Logistics of Back to Back Cruising?

[OSULabRat]

How they handle it this week has no bearing on how they will handle it next week.

 

One would think that, considering most staff are the same on each ship, that how they handle it this week could certainly have a bearing on how they will handle it in the future. Were you trying to come off as jerk or was it incidental? Why post comments that don't answer a question posed or have any constructive value?

 

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[cruisenfever]

How they handle it this week has no bearing on how they will handle it next week.

 

One would think that, considering most staff are the same on each ship, that how they handle it this week could certainly have a bearing on how they will handle it in the future. Were you trying to come off as jerk or was it incidental? Why post comments that don't answer a question posed or have any constructive value?

 

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With all due respect, but the first answer given above is a very fair and honest one. The way turnaround day is handled has absolutely nothing to do with the staff on board. The Port Authorities are the ones that control those that are consecutive cruises and what procedure must be complied with.

 

Since we only do consecutive cruises, I can tell you from experience, that one week they can be very accommodating and the next time they can be a PITA.

Edited April 5, 2014 by cruisenfever

[OSULabRat]

With all due respect, but the first answer given above is a very fair and honest one. The way turnaround day is handled has absolutely nothing to do with the staff on board. The Port Authorities are the ones that control those that are consecutive cruises and what procedure must be complied with.

 

Since we only do consecutive cruises, I can tell you from experience, that one week they can be very accommodating and the next time they can be a PITA.

 

I appreciate your comment, it is detailed and contains experience and valid reasoning.

 

However, I can assure you that the other comment, however accurate it may have been, came off as dismissive and had no facts/reasoning. This was supposed to be an answer to someone who had never done a B2B, and a curt reply that doesn't explain or make sense to someone who has never done it simply comes off as being a jerk as I said.

 

It's one thing to be factually correct, it's another entirely to be helpful and polite. You were both, and for that I think you.

 

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[Bfson]

As the OP, I guess the answer, like so many things in life is, "it depends."

[eamcclen]

Now this brought up a question for me! I am doing my first B2B on Oasis this May, and when I did the online check-in for the second cruise, there was on option under "pre cruise arrival plans" or whatever that was "consecutive cruiser". Would this be the same as having to call and "link" them? I would certainly hope that that was all the notification they would need, I hate sitting on hold when it is something I can do online!

 

Thanks! :-)

 

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You have to call RCI to have your two cruises linked together as a B2B. If not, the crew does not know and will assume that you are ending your cruise. I found this out when I called to take advantage of a price drop. Glad the person did this for me!

 

 

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[OSULabRat]

You have to call RCI to have your two cruises linked together as a B2B. If not, the crew does not know and will assume that you are ending your cruise. I found this out when I called to take advantage of a price drop. Glad the person did this for me!

 

 

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Thank for the info! I'll be sure to do this ASAP!

 

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[Merion_Mom]

has anyone done a b2b on explorer???we are doing a b2b in may and was just wondering how they handle it on explorer...

 

I have just arrived home from a B2B on the Explorer, and have done quite a few B2B cruises before.

 

Although regular disembarkation from the Explorer is a PITA, this B2B was the easiest and fastest I have ever done.

 

You will gather in the Champagne Bar around 10 A.M., a staff member will lead you off the ship, onto a shuttle bus, back into the terminal, through an immigration/customs/passport check, then back on the shuttle bus and back to the ship.

[rubrrick]

Doing our first back to back cruises on Royal. What are the logistics? Must we actually get off the ship at the end of the first cruise? Do we have to settle our bill at end of the first cruise? Can we carry over any unused OBC? Anything we should know?

 

Interesting seeing what others say about B2B's Patty and Jim (cruisinfever) are very experienced, as am I.

 

The answer to having to actually get off of the ship, will depend on the port of entry. If the cruises are starting and ending in the USA, the answer is always "yes". It strickly has to do with Homeland Security, Customs and Immigrations, ie everything having to do with people shoreside, and nothing to do with any of the crew of the ship.

 

In other parts of the world, I have experienced Immigration officers boarding the ship at an earlier port, then a day and time is set up for everyone on a B2B to report, with passport in hand, to be cleared. On those occasions, the day of disembarkation, for some was just another day aboard, especially if you didn't have to change staterooms!

 

Regarding OBC, no it will not be carried forward. However, depending how you received your OBC, if not used, and if it was a gift, or you put OBC on your credit card, the unused portion will be returned to your credit card.

