B2B and SetSail Pass?

[ChoosinCruisin]

Is there a way to fill out the online documentation form for a B2B? I keep getting annoying error messages.

 

Does anyone have experience with this?

 

Smooth Sailings All.

[isujim]

Good question.........don't know.......we have booked our first b2b and haven't even tried the process yet............hopefully someone will let us know.

[cavkc]

Unfortunately you have to do it for each individual cruise - I did the online check-in for my parents who were doing a b2b and had to complete 2 sets of forms for each of them.

[Celebrity Bride]

Yes, you will have to fill out everything twice. When you check-in at the pier, they will take your information for the first sailing only. A couple of days before the end of your cruise, you will receive a letter in your cabin telling you of what you need to do to get your cruise cards and account for the next sailing. If it were me though, I'd let myself be known to the pursers desk fairly early in the cruise just to ensure they know who you are and there will be less chance for confusion. When I worked for shore services several years ago, they used to give you both sets of cards at the pier. Now you get the second set onboard. You will have the option of only having one onboard account bill combining both sailings. I think you need to request this through the pursers office.

 

Hope this helps

 

 

Jenn

[cruisenfever]

B2B's are a fun way to cruise but a pain in the you know what when it comes to filling out the forms. Go to the RCI Home Page, click on "Before You Board" and then click on "On Line Check In" and go from there. You must enter each booking number separate. When checking your reservations, and this is only when doing a b2b, you will get the infamous

This Reservation is a Back to Back/Segmented/Interport cruise and cannot be modified through this system. Please contact our customer service to make any changes to this Reservation.

 

message. You should be able to do all of your online check in, including personnal info, credit card info, contract and printing out your SetSail Pass.

 

Hope this helps.

[cruisenfever]

Yes, you will have to fill out everything twice. When you check-in at the pier, they will take your information for the first sailing only. A couple of days before the end of your cruise, you will receive a letter in your cabin telling you of what you need to do to get your cruise cards and account for the next sailing. If it were me though, I'd let myself be known to the pursers desk fairly early in the cruise just to ensure they know who you are and there will be less chance for confusion. When I worked for shore services several years ago, they used to give you both sets of cards at the pier. Now you get the second set onboard. You will have the option of only having one onboard account bill combining both sailings. I think you need to request this through the pursers office.

 

Hope this helps

 

 

Jenn

Jenn is right..........about 3 days prior to end of the first cruise you will get a letter telling you when the new seapasses will be available and where to meet on debarkation day. After all other passengers have disembarked the ship, whoever is staying out will be escorted off the ship by a staff member (ususally around 11:30AM) to go through customs and then reboard the ship entering their new seapass and they will take another picture. This process probaly takes about 20 minutes, depending on how many are returning for the second cruise.

 

One thing I would like to suggest........if the folks are going to get off the ship while the new folks are boarding, please tell them to take all of their docs with them. The last time we did a b2b and were docked in San Diego, we found that just the new SeaPass with the new sailing date on it doesn't go very far with security on the docks...........they want to see documents.

 

I had no idea you could carry over your sea pass account from one cruise to the second when doing a b2b. We have always been told that after the first cruise your account is closed and they start another account. We're doing a b2b this September/October so will have to check it out.

[ChoosinCruisin]

B2B's are a fun way to cruise but a pain in the you know what when it comes to filling out the forms. Go to the RCI Home Page, click on "Before You Board" and then click on "On Line Check In" and go from there. You must enter each booking number separate. When checking your reservations, and this is only when doing a b2b, you will get the infamous

This Reservation is a Back to Back/Segmented/Interport cruise and cannot be modified through this system. Please contact our customer service to make any changes to this Reservation.

 

message. You should be able to do all of your online check in, including personnal info, credit card info, contract and printing out your SetSail Pass.

 

Hope this helps.

 

I know that message by heart! Thanks for all the tips, I'll take care of it today.

[cme]

They didn't they even take my setsail pass for the second week at the pier. I tried to give it to them but they didn't need it.

