B2B Cruise Information Needed

[luvtocruise4001]

Myt wife and I are sailing on Magic in April 2013 B2B from Galveston. Can anyone assist with information regarding:

1. Can we leave the ship between cruises?

2. How Customs is handled between cruises? One declaration for both cruises or separate declarations for each cruise?

3. Does B2B affect liquor and cigarette allowances?

4. Closing out Sign and Sail statement for 1st cruise?

5. Getting new Sign and Sail card for second cruise?

 

Have done B2B bvefore but from two different ports on two different ships (2008; Long Beach and San Diego; PARADISE and SPIRIT) but never same ship from same port.

 

Help will be greatly appreciated.

[Ocean Dancer]

Myt wife and I are sailing on Magic in April 2013 B2B from Galveston. Can anyone assist with information regarding:

1. Can we leave the ship between cruises?

2. How Customs is handled between cruises? One declaration for both cruises or separate declarations for each cruise?

3. Does B2B affect liquor and cigarette allowances?

4. Closing out Sign and Sail statement for 1st cruise?

5. Getting new Sign and Sail card for second cruise?

 

Have done B2B bvefore but from two different ports on two different ships (2008; Long Beach and San Diego; PARADISE and SPIRIT) but never same ship from same port.

 

Help will be greatly appreciated.

 

We are doing a 82828 and have many of the same questions, but have the same cabin on all three legs, most on our sailing are doing the whole 3 legs, but we have been reassured that all will go smoothly. We have tours booked on turn over day, and also were told that we can bring 6 bottles of wine, since this is 3 cruises, with 3 booking numbers. We return in March and I may be able to answer more questions upon our return.

[gadan1]

Here's how it worked for us in May on the Liberty: we got a letter in our cabin the night before with a time to meet in the lobby. We got there, they gave us our new sign and sail cards (brand new accounts; cruise 1 had previously been closed out the night before). We were escorted off the ship, through customs and back on; we didn't ask to get off. We did not do our customs declarations until the end of the 2nd leg; we don't buy booze/cigarrettes, but my guess is that with just one form, you only get one set of allowances.

[MissKIA]

Myt wife and I are sailing on Magic in April 2013 B2B from Galveston. Can anyone assist with information regarding:

1. Can we leave the ship between cruises?

2. How Customs is handled between cruises? One declaration for both cruises or separate declarations for each cruise?

3. Does B2B affect liquor and cigarette allowances?

4. Closing out Sign and Sail statement for 1st cruise?

5. Getting new Sign and Sail card for second cruise?

 

Have done B2B bvefore but from two different ports on two different ships (2008; Long Beach and San Diego; PARADISE and SPIRIT) but never same ship from same port.

 

Help will be greatly appreciated.

 

1. Yes, but you will have to re-board with everyone else.

 

2. I don't really remember if we filled out customs form for both legs. If you leave the ship for the afternoon I would think you would definitely have to because you wouldn't be going through customs with all of the other B2Bers.

 

3. No, not really. If you are American I think you are allowed more if you visit Puerto Rico or St. Thomas during one of the weeks. That's the only way it would be affected, not really because of the B2B. I'm not American so I don't really know for sure. I know as a Canadian my allowances only change if I stay 24 hours, 48 hours or 7 days. No extra for more than 7 days, but it could be different for you.

 

4. Yes. Completely separate accounts for each week. If you have refundable OBC leftover after the first week they will give you a cheque the last night that you can cash at guest services.

 

5. Yes you will get a new S&S card. If you change from Red to Gold for example, you probably won't get the new colour because it takes a while for their computers to update the new category. If it's important to you, you can go to GS and get a new card later in the day.

 

Hope this helps!

[Carnival_Brides]

1. Can we leave the ship between cruises?

Yes, but you'll want to check with Guest Services for how to get back on. You should have your S&S card, so it may be easy. We elected not to get off in Boston because it was a difficult terminal to work with.

