B2B on Dream - Some Questions

[Avril]

Hi all, My Mom and I are booked on the Dream's New Years cruise and are super excited!! :D However, with all the talk of a new past guest program, Mom wants to get to Platinum before they switch programs as after the New Years cruise, she'll only need 1 more. So, we were thinking of staying on for the week after and making it a B2B!! :D Neither of us has done a B2B so I have a few questions.

 

How does disembarkation/embarkation work in-between cruises? Do you debark like usual and then go through check in/embarkation like the 1st time you board the ship or do they deliver your new S&S Cards to your cabin on the last night of the 1st cruise? Or do you only get 1 S&S Card for both cruises?

 

We will have to change our cabin so do you pack and leave them in your cabin and someone moves them for you, do you have to move them yourself, or do you put them outside your door on the last night of the 1st cruise, collect them in the terminal then check them in again with the porters at the curb?

 

What is open/available on the ship to use in the morning until the new passengers start coming aboard and things get going again?

 

Can we book the 2nd leg online (on Carnival's website) or do we have to call them so that they can mark on our reservations that we're doing a B2B? If they do need to know that.

 

Do we still have to complete the online check-in (Fun Pass) for the 2nd leg? What do we put in the part that asks our flight information and where we're staying before the cruise? Not that doing the FunPass is a big deal, I just thought I'd ask.

 

Should we pack a small bag the last night of cruise 1 with things we may need in the morning before the cabins are ready at 1:30? Stuff like camera, swimsuit, change of clothes, etc.

 

Is there anything else about a B2B that's good to know or that we should/need to know?

 

Thanks a lot!!!! :D :D

 

 

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[k2excursion]

These are great questions, and I'm also interested to hear the answers from those that know them.

 

I do know that you don't have to debark like everyone else, then get in the long line again. There will be arrangements made for you to meet somewhere, where they'll escort you off the ship, through customs, (?get you a new sign & sail card maybe?), and right back on board again. I hear that you're only off the ship for a few minutes. Then, the ship is yours (excluding the staterooms). You can kick back, relax, and enjoy an empty ship, and you can have just about any chair you want. I wouldn't count on the waterslides to be open before other guests arrive. Also, it might be too cold for them to open at all that day.

 

I like to book cruises over the phone instead of online. That way, I know that it's being done right. And they have access to things that we don't, such as rooms that are available that we are not able to see as available. Plus, you then have a contact person who has earned commission because of you. So they will give you their direct extension number, so that you can contact them directly for future assistance and future cruise bookings.

 

You certainly will not have to leave your luggage outside the cabin at the end of the first leg. But I don't know how the switching rooms/moving luggage thing will work. I would pack a small bag of things for the day before the rooms are ready at 1:30. Just don't bring one of the Carnival towels, or it'll get charged to your account from the previous cruise.

[Avril]

You're probably right, it would be to cold for the slides that day (same goes for the 1st time we board unfortunately, thank goodness for hot tubs)!!

 

Thanks for letting me know what you do know!! :D Hopefully, someone else on here who has done a B2B can let us both know the answers!! :D

 

 

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[Essiesmom]

The night before turnaround day, you will get a letter in your cabin telling you the procedure for the next morning. You might or might not get your new boarding card in that envelope. Usually, they tell you to meet at Guest Services around 9:30am. When all debarking passengers have dinged out, they will walk you off the ship, through immigration (not customs) and sometimes to the check-in desk to get your new card (if you don't already have it). Then they walk you back onto the ship, stopping to get the picture taken that is linked to your Sail & Sign card. The rest of the morning is yours to enjoy an almost empty ship. If you wish to leave the ship and go shopping at WalMart or Ron Jon, be sure to get a transit pass to avoid the long lines returning to the ship. EM

[southbayer]

I did B2B on the Dream last year... Here it all goes....

 

Like you, I had a different room second time... You will get a letter in your stateroom about a day or two before your first cruise is over, letting you know what to do.

