Caribbean Princess Back to Back

[cass040105]

I have a few questions about a back to back. We are currently booked on the Jan 8 2012 Caribbean Princess out of San Juan. We are thinking about booking the 7 day Jan 15 cruise as well. Different ports on each cruise, but is the entertainment onboard the same both weeks? Also, if I book the cruises seperately, do we have to disembark? Also, the room that I booked for our first cruise is not available for the second one, so would our room steward move our luggage for us?

[Sea42]

We're doing our first B2B later that same month. From what I've been able to pick up around the boards the entertainment and menus will pretty much repeat the 2nd week. You do have do disembark after the first cruise but only for a short time. You will receive a new cruise card for the 2nd week and need to have a new picture taken. If you have to change rooms the steward will move your luggage for you.

And that's about all I know! I'm sure others can correct me if I got anything wrong:)

[cass040105]

In that case I don't think we will do the back to back. Sounds boring if the same entertainment and menus are offered as on the first cruise.

[Amtrack Springfield]

The menu's will be the same. The entertaiment does change from week to week.

[Sea42]

Oh that's good to know I would have thought most of the shows and entertainers would be the same.

[JerseyGuys]

we did a b2b out of San Juan once. Because we ate at a specialty restaurants on two nites the first cruise and two nites the second cruise we really didn't notice the same meals. Remember there are at least three entrees on the menu every nite so I don't think you will feel like its the same meals. And if there is something you really enjoyed you get to have it again. Our room stewart offered to move everything for us, we chose to move the drawers that were filled ourselves. We just swapped out the empty drawers for our full ones. And the room stewart moved everything else.

 

Staying on the for the second cruise after everyone is getting off the first one, it a wonderful experience. There is a short period of time between 10-12 that you and the other in transit people are the only ones on board, should you choose to stay aboard. We stayed on until everyone else started to board, and then went in to San Juan until around 7pm. We enjoyed a full day in San Juan.

[Sea42]

That's what I was thinking for the meals!! There's no way I'm going to be able to try everything available in two weeks time (although I'll try my best)!

[cass040105]

That's a good idea with the meals. And hopefully the entertainment is different. I really do want to try a back to back!

[caribill]

I have a few questions about a back to back. We are currently booked on the Jan 8 2012 Caribbean Princess out of San Juan. We are thinking about booking the 7 day Jan 15 cruise as well. Different ports on each cruise, but is the entertainment onboard the same both weeks? The "production shows" will be the same. The other entertainers will likely be the same, but some could possibly change. However, it is nearly impossible to see all the entertainment available during a 7 day cruise, so you can see the other stuff that is available the 2nd week or participate in evening activities such as trivia or the Princess version of the newlywed game.

 

Also, if I book the cruises seperately, do we have to disembark? You may have to disembark in order to go through US immigration. If you are not otherwise getting off the ship (such as for a tour in San Juan), you will be given a time to meet others doing the same and will be led off and through immigration and then back onto the ship. Probably about 15 minutes.

 

Also, the room that I booked for our first cruise is not available for the second one, so would our room steward move our luggage for us? Yes. The steward will be able to move the hanging stuff without it being packed. The rest will have to have been packed into your suitcases for him/her to move.

 

see above in red

[cass040105]

My other question is, we just got off the Caribbean Princess with the same itinerary as the one in January. Do you think that the food and entertainment will be the same in January as the one we went on a few weeks ago?

[Carolyn R]

I have done this same b2b on the CB and it is fantastic! :D:D Except for St. Thomas all the ports are different. On change-over day all the in transit passengers will be asked to gather in a lounge. You will not have to get off the ship. During the muster drill I ordered a cocktail and took a soak in the jacuzzi. Ahh...heaven! :p

 

Go for it! These itineraries will not be available after 2012 as the CB will be ported in FLL instead of SJU. :mad:

[Traveler50]

We did a b2b in March but we did have to get off the ship for a short time. I agree that you should go for it.....the two weeks are different enough not to be boring...it was great and the price was wonderful for a 14 day cruise!

[mytime53]

We've done this 2 years in a row, now. Neither year did we have to get off (2 years ago they said to wait until the "all-call" to come get off, but it never came, so this year we ignored it). Both years we just went to the gangway at our convenience and they put our new pics on the cruise card. I don't think they want you off as much as they don't want you getting off when disembarking passengers are getting off.

 

Menus are the same. Some entertainment changed, some didn't. We didn't get around to seeing it all either year. Some was worth seeing all 4 times, and if we did the cruise again, we'd go see it again.

 

We, too, had different rooms the first time we did this itinerary. Although we were told the steward would move our things, we were moving from an inside to a balcony. DH didn't feel well, so we didn't want to wander around roomless until they got around too it. We picked up our luggage and went up to our new room--we were greeted by our new steward who had cleaned our room first, knowing that we were already on board. A very pleasant surprise!

[caribill]

I don't think they want you off as much as they don't want you getting off when disembarking passengers are getting off.

 

 

In transit passengers can get off as early as they want once disembarkation has started. This allows them to do anything they want with their time at the port city.

 

They cannot reboard, however, until all disembarking passengers have left the ship.

[caribill]

My other question is, we just got off the Caribbean Princess with the same itinerary as the one in January. Do you think that the food and entertainment will be the same in January as the one we went on a few weeks ago?

