9 day also sold as 5 and 4 day segments - question re: interent and minibar

[erber]

We have just booked a voyage on the Emerald as a 9 day booking. It is also sold in segments -- 5 day and 4 day, in late November.

 

A few questions:

 

1. Do we have to go through customs after the 4 day segment even though we booked it as a 9 day cruise? (I believe the answer is YES). If so, is it very time consuming?

 

2. Do we have to go to the muster drill at the beginning of the second segment? (I hope the answer is NO -- we are not changing cabins)

 

3. We are elite and get 150 internet minutes -- Do we get these for each segment even though we booked the cruise as a 9 day cruise?

 

4. Do we get mini bar set up each segment or only once as it was booked as a 9 day cruise?

 

We have never booked a cruise that has segments before, so this is new to us! Answers appreciated.

[NavyVeteran]

You did not mention your destination. The following answer assumes Fort Lauderdale or another US port for the turnaround day. If not in the US, the answers would be different.

 

You will go through immigration - not customs.

 

If you aren't leaving the ship, you will meet in a lounge at a specified time with the other in-transit passengers. You will then all leave the ship in a group, go through immigration, and return to the ship before any other passengers board. It is usually pretty quick, but there are sometimes delays if a passenger does not leave when required - since they have to account for all passengers before anyone can reboard.

 

If you want to go ashore (either on your own or on a Princess excursion), then you can leave when you want. Show the in-transit card to customs and immigration so they will know you don't have luggage to declare. When you return to the ship, you will have to wait for them to start boarding, but you will be able to board with the first group (even if you are not Elite).

 

You do NOT need to go through the second muster drill. The crew knows who the in-transit passengers are, so they won't be looking for you.

 

I'm not sure about the Internet minutes. It used to be for each segment, but they may have changed their programming. You will know when you sign on, since you would get 150 minutes for a four or five day cruise or 250 minutes for a nine day cruise.

 

In the past they have provided a new minibar for each segment, but you can never know for sure when or if they may update their software to change that.

 

You should also receive two cruise credits - one for each segment. However, you may need to call the Captain's Circle desk after you get home to get the second one.

[Pam in CA]

1. Yes. You don't go through Customs but you do have to go through Immigration. You'll receive instructions on where to meet and the time. You'll be led off the ship, through Immigration (you'll do it after all other passengers are off so it won't be bad), through Security and back on the ship. It takes maybe half an hour, depending on how many people are doing the B2B. Usually less.

 

2. No.

 

3. Yes.

 

4. Yes. I once had a stack of Sprite Zero that filled the mini-fridge and was piled on top three high. :)

[fishywood]

We have just booked a voyage on the Emerald as a 9 day booking. It is also sold in segments -- 5 day and 4 day, in late November.

 

A few questions:

 

1. Do we have to go through customs after the 4 day segment even though we booked it as a 9 day cruise? (I believe the answer is YES). If so, is it very time consuming? Not customs, just immigration. You will receive instructions the day before as to when and where to meet. How long it takes depends on whether or not your fellow B2B-ers all cooperate. You do have the option of leaving the ship upon arrival in Port Everglades if you have something to do ashore and return once boarding starts.

 

2. Do we have to go to the muster drill at the beginning of the second segment? (I hope the answer is NO -- we are not changing cabins) You shouldn't have to but no guarantees.

 

3. We are elite and get 150 internet minutes -- Do we get these for each segment even though we booked the cruise as a 9 day cruise? From what I recall reading on here: it depends how you booked. Several reports have been that if both segments under one booking number, just one block of minutes each. If two separate booking numbers, you may get fresh minutes on the second leg--but whether or not unused minutes from the first leg carry over is yet another one of the maddening inconsistencies on Princess; I advise having a chat with the internet manager (frustrating as that often is) to see how Emerald handles this.

 

4. Do we get mini bar set up each segment or only once as it was booked as a 9 day cruise? Each segment.

 

We have never booked a cruise that has segments before, so this is new to us! Answers appreciated.

 

Answers in red above.

Edited October 10, 2015 by fishywood

[erber]

Everyone is so helpful on Cruise Critic. Thanks. We are going to the Caribbean out of Ft. Lauderdale on November 21 and returning November 30. :)

 

Thanks again for the answers!

[Bethcb]

If you don't get the extra internet minutes or the 2nd mini bar set up, speak to the Captain's Circle Host on the ship. Also check with them to assure you get the additional cruise credits.

[capriccio]

If you don't get the extra internet minutes or the 2nd mini bar set up, speak to the Captain's Circle Host on the ship. Also check with them to assure you get the additional cruise credits.

RE - getting two cruise credits. We leave on a similar cruise tomorrow - 2 ten days cruises that we booked as a 20 day. Just checked by Cruise History under My Profile on my Personalizer - it is already listed as 2 credits (and we are not staying in a full suite). I will confirm that it doesn't change after the cruise!

[erber]

Capriccio,

 

I just checked our profile on my princess and the upcoming cruise is listed as two cruise credits. I would not have thought to check that if you had not mentioned it. Thanks so much. I am so excited about this cruise. I really need this vacation. Princess may no longer use the phrase "escape completely" but that is definitely what I need! Enjoy your cruise!

[snowskier]

If you don't get the extra internet minutes or the 2nd mini bar set up, speak to the Captain's Circle Host on the ship. Also check with them to assure you get the additional cruise credits.

 

If minutes are "refreshed" on my next cruise, I lose 100 minutes so the assumption that one gets extra minutes is not a good one. Doesn't really matter as I have never used all the free minutes but one really shouldn't be penalized for booking as one cruise and having the benefits split as if it is two cruises. Nor should one have to wait in line to talk to the Captain's Circle Host to fix it.

