Back to Back Mess Dec 13

[jjwoben1]

On Dec 12 we were covid tested on board for arrival in  Miami……results back quickly.  Then those of us on back to back were told we had to leave suites by 8 am  on December 13. Then we were told we had to meet at Red Ginger at 9 30 am and would be escorted off to go through customs without luggage or forms to fill out. There were about 40 of us. Went to breakfast at 8 and the went to Red Ginger at 9 30 to be told we could not go anywhere until all passengers were off the ship. Then we were told 7 passengers could not be found and we had to stay in Red Ginger until they located them. At around 10 30 after all passengers were off, we were finally escorted off the ship to walk through a passport check (passports were not even run through the system) by officers. The we were brought to terminal to sit for another hour with no information as to why. We were finally let back on board about 11 15 with new passengers. Still no explanation as why  we were held so long.  Never asked for test results, customs forms, etc…….complete waste of time. Never had this before with back to back. Misinformation and lack of communication were not appreciated. Still would like explanation.

[PhD-iva]

43 minutes ago, jjwoben1 said:

On Dec 12 we were covid tested on board for arrival in  Miami……results back quickly.  Then those of us on back to back were told we had to leave suites by 8 am  on December 13. Then we were told we had to meet at Red Ginger at 9 30 am and would be escorted off to go through customs without luggage or forms to fill out. There were about 40 of us. Went to breakfast at 8 and the went to Red Ginger at 9 30 to be told we could not go anywhere until all passengers were off the ship. Then we were told 7 passengers could not be found and we had to stay in Red Ginger until they located them. At around 10 30 after all passengers were off, we were finally escorted off the ship to walk through a passport check (passports were not even run through the system) by officers. The we were brought to terminal to sit for another hour with no information as to why. We were finally let back on board about 11 15 with new passengers. Still no explanation as why  we were held so long.  Never asked for test results, customs forms, etc…….complete waste of time. Never had this before with back to back. Misinformation and lack of communication were not appreciated. Still would like explanation.

Customs and Border Protection/Immigration control this process, not O. O just follows their instructions. This is the world we live in, when arriving in US port.

[jjwoben1]

Customs and Immigration had nothing to do with the extended wait in the Terminal.  For back to back…previous cruisers did not do the extended wait….as I said, O staff had no info or conflicting info.  This was O.

[LHT28]

The ship must be zeroed  before anyone is allow back onboard

 

When we have done B2B in US posts  it does take minimum of 1 hr

Yes  annoying to have to sit in the terminal  all that time  that is why normally we just go into Miami & wander  around

 but the post covid procedures probably better to suck it up & sit in the terminal

JMO

[pinotlover]

45 minutes was an outrageous amount of time to wait?? Really!

 

The true anger should be directed at those that tried to hide and not de board as directed. Personally surprised it took until 10:30 to find them and get them off the ship! 
 

Similar thing happened with us about 6 years ago. We watched guards escorting passengers off the ship around 10:00 that hadn’t left peacefully on their own! The crew had been searching the ship high and low for them since around 9:15.  We then headed off to town for the day wishing we had done it at 8:00 a.m.

[Flatbush Flyer]

2 hours ago, jjwoben1 said:

On Dec 12 we were covid tested on board for arrival in  Miami……results back quickly.  Then those of us on back to back were told we had to leave suites by 8 am  on December 13. Then we were told we had to meet at Red Ginger at 9 30 am and would be escorted off to go through customs without luggage or forms to fill out. There were about 40 of us. Went to breakfast at 8 and the went to Red Ginger at 9 30 to be told we could not go anywhere until all passengers were off the ship. Then we were told 7 passengers could not be found and we had to stay in Red Ginger until they located them. At around 10 30 after all passengers were off, we were finally escorted off the ship to walk through a passport check (passports were not even run through the system) by officers. The we were brought to terminal to sit for another hour with no information as to why. We were finally let back on board about 11 15 with new passengers. Still no explanation as why  we were held so long.  Never asked for test results, customs forms, etc…….complete waste of time. Never had this before with back to back. Misinformation and lack of communication were not appreciated. Still would like explanation.

Your issue is with CBP (though what you’ve described is pretty much SOP). O is merely following instructions of a local authority.

[GeezerCouple]

2 hours ago, pinotlover said:

45 minutes was an outrageous amount of time to wait?? Really!

 

The true anger should be directed at those that tried to hide and not de board as directed. Personally surprised it took until 10:30 to find them and get them off the ship! 
 

Similar thing happened with us about 6 years ago. We watched guards escorting passengers off the ship around 10:00 that hadn’t left peacefully on their own! The crew had been searching the ship high and low for them since around 9:15.  We then headed off to town for the day wishing we had done it at 8:00 a.m.

