Confusion on Back-to-Back from San Juan

[pattie63]

Hi

 

I've been considering the 14 day "Southern Caribbean Explorer (4/12/08) for our next cruise. It comes up on the Princess website as a 14 day cruise AND as 2 7 day cruises back to back (4/12 - 4/19 and 4/19 - 4/25).

 

Can anyone explain to me how the day in San Juan is handled for passengers staying onboard? It seems like it will be rather confusing with passengers disembarking/embarking/staying? I don't want to sit a the port for the day.

 

Has anyone done this 14 day and what did you think of it? We've done the western caribbean (Grand Princess), Panama Canal (Coral Princess), eastern caribbean (NCL - don't ask, you get what you pay for but it left NY and was convenient!) and the QE2 (New England and Canada). We like longer cruises but are a little leary of the number of passengers on the Crown Princess and are, once again, considering the Panama Canal itinerary since it has changed since we went in 2004.

 

Thanks for any input you can give me.

[SueKayL]

We just did those Back to Back cruises last month:

 

First of all, this year it was not offered as a 14 day to U.S. citizens, we had to do it as two cruises...it was sold to the Brits as ONLY a 14 day though. It seems like now we in the U.S. have the option to do it either way.

 

The turnaround day in port is no problem at all! The last night of the first week, a new Sail and Sign card is delivered to your room to start being used the next day at noon. You will have two different portfolios, one for each week but the total of both is what they finally put on your credit card. You get to see the total of the first week because they deliver the statement to your room..:eek:

 

Anyway all you are required to do, is to get off the ship and get right back on, they just take your photo again to put the info on your new card for the second week. That's all you have to do...you can stay on the ship the whole day after that and enjoy the pools etc, you can walk around the town and enjoy it like any other port or there were also optional tours for passengers "in transit" .. we chose to take a bus tour up into the rain forest...just to get out of all the confusion with folks getting on and off etc...

It was actually kind of neat to see all those people get off and a whole new batch of "lost" folks wandering around the ship the first night!

 

I would NOT hesitate to book back to backs again.

 

The only drawback to these cruises was in my opinion, leaving from Puerto Rico was much more expensive LOTS less flights to choose from, expensive pre-cruise hotels etc etc...We were spoiled leaving from Ft. Lauderdale...so much nicer (and cheaper for everything) and on this itinerary I missed the sea days getting to the south Caribbean also..this is a VERY port intensive itinerary...we had 2 sea days in 14 ... just at sea at nights..I missed the actual travel to the South Caribbean and the sea days coming back to Florida.

 

Sue

[karena1]

We are also booked on the back-to-back as the 14 day was not offered for this year. We leave April 7. I am glad you said they will deliver our new cards. When I called, she said go to the Pursurs office to get our neew card before we leave the ship.

 

Then as you said, we can leave and come back on anytime that day we want and all we have to do is get our new picture taken. We plan to do stuff in San Juan that day anyway, so are not in any hurry to get on the ship for the second week.

 

It is going to be sooooooooooo nice not to have to pack up after 7 days, but instead watch everyone else pack and know we get to stay on and enjoy a second week. My sisters and I are also going to take advantage of the washers/dryers first think that Sat since most people will be getting off the ship. We figured if we put our stuff in to wash before we took our morning walk, there should not be to many other people around.

 

Can't wait. We leave for San Juan 3 weeks from Today!!!!!!;)

[DougH]

I did this B2B several years ago on the Dawn Princess. New cards were isssed just before the first week ended. I wanted to use this as a port day and go off exploring El Morro etc, they just told me that if I got off in the early am that I wouldn't be able to reboard until embarkation had started again. This was no big deal as I planned on heading back mid afternoon.

 

When I reboarded they just took the photo for the new card and I was set.

Love the deep Southern ports, have a great cruise.

[karena1]

My husband and I have been to St. Thomas, St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Antigua, and Barbados many times, but my sisters/husbands have not, so it will be so fun to see the islands through their eyes. We never get tired to going, in fact we love them so much 2 years ago we went to St Maarten for a week and in April 2006 we went to Antigua for a week then flew back to San Juan and went on a cruise for another week. It was awesome.

 

My husband loves El Morro also and can spend tons of time there. His favorite part of this upcoming cruise is going back to St. Kitt's so he can go back to Brimstone again!

[DougH]

karena1 I loved Brimstone Hill also :)

[karena1]

SueKay - another quick question - if you bought booze the first week on the islands, did they "conveniently" forget and bring it to your room at the end of the first week or did they keep it until the end of the second week when you got off the ship? Notice matter as I don't care if I get it or not, it is for taking home, but just curious.

[Crown08]

If you're working on your Capt. Circle status by # of cruises make sure to book this as two 7 days. That way it counts as two cruises instead of one.

[alaskancruzr]

We loved doing the back to back out of San Juan. Super easy to make the transition and credit for two cruises. You even get to skip the safety drill your second time around. It was so nice to "finish" the cruise and then still have another one to go. It may not make sense but somehow that just felt different than a longer continuous cruise:confused: -

[SueKayL]

The booze question is easy and good news: there is a DUTY FREE liquor store right in the cruise terminal as you board in San Juan AND you are allowed to buy it and USE IT in your stateroom! They will allow you to carry on wine and beer in their plastic sacks but alcohol must be put in your carry on bag and carried aboard! That's it! AND when turn around day comes you can restock! We bought a reg size bottle of Asti Spumante, a 500 ML bottle of Tanqueray Gin and a 500 ML bottle of Absolute vodka: total under $15.00!

I had never heard of being able to buy it and USE it! Maybe sales are down because of the not being able to carry liquids on board now, who knows, it's a great deal!

 

Sue

[FredS]

Remember Princess counts number of days cruised or number of cruises whichever is greater towards Cap't Circle credit.

[traveling1969]

You don't actually have to get off the ship; just go to the embarkation deck and get your picture taken for your new card. It is requested that you do this by 5pm. B2B...the only way to go. Bon Voyage!