surprise on back to back

[we"reofftoneverland]

If we do a back to back, and do not want to tell our kids about the second cruise, can we walk out to the car and then get another set of luggage? Like when we get to the car say, "let's go on another cruise!" Or do we have to leave our stuff on the ship and stay in the terminal and re board right away? This is Port Canaveral.

 

[mickeyphile]

Maybe you could pretend that you have a special service that is getting your luggage from the room and delivering it to your car. Then as you are walking off the ship (and if you are like most, feeling sad at that point) you could say something like "Don't you wish we could just turn around and go back again??". The kids are going to love it!!! The only problem is going to be when you actually disembark and have to head home after the second cruise! Have a wonderful time and do let us know how the surprise went.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

If we do a back to back, and do not want to tell our kids about the second cruise, can we walk out to the car and then get another set of luggage? Like when we get to the car say, "let's go on another cruise!" Or do we have to leave our stuff on the ship and stay in the terminal and re board right away? This is Port Canaveral.

Typically, if you leave the terminal, you're not allowed re-entry until the "new" cruisers are allowed in. Whether you reboard "right away" or not varies. The time off the ship has been reported as short as 30 minutes and as long as 2 hours.

If you're staying in the same room, you leave your things in your room and only take off the ship those necessary papers for re-checking in. And something to keep you amused, if the wait is long.

Personally, I wouldn't want to pack up, just to wrangle my bags into the terminal to get back on.

 

[darnheather]

I think I'd tell them the night before as you start to pretend pack. Like, "Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to pack and could just go on another cruise?"

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I think I'd tell them the night before as you start to pretend pack. Like, "Wouldn't it be great if we didn't have to pack and could just go on another cruise?"

That sounds like a much better plan.

 

[clten]

You don't have to leave anything on the ship if you don't want to and you can certainly leave to go to your car and then turn around and head back to the terminal. But my goodness, not packing that last night is one of the best things about a b2b. Personally, I'd hate to give that up just for a surprise. Also, once you leave the terminal, they most likely will not let you back in before the official opening time.

You don't mention how old the kids are so don't know if they would be tipped off by some of the interactions with the crew when your cruises are marked as b2b. If they're older you may need to be proactive and intercept some things so you don't have the surprise spoiled. Usually the head server will speak to you about keeping your servers so you may want to give him/her a heads up so they don't come to the table and discuss it while the kids are there. The cabin host may or may not mention it early but usually the last night they realize you are b2b and speak to you about cleaning your room as a priority. Again, just may want to intercept that. Also, you get a letter in the cabin about what to do the last night. If you've cruise before, the kids might notice that you don't have any baggage tags. On some of our b2b's we have gotten a call from the Customs Officer about the b2b process but that usually depends on how many b2b guests there are.

Don't want to put a damper on your plans, just wanted to give you an idea of some of the little things that might foil your plans if you didn't know about them.

 

[we"reofftoneverland]

Wow, am I glad I put this on the board! I never would have thought about all of these things and would have messed this up. I think you are all right about leaving the luggage on the ship. It sounds like it would be best to tell them the last full day or even the night before that. Two of them are old enough that they would pick up on things said by the staff, one in particular who is quite nosey and always seems to know more than it seems like he should! We have never done a back to back, and it does not sound like a good idea to try and leave the terminal. If anyone else has any experience with this, I'd love to hear about it. Thanks again!

 

[FigmentSpark]

You could let the nosey one in on it and set up an act to reveal to his siblings... like he could throw a big tantrum about having to leave and then you say, well fine, just stay here on the cruise, then! And then, in fact, we'll all just stay! Then your guy whose in on it, can sit down beside you can say, Thanks! Or, do a role reversal and you have the tantrum and he can give the ultimatum and show off the new tickets.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

You could let the nosey one in on it and set up an act to reveal to his siblings... like he could throw a big tantrum about having to leave and then you say, well fine, just stay here on the cruise, then! And then, in fact, we'll all just stay! Then your guy whose in on it, can sit down beside you can say, Thanks! Or, do a role reversal and you have the tantrum and he can give the ultimatum and show off the new tickets.

But would you want to set the example of throwing a tantrum gets you want you want? I mean for the other kids.

 

[FigmentSpark]

Heh... fair enough, but hopefully once the younger ones get it, you can tell them that it was all staged.