Experienced B2B cruisers-- help!

[TiggerAllie]

We are doing a B2B on the Dream in Aug (staying in the same room). How exactly does the B2B work? What time do you get off the ship (how late) and where can you wait in the terminal, and for how long? What time can you get back on? How early does the pool, spa, etc. open (when you reboard)?

Any suggestions of things to do (or not do) in relation to the repeated days? This is our way of getting a double-dip cruise. I'm looking for your experiences-- please share!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We are doing a B2B on the Dream in Aug (staying in the same room). How exactly does the B2B work? What time do you get off the ship (how late) and where can you wait in the terminal, and for how long? What time can you get back on? How early does the pool, spa, etc. open (when you reboard)?

Any suggestions of things to do (or not do) in relation to the repeated days? This is our way of getting a double-dip cruise. I'm looking for your experiences-- please share!

Every B2B is different. The only constants are, you will get off the ship for a short period of time, and you'll receive a letter in your room the last night telling you what your procedure is.

You may be told to meet up at a location onboard to be escorted off the ship and through checkin. You may be told what time to disembark and make your own way to checkin.

As to how long you'll be off the ship, reports are anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour and a half.

When you are allowed to reboard, there will be massive cleaning going on in the public areas. Pools will open when they are clean (except for Aquaduck - that doesn't open until the "new" cruisers begin boarding).

Typically, you can have access to your room until the new cruisers start boarding, then you must wait like they do until the "rooms are open" call around 1:30 to get back in your room.

I would suggest, for your second leg, try something else in the MDRs, that you didn't eat the first time around. Maybe skip the shows (unless you really like it the first time) and do something else that's going on during that time.

Biggest suggestion, spread your experiences around between the two cruises, that way you won't feel as pressured (like all the people just doing one cruise) to "get it all done".

 

[ktb2002]

We did a Dream B2B in October. We were given a letter telling us to be in the atrium at 9, I went to guest services to see where exactly they wanted us to meet. We were directed to the chairs on the port side of the Atrium. Very close to 9 a crew member was herding people to the very long line of stragglers leaving the ship. We were asked if we were waiting on someone, and when I said we were B2B and told to wait there..."oh you can leave the ship, just go right back up the escalator after customs". Lol had I known that I would have left sooner because that line was LONG!!! As soon as we got upstairs we were checked in and waited about 1 hour I believe to re board. Having previously read others experiences, they are definitely different.

 

[owensjro]

Our B2B there were only two groups that we could see so it was not "orgnized".

The letter told us to be off the ship by a certain time (I don't remember what time) so we sat around in the atrium until the line looked short and then walked off. We went through customs and back up the escalators and then sat in the terminal until just before the new cruisers started to come in. So we boarded just before the terminal opened.

We were told we could have full access to our room but that once boarding started we either needed to stay in our room or stay out of our room until 1:30pm.

Snacks were available in the Cove Cafe and we were told we could all hang out there if we wanted...even kids. Again, just until boarding started.

We ended up going out and playing shuffleboard and watching all of the new cruisers pointing and looking at us and wondering why we were already on board

Our next B2B is on the Fantasy in 3 weeks...I can't wait!

Jim

 

[Fifitrixabellee]

Has anyone had experience of B2B out of Barcelona? We are booked for next summer.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Has anyone had experience of B2B out of Barcelona? We are booked for next summer.

We did a Med/TA B2B in 2010 with the turnaround in Barcelona.

Our experience is a little different than most are there. Typically, turnaround days in a foreign port (unlike a US port) the ship doesn't have to "zero out" - that is make sure everyone is off before allowing guests back on. So, usually you will just go to Guest Services and have your new KTTW issued for "check in". That didn't happen in our case. There were so many of us doing the B2B (300+) we were directed to meet in Rockin' Bar D. We were escorted off the ship after everyone else had departed, directly to the checkin counter in the terminal. After we checked in again, we could reboard the ship, we were off the ship maybe 15 minutes tops.

Once back onboard, there was food in Promenade lounge for families and Cove Café for adults. Usually when there aren't many doing B2B only the Cove Café will have food for all returning guests. Once the pools were cleaned we could use them. And we had access to our room until the new guests started boarding.

 

[TiggerAllie]

What time do they start letting people on the ship... 11AM, 11:30AM? Sounds like we won't have room access for about 2-2.5 hours, assuming we can have access to the room between the time we reboard (9:30-10) and new guests start boarding. I'm glad to know to expect a letter in our stateroom-- somehow the primary guest on the 2 b2b reservations is switched, so hopefully that won't cause a problem.

 

[owensjro]

It used to be around 11:45ish for boarding. Not sure with the new ships. Been a little while since we cruised.

You can stay in your room after people start boarding...they just don't want you wandering around the stateroom area because then the new guests will think they can too.

