Question About Back to Back Cruises

[Terrena]

We plan to do a back to back cruise out of Port Canaveral. I was wondering if anyone has done that here. If so, how does that work. Did you stay on the ship, or did you have to disembark and go through the terminal process over again?
Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

We plan to do a back to back cruise out of Port Canaveral. I was wondering if anyone has done that here. If so, how does that work. Did you stay on the ship, or did you have to disembark and go through the terminal process over again?
Thanks!

Yes, we did one. You do need to actually depart the ship (required if the turnaround day is a US port), check in again, and reboard. The night before the end of the first cruise, you'll get a letter in your room telling you what your particular procedure will be. Basically, you must be off the ship by 9:30. If there are a lot of people doing a B2B, you may be directed to meet up with everyone somewhere onboard to be escorted off, or you may be directed to get off yourself by that time. You go through the Customs/Immigration line, and then back up the escalator into the terminal.

When the check in desk opens (in our case it was about 10:15, before the "new" cruisers were allowed into the terminal) and receive a boarding card then are directed to the Concierge waiting area. At some point you will be escorted back onto the ship. The time you are actually in the terminal between cruises varies - anywhere from 1/2 hour to an hour and a half. You will board before Concierge.

If you have the same room for both legs of the B2B, you will leave your "stuff" in your room, but be sure to bring the necessary documents for checking in again, as well as something to amuse yourself (in case you wind up waiting a while to reboard). If you are in different rooms (as we were) we had to pack up our bags, and leave them outside our room on the turnaround day by 8:00. The room hosts will see that they are moved to your next room.

 

[Terrena]

Thank you! That's exactly what I needed to know.

 

[tinkerone]

reports on times to reboard have varied, my experiences being allowed back on the ship about 5/10 minutes before concerige Is allowed on. others have reported getting on much earlier.
we are doing another b2b in a few weeks and while it would be nice to get on at an earlier time, i'm not gong to count on it. i'll report back and let you know when I get back if you would like.

 

[Terrena]

Thanks Tink!

 

[mmouse37]

I think it can vary cruise to cruise. There is a basic procedure but the mini details can change depending on how many people are doing a B2B that cruise or what the CM's are doing at any particular moment (availability to escort people off, etc.).

We also did a B2B and had different rooms. We had to wait quite awhile before we were allowed off the ship (they were waiting for all the other guests to leave). We went through customs and right back up into the terminal. We rechecked in but had to wait a little bit then were allowed back on, way before any other guests were allowed in the terminal.

They do ask that you either stay in your cabin or stay in a public place. They don't want people going back and forth to their cabin before the official "rope drop" for cabin entry at about 1:30 pm or getting in the way of the CM's prepping for the next cruise. So just keep with you what you may need for that morning. You will see the CM's sweeping, cleaning, mopping, power washing, etc.

MJ

 

[Trera]

Yes, we did one. You do need to actually depart the ship (required if the turnaround day is a US port), check in again, and reboard. The night before the end of the first cruise, you'll get a letter in your room telling you what your particular procedure will be. Basically, you must be off the ship by 9:30. If there are a lot of people doing a B2B, you may be directed to meet up with everyone somewhere onboard to be escorted off, or you may be directed to get off yourself by that time. You go through the Customs/Immigration line, and then back up the escalator into the terminal.

When the check in desk opens (in our case it was about 10:15, before the "new" cruisers were allowed into the terminal) and receive a boarding card then are directed to the Concierge waiting area. At some point you will be escorted back onto the ship. The time you are actually in the terminal between cruises varies - anywhere from 1/2 hour to an hour and a half. You will board before Concierge.

If you have the same room for both legs of the B2B, you will leave your "stuff" in your room, but be sure to bring the necessary documents for checking in again, as well as something to amuse yourself (in case you wind up waiting a while to reboard). If you are in different rooms (as we were) we had to pack up our bags, and leave them outside our room on the turnaround day by 8:00. The room hosts will see that they are moved to your next room.

This is relatively close to what we experienced on our B2B last week other than we were back on the ship around 10:30-10:45. Concierge didnt get on until around 11:10.

Since we were in concierge, we headed up to the lounge for drinks and snacks and tweaked our itinerary. Then we walked the empty ship with our 2 year old DD and snapped as many photos as we could. Much easier than getting photo bombed every other shot.

 

[tinkerone]

This is relatively close to what we experienced on our B2B last week other than we were back on the ship around 10:30-10:45. Concierge didnt get on until around 11:10.

Since we were in concierge, we headed up to the lounge for drinks and snacks and tweaked our itinerary. Then we walked the empty ship with our 2 year old DD and snapped as many photos as we could. Much easier than getting photo bombed every other shot.

were you escorted off as a group or did you just disembark on your own in your own time? i have yet to get back on before 11:15ish but i keep hearing about it. i have high HIGH hopes that maybe this time…..maybe this time!