 

2. How Customs is handled between cruises? One declaration for both cruises or separate declarations for each cruise?

We had to do two separate declarations. They made us go down the gangway, hand customs the form and reboard.

 

3. Does B2B affect liquor and cigarette allowances?

I'm not sure.

 

4. Closing out Sign and Sail statement for 1st cruise? 5. Getting new Sign and Sail card for second cruise?

They will close it out at the end of the first cruise and give you a second card. Make sure to put the first card somewhere safe. I found out the hard way that they recycle folio numbers when a poor old lady was being charged for some of my drinks when I accidentally handed the bar waiter the wrong card.

[irishlizz]

I always fill out a customs form for each leg of the cruise when doing back to backs.

[bills blasters]

We were told if we wanted to get off the ship between the cruises we could. They would give us a paper, or a pass, that we just have to show, and we would not have to wait in line to get back on the ship.

We also had to fill in 2 separate custom forms for each cruise. When we did the turn around, we just had to show the form at customs and then get right back on the ship.

If you have a place to put it, I would think you could take your liquor or cigarette purchases off on the first leg, put it in your car, and then do the same for the second cruise.

They closed our acct. the night before the second cruise. We got a check for $3.00, which we took to guest service on the second cruise and had it on our acct. for the second cruise. They scanned our credit card again for the second cruise.

I loved doing a back to back and can't wait to do another one in Dec.

It is so nice and relaxing knowing that if you miss out on something the first week, you can always do it on the second week.

Claudia

[MSRussell]

I would also print out your boarding pass for the 2nd leg, just in case.

I was allowed to leave the ship in between, while it was in Pt. Canaveral...went to Walmart, got some goodies, then reboarded the ship.

All I had to do was tell the woman outside the ropes I was on my 2nd B2B, and she walked me on to the ship.

Melanie

[dakine_wahine]

We just did a B2B a few days ago.

 

1. Can we leave the ship between cruises?

Yes, you are given "passenger in transit passes" to show guest services when you return to board.

2. How Customs is handled between cruises? One declaration for both cruises or separate declarations for each cruise?

We were escorted off the ship after all other passengers disembarked. We were brought to a customs officer and had to show our passports. Customs forms were not needed as we were not leaving the ship and bringing any items into the US.

3. Does B2B affect liquor and cigarette allowances?

The customs allowance remains the same each time enter the US through customs. If you do not leave the ship you did not bring items into the US, so the allowance is the same. If you leave the ship after the 1st leg but did not bring items into the US, the allowance is the same.

4. Closing out Sign and Sail statement for 1st cruise?

This is done automatically for you.

5. Getting new Sign and Sail card for second cruise?

They will be given to you when you are escorted through customs after the 1st leg.

[luvtocruise4001]

I am thankful to each and every one who offered information. This helps alot since we are driving to Galveston and will have a place to stash the goodies from cruise 1 before departing on cruise 2.

 

Smooth seas and sunshine to all!

[Gary&Rox]

We did a B2B on the Triumph in Sept. As was said you get a In Transit pass if you want to leave the port area. I believe if you show the pass you can reboard if they are letting pax on. We did fill out seperate Duty forms for each cruise. Each cruise is treated as different cruises. You will get your new S&S Cards from guest services when you get back on the ship for the secondn cruise. We also got a $3 bottle of Champaigne in our cabin for doing the B2B.:) They really make it pretty easy. This was our second B2B and will do it again as the $'s allow. We brought back 6 pints of Crown and they just said OK and let us go on through. I did declare them, so they did not want to mess with the paper work.

Hope this helps.

Enjoy

Gary & Rox

[gusandgidgetsmom]

We had basically the same experiences as the previous poster the last b2b. We did however not get a letter in our cabin--they forgot-- we do have to have a different customs form each time as it is considered 2 different cruises . We met around 10 at Guest services they gave us ur new S&S cards they then escorted us half way down the gangway where we were met by a customs officer. The officer took our customs form looked briefly at our passports and told us to have a great cruise. We returned to the ship and were escorted to the elevators where we then went back ot our room.

