B2B Questions

[cruisinbanddirectors]

Thanks to a nice price drop and lots of points to redeem from our Carnival credit card, we are going on our first B2B on the Breeze in June. Soooo excited :D

 

Couple of questions...

 

1. How does it work when the first leg is over? I'm assuming you have to get off the ship for at least a little while? If this makes any difference, we have the same cabin both sailings.

2. Do you get any kind of gift or perk for booking a B2B? Not really concerned about at, but just curious.

3. Do you automatically get the same dinner table in the MDR? If not, is there a way to request it before hand? I know we could go request it from the maitre 'd when we board, but it seems like it would be nice to take care of before sailing. we just think it makes sense to keep the same service staff.

 

Any others thoughts or suggestions from those who have done a B2B?

[mondello]

1) You'll get a letter telling you where to meet the last morning; will be escorted down to get yor new S&S card and breeze through Customs. Process is usually pretty quick and you'll be taken back aboard the ship.

2) You'll get a token gift at the beginning of the second leg, wine, fruit basket, or chocolate covered strawberries, etc.

3) Don't know for sure. You can ask the Maitre D' during the first week if you'd like to have the same MDR waitstaff.

Having the same cabin is nice as you won't have to pack.

Some PAX like to buy booze from the onboard shops the last evening; they usually allow PAX to take the bottles back to their cabin. You can enjoy it during the second leg if they haven't flagged your S&S card.

[PunkyH]

We did a B2B on the Elation last Nov./ Dec. We had to change rooms and it was still easy. (Room stewards moved our stuff.. we tipped them.) You will get paperwork telling you what to do. You have to meet, we met at guest services, given new S&S card, escorted off ship with 2 other B2B couples.( Clicked out with old S&S cards and back in with new ones.) Went through customs and escorted back on ship. We weren't platinum yet, so we went and got out laundry and had it done by the time most people were boarding. We got a bottle of champagne. Have heard since that someone exchanged theirs for a bottle of wine. Wish we had known that. We talked to the MD about being in same DR and we had some table.

Have fun. We were talking today about doing it again this year.

[montana200024]

be preparred to get hooked, we have been doing b2b"s for a few years. As you can see ...it is amazing

[bills blasters]

We did a B2B a little over a year ago. We talked to the maitred half way through the first cruise and asked if we could have the same wait team for the second cruise. He was really nice and asked if we wanted the same table or gave us the option to move to any other one.

We received a fruit basket and a bottle of wine on the first day of the second cruise. We don't drink wine, so we gave it to the neighbors.

We are doing another B2B in November and can't wait.

I like the idea of not being so rushed to get everything done. If you miss a show the first leg, no problem, just go on the second. It was much more relaxing than 1 cruise.

You will love it.

Claudia

[ready2cruzagain]

Thanks to a nice price drop and lots of points to redeem from our Carnival credit card, we are going on our first B2B on the Breeze in June. Soooo excited :D

 

Couple of questions...

 

1. How does it work when the first leg is over? I'm assuming you have to get off the ship for at least a little while? If this makes any difference, we have the same cabin both sailings. You will get a letter telling you where and when to meet. They took our old S & S cards and issued new ones then walked us off the ship and down the escalator and through customs. We then proceeded back on the ship and went our merry way. With the Breeze they let the passengers start loading about 15 minutes after the b2b people went through customs.

 

 

2. Do you get any kind of gift or perk for booking a B2B? Not really concerned about at, but just curious. On the Breeze we received a Fruit Basket.

 

 

3. Do you automatically get the same dinner table in the MDR? If not, is there a way to request it before hand? I know we could go request it from the maitre 'd when we board, but it seems like it would be nice to take care of before sailing. we just think it makes sense to keep the same service staff. If we like our waiter/waitress for the first leg we always talk to the maitre'd the first week and ask if we can have the same table for the second week. They have always done it.

 

Any others thoughts or suggestions from those who have done a B2B?

 

We did a b2b on the Breeze in December. If you like Italian make sure and eat lunch at Cucina del Capitano. It is open on embarkation day and most people do not even know it. Great service and food and lunch is free.

 

The Tandoori Grill is great also if you like Indian food.

 

Sea dogs has great hot dogs.

 

If like getting away from the crowds go to deck 5...the lanai. There are hot tubs that overhang the side of the ship and tons of loungers.

[Sixtytwo]

Great information here! We are doing our first B2B in Sept and are excited as this will also make us platinum! Thanks for the information!!

[fouremmetts]

We did a B2B a little over a year ago. We talked to the maitred half way through the first cruise and asked if we could have the same wait team for the second cruise. He was really nice and asked if we wanted the same table or gave us the option to move to any other one.

We received a fruit basket and a bottle of wine on the first day of the second cruise. We don't drink wine, so we gave it to the neighbors.

We are doing another B2B in November and can't wait.

I like the idea of not being so rushed to get everything done. If you miss a show the first leg, no problem, just go on the second. It was much more relaxing than 1 cruise.

You will love it.

Claudia

 

We're doing the same B2B that you are! Didn't know about the fruit basket and wine.....now I'm super excited. I had even asked when I booked the second week if there were any extras and was told no. :confused:

 

Thanks.

I love the idea about doing the laundry - especially after reading about the wash and fold in another post.

[Sparky2]

We're doing our 3rd B2B next January (2014).

 

On our last B2B (2013) we did exchange our champagne for wine to have in the MDR. The MDR hostess did it for us.

