Talk to me about a B2B

[hcox31]

Considering switching our March Break Fantasy cruise (thanks to outrageously expensive flights from Canada...) to a B2B on the Dream in July 2019.

How does it work? I assume we'd have to book the same cabin...

 

[ACQUADUCK]

It's best to have the same cabin but no need to.

We have done it and doing it again this summer.

So on online check in say, to Disney Magic when it asks to leave the ship.

On the 2nd cruise do not put flight details on.

They are two separate cruises, tips, onboard account etc all settled end if cruises both times.

On ship restaurant head server may ask at a End of cruise one if you want same team or a new team and different rotation.

System on disembarkation day may vary by
Country.
Port.
Ship.
How many back to back cruisers.

Typically
Letter last night stating a meeting place and time.
Meet up.
Go off,
You go back to check in.
You wait until, everyone is off and computers switched to new cruise.
This can take an hour or a bit more.
Then you go back on, we have been back on circa 10am/ 10.20 am. Time varies with port, we found USA longer, Europe in Barcelona quick.

Idea on long cruises put your washing in the laundry put stickers on, you are back to back.

Many services are suspended until the new cruisers get in, pools closed etc, Cove cafe maybe open.

You can access your stateroom but do not go back and forth when the new cruisers are on.

If same room you can leave clothes there.
If different rooms you have to pack and stateroom host will move, do not put out last night.

 

[hcox31]

It's best to have the same cabin but no need to.

We have done it and doing it again this summer.

So on online check in say, to Disney Magic when it asks to leave the ship.

On the 2nd cruise do not put flight details on.

They are two separate cruises, tips, onboard account etc all settled end if cruises both times.

On ship restaurant head server may ask at a End of cruise one if you want same team or a new team and different rotation.

System on disembarkation day may vary by
Country.
Port.
Ship.
How many back to back cruisers.

I guess it would kind of be like a double dip cruise too, with the two trips to CC. Which would be awesome.

 

[clten]

You don't have to book the same cabin but do try to - saves you packing after the first cruise. If you do have to move, your stateroom host usually takes care of getting your packed bags from cabin to cabin.

For back-to-back guests, you typically get a letter in your cabin telling you what will happen on disembarkation day (either you have to make your way off the ship on your own by X:XX time or there is a meeting place where they hold all back-to-back guests to escort them off when the last passengers have left (or there are very few guests left).

(These are handled as two separate cruises so you have to do everything you would on the first cruise twice - tip the appropriate crew, settle up your onboard account, go through customs, check-in, safety drill.)

Whichever way you get off the ship, you will scan your KTTW card off the ship, through customs and back upstairs. As soon as they close out Cruise #1, they will open Cruise #2 and you will re-check-in. They will hold you in the terminal until the ship indicates they are ready - could be a short time (1/2 hour) you are off the ship; could be longer (there have been reports of guests getting back on only 10-15 minutes before new guests). It varies sailing to sailing.

For good or bad, the shows and menus are repeated. A lot of the activities would be the same too. There are some that don't mind, there are some that prefer the organization of a 7 night cruise over back-to-back 3/4 nights.

 

[ACQUADUCK]

I guess it would kind of be like a double dip cruise too, with the two trips to CC. Which would be awesome.

Yes done that...

 

[jaygalterio]

We did a B2B and honestly, it wasn't worth the hassle. Our experience probably wasn't typical, but take it for what its worth.

The day began immediately after everyone else left the ship. We met in one of the public lounges, were checked off the list, then marched off of the ship. We scanned out of ship just like you would if you were going ashore.

We then lined up on the second floor of the port and waited. We weren't allowed to use cellphones and everyone had to remain "in line."

After about twenty minutes of waiting, we were marched downstairs and through the now empty luggage area. We then had to stand here for about fifteen minutes.

We then got marched forward to outside of customs where we had to wait in line about another twenty minutes. Some confusion ensued at this point where they thought there were still passengers on the ship. So we had to wait for that to be sorted out.

Then we were marched through customs and had to hold our passports up. No one really inspected them or stopped us. We just marched through single file and were brought back outside of the customs to wait in line again.

Once we made it through customs, all of the ship employees were marched off the ship and had to go through customs as well. All holding their passports up for inspection.

