Info. please on Celebrity b-2-b policy

[KAYEF]

I just booked a segment onto our already booked cruise, so we now have a b-2-b. I had found a cabin right by our second cruise's cabin (for easy moving) but my TA called Celebrity who told him passengers HAVE to disembark unless they have the same cabin on the second part of the cruise. (Ours is not available).............we've never had to DISembark on HAL and I'm thinking this will be very difficult for my SIL. He was told we must take our suitcases, etc. off and get in line and REboard. Ick!:(

If you've done b-2-backs on C. can you please tell me if this policy holds true?

[Fblack]

I think the procedures may be different depending on which countries you will visit. We did a b2b on the Constellation about 2 years ago. The mid point was Harwich. Our second cabin was down the hall. We were not asked to leave the ship. They transferred over our accounts and gave us an "in transit" pass so we could leave and re-board the ship if we desired to get off. We got off, walked around a bit then came right back on. No questions, no passport stuff, no customs...nothing.

[KAYEF]

That's what I was HOPING for so I chose a cabin right across the hall, but when he said that, I thought there was no reason to book the more expensive cabin so I went to a less expensive one.

This will be in Seattle.................I hooked on a 7 day Alaska before we do the Repositioning one. We've been to AL several times but love it.

Oh, I HOPE we get to do what YOU got to do!:rolleyes:

[Lsimon]

I'm guessing that when they said that you had to disembark they did not mean you had to take your belongings and luggage off the ship - I've never heard of that happening.

 

In Ft. Lauderdale we sort of had to disembark in that we we had to go through customs off the ship - but we didn't have to take any of our belongings off the ship when we went through customs and since we were not changing cabins we didn't have to pack up anything. All b2b customers who were staying on board for the day had to meet in a conference room around the time disembarkation was finishing. As the last disembarking customers were off the ship we were escorted off the ship, through customs, and back onto the ship. It took about 20 minutes, about 40 if you include some waiting time in the meeting room. We also had the option of getting off the ship for the day at the same time the non b2b customers were disembarking if we wanted to do something in port - but were told that if we did that we couldn't get back on until the general embarkation had started even though we wouldn't have to go through the normal embarkation check-in.

 

By the time we got back to our cabins our friends who were changing cabins had found that their things were more or less already moved by their cabin steward.

 

The whole process was to meet US Customs requirement that all passengers pass through customs & immigration even if they were doing a b2b and not disembarking that day. I would presume that there would be similar requirements in other USA ports and that you'll have to go through customs and immigration which means disembarking if this is done off the ship.

[C 2 C]

I think you will have to have some advice from someone who has experienced Seattle B2B.

In Miami and Ft Lauderdale we were required to go through immigration by leaving the ship. In San Diego B2B passengers go through immigration on board and do not have to disembark. It depends on the immigration procedure in the ports involved.

[Quendryth]

That's what I was HOPING for so I chose a cabin right across the hall, but when he said that, I thought there was no reason to book the more expensive cabin so I went to a less expensive one.

This will be in Seattle.................I hooked on a 7 day Alaska before we do the Repositioning one. We've been to AL several times but love it.

Oh, I HOPE we get to do what YOU got to do!:rolleyes:

 

We are doing a B2B in Sept. from Seattle to Alaska. We will let you know what the procedure is upon our return. Just as you have done -asked & got a million different answers . So I guess we will find out in Sept.! If you sail before us let me know! Thanks.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

Faith

[scareyness]

We are just about to book a b2b cruise with Celebrity, our first time with them.

 

We will do west and east carribean 7 nights each one, in the UK we would normally look for a 14 night cruise, so using cruise lines such as celebrity means doing two.

 

If I book the 2 cruises getting the same cabin will this mean we will have to disembark? customs etc?

 

If so we would not go ahead.

 

thanks for any info

[C 2 C]

We are just about to book a b2b cruise with Celebrity, our first time with them.

 

We will do west and east carribean 7 nights each one, in the UK we would normally look for a 14 night cruise, so using cruise lines such as celebrity means doing two.

 

If I book the 2 cruises getting the same cabin will this mean we will have to disembark? customs etc?

 

If so we would not go ahead.

 

thanks for any info

 

Most likely you will be cruising out of Port Everglades where you will be required to disembark at about 10 am, a process from meeting fellow B2B ers to re boarding, should not take more than 1 hour.

