how does doing a B2B work?

[sunlovingirl]

Sorry if this is old news, I couldn't find anything when I searched...

 

How does doing a back to back cruise work?

 

I'm trying to talk my fiancee into doing a back to back cruise when we get married on the Liberty this fall since our family is all going on the cruise with us afterwards (hello lack of honeymoon). He thinks its too much time (maybe it is) but I think what the heck, lets just do it.

 

My question is, do you have to get off the boat? (I assume yes if you didn't get the same room both times) also, where do you go while u get off? And do you have to get new S&S cards? They are both 7 day cruises.

 

This is through Carnival.

 

We're talking about doing this in November.

 

Okay I think that's most all of the questions I have... Thanks!!!

[Keith1010]

Sorry if this is old news, I couldn't find anything when I searched...

 

How does doing a back to back cruise work?

 

I'm trying to talk my fiancee into doing a back to back cruise when we get married on the Liberty this fall since our family is all going on the cruise with us afterwards (hello lack of honeymoon). He thinks its too much time (maybe it is) but I think what the heck, lets just do it.

 

My question is, do you have to get off the boat? (I assume yes if you didn't get the same room both times) also, where do you go while u get off? And do you have to get new S&S cards? They are both 7 day cruises.

 

This is through Carnival.

 

We're talking about doing this in November.

 

Okay I think that's most all of the questions I have... Thanks!!!

 

 

The key is to book early so you can find the same room on both cruises. If you do you stay in there the entire time. If you can't then they will help you move from one room to the other one. But ideally you should look for one room.

 

You get new cards.

 

If you are returning to a USA port at the end of the cruise then you do have to get off the ship for a little while at the end of the first cruise to go through customs and you cannot get back on the ship until it has been cleared.

 

Keith

[lady_cruiser]

A B2B is when you stay on the same cruise ship for two weeks, but then you know that.

 

On RCL, when your first week is over you stay on the ship until everyone else is off. Then an officer from the ship walks you off, you go through customs again and then you are walked right back on the ship.

 

After we went onboard the second time we had a private table (with other B2Bers) and had a special lunch in the Dining Room.

 

And if you plan it right, you can get the same cabin so you don't have to worry about packing and unpacking in-between each of the cruises because you will be in two different cabins.

 

We did a B2B a year or two ago and loved it. I just wish that we could afford to do another one.

[FTLcruisers]

We just did a back-to-back on RCL out of Oslo Norway. We were told that we had to get off the ship any time before 9 AM - we had to check back in so we could get our new cards and then we got back on the ship. Some others took advantage of going back into Oslo for the day. We were in the same cabin for both cruises so it was quite a simple process and only took about 10 or 15 minutes. Because there were so few of us doing the back-to-back, there was nothing special for us. We just got to enjoy the peace and quiet of basically having the ship to ourselves for a few hours until the new group of passengers starting getting on the ship.

 

Marianne

[Kamloops50]

We have done B2B2B to Vancouver from LA via Alaska.

The only port we left the ship was to go thru US Customs on our stop

in Vancouver after the first cruise . We got new cards on each changeover

day. In Whittier we just showed up a designated time to activate and have

new pictures for our sail-pass card.

[Keith1010]

This ship will return to Florida so they will go through customs and immigration that day and they will be escorted off the ship together and then cannot return until the ship has been cleared. I's not big deal but just wanted to clarify that this process is different than arriving to a non USA port or in the case of the Alaska cruise being cleared in say Vancouver.

 

Keith

[paul929207]

Since your turnaround port will be in the US, you will have to get off and go thru US immigration.

[CruiserBruce]

Wow, many generalizations here that need to be clarified.

 

One, a B2B is any two cruises consecutively. They can be any number of days - that is two 7 day cruises, 2 10 day, a 10 and a 12 day, etc.

 

Whether or not you have to get off depends on the port. US ports require getting off and clearing Immigration. Foreign ports, not very often.

 

Lastly, getting a new cruise ID card. Can't answer for Carnival, but on our several Holland America B2Bs, we have never been issued a new card for the second cruise.

[Keith1010]

Since your turnaround port will be in the US, you will have to get off and go thru US immigration.

 

Yes, that's been noted already. :D

[TrqoisWtrs]

This ship will return to Florida so they will go through customs and immigration that day and they will be escorted off the ship together and then cannot return until the ship has been cleared.

 

Just did a B2B on the Imagination in December. You get a letter in your cabin the night before saying to meet at the lobby bar with your custom form by 10am. There were a few B2Bers and we sat there for a while. Then an officer came and escorted us off the ship, through customs, and then right back on the ship, about 15 min total. (Maybe because the ship had already cleared?) Then you get to enjoy the empty ship for a bit before the new passengers board. Go for it. Its awesome - especially when everyone else is debarking and you just sit there watching them. :)

 

With regard to the S&S card, I was issued another gold card. However, on that second leg, I had become Platinum :D so later that afternoon I had to go to guest services to upgrade my card.

[sunlovingirl]

Thank you to everyone for your help and quick replies! I will be sharing this with the DH(to be) when he gets off work tonight :) I hope I can talk him into it!

[Keith1010]

Thank you to everyone for your help and quick replies! I will be sharing this with the DH(to be) when he gets off work tonight :) I hope I can talk him into it!

 

Seven days is a great cruise but fourteen days is even better.

 

Good luck.

 

And congratulations.

 

Keith

[Kartgv]

Don't worry if you can't get the same cabin. We chose to take a different cabin for our 2nd B2B leg as a much better cabin was available. Notify your room attendant in advance that you'll be doing B2B's and give him/her your new cabin number. We put our valuables (jewelry, stuff from the safe, passports, etc.) into one small carryon that we carried around with us. We threw all our bathroom stuff in another carryon, and folded things from shelves and drawers went into a suitcase - it took about 15 minutes total. Our room steward took everything from the closet, plus all our other stuff and moved it to our new room. Shouldn't be any problem! We did remember to tip him extra for his effort.

 

We had a large B2B group so they did a special meeting and lunch for us, but that depends on the cruise line and the number of people. We were also able to carry over leftovers from our wine package (yes, hard to believe we had leftovers!) from the 1st to 2nd cruises - just let the head waiter know in advance.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done quite a few back-to-back cruises. They are wonderful!!

With all the hassle of flying -- it is definitely worth doing a back-to-back.

Years ago we were always given a new ID card for the second segment. Now that HAL has started Collectors Cruises -- we get just one ID card for for both cruises.

You will be known as an Intransit passenger for the second segment.

Since you will have to go through immigration at the end of the first cruise -- don't forget to take your passport with you!!

[sunlovingirl]

I really appreciate it everyone! Thanks so much!