 

Carrie

[ckrobyn]

Wow - what a great thread!

We are booked on our first back to back on the Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan in February. Needless to say, we are overwhelmed with anticipation :)

Not only do I have to print set sail passes for my family for both weeks, I also have to do the same for my parents who are sailing with us. I guess it's a bit of a pain, but hey....the pay off with getting to sail for 14 nights is completely worth it!

I have seen that nasty error message about "back to back/segmented cruises" too many times! Sometimes I just want to "view" my reservation and it won't even let me do that! :mad:

Any other advice on what the procedure is for the turnaround day? We have to change cabins ......when does the luggage etc get moved??

Thanks for the help!

[wolfcathorse]

On Sovereign I got nothing to tell me what to do for the 2nd leg of my B2B. The first day I went to the Pursers Desk and the lady told me just to come and wait by the desk departure morning and I'll be taken care of. WRONG! I was supposed to talk to a specific port agent. Anyway, 1 of the headliners (yes they have to reprocess too!) looked after us and the port agent didn't mind that there was 1 extra couple to process. She did the entertainers first then us and 1 other couple. I had 2 seperate Set Sail's printed out as I had 2 different reservation numbers. Did the check in thing again in the terminal. So each port and each ship may be different.

[starlake]

We did a B2B in June on the Explorer. Make sure you tell your cabin attendant that you are doing a B2B and are moving rooms. He/she will move your luggage on moving day. Do not expect to be in your new room right away. It will take awhile.

We did not have to get off the Explorer. We had our new cards delivered the night before. It was fun watching people leave, listening to the debarkation colors, and knowing we didn't have to get off the ship.

Enjoy your B2B

[cruisenfever]

Wow - what a great thread!

 

We are booked on our first back to back on the Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan in February. Needless to say, we are overwhelmed with anticipation :)

 

Not only do I have to print set sail passes for my family for both weeks, I also have to do the same for my parents who are sailing with us. I guess it's a bit of a pain, but hey....the pay off with getting to sail for 14 nights is completely worth it!

 

I have seen that nasty error message about "back to back/segmented cruises" too many times! Sometimes I just want to "view" my reservation and it won't even let me do that! :mad:

 

Any other advice on what the procedure is for the turnaround day? We have to change cabins ......when does the luggage etc get moved??

 

Thanks for the help!

Turnaround day is hectic. Of course, all of you staying on the ship can casually walk around and watch all the departing passengers have long faces and watch all those at Guest Relations argue about their account.........of course that will be you the following week!:p

 

Breakfast times are a bit earlier and do not stay open as long. As I remember, they dining room was only opened until 8:30AM and the Windjammer was opened until 9:00AM. The Windjammer will reopen at noon for the welcome aboard lunch that goes until 3:30.

 

Passengers embarking the ship usually can not access their cabins until 1:00PM. So, if you know how to move those big heavy fire doors, you can access you cabin all you want. We've done it several times and I love the expressions on folk's faces when we come walking through those doors but they can not!!

 

Since you are changing rooms.......advise your cabin steward of this when you first meet him/her. If you are changing cabins and your new cabin is on a completely different deck, then ask if you could talk to the cabin steward that will be taking care of you the second week. Sometimes they will bring a cart so that you can move your clothing and other items..............just depends on the ship. By informing the new cabin steward of your cabin change, your new room should be ready for you to move into pretty quickly as your old cabin will have to be made ready for the new folks that are assigned it.

 

Above all, if you want to get off the ship, depending on what port you are in, take not only your seapass with you, but your book as well. It's unfortunate that they do not have a separate reboarding for b2b passengers, as it would make it so much easier.

 

Hope you all have a great cruise.......once you've done a b2b.......7 days will never be enough!! This probably sounds very confusing and a lot of trouble, but believe me, the crew is very accommodating and willing to help you in any way they can. It is really a very easy process.

[SUZCRUZ]

We are on a B2B out of Miami.

