Dos and don’tof B2B cruising.

[Chickadee910]

Since a lot of you do many b2b cruising .I thought you might share tips on packing,laundry, sea days, port days, watching the new cruisers come and go and what you do on embarkation and debarking days when you are staying on board. Thank you. I hope to find it as interesting as you all are.

[luv2cruisenz]

Hi, I’d just say to keep an eye out for any special instructions on what you need to do on the turn around day as this can vary depending on the cruise. You’ll get information sent to your cabin. 
 

I also let the cabin stewards know they can leave cleaning our room until later on turn around day if it helps them, as it’s a busy day getting rooms ready for new guests. Have a great time ! 

[wandrr]

1 hour ago, luv2cruisenz said:

I also let the cabin stewards know they can leave cleaning our room until later on turn around day if it helps them, as it’s a busy day getting rooms ready for new guests. Have a great time ! 

Or skip the daily cleaning entirely on turnaround day. The best way is to contact the housekeeping manager (get the name from the front desk) so that s/he doesn't think the room stewards are slacking off. On a world cruise a while ago, almost the entire ship asked that cabin cleaning be skipped for a couple of days while the ship was in Indonesian ports (home for most of the stewards).

 

Otherwise, just sit back and watch the hustle and bustle (but stay out of the way). You might have to disembark and re-embark in certain ports, but that is usually fairly simple, other than pretty much ruining a day.

 

I always like to watch the re-stocking operation, but then I am cursed with insatiable curiosity.   🤓

[AKJonesy]

Our last b2b was on two HAL ships at Ft. Lauderdale vs staying on one.  We were given instructions at least a day if not 2 in advance.  I know we took our luggage with us and I don't think there was a transfer option, but I could be wrong about that.  We disembarked as late as allowed, then was told how to walk over to the other berth which was a short walk through a parking garage.  We probably waited outside the terminal for an hour when they let us in the terminal and then we waited another hour inside on the chairs.  There was nowhere outside of the terminals to go; nothing to buy, etc.  Then, those who were in the terminal first were allowed on the ship first.  

 

Typical embarkation day with everyone out and about doing their musters, checking out the dining room, the layout of the ship.  We went immediately to our new stateroom and unpacked, got the muster out of the way then took a quick look around the ship.  We checked out the main dining menu for dinner so we ended up having a light lunch.  The ship was very busy as usual on the first day.  It was pretty simple self transfer from one ship to another.  

[Seasick Sailor]

11 hours ago, Chickadee910 said:

Since a lot of you do many b2b cruising .I thought you might share tips on packing,laundry, sea days, port days, watching the new cruisers come and go and what you do on embarkation and debarking days when you are staying on board. Thank you. I hope to find it as interesting as you all are.

 

Unless you are transferring to another ship you won't need to pack your luggage. If you are transferring to another cabin you will pack and the room stewards will move it to the new cabin.

If you are doing a regular b2b on the same ship, same cabin, and want to stay on the ship during turn around day, you will go down to the world stage before 10 am, give your name to the technician and have a seat. If everyone complies with showing up ON TIME and remembering your PASSPORT, you will then be lead down the escalator through the immigration hall and back up the escalator. 

[lcand1923]

I’m not the OP, but thank you so much for the tip about notifying the housekeeping manager about not requiring daily cleaning on turn around day or certain port days on a long cruise.  I’ve used a tip that I read years ago on another board often, too.  If you are intending to give your cabin steward/stewards a “little extra”, give it to them a couple of days ahead of time or on port days when they are allowed off ship.

 

Turn around day/embarkation day is a super busy one for them.  If they have the money ahead of time, they will be able to go to their favorite store and/or send the money home when they aren’t as rushed.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

If you’re transferring to another ship, that’s an SxS, or side X side, so of course you pack up and take everything with you. A true B2B is on the same ship, and no packing is involved. Both have been described in the comments, and I thought you might be confused by that.

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

If the turnaround is in San Diego, and you're not getting off the ship, you will go to the World Stage.  CBP officials will come to there and scan your passport.  At least, this was the porcedure last April.   Customs and Immigration set the rules for each port, so whether or not you go through immigration on the ship or in the terminal depends on the port.

 

If you are changing cabins, the only things you will need to pack are those things not on hangers.  The srewards who move your things to the new cabin will hang your clothes on a trolley to move along with your luggage.

 

There will be a quiet lull between the departing passengers and the arriving passengers where you'll feel like you're on your own really big private yacht.

 

 

[Chickadee910]

Husband retiring. Heading to visit my 50 th state.first b2b cruise.

cannot wait to get back on the ship head to a quiet table by the pool with a cold drink and watching all the excitement as the first time cruisers come on board.

[BetsyS.]

15 hours ago, Chickadee910 said:

Since a lot of you do many b2b cruising .I thought you might share tips on packing,laundry, sea days, port days, watching the new cruisers come and go and what you do on embarkation and debarking days when you are staying on board. Thank you. I hope to find it as interesting as you all are.

In 2014 I was on the Veendam for Voyage of the Vikings. Turnaround day was in

Amsterdam.  One of our room stewards was leaving the ship in Amsterdam to go 

on vacation. He was flying to Indonesia.  I gave him a cash tip before we got to 

Amsterdam. I saw him the following year on Voyage of the Vikings when he 

was our room steward again. 😊   Sometimes room stewards can go to a

different deck on next segment of b2b and waiters might be assigned to a

different table, so it's helpful to ask them about this before turnaround day.