We found the process almost painless when we cruised Solstice B2B in January.

[Lsimon]

...If I book the 2 cruises getting the same cabin will this mean we will have to disembark? customs etc?...

 

What port is your cruise? If it is Ft. Lauderdale then see my message above. Also see Xellent's post above.

 

What do you mean by disembark?

If you think disembarking is packing all your things and taking everything off the ship then the answer is no you do not need to disembark at Florida ports or other USA ports that we have heard of. In fact I've never heard of anyone having to do this anyplace, although I have a limited experience with b2b's.

 

If you consider disembarking getting off the ship at all, as in disembarking to spend the day in port, the answer is maybe. You will have to at the Florida ports and might have to at other ports. This is determined by local customs and immigration requirements and not by the cruise line.

 

If your turn around port is in the USA you will have to go through customs & immigration (similar to what they call passport control in the UK & Europe). At most USA ports, including Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, this is done in the cruise terminal so you have to get off the ship to do this if you'd otherwise stay on but you do not have to take your things off the ship with you - just your passport.

 

As I mentioned in my first post the cruise ship staff will try and make this as easy as possible for you, by taking the b2b passengers through in a group just as the last of the departing passengers are finishing. If the U.S. customs does their procedures on board you will not have to get off at all but will have to go through customs & immigration on board.

[scareyness]

Thanks for the replies.

 

The port will be Miami.

 

We cruised from Los Angeles in November and found the getting on/off at start and end of cruise a nightmare!:eek:

 

Total chaos, nothing like we have ever experienced before, put us off cruising from US in fact. But we have found itinaries we like and looks like we may have to go through it all again!

 

As long as we don't have to take our things from the ship I guess we can do it. But thought we would use the day back to Miami before second cruise to explore a bit instead of doing a tag on pre or post cruise, don't want to waste loads of time!

[Lsimon]

Thanks for the replies.

 

The port will be Miami.

 

We cruised from Los Angeles in November and found the getting on/off at start and end of cruise a nightmare!:eek:

 

Total chaos, nothing like we have ever experienced before, put us off cruising from US in fact. But we have found itinaries we like and looks like we may have to go through it all again!

 

As long as we don't have to take our things from the ship I guess we can do it. But thought we would use the day back to Miami before second cruise to explore a bit instead of doing a tag on pre or post cruise, don't want to waste loads of time!

 

We cruise twice from Los Angeles at San Pedro cruise port - it was the worst experience we've ever had in our 19 cruises as far as embarkation and disembarkation. You should have a much better experience in Miami.

 

You should be able to get off the ship to explore Miami on your turn around day. They'll let you know the procedures on-board but generally you can get off any time you want to and you'd go through customs & immigration with the disembarking passengers if you get off before the b2b customers are escorted through customs. They'll probably give you an in-transit pass to bypass the check-in lines when you re-board.

[KAYEF]

We are doing a B2B in Sept. from Seattle to Alaska. We will let you know what the procedure is upon our return. Just as you have done -asked & got a million different answers . So I guess we will find out in Sept.! If you sail before us let me know! Thanks.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

Faith

 

THANKS!

We are sailing 9/17 out of Seattle on the last cruise of the season to AK (have been there many times before) and they "staying on" for the repo. cruise which leaves Seattle on 9/24.:D

[atlgators]

Another b2b question. What is the policy for taking your allowed 2 bottles of wine on board for the 2nd leg? Can you take 4 bottles on for the 1st leg and have 2 of them saved until the 2nd leg or do you have to get off the ship to buy the two for that trip?

Just curious. We'll be doing a b2b on the Solstice out of Port Everglades in October.

[cruise53]

THANKS!

We are sailing 9/17 out of Seattle on the last cruise of the season to AK (have been there many times before) and they "staying on" for the repo. cruise which leaves Seattle on 9/24.:D

KAYEF, you should join us on the roll call for the canal cruise. Charles

[Amagamma]

Did a b2b on Century last year, and sent an email to Captains Club and they responded that since we were on a b2b, we could bring on 4 bottles of wine. We printed out the email, and when we boarded (in miami) no one questioned our wine. We planned on them taking the wine and giving it back to us on the second cruise. We also purchased a bottle of rum onboard and it was delivered to our cabin the last day of the first cruise, but I think that has changed since then.

