Princess Back-to-Back Cruise Procedure

[LarryL]

We're doing a Quebec to New York cruise this fall and because of the air connections we are considering a back-to back from New York. Does Princess have a standard process for BTB cruises? 

 

How is the transition day onboard? 

 

Do they give you a new medallion? 

 

Prearrangements needed?

 

Any other helpful hints would be great.

 

Thanks in advance.  

Edited February 7, 2023 by LarryL

[GoDucksNation]

Just did a B2B in San Diego. Same medallion. Anyone doing B2B will meet in a designated dining room. After all passengers are off an officer escorted our group to the gangway. We did not have to go off. There was an immigration person there that did a quick immigration check. Then we scanned our medallions, and if we chose to go off the ship we could have with an in transit card. Otherwise you turned right around and scanned your medallion and went right back on the ship.

 

[skynight]

19 minutes ago, LarryL said:

We're doing a Quebec to New York cruise this fall and because of the air connections we are considering a back-to back from New York. Does Princess have a standard process for BTB cruises? 

 

How is the transition day onboard? 

 

Do they give you a new medallion? 

 

Prearrangements needed?

 

Any other helpful hints would be great.

 

Thanks in advance.  

You are thinking about NY to Quebec City and then Quebec City back to NY. Correct?

Quebec will be just like any other port day for you if you don't have to change cabins. If you do change cabins then you will be asked to be out of the cabin by 8am. Place as much on hangers in the closet as possible. Place other items in the suitcase(s). Keep The cabin steward will arrange to have your belongings transferred to your new cabin. You may be able to transfer some items yourself. Speak with your new cabin steward ahead of time.

Same medallion unless your medallion battery dies.

Prearrangements - see above regarding changing cabins. When we stayed in the same cabin we usually mentioned to our steward to plan to service our cabin last. This just gives the steward more time to service the new passenger's cabins.

In Quebec City if you get off in the morning you may not be able to get back on the ship until general boarding has begun around 11am. You will be in Quebec City for 4 days. Lots of time to tour around. 

 

[LarryL]

53 minutes ago, GoDucksNation said:

Just did a B2B in San Diego. Same medallion. Anyone doing B2B will meet in a designated dining room. After all passengers are off an officer escorted our group to the gangway. We did not have to go off. There was an immigration person there that did a quick immigration check. Then we scanned our medallions, and if we chose to go off the ship we could have with an in transit card. Otherwise you turned right around and scanned your medallion and went right back on the ship.

 

Thanks. Did you have to contact Guest Services at all for the arrangements?

[LarryL]

42 minutes ago, skynight said:

You are thinking about NY to Quebec City and then Quebec City back to NY. Correct?

Quebec will be just like any other port day for you if you don't have to change cabins. If you do change cabins then you will be asked to be out of the cabin by 8am. Place as much on hangers in the closet as possible. Place other items in the suitcase(s). Keep The cabin steward will arrange to have your belongings transferred to your new cabin. You may be able to transfer some items yourself. Speak with your new cabin steward ahead of time.

Same medallion unless your medallion battery dies.

Prearrangements - see above regarding changing cabins. When we stayed in the same cabin we usually mentioned to our steward to plan to service our cabin last. This just gives the steward more time to service the new passenger's cabins.

In Quebec City if you get off in the morning you may not be able to get back on the ship until general boarding has begun around 11am. You will be in Quebec City for 4 days. Lots of time to tour around. 

 

That's great to know about the luggage and clothes. I plan on only taking a backpack with camera equipment and a few day hike items. We'll likely spend those extra days exploring Quebec City. 

[paradiselivin1]

They will give you a slip of paper stating "In Transit" to use when you re-board the ship so that you don't go through the standard check-in line. Easy peasy.

[GoDucksNation]

You’ll get all of the information from your room steward 

[caribill]

I usually stop by the Customer Service Desk to make sure their system knows I am on a B2B.

 

If the system works properly, your onboard account is carried over to the second segment instead of being closed out. Thus any unspent OBC is carried over.

 

If doing a B2B with the transition day being in a USA port (other than in Alaska on round trip B2Bs), USA immigration requires that the passenger count goes to zero.

o As pointed out above, if on the ship around 10 AM, you must meet as a group. In some cases the passport check will be done on board, but in most cases those continuing on and are in that group must leave the ship, be processed on shore and then let back on to the ship.

o But you could instead leave the ship before 10 am to explore the city you are at. In that case, you can leave anytime once disembarkation has started and will be allowed to re-board once new passengers can start boarding. Take your passport with you to clear immigration when you exit the ship.

 

In most non-USA ports on turnaround day there is no need to zero the passenger count, so you can either leave the ship to tour or stay on the ship with no group meeting required.

 

If you are changing cabins, try to meet your new cabin steward in advance and arrange for you to move the contents of your cabin safe to the new cabin as soon as possible on turnaround day. As others pointed out, the cabin stewards will take care of moving your hanging clothes and packed luggage to the new cabin.

 

If no changing cabins, let your cabin steward know there is no need to rush to service your cabin.

 

On the 2nd segment you will not have to view the muster video again.

 

You will use the same Medallion for both segments whether changing cabins or not. (I do not know at what point the Medallion changes from being able to unlock the old cabin door to the new cabin door.)

[skynight]

16 hours ago, LarryL said:

Thanks. Did you have to contact Guest Services at all for the arrangements?

No. You may wish to just discuss some points with passenger services during the 1st voyage.

If changing cabins - what is your new cabin number?

Confirm their records show that your accounts will carry over.

It isn't a big issue. Lots of passengers sail b2bs.