 

This is what I did, well first, I let my stateroom steward know that I was doing a B2B the day before first cruise was over, then I also went to the second cabin for the second cruise to see that steward, notifying him I will be staying in that cabin the next day for the next cruise. He says to just leave my suitcase in my cabin when I vacate, and he would arrange to have that brought to the next cabin, which he did. He also said he would "get my new cabin ready first", so I could move in early, and not wait till 1:30.

 

So at about 10:40am, I went to my new cabin, and it was ready with my suitcase there. So with my carry on, walked in, and just set up everything again. Went real smooth. So, just remember to let your first room steward, and second room steward know what's happening before first cruise over.

 

So after first cruise over, you wait over by the seating by the information desk, and hang out till all the debark deck numbers have all been called, then a purser rep will come and talk to all the b2b'ers and have them fill out another sail and sign card charge slip, and hands you your new s&s card on the spot. Then they walk you off the ship, and a quick turn around after seeing the customs agent where you will give him your declaration form and walk right back on.

 

Now since you are the last guests to leave the ship, there are no other guests in front of you, or behind you, so this process is so fast. You walk back on an empty ship, about 10:30, for us that time. Now, no services are avail at that time, but they will be when 11am hits, so a short wait. First guests start to trickle in at 11, so by 11:45, food lines start to form.

 

What I did is, I kept it quiet to myself about the B2B, so when I started my second cruise, the crew who I was familiar with got a surprise to see me again the second time around, it was fun. It's also cool to see the show's you missed from last week, or a show you really enjoyed to see it again.

 

Just remember, doing back to back, means, double the grub intake, double the drink costs, and double the casino loss's, hehe. So prepare, accordingly.

 

Oh yeah, if you haven't booked the second one just yet, you don't need to let them know you're doing two, Carnival treats the bookings as equal single ones. And before your first cruise is over, if your platinum, make sure you take advantage of the free wash and fold. No sense in moving into a new clean cabin with dirty clothes, or coming back home with them.

 

Hope all this helps!:D

 

 

[MSRussell]

Thanks for the info. I am staying my first two in one cabin, and the 3rd in a different one. I talked on the phone to book them all, and was able to get my next room right around the corner, same deck.

I'm just going to wheel my luggage there and put it (with the new luggage tags, of course), and leave it outside the door.

 

But that is a better suggestion, telling the 2nd steward. Maybe I can put my luggage in the closet while he cleans the room.

I also am doing mine to meet the Platinum requirements before the new year.

Melanie

[southbayer]

Wow, B2B2B, I'm jealous, I need to do one of those someday.... hehe

Thanks for the info. I am staying my first two in one cabin, and the 3rd in a different one. I talked on the phone to book them all, and was able to get my next room right around the corner, same deck.

I'm just going to wheel my luggage there and put it (with the new luggage tags, of course), and leave it outside the door.

 

But that is a better suggestion, telling the 2nd steward. Maybe I can put my luggage in the closet while he cleans the room.

I also am doing mine to meet the Platinum requirements before the new year.

Melanie

[Avril]

Thanks a lot!! :D Yes, I am Platinum (this 2nd cruise would be so Mom can get there as well, it would be her 10th Carnival cruise). I'll defiantly take advantage of free laundry somewhere closer to the end of the 1st cruise!! Could Mom take advantage of it as well? Technically, she won't be Platinum until after we get our new S&S Cards and re-board the ship.

 

Do you have to stay on Lido (or higher) in a deck chair before the new passengers start to board or can you wander around the ship a bit? I don't think I could sit quietly in a deck chair for 2-3 hours, I'd be bored out of my mind!!!! But I don't want to be in the crew's way either, they have enough to worry about and enough things to do on turnaround day without me getting in their way!!!!