Soooooooooo, all the kids are going to drive down to have lunch with us between cruises. Any recommendations what is the best time to disembark, and then be back before the crowds to board are there?

Also trying to make it easy for the kids(as far as traffic), to be able to pick us up. Would we be able to disembark say around 11am, go to lunch at Bayside and board back on the ship at 3:30?

Any helpful ideas, much appreciated.

[cruisenfever]

We are on a B2B out of Miami.

Soooooooooo, all the kids are going to drive down to have lunch with us between cruises. Any recommendations what is the best time to disembark, and then be back before the crowds to board are there?

Also trying to make it easy for the kids(as far as traffic), to be able to pick us up. Would we be able to disembark say around 11am, go to lunch at Bayside and board back on the ship at 3:30?

Any helpful ideas, much appreciated.

Being able to disembark the ship just depends on how long it takes Customs and Immigration to clear all the passengers that are leaving. Those doing a b2b are taken off in a group, through Customs and Immigration, then you have to reboard before the new passengers, register your SeaPass in the machine and have your photo taken. Then and only then, after all this has been accomplished are you free to do what you want on shore and be back 1/2 hour prior to sailing. Bayside is right across the street from The Port of Miami and you have to pass over a bridge to get from one side to the other. As far as traffic......I would have to say that there will be traffic coming and going from the time disembarkation starts to the time embarkation is complete. The best thing to do is, if you are using a cell phone, call your kids when you are ready to leave the ship.......I'm sure there is somewhere they can park to wait for you. Just make sure you take your docs with you when you leave the ship as it will be much easier getting through security that is outside of the terminal checking all passengers and making sure that they have documentation to board the ship.

[SUNANDSAND]

CAVKC,

I love the pic of the cavalier. Is it generic or your baby? We bought one last December and she will be 1 year on Oct 6th. Love her to pieces....

 

 

We have done one b2b last Oct on the Mariner and will be doing another this Oct on the Freedom......You are right... now 7 days is not enough......Everything said here is correct about set sail passes, embarkation and getting off in between sailings.....last year we had to change rooms because we snagged a better cabin on the second week and booked at two different times but this year we booked while onboard and will stay in the same cabin......it is much better and not worth the hassel to repack again....plus we got 100.00 credit for each week for obc....

 

Enjoy you cruise....

[shipknotshore]

We're booked on our 1st B2B in November and can't wait. I'm only afraid of the "anything less than 14 nights is too short" syndrome after this cruise is over. We also like the fly once cruise twice benefit of the B2B cruises.

We got the same cabin for both segments which will be nice not having to move. Are we allowed to stay in our cabin later than everyone else??

Thanks CC'ers...all this info. about the procedures sure is helpful to us.

[isujim]

Patti

 

Are your b2b showing up in "my cruises"? The ones we booked for April of 08 aren't showing up.........is your Hawaii and PC both showing up in my cruises? If so I wonder what I need to do or who to check with.

 

Jim

[cruisenfever]

Patti

 

Are your b2b showing up in "my cruises"? The ones we booked for April of 08 aren't showing up.........is your Hawaii and PC both showing up in my cruises? If so I wonder what I need to do or who to check with.

 

Jim

Hi Jim, yes our b2b this coming September/October are showing up. But our South America and Transatlantic cruises for March and April of 2008 only shows our SA cruise. It tells me that, even when entering the booking number for the TA, they can't add it at this time. :confused: Can't understand why, unless you are only allowed a certain number of booking numbers at one time. Don't worry, if they took your deposit, and you have a booking number, it's just another glitch in their wonderful system.

[isujim]

Thanks Patti

 

I'm trying to post again.......got white screened.......talk about glitches:mad:

 

Rena and I will talk to you on the cruise.........I want the details of how it was done etc..........

 

I may check on "my cruises" to see if I can get them to show up........just not sure who the heck to call.

