We are thinking about doing a B2B next year on the Wonder but might like to actually leave the ship for a few hours. We would be in Vancouver, leave the ship as soon as possible, walk around for a bit and then return on board a few hours later. Basically treat Vancouver as a port - is that possible? Thanks!

 

[clten]

Stupid question: We are thinking about doing a B2B next year on the Wonder but might like to actually leave the ship for a few hours. We would be in Vancouver, leave the ship as soon as possible, walk around for a bit and then return on board a few hours later. Basically treat Vancouver as a port - is that possible? Thanks!

Yes. You can treat the turn around city as a port call. The letter they give you has instructions for if you want to re-board as soon as possible; I think it also mentions what to do if you are leaving the terminal and returning later (can't recall exactly because it's been a couple of years since our last Vancouver b2b). Basically, you treat it as 2 cruises -- disembark at your leisure and check in when you return after your touring/sightseeing. Just make sure you bring all the paperwork and ID needed to check in for the second cruise when you leave in the morning. And don't forget cash you will need on land (it's easy to forget the whole world doesn't accept your KTTW card for payment!) Just remember what time all aboard is and keep in mind you have to go through US customs before boarding in Vancouver so allow a little extra time for that.

In some cities, DCL even runs port adventures for b2b guests. If you have any interest in that, I think you have to check on board at the Port Adventures desk before the end of your first cruise.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Stupid question: We are thinking about doing a B2B next year on the Wonder but might like to actually leave the ship for a few hours. We would be in Vancouver, leave the ship as soon as possible, walk around for a bit and then return on board a few hours later. Basically treat Vancouver as a port - is that possible? Thanks!

Not stupid. Generally, if you leave the terminal, you must wait to enter/check in/reboard the ship with the new cruisers.

At least that's the way it worked on the B2Bs I've been on.

As noted, sometimes DCL may have special "B2B guest excursions".

 

[gotomu212]

Stupid question: We are thinking about doing a B2B next year on the Wonder but might like to actually leave the ship for a few hours. We would be in Vancouver, leave the ship as soon as possible, walk around for a bit and then return on board a few hours later. Basically treat Vancouver as a port - is that possible? Thanks!

This is what we do! We did a B2B where we boarded as soon as we could and honestly the day felt like a waste between the time waiting in the terminal (our day they were doing a crew safety check so it took awhile), then we really didn't have that much time before other people came, and we just sat in the room to avoid the crowds......so now we get off with just a day bag (wallets, passports, paperwork for next cruise), take a cab to the beach for 5 hours, and check back in around 3 when there is zero crowd and you walk right on the ship. We think of it as an additional port day instead of changeover day.

 

[Pintail]

Yes, it was the same way on our Dover B2B. You get your letter, you leave stuff in your room, wait on the ship as the last guests in one of the areas, then go back to the terminal, and get back on before concierge guests. Very nice, you will love it!

 

[Flounder89]

Thank you everyone!!!