When the last of them had made it through customs, we were marched back upstairs to the second floor of the port. We waited in line for another twenty minutes or so as the employees cycled through and back onto the ship.

When the last of the employees were aboard, the customs officials came through again. They spent about five minutes inspecting the ship's computer, before heading back off the ship.

We were then allowed to board the ship again, a few moments before the first of the new passengers were allowed on.

All told, we were off the ship at 9 to 9:30 and back on it between 12 and 12:30.

 

[dcassetta]

We did a B2B and honestly, it wasn't worth the hassle. Our experience probably wasn't typical, but take it for what its worth.

The day began immediately after everyone else left the ship. We met in one of the public lounges, were checked off the list, then marched off of the ship. We scanned out of ship just like you would if you were going ashore.

We then lined up on the second floor of the port and waited. We weren't allowed to use cellphones and everyone had to remain "in line."

After about twenty minutes of waiting, we were marched downstairs and through the now empty luggage area. We then had to stand here for about fifteen minutes.

We then got marched forward to outside of customs where we had to wait in line about another twenty minutes. Some confusion ensued at this point where they thought there were still passengers on the ship. So we had to wait for that to be sorted out.

Then we were marched through customs and had to hold our passports up. No one really inspected them or stopped us. We just marched through single file and were brought back outside of the customs to wait in line again.

Once we made it through customs, all of the ship employees were marched off the ship and had to go through customs as well. All holding their passports up for inspection.

When the last of them had made it through customs, we were marched back upstairs to the second floor of the port. We waited in line for another twenty minutes or so as the employees cycled through and back onto the ship.

When the last of the employees were aboard, the customs officials came through again. They spent about five minutes inspecting the ship's computer, before heading back off the ship.

We were then allowed to board the ship again, a few moments before the first of the new passengers were allowed on.

All told, we were off the ship at 9 to 9:30 and back on it between 12 and 12:30.

This would be less pleasant than what we experienced. Which port was this?

 

[jaygalterio]

This would be less pleasant than what we experienced. Which port was this?

This was Miami. I don't know why it occurred and, from what I understand, it was unusual. It just seemed like a conflux of bad coincidences that made things worse as the compounded.

My gut tells me that the person representing the cruiseline was new / having a bad day / confused... And met with someone from the port that was new / having a bad day / confused... So we B2Bers were left in the crossfire.

I wouldn't use my experience as a horror story not to do it, just as a warning as to what could happen. Personally, the events of that day negated most of the value of the B2B. I wished that we had done it back when security was a bit more easy going.

 

[dcassetta]

This was Miami. I don't know why it occurred and, from what I understand, it was unusual. It just seemed like a conflux of bad coincidences that made things worse as the compounded.

My gut tells me that the person representing the cruiseline was new / having a bad day / confused... And met with someone from the port that was new / having a bad day / confused... So we B2Bers were left in the crossfire.

I wouldn't use my experience as a horror story not to do it, just as a warning as to what could happen. Personally, the events of that day negated most of the value of the B2B. I wished that we had done it back when security was a bit more easy going.

DCL is not in Miami year-round and every port probably has it's own processes. I guess Port Canaveral manages this more easily as the terminal is only Disney.

 

[jaygalterio]

DCL is not in Miami year-round and every port probably has it's own processes. I guess Port Canaveral manages this more easily as the terminal is only Disney.

Possibly. Keep in mind that 90% (or more) of what happens is decided by the port officials. The cruiseline has very little impact into it. The crackdown on border security makes me expect it to get worse before it gets better.

 

[DisneyDad0427]

I've wanted to try a B2B on the Dream to experience a 7 night on it, but the getting off/back on process and repeat of schedules makes me feel like I wouldn't enjoy it as much.

 

[jaygalterio]

I've wanted to try a B2B on the Dream to experience a 7 night on it, but the getting off/back on process and repeat of schedules makes me feel like I wouldn't enjoy it as much.

It's worth doing once. You do avoid some of the headaches (carrying luggage on / off, packing the last night, etc.). We just had a bad experience on ours... but, even if I knew that would happen, I'd probably have done it anyway, just to see what it was like.

A big bonus was being on the first half and knowing we'd experience the same show / menu / etc. seven days from then. So we didn't feel like we *had* to see a show... or have to order extra dishes just to try stuff.

