Turn Around Day on a B2B - Help Me Beat the Boredom.

[katmigordon]

Are there any benefits to staying at the port when we get off? Or will I just end up parked somewhere feeling like I do when I'm at the DMV for hours with nothing to show for it?

If we do stay wont everything on the ship be shut down for hours anyway once we get back on board. with nothing to do or eat? Concierge Lounge will be just as closed as everything else right?

If the answer to the questions above is - yep - then what would you recommend doing in the area to kill some time? Some place nearby when taking a lyft.

 

[TRTRguy]

Can speak as to if concierge lounge is open or not, but cove cafe is open with complimentary sandwiches and fruit. You also should have early access to your room even if the barriers are still up.

 

[JWelch62]

You will disembark after everyone else is off the ship. Typically you will wait in a group with the other B2B people until you can get off. After disembarking you will be re-tested. Assuming you pass you will then wait in the embarkation lounge until you can re-board. You will not be allowed to leave the terminal after testing. On previous B2Bs in San Diego we would leave the ship and get some food ashore, but that is not an option at the moment. You will board before the first group of Concierge guests. Since you are switching rooms your new room may not be available when you board. The lounge should be available, if I recall correctly.

 

[Trera]

We always go to the lounge upon reboarding.

We have also learned as frequent concierge travelers on DCL that we ask our room steward to do the deep clean on our room the day before when we are on Castaway Cay all day..............that way our room gets ready much quicker the day we disembark and embark for the second cruise.

 

[Dug720]

We always go to the lounge upon reboarding.

We have also learned as frequent concierge travelers on DCL that we ask our room steward to do the deep clean on our room the day before when we are on Castaway Cay all day..............that way our room gets ready much quicker the day we disembark and embark for the second cruise.

Works for the same room. But if I remember correctly, the OP is now going to to a regular cabin the first leg and concierge the second, so someone else would be in the second leg stateroom during the first leg rendering the early deep clean not useful.

 

[Kwami]

This is all based on ships other than the Wish since obviously I haven't sailed on the Wish, yet. But...

Concierge rooms are usually ready earlier than the others and the lounge should be open when you reboard or shortly after. Concierge guests are also the first to board after B2B guests, so they try to make sure that everything concierge is ready to go early.

Cove Cafe is also open for free snacks and coffees. The restaurants open not too long after you reboard. You can use the pools and hot tubs, too.

I did a B2B cruise for the first time in February and the short time between reboarding and the other guests boarding was fantastic. It was quiet, relaxing, and just really nice.

Anyway, you can probably leave the port area between cruises if you want to. You'll just have to tell the cast member in charge of B2B guests that you plan to leave and return so that they don't herd you back into the testing area with the others.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

I've done laundry once the B2B'ers are allowed back on the ship. The laundry rooms are REALLY empty.

 

[katmigordon]

I thought they closed the pools down until boarding? Possibly to clean them?

I did a B2B cruise for the first time in February and the short time between reboarding and the other guests boarding was fantastic. It was quiet, relaxing, and just really nice.

Anyway, you can probably leave the port area between cruises if you want to. You'll just have to tell the cast member in charge of B2B guests that you plan to leave and return so that they don't herd you back into the testing area with the others.

 

[JWelch62]

Anyway, you can probably leave the port area between cruises if you want to. You'll just have to tell the cast member in charge of B2B guests that you plan to leave and return so that they don't herd you back into the testing area with the others.

We did a B2B in October when covid testing was required. IF covid testing is required you can't leave after getting testing.

 

[Kwami]

We did a B2B in October when covid testing was required. IF covid testing is required you can't leave after getting testing.

Right, but you can leave before being tested and then come back later.

 

[katmigordon]

So is there anything to do AT the port? Just in case I can't break away? And how long is the wait likely to be?

 

[Kwami]

So is there anything to do AT the port? Just in case I can't break away? And how long is the wait likely to be?