 

I bought a couple of small bottles of pre-mixed drinks on the 1st leg which I had to turn over at the desk when I got back on the ship. I had hoped to have them for the 2nd leg of our B2B, but we were flagged as being on a B2B. There was nothing our room steward could do. We didn't ask him if he could doing anything to get our booze, but he did apologize that they would be holding it till the end of our B2B. On our previous B2B (2008) I did receive the bottle in my room that I bought the last night of 1st leg. Enjoyed it on the 2nd leg.

 

You win some, you lose some!

 

I did ask the Maitre'd part way through our cruise if we could have the same table & waitstaff. I waited to make sure we wanted the same waitstaff. We were at a table for 2 in the main area of the MDR where all the action is, so we were happy campers.

[BARBARA J.W.]

Thanks to a nice price drop and lots of points to redeem from our Carnival credit card, we are going on our first B2B on the Breeze in June. Soooo excited :D

 

Couple of questions...

 

1. How does it work when the first leg is over? I'm assuming you have to get off the ship for at least a little while? If this makes any difference, we have the same cabin both sailings.

2. Do you get any kind of gift or perk for booking a B2B? Not really concerned about at, but just curious.

3. Do you automatically get the same dinner table in the MDR? If not, is there a way to request it before hand? I know we could go request it from the maitre 'd when we board, but it seems like it would be nice to take care of before sailing. we just think it makes sense to keep the same service staff.

 

Any others thoughts or suggestions from those who have done a B2B?

 

BTBs are nice,,,,,I have done afew...........

As others has said,,,,,,,you may or( may not) get a letter

telling you where to meet the morning of the 2nd......

This is what I do,,,,I go to the Service Desk to let them know

I'll be on for the next Cruise...........

 

Also I tell my Cabin Steward,,,,,,,,,,And I tell them not to worry

about my Cabin until that evevning,,,,,they are sooooo busy..........

 

I read on here afew years ago,,,someone did not tell their

Cabin Steward they were staying on for the next Cruise...

Steward thought they just forgot their stuff..........

The Steward packed & threw somethings away...........

[CruiserKid]

Years ago, I did a Back to Back on Carnival Spirit. I had two different cabins cause the same cabin wasn't available for both legs. PVP said she would continue to check, but nothing came up. About 30 days before the cruise, I sent an email to customer service & requested to have the same cabin for the two cruises and told them I didn't care where, as long as I had the same cabin. To my surprise, I was upgraded to a cabin with French Doors. It was awesome. It doesn't hurt to ask. I'm planning to ask again for my June 2013 Carnival Glory B2B cruises. I may end up with aft, Riviera deck, inside; but I paid for a 1A Porthole, which I prefer over any inside since I'm cruising solo.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Our last cruise was 3- and 4-day on the Inspiration. Loved turning a short cruise into a longer one. :D When we started the second leg there were two bottles of champagne (one from Guest Services and the other from the Hotel Director) and a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries from the Hotel Director.

 

We were not escorted off and back on--they had us wait at the atrium bar until everyone had debarked and then sent us to VIP check-in. About 30 minutes later we were escorted back onto the ship. It was at least 30 minutes before we saw any other passengers. We really enjoyed it.

 

Another thing that's fun about B2B that I didn't see mentioned is how the crew treats you on the second leg. It's like you're a celebrity! LOL. So many crew stopped by our table on the that first night, the people next to us asked how everyone knew us. It was also my birthday so a cake was delivered and a bunch of waiters came over to sing to me and we were doing Chef's Table on the second leg and the chef came by to talk with us. I've never felt so popular! LOL.

[Elaine5715]

It is surprising how many crew recognized me on the second leg of a B2B, Especially those whom were not directly involved with me on the first cruise. With the thousands of passengers they see and out of hundreds on one trip, can't tell you how many said, "you on a back to back, yes? "..yes, I am..

[LHP]

We have done many B2Bs and one of the funniest ones was when we told our cabin steward that we were doing a B2B....so on Debarkation Day of the 1st leg, his ASSISTANT knocks on the door about 9AM.

 

We were sitting there eating room service and he sees all our stuff still laying around.

 

He goes " you must pack and leave. Time to get off the ship"

 

So we explain to the Assistant that we are staying on for another cruise (apparently he was new) and had never heard of this.

 

He was so amazed that people actually did this.

[Mr Veendam]

Hi we"ve done alot of B to B cruises ! We are doing the Allure of the Seas & Carnival Breeze this summer as B to B cruises !! We don"t like doing B to B on the same ship because the only thing different the next week is the ports !! By doing it on a Different ship and line the hole next weeks cruise is different !! Now if it a 14 day cruise the food and shows and ports are different every night of the cruise !!

[big_duck]

We're doing the same B2B that you are! Didn't know about the fruit basket and wine.....now I'm super excited. I had even asked when I booked the second week if there were any extras and was told no. :confused:

 

Thanks.

I love the idea about doing the laundry - especially after reading about the wash and fold in another post.

 

Don't expect a gift it doesn't always happen. :(

[jimdalva]

We did B2B 0n the Paradise Nov. 2012 and never even got off the ship. I got 'the letter' but still went down to the desk to check. I asked 'do we have to get off' they said 'only if you want to'. That was in Tampa, other ports do it their own way.

[Pom Lover]

We are booked on our 3rd B2B in December on the Glory and we are hooked. We have to fly to the port so doing a B2B saves us money as we only have to buy one set of airline tickets. We travel with our 5 yr old granddaughter and she loves being able to stay on the ship when everyone else has to get off. She loves that the staff remember her the second week.