 

I know you probably don't have to let Carnival know your doing 2, but wasn't sure if they'd be able to connect the dots (so to speak, I should have said "connect the cruises", lol). We booked our New Years cruise months ago and this one will be booked in the next week or so. How would Carnival see 2 totally unrelated bookings, made months apart, and know it was a B2B so they know to send us that letter and make our new S&S Cards and deliver them to us? I just thought the PVP at Carnival might need to know so that he/she could link the bookings somehow.

 

Not telling the crew about the 2nd cruise does sound like fun!! :D I'm trying to imagine what the looks on their faces would have been when they did find out. I hope they enjoyed the surprise as much as you did!!!! :D

 

I'm really looking forward to saying "Goodbye 2011" and "Hello 2012" from the Dream's Lido Deck (especially as it's our 1st night onboard!!!! :D

 

24 Days, I can hardly wait!!!! :D 21 days till our pre-cruise vacation - Disney, Universal here we come!!!! :D

 

 

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[MSRussell]

I also read somewhere you can hide out in your room and not have to go to the Muster drill the 2nd time around.

My 70 year old cousin will be joining me on the 3rd leg, so she can walk on VIP. It is her 1st cruise.

My cruise mate is leaving the ship after the 2nd one..he is Platinum already, so it will be interesting to see what I get as a gift.

Melanie

[Avril]

Yes, I've heard that as well. However, the crew members involved in Muster Drill may not know you're on a B2B so you might be holding up all the other passengers for no good reason while they track you down and haul you to your Muster Station (I really don't want 4000 people pissed at me because I held them up and kept them from starting to do something they really enjoy doing - like the sail away party). Also, I figure it's for my own good, if there was a real emergency, I'd rather miss a few minutes fun and be in a lifeboat then enjoying every second of fun and is in an emergency, end up wandering the ship without a clue. Also, if you have a different cabin than you did on the 1st cruise, you may not have the same Muster Station. I'd much rather miss some fun and find out where I'm supposed to be if there really is an emergency. It always helps to have a bit of a re-fresher :D besides, it's part of the whole cruise experience (at least for me it is)!!!! :D That and the security, check-in, photo x 2 (souvenir photo and S&S Card photo), routine, 2 nessasary evils but defiantly a big part of the whole cruise experience!!!! :D

 

 

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[crusinpsychRN]

If you buy liquor on board it's delivered the last night and available for the next week.

[mommom of 7]

Thanks a lot!! :D Yes, I am Platinum (this 2nd cruise would be so Mom can get there as well, it would be her 10th Carnival cruise). I'll defiantly take advantage of free laundry somewhere closer to the end of the 1st cruise!! Could Mom take advantage of it as well? Technically, she won't be Platinum until after we get our new S&S Cards and re-board the ship.

 

Do you have to stay on Lido (or higher) in a deck chair before the new passengers start to board or can you wander around the ship a bit? I don't think I could sit quietly in a deck chair for 2-3 hours, I'd be bored out of my mind!!!! But I don't want to be in the crew's way either, they have enough to worry about and enough things to do on turnaround day without me getting in their way!!!!

 

I know you probably don't have to let Carnival know your doing 2, but wasn't sure if they'd be able to connect the dots (so to speak, I should have said "connect the cruises", lol). We booked our New Years cruise months ago and this one will be booked in the next week or so. How would Carnival see 2 totally unrelated bookings, made months apart, and know it was a B2B so they know to send us that letter and make our new S&S Cards and deliver them to us? I just thought the PVP at Carnival might need to know so that he/she could link the bookings somehow.

 

Not telling the crew about the 2nd cruise does sound like fun!! :D I'm trying to imagine what the looks on their faces would have been when they did find out. I hope they enjoyed the surprise as much as you did!!!! :D

 

I'm really looking forward to saying "Goodbye 2011" and "Hello 2012" from the Dream's Lido Deck (especially as it's our 1st night onboard!!!!

