B2B New Orleans

[njoyndride]

We are just about to pull the trigger on a back to back on Conquest in September and would love to hear about everyone's B2B experience in New Orleans. We have done one other B2B, RCCL out of Fort Lauderdale, and was really annoyed at their process. We were told to meet for a "quick" off and back on which turned in to a 2 hour experience in wait wait wait. By the time they took us through immigration the weddings and Platinums & above were already on board. While we got to go immediately to our cabin it was really a let down.

 

This time with such an awesome turnaround port we'd like to disembark early and then reboard mid afternoon having a nice day in the French Quarter. Are we required to go through the immigration process as part of a group or can we disembark as we normally would and embark with the new cruisers later?

 

Can I bring 4 bottles of wine on the first cruise if I should boarding docs for both cruises?

 

Thanks for any help/advice you can give.

[kvosu1]

I don't have an answere for you but if your looking at September 1st we have a roll call going on the roll call boards.

[Publius1787]

We did a B2B on the Conquest this past January and it was fairly painless. We did have to wait a bit, maybe 30 mins, until all the other guests got off, but going through customs took no time and we got back on before anyone from the next sailing. We did not go back in NOLA in between, I have read that you can get a pass that will allow you to re-board the second half without waiting in lines.

[Betsybill]

We did a b2b on the Elation in NOLA this January. Met at the guest services desk at 9am. We were given "In Transit Guest" cards, our new S&S card, were "dinged" out with our old S&S card, and photographed for our new cards. We were escorted off to a seperate room, handed in our customs decleration, and escorted back on the ship. After lunch we took 2 bottles of liquer and dirty laundry off and put them in our car which was parked at the terminal. It was very easy to do.

[njoyndride]

I don't have an answere for you but if your looking at September 1st we have a roll call going on the roll call boards.

 

We are looking at 9/8 & 15 but if we change I'll definitely check out your roll call. :)

 

Thanks for the info Publius1787 and Betsybill!

 

Do you think we'd need to get off with the group first before heading out?

[firefly333]

I did a B2B on Triumph out of NOLA and it too went wrong. The rep walked us to a agent in the terminal, who was so slow.. it was like watching paint dry.. the agent left us and we had trouble reboading for at least half a hour of time we could have enjoyed the ship to ourselves.

 

NOLA messed up if you ask me.. but oh well. Just happened to be the slowest agent probably in the terminal to reissue our new cards.

 

Ive done 4 B2Bs so far.

[Betsybill]

We are looking at 9/8 & 15 but if we change I'll definitely check out your roll call. :)

 

Thanks for the info Publius1787 and Betsybill!

 

Do you think we'd need to get off with the group first before heading out?

 

It took about 20 - 30 min. for the turnaround. After that we walked all around the ship, just us and the crew. When people stated to board, we had lunch, got our stuff and debarked. Our new sign and sail card and "guest in transit" card got us back on board with ease. You can consider NOLA just another port of call. You can easily walk through the Riverwalk shopping area and the French Quarter and be back in plenty of time to sail.

[CRUZBUDS]

We're booked on the October 6th and 13th Conquest - there are two roll calls, but we're the only B2B folks so far.

 

The only B2B experiences we've had were from San Diego -- there you didn't even have to get off the ship. We just checked in the Customs on aboard in the morning - our new S & S cards were delivered the day before. :)

[njoyndride]

We're booked on the October 6th and 13th Conquest - there are two roll calls, but we're the only B2B folks so far.

 

The only B2B experiences we've had were from San Diego -- there you didn't even have to get off the ship. We just checked in the Customs on aboard in the morning - our new S & S cards were delivered the day before. :)

 

I'll definitely let you know how this went. I'm hoping to do a semi-live review (might keep me out of the casino...2 weeks is a long time :)) depends on the connection.

[Giantfan13]

We did a B2B a few years ago out of NO. Like some of the others, we did not get off the ship, but we had a few days before and after the cruise to check out NO.

Can't speak for other cruisers, but sailing out of NO is a real pain, and from the B2B, I will never do it again out of this port. It takes about 6-7 hours sailing up (or down) the Mississippi before you get out to sea. There is nothing to look at except refineries and old storage buildings and more refineries. Sailing in and out of NO was just not my idea of cruising. yes, once we hit the Gulf, things were much better, but be prepared for many hours of nothing to look at.

 

 

Cheers

 

Len

[CRUZBUDS]

Interesting perspective -- I thought it might be interesting -- In all the ports we've sailed from we were out to sea within a half hour or so. We are looking forward to something a bit different. We'll find out on our B2B in October on the Conquest! :)

[Hotdog 52]

I love sailing out of NO. Enjoy seeing the river sailing out of and back into via the river. Other ports, you are out to sea in 30 minutes. On your return, go the the front of the ship to see the oil rigs before entering the mouth of the river. It's a great sight at night. Enjoy your cruise.