[KAYEF]

KAYEF, you should join us on the roll call for the canal cruise. Charles

 

Oh, I WILL. this will be our first Celebrity cruise so there's lots to learn! I'm looking forward to trying Celebrity.:p

[c-legs]

KAYEF

All the previous posters gave you sound advice.

To keep it simple: YOU ( not your luggage) have to get off in Seattle after the 1st cruise.....and re-embark within the hour if you want. Even if you don't have the same stateroom for the Panama cruise, your stateroom attendant will gladly move your belongings for you ( a weebit of organising/packing might be needed....:rolleyes::D)

Another factor; Seattle appears to have a '' zero-base'' policy: local authorities want the ship EMPTY before ''releasing'' it for onward process, embarkation, loading, sailaway, etc.....: thus every single guest must be off the ship.

We've gone thru that 2 years ago on Infinity in Seattle...and she wasn't even terminating there: it was a port of call during an ultimate Alaska cruise Vancouver-SanFransisco....EVERYBODY :eek: had to get off the ship that morning ( we were however allowed back on in ~~ 1/2 hour, we had gotten off ~~ 9;00am).

Just the local C&BP's folks procedure....

You'll find this almost painless.

Happy sails

Cheers

 

:)

[KAYEF]

THANKS, c-legs!

I just wrote a long reply and when I clicked "submit" it flew out into space so I shall try again.

You have put my mind to rest; my SIL has trouble walking and if we KNOW we don't have to schlepp our luggage off the ship we will be happy cruisers.

We don't plan to UNpack our clothes for HOT Mexico and the Canal (I know the humidity is high in Sept. cuz I've done this repo before)......we will only unpack the things needed in AK.

I'd booked a cabin right across the hall from our verandah cabin thinking it'd be easy to move just across the hall............but when my TA called to ask if we had to DISembark he was told that not just passengers but their luggage had to disembark................I decided to save some money and move down a couple of decks.

It will work; I always tell my SIL a cruise is what we make it and if she gets negative, I will push her off the ship. That keeps things positive.:D

[atlgators]

Did a b2b on Century last year, and sent an email to Captains Club and they responded that since we were on a b2b, we could bring on 4 bottles of wine. We printed out the email, and when we boarded (in miami) no one questioned our wine. We planned on them taking the wine and giving it back to us on the second cruise. We also purchased a bottle of rum onboard and it was delivered to our cabin the last day of the first cruise, but I think that has changed since then.

 

 

Thanks!! That helps. It will be interesting to see if others have had similar experiences.

[KAYEF]

KAYEF, you should join us on the roll call for the canal cruise. Charles

No matter what I try, I can't get onto a Roll Call on the Celebrity site:(; I've not had this problem when wailing on other lines.

Do you have information for me?

It seems to require our Booking Number which our TA says we will ;not receive until final payment........which is a way off, as you know.

Thanks for some help here!:D

[Lsimon]

No matter what I try, I can't get onto a Roll Call on the Celebrity site:(; I've not had this problem when wailing on other lines.

Do you have information for me?

It seems to require our Booking Number which our TA says we will ;not receive until final payment........which is a way off, as you know.

Thanks for some help here!:D

 

The roll call they were speaking of is a Cruise Critic thread just like this one, but all for people on your sailing. The link to yours is here: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1126207

 

You don't' need a booking number to access this area of Cruise Critic.

 

There is a sticky message at the top of the regular celebrity forum which describes the roll calls in more detail called: ROLL CALLS - What Are They and How Do You Find Yours?

 

Also not to worry you but if you have a cabin reserved on a ship you DO have a booking number. Either your TA isn't giving it to you for some strange reason or you don't really have a reservation. If you have a reservation you should be able to get the reservation number from your TA and you should also be able to look at the reservation on the Celebrity web site under My Celebrity - but will need that number to do so. You get this as soon as you make a reservation - even if it is 18 months out and final payment is over a year away, in fact you get the number even if you haven't made a deposit yet and the room is just on the 24 or 48 hour hold for you.

[Pepperwood]

We are Canadians doing a B2B out of San Juan, any idea if we will be required to disembark? (To tell the truth, we will probably get off the ship and spend the day in San Juan anyways--the ship docks at 8 am and doesn't depart until 8:30 pm)