Check-in for B2B question

[Cruiznut68]

Doing our first B2B and was wondering if we need to do check-in once for both cruises or separate check-ins on different days?  Thanks! 

[firefly333]

Separate. Just like 2 different cruises. 

[Cruiznut68]

Thanks! 

[bob63005]

Second trip will check in on board with others doing B2B , not in terminal. 

[sddsddean]

Usually you don't have to check in as such for the 2nd cruise. You will get a letter saying the procedures for turn around day, which normally says that your new card will be left in your cabin the last night. If you are staying in the same cabin, no problems. If you are moving, you can do it yourself or staff will help. In US ports, you will be escorted off last, go through 'immigration' and then return on board. You usually get a b2b lunch somewhere. Any other country, you don't normally have to do 'immigration', but you can get an 'in transit' card that lets you skip security lines if you decide to get off the ship.

If you are staying in the same cabin, tell your steward to leave 'changeover' day to the next day...gives them more time and they will appreciate it.

If you are changing cabins, go and find your new steward and ask them to do your new cabin first, so you haven't got to hang around waiting for it.

Though cabins will be available at 1pm (or whatever), as you are on a b2b you will be allowed into your cabin anytime.

Thats all I can think of!

 

Simon

[bethco]

Do online check in for both cruises and get a set sail pass for both of them.

[njkruzer]

I've never received 2nd seapass card in my cabin.  You usually receive a letter in your cabin a couple of days in advance with instructions on what to do on turnover day.

 

As to checkin,  we always do it.

[sddsddean]

26 minutes ago, bethco said:

Do online check in for both cruises and get a set sail pass for both of them.

 

20 minutes ago, njkruzer said:

I've never received 2nd seapass card in my cabin.  You usually receive a letter in your cabin a couple of days in advance with instructions on what to do on turnover day.

 

As to checkin,  we always do it.

Yep, do the check in, but I have never had to show my second set sail pass.

As far as I can remember (dangerous I know!), I've always has my second card the night before. Perhaps they've changed the system, as the last b2b I did was before you started having your cards left in an envelope at the door.

 

Simon

[Cruiznut68]

Wow great information! Thank you everyone for your help! 

[njkruzer]

1 minute ago, sddsddean said:

 

Yep, do the check in, but I have never had to show my second set sail pass.

As far as I can remember (dangerous I know!), I've always has my second card the night before. Perhaps they've changed the system, as the last b2b I did was before you started having your cards left in an envelope at the door.

 

Simon

I wonder if receiving your 2nd seapass card in your cabin may have to do with location/country of 2nd cruise.  Most of ours have been in US.  In Australia the rules were very different.  Required to leave ship by 9 am and could not return for 2 hrs!

[alphawave1]

1 hour ago, sddsddean said:

Usually you don't have to check in as such for the 2nd cruise. You will get a letter saying the procedures for turn around day, which normally says that your new card will be left in your cabin the last night. If you are staying in the same cabin, no problems. If you are moving, you can do it yourself or staff will help. In US ports, you will be escorted off last, go through 'immigration' and then return on board. You usually get a b2b lunch somewhere. Any other country, you don't normally have to do 'immigration', but you can get an 'in transit' card that lets you skip security lines if you decide to get off the ship.

If you are staying in the same cabin, tell your steward to leave 'changeover' day to the next day...gives them more time and they will appreciate it.

If you are changing cabins, go and find your new steward and ask them to do your new cabin first, so you haven't got to hang around waiting for it.

Though cabins will be available at 1pm (or whatever), as you are on a b2b you will be allowed into your cabin anytime.

Thats all I can think of!

 

Simon

If the doors that block entrance to cabins are locked, how do you get in cabin before 1pm? Our first B2B in 2 weeks. 

[njkruzer]

3 minutes ago, alphawave1 said:

If the doors that block entrance to cabins are locked, how do you get in cabin before 1pm? Our first B2B in 2 weeks. 

Doors are closed, not locked.  No one has ever questioned me but if they do just explain you're b2b.

[sddsddean]

1 hour ago, njkruzer said:

I wonder if receiving your 2nd seapass card in your cabin may have to do with location/country of 2nd cruise.  Most of ours have been in US.  In Australia the rules were very different.  Required to leave ship by 9 am and could not return for 2 hrs!

Wow!

[sddsddean]

1 hour ago, Cruiznut68 said:

Wow great information! Thank you everyone for your help! 

Just thought, this may be obvious, but I know someone who forgot and it cost them a few pennies!

Both cruises are financially independent, so you must check your account and settle it on the first cruise departure day like you would normally. You cannot rectify anything about the first cruise during the second cruise.