We waited about 30 minutes for Covid-19 test results and then another 30 minutes in the terminal. The test phase should be faster now, but that might mean waiting a bit longer in the terminal. You're the last group off the ship and you get to board before concierge guests (although I guess you'll be concierge anyway!), so the wait is never too long.

 

[katmigordon]

So from the sound of it, roughly about an hour or so? Not hours and hours?

We waited about 30 minutes for Covid-19 test results and then another 30 minutes in the terminal. The test phase should be faster now, but that might mean waiting a bit longer in the terminal. You're the last group off the ship and you get to board before concierge guests (although I guess you'll be concierge anyway!), so the wait is never too long.

 

[Kwami]

So from the sound of it, roughly about an hour or so? Not hours and hours?

Right. We got off at about 9:30 and we were back on before 11:00 for sure.

 

[dcassetta]

We have done 3 BTBs and unless something unusual happens, you will not be in the terminal all that long.

As others have stated, Cove Cafe will be open and we have had some great conversations with ship officers during that time. I cannot speak to the family pool area, but the adult pool area and hot tubs have been open before other guests came on board.

 

[LambertLion]

Just did a B2B a few weeks ago and if you are concierge, you can use the lounge up there. Other than that, as others said, if you want to go somewhere else outside of the terminal, they will separate you from the others doing B2B. Those going right back on go thru customs and straight to testing at the tents, then if they pass, back to the terminal to wait to re-board. Once on board, yes, Cove cafe is the only thing open. You can do laundry if you have access to it, if your room is staying the same, you can go right back to it, you can just tour about the ship in peace as it’s wonderfully empty and makes for great pictures. Other than that, you can be first for food when it opens, first for pool or hot tubs. We had an issue where it took us longer to re-board and we spent most of our time in the terminal. By the time we boarded, everything else opened within a few minutes. And with most of that down time in the terminal, honestly we spent it catching up with emails/news/social media and the time flew by.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

So from the sound of it, roughly about an hour or so? Not hours and hours?

Not hours and hours. In pre-covid, we were processed through customs, security, in-processing, and in the terminal lounge waiting area for maybe an hour. Reading all the new experiences for B2B, it is the same process, just add the covid test waiting time. Got two loads of laundry done and were the first in Cabanas. Easy-peezy.

 

[katmigordon]

Definitely WON'T be doing laundry - but then to be fair we don't do it at home either, we hire it out. If we had a washer and dryer in the house we would but at this point in our lives neither of us is good for toting laundry around.

Not hours and hours. In pre-covid, we were processed through customs, security, in-processing, and in the terminal lounge waiting area for maybe an hour. Reading all the new experiences for B2B, it is the same process, just add the covid test waiting time. Got two loads of laundry done and were the first in Cabanas. Easy-peezy.

 

[Dad Vader]

Is the Aquadunk/slides available during the time where you have the ship to yourself?

 

[Starwind]

Pre-covid we'd done a B2B and a B2B2B, both on the Dream. We never found the wait was too long in the terminal - we bring an IPad or a book to read to occupy us. But we also found the time was a great time to explore and take pictures of a *near empty* terminal, something you normally don't get to see. We also took advantage of being able to step outside the terminal's conceirge lounge onto the balcony there to look at the ship and watch the machinations of the getting ready for the next sailing -- it was actually kind of fascinating.

Once on board, Cove Cafe is open and there are snacks and drinks available there. Also you should have early access to your stateroom (though with switching rooms perhaps not quite as early). We found it a great time to find a quiet place to relax, but also a good time to wander the nearly empty ship and explore and take lots of pictures. We also went to the MDR for lunch as soon as it opened. And being on board early on our B2B2B meant we got early in line to Guest Services to be put on the waitlist for a Castaway Cay cabin, which on the final leg we got one ! We've also done laundry - that may be harder to do on the Wish though since there is one laundry room and you would be visible to other guests due to its location; probably no going back and forth to the stateroom.

But mostly, we took advantage of the "down time" to relax, read or listen to an audiobook, explore the terminal and the ship in a way you normally can't, and take lots and lots of people-free pictures.