 

What is with the people who so-called "hide", or otherwise don't exit the ship when they are supposed to... and the crew needs to GO LOOKING FOR THEM!? 😱

 

I can understand lingering back to be among the last to get off.  After all, if the passengers are continually streaming off, then if one is at the front, the middle of the pack, or the end of the line, the entire process is pretty much the same from a "zeroing the ship" point of view.

 

There are some who want to rush off to catch early flights. Others who line up in the middle "as they show up".  And some others who are in no hurry, or can't easily stand in line long, so they wait until most of the crowd is off and there aren't such crowds or long lines.

(We worry a bit about luggage wandering away in the madness of the luggage retrieval area, but that's a separate issue.  And it's never yet happened.  We put brightly colored tape and ribbons on ours so that others won't mistake it for their "dark bag of similar size", etc.  And we have brightly colored and *textured* thick wraps on the handles; it's hard to imagine someone grabbing it and not quickly noticing something is "wrong".  It would "feel weird"...  But I digress...)

 

No one could possibly think they'd get to stay for the next cruise "if not found"... could they!??

Unless one is alone and unconscious in one's cabin...?  And then the stewards should have found them well before they are noticed to be "not leaving the ship".

 

What's the name of the game?

 

GC

 

[njhorseman]

5 hours ago, jjwoben1 said:

On Dec 12 we were covid tested on board for arrival in  Miami……results back quickly.  Then those of us on back to back were told we had to leave suites by 8 am  on December 13. Then we were told we had to meet at Red Ginger at 9 30 am and would be escorted off to go through customs without luggage or forms to fill out. There were about 40 of us. Went to breakfast at 8 and the went to Red Ginger at 9 30 to be told we could not go anywhere until all passengers were off the ship. Then we were told 7 passengers could not be found and we had to stay in Red Ginger until they located them. At around 10 30 after all passengers were off, we were finally escorted off the ship to walk through a passport check (passports were not even run through the system) by officers. The we were brought to terminal to sit for another hour with no information as to why. We were finally let back on board about 11 15 with new passengers. Still no explanation as why  we were held so long.  Never asked for test results, customs forms, etc…….complete waste of time. Never had this before with back to back. Misinformation and lack of communication were not appreciated. Still would like explanation.

 

4 hours ago, jjwoben1 said:

Customs and Immigration had nothing to do with the extended wait in the Terminal.  For back to back…previous cruisers did not do the extended wait….as I said, O staff had no info or conflicting info.  This was O.

I've taken numerous B2B cruises and what you're  describing is pretty standard for a US port B2B. Your saying it had nothing to do with CBP is wrong. CBP tells the ship when the B2B group can be escorted off and they tell the ship when the next cruise is cleared for embarkation. 

[pinotlover]

57 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

What is with the people who so-called "hide", or otherwise don't exit the ship when they are supposed to... and the crew needs to GO LOOKING FOR THEM!? 😱

 

I can understand lingering back to be among the last to get off.  After all, if the passengers are continually streaming off, then if one is at the front, the middle of the pack, or the end of the line, the entire process is pretty much the same from a "zeroing the ship" point of view.

 

There are some who want to rush off to catch early flights. Others who line up in the middle "as they show up".  And some others who are in no hurry, or can't easily stand in line long, so they wait until most of the crowd is off and there aren't such crowds or long lines.

(We worry a bit about luggage wandering away in the madness of the luggage retrieval area, but that's a separate issue.  And it's never yet happened.  We put brightly colored tape and ribbons on ours so that others won't mistake it for their "dark bag of similar size", etc.  And we have brightly colored and *textured* thick wraps on the handles; it's hard to imagine someone grabbing it and not quickly noticing something is "wrong".  It would "feel weird"...  But I digress...)

 

No one could possibly think they'd get to stay for the next cruise "if not found"... could they!??

Unless one is alone and unconscious in one's cabin...?  And then the stewards should have found them well before they are noticed to be "not leaving the ship".

 

What's the name of the game?

 

GC

 

The story the SD told us later was they found them hanging out with other b2b ers.  They evidently had a late night flight and thought they could hide, hang out aboard ship, and have lunch aboard. Bad plan.

[LHT28]

Some B2B pax  just go ashore but do not let the CD know they are not staying with the  In transit group 

others feel they are not part of the rules  & can just hang out anywhere on the ship

JMO

[Nymich]

We had a similar B2B experience on another line last month.  Same thing people not showing up etc.....I could have taken your post and just changed the company and it was basically the same thing.  We were cool about it because we knew we were going back out!

 

I do appreciate the REAL time post though because these days how things were done in 2020 or earlier doesn't always apply anymore.  Thanks for posting though we have a B2B here in a few weeks on O so I will be prepared for things we can't control.

[kitty9]

My view on this whole business is this:  you’re on a cruise, on a great cruise line, consider yourself fortunate to be on board.  I’d love to be able to cruise and would have been on this cruise if I hadn’t broken my hip and had to cancel.  But I can say, without a doubt, that a bit of a delay on turnaround day would not have negatively affected my cruise.  Chalk it up to the world we live in and just enjoy your cruise.

