Back to Back Cruises

[BearFan]

We're doing back to back 7 day cruises begining on the November 30 Eastern. I'm not sure if I'm lucky or not at this point. Has anyone ever done this before? We are disembarking on Dec 7 and checking in again for the Western because we're changing staterooms, otherwise we'd have been able to keep everything in the same room. Also, has anyone ever used a one hour cleaners near the terminal? Since we have time to kill, we were going to catch a cab and have our dress clothes cleaned while we were on shore rather than paying the prices on the ship.

Thanks,
Lisa Marie Smith

 

[Denine]

See my 4 part trip report on the DIS trip report board. We just did this last month. We had a blast. We had the same cabin for both cruises.
Enjoy!

 

[DisneyKids]

Since you are changing staterooms, you'll have to pack your stuff, as you have said. But, we did this and were able to leave our luggage on board with guest services. We never left the ship but if you are, take only what you need, if they'll let you!

Have a great trip.

 

[floridaminnie]

YOu might want to get your clothes dry cleaned on the ship. It is not that expensive to do it there. That way you don't even have to step off the ship

 

[BearFan]

We were told that we MUST disembark the ship because of cleaning and a security sweep. How long ago did you both sail? I'm pretty sure that we do have to get off and re-check in again if for no other reason we have 2 separate reservation numbers because we're doing it all of points.

Thanks for your advice!
Lisa Marie Smith

 

[slc224]

Being a Bear fan, you deserve back to back cruises! Enjoy!

 

[nanc]

We're doing a back to back on the Wonder in three weeks. When I made our reservations with DCL I inquired about what steps to follow the day back to port. I was put on hold for a long time while they checked with a supervisor. The DCL lady came back and told me we didn't have to leave the ship at all. Since we have the same rooms we don't have to pack either. We do however, have to go through Guest Services once they start reboarding to have our keys recoded. They said everything will be closed on the ship but once the pool is refilled that we could use it (it will be tooo cold for us) and enjoy being out on deck.

I would recommend you call DCL and request specific information. We have four kids and two moms going on and I really really don't want to leave the ship so I hope they stick with what I was told!!

Hope all these viruses all disappear by then!! We live in the midwest and our small rural community is being hit very very hard by the whooping cough right now.

LOL to all!! Hope this info helps!

nanc

 

[Windermere]

You have to go to the debarkation talk on the last day and talk to one of the officers. It is only then that they will know from customs officials if everyone has to get off or not. DCL has procedures in place for both scenarios but the final decision is not theirs to make. It's an immigration and customs decision.

 

[nanc]

I appreciate the info. I was told by DCL directly NOT to attend the first cruise's custom's meeting and only go to the 2nd cruise's meeting. I asked if they would know we were staying on because I didn't want to be one of the people they page for that didn't show up and she told me it wouldn't happen.

Now I'm concerned!!! Does anyone know anymore on back to back cruises?? Who do I listen for? Maybe I should with Guest Services while on board. Maybe I should have a plan B which includes what a family of 8 will do if we have to get off. Actually it is frustrating because one of the reasons we booked back to back is knowing we could stay on the ship and relax that day and maybe do our laundry on board (said it would be open to use).


any suggesions??

 

[WRH3MD]

I started a similar thread last week after we got back from our 6th DCL cruise (four seven day and two 4 day). So far I've gotten conflicting info. I, too, looked forward to a relaxed day while my kids went back to OKW for the week dw and I were still aboard. DCL official told me that we had to get off because of customs. That was last week and he was just collecting a payment over the phone. The real skinny may be hard to come by because the rules about this my change from time to time. Nonethless, I think enough people are doing this now that DCL should formulate some sort of policy. We'll be OK to get off because we have a car there for the kids to get back to WDW but if we didn't we'd basically be stuck in the terminal for 4 or more hours and would need a cab to run to the laundromat etc.

Wes

 

[Denine]

We sailed 10-12 and 10-19. We asked at the port, they said we had to get off. We asked at Guest Services on Friday evening, they said we were welcome to stay on board, we did with no problems. We checked in with guest services about 11:30 AM to get our new KTTW cards.
The only people that know the answers are the people that actually work on the hsip. It is entirely up to customs as to whether you can stay on the ship.
Please see my trip report on the trip report board.