[njoyndride]

I am looking foward to the river portion of the trip. We sailed Voyager of the Seas out of New Orleans a couple of years ago and I loved seeing what was happening on the shores of the river. That being said I think Miami is my favorite.

 

Anyone else have any feedback if they will let us off early?

[firefly333]

I am looking foward to the river portion of the trip. We sailed Voyager of the Seas out of New Orleans a couple of years ago and I loved seeing what was happening on the shores of the river. That being said I think Miami is my favorite.

 

Anyone else have any feedback if they will let us off early?

 

You can get off early with everyone else and then board with everyone else as usual (minus your luggage).

 

If you dont wait for everyone to be off and to be escorted into the port to get your new card, then you will have to wait to reboard and check in as usual, your choice.

 

But sure you could just walk off with everyone else and go thru customs as usual but you wouldnt be escorted off early, they wait for the entire ship to be debarked first.

[Betsybill]

On the Elation we were escorted off while many passengers were debarking, the Purser led us past everyone on the gangway, into a seperate room with one Customs Agent. He took our decleration. wished us a good cruise, then the Purser led us back onboard with people still debarking and more people waiting for their zones to be called to debark.

The longest part of the operation was walking down and up the gangway.

[firefly333]

On the Elation we were escorted off while many passengers were debarking, the Purser led us past everyone on the gangway, into a seperate room with one Customs Agent. He took our decleration. wished us a good cruise, then the Purser led us back onboard with people still debarking and more people waiting for their zones to be called to debark.

The longest part of the operation was walking down and up the gangway.

 

Good they didnt wait until the last was off. To be honest people were still lined up to get off and go thru customs when they lead us off .. but they had gotten off the ship, just lined up for customs when they lead us off.

 

Ive done 4 of them. Conquest in Galveston I caught a cold from someone the first week, so I wanted to get off and go to the store for cold medicine, but I waited until I was escorted off and had my new card before I went in search of a drug store miles away.

 

Really most everyone is off by 10 or 10:30 am .. so its not that much difference if its 9:30 or 10 or 10:30

[njoyndride]

You can get off early with everyone else and then board with everyone else as usual (minus your luggage).

 

If you dont wait for everyone to be off and to be escorted into the port to get your new card, then you will have to wait to reboard and check in as usual, your choice.

 

But sure you could just walk off with everyone else and go thru customs as usual but you wouldnt be escorted off early, they wait for the entire ship to be debarked first.

 

Exactly what I wanted to know, thank you so much!

[SadieN]

Doing a B2B on the Conquest in November and we will be in different cabins. When and how do we move our luggage?

[SadieN]

duplicate

[Cruisin'Doc]

How is parking handled on the B2B's out of NOLA? I know when you enter the parking garage at the terminal, you pay for the days you are going to be there - so do you pay for both cruises up front, do you need to exit the ship to pay for the second leg, pay at the end of the second leg, etc?

[gregg204]

My cousins from Oakland did a b2b last month from New Orleans. It was there first b2b. They were amazed how easy and smooth the process went. Also loved their 1st trip down the Mississippi. Said they would recommend that to anyone who has not done it once.

[lady_cruiser]

Our second B2B wasn't that great either on a Royal Caribbean ship out of New Orleans during our Dec 2012 cruise.

 

Of course the first leg was delayed several hours because of a big Noro outbreak with the passengers before us. We were delayed several hours because the Navigator was doing a deep cleaning.

 

Our first week on the ship we had less than 20 people who came down the virus so the ship had to be cleaned a second time which meant another delay in the terminal for our turn-around. By the time we were allowed to board, went to the dining room to have our special "chef prepared luncheon B2B meal" the ship was already crowded with everyone else coming aboard.

 

And even thouse we were B2Bers we were not allowed to access our cabins early. We had to wait until all the cabins were cleaned and inspected before we were allowed into them.

 

But on the good side - the ship never was cleaner.

 

As to your second question - yes you can disembark with everyone esle, tour the city and then reembark as is you were coming on for the first time.

[takmom]

As for the wine question...in the past we were allowed our 4 bottles, even our PVP told us it shouldnt be a problem, however last summer out of Miami we were not allowed to bring all 4 on. We kept 2 and than at the end of the first cruise we had to go pick up the other 2. It worked out fine, but it was quite embarrassing as they were reprimanding us for breaking the rules! We didnt have very nice shore crew :)

[nitro2448]

We done a B2B in December out of NOLA. It went great for us, yes we waited till everyone else was off the ship before we were escorted off, but from that point it took maybe 10 min.

[nitro2448]

Doing a B2B on the Conquest in November and we will be in different cabins. When and how do we move our luggage?

 

You just pack you're luggage up and leave it in the room. Your room steward will move it for you. If he can't someone will, but either way you won't have to move it.