 

If it is a shipboard credit, whether it be that you are in a group, or Royal Caribbean had a promotion where you were given OBC, then you need to spend it or lose it. As others have mentioned, you can take it out in cash in the casino, up to the day before disembarkation.

 

Next, it is the policy of Royal Caribbean to clear your account at the end of every cruise, and start a new account, with your new seapass card account number at the start of the next cruise.

 

Lastly, when you are doing your online booking, and for the pre cruise portion, just show that you are a "consecutive cruiser".

 

The truth is that it is not necessary to "link" your bookings doing a B2B. I don't link mine, and the ship always knows that I'm booked on a consecutive cruise when starting the next cruise of a B2B cruise. I do not use Royal Caribbean for flights or anything else beside using them to cruise.;)

 

Royal Caribbean would prefer that you do "link" your cruises, but it is not mandatory. I have yet to see any difference, except that I don't deal with the B2B department. Maybe someone else can shed light on this subject.

 

Enjoy your upcoming B2B.........a whole new world awaits you, watching everyone else leaving the ship, feeling it almost empty, save for a few of you, being last to get off, and first to get back on.......for your next cruise!

 

Rick

 

PS, you will see many consecutive or B2B cruises in my sig block.

Edited April 6, 2014 by rubrrick

[Ourusualbeach]

 

The truth is that it is not necessary to "link" your bookings doing a B2B. I don't link mine, and the ship always knows that I'm booked on a consecutive cruise when starting the next cruise of a B2B cruise. I do not use Royal Caribbean for flights or anything else beside using them to cruise.;)

 

Royal Caribbean would prefer that you do "link" your cruises, but it is not mandatory. I have yet to see any difference, except that I don't deal with the B2B department. Maybe someone else can shed light on this subject.

 

Enjoy your upcoming B2B.........a whole new world awaits you, watching everyone else leaving the ship, feeling it almost empty, save for a few of you, being last to get off, and first to get back on.......for your next cruise!

 

Rick

 

PS, you will see many consecutive or B2B cruises in my sig block.

 

I have only done 1 B2B and 1 B2B2B and like Rick neither one of those were linked and in both cases the ship knew that we were doing a B2B.

 

I'm wondering if this is a holdover from days past that is no longer necessary. The one example that I can think of is when doing a B2B on Oasis and then Allure with a day between and RCI used to put you up at a hotel for the one night..but that perk is gone.

[Merion_Mom]

I have only done 1 B2B and 1 B2B2B and like Rick neither one of those were linked and in both cases the ship knew that we were doing a B2B.

 

I'm wondering if this is a holdover from days past that is no longer necessary. The one example that I can think of is when doing a B2B on Oasis and then Allure with a day between and RCI used to put you up at a hotel for the one night..but that perk is gone.

 

Trust not and expect nothing to go right.

 

I always TRY to link my cruises.

 

The last three B2B's - January and February and March of this year - I had to ask and ask again and ask AGAIN before being treated as consecutive and given the correct and appropriate information and papers.

 

I am thrilled that Rick and you have never had any problems.

 

I HAVE.

 

:eek: :mad:

[Ourusualbeach]

Trust not and expect nothing to go right.

 

I always TRY to link my cruises.

 

The last three B2B's - January and February and March of this year - I had to ask and ask again and ask AGAIN before being treated as consecutive and given the correct and appropriate information and papers.

 

I am thrilled that Rick and you have never had any problems.

 

I HAVE.

 

:eek: :mad:

 

Don't know why I would have thought that RCI would be consistent.

[rubrrick]

Trust not and expect nothing to go right.

 

I always TRY to link my cruises.

 

The last three B2B's - January and February and March of this year - I had to ask and ask again and ask AGAIN before being treated as consecutive and given the correct and appropriate information and papers.

 

I am thrilled that Rick and you have never had any problems.

 

I HAVE.

 

:eek: :mad:

 

Bummer Carol!! :eek: My last B2B with Royal Caribbean was in December, on the Liberty of the Seas. No hitches!

 

Then again, Royal Caribbean has lost some of it's consistancy of the past. It's hard to keep up with their new rules, and everytime that I "think" that I have their new policies down.......they change!

 

Did this happen on the ship, or shoreside before you left?

 

Rick

[Merion_Mom]

Bummer Carol!! :eek: My last B2B with Royal Caribbean was in December, on the Liberty of the Seas. No hitches!