[AC2]

Maybe this is a silly question, if you are changing cabins do you move your own belongings to the new cabin? Like laptops, medication, other personal stuff?

[Hlitner]

This is not the fault of O or CBP.  The blame goes to a few cruisers who refuse to follow instructions and do not give a darn about anyone other then themselves.  Over the years we have had similar situations with several lines.  I have long felt the solution is for the cruise line to ban those passengers from future cruises.  As long as there is no negative consequences there will be scofflaws.

 

Hank

[mjox32]

9 hours ago, AC2 said:

Maybe this is a silly question, if you are changing cabins do you move your own belongings to the new cabin? Like laptops, medication, other personal stuff?

Just getting off the Riviera at the beginning of Dec. we had to change rooms as did a few other passengers.  In our situation (we did not have a butler)  we told our room attendant and she talked to the room attendant of the room we were moving to.   We packed our suitcase with the contents of the drawers along with extra bags, laptop etc to go along with our stuff.   They moved everything for us.   They took care of the closet.  Those clothes were transferred on the hangers and were hung in our room when we got back on the ship.  We had to go down to the reception desk and get a new room key and that was it.  It was seamless and easy.   

 

Edited December 17, 2021 by mjox32

[TeaBag]

I am not an Oceania cruiser (sadly) but just want to ask a question about B2B cruises on Oceania.  Do they give a discount in the form of an OBC based on the number of days of each leg?  I am asking for someone who is sailing with Oceania on their first cruise.  For instance Azamara gives $400 for each leg 9 days or more and less for shorter ones.  Sorry for my intrusion.

So where did they find the 7 missing passengers?  In the lifeboats?

Sorry OP that you were disappointed with the procedure.  We find even on the same cruise line it is often handled differently.  One time we even got a special lunch put on just for us. B2Bers.

 

[pinotlover]

17 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

I am not an Oceania cruiser (sadly) but just want to ask a question about B2B cruises on Oceania.  Do they give a discount in the form of an OBC based on the number of days of each leg?  I am asking for someone who is sailing with Oceania on their first cruise.  For instance Azamara gives $400 for each leg 9 days or more and less for shorter ones.  Sorry for my intrusion.

So where did they find the 7 missing passengers?  In the lifeboats?

Sorry OP that you were disappointed with the procedure.  We find even on the same cruise line it is often handled differently.  One time we even got a special lunch put on just for us. B2Bers.

 

Few actual b2b actually exist anymore. Most now, like the one we’re booked on next Fall , are now separate voyages, called extended voyage, and pre priced.

 

In the past, or where a b2b still exists, the price reduction is a percentage of one’s particular fare, not a set amount.

[ORV]

16 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

I am not an Oceania cruiser (sadly) but just want to ask a question about B2B cruises on Oceania.  Do they give a discount in the form of an OBC based on the number of days of each leg?  I am asking for someone who is sailing with Oceania on their first cruise.  For instance Azamara gives $400 for each leg 9 days or more and less for shorter ones.  Sorry for my intrusion.

So where did they find the 7 missing passengers?  In the lifeboats?

Sorry OP that you were disappointed with the procedure.  We find even on the same cruise line it is often handled differently.  One time we even got a special lunch put on just for us. B2Bers.

 

Historically Oceania has always had lunch in the MDR for those continuing on to the next cruise. Not necessarily a special menu, but a quiet place to eat while all the new cruisers are coming on and over running the Terrace. 

 

As far as your original question, it's complicated. It's really a question for a TA or for them to ask Oceania if they're dealing directly. A lot of it depends on how Oceania has marketed the cruise. They frequently package various overlapping 20 to 40 day time periods by putting different segments together. The savings is built in to the pricing in these situations.  

[LHT28]

22 minutes ago, TeaBag said:

I am not an Oceania cruiser (sadly) but just want to ask a question about B2B cruises on Oceania.  Do they give a discount in the form of an OBC based on the number of days of each leg? 

 

 

If a true B2B  they give the discount on the cruise price  

If they take the O Life perk it will be per segment

I agree with ORV  they need to talk to the TA or Oceania  for the correct answer depending on their booking

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 minute ago, ORV said:

Historically Oceania has always had lunch in the MDR for those continuing on to the next cruise. Not necessarily a special menu, but a quiet place to eat while all the new cruisers are coming on and over running the Terrace. 

 

As far as your original question, it's complicated. It's really a question for a TA or for them to ask Oceania if they're dealing directly. A lot of it depends on how Oceania has marketed the cruise. They frequently package various overlapping 20 to 40 day time periods by putting different segments together. The savings is built in to the pricing in these situations.  

Extended journeys are multi-segments published as a single booking. It is less expensive than the sum total cost of the individual segments. 
Unpublished multi-segment itineraries are also available as “custom cruises” and get a discount applied. 

[TeaBag]

Thank you everyone for answering my question.  What a great bunch you are.😊