 

 

The menus in the dining rooms will be exactly the same.

 

Production shows will most likely be the same unless one new show is rotated in by then.

 

Other entertainers may or may not be the same.

[mytime53]

In transit passengers can get off as early as they want once disembarkation has started.

They cannot reboard, however, until all disembarking passengers have left the ship.

 

You're absolutely right--what was I thinking? Oh, that's right...I wasn't...just blathering.:o

[Sailfish]

We are a dive group cruising on the Caribbean Princess February 19-March 4, 2012. Although the cruise can be booked normally one week at a time, my group and I booked the "two week" voyage. The cruise was posted at Princess as a two week voyage, so that's what most in the group booked, but I know at least two couples who booked either the first week or second week a lone. Booking the two week voyage as opposed to doing the cruise as a B2B 1) cost less, 2) guarantees we get the same cabin both weeks and 3) makes it so we aren't part of the "in transit" bunch. Unlike doing a B2B voyage where you have to be escorted off the ship, go through immigration and re-board with a new cruise ID for week 2, when we arrive back in San Juan at the start of week 2, it's considered just another port of call.

 

We have done many B2B voyages, so it came as a surprise that we could do this as one voyage. That said, I think we only get credit for one voyage, but the number of days at sea still counts, so it's a wash, I'm told.

 

We are a group of scuba divers and have a cruise blog for the non-divers in the group. Since many of you will also be heading to the same ports of call as we are, there is a lot of good info there on each port as well as ship resources. Our group consists of both divers and non-divers - there's a link to dive info there too if you are into that.

 

Take care.

 

Suzi

[Carolyn R]

FYI. All passengers whether booked as a 14-day or b2b are considered "in transit" and will need to present themselves on turn-around day.

[Sailfish]

FYI. All passengers whether booked as a 14-day or b2b are considered "in transit" and will need to present themselves on turn-around day.

 

I verified this through Princess again a few mintes ago (to make sure things have not changed since we booked this cruise); my information was correctly stated when I said that those booked on the 14 night voyage are not considered "In Transit". Unlike B2B passengers, our ship ID is issued for the full two weeks, and there will be no need to go through customs and immigration in San Juan on what you call "turn around" day.

 

This was an important consideration for my group - I don't now how normal it is for Princess to do this sort of thing, but this is why we booked the cruise as a 14 night voyage as opposed to doing a B2B.

 

Thanks.

 

Suzi

[sultan_sfo]

April 2011: For FLL / Carib we had booked B2B as a single cruise. We had to go through the same process as those who had booked it as 2 cruises -- new cards, In_Transit Cards, US IMM as a group (with the option of disembarking as individuals and going through IMM as if we are disembarking), re-entering as a group. Hope San Juan is different.

 

I verified this through Princess again a few mintes ago (to make sure things have not changed since we booked this cruise); my information was correctly stated when I said that those booked on the 14 night voyage are not considered "In Transit". Unlike B2B passengers, our ship ID is issued for the full two weeks, and there will be no need to go through customs and immigration in San Juan on what you call "turn around" day.

 

This was an important consideration for my group - I don't now how normal it is for Princess to do this sort of thing, but this is why we booked the cruise as a 14 night voyage as opposed to doing a B2B.

 

Thanks.

 

Suzi

[Carolyn R]

Princess customer service does not always give correct information. I have personally done this cruise three years in a row and did not have to get off the ship or go through immigration or customs. We met in Club Fusion and just dinged our new cards after the ship was cleared of the departing passengers. The passengers who had booked the cruise as a 14-day were right there with us. I should also say that this is the case only for passengers that do not wish to leave the ship that morning. Anyone who wants to go ashore may do so just like any other port day. A new card and an in-transit ticket will be delivered to all passengers the night before.

[Sailfish]

Princess customer service does not always give correct information. I have personally done this cruise three years in a row and did not have to get off the ship or go through immigration or customs. We met in Club Fusion and just dinged our new cards after the ship was cleared of the departing passengers. The passengers who had booked the cruise as a 14-day were right there with us. I should also say that this is the case only for passengers that do not wish to leave the ship that morning. Anyone who wants to go ashore may do so just like any other port day. A new card and an in-transit ticket will be delivered to all passengers the night before.

 

I won't know who is correct until I go on the cruise. That said, as this will be my first time in doing a 14 night voyage that's got one voyage number as opposed to two on my documents, I will plan our activities accordingly. We do plan to get off the ship, though right now, I don't know when. I was told by the cruise line that after the ship clears customs, we can get off the ship like we would in any other port of call.

 

The message boards at Cruise Critic are wealth of information, but I take what I read here with a grain of salt. You may be proven to be correct - but until I go on the cruise, I won't know that to be the case. The information I received from Princess came from our group coordinator, which was identical to what my travel agent booking the cruise for us had said.

 

In January, we did a 14 night round trip cruise aboard the Grand Princess - the dive group and I booked the 14 night cruise aboard the Caribbean Princess in February while on the ship, then transferred our booking to our own group agent. I asked the onboard cruise consultant how our 14 night cruise would be handled on that turn-around day, and she told us the same thing! Since it's likely we will be diving in Puerto Rico that day, it's important we get an early start - from what I was told, this will not be an issue.

 

Thank you all for you input - we are looking forward to our cruise and will take your comments into consideration.

 

Suzi