 

24 Days, I can hardly wait!!!! :D 21 days till our pre-cruise vacation - Disney, Universal here we come!!!!

 

 

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We did a B2B last Jan. & will be doing another this Jan. Maybe if you use a PVP you can get the same cabin. ?

After you get back on ship it is yours :rolleyes: We sat & read some in the quite & then went back to our cabin for a few just because we could. Our steward was great had me call him before we left for breakfast & he got right on our cabin. I know this because I forgot something & ran back to the cabin from the ele. & he was already in there. Just open the fire doors & they will see who it is & you just go on in. I FELT LIKE ALL THAT.

We told our steward the first day he was so good sure hope we luck out again.

Sorry this was so long.

Char

[serene56]

I'm just going to wheel my luggage there and put it (with the new luggage tags, of course), and leave it outside the door.

 

 

this is NOT a good idea. The stewards may think its wayward luggage and get it down to the luggage holding area.

[Avril]

this is NOT a good idea. The stewards may think its wayward luggage and get it down to the luggage holding area.

 

I was thinking the same thing. I probably would have asked the Steward if it was ok and be sure to let him/her know I was on a B2B, then if he/she said it was ok, I'd put the luggage inside the cabin and then stash it somewhere (in the closet, under the bed, etc) so it's out of the Steward's way. I'd hate for my bag to debark without me so I didn't have clothes and all my other stuff for the next week!!

 

23 Days!!!! :D :D

 

 

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[Avril]

I was just wondering, at the end of the 1st cruise, should you put luggage tags (the embarkation tags, not the blue ones they give you at the end of a cruise) so that the Steward knows where the bags (if you are changing cabins for the 2nd cruise) belong?

 

 

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[katiel53]

We did a b2b on Dream in April and loved it. We were lucky though in that we had the same cabin both weeks. We did have to go down to the guest services area to be escorted off and on the ship. We were given new S&S cards before we left the ship and on the way back on, we had the photos taken so we went back in the exit and they changed the machine around so it could take our pics and have a first "ding" on the new card.

 

We were able to wander all over the ship and when we went to go back to our cabin before 1:30 someone guarding the door told us we couldn't, but we said we were b2b and were allowed to go in. We did fill out the S&S online for the 2nd week before we left home, but we didn't have to turn it in or anything.

 

I do think if you are changing cabins it is necessary to go to the muster drill and not try to hide in the cabin. Your muster station might be the same, but it might be different. Also as mentioned there are people who go along checking cabins and there's a good chance you will be found.

 

I know you said you are Platinum and your mother is not on your first cruise. I don't think you can have her laundry done as she isn't really entitled to it. I am also not sure that she will get the Platinum card automatically on the 2nd leg. I say that because the records won't be updated that quickly. She probably will have to talk to Guest Relations to be sure her card is correct and that she gets all the benefits the second week. If it were me, I would go there the first week to talk to them.

 

I'm sure you know that the laundry service you get is only wash and fold, so perhaps it's not like all your clothes can go to the laundry. I say that as I don't send most of my clothes as they are all cotton and need ironing. Also, everything is washed in really hot water so I don't want my good things ruined. I remember sending some new cotton PJ's that came back about 3 sizes smaller, lol. Another thing, if there are a lot of Platinum guests onboard, and your first week there may be, you may only be allowed one bag of laundry for the week. We had that happen when we went on Dream 1/2/2010.

 

We loved our b2b and hope to do another one one of these days. Enjoy!

[LornaT]

Our B2B experiences were:

Booked and had both bookings linked so ship automatically knows you are B2B and I did get lucky and have booked early enough to have the same cabin for both sailings. Yes have been told that Stewards will move your stuff to your new cabin for you.