 

As always there were differing opinions on this forum, so it will be interesting to see what really happens.

 

Please don't spend time giving me advise on how to make sure I get all my minutes -- I can handle that -- just making an observation.

[Essiesmom]

If you are booking a B2B and each are entitled to the free minutes, make sure you each open the account for those minutes on the first leg. Because the amount you get for a 4/5 day cruise is less than the amount for a 9 day. We are both platinum, and when we did B2B 7 day cruises, I assumed that we would each get the 250 minutes. So I set up my account right away. My sister doesn't use the internet much on cruises, so when my minutes were used up during the second week, I assumed I could set up her account and get the full 250 minutes. But she only got 150 minutes, because we were now on a 7 day cruise. EM

[FritzG]

If minutes are "refreshed" on my next cruise, I lose 100 minutes so the assumption that one gets extra minutes is not a good one. Doesn't really matter as I have never used all the free minutes but one really shouldn't be penalized for booking as one cruise and having the benefits split as if it is two cruises. Nor should one have to wait in line to talk to the Captain's Circle Host to fix it.

 

As always there were differing opinions on this forum, so it will be interesting to see what really happens.

 

Please don't spend time giving me advise on how to make sure I get all my minutes -- I can handle that -- just making an observation.

 

We booked the British Isles/TA as one 27 day cruise this past August/September. We had our choice of 250 internet minutes for each cruise or 500 minutes so it was a wash, but we could have signed up for each segment if we wished. We received 2 minibar set ups--which we traded for 2 coffee cards each time-- and the other elite amenities including wine tasting. The only thing we couldn't do was to roll over our meagre casino winnings. We had to cash out the last day of the first segment and sign up again on the next segment.

[Griller]

I just debarked CB yesterday after a 9 day cruise on CB, a night spent on shore in an hotel, and a 10 day cruise on CB.

My OBC from military, Stockholder Captains Circle and Future Cruise was posted on my shipboard account correctly and fully on the first cruise.

On the second cruise I could only see the $100 Captains Circle so went to Passenger Services and spoke to "Gary" - whose first language was South African English so little chance of miscommunication - who informed me that I was only entitled to the others on my first cruise as they would be counted as one cruise.

I politely disagreed with him - did not not even use the letters B and S.

I even had the printout with me from Princess about the OBC for the second cruise.

Made no difference to Gary's stance on the matter.

I emailed Princess on shore and it was properly credited the next day to my account on board.

2 days later Gary called on the cabin phone and told me I wouldn't be getting it for the reasons he previously stated. Now I used the letters B and S.

Gary hadn't even checked my account or he would have seen it on there.

Goodbye Gary.

 

How can Passenger Services get away with this? They are so often wrong and, in Gary's case at least, very argumentative, even when shown incontrovertible printed proof that they are wrong.

 

In 54 cruises on Princess I've only written one letter of complaint - about missing laundry - now my second is coming up. Gary needs retraining - or another job.

 

Anyway the point is that if on back to backs - or even a single cruise or 2 separate but close cruises - its really worth printing out any proof of OBC you have been granted, at least you have some proof of it to show passenger services or the CaptainsCircle hostess, , unless you have to deal with Gary of course when it won't do you any good.

[crochetcruise]

I just debarked CB yesterday after a 9 day cruise on CB, a night spent on shore in an hotel, and a 10 day cruise on CB.

My OBC from military, Stockholder Captains Circle and Future Cruise was posted on my shipboard account correctly and fully on the first cruise.

On the second cruise I could only see the $100 Captains Circle so went to Passenger Services and spoke to "Gary" - whose first language was South African English so little chance of miscommunication - who informed me that I was only entitled to the others on my first cruise as they would be counted as one cruise.

I politely disagreed with him - did not not even use the letters B and S.

I even had the printout with me from Princess about the OBC for the second cruise.

Made no difference to Gary's stance on the matter.

I emailed Princess on shore and it was properly credited the next day to my account on board.

2 days later Gary called on the cabin phone and told me I wouldn't be getting it for the reasons he previously stated. Now I used the letters B and S.

Gary hadn't even checked my account or he would have seen it on there.

Goodbye Gary.

 

How can Passenger Services get away with this? They are so often wrong and, in Gary's case at least, very argumentative, even when shown incontrovertible printed proof that they are wrong.

 

In 54 cruises on Princess I've only written one letter of complaint - about missing laundry - now my second is coming up. Gary needs retraining - or another job.

 

Anyway the point is that if on back to backs - or even a single cruise or 2 separate but close cruises - its really worth printing out any proof of OBC you have been granted, at least you have some proof of it to show passenger services or the CaptainsCircle hostess, , unless you have to deal with Gary of course when it won't do you any good.

 

My TA has already said she'll help me print out ALL paperwork relating to my cruise to bring with me. Due to a cancelled cruise, I'm to get AUD$55 of On Board Credit-my Cruise Personalizer is showing $68.75 (I think the cents are correct), so I think she's given me a little "something" as well. I'm starting to organise the On Board Purchases through the Personalizer with her help so I have a pile of vouchers to redeem waiting for me.

[Belmont Babe]

Just the one? or two? or three?

Anyone have info on this situation, thanks in advance!

[caribill]

Just the one? or two? or three?

Anyone have info on this situation, thanks in advance!

 

One setup per segment.

[Belmont Babe]

Well, that will save Princess a serious amount of alcohol, as I imagine there will be a big percentage of "elites" on a 46 night cruise!