B-to-b on same ship: disembarkation required?

[rsquare]

We're doing a Northern Lights trip next year on QM2 that ends in Southampton, and we are then taking the next sailing of the ship to New York, though in a different cabin.  Will we need to disembark (or debark - not sure if there's a difference) on the turnaround day, or can we hang out somewhere on the ship?  If we do need to get off, what is our position re: reboarding - do we get an embarkation time like new passengers and go through the check-in process?

 

If it makes a difference, I'm Diamond and my travelling companion is Silver.

[esrs]

If your midpoint is Southampton you will NOT have to get off. If it were New York, you would. 

[Bell Boy]

Whatever you decide to do at Southampton, if 'staying onboard' you will need to visit the security at the gangway and 'scan out your old key card' and 'scan in your new key card'  that you will have collected from the pursers desk the morning of arrival. 

Important that you scan in your new card as this ensures you are in the system - ships manifest.  

[ExArkie]

2 hours ago, Bell Boy said:

Whatever you decide to do at Southampton, if 'staying onboard' you will need to visit the security at the gangway and 'scan out your old key card' and 'scan in your new key card'  that you will have collected from the pursers desk the morning of arrival. 

Important that you scan in your new card as this ensures you are in the system - ships manifest.  

We did this is December 2022, spent the Southampton turnaround day on board. The security guard at the gangway was a bit confused when we scanned our old cards but didn’t leave the ship. She finally caught on when we scanned our new cards. Must have been new on the job.

 

My advice is to let the disembarking crowd thin out before doing this. We waited until just after the last time for departing passengers to make our way there. Essentially no wait, so we scanned cards and went to Carinthia Lounge for a coffee while the new cabin was made ready.

[rsquare]

Many thanks for the information.  If it is a decent day, we would be happy to sightsee in Southampton, but not on a rainy November day. 

 

If we leave the ship and return, is there any "bypass lane" through check-in for people who already have a ship card for the voyage?

[david63]

23 minutes ago, rsquare said:

If we leave the ship and return, is there any "bypass lane" through check-in for people who already have a ship card for the voyage?

In the past at Southampton it has been possible to use the crew entrance and use the crew shuttle bus into town - but that could have changed. Ask when onboard.

[bluemarble]

28 minutes ago, david63 said:

In the past at Southampton it has been possible to use the crew entrance and use the crew shuttle bus into town - but that could have changed. Ask when onboard.

 

There were separate crew and passenger buses for the Cunard shuttle to Westquay at the Mayflower terminal the last couple times we were there this year. They were directing people to the appropriate bus (or to wait for the next bus appropriate for them). The shuttle is still a good no-expense way to get into town. They haven't been scanning keycards on that shuttle recently so I assume it is free for everyone, including those on saver fares.

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, rsquare said:

If we leave the ship and return, is there any "bypass lane" through check-in for people who already have a ship card for the voyage?

 

Yes, if you leave the ship, as an in-transit passenger you can go directly to the security check point when you return, bypassing all the passengers who are checking in for the voyage.

[Bell Boy]

What we haven't covered here for the author of the original post , is the procedure when transferring to another stateroom ;

 

Top Tip;

The day before arrival into Southampton , take a stroll to your new cabin and make contact with your new steward, advise him/her that you will be occupying a certain cabin on disembarkation day. 

This will be of help to the crew member as they will ensure that your new cabin is one of the first to be serviced and available  immediately after the previous guest/s have vacated. 

The evening before pack ALL loose personal effects into your luggage, leaving clothes on hangers in the wardrobe . Your steward (or a team) will take care to transfer everything on a clothes  Rail Trolley  to your new stateroom.  

 

Interacting and making contact in advance with your new steward will ensure your transfer runs smoothly it will allow you to occupy the new cabin as soon as possible rather than hanging around in one of the public venues.   

