What it's REALLY like to stay on board between cruises!

[BethC1952]

We got off the ship in Nassau on the first part of the cruise and walked around a little bit. I wanted to go to the Del Sol store and wander around and take some pictures. On the second half of the cruise, we got off in Nassau and did the excursion to Ardastra Gardens, which we really enjoyed, and then went to Atlantis for a while.

We really want to do this again, even if we do have to disembark between cruises. We want to cruise next summer with DS and his family, so this may be what we do. None of us really wants to go out to California to cruise!

Beth

 

[matsterrocks]

FYI - You are no longer allowed to stay onboard between cruises. They now make you disembark and check-in in the terminal. From what I have heard they do escort you back onto the ship earlier than the newly arrived passengers, but you will spend about 90 minutes off of the ship between cruises.

We have a back-to-back scheduled for 12/1 and 12/8 and I was told that we would have to disembark between cruises. I will report back after we sail.

Have you heard this from someone who was actually doing a B2B or just from a CM?

 

[CraftyMouse]

Have you heard this from someone who was actually doing a B2B or just from a CM?

Both, unfortunately.

 

[CraftyMouse]

I just read this in a report of a DISer who is doing a back-to-back right now...

Well we had to get off the boat today a little by 9am. We went through customs and then we got to go back up to the terminal. We had to wait until about 10:30am before we could check back in.

We checked in got our new Key to the World keys and they found somebody to unlock the doors so we could get back on the ship. I am sitting up on deck 9 by the Quiet Cove Pool, and watching people in the terminal. My laundry is washing down on deck 7.

 

[matsterrocks]

That sucks but at least we don't have to get up at 6am for customs

 

[hejos]

What a bummer! I just read about the mandatory disembarkation for B2B'ers

We did a B2B in Feb and really enjoyed our "special day". There were 14 doing B2B that Sat and only the Internationals had to do anything special (I think they had to report somewhere with their passports). There were only 2 of us, in our group, and we gave them our passports the night before (down at guest services).

We ordered breakfast supplies (cereal,milk,fruit) the night before from room service so then we slept in Sat morning - got up about 10. Ate in our room/got ready. Started laundry and went through all the big suites!! Every nook and crany of the 2 Royal Suites (Walt Disney Suite and Roy Disney Suite), the 2 2-bedroom suites, and even a 1 bedroom suite -- all up on Deck 8.

Housekeeping was very gracious. We kept asking "are we in your way" to which they'd reply "no, it's the perfect chance for you to see when no one's here and all the doors are open". I took lots of pictures and when one of the managers came through she asked if we'd like to be in some -- so she took our photos in the different rooms. She said guests often have an eye for something out-of-place or undone so to let her know if anything wasn't "just right" before they were done. Needless to say, everything was just right.

Apparently, most people staying in the Royal or 2-bedroom suites have things "shipped" to the rooms and buy the decorations/welcome treat-trays. One of the Royal suites had 3 big cardboard shipping boxes delivered to it while we were there. There were "Happy Birthday" decorations pre-ordered and already up and the room attendant commented she bet the boxes were full of presents -- she'd seen that before. If I could ever stay in one of the Royal Suites - THAT would be my present! The attendant said they usually keep the boxes down below as the party often requests items, presumably the same gifts that they've mailed to the ship, to be mailed home.

I've rambled - it was very fun and a special highlight of doing a B2B.

 

[hejos]

One negative on staying on for a B2B --

I will say though -- there are some real fanatical early birds out there that can be awfully rude!

You know the big magnetic doors that close off hallways. People camp out at those the minute they get on the ship. We got our last load of laundry and had to pass one of the open areas and go through a magnetic door (down by the movie theater on deck 5). There were about 15 people that had gotten on the ship and then sat there waiting for the door to be opened. If you are going to hurry to be one of the first on the ship why wouldn't you be at the pool or the buffet or at least sitting up on a deck. Nope these people were sitting on the floor RIGHT at the door. When we came from the staircase with our laundry, we had to "excuse us" by them and ask some to get up and move so we could open the door. The literally made mean/rude comments about coming on a cruise and needing to do laundry and what right did we have to go to our rooms before the magnetic doors were opened by cast members. We explained we were staying on the ship for 2 weeks and this was our in-between day and went through the door.

Our room stewards were still working the rooms on our floor and we told them. They acknowledged it happens every cruise and once we'd dropped off our laundry and were ready to go up to deck 9, they took us on the service elevator up so we wouldn't have to walk back through that doorway. Mind you, we'd gotten to know them the 1st week and told them not to bother hurrying to clean our room that day. We made our own bed and they "cleaned" during the turn-down while we were at the evening meal.

The stewards said that those "early birds" are often the most unsatisfied guests on the cruise. Shame on them!! What would they need to get to their rooms for. You can get on, go to the buffet, stand by the rails and wave to the well-wishers along the shore, enjoy the deck party and then go to your room. PEOPLE!!

<<Mind you, I'm including this note as maybe one "early bird" will read this and think about what they are doing - sitting on the floor outside the magnetic door or roped off hallway. REALLY!>>

Didn't ruin our day though. Afterall, we were the ones doing a B2B not the ones waiting like kindergarteners in the hall!

 

[matsterrocks]

I just read this in a report of a DISer who is doing a back-to-back right now...

Well we had to get off the boat today a little by 9am. We went through customs and then we got to go back up to the terminal. We had to wait until about 10:30am before we could check back in.

We checked in got our new Key to the World keys and they found somebody to unlock the doors so we could get back on the ship. I am sitting up on deck 9 by the Quiet Cove Pool, and watching people in the terminal. My laundry is washing down on deck 7.

Craftymouse do you know who posted this?

 

[yellowfish78]

Craftymouse do you know who posted this?

This is ReAnSt. She's doing the B2B 7 nighters..should be home on Saturday unless she's staying in FL longer...

 

[BethC1952]

I can't believe this thread still surfaces after almost two years! I wish the cruises had lasted this long!

Beth

 

[ReAnSt]

This is ReAnSt. She's doing the B2B 7 nighters..should be home on Saturday unless she's staying in FL longer...

Thanks, Chanon

Yep, it was me who posted it. We had to get off the ship for about an hour and a half and then they left us back onto the ship. They lock all the rooms at 9am, we had to get off at 9am. But were on a little while after that as we could only get off starting at 8:30am due to a delay with customs.


Without that delay with customs, we might have been able to get back on at 10 am, like the letter we received stated. We got back on the ship just as people were coming upstairs to start the 2nd cruise.

If you are interested in my trip report it is available here.

Hope to see you, reading my report. We had an awesome time.

 

[TIGGER/POOH4]

Thanks for all your pictures and reports.