 

[Trera]

we got off at our own convenience.

I think there were 3 other b2b families also. We all waited in the concierge area after we checked in (around 9:30). The port opened around 10:25 for general check in and we were boarded shortly after that.

 

[Trera]

That first day is so much more relaxed and easier on the second cruise for us.

1. we can put everything in our room as soon as we reboard and dont have to lug backpacks or carryons around like the first cruise.
2. we can snap photos on an empty boat.
3. we dont have to unpack.
4. we have already met our stateroom host and servers.
5. we can get to cabanas for lunch as soon as they open before that place becomes madness.

I am sure there are lots of other benefits i am not thinking of but you get my point.

 

[Terrena]

Thank you so much for all of the replies. I just had another couple of questions. Do we keep the same Stateroom Key Cards? Do you have to inform guest services on the ship that you are sailing back to back, so they can get the letter of instruction to you on the last day.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thank you so much for all of the replies. I just had another couple of questions. Do we keep the same Stateroom Key Cards? Do you have to inform guest services on the ship that you are sailing back to back, so they can get the letter of instruction to you on the last day.

You don't need to notify Guest Services - they know.

You will receive new KTTW cards when you check in after you've gone back into the terminal. Also new lanyards.

 

[Terrena]

Thanks

 

[Trera]

You don't need to notify Guest Services - they know.

You will receive new KTTW cards when you check in after you've gone back into the terminal. Also new lanyards.

Yes. New cards because you will have a different dining rotation. You will keep the old ones but they won't be any good. New lanyard, new castaway gift in the room.

Have fun

 

[disneycruisedreams]

Not to hijack... But one question. What if we are going from silver to gold status? Will we get the gold KTTW card and the gold perks? Or does it take a while for it all to update our status?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Not to hijack... But one question. What if we are going from silver to gold status? Will we get the gold KTTW card and the gold perks? Or does it take a while for it all to update our status?

You will get the gold level gifts/lanyard on the second cruise. As long as your first cruise is your 5th Disney cruise.

 

[Trera]

You will get the gold level gifts/lanyard on the second cruise. As long as your first cruise is your 5th Disney cruise.

Correct. The gold key is for concierge guests only

 

[tinkerone]

Yes. New cards because you will have a different dining rotation. You will keep the old ones but they won't be any good. New lanyard, new castaway gift in the room.

Have fun

you may have the same dining rotation, it may not change. the head waiter should come and speak with you at some point on the last couple nights. he will ask if you would like the same wait team, the same table, the same rotation. he will ask about any changes you may want. they will accommodate you as best as they can.

 

[Trera]

you may have the same dining rotation, it may not change. the head waiter should come and speak with you at some point on the last couple nights. he will ask if you would like the same wait team, the same table, the same rotation. he will ask about any changes you may want. they will accommodate you as best as they can.

If they are doing a back to back Dream cruise, one will be a 3 night and one will be a 4 night so they rotation will be different

 

[2Bnºoºt2B]

That first day is so much more relaxed and easier on the second cruise for us.

1. we can put everything in our room as soon as we reboard and dont have to lug backpacks or carryons around like the first cruise.
2. we can snap photos on an empty boat.
3. we dont have to unpack.
4. we have already met our stateroom host and servers.
5. we can get to cabanas for lunch as soon as they open before that place becomes madness.

I am sure there are lots of other benefits i am not thinking of but you get my point.

It is so cool to re-board and be one of the "only" passengers for the first little while - great time to take photos of the ship ... even though our dining rotation did change our seating remained the same ... but alas they had moved our serving team to a different area.

We also did a B2B and had different rooms. We had to wait quite awhile before we were allowed off the ship (they were waiting for all the other guests to leave). We went through customs and right back up into the terminal. We rechecked in but had to wait a little bit then were allowed back on, way before any other guests were allowed in the terminal.

They do ask that you either stay in your cabin or stay in a public place. They don't want people going back and forth to their cabin before the official "rope drop" for cabin entry at about 1:30 pm or getting in the way of the CM's prepping for the next cruise. So just keep with you what you may need for that morning. You will see the CM's sweeping, cleaning, mopping, power washing, etc.

We were fortunate to have the same cabin so that was great. We just found a quiet place to sit and relax ... great time to also witness all "Welcome greetings" when people board. I did have to return to our cabin twice before "rope drop" for DW - our stateroom steward had our room done early as he knew we were on a B2B - and found I had to announce to people waiting for the drop that we were on a B2B so our room was already ready ... B2Bs are great if you can afford it