back2back Cruise Question

[SmileEh]

It is easiest to phone Carnival to book this, let them do the leg work for you. It won't make getting price drops any harder either.

 

but if I did it that way would I be able to submit for Early Saver price drops myself with the Early Saver Form or would I have to call Carnival every time and do it thru them since they would be the ones booking me? I have never booked Early Saver before and I've read so many problems with doing it thru a TA or Carnival PVP, most posts say to do it yourself online to save headaches... what are your thoughts on this?

[big_duck]

but if I did it that way would I be able to submit for Early Saver price drops myself with the Early Saver Form or would I have to call Carnival every time and do it thru them since they would be the ones booking me? I have never booked Early Saver before and I've read so many problems with doing it thru a TA or Carnival PVP, most posts say to do it yourself online to save headaches... what are your thoughts on this?

 

You can do it yourself. It is only when using a TA things get ... ummm ... complicated.

[Sparky2]

Talk with your room Stew. If you keep the same room you will not have to move anything.

On my B2B I had to change rooms but stayed on the same deck (moved to an aft balcony).

I had to pack, but the Stews took care of moving things.

 

You will have to disembark and reboard. You will be given instructions to meet all other B2Bers at a given location and time, taken off the ship for customs, and then taken back on with new S&S cards.

 

If you wish to purchase wine or booze for your cruise, buy it during your first leg. It will be delivered to you on the last night of the first leg and you will have it to use on the second leg.

 

Have fun!

 

dk

 

Not necessarily true. My was held till the end of the 2nd leg. My room steward said I had been "tagged" as B2B. Not his fault.

[Elaine5715]

You can do it yourself. It is only when using a TA things get ... ummm ... complicated.

Remember a TA and a PVP are two different things and are not interchangeable

[Sparky2]

You do not always get escorted off and right back on the ship--it depends on the ship/port. On our B2B we were the only ones doing B2B and we waited for everyone to get off the ship. They had us wait at the atrium bar. We were then told to debark and go to VIP check-in with our transit pass. We went there and checked in and got our new S&S cards. We waited about 30 minutes and then someone came to the VIP lounge to escort us back on, so we were the last off the first leg and first on the second leg. It was great to be on the ship for a while with no one but us and the crew. :D

 

In our room was a bottle of champagne from Guest Services and another bottle from the Hotel Direct and a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries.

Loved doing B2B!

 

Fortunately, our debarkation & embarkation was quick and we were back on the ship with new S & S cards.

 

On both of our B2B's (2008 on Liberty & 2013 on Freedom) we did receive the fruitbasket & champagne. Hopefully, we'll receive something in 2014.

I'd love what you got. Most of the fruit we could have picked up on Lido. The pears never got ripe.

[Sparky2]

I've done 3 back to backs, but never gotten a fruit basket or strawberries for that. Oh well. But I did get to stay on the ship..........

 

That's a bummer. What ships were you on?

[Sparky2]

I wasn't sure if we would also have to take our luggage off the ship to go thru customs so now that I know you don't have too I think your right and its best to get the same cabin... I'm looking at sailing on the Liberty Jan 18th and Jan 25th... looking to book a balcany cabin on deck 7... right now I like cabin 7341 (I see this cabin has a *star beside the number, what does that mean?) for the Jan 25th leg but that cabin is not available for the Jan 18th leg... I wonder if that's because its already booked by someone, perhaps I could call carnival and ask but I'm worried they will say yes and then make me book it thru a carnival rep which I don't want as I only book myself online to save myself problems down the road with price drops.

 

That's the B2B we're doing. The cabin I originally wanted (that we had on our 2013 B2B on different ship with same deckplan) was already taken so he told me what cabin nearby was available on both legs. I booked while on our Jan. 2013 cruise to get the $100 OBC. Did my homework at home first.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Fortunately, our debarkation & embarkation was quick and we were back on the ship with new S & S cards.

 

On both of our B2B's (2008 on Liberty & 2013 on Freedom) we did receive the fruitbasket & champagne. Hopefully, we'll receive something in 2014.

I'd love what you got. Most of the fruit we could have picked up on Lido. The pears never got ripe.