 

Simon

[njkruzer]

32 minutes ago, sddsddean said:

Just thought, this may be obvious, but I know someone who forgot and it cost them a few pennies!

Both cruises are financially independent, so you must check your account and settle it on the first cruise departure day like you would normally. You cannot rectify anything about the first cruise during the second cruise.

 

Simon

Correct.  Would need to contact Miami.   Amazes me the number of people who don't check their account during the cruise until they're walking off the ship.  A little late to figure it out.  Need to do it during the cruise. 

[Cruiznut68]

All great things to keep in mind! Thanks again! 

[Anton]

4 hours ago, Cruiznut68 said:

Doing our first B2B and was wondering if we need to do check-in once for both cruises or separate check-ins on different days?  Thanks! 

I've done a lot of B2Bs over the past 2 years and always check in for both online when they open, so for my upcoming Symphony cruises I did the first cruise check-in and then 8 days later the second cruise opened and I checked in for it.  They are always considered separate cruises in the system and not one continuous sailing.  However when checking in for the 2nd, and sometimes 3rd or 4th cruise I never select an early arrival time since I'm already there on the ship.  So I take one of the last time slots available and leave the early ones for the new guests doing check in.  I do not think they really care on the ship if you do the online check-in for the followup cruises but I'm a process oriented person so I do it anyway to make sure.  It only takes a couple minutes.  You do not need a set sail pass for the followup cruises, only the one for your first cruise.

 

For US sailings, your seapass card for the new cruise will be handed out at the B2B passenger meeting on the morning of turnaround when everyone else is leaving the ship.  This is held in a lounge someplace on the ship.  At some point, when they get close to zeroing out the ship,  you will card out of the last cruise using your old card, and then card back aboard the ship with the new card.  They always place great emphasis on using the correct cards for each scanning.  As simple as this sounds, someone always seems to screw it up and this creates some angst for security.  Sometimes they have taken the old card after we scanned it, other times they have just put a sticker on the new card so we know.  For most US ports the process involves leaving the ship and doing a walk through with Immigration and then going back aboard.  For some ports we did the facial recognition and for others we had an officer just glancing at passports and telling us to go away and the guest services shepard herded us back aboard.  Once we had to sit in the terminal for about 30 minutes.   I've done a couple out of Galveston lately and they have set up a security kiosk in the lounge and had us do the card scanning exercise right there, and then a CBP officer came aboard and did the passport check in the lounge.  That was outstanding.

[alphawave1]

So we are doing B2B in Galveston in 2 weeks. On previous posts, I have asked if we can go to car and exchange laundry and bring another bottle of wine. So are we able to leave terminal and get right back on once boarding begins? 

[Anton]

2 hours ago, alphawave1 said:

So we are doing B2B in Galveston in 2 weeks. On previous posts, I have asked if we can go to car and exchange laundry and bring another bottle of wine. So are we able to leave terminal and get right back on once boarding begins? 

I'm pretty sure we were told that we could leave to go ashore but we would have to wait until they started boarding new guests before we could return.  

[newmercies]

7 hours ago, alphawave1 said:

So we are doing B2B in Galveston in 2 weeks. On previous posts, I have asked if we can go to car and exchange laundry and bring another bottle of wine.

You can take the allowed wine for both cruses when you board the first leg.  Just show your boarding pass to security.  Sometimes they keep the extra bottles and return them to you the last night of the first leg.  Sometimes they allow you to keep everything.  In our experience they have collected our extra wine and we had it returned for the second leg. 

Enjoy your cruises.

Melinda

[southerngirloutwest]

Hubby and I are contemplating a B2b this year on Anthem of the Seas. It would be our first!

What do you do while they are resetting/restocking the ship?

 

The ones we're looking at would start/end in Southampton, so could we go into town for some sightseeing and shopping?

 

[njkruzer]

2 minutes ago, southerngirloutwest said:

Hubby and I are contemplating a B2b this year on Anthem of the Seas. It would be our first!

What do you do while they are resetting/restocking the ship?

 

The ones we're looking at would start/end in Southampton, so could we go into town for some sightseeing and shopping?

 

Yes, wander around town, relax by the pool, enjoy a special lunch for b2b passengers.   You will have to sign out with your old seapass  card and sign back on with the new one (they'll give you instructions a coup.e of days in advance).  If you are changing cabins you'll get help doing that.  While those newly boarding won't have access to their cabins, you will.  Hope that helps. 

[RobInMN]

This thread will help on the overall process

 

[southerngirloutwest]

10 minutes ago, RobInMN said:

This thread will help on the overall process

 

Thanks! This really helps!