B2B cruises -- how does it work?

[stevecolchester]

Hi, we are sailing on Caribbean Princess this Sunday, March 6 for two weeks, which is also two-one week cruises. How does that work for people who are continuing on the cruise? After the first week, when March 13 rolls around, will there be paperwork to take care of? Is it seamless? And, oh yeah, does purchased computer time carry over?

We are planning on leaving the boat, renting a car and sightseeing during the day, getting back in the evening before the ship sails.

Thanks.

Best wishes.

Steve and Sue

[cruiseron36]

Hi, we are sailing on Caribbean Princess this Sunday, March 6 for two weeks, which is also two-one week cruises. How does that work for people who are continuing on the cruise? After the first week, when March 13 rolls around, will there be paperwork to take care of? Is it seamless? And, oh yeah, does purchased computer time carry over?

We are planning on leaving the boat, renting a car and sightseeing during the day, getting back in the evening before the ship sails.

Thanks.

Best wishes.

Steve and Sue

 

There is no paperwork involved. You will get a new passcard and you may have to get off the ship to pass thru immigration which takes about 15 minutes. Internet time normally does not carryover, however, it did for my wife on the last cruise. Talk to the Internet Cafe Manager on the last day and he may do it for you and he may not. Also, when you are talking to any of the staff please refer to it as the ship and not the boat, they don't like to have it called a boat.

[mytime53]

It is very seamless! As Cruiseron says, your new cruise card will be delivered along to your cabin, along with directions. Last year, we followed directions and waited to be called down to activate our cards, but the call never came; eventually we went to the debarkation area and then simply put our cards in the machine to retake our picture, and that was it! You do not need to get off the ship.

 

So this year, we did hear the call, but were busy (since we now knew that we didn't have to wait around for it) at the time. Hubby just got his picture on the new card when he got off to visit the duty-free liquor store to replenish our supply of wine and water. I finally remembered to do it sometime before dinner. Just look out any window or over a deck to see if it's a busy time with passengers arriving--if so, wait a while.

 

You'll have to ask about the computer time. It's not supposed to carry over if booked as 2 separate cruises, but I think it will if you booked it as one. There was a sign at the internet cafe, but I quite honestly don't remember what it said.

[mph045]

Our internet minutes were not carried over in December aboard the Caribbean and the Manager was very difficult to find.

 

As noted you will recieve in advance how to proceed while in transit and receive new cards. You may also recieve new dinner table assignments[traditional] unless you spoke to the Maitre D in advance. If you happen to turn platinum or Elite during the cruise you will recieve a new card reflecting that.

[paul929207]

I would check with the internet manager before making the purchase at the begining of the cruise. I have been told that purchased minutes did carryover, but that minutes from the Platinum/Elite credit did not.

[crisp1]

Internet minutes are not carried over on a b2b. As the previous posters mentioned the process is seamless. The only problem with a b2b is if you have to change cabins- you have to pack, but the cabin steward will move you. I love b2b's

[Laurie7]

Why was the famous TV show from years back (a Princess Cruise) called 'The Love Boat'?? I would hope that nobody will beat you up for calling it the wrong word:cool: Have a great B2B.

[mytime53]

but that minutes from the Platinum/Elite credit did not.

 

But since you get new ones, no worry!

[cruiseron36]

Why was the famous TV show from years back (a Princess Cruise) called 'The Love Boat'?? I would hope that nobody will beat you up for calling it the wrong word:cool: Have a great B2B.

 

"The Love Ship"???? Think about it!

[stevecolchester]

Thanks to all for the great knowledge base and tips. Ours is booked as a single 14-day cruise, so it all sounds pretty simple. I am assuming that we will be able to go ashore for much of the day and return to the our humble bateau in time for dinner. I am planning to go over to Arecibo to see the giant telescope.

Aside to cruiseron, I spent nine years in the navy so, honest, I really do know the difference between a ship and a boat. I will sometimes refer to the Princess craft as a boat just to tease or yank a crewperson's chain. All in fun. In actuality, I am in total awe of these massive ships.

Best wishes.

Steve

[paul929207]

Other than immigration, you can treat it just like any other port. Princess will probably offer excursions.

[caribill]

Also:

 

a) You can get off the ship anytime you wish on turnaround day once disembarkation has started. You do not have to wait for a specific time as those going home do.

 

b) Once off, you cannot return until all disembarking passengers have done so. This should be no problem with your plans to tour all day.

 

c) You do not have to attend the muster for the second segment

[badgerdee]

<snip> Also, when you are talking to any of the staff please refer to it as the ship and not the boat, they don't like to have it called a boat.