         

[AryMay]

6 hours ago, AKJonesy said:

Our last b2b was on two HAL ships at Ft. Lauderdale vs staying on one.  We were given instructions at least a day if not 2 in advance.  I know we took our luggage with us and I don't think there was a transfer option, but I could be wrong about that.  We disembarked as late as allowed, then was told how to walk over to the other berth which was a short walk through a parking garage. 

 

This is what we plan to do in February. Previously we have done B2B on the same ship, but never a side x side so I am slightly anxious about the process. Hoping we just have a "short walk" as you mentioned (although I have visions of hoofing it a long distance to the opposite side of the port.)

[AKJonesy]

3 hours ago, AryMay said:

 

This is what we plan to do in February. Previously we have done B2B on the same ship, but never a side x side so I am slightly anxious about the process. Hoping we just have a "short walk" as you mentioned (although I have visions of hoofing it a long distance to the opposite side of the port.)

Don't worry.  There are also cabs lined up.  

[Btimmer]

On a back to back cruises of lets say 14 days on each segment, book them separately but have the bookings linked.  That way you can get $250 CCL shipboard credit for each segment instead of just one $250 credit.

[iflyrc5]

13 hours ago, Seasick Sailor said:

 

Unless you are transferring to another ship you won't need to pack your luggage. If you are transferring to another cabin you will pack and the room stewards will move it to the new cabin.

If you are doing a regular b2b on the same ship, same cabin, and want to stay on the ship during turn around day, you will go down to the world stage before 10 am, give your name to the technician and have a seat. If everyone complies with showing up ON TIME and remembering your PASSPORT, you will then be lead down the escalator through the immigration hall and back up the escalator. 

On the NS in Feb/Mar the meeting location was the BB King lounge and not the World Stage so just read the paperwork they send you.  It will give the time, location and any other needed information.

[iflyrc5]

1 hour ago, Btimmer said:

On a back to back cruises of lets say 14 days on each segment, book them separately but have the bookings linked.  That way you can get $250 CCL shipboard credit for each segment instead of just one $250 credit.

Yes - we do that all the time.

[Tom_Cruise]

10 hours ago, Btimmer said:

On a back to back cruises of lets say 14 days on each segment, book them separately but have the bookings linked.  That way you can get $250 CCL shipboard credit for each segment instead of just one $250 credit.

I understand the separate bookings re: the CCL credit but what is "linking" and what does that get you?

I have done B2B before and the ship was always able to figure out I was staying aboard.

[Btimmer]

4 hours ago, Tom_Cruise said:

I understand the separate bookings re: the CCL credit but what is "linking" and what does that get you?

I have done B2B before and the ship was always able to figure out I was staying aboard.

I don't know or understand the why's or wherefores but the agent said it was good to do.

[CMDE]

The cruise I have booked was listed as one 18 day cruise, but it does return to Fort Lauderdale before the last 7 days. I wasn’t thinking about it - but we do have to either leave the ship or wait in a lounge area for an hour or two?

 

And thanks for the idea of booking them separately for next time.

[Quartzsite Cruiser]

15 minutes ago, CMDE said:

The cruise I have booked was listed as one 18 day cruise, but it does return to Fort Lauderdale before the last 7 days. I wasn’t thinking about it - but we do have to either leave the ship or wait in a lounge area for an hour or two?

 

And thanks for the idea of booking them separately for next time.

 

You will get a letter a few days before your arrival in Ft. Lauderdale with the information for the turnaround day.  You will wait in either one of the lounges or the showroom depending on how many are in transit.  Once the departing passengers have cleared immigration, an officer will escort you to the terminal, where you will go through immigration and be allowed to reboard the ship.  When we did it in 2019, we were also given the option to go to a waiting room where they had free wifi.  We chose to return to the ship.  

[crystalspin]

22 minutes ago, CMDE said:

And thanks for the idea of booking them separately for next time.

You have to do the math for every situation. Your 18-day cruise also being sold as an 11- plus a 7-day would give you 2x$100 ($100 for cruises 7-13 days), whereas at 18d it gave or will give you $250, and probably had a better fare as a single booking. 

 

I have a 9- plus a 7-day back to back at New Years, and will be getting $100+$100 -- if they could have been booked as one cruise, would have been $250! (My PCC checked, no-go. 😞 )

[WackyWayne]

I heard that if you purchase liquor (on shore, or from the ship store) during your first segment, it will be delivered to your cabin at turnaround time as the liquor storage needs to be emptied.  You can then drink it during your second segment.  😀

[Roz]

I did b2b cruises once and turnaround day was a disaster.  It was in Vancouver, and the passengers staying on knew more about what to do than the ship's employees.  Canada Place was in a state of chaos.  It was not at all the smooth process described by so many here on CC.

[whogo]

Do not be the jerk that does not show up on time and delays all the other B2B cruisers. Follow your printed instructions from Holland America to a T.

[BetsyS.]

35 minutes ago, whogo said:

Do not be the jerk that does not show up on time and delays all the other B2B cruisers. Follow your printed instructions from Holland America to a T.

On the Niew Statendam in August some people did not show up for Immigration in the am.  Their names were called on the loudspeaker. Years ago on the Veendam, I remember that some people did not show up for the all aboard. Their names were 

called on the loudspeaker. Sometimes depature from a port was delayed by 20 minutes. 

[atexsix]

We've done a couple and my best advice is to be prepared for the ship and/or terminal to do the polar opposite of what the cruise lines told you over the phone, especially if someone in your party is mobility challenged as we were.