14 nights Westerdam - Why return to FLL on Day 7th?

[ac2007]

Hello,

I'm looking at the November 22nd, 2009 cruise for the Westerdam departing from FLL and notice that on the 7th day they are going back to FLL for a day. To me it's kind of missing an opportunity to visit a different port of call...

Why HAL is doing that type of itinerary? Is it what is called usually a back-to-back? With passengers disembarking/embarking for 7 days only? Or a 'law' thing?

Thanks for the answers. :)
AC

[Oceanwench]

You'd be doing a B2B. It's also being sold as two 7-day cruises.

[IRL_Joanie]

You'd be doing a B2B. It's also being sold as two 7-day cruises.


Exactly Oceanwench!!

We are doing a B2B Caribbean 7-21 February 2010 and the first week is Eastern route then coming back to FLL so those who can either only afford only 7 days time and/or money can disembark. We then pick up, just as you would surmise, more passengers for the Southern route (2nd part of the B2B).

[ac2007]

Oceanwench and IRL_Joanie,
Thank you for your answers. :)

This cruise being during Thanksgiving, does it means that it might be overcrowded? Especially with kids, i.e. half of the ship being kind of ''school break''? Any specific celebration due to that stat. holiday ? :confused:

Not really use to that here in Quebec....well, I mean for DH and myself.....Should we expect anything special or being HAL it should be okay, i.e. quiet ?
Thanks again,
AC :)

[leoandhugh]

Because it is Thanksgiving, you can anticipate way more than the usual number of children and teens, at least during the week in which Thanksgiving falls. Because the children are out of school for the most part, Thanksgiving week has become a family week, be it for cruises or a land-based vacation.:)

[IRL_Joanie]

Oceanwench and IRL_Joanie,
Thank you for your answers. :)

This cruise being during Thanksgiving, does it means that it might be overcrowded? Especially with kids, i.e. half of the ship being kind of ''school break''? Any specific celebration due to that stat. holiday ? :confused:

Not really use to that here in Quebec....well, I mean for DH and myself.....Should we expect anything special or being HAL it should be okay, i.e. quiet ?
Thanks again,
AC :)


Hi again ac, and you are quite welcome!!!

I've read a few posts on the main boards, in various threads about more kids than normal during the holidays. But most of the threads being answered by long time cruisers seem to say that while there will be a few more kids than normal on the ships, you most likely will not be bothered.

One person mentioned something about the Captain (as they were finishing up their cruise) making the statement that there were 250+ kids on board. The poster then continued on with, something to the effect that, if the Captain had not mentioned it, he/she would never have imagined there had been that many kids on board the ship.

So, sounds to me that if you go with the plan to have fun and enjoy, you will:)

We changed our original cruise dates from 21 Feb to 7 February because we do not want to have to mess with the College kids who will be out on Spring Break. You will be having entire families, which is much better in my opinion!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Yes -- you are doing a back-to-back cruise.

We have done many of them -- even though lately we book them as 1 cruise.

So -- yes you will go back to Ft Lauderdale for the day. There will be quite a few passengers getting off the ship -- and of course -- many getting on.

AND -- you will have to go through immigration -- no exceptions.

AND -- you wioll have to go through another life boat drill.

[ac2007]

Thanks for all the replies. :)

If we have to go back through immigration on the 7th day in FLL, do we still keep the same stateroom ? Don't want to pack and unpack from a cabin to another one. :o

Thanks again,
AC :)

[sail7seas]

If you have booked the 14 days as one cruise, you remain in the same cabin. You don't have to pack or do anything except clear Immigration after the ships zeroes down, meaning all who are leaving have done so.

[CruiseReg]

You would get $250 instead of $100+$100. Just in case it applies to you :)