 

[nanc]

Oh good, there is hope still! Did you go through customs on the first one (we were told we didn't have to)? Did you go to Guest Services the night before disembarkation?

Thanks for your reply.

 

[Señor Ferrari]

Here's a question for previous back-to-back cruisers:

If you stay on the ship, do you get to double your Customs allowance when you finally get off after the second cruise?

I don't think the allowance is based on how long you are out of the country, other than stipulating that you have to have been out for more than a day. So, if you take a 7-day eastern, you'll have a $1200 exemption. If you don't get off the ship, you likely do not go through Customs. If you then take the Western, do you get another $800 of exemption, or since you did not technically re-enter the country, is it considered one trip, and the $1200 exemption still applies?

In this case, it might be worth getting off, declaring anything you need to, and shipping it home. I guess you'd have to have both taken back-to-back cruises and have exceeded your allowance to know the answer.

Just a thought while I watch the wind try to topple my building....

 

[BearFan]

I'm not sure about the customs allowance issue but I'd be willing to bet that since you've left the country and returned on two separate occasions, you'll get the amounts twice. Read on I'll explain why I think that.

Anyway, I just spoke to the DCL info line. I was told that I do NOT have to disembark the ship even though I have 2 separate reservation numbers and have 2 different staterooms booked on the consectutive cruises. I can have guest services hold my bags while the ship is in port and there is that lag time for routine clean-up and re-supply. I will have to present 2 different customs forms upon my final disembarkation on Dec 14. I was also told that none of the ships services would be available during that time. I do need to go to guest services on board deck 3 after 1pm and have my room key re-encoded with the new information.

I actually called twice and got the same information from 2 different agents there. They both sounded like they were reading from something in front of them, a policy perhaps?!? Of course, I do realize that this is all subject to change depending on the events going on right now on board. I would think that everyone was removed from the Magic while that massive cleaning was taking place last Saturday.

As for me, I'm getting ready to pack. We're bringing LOTS of Purell and Chlorox wipes for the computer as well as Immodium. What else can you do? Common sense needs to prevail. I'm sure the illness was on everyone's minds when they set sail. The mind is a very powerful force. Now they say that 25 are unnfortunately ill, not bad for the amount to passengers and the varying seasons and health conditions that people can come from. Let's hope that the hysteria has passed and we can move on.

Look for me writing out Christmas cards by the adult pool!

Lisa Marie Smith

 

[nanc]

Thanks for the info Lisa. I wasn't aware of the 2 customs forms needed. I plan to call a few days before we leave home to make sure no more requirements have been added.

thanks again and LOL to all of us. My daughter was sick in January on the Magic on CC day and how sad I was. We all have flu shots even though it doesn't cover everything it will help. I know all of us parents will be a little more stressed about sanitation and scarey to put our kids in the pool but we can't live in fear as it is a small percentage that has been effected.


Everyone have a great time!!

 

[DisneyKids]

We didn't have to get off but ours were 3 and 4 day (this past October). Ports of call were all the same. Maybe with back to back 7's, you do have to get off because the destinations are different. I know the cruise director was discussing back to back 7's and said that you would get off in between. I would assume this is a customs thing with the different ports of call. Just a guess...

As long as you don't have to lug your stuff off and then back on, it wouldn't be that big a deal. Talk to guest services. You would only be off for 3 or 4 hours in the span of 14 days. Wow...that sounds awesome! ENJOY!!!!!

 

[Dave_from_Marietta]

Please note that this is speculation...

...I would speculate that if you do not disembark and make a Customs declaration, you do not have a doubled duty-free allowance when you do finally disembark and make a declaration.

 

[BearFan]

Well, I just got off the phone with DVC. You can read my other post about it on the thread "DVC allows cancellations of 11/30 cruise". What I was told by the DVC rep I spoke to, who happens to be going on the same 11/30 cruise is that we won't be allowed to stay on the ship because of the intense cleaning Maybe we could if we volunteer to clean, too!

I'm really thinking that there's money to be made in "I survived a cruise on the Disney Magic" t-shirts.

Lisa Marie Smith

 

[Denine]

Customs: We only used 1 form and turned it in at the end of the cruise. We did not go over any allowances.

I can understand the need to have all passengers off the ship for the intense cleaning they need to do to rid the Magic of the nasty virus.