 

Got letter to meet in Atrium Lobby (one at 9:30 am, one at 10:00 am ..... go figure) got new S&S cards and escorted to someone from ICE (with our Passports in Hand .......... you need them or you Government Furnished ID) to be checked off his list then right back to the ship (last one the new Guest Relations guy had us go check back in at the regular embarkation check-in ........ later got told he wasn't supposed to do that :rolleyes: duh!, this was last year on the Miracle) once back on the ship, free to roam or hang out. Love freaking out crew that didn't know we were B2B :D and actually had new passengers try to follow me through the fire doors to go to their cabins early (once regular embarkation started) decided to pretend I was crew on a break and informed them "Sorry, Cabins are not available nor accessable until 1:30, how about heading up to Lido for lunch while you wait for the cabin to be ready?" oh man the attitudes I would get!

 

Sorry to say but we have had to attend the Life Boat Drill on the second leg of our B2B's everytime. Now crew have to open every cabin and check to make sure everyone is out and if the cabin is empty, places a card in the slot to the supervisors know the cabin was cleared or guests.

 

Hope this helps .... doing B2B this year again for Christmas & New Years on the Carnival Glory ........... woo hoo!

 

For folks going Platinum on the second leg, odds are your S&S Card they hand you will be Gold ...... just go to Guest Services and request the Platinum Card in exchange, they print them right there.

[Nik]

Unless things have changed, we Canadians and all other non-Americans usually go through customs in the theatre prior to anyone debarking the ship.

 

We are on the Dream with you NYE..really looking forward to a great week.

[MSRussell]

Yes, I've heard that as well. However, the crew members involved in Muster Drill may not know you're on a B2B so you might be holding up all the other passengers for no good reason while they track you down and haul you to your Muster Station (I really don't want 4000 people pissed at me because I held them up and kept them from starting to do something they really enjoy doing - like the sail away party). Also, I figure it's for my own good, if there was a real emergency, I'd rather miss a few minutes fun and be in a lifeboat then enjoying every second of fun and is in an emergency, end up wandering the ship without a clue. Also, if you have a different cabin than you did on the 1st cruise, you may not have the same Muster Station. I'd much rather miss some fun and find out where I'm supposed to be if there really is an emergency. It always helps to have a bit of a re-fresher :D besides, it's part of the whole cruise experience (at least for me it is)!!!! :D That and the security, check-in, photo x 2 (souvenir photo and S&S Card photo), routine, 2 nessasary evils but defiantly a big part of the whole cruise experience!!!! :D

 

I faithfully go to each one, but on the Liberty, I was at the drill, came back to my stateroom and found a 4 page instruction sheet of the drill, 'As I didn't show up'. Have no idea why they thought I wasn't there.

On my new luggage tags (of course I will find out who the Steward will be), there will be no problem, as it will have the stateroom number and the date of the cruise.

Melanie

[Avril]

Unless things have changed, we Canadians and all other non-Americans usually go through customs in the theatre prior to anyone debarking the ship.

 

We are on the Dream with you NYE..really looking forward to a great week.

 

YAY, the more the marrier!! :D Where in Canada are you from? We're from Burlington, Ontario (about 40 minutes west of Toronto). I've never had to go through Customs onboard. It's always been in the terminnal after you debark (just like the Americans). That's odd, I wonder why they did that? :confused: Maybe there weren't enough Non-Americans onboard to justify opening another line in the terminnal, that's the only thing I can think of. This cruise is gonna be a blast!! :D I've been on NYE crruises before but never 1 where NYE was our 1st day/evening onboard, I'm super excited about that!!!! :D I'm super excited about having a Cove Balcony as well!!!! :D

 

I faithfully go to each one, but on the Liberty, I was at the drill, came back to my stateroom and found a 4 page instruction sheet of the drill, 'As I didn't show up'. Have no idea why they thought I wasn't there.

On my new luggage tags (of course I will find out who the Steward will be), there will be no problem, as it will have the stateroom number and the date of the cruise.