Other than no letter the only bug in the sysytem was that they did not hook our credit card to our account and on the 3rd day of the 2nd leg we got a note to come to Guest Services. We had lost our charging privleges and had to show them our cc. Glad I was not denied charging the first few days as I would have been embarassed!

[Desert Cruizers]

We will be doing our 1st b2b in 2014, following our 13 day NZ cruise. Our 2nd cruise 9 days later will be from Sydney to Honolulu, then the 27th of April, we will depart Honolulu for a 12 day Hawaiian cruise finishing in Vancouver. We will however on the latter cruise, be changing rooms. It was just to costly to remain in our JS for 12 days so dropped down to a D-1. It is a shame since we will have our JS for the NZ & Transpacific cruise. Since we will be in Honolulu until 10 PM we hope to get a Circle the island Tour in, but interested in how they handle b2b from Hawaii.

[CanWeGoYet?]

I just did my first back to back last month. We left the ship and got the "passenger in transit" passes & were instructed to go to the VIP line when we returned to the ship. I have heard the procedure can be different depending on the ship. Guest services told me no one would have been told to line up on the pier & escorted back as a group on to the ship, as I've read has been done for others on a back to back.

 

I did stop by guest services on the last full day of the 1st cruise, because I'd received nothing in regards to instructions, clearing customs, how to get back on the ship etc. They were surprised I had not received the letter, & printed one up for me right away.

 

It was so nice not having to pack up & spend the last day preparing to leave! I want to do this on a longer cruise someday.

[Desert Cruizers]

CanWegoyet, thank you, I have read various reports on what others did, and since this will be our first one, and going from Hawaii, was wondering if they did it differantly. I wish we could have stayed in the same JS we have for the previous 2 cruises, but the cost was rediculous. We got a better price for the 18 day Transpacific then what they wanted for 12 days, so had to drop in category.

[CanWeGoYet?]

It would have been nice to stay in the same cabin, but I bet it will be still be much less of a packing job than if you were disembarking.

 

Is your cabin on the 2nd cruise at least close to the jr suite? On my one HAL cruise I had to change cabins mid cruise. A night duty steward helped us move. I bet your steward will be able to get you a cart to load your stuff on, even if no one is available to push it.

 

My cabin steward said he'd been with carnival for 13 years, but this was the first time he'd seen the situation of a back to back. He came up to me mid week & said "It looks like the same exact people in the cabin for the next cruise!" He was so excited. Anyway if both your old & new cabin steward know what's going on maybe the new one can let you park your stuff in a corner of the cabin while he is preparing it.

[Desert Cruizers]

For both our 13 day NZ and Transpacific, which is 9 days later, so we get to sight see in & around Sydney, we will be in JS 1044, for the 12 day Hawaii back to Vancouver we drop down to a D-1 in 9566 Starboard side. We are on the ROS and sailed on her back in 2008 for our 15 day RT Hawaii out of San Diego. For the 18 day Transpacific, we have 3 of us in the JS for a total of $9414 with insurance, and it was well over 10,000 for the 12 day.

[luvtocruise4001]

For both our 13 day NZ and Transpacific, which is 9 days later, so we get to sight see in & around Sydney, we will be in JS 1044, for the 12 day Hawaii back to Vancouver we drop down to a D-1 in 9566 Starboard side. We are on the ROS and sailed on her back in 2008 for our 15 day RT Hawaii out of San Diego. For the 18 day Transpacific, we have 3 of us in the JS for a total of $9414 with insurance, and it was well over 10,000 for the 12 day.

I am green with envy. I spent just over a week there in the 1980's and cannot wait to go back. If it is still in business I highly recommend the Woolshed for dinner - it is close to the Kings' Cross area and the food and camaraderie were superb; I was there with a group of Yanks and the Aussie's treated us like we were long lost relatives - a great time.

 

Also, take time to go out to Bondai Beach, Kings' Cross (for nightlife), and Manley. There is so much to see and do that 9 days may not be enough!