Back to back cruises, different ships, both royal, same port?

[Docbizarro]

I have back to back Royal Caribbean cruises coming up in Miami. I'm getting off Independence on 5/18 and boarding Icon the same day. Is it fairly easy to just walk from one ship to the other? What's the best way to to transition?

 

Is there any benefit to letting Royal Caribbean know I'm doing back to back cruises on different ships out of the same port?

 

Thank you

[doghog]

10 minutes ago, Docbizarro said:

I have back to back Royal Caribbean cruises coming up in Miami. I'm getting off Independence on 5/18 and boarding Icon the same day. Is it fairly easy to just walk from one ship to the other? What's the best way to to transition?

 

Is there any benefit to letting Royal Caribbean know I'm doing back to back cruises on different ships out of the same port?

 

Thank you

What you are doing is called a SBS (Side By Side cruise) and not a B2B cruise. 

[DonnaPei]

Just did this last month.  It was a hassle.  You cannot walk.  Too far, and too many roads in between.  I asked at Guest Services on the ship, and they said they would have a shuttle to take us.  Just ask once we got off at the pier.  Well, we did, and they said they didn't have one that particular day for some reason, and the ship was unaware.  So we grabbed a taxi.  Taxi driver was not happy because he wanted a further fare.  He made me pay in cash, and it was $15.  So, to sum up, look to see if there is a shuttle on your particular day, but if not, grab a cab or uber.

[Tlbecker1]

24 minutes ago, DonnaPei said:

Just did this last month.  It was a hassle.  You cannot walk.  Too far, and too many roads in between.  I asked at Guest Services on the ship, and they said they would have a shuttle to take us.  Just ask once we got off at the pier.  Well, we did, and they said they didn't have one that particular day for some reason, and the ship was unaware.  So we grabbed a taxi.  Taxi driver was not happy because he wanted a further fare.  He made me pay in cash, and it was $15.  So, to sum up, look to see if there is a shuttle on your particular day, but if not, grab a cab or uber.

We also have attempted to use the shuttle services that Royal told us were available, but they were no where to be found.  We just used an Uber.

[neverbeenhere]

DonnaPei has this down. Hand the Taxi Driver cash and sheepishly say I need to go to Terminal A, Sorry!

 

 

You could walk, but it's a serious trek AND you may not make it alive.

[Docbizarro]

Is there a way to find out where the individual ships will be docked in relation to each other ahead of time?

[neverbeenhere]

Terminal G to Terminal A is the most likely answer. Miami Port (Pier) schedules are out there on the web.

[RFerrington]

I read recently that Royal is no longer doing the complimentary shuttles between ships/terminals or between PoM and PE.  Apparently you can still book those transports but there is now a fee.  I think it said something like $35 PP.  Not sure when this will take effect (if it's even true).

[coachmike1959]

1 hour ago, RFerrington said:

I read recently that Royal is no longer doing the complimentary shuttles between ships/terminals or between PoM and PE.  Apparently you can still book those transports but there is now a fee.  I think it said something like $35 PP.  Not sure when this will take effect (if it's even true).

DW and i did sbs last month from allure to adventure..the shuttle took us from ship to ship..that is the only advantage to doing sbs..we waited in line just like everyone else to board ship and my luck the coast guard was doing their yearly inspection so we sat in the corral for almost 1.5 hours..i guess what i expected was to at least board with b2b people..NOPE

[ZoeyVictoria]

We intended to get off the Celebrity Silhouette in late April and board Liberty of the Seas the same day. We use off-site parking, Park ‘n Go in this case. They said if the shuttle was going past the Liberty on the way back to the parking lot, they would just drop us off on the way. Otherwise, we would have ridden the mile or so back to the lot and then shuttled to the Liberty. 
 

We had to cancel the Liberty because we closed on our house during that time, so we never got to try it.  But it did sound simple. 

[sowhat]

4 hours ago, doghog said:

What you are doing is called a SBS (Side By Side cruise) and not a B2B cruise. 

When you say the ships are  B2B, do you mean that they are docked stern to stern ?

Also does S2S mean that the ships are dock each side of the pier, ie port to port or starboard to starboard?

[FOXTROT]

We have done thus several times. We notified RCL what we were doing, nothing. We got off ship 1 & took a cab to ship 2. It was too far to walk both times & they don't like people wondering around ports. On one occasion the cab driver didn't want to take us(not enough money) a police officer told him "Either take these people or lose your privilege to the port." 

[davidrlewis2302]

9 minutes ago, sowhat said:

When you say the ships are  B2B, do you mean that they are docked stern to stern ?

