b2b2b Changing Ships at Port Everglades

We will be going from ship to ship to ship at Port Everglades this fall.

I'm sure there will be some lag time after getting off one ship before boarding the next, and I would appreciate any advice from those who have done this previously! Just to clarify, three separate sailings on three separate ships.

Is it best to try to be the last to disembark and then taxi over to the next pier/ship and wait for boarding to begin? Or should we just drop bags at the next ship and continue on in the taxi to something more exciting to kill some time? Can we even drop bags with the next ship that early? Any chance at all HAL would transfer the bags for us or we could be considered "in transit"? That last question may have just been wishful thinking!;)

Also, after the first sailing we will go from three to four star! Hooray! How soon into the next sailing will that long awaited fourth star appear on our account? Will they retroactively discount if we purchase specialty dining or wine packages after we have reached our 200th day but the system has not yet realized it?

Thanks!

There's a chance your new status will not automatically catch up with you on your second cruise. While HAL has always said that the new status earned during a cruise would apply to the next cruise I don't think they were necessarily thinking of a back-to-back situation. It takes some time for the computers to catch up with end of cruise spending, days sailed, etc. I think some have reported that they have gone to the Front Desk and gotten their status updated but I personally have no experience with that. Probably worth checking that out when you board the second ship.

A bunch of different issues....but your adventure sounds like a lot of fun:). Good luck in getting a taxi to do that short haul (within the port) although some drivers might take pity. As to your Mariner status, it will not normally catch-up fast enough to work on your following cruise. But you can certainly pay a visit to Guest Relations and make your case (bring along a copy of your invoice from the previous cruise(s). The Guest Relations staff will usually go out of their way to please passengers...and your request is quite reasonable. We once did something similar (but only for a back to back) and simply walked (pulling our luggage) to the next ship (it was a hike). We took our time disembarking the first cruise (had a lovely relaxing last morning) and did not leave the ship until nearly 10am. By the time we got to our new ship there was no problem dropping our luggage. Since we had no desire to leave the port (having lived in the Ft Lauderdale area...we had no desire to go anywhere) we simply waited at the port until boarding began about 11:30.

Hank

Good luck in getting a taxi to do that short haul (within the port) although some drivers might take pity.

Yes - good luck. My travelling companion has mobility issues, and to get a cab to take us a short distance required offering the driver $20!

 

Any chance at all HAL would transfer the bags for us or we could be considered "in transit"? That last question may have just been wishful thinking!;)

 

Thanks!

The simple answer is NO!

I asked because I was transferring from one HAL to another. We ended being up right across the street/pier from the other ship. I changed my luggage tags, walked across the street and dropped off the luggage [before 9:30] and waited for the doors to open; that was shortly after. I was getting off the Maasdam and one of the last people off; on a bigger ship, it would probably be later and you don't know which pier the two ships will be at. If you need a taxi - there will be plenty there.

HAL said they couldn't transfer the bags because there was too much chance of them going astray, they were just not set-up to do that at all.

The simple answer is NO!

 

I asked because I was transferring from one HAL to another. We ended being up right across the street/pier from the other ship. I changed my luggage tags, walked across the street and dropped off the luggage [before 9:30] and waited for the doors to open; that was shortly after. I was getting off the Maasdam and one of the last people off; on a bigger ship, it would probably be later and you don't know which pier the two ships will be at. If you need a taxi - there will be plenty there.

 

HAL said they couldn't transfer the bags because there was too much chance of them going astray, they were just not set-up to do that at all.

Thanks so much for the first hand advice! We will be arriving on the Koningsdam TA for our first transfer, so it's possible we may be a little delayed getting off the ship anyway. I hope not though, as someone in our party flies out of FLL at 11:25am!

I had not considered a taxi would not take us from pier to pier. I'll keep my fingers crossed! For various reasons, it would not be an easy trek for us to hike it! I'll be sure to keep a $20 USD bill handy as extra incentive if no one takes pity on me!

I'll be sure to print my mariner status and keep the previous sailing's final statement as proof of the 200th day. As many have pointed out Guest Relations is eager to please, so hopefully they will grant me the 4th star on the spot!

Thanks CC for all the thoughts and advice! Much appreciated:)

I suppose you could always go with a van/cab to the airport, and then have them take you to your next ship's pier.... not ideal but doable. Might beat walking it, but probably cost you more money.

We've sat in the Port Everglades terminal(s) between B2Bs and made good use of their fast WiFi to update our computer.

I've not done B2Bs on different ships/lines in PE but did it once in San Diego, walked across the pier to the next ship, it was fun just to compare so much so soon. Have a grand time! m--

Load your luggage in taxi tt runk, one of you put youself in back seat and do not tell driver where you are going until you are both seated in taxi