 

An interesting perspective.

 

As a paying passenger, I have an expectation that I should be able to use any relevant descriptor without meeting with indignance from the crew.

 

Or should that be ship's company?

 

:D

[hightownCO]

You might want to go to the roll call set up for your 3/6 sailing and the next one too (I'm on the 3/13). There are several there doing 14 nighters and back to backs. There's lots of info there on tours too.

 

Here's a link to the roll for for 3/6.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1172694&page=6

 

Each roll call has set up meet and greet for those who want to meet up - both on embarkation day before sailaway and on the sea day.

[Bob++]

An interesting perspective.

 

As a paying passenger, I have an expectation that I should be able to use any relevant descriptor without meeting with indignance from the crew.

 

Or should that be ship's company?

 

:D

 

I do note the :D but:

 

Imagine you worked in a restaurant and were very proud of the high standards that you strove to keep up. How would you feel about someone referring to your "cafè".

[1 HappyCruiser]

An interesting perspective.

 

As a paying passenger, I have an expectation that I should be able to use any relevant descriptor without meeting with indignance from the crew.

 

Or should that be ship's company?

 

:D

 

As a paying customer you can call the boat anything that pleases you & I doubt the crew would ever correct you. Only the people who view themselves as seasoned cruisers would be offended.

What about all the perfectionists who use the term "sail" and think nothing of it?

[Liz54]

I am somewhat confused about B2B. I have been on 4 princess cruises. My B2B will be 5 and 6. Its cheaper to book this as 1 - 14 day cruise. I understand from that that my platinum status will not kick in till AFTER this cruise. Correct?

 

If that is the case, (treating this as one cruise) my internet package, OBC etc should carry over. Correct?

 

Its great getting the answers here!

[cruiseron36]

I am somewhat confused about B2B. I have been on 4 princess cruises. My B2B will be 5 and 6. Its cheaper to book this as 1 - 14 day cruise. I understand from that that my platinum status will not kick in till AFTER this cruise. Correct?

 

If that is the case, (treating this as one cruise) my internet package, OBC etc should carry over. Correct?

 

Its great getting the answers here!

 

Yes, you are correct in both areas. If it is considered one booking it is considered one cruise and your platinum will not kick in until completion and any minutes purchased will be for the entire "sailing". It would be a good idea to consult with the IC manager to confirm your status.

[paul929207]

If you book as one cruise (ie, one booking number), you will not become Platinum until the end of the b2b.

 

I have been told that, since you will purchase the internet package, it will carry over to the second leg. If you are purchasing it onboard, you may want to verify that with the internet manager. Others have said that it does not carry over.

[silvercruiser]

As a paying customer you can call the boat anything that pleases you & I doubt the crew would ever correct you. Only the people who view themselves as seasoned cruisers would be offended.

What about all the perfectionists who use the term "sail" and think nothing of it?

627 days of sailing.....50 cruises.....15 cruise lines.....36 ships

 

....Is this "seasoned" enough for you?

[cruiseron36]

627 days of sailing.....50 cruises.....15 cruise lines.....36 ships

 

....Is this "seasoned" enough for you?

 

Congratulations - now you make me feel like a novice with 318 days of sailing on most of the ships on the Princess fleet. We did sit at the Most traveled ccouple on a cruise last spring that had over 1200 days and they were doing a b2b2b2b2b2b2b2b2b2b at the time.

[PescadoAmarillo]

What about all the perfectionists who use the term "sail" and think nothing of it?

Hmmm....isn't it called "SAILaway", not "cruiseaway"?

 

To the OP: Since you have booked as one cruise with one booking ID, I'm not certain that you would even receive a new card for the second half of your cruise. We've only done this on HAL, and we did not; our initial card indicated the final cruise date of the second cruise. I can't recall at this moment whether Princess cards have a cruise ending date or not.

[cruiseron36]

Hmmm....isn't it called "SAILaway", not "cruiseaway"?

 

Is it "ship ahoy" or "boat ahoy"??

 

I guess one can call it whatever one wants. I do recall however, on a cruise a few years back, when leaving the ship an elderly lady aske one of the staff at the gangplank? what time she had to be back on the boat and he replied "it's a ship not a boat and you have to be back by 4:30."

[CTGirl]

I am on the same two cruises as you. We booked them as two separate cruises. As HightownCo mentioned there are roll calls you can go to and meet your fellow travellers. Here are the links.

 

March 6th: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1172694

 

March 13th: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1118541

 

(Hi Paul)

[paul929207]

(Hi Shelly)