 

Then again, Royal Caribbean has lost some of it's consistancy of the past. It's hard to keep up with their new rules, and everytime that I "think" that I have their new policies down.......they change!

 

Did this happen on the ship, or shoreside before you left?

 

Rick

 

Both difficulty in linking when I call.

 

Then once on board, no record of my being on consecutive cruises.

 

If I were not an experienced cruiser, I would not know have known that I was missing anything, and could have been overlooked completely. :eek:

[cruisenfever]

Don't know why I would have thought that RCI would be consistent.

Surely you jest!:p

[Korianto]

My husband and I are sailing on a B2B next week. A transatlantic followed by a Norwegian fjord cruise on the Legend of the Seas. We'll have an oceanview going across, but will be switching to an aft balcony for the fjords.

 

When I asked the Crown and Anchor reps how it would be handled they said our new seapasses would be delivered to our staterooms about two days before the end of the first cruise. Along with them would be instructions for turnaround day. The rep I spoke with said our ship had to be handled special because there were so many passengers doing a consecutive cruise, a couple hundred in fact. Reading the forums on here it seems that many people are doing three b2bs - before the transatlantic, they're taking the Panama Canal cruise from San Diego right now. I can't see being away that long, gosh my two cruises are a 16 and an 8 for 24 days total (and add in a day before to get to ft Lauderdale, plus 5 days after the cruise to tour Copenhagen, so we'll be gone a month).

 

Anyway, when we do get to Copenhagen on the b2b turnaround day, many if us are hoping we can go to the center city to visit/tour for a few hours. I do hope we'll get that chance.

[mo&fran]

What could ever go wrong? We were on a B2B on Explorer this January. Remember the famous Noro cruise. The cruise sailed to Labadee, but they virus was going strong, and diverted to San Juan to start cleaning. We the left for St Thomas, where CDC boarded. When we left St Thomas, we were told we were returning to Bayonne. Once back, we had to pack our bags, and the bags were to be locked in storage somewhere on board.

When we exited the ship, we had the customs declaration form that were collected, but no passport check snce we had never called at a port that was not a US teritory. Then they had a bus that took us to a midtown Manhatten hotel to stay at till the next cruise.

When it was time to return to the ship, the bus returned us to the port,

escorted us past the other arriving cruisers, into the Suite checkin desk, and they had our new seapass cards.

And we were then bused to the ship as the first passengers to board.

During that leg of the cruise, we inquired and were able to stay on for a third leg, now we were B2B2B.

That leg started out with the B2B people not knowing we would be staying on board, so they di not have new seapass cards for us. So we got off, did the customs thing, and came back to the ship. then we had to wait at the door, till they went and got our new seapass cards.

THe the end of the third leg, we did not recieve any luggage tags. The room steward said his list showed us self disembark. Not so, you need to take our luggage. And we will be on the Entertainment bus.

I asked for tag 1.

I then get a call from the stewards supervisor trying to tell me tag 1 was only for suite guests. I corrected him and said it was for suite guests and D+.

Then he announced that he was calling the Concierge to find out.

We got our tag 1.

 

WE had an interesting 26 days onboard.

Edited April 10, 2014 by mo&fran

[Sunny AZ Girl]

I've had refundable OBC given back to me as cash with no problem...usually have to wait until the last afternoon of the cruise, but they will give it to you..just have to ask..

Is that the way the OBC is handled for the Future Cruise Credit? We booked onboard the Allure last year for this year's cruise on the Jewel. Later we added week #2 (we were able to get the same cabin). So we do have an OBC just for that first week. I applied some RCI Visa points for $50 OBC to the first week, also. I had forgotten we already have OBC for week 1. We don't drink so we really don't spend a lot onboard. If we have any of that OBC left at the end of week 1, would any of it be refundable? I guess we could go to a specialty restaurant that week.....

 

Also, we are booked through a TA. Should I just ask him to make sure our cruise are linked? This will be our first B2B and we are really looking forward to it!:)

[AZAficionado]

With all due respect, but the first answer given above is a very fair and honest one. The way turnaround day is handled has absolutely nothing to do with the staff on board. The Port Authorities are the ones that control those that are consecutive cruises and what procedure must be complied with.

 

Since we only do consecutive cruises, I can tell you from experience, that one week they can be very accommodating and the next time they can be a PITA.

I was talking to the crew member (diamond concierge) from my last B2B who was escorting the B2B passengers off and back on. He explained that not only does it depend on the Port Authority of the specific port, but also which Port Authority officer is on duty that day. He was "pals" with certain officers and could negotiate for everyone to stay on board. Others were strictly "by the book". So, there is no way to know how it will be in advance.

