Process for Back to Back on Explorer in the Med

[fletch5727]

Hello all,

 

We are doing a back to back out of Ravenna on Explorer this September.  Has anyone done this back to back recently?  This is my first back to back, and I'm trying to get some information as to the process for turnaround day.  Do all of us btb cruisers meet the night before?  Do we actually have to exit with everyone else?  We're in the same cabin, so thankfully we don't have to move anything.

 

I realize that we'll get instructions in the cabin, but I was just wondering.  Thanks in advance!

[irishgal432]

Just curious what your plans are for venice to ravenna and where you are staying in venice.  I have been spending all day trying to figure this out from all of the transportaion options,to hotels to resturants.

[njkruzer]

1 hour ago, fletch5727 said:

Hello all,

 

We are doing a back to back out of Ravenna on Explorer this September.  Has anyone done this back to back recently?  This is my first back to back, and I'm trying to get some information as to the process for turnaround day.  Do all of us btb cruisers meet the night before?  Do we actually have to exit with everyone else?  We're in the same cabin, so thankfully we don't have to move anything.

 

I realize that we'll get instructions in the cabin, but I was just wondering.  Thanks in advance!

On our b2bs there was a letter in our cabin a couple of days before the end and a meeting the day before.  Sometimes walk off and back on. You do have to "sign" out with old card so the old account is cleared ans then with your new card sign in for new cruise.  If you want to leave the ship to go into the port they'll give you an in transit form so you can go right to the security line and reboard the ship. You'll have complete access to your cabin,  even before new passengers can access their cabins.  Sometimes there's a lunch for b2b passengers in the mdr.  I also stop by guest services early in the first cruise to confirm they have us on b2b list.  They always do.  Enjoy.

[fletch5727]

19 hours ago, irishgal432 said:

Just curious what your plans are for venice to ravenna and where you are staying in venice.  I have been spending all day trying to figure this out from all of the transportaion options,to hotels to resturants.

We're staying near the airport the night before and had booked a ship transfer from the airport to the cruise port that left at 11:30.  However, I just changed the trasnsfer to one leaving from tronchetto at 9am so that we could get to the ship earlier.  Just call Royal, they will explain the transfer options for you.  You can transfer from the airport, the "city center" which I think is Piazalle Roma, or from Tronchetta.

 

Our flight doesn't get in until 7:30 on Saturday, so I think we're just going to look for something by the airport.

[fletch5727]

18 hours ago, njkruzer said:

On our b2bs there was a letter in our cabin a couple of days before the end and a meeting the day before.  Sometimes walk off and back on. You do have to "sign" out with old card so the old account is cleared ans then with your new card sign in for new cruise.  If you want to leave the ship to go into the port they'll give you an in transit form so you can go right to the security line and reboard the ship. You'll have complete access to your cabin,  even before new passengers can access their cabins.  Sometimes there's a lunch for b2b passengers in the mdr.  I also stop by guest services early in the first cruise to confirm they have us on b2b list.  They always do.  Enjoy.

Thank you!

 

[irishgal432]

FYI. Here is the location for the shuttles at tronchetro 

[MeHeartCruising]

I did this in May on the Explorer at Ravenna.  There were probably more than 100 people doing the B2B.  They left an instruction letter in the cabin a day or 2 prior.  We were processed in one of the lounges on the turnaround morning.  At that time, they had a security computer that processed us off the ship.  We were then given our new key card.  If we had plans to leave the ship, they had “in transit” passes to give us to let us bypass the normal boarding process.  If you didn’t have plans to leave the ship, you just went about your day.  It was pouring rain, so I just stayed on board.  It was a very easy process, but I did have to wait in line for about 20 minutes to get thru this process.  

[irishgal432]

oops it didnt post. 

[fletch5727]

On 8/8/2023 at 1:21 PM, MeHeartCruising said:

I did this in May on the Explorer at Ravenna.  There were probably more than 100 people doing the B2B.  They left an instruction letter in the cabin a day or 2 prior.  We were processed in one of the lounges on the turnaround morning.  At that time, they had a security computer that processed us off the ship.  We were then given our new key card.  If we had plans to leave the ship, they had “in transit” passes to give us to let us bypass the normal boarding process.  If you didn’t have plans to leave the ship, you just went about your day.  It was pouring rain, so I just stayed on board.  It was a very easy process, but I did have to wait in line for about 20 minutes to get thru this process.  

Thank you!  This is exactly what I was hoping for.

 

[MeHeartCruising]

1 hour ago, fletch5727 said:

Thank you!  This is exactly what I was hoping for.

 

 

You're welcome.  I will add, that I suggest you visit the customer service desk during your first cruise (first few days), and make sure they have you on their list as a B2B passenger.  They probably do.  But it never hurts to make sure.  This is how they know to deliver the instruction letter to you a couple days before turnaround day.  Enjoy your cruises!  It's a great area to explore. 

[watcher_62]

2 minutes ago, MeHeartCruising said:

 

You're welcome.  I will add, that I suggest you visit the customer service desk during your first cruise (first few days), and make sure they have you on their list as a B2B passenger.  They probably do.  But it never hurts to make sure.  This is how they know to deliver the instruction letter to you a couple days before turnaround day.  Enjoy your cruises!  It's a great area to explore. 

This and their previous post covers it and was our experience as well when we B2B'd on the Brilliance when it did the same cruise from Ravenna last year (and the other B2B's we've been on). Being in the same cabin makes it very easy. We gathered in the Colony Club at 9:30am, got our new keys, walked off through customs and walked back on and went about our day. It's a toss up when you can get back into your cabin - sometimes they're fussy and don't want you back until everyone get access...