Melanie

 

I wonder why they thought you didn't show up? :confused: Maybe your Cabin Steward forgot to put the little card on your door that says the cabin has been checked and cleared. Or, maybe they were scanning S&S Cards (or checking names off on a list) as people arrived at their Muster Stations and you somehow got missed. I've seen that happen before!!

Did you put your new embarkation tags on your luggage at the beginning of the 2nd cruise? I'm guessing you don't have to but just thought I'd ask to be sure.

[MSRussell]

I'm going tomorrow morning on my triple cruise.

We will have the same room on the first two, then I am switching rooms for the 3rd.

I did print out luggage tags for that one, just in case.

Melanie

[Avril]

I'm going tomorrow morning on my triple cruise.

We will have the same room on the first two, then I am switching rooms for the 3rd.

I did print out luggage tags for that one, just in case.

Melanie

 

Just in case is a good idea!! I just really hate making them (it was so much better when they sent them to you, ready made, you just had to fill them out) so if I don't have to, I'd rather not. Have a blast, 3 in a row would be awesome!!!! :D I'm hoping to do that on the Imagination (my 1st ship) someday!! :D What ship are you sailing on?

[PlanningToCruise]

everyone else seems to have answered your questions, our B2B worked out the same, we were in diff cabin and our 1st steward took our bags to our 2nd which was a suite. It was very easy and painless. We decided ahead of time to take just a regular amt of clothes we always do, and take advantage of an empty ship and do the laundry and had fresh clothes for the 2nd part. It was GREAT watching ppl walk onto the Lido you could certainly pick out the first time cruises, it was awesome watching their faces

[Avril]

It was GREAT watching ppl walk onto the Lido you could certainly pick out the first time cruises, it was awesome watching their faces

 

How do you pick out the 1st timers? I've always been bad at that!! I saw 1 guy who I was convinced was a 1st timer (I forget why, something he said and/or did I think). Turns out, he'd cruised something like 37 times. Oops!!!!

 

I love people watching as well!! :D It's some of the best free entertainment you'll ever find!! :D The best place to do this is by the Purser's Desk after there has been a change to the cruise and/or itinerary (missed port, rough seas, etc) and on the last day/night of the cruise. Some of the things people say are unbelievable: "it rained so I want a refund and/or OBC", said in rough weather and outbreak at one of the ports such as H1N1 in Mexico: "You promised this itinerary and I didn't get it, I want a refund and/or OBC". The list goes on and on, it's way too funny sometimes!! My favorite so far is the lady (who had 2 younger kids probably between 9 and 12) who marched up to the desk, kids in tow, and announced that "All of the activities are inappropriate for children. I was just up on Lido and they we're doing a drink mixing contest followed by a bunch of men without shirts on dancing around in front of everyone in a sexual way. I want a refund and/or OBC and I'm never sailing Carnival again" With that, she threw the lady who had been helping her (or trying to, she looked like she was going to cry after the lady left) a filthy look and stomped away, kids still in tow. I think she was talking about the Master Mixologist Contest and the Hairy Chest Contest, those are the only 2 things I can think of that fit her description. I still think that's funny and still laugh each time I tell the story or think about it. Although, the lady who complained about people smoking on the Lido Deck (it was the smoking side of the ship) is a very close 2nd!!

 

If any of the people described above are you, I'm terribly sorry, no offense meant.

 

 

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[meatloafsfan]

Unless things have changed, we Canadians and all other non-Americans usually go through customs in the theatre prior to anyone debarking the ship.

 

We are on the Dream with you NYE..really looking forward to a great week.

 

Not in Port Canaveral - as you go through customs they have a separate line for Non US but you don't need to meet ahead of time anywhere.

 

I did a B2B on the Dream last March but we got off the ship to meet my parents and do a bit of shopping inbetween.

 

What I can tell you is that the records will not update quickly and your mother may not be issued a Platinum card for the second leg of your B2B. The first leg of our B2B was my first Carnival Cruise and on the second leg I was still issued a blue "first time" card instead of a Gold card.