[Cachecruiser]

Anyway, when we do get to Copenhagen on the b2b turnaround day, many if us are hoping we can go to the center city to visit/tour for a few hours. I do hope we'll get that chance.

Turnaround day in Copenhagen is so easy, we did it in 2012 on the Brilliance OTS. We got our new seapass cards at the last day of the first cruise at guest relation. We went off the ship on turnover day on ourselves, a gathering with other consecutive cruisers wasn't necessary. There is no immigration, so it is very easy and comfortable walking off the ship such as in a normal port of call. Depending on where the ship will dock, you can leave the terminal area by foot or by shuttle bus. There is a train station nearby, just around a corner and the way is marked on the street (colored lines on the pavement). From there, the train takes about 5-10 minutes to main station. You can get tickets either at a (single) ticket machine at the station or at a kiosk (7eleven). From there it is easy to walk through the city by yourself.

Alternatively you can get tickets for the Ho-Ho right outside the terminal. There are 2 companies and you can take a seat directly at the terminal. Very easy and comfortable if you do not want to get to city centre by yourself.

Hope this will help you. Enjoy your trip and have a nice day in Copenhagen and the Norwegian Fjords. It is wonderful. :)

[Astona]

I would love to do a back 2 back, different stops but the same ship... love it.

[cruisenfever]

Is that the way the OBC is handled for the Future Cruise Credit? We booked onboard the Allure last year for this year's cruise on the Jewel. Later we added week #2 (we were able to get the same cabin). So we do have an OBC just for that first week. I applied some RCI Visa points for $50 OBC to the first week, also. I had forgotten we already have OBC for week 1. We don't drink so we really don't spend a lot onboard. If we have any of that OBC left at the end of week 1, would any of it be refundable? I guess we could go to a specialty restaurant that week.....

 

Also, we are booked through a TA. Should I just ask him to make sure our cruise are linked? This will be our first B2B and we are really looking forward to it!:)

OBC given to you by RCI is not refundable. Any OBC from Visa Points or a gift from family/friends is completely refundable through Guest Relations.

[Bfson]

Anyone ever done a turn around day in Oslo?

[crisndeefromde]

We just love our b2b on the Adventure of the Seas!!! two weeks 9 different ports...excellent crew...great ship....easy turn around day...and yes a meeting the day before to go thru process. Sometimes there is a luncheon and sometimes not...just depends on how many cruisers there are.

[DrD]

I would love to a B2B one day. And so I will.

 

It's like a fantasy, ship returns to port but you get to go again! I think about it everytime we return.

[rubrrick]

Turnaround day in Copenhagen is so easy, we did it in 2012 on the Brilliance OTS. We got our new seapass cards at the last day of the first cruise at guest relation. We went off the ship on turnover day on ourselves, a gathering with other consecutive cruisers wasn't necessary. There is no immigration, so it is very easy and comfortable walking off the ship such as in a normal port of call. Depending on where the ship will dock, you can leave the terminal area by foot or by shuttle bus. There is a train station nearby, just around a corner and the way is marked on the street (colored lines on the pavement). From there, the train takes about 5-10 minutes to main station. You can get tickets either at a (single) ticket machine at the station or at a kiosk (7eleven). From there it is easy to walk through the city by yourself.

Alternatively you can get tickets for the Ho-Ho right outside the terminal. There are 2 companies and you can take a seat directly at the terminal. Very easy and comfortable if you do not want to get to city centre by yourself.

Hope this will help you. Enjoy your trip and have a nice day in Copenhagen and the Norwegian Fjords. It is wonderful. :)

 

 

We experienced two B2Bs in Copenhagen last year (2013) on the Vision of the Seas. We originally were to stay for just one, doing the Norwegian Fjords, but found out friends were coming aboard to do the Baltics, so, while on the Fjords cruise, booked the Baltic onboard, and everything went very smoothly. We were lucky enough to have the same cabin as well!:)

 

Loved the fact that we had our cards given to us the night before the next cruise, and we could either stay aboard, or get off. We choose to get off and tour more of Copenhagen than we had seen in years past, both times in the port of Copenhagen.

 

I cannot say why B2B's run so smoothly for us, we do not link them, don't talk the the B2B desk, but I do inform the GSM of the fact that we are on B2B's and they take care of us.;)

 

Rick