B2B questions

[MaineCruiser243]

For our cruise next year my wife and I are thinking of a B2B since 7 days is good, 14 should be twice as good. We usually go with a group that next year is doing a 7 day Western Caribbean, thinking of staying  on the ship and doing the next leg which I think is Eastern Caribbean.

 

Is there any discount for doing a B2B vs. 2 separate cruises? I know you save by having only one set of air fares vs. two but is the passage any cheaper?

Also I understand from talking to people that if you are arriving/leaving from a US port (ours will be Ft. Lauderdale) US Customs makes you get off the ship, you cannot just stay on the ship. Is this true? I'm sure we can find something to do in FTL but it would be nice to know and plan for it.

 

Just got off our cruise last Saturday and already ready for the next one, can't wait.

[chrysalis]

check the pricing online to see if you might get a slight discount. It depends on the cruise. Take into account any on board credits that might be available. Hopefully you bought some Future Cruise deposits on your most recent cruise to use on the next ones

 

In Ft Lauderdale, you usually have to get off with others doing B2B, this is done after all others  have left the ship, and after your passports  have been checked, you do a U-turn and head back to the ship before anyone else. On occasion, the officials will come on board and check passports then. You will get instructions a few days before on what to do. You do not need to find something to do in Lauderdale unless you wish to.

Edited February 21, 2019 by chrysalis

[MaineCruiser243]

Thanks Chrysalis.

[NavyVeteran]

Princess sells some B2B cruises as a choice - you can either book two 7-day cruises or a single 14-day cruise. If so, you need to price them both ways to see which is better.

 

When you are doing the price comparison, look at any OBC you receive as well as the cruise fare. If you are a military veteran or a shareholder in Carnival Corporation, you will receive more OBC for a single 14-day cruise than for two 7-day cruises ($250 for a 14-day cruise or two times $100 for two 7-day cruises). If you have enough cruises to receive a loyalty bonus, you will receive more for two cruises than for one, since the amount of the bonus does not depend on the cruise length.

 

If you are interested in a possible upsell or upgrade, booking a single cruise has an advantage. if you book two separate cruises, then you may receive an upgrade on one segment only - requiring you to change cabins. If you book a single cruise, then you will get an upgrade or an upsell offer only if it is for the entire cruise.

 

If you are not absolutely sure you will stay on the ship for the additional seven days, then you are better off booking two cruises. Then you can cancel one while keeping the other if you decide to. If you book a single 14-cruise, then you either keep or cancel the whole thing.

 

You will need to go through US Immigration - not US Customs - in Fort Lauderdale at the midpoint. Sometimes US Customs comes on the ship to handle the in transit passengers onboard, but don't count on that. If you want to go do something in Fort Lauderdale, then you can leave when you want and come back when they are reboarding. If not, then you will meet in a designated place on the ship with the other in transit passengers. You will all leave as a group, go through passport control, and return as a group - before any of the new passengers board. It's usually fairly simple, unless you have to wait for a passenger who doesn't follow directions, since they have to zero out the passengers on the ship before anyone can reboard.

 

[MaineCruiser243]

Great, thanks. I will have to look into the veteran OBC, I wasn't aware of that (USAF 1971-1975)

[NavyVeteran]

1 minute ago, MaineCruiser243 said:

Great, thanks. I will have to look into the veteran OBC, I wasn't aware of that (USAF 1971-1975)

Look at the following link: https://www.princess.com/military_benefit_program/

 

One nice thing is that you only have to apply once. Once you have submitted your paperwork, it is saved with your Captain's Cirle account and automatically applied to all future bookings.

 

If you cruise very often with Princess, Carnival, or any of the other lines owned by Carnival Corporation, you may find it beneficial to purchase 100 share of Carnival Corporation stock. Information on that OBC is at the following link: http://www.carnivalcorp.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=140690&p=irol-sharebenefit

[cabin4three]

We have done quite a few B2B cruises many booked as a 14 or 21 day cruise, typically we had to disembark after all other passengers had left the ship,  take our passport and cruise  card and walk through the port terminal building to re-enter ship. Sometimes we were issued with a new cruise card- and an upgrade in loyalty level.    We have only had once cruise where we could stay on the ship but we all had to gather in a lounge and stay there for half hour or so, immigration officers came on board.

 

One thing we learnt after the first B2B changeover was that the food and drink service is pretty much non-existent for a few hours.  Whilst you wont starve, finding a cold drink can be harder, we often found that the bars were closed. 

[floridalover5623]

The advantage booking it as a 14 day trip vs.2 7 day trips would be 

• Higher FCC credit.- varies.
• Higher Stockholder credit. -$50
• Higher Military credit.- $50

 

• Disadvantage is a wasted day waiting for the ship to turnaround, especially when people are always late to report getting off the ship for imagination check.   

[mommy5]

We are planning the same thing next year...question is what if we want to book an interior the first leg and then move to a balcony room the second week. Do we have to take all luggage off and then back on or will they let us move it to hallway of new location, something like that?? If it's a big ordeal we may give up the balcony week

[OCruisers]

We frequently book B2B cruises on Princess.  If the 14 day is actually two 7 day cruises it's basically the same as booking B2B.

Princess will have an info sheet in your cabin on the last day or so of the first sailing explaining everything and telling  you what to do  to continue on for the second leg ... then will "mother hen" you through the process.

Enjoy!  