Also does S2S mean that the ships are dock each side of the pier, ie port to port or starboard to starboard?

B2B back to back means two cruises in a row on the same ship. Nothing to do with the docking arrangements for ships. 

[sowhat]

14 minutes ago, davidrlewis2302 said:

B2B back to back means two cruises in a row on the same ship. Nothing to do with the docking arrangements for ships. 

Why is it called back to back cruises?

[Biker19]

Just now, sowhat said:

Why is it called back to back cruises?

Because CC posters named them as such. RCI itself calls them consecutive cruises.

[cruiselvr04]

We did a side to side from Terminal G to Terminal A in Miami.  Plan on a cab ride.  It’s unsafe to walk, no sidewalks.  It cost us $20.  Guest services might say there is a shuttle but they seem to be uninformed, we couldn’t find one and we were told by outside pier workers to take a cab.

 

It’s not a deal breaker and we enjoyed both cruises on the a small and large ship. 

[RobInMN]

30 minutes ago, sowhat said:

Why is it called back to back cruises?

 

1 hour ago, sowhat said:

When you say the ships are  B2B, do you mean that they are docked stern to stern ?

Also does S2S mean that the ships are dock each side of the pier, ie port to port or starboard to starboard?

28 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Because CC posters named them as such. RCI itself calls them consecutive cruises.

 

I'm going to guess that you are not in the US, Possibly UK?

Apparently the phrase "back to back" meaning "Consecutive" is more of a US thing.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/back-to-back

https://www.dictionary.com/browse/back-to-back

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/back-to-back

 

 

[smokeybandit]

1 hour ago, sowhat said:

When you say the ships are  B2B, do you mean that they are docked stern to stern ?

Also does S2S mean that the ships are dock each side of the pier, ie port to port or starboard to starboard?

Back to back is just staying on one ship for consecutive cruises. That's a semi-official term with an official process on board in between cruises.

Side to side is just an unofficial play on words of sorts to describe the same thing, but when it involves different ships. The concept isn't really recognized by RC (with the exception being if they provide a shuttle to the 2nd ship) and really is treated as completely separate cruises.

Edited May 7 by smokeybandit

[HannaBelle]

Semi off topic, but what do you about laundry when taking 2 cruises in a row?  Do you send your clothes out for laundry service or wash some in your cabin?  Inquiry minds want to know...

[smokeybandit]

7 minutes ago, HannaBelle said:

Semi off topic, but what do you about laundry when taking 2 cruises in a row?  Do you send your clothes out for laundry service or wash some in your cabin?  Inquiry minds want to know...

Yes. Some who live local actually go home and do laundry, too.

[Sunshine3601]

7 minutes ago, HannaBelle said:

Semi off topic, but what do you about laundry when taking 2 cruises in a row?  Do you send your clothes out for laundry service or wash some in your cabin?  Inquiry minds want to know...

I hand wash some things such as bathing suits, bras, lightweight blouses/tops and send out underwear, pj's, socks, tshirts, shorts to be washed.  Cost is anywhere from $35 a bag to free depending on your loyalty status.  

[drjohn4]

5 hours ago, Docbizarro said:

Is there a way to find out where the individual ships will be docked in relation to each other ahead of time?

https://wwwx.miamidade.gov/apps/seaport/dailydock/Default.aspx

 

For you it is terminal G to terminal A.  I checked it out on google maps and it is 1.5 mile walk.  Potentially doable depending on your fitness level, amount of luggage, and how hot it is that morning. 

[doghog]

3 hours ago, sowhat said:

Why is it called back to back cruises?

B2B/Consecutive cruises are two different cruises. RC doesn't sell B2B cruises. Staying on the same ship for two cruises. Can be the same itinerary or different itineraries. We always book our B2B cruises to be two different itineraries, same cabin. At the end of the first leg your account is closed. Nothing carries over to the second leg. B2B/consecutive cruisers will receive a detailed TAD letter a day or two before the end of the first leg outlining the entire TAD process for that specific TAD. 

[doghog]

1 hour ago, HannaBelle said:

Semi off topic, but what do you about laundry when taking 2 cruises in a row?  Do you send your clothes out for laundry service or wash some in your cabin?  Inquiry minds want to know...

We are over packers and also have the CAS laundry perk (wash n fold). Each of us gets a laundry bag. We use that perk for underwear and socks even though we over pack on those items also. 

[neverbeenhere]

Back2Back vs Side2Side

 

(I’ve explained it before)