Back to Back Cruise -What Happens at Changeover?

[richarduk]

Hi,

 

We're considering a 22 day Med back to back and have a few questions regarding what happens on changeover day?

 

1. Cabins - Do you get your cabin changed like everyone else for a total bedding change, therefore have to temporarily vacate?

 

2. Meals - I assume this is no issue, therefore I assume that by the time breakfast is over, lunch starts normal time for embarkation.

 

3. Is there anything else I should consider?

 

Thanks for your assistance. We're so looking forward to the feeling of seeing most disembark with a little grin on our faces!:D

Edited May 13, 2014 by richarduk

[CruiserBruce]

No need for a total change over in your room, as new pax aren't occupying your room. You are.

 

Normal last day food operations occur. Breakfast starts earlier. Lunch starts at normal time. Code Orange starts at lunch.

[Alberta Quilter]

We chose to get off the ship, in Civitavecchia, on turnaround day. I don't recall whether we received new bedding or not. I assume we did but it may not have been that particular day as that would ease the workload on that day.

 

Meals work as they normally do. You may attend the embarkation lunch in the MDR on turnaround day.

 

HAL will give you a letter a day or to prior to turnaround which outlines your options for the day. There may be special tours available for you or you can do your own thing. If they want you to get off the ship for a period of time, for a deep clean, they put that in the letter or will mention it in a talk for those on collector cruises.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[Krazy Kruizers]

As to the changing of the sheets -- we have had a mixed bag.

Sometimes the sheets were changed on turn around day, sometimes the day before and some times the day after. Each ship does their own thing.

Breakfast will be earlier -- check the times in the Cruise Log. We have been on cruises when a lot of people stayed on the second leg. As a result the evening before turn-around, we did get the next day's daily "On Location" program.

And as mentioned, you will have to go through the 48 hour Code Orange in the Lido.

[KirkNC]

Are you going to be in the US or overseas? That will impact whether you need to get off and go through customs or just treat it like another port day.

[RuthC]

Are you going to be in the US or overseas? That will impact whether you need to get off and go through customs or just treat it like another port day.

 

OP said it was a Mediterranean cruise, so there would be no extra government formalities. It's treated as any other port day.

If it were a US port, the passengers would have to clear Immigration, not Customs.

[Louise sail]

We usually ask for a few extra towels the day before and tell the stewards to forget about us on embarkation day for the new cruisers. The stewards all seem to work so hard on the turnover.

 

Have a fantastic cruise

[Bill B]

I've done many back-to-backs, and like Louise, always tell the steward to 'skip' my room on changeover/turnaround day. They seem to really appreciate it!

[richarduk]

Thanks for your responses.

[heathriel]

I haven't yet done a back to back, but I've done an alternate-port boarding and been through a changeover day before my disembarkation day.

 

What everyone else has said was basically the same for me, with one minor variation. The night before everyone else leaving, they sent those of us who were staying on board a special memo was included with the next day's daily itinerary that told us to ignore all the bells, and that if we wanted to leave the ship we could do so but we had to wait until the 7:30AM bell (the first one was going to be at 6:30AM). It said if we did get off, we wouldn't be able to get back on until after Noon due to traffic at the port. (I can't remember the exact wording they used, but it was something to that effect).

 

Also, it suggested that we steer clear of the common areas during the switch if we were staying on the ship, and told us to go to the King's Room for breakfast/lunch.

 

We didn't book a tour that day, but we did get off early, grabbed a taxi and wandered around town. We got back while they were still boarding people but after noon, so I don't know if they would have stopped us or not. We went back to our cabin and missed most of the "We're on a ship!" newbie hubbub.