Back to back in the Med aboard the Dream, required to disembark/reembark?

[cwis]

By any chance has anyone here got recent experiences with the check-out/check-in experience for guests on B2B cruises?

DW had friends on the first cruise following the ETBA, and it appears guests were asked to disembark and wait until first boarding group was called to re-embark.

Last year on the Magic we could stay on the ship, in all common areas, between the two cruises.

Maybe this year the crew got confused and applied the same procedures than CBP applies in the US?
I hope the procedure has changed/will change for the rest of the Med season, not really a deal breaker but it's always smoother not having to disembark.

 

[lorimay]

I have done a couple B2B, you are required to disembark, they send you to a lounge to wait until all other guests have gotten off the ship and then you go and re-check in for the next cruise. You are suppose to be able to get right back on the ship at that point and have a little bit of time before new guests board.
For us, both times there were computer issues and we were stuck in the waiting area a while ( our good luck).
The last cruise was in January out of San Diego, they had us wait in the concierge area and then we were taken onboard and concierge guests followed almost immediately behind us.

 

[cwis]

I have done a couple B2B, you are required to disembark, they send you to a lounge to wait until all other guests have gotten off the ship and then you go and re-check in for the next cruise. You are suppose to be able to get right back on the ship at that point and have a little bit of time before new guests board.
For us, both times there were computer issues and we were stuck in the waiting area a while ( our good luck).
The last cruise was in January out of San Diego, they had us wait in the concierge area and then we were taken onboard and concierge guests followed almost immediately behind us.

That's mandatory for all cruises starting in the US. To my knowledge this is the only country that requires a ship to “clear passenger cruises” between two journeys.
This is totally different in Europe, some operators even operate cruises on a “forever loop” where passengers can embark or disembark at any port (and the passenger count never reaches zero).
Last year on the Magic we could enjoy the pool and the common areas between our two cruises. That was an ethereal experience as we could see the ship go dark, then lights being turned on again, some crew members having their briefings, Goofy prepare in the atrium for welcoming incoming new guests, and having fun with cast members and contractors while the door opened.

 

[msmama]

Last year on between the EBTA and the first Med cruise on the magic we had to get off but we did so in a group. We all met (at Fathoms) and were escorted off after the ship was cleared of all other passengers. This was May 2022 so we to do a COVID test and then there were computer issues so we ended up being in the terminal for longer than we were supposed to but we should've been able to get right back on (and were the first ones on once the computers started working).

We were able to sneak to our room to return a few things (long story, thought we were moving so packed everything up, we ended up not moving) but otherwise stayed in the common areas.

 

[cwis]

Last year on between the EBTA and the first Med cruise on the magic we had to get off but we did so in a group. We all met (at Fathoms) and were escorted off after the ship was cleared of all other passengers. This was May 2022 so we to do a COVID test and then there were computer issues so we ended up being in the terminal for longer than we were supposed to but we should've been able to get right back on (and were the first ones on once the computers started working).

We were able to sneak to our room to return a few things (long story, thought we were moving so packed everything up, we ended up not moving) but otherwise stayed in the common areas.

Thanks for sharing. Maybe because Prenetics (the company Disney outsourced the Covid testings) had only a limited amount on staff onboard and could not screen B2B guests?

For reference we had a B2B on the first two Med cruises that year, and Prenetics did come knock at our door.

 

[Flossbolna]

The difference might be that with the EBTA you are entering Spain for the first time. So you need to be processed through immigration. I guess there would be a proper passport check getting off the EBTA? The Med cruises that go to Italy and France never leave the country so to speak as all three countries (and a large number of others) are part of the Schengen area which has no borders between them, so no immigration check. When we just got off the first Med cruise, there was no passport check. So I can see that you can stay on the ship between two pure European cruises, but not coming from the USA. But DCL might still want to clear the ship fully.

 

[cwis]

The difference might be that with the EBTA you are entering Spain for the first time.

It might be. But still curious as she stopped at several other ports in the Med before reaching Barcelona.
Maybe if the passports were checked at these intermediate ports + the final destination, it would make perfect sense!! Thanks for pointing this out.

 

[cwis]

OP here, bumping my thread. Received a letter in our stateroom today asking that we have to disembark at Rome. Feeling kind of annoyed (and slightly offended) they are lying this is due to local regulations, I would have prefer they stated out clearly they wanted us out (of course, their ship, their rules).

This being Disney nothing is set in stone until it happens.