 

Jim

[pmshirl]

Hello:

We just got off a b2b on the Adventure, but had the same cabin both weeks. The above info is correct that you will receive a letter in your stateroom a few days prior to week 2. You will be told to meet on deck 5 in the Champaign Lounge at 11:30am. At that time they issue a new seapass and you have to option to leave to ship at that time with an agent (which I don't suggest doing) or wait until after the new passengers start boarding and then get off the ship. We waited untill 1:30 pm and when we went off the ship, our new pics were taken and we were free to roam on land (did not have to go the the customs ordeal(like the b2b pax had to do at 11:30am). You can stay in your stateroom(if u have the same cabin) longer than the normal 8am time but you will have to be out of the room by 10am so the steward can clean it. Once you leave the hallway from your deck, the doors will lock. To get back into the cabin hallways, all you have to do is press the square button on the top of the wall, that will release the lock for the door and you can go to your cabin.

I did have to do online checkin (one for each week) but I also could do my online checkins for future cruises I have booked at the same time. Maybe they are having problems with the system now. I did my online checkins back in July for my August b2b and my Sept Hawaii cruise with no problems. Good Luck and you will Love the Adventure b2b. One of the Best Cruises we have taken!

[kathywin53]

Just a mention...we booked a 4 day on Majesty followed by a 7 day on Voyager, with an overnight in Miami between. Air arrangements are being done by RCI using our custiom air option flying one day prior to first cruise.

Like others I get the famous message "This Reservation is a Back to Back.." Although not really b2b because on 2 different ships, RCI did the arranging of everything except the hotel between, they are considering them b2b/segmented. I did the online info input after lots of frustration (and emails to RCI) by not logging into my account.

Neither show up on my cruises at this point. Interesting thread, thought I was the only one with this problem...

We did a true b2b on Explorer last year. We were napping on pool deck when new people boarded..funny to hear them comment on how tired we must have been to need a nap so soon after boarding...also everyone else rushing around getting oriented and we just felt like crew..enjoy your cruises.

[SUZCRUZ]

Being able to disembark the ship just depends on how long it takes Customs and Immigration to clear all the passengers that are leaving. Those doing a b2b are taken off in a group, through Customs and Immigration, then you have to reboard before the new passengers, register your SeaPass in the machine and have your photo taken. Then and only then, after all this has been accomplished are you free to do what you want on shore and be back 1/2 hour prior to sailing. Bayside is right across the street from The Port of Miami and you have to pass over a bridge to get from one side to the other. As far as traffic......I would have to say that there will be traffic coming and going from the time disembarkation starts to the time embarkation is complete. The best thing to do is, if you are using a cell phone, call your kids when you are ready to leave the ship.......I'm sure there is somewhere they can park to wait for you. Just make sure you take your docs with you when you leave the ship as it will be much easier getting through security that is outside of the terminal checking all passengers and making sure that they have documentation to board the ship.

 

 

Specifically Navigator out of Miami, does anybody know what time we will be able to disembark the morning between cruises?

Thanks for the heads up on the cell phone idea and bringing all our docs with us when we get off!

I love this board!

[Pemcorgimum]

Just came back a week ago from a Back to back on the Mariner-

we were escorted off at 10.50 by the concierge- there were 17 altogether-and did not need our second week set sail pass sheet that I had printed off. We had received our new sea pass cards about three days before the end of the first week. We just had to go through the immigration again- As I was a UK citizen I had to be fingerprinted and photographed again but my US companion also had to have her docs checked too.

We were back on board in 5 minutes and as somebody here said we were allowed to go back to our cabin. We were first to the windjammer at 11.30 for lunch( we had missed breakfast that morning) and the first new people were on board at 12.

The staff certainly know you better as being back to backers and we got some double takes- even the cruise director knew our names.

Any questions, I'll try to help

[isujim]

Thanks Kathy.....

 

Apparently many of us have the same problem

[Maineac]

Thanks for all the helpful info......Does anyone know if they'll let us stay on the ship in San Juan or do we have to get off?