 

 

[tv24]

I think procedures in Southampton have been inconsistent.  A year and a half ago we were on a Hamburg to New York crossing with a day in Southampton where some passengers disembarked and some boarded.  We wanted to stay on board and have a relaxing day on the ship.  100% of the passengers were required to completely disembark.  We had to sit in the passenger terminal in Southampton until the ship could reach a zero count of passengers on board before we could re-board.  Hopefully you will not have to go through this procedure.

[Victoria2]

Just now, tv24 said:

I think procedures in Southampton have been inconsistent.  A year and a half ago we were on a Hamburg to New York crossing with a day in Southampton where some passengers disembarked and some boarded.  We wanted to stay on board and have a relaxing day on the ship.  100% of the passengers were required to completely disembark.  We had to sit in the passenger terminal in Southampton until the ship could reach a zero count of passengers on board before we could re-board.  Hopefully you will not have to go through this procedure.

Golly, I hope not. We have a S'ton b2b booked and I'm hoping to do laundry!!! How exciting is that! 😀

[daisybel]

We are doing a B toB in Melbourne shortly so will update. We have same cabin so won’t be moving 

[fabnfortysomething]

to me one of the joys of a back to back is not having to disembark and enjoying empty ship sitting in atrium and watching first passengers embark

its a real pain when port requires zero count and you have to hang around until allowed back on board 

[exlondoner]

10 hours ago, fabnfortysomething said:

to me one of the joys of a back to back is not having to disembark and enjoying empty ship sitting in atrium and watching first passengers embark

its a real pain when port requires zero count and you have to hang around until allowed back on board 

It’s not usual at Southampton.

[ExArkie]

On 11/20/2023 at 12:04 PM, Bell Boy said:

leaving clothes on hangers in the wardrobe

Is this the usual practice now (again)? For our B2B in December 2022, everything - including all of our hanging clothes - had to be put in suitcases.

[Bell Boy]

21 minutes ago, ExArkie said:

Is this the usual practice now (again)? For our B2B in December 2022, everything - including all of our hanging clothes - had to be put in suitcases.

That was 'probably' another Covid practice that had no Scientific evidence , it appears it's now been re introduced, as I observed ( October 2023 Q.Vic)  a team assisting the guest/s in the cabin two doors away during my disembarkation .   

Edited November 22, 2023 by Bell Boy

[exlondoner]

11 minutes ago, Bell Boy said:

That was 'probably' another Covid practice that had no Scientific evidence , it appears it's now been re introduced, as I observed ( October 2023 Q.Vic)  a team assisting the guest/s in the cabin two doors away during my disembarkation .   

That’s good news.

[molecrochip]

On 11/21/2023 at 6:25 PM, tv24 said:

I think procedures in Southampton have been inconsistent.  A year and a half ago we were on a Hamburg to New York crossing with a day in Southampton where some passengers disembarked and some boarded.  We wanted to stay on board and have a relaxing day on the ship.  100% of the passengers were required to completely disembark.  We had to sit in the passenger terminal in Southampton until the ship could reach a zero count of passengers on board before we could re-board.  Hopefully you will not have to go through this procedure.

This was a Covid cleaning procedure not usual Southampton procedure.

 

Nothing to do with zeroing passengers but instead fogging the ship.

 

Customers with mobility needs were given somewhere particular to wait which was fogged before and after.

[david,Mississauga]

On 11/22/2023 at 9:19 AM, ExArkie said:

Is this the usual practice now (again)? For our B2B in December 2022, everything - including all of our hanging clothes - had to be put in suitcases.

 

It was a couple of years before COVID when we had to pack everything (except the flowers) to be moved to our new cabin.  Our steward even contacted the head housekeeper but was told the clothes on hangars must be packed.  If we didn't have to go through the palaver at the Red Hook terminal we would have carried them ourselves.  I'm pleased to read that the convenience of the passengers is again being considered as we have to change again next year at Red Hook.

[tv24]

7 hours ago, molecrochip said:

This was a Covid cleaning procedure not usual Southampton procedure.

 

Nothing to do with zeroing passengers but instead fogging the ship.

 

Customers with mobility needs were given somewhere particular to wait which was fogged before and after.

Thank you for your post, but this was not what the Cunard staff explained to us.