[chrysalis]

8 minutes ago, mommy5 said:

We are planning the same thing next year...question is what if we want to book an interior the first leg and then move to a balcony room the second week. Do we have to take all luggage off and then back on or will they let us move it to hallway of new location, something like that?? If it's a big ordeal we may give up the balcony week

No, you don't have to take your luggage off the ship.....and ship's crew will help you move it to your new cabin. All very easy.

[OCruisers]

3 minutes ago, mommy5 said:

We are planning the same thing next year...question is what if we want to book an interior the first leg and then move to a balcony room the second week. Do we have to take all luggage off and then back on or will they let us move it to hallway of new location, something like that?? If it's a big ordeal we may give up the balcony week

 

When you have a different cabin for your next sailing, a cabin steward will bring a cart (like you get at hotels) to assist in moving things.  All of the hanging clothes from the closet hang on that.  You only need to pack items for your drawer, shelves, etc.  Don't forget to get the things from your safe!  

It's certainly not a horrid amount of trouble.  

Enjoy your balcony cabin!  

[mommy5]

Yay!  Thanks!

 

[coconut cruiser]

We just came back from a B2B from Ft Lauderdale.  We decided to treat the day in Ft Lauderdale as a "port day".  We were allowed to get off any time other passengers were deporting.  We used the "in transit" pass Princess gave us and easily and quickly exited showing our passports, medallion and that pass.  We caught a taxi at the ship and went down to the nearby beach area for $10.  We watched the surf and nearby boats while drinking coffee, called home, checked email, went shopping among the stores.  Then we caught one of the trolleys back to 17th Street for $1 each.  Got off trolley across from Walgreens and walked back to ship.  Was very easy to get back on ship with our pass.  Avoided any lines. It was a fun way to spend the time.  Would do it again.

[voljeep]

having never taken a b2b - had one booked, cancelled ... we did a lot of CC research on this subject

 

the MOST IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE : BE ON TIME TO YOUR ASSIGNED MEETING PLACE

 

the process will NOT start until ALL B2B passengers are present and accounted for

[OCruisers]

39 minutes ago, voljeep said:

having never taken a b2b - had one booked, cancelled ... we did a lot of CC research on this subject

 

the MOST IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE : BE ON TIME TO YOUR ASSIGNED MEETING PLACE

 

the process will NOT start until ALL B2B passengers are present and accounted for

 

or B2B who are using it as a normal port stop and have used their cruise card or OM to get off the ship.

Whatever, you are right  .... no passengers can still be on the ship.  

Edited February 21, 2019 by OCruisers

[suejoe]

We are doing our first b2b this fall.  We have the Sip & Sail drink package for the second leg (not for the first leg).  When will our cruise card/OM work so that we can get a drink (if we can find a bar that is open).

[OCruisers]

20 minutes ago, suejoe said:

We are doing our first b2b this fall.  We have the Sip & Sail drink package for the second leg (not for the first leg).  When will our cruise card/OM work so that we can get a drink (if we can find a bar that is open).

 

Yes, it will begin working for your Sip & Sail promo on your second leg.

We once had this happen so I took the paper work saying we had it just in case but happily we didn't need it.  

[Grburkart]

Not to butt in here, but instead of a B2B cruise for 14 days, take a 14 day cruise from Fort Lauderdale. To me it seems counterproductive to return to Fort Lauderdale just to have to go out again. Plus, price wise, it’ll be beneficial. 

 

Glenn

[OCruisers]

Glenn, you are not butting in BUT remember the OP is taking a 7 day Western with friends so is considering remaining on the ship for the 7 day Eastern.    

[Grburkart]

1 minute ago, OCruisers said:

Glenn, you are not butting in BUT remember the OP is taking a 7 day Western with friends so is considering remaining on the ship for the 7 day Eastern.    

Right! I was sick the day they taught reading in school. My bad. 

 

Glenn

[OCruisers]

Just now, Grburkart said:

Right! I was sick the day they taught reading in school. My bad. 

 

Glenn

 

Not bad ... you were trying to be helpful with a good suggestion.  

[majorjan]

16 hours ago, NavyVeteran said:

 

If you are interested in a possible upsell or upgrade, booking a single cruise has an advantage. if you book two separate cruises, then you may receive an upgrade on one segment only - requiring you to change cabins. If you book a single cruise, then you will get an upgrade or an upsell offer only if it is for the entire cruise.

 

 

 

On my B2B 10 day cruises last fall, I received an upset offer, and the agent saw I was on a B2B, and found me an upgraded  cabin for both segments, with different prices, but it worked out well. 

[floridalover5623]

14 hours ago, voljeep said:

having never taken a b2b - had one booked, cancelled ... we did a lot of CC research on this subject

 

the MOST IMPORTANT THING TO NOTE : BE ON TIME TO YOUR ASSIGNED MEETING PLACE

 

the process will NOT start until ALL B2B passengers are present and accounted for

We found out last B2B cruise why some people always seem to be late reporting to the meeting place.

If you're changing cabins (especially when changing decks) & need the assistance of the crew to help with their rolling clothes rack they might not show up until the scheduled meeting time for the walk off. 

This all hinges on how soon your cabin is ready & if the new steward is held back for some reason is slows everything down. 

We experienced that when the people vacating our new cabin had the do not disturb sign hanging on their door & the steward refused to enter & clean it.

I wonder how long it would have finally taken him to knock on the door if my wife didn't mention that she saw them get off the ship. (She knew the people)