Back to back sailings

[nubble88]

Has anyone ever done a back to back sailing? Me and my husband will be doing that with a 3 day and 4 day cruise, just to have the enjoyment of a 7 day. We don't mind going to the same places twice, rather looking forward to it since we both enjoy Nassau.

 

When we get back from the first one, where will we stay while waiting for the second one? I would imagine we would have to get off the ship, or at least recieve a different "key" somehow, since we will have a different cabin.

 

Thanks for your help!

 

Happy Sailing everyone!

 

Kat

[CruiseAddict2011]

We did a b2b last year and are doing another in two weeks time. Loved them.

 

You will be invited to a meeting on the last day of your 1st cruise and given your seapass for the 2nd week and told where to meet on the morning of disembarkation. You will then need to go off the ship while it is cleared by customs, as far as I know it only takes an hour or so. I think they have a waiting area for this, I'm not too sure as we left the port and went shopping for a few hours so just came back on ourselves. It is all really well organised and very smooth. You can also enjoy having the ship to yourselves for a little while.

 

Last year we also had a different cabin for our 2nd cruise, but we were able dropped off our luggage to our new cabin before we left the ship. This year however, we have the same cabin for our 2nd cruise so it saves us from having to pack up our stuff.

 

Hope this helps.

[M&M Hayden]

Depends on what port your cruise leaves from. You will get instruction on board. And on our b2bs there has been a "special" lunch on turnaround day in the MDR (we don't think it's that special).

 

In Tampa we went through customs/immigration with non-US passengers and picked up our new sea pass cards. Everyone on b2b and non-US cruisers had to do this before anyone could get off the ship.

 

In San Juan on turnaround day we had to pick up our sea pass card between 8 and 10 on deck 6 or 7 off the Centerum. At the get together the day before turnaround we were offered 2 for 1 at CHOPS for the first night of the second sailing.

 

I can't remember what port it was, but b2b'ers met in the Schooner and were escorted off the ship, thru customs/immigration, picked up sea pass cards and then back on.

 

If you're in the same cabin you can leave everything where it is. You can come and go from your cabin as you like on turnaround day, but try to keep out of the way of the cabin attendants. (we sit on the deck or by the pool)

 

If you're in a different cabin leave the "hanging" stuff and put everything else in a suitcase. Staff is supposed to move it to the new cabin for you.

 

We'll be doing another b2b out of Ft Lauderdale later this year, so we'll see what their procedures are.

[cruisenfever]

When doing a b2b, each cruise has it's own booking number and while on board, you will have a SeaPass account for each cruise. When the first cruise is finished your account is closed and a new account opened with a new SeaPass card. Nothing can be carried over from cruise one in the form of credits, like OBC.

 

If you booked with a TA then you should have your TA call the b2b desk and have them linked. If you booked direct, you can make the call. It makes turnaround day so much easier as the ship will be aware of who is staying on and who is going home. And, you only need to print out the SetSail Pass for the first cruise as everything is automatically transferred over.

 

You will need to fill out the on-line check in for both cruises because you will have to indicate your travel plans for "arrival" as well as "departure". When you do your on-line check in for the first cruise, on the "Travel Plans" Page you will put how you are arriving from the drop down menu, but for departure you will click on "consecutive cruiser" from the drop down menu. When you do your on-line check-in for the second cruise, on the "Travel Plans" page under "Arrival" you will click on "Consecutive Cruiser" and then fill out Departure information with your method of departure for your return home.

 

Turnaround day is handled differently depending on if you are turning around in a US port or a foreign port. In US ports you will meet as a group, be escorted off by staff member from GR, and then back on the ship again. In a foreign port, you get to stay on the ship.

 

If you have the same cabin, no need to pack up as you will have access to your cabin throughout the day even though embarking pax do not have access until 1PM. It's always a good idea to let your cabin attendant know that you are a consecutive cruiser.

[Aprille]

If you're in a different cabin leave the "hanging" stuff and put everything else in a suitcase. Staff is supposed to move it to the new cabin for you.

 

Good to know. I booked us in the same cabin for our upcoming B2B but the upgrade fairy paid us a visit on our first cruise and we got upgraded from a JS to a CSL! :D

 

If you booked with a TA then you should have your TA call the b2b desk and have them linked. If you booked direct, you can make the call.

 

Patti - do you have this number? Or can someone at C&A help me with this? Doing our first B2B in December and our ressies are not linked.

[cruisenfever]

Patti - do you have this number? Or can someone at C&A help me with this? Doing our first B2B in December and our ressies are not linked.

Just call the normal RCI number or you can call C&A and just ask to be connected to the consecutive cruising (aka b2b) desk. Never know what they are calling it these days.:o

 

One word of caution. If you have to fly and are going to be using Choice Air your bookings can not be linked. Once you make your flight arrangements through Choice Air, then you can have them linked.

 

Once you've done a b2b........nothing is good enough after that! The best part is on turnaround day, you get to casually walk around the ship and watch, pax waiting in designated areas to leave, start having cruise withdrawal and they haven't even left the ship yet.:D

[nubble88]

Hi CruiseAddict,

 

YES, that is very helpful. We do have a different cabin for the second one, but it is nice to know we will be able to drop our stuff off and not have to carry it around.

 

And, nice to know we will have the meeting the night before to give us our new room key.

 

Thanks again for your help!

 

Kat

[cruisenfever]

Hi CruiseAddict,

 

YES, that is very helpful. We do have a different cabin for the second one, but it is nice to know we will be able to drop our stuff off and not have to carry it around.

 

And, nice to know we will have the meeting the night before to give us our new room key.

 

Thanks again for your help!

 

Kat

Just be aware that all ships handle consecutive cruisers differently as to how, when and where you will receive your new SeaPass cards for the second part of your b2b.

 

What happened on one ship will not necessarily mean that it will be repeated on another ship.

[AlanAllyn]

You do not have to pack up your hanging things. Steward will move them.

 

In Port Everglades, we met at a bar around 10 and were escorted off and back on the ship 15 minutes later on one cruise. On the next, we met in a dining room around 10 and customs came on board; so we never got off the ship.

[Sequim88]

If you care for convenience of drinks in cabin it is sometimes possible to purchase bottles on leg 1 that might be delivered on last night and available to use on leg 2. Seems to be about 50/50 based on past reports. Another reported technique is to make friends with someone only doing one leg and give them money to buy for you then collect items from them on last night of leg 1.