B2B Question

When doing a B2B - what is the procedure for the end of the 1st cruise?

Do you do everything you normally would at end of cruise and you just get back inline after going through customs?

Or do you get to stay on the ship like when you fly and aren't changing planes on a leg of the flight?

You will receive your new sea pass cards for the 2nd part of your cruise the night before. If you have the same cabin you need to do nothing with your things. If your cabin changes you would pack up everything but keep your luggage in your room. If you have a real good stateroom attendant as we did he will transfer your bags to your new room for you. You will be informed where to meet and will have to leave the ship briefly for security and customs but escorted right back on to begin part two. You should not have to wait for more than a few minutes if they are on top of things. You can go back on and be the first in line for lunch.

You will receive your new sea pass cards for the 2nd part of your cruise the night before. If you have the same cabin you need to do nothing with your things. If your cabin changes you would pack up everything but keep your luggage in your room. If you have a real good stateroom attendant as we did he will transfer your bags to your new room for you. You will be informed where to meet and will have to leave the ship briefly for security and customs but escorted right back on to begin part two. You should not have to wait for more than a few minutes if they are on top of things. You can go back on and be the first in line for lunch.

Thank you. :)

Since we fly to every cruise port we tend to do B2B cruises as it just seems to be a more efficient use of airfare. We have experienced a great amount of variance in how the turnaround day is handled. For example, I don't ever recall receiving our new sea pass cards the night before the end of the first leg, and actually, last September we received our new sea pass cards on the pier at a special kiosk for the B2B passengers. When the disembarking passengers receive their disembarkation packets the B2B passengers will receive a succinct letter of instructions as to how the turnaround day will be handled and also a transit pass which makes it so easy to re-board the ship.

Since we fly to every cruise port we tend to do B2B cruises as it just seems to be a more efficient use of airfare. We have experienced a great amount of variance in how the turnaround day is handled. For example, I don't ever recall receiving our new sea pass cards the night before the end of the first leg, and actually, last September we received our new sea pass cards on the pier at a special kiosk for the B2B passengers. When the disembarking passengers receive their disembarkation packets the B2B passengers will receive a succinct letter of instructions as to how the turnaround day will be handled and also a transit pass which makes it so easy to re-board the ship.

Hi,

If you have a local excursion planned for your port day (between cruises on a BtoB) and you are in the same cabin, do you see any problems. We will need to get off the ship early to meet our tour guide. Can we request a seapass the night before, or is that on a case by case deal? You say you have never received your pass the night before. Will a transit pass get us back on the ship?

Never done a BtoB, so it's all new to me...Thanks for any information.....

In May 2013 our turnaround day was in Barcelona. There were about 300 B2B passengers on that cruise, so we were assigned time slots to meet in a specific lounge to do the B2B paperwork. Since we had planned to go to Montserrat for the day, the original time slot didn't work for us, so we just spoke to Guest Relations and they gave us an earlier time.

I just don't recall ever receiving our new sea pass cards the evening before, but then again my memory isn't perfect either. I remember receiving our new sea pass cards either the day of the turnaround either on the ship or at the pier.

The B2B procedure will actually be very clear from the letter of instructions. You will be told where to meet and what to bring.

On B2Bs sometimes they gave us our new seapass cards a day or two before the turnaround day, sometimes on the morning of the turnaround day before we left the ship, and sometimes later in the day after we returned to the ship.

Whichever way they did it, it was never a problem and there is really no need for concern.

I was concerned also prior, we did our first B2B on Connie in Feb. The night prior to the end of the first cruise we received instructions. We were to meet in a lounge as a group at 9 the next morning. They explained to us that the B2B folks had to be the last passengers off the ship. Once that occurred we were escorted off the ship in FLL, we were given our new sea passes, showed a customs agent our passports and we were escorted back on the ship. We were the first ones back on :) The whole process took less then an hour. Its a breeze if your staying in the same cabin, we were not so our stewards moved our suitcases down the hall for us.

We did the transatlantic on Infinity to Harwich, UK and then the British Isles cruise.

All the B2B passengers were called to a meeting day before the end of the first cruise. We were given our key cards and told to use them the PM of the next day.

We had an excursion to Cambridge the next day and when we returned, but just went to our new cabin, where our room steward had moved our luggage (had to pack).

Ont he 4 B2Bs we've done, where we had to change cabins, the clothes on hangers were moved as is, they didn't have to be packed. The stuff in the drawers and on shelves did.

As you can see the procedures vary quite a bit depending on the port and also on the way the management on your particular cruise like to handle things.

In the USA everyone has to go through customs and immigration but do not need to take their things off the ship. You usually have the option of leaving, and going through customs, anytime during general disembarkation if you want to spend time ashore but then can not re-board until general embarkation begins (but are given a pass to bypass the lines). Those who do not want to get off for the day can run through customs as a group, with other b2b passengers staying on, just as the general disembarkation is ending. In some other countries there is no need to go through customs so you do not have to get off the ship at all on turnaround day.

Likewise the method of doing paperwork and the timing of issuance of new passes varies a lot.

You'll be given instructions on board before the end of your first cruise leg. Just make sure customer relations has you on their b2b list as it isn't always automatic. Also, if you have to change cabins discuss the move with your current and next cabin stewards to coordinate the timing of your move and to determine what kind of assistance they can provide in moving your items. Sometimes not everything needs to be packed.

Ont he 4 B2Bs we've done, where we had to change cabins, the clothes on hangers were moved as is, they didn't have to be packed. The stuff in the drawers and on shelves did.

Grandgeezer - Since private messaging is not available on this site, would it be possible for you to contact me at vcj529@aol.com? I have a question, I'd like to ask. Thank you. :)

When doing a B2B - what is the procedure for the end of the 1st cruise?

 

Do you do everything you normally would at end of cruise and you just get back inline after going through customs?

 

Or do you get to stay on the ship like when you fly and aren't changing planes on a leg of the flight?

Depends on the port. Tampa we had to go thru Customs/Immigration on board then picked up our sea pass cards. In San Juan we picked up our sea pass cards the day before. In Ft Lauderdale we were 'escorted' off the ship and had to wait until ship was empty then we 'escorted' back on. We try not to schedule a b2b in Ft Lauderdale.

We had a bunch of b2b'rs in February on Century.....over 200 of us.

The gal who was in charge well, it was not the most organized event.

We were all taken off the ship and were sitting in the the terminal.

They were calling out names for us to pick up our new S&S card......

When some folks went to get their card (it was supposed to be in that

little envelope).....well, guess what, they opened up the envelope and

NO CARD......:eek:

Maybe it was because there were so many folks? I don't know....but

a few folks did have issues.