ETA: We like to go to the atrium so we can help greet the "First family" to come on board Throws them for a loop!

Jim

 

[kiford]

What time do they start letting people on the ship... 11AM, 11:30AM? Sounds like we won't have room access for about 2-2.5 hours, assuming we can have access to the room between the time we reboard (9:30-10) and new guests start boarding. .

Typically they want you to disembark around 9-ish or so. And you generally don't get to reboard until about 10:30-ish. So you won't be back on the ship between 9:30-10:00. Boarding of new passengers starts about 11:30-11:45.

 

[gotomu212]

Has anyone had experience of B2B out of Barcelona? We are booked for next summer.

Just did this two weeks ago. We got a letter that told us to meet in rockin bar d I think and we'd be taken off and have about an hour wait and then brought back on board.

However, in Barcelona they offered half day excursions for a city tour or for Monserat (totally amazing) for passengers that ended at either the airport or Disney booked hotel. A few of us signed up for the tour which ended at the disney hotel. We met at 7:30 in Sessions, checked in like it was a normal port excursion, debarked (with only a backpack while most people had luggage and sad faces), got on the bus, took our tour, ended at the hotel where we grabbed a cab for the 5 minute ride back to port, and checked in for the second cruise with the rest of the folks starting the next cruise.

It was a great way to see the city and not lose time waiting in the terminal.

 

[Fºoºz]

Hi TiggerAllie

We were on a B2B aboard the Fantasy on Sept 29/Oct 6 last year ... here is some information from the letter we received ... As you will be continuing your vacation onboard, you will have a unique embarkation process in Port Canaveral on Oct 6, 2012 ...

• Due to US Customs regulations, you are required to go disembark the ship no later than 9:00 am via the Deck 3 Midship gangway. Please remember to have your signed Customs Declaration form and proof of citizenship ready for inspection. After Customs, please proceed upstairs to the upper level of the terminal to be re-checked in for your next cruise and re-board the ship. Once the check in process is complete, you will receive your Key to the World Card and a green boarding card. You will be directed to have a seat and a Cast Member will get you when the Ship is ready for boarding. Please have your cruise documentation for the next cruise ready as this will expedite the embarkation process for you. Please be advised that clearance for re-boarding the ship will be no earlier than 10:30 am.

So we left the Fantasy with the proper documentation before 9 ... went through Customs ... and as people were exiting the building, we just turned around and went back up on the escalator. Upstairs was almost empty - located a CM who checked us in - they placed us in the Concierge waiting room - and then were escorted back on - not sure what time though but it wasn't a hassle. There was a large group of Travel Agents that were upstairs at check-in and were taken aboard the Fantasy for a tour so ran into them a few times.

• On debarking day your luggage can remain onboard. Every effort will be made to prepare your new room as a priority and we anticipate having your room ready by 12:00 pm.

We remained in the same stateroom so left all of our magnetic door decorations and FE on ... it probably looked strange the night before and day of disembarkation but we had stuff on the door signifying we were on a B2B. Our wonderful stateroom attendant was aware and he ensured our stateroom was ready by the time we would return. So we did slip under the "ropes" to go down the hallway to our room back and forth which was no problem ... however when people started waiting outside the hallways waiting for the retractable "barrier" to be taken down, had to mention that we were on the previous cruise as they thought "their" rooms were ready.

• Please be aware that all ship's services' will be suspended between voyages, and maintenance work may be happening in several areas. We ask you to please use caution when moving around the ship during this time.
• For your comfort and relaxation on board the Disney Fantasy, Cove Cafe on Deck 11 forward will be open from 6:30 am.

So the pools were closed etc. It was fun walking around the ship when it was "empty" though

Hope this helps.

 

[jetskigrl]

We did a B2B in April 2011 and our experience was even different than what others have reported. We didn't even receive a letter. I only knew what to do because I read it here.

We waited until about 9:15 and the line to get off the ship was almost gone. Then we got off, went through customs and right back upstairs to check in again. It was probably close to 10:30 before we got back on (new people were already coming into the terminal). We kept an eye out for the CMs and then joined the group that was being escorted back onto the ship.

The pools were all open and my Mom was able to go back to the room to get her Asthma medication (other than that, we planned to stay out of the hosts way). He did say that he would clean our room first so that he could keep the door closed, since our stuff was still in there.

There was a pretty nice sized group of us that did B2B but the pools were still awesome with only a few people in them. It was the only time my kids swam There was enough of us that they opened the Aquaduck a bit early (before the new cruisers even boarded).

We did all the MDRs and shows on the 4-night cruise and then spent the evenings on the 3-night doing other stuff (playing Goofy golf, riding the Aquaduck at night, etc). That way if there was something we really liked, we could repeat it. But it was nice to have all that time in the evenings to do other things without feeling like we were missing a show or an MDR.