Back to Back questions

If you don't want to have to leave your cabin until it is time to meet, that is fine. What we do on a b2b, since it is such a busy day for our cabin steward, is tell him the evening before not to worry about making our cabin up in the morning, as we will be relaxing in there, and will be fine until the evening turndown. We also mention that we will be having lunch in the dining room...in case he does have the time to take care of it. We've always gotten the bed made, fresh towels and empty waste cans that way. And we honestly can go one morning without our cabin being attended to.

We always tell the cabin steward to stay out of our cabin on turnaround day. We figure he has plenty to do that day. The only time we did not was on the Grand Princess South America cruise last year. Our steward only had three cabins getting off on the two turnaround days.

Wondering why you had to be out of cabin by 9am. Did you change cabins?

 

Yes, Paul. I should have noted that we had to change cabins. But the sheet we got that told us to vacate by 9 was the same one that went to all in-transit passengers, I think.

 

Jim

Our reason for taking b2b cruises last December is that they fit our schedule and budget better. I was watching prices of several different cruises (Princess, HAL, and Celebrity). The price of flights worked out better for us to fly on December 21 than the day before, so that ruled out all the cruises that left that day. Then the price was better for the two 4-day cruises than one 7-day one.

 

I'm glad we got to experience doing b2b cruises. In the future--after we retire--I hope to do some longer ones.

This all seems very interesting! When you book a b2b, do you usually do it all on your own, or do you use a TA? Have you ever gotten a reduced fare from Princess for doing a b2b?

This all seems very interesting! When you book a b2b, do you usually do it all on your own, or do you use a TA? Have you ever gotten a reduced fare from Princess for doing a b2b?

 

We have done it both ways. The only actual fare reduction was from the TA. Also, keep checking prices on both legs. There is always a possibility of a price drop on one or the other leg if not on both.

I pick the cruises myself, but book thru a TA. We usually get 15% or so discount. I check out booking as one cruise (if available) and multiple cruises to see which is the best deal. I take into account the cost of the cruise(s) as well as the OBC I would get.

We also had to fill out the customs form when doing our most recent b2b in FLL. That was new, I think, as I do not remember having to do that in FLL in Feb with our Ruby b2b. So glad I had a pen with me.....filled in the form on the fly as we were waiting/walking along in line.

 

When was this. On our Sept 20 -29 B2B we did not fill out customs forms, met at 1030, back on board by 1115.

When was this. On our Sept 20 -29 B2B we did not fill out customs forms, met at 1030, back on board by 1115.

 

Turnaround day was August 9, 2014 and we had to do it. We took a tour, so I don't how organized the walk-off, walk back on for that one was.

We did a B2B on the Grand Princess for Christmas & New year and it is still one of my favourite cruises,you have that wonderful feeling of knowing that you are staying on for another cruise while other people are leaving.We left the ship on turn around day and explored Fort Laurderdale by foot and picked up supply's (wine) and then returned to the ship for lunch.We would do this kind of cruise in a heart beat again (possibly on Royal Princess for Christmas 2015).:D

How far ahead does Princess package their back2 back Alaska Northbound and Southbound?

I know I can book both myself anyway, but was hoping for a better price when Princess bundles them.

 

Thanks,

How far ahead does Princess package their back2 back Alaska Northbound and Southbound?

I know I can book both myself anyway, but was hoping for a better price when Princess bundles them.

 

Thanks,

 

Sometimes they don't. I believe last year people were waiting for them to be bundled and they were not.

How far ahead does Princess package their back2 back Alaska Northbound and Southbound?

I know I can book both myself anyway, but was hoping for a better price when Princess bundles them.

 

 

If it is to be offered, it is announced at the same time that the single cruises are announced.

If it is to be offered, it is announced at the same time that the single cruises are announced.

 

I may be confusing it with HAL, but I vaguely recall them being announced later.

A person boards a ship for two seven day back to back cruises.

 

They have not been ill before they board the cruise and complete the health declaration.

 

The ship, however, has had an outbreak of norovirus on the previous cruise and 3 days into the first cruise they, along with many other passengers go down with norovirus.

 

By the 6th day of the cruise they have fully recovered

 

Would they be 'forceably' disembarked and denied boarding for the second cruise on the grounds that they have been ill within the last 3 days?

A person boards a ship for two seven day back to back cruises.

 

They have not been ill before they board the cruise and complete the health declaration.

 

The ship, however, has had an outbreak of norovirus on the previous cruise and 3 days into the first cruise they, along with many other passengers go down with norovirus.

 

By the 6th day of the cruise they have fully recovered

 

Would they be 'forceably' disembarked and denied boarding for the second cruise on the grounds that they have been ill within the last 3 days?

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Edited October 31, 2014 by weedpindle
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Almost all of our cruses are now B2B's. Here's the top 5 reasons for us:

1 - Longer cruises (7, 10 or even 14 is just not long enough anymore...) for all of the airline, packing, coordination, travel hassles...

2 - Even though you still can't do it all or see it all, it helps - Multiple visits to the same ports allows for a lot more DIY time in a known location as well as being able to see all of the shows and movies. For example, being in Athens 3 times allowed us to see and do a lot of things on our own and on the cheap...

3 - Multiple FCC, Stockholder, Elite and TA OBCs - On our last B2B2B, our final bill for 31 days was around $600. (Of course we didn't splurge on photos, excursions, but we did several alternative dinners.)

4 - Getting to know fellow travelers and staff much better. A lot more of us are doing this and you would be surprised at the number of B2B'ers. Not only that but you get to know a lot of staff on a first name basis and the cruise just gets more comfortable...

5 - More quality time with each other and not a care in the world...now who can argue with that!

On our B2B on the CB last week out of Port Everglades, we were told to meet in the dinning room at 10:15am. There was no requirement to be out of your cabin before then. We waited approx 30 minutes to get off the ship, then it took approx 10 minutes to get back on. We did not have to fill out a customs form, the officer only did a quick check of our passports.

[quote name='lor74']On our B2B on the CB last week out of Port Everglades, we were told to meet in the dinning room at 10:15am. There was no requirement to be out of your cabin before then. [/quote]

Since you were staying in the same cabin for the next segment, there was no need to be out of the cabin by a specific time.

If you were changing to a different cabin, you would had to be out of the old one around 8 AM so it could be prepared for the next occupants. Of course, your cabin steward would have taken care of moving your packed luggage and hanging clothes to the new stateroom.