 

 

I believe that's the way it goes for most. I was surprised we weren't escorted off the ship (just told to go to VIP check-in). Maybe it was because we were the only B2Bers or maybe that's just the way they do it on the Inspiration. I don't know. It was no big thing to us--30 minutes wasn't much of a wait and we were still back on the ship before anyone else. :D

 

We enjoyed the strawberries. I just wish I'd known at the time that I could exchange the champagne for wine I would have definitely done that. I gave it to our steward at the end of the second leg. I hope he enjoyed it and didn't just put it back in stock. If we do another B2B and we get champagne, I'll definitely exchange it!

[SmileEh]

That's the B2B we're doing. The cabin I originally wanted (that we had on our 2013 B2B on different ship with same deckplan) was already taken so he told me what cabin nearby was available on both legs. I booked while on our Jan. 2013 cruise to get the $100 OBC. Did my homework at home first.

 

I wish I would have known we were even considering doing a cruise next winter because I would have purchased them too on board while on our Jan 2013 cruise to get the OBC... but we were suppose to be going to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico... well now that's been put off until Jan 2015... so to make up for it we're doing a B2B... can't wait! Only 8 months to go lol

 

I see that cabin 7381 is avail. both sailings but I might wait to see what else pops up closer to mid elevators before booking... all I know is that I will never book near cabin 7369 again as its directly across from where they get the ice, towels, etc, so we were woken many times during the night and early morning... promised myself I would stay at least 5 cabins away from 7369 lol... live and learn as that was our very first balcony cabin ever.

[Vmalcolm]

We are doing our first back to back on the Dream in May. We were thinking of getting off the ship and going to put purchases and stuff in the car and returning. Of course if they hold our liquor purchased in St. Thomas till the end of the second week, we probably won't bother. Is this a hassle? I was afraid we might have a problem with customs if we walked through with 12 bottles and not declaring them the second week.

[big_duck]

We are doing our first back to back on the Dream in May. We were thinking of getting off the ship and going to put purchases and stuff in the car and returning. Of course if they hold our liquor purchased in St. Thomas till the end of the second week, we probably won't bother. Is this a hassle? I was afraid we might have a problem with customs if we walked through with 12 bottles and not declaring them the second week.

 

Interesting dilemma to which I don't know the answer, however when doing a B2B you do have the option of leaving the ship after the first leg and checking back in (usually through the VIP lounge).

[Sparky2]

I believe that's the way it goes for most. I was surprised we weren't escorted off the ship (just told to go to VIP check-in). Maybe it was because we were the only B2Bers or maybe that's just the way they do it on the Inspiration. I don't know. It was no big thing to us--30 minutes wasn't much of a wait and we were still back on the ship before anyone else. :D

 

We enjoyed the strawberries. I just wish I'd known at the time that I could exchange the champagne for wine I would have definitely done that. I gave it to our steward at the end of the second leg. I hope he enjoyed it and didn't just put it back in stock. If we do another B2B and we get champagne, I'll definitely exchange it!

 

And guess where I learned that? Right here on CC.

 

When I learn little tidbts on CC, I write them down & stick them in my cruise folder. Then I peruse them before cruising so I know the ropes. Or at least some of them. Have learned SO much on CC.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

And guess where I learned that? Right here on CC.

 

When I learn little tidbts on CC, I write them down & stick them in my cruise folder. Then I peruse them before cruising so I know the ropes. Or at least some of them. Have learned SO much on CC.

 

 

Despite how snarky some are here, it's a great place to learn. Once I joined CC, the quality of our vacations increased exponentially. I learned that here on CC, too, only it was AFTER our B2B. LOL.

[waynbo]

I'll let you know how it goes for us. Leaving in a couple days for our first B2B, we'll be back on the 27th...

 

And I better get that damn fruit basket or I swear I'm not going to have any fun at all!! :p

 

Okay, did the B2B turnaround today on the Fascination. Got a letter last night saying to be in front of guest services at 10am. At 1015 a crewmember asked me for my customs form, walked away for a couple minutes then came back and gave us our sail & sign cards, and said you're good to go. Done... so we thought. The first time we tried to use our cards we were told to go to guest services they didn't work. At guest services the crew member said it looked like we hadn't been through security, which we hadn't because we never got off the ship. Two minutes later we were really good to go. One small bump but everything else was great. Oh yeah, there was a bottle of champagne waiting in our room when we got back there.

[islandwannabee]

So far, we have done 6 btb's and always received the bottle of champagne and the fruit basket. We always stay in the same room. These were all 7 day cruises, maybe that makes a difference on who gets the fruit & champagne.