Another bonus, which might not be applicable in this case, is that our B2B was called "14 nights" instead of "7 + 7 nights." That meant that anything we purchased as "length of cruise" (internet access, etc.) went across all 14 days. Ended up being a little cheaper than 7 x 2 versions.

 

[kiford]

Typically
Letter last night stating a meeting place and time.
Meet up.
Go off,

We got a letter on the last night telling us to be off the ship by 9:30 am, return up the escalator and check back in. We got off about 9:15, got through customs quickly since most people were already off and, of course, we didn't need to get luggage. Just told customs official that we were reboarding so nothing to declare and were waved through. Back up the escalator. We were the only people there. They were just closing out the prior cruise so while we waited for about 5 minutes for them to do that we chatted with the CM for a bit. She then checked us in and had us wait in the concierge lounge. We had our iPads with us so were reading for a bit and two other families finally joined. We were then allowed back on about 10:30. We then proceeded up to the Cove Cafe, got a coffee or two and read for a couple of hours until it was time for an early lunch.

Everyone's experience is different; if there aren't many people doing B2B it seems as though they use the procedure we had. Reboarding time will depend on a number of factors from how long it takes to close out the prior cruise (which is partially dictated by whether and by what time everyone on board has settled up their account), any special work they need to do with no passengers on board and who knows what else. I just know that our B2B was easy, quick and had minimal disruption to our day. We pretty much just got in a period of time to relax and read which is what we'd have been doing if it hadn't been a turnaround day.

 

[Travel60]

Just one point not mentioned above. You do not have to immediately reboard the ship. We did a B2B in Feb with the last Southern Caribbean and the reposition to Port Canaveral. We treated it as a day in port....left with everyone else (leaving our stuff in room), took a cab into Old San Juan, spent the day sightseeing and returned near the end of boarding. We didn't get expedited back on board but by that time there were no crowds.

 

[IrishEye]

That did sound like a nightmare. We did B2B out of Miami on the Magic just before she headed to Europe, met in lounge, escorted off ship, walked past back side of customs where an agent was standing looking at our passports as we passed, escorted up to check in desk and waited about 3 minutes while staff finished up their meeting, checked in and went to boarding area, 3 minutes later headed back onto ship. There were only 13 people total for this B2B which makes a difference.

Did B2B out of Port Canaveral and were told to be off the ship by 9:30, pass through customs and head back up the escalators. Waited about 30 minutes for the check in desks to open and then waited in and around concierge lounge for about an hour before being boarded. That time there were probably close to 50 or 60 of us on B2B.

 

[DCLCrazy64622]

We did a B2B in San Juan. We did not get right back on the ship, we left around 9:30am we were told we could walk around the city and had to be back by 2:30 to go through the check in process again. It made for a nice day and we didn’t feel like we wasted it during turn around.

 

[ACQUADUCK]

We got a letter on the last night telling us to be off the ship by 9:30 am, return up the escalator and check back in. We got off about 9:15, got through customs quickly since most people were already off and, of course, we didn't need to get luggage. Just told customs official that we were reboarding so nothing to declare and were waved through. Back up the escalator. We were the only people there. They were just closing out the prior cruise so while we waited for about 5 minutes for them to do that we chatted with the CM for a bit. She then checked us in and had us wait in the concierge lounge. We had our iPads with us so were reading for a bit and two other families finally joined. We were then allowed back on about 10:30. We then proceeded up to the Cove Cafe, got a coffee or two and read for a couple of hours until it was time for an early lunch.

Everyone's experience is different; if there aren't many people doing B2B it seems as though they use the procedure we had. Reboarding time will depend on a number of factors from how long it takes to close out the prior cruise (which is partially dictated by whether and by what time everyone on board has settled up their account), any special work they need to do with no passengers on board and who knows what else. I just know that our B2B was easy, quick and had minimal disruption to our day. We pretty much just got in a period of time to relax and read which is what we'd have been doing if it hadn't been a turnaround day.

Agree.

The terminating port.
How often DCL uses it.
The local immigration control, USA tighter than Europe.
Number of back to back passengers.

All have an effect.

Barcelona got better 2007/2010 was poor, but now better with regular cruises and a terminal upgrade with a bridge to deck 3.