Need Help On What You Have to Do for a Back to Back Cruise

[TEMAY]

Once again I am new at posting stuff but want to thank all you experienced cruisers who really take the time to help us less experienced cruisers. I have really learned alot of tips and information that is invaluable.I am not sure if I am allowed to ask more than one question or not My first post or question was yesterday and I forgot to ask help with this.

 

Ok so here is my question , I just booked two cruises with a travel agency with Carnival Cruise. Now I asked the agent to book me a back to back as we wanted to stay longer on the ship but they only had the two separate sailings one after the other.I said I do not want to have to change rooms and would like the same room. She then did get the same room but said we would have to get off and go through immigration again and she thinks we would have to pack back up our suitcases and take them with us. She told us when we get on to go to the cruise desk and let them know we are doing a back to back and they will escort us off the ship when the first week is up.

 

If any of you know how to do this I could really use the info. Oh my goodness what a pain it is to have to pack everything back up and go back and stand with your luggage. This just seems kind of strange . I mean my bags would have cleared the first week and then everytime I may go off the ship I would have to go through a security again so I would not be able to have brought anything bad back on during the week, it just seems odd to me , but then again I have no idea . I do have the same cabin already booked and confirmed for the two weeks.

 

Any Info or tips would be much appreciated :)

Edited July 11, 2014 by TEMAY
sounded too long winded

[CruiserBruce]

As some of this is cruise line dependent, particularly on their procedures for the day of "turnaround", best to ask on the Carnival board.

 

It also depends on what port you are talking about. A US port (with no US port prior) requires the ship to "zero down"- that is, all pax must get off and go thru Immigration. But you never have to pack up and take your stuff ashore- you don't go thru Customs. If you don't get the same cabin for the second cruise, you will have to move your stuff to your new cabin- the cabin stewards usually help with this. But you don't take your stuff off the ship.

 

Foreign ports usually don't require the "zero down".

Edited July 11, 2014 by CruiserBruce

[TEMAY]

Thanks again :) The cruise leaves Miami and goes back , then of course the 2nd week starts and ends once again in Miami. Sounds stupid but what is the Carnival Board , Do you mean the actual Carnival .com site ??

 

Thanks also for your help yesterday , very helpful indeed :)

Edited July 11, 2014 by TEMAY
forgot to thank him

[spookwife]

 

Ok so here is my question , I just booked two cruises with a travel agency with Carnival Cruise. Now I asked the agent to book me a back to back as we wanted to stay longer on the ship but they only had the two separate sailings one after the other. That's how it has to be booked as they are two separate cruises I said I do not want to have to change rooms and would like the same room. She then did get the same room but said we would have to get off and go through immigration again and she thinks we would have to pack back up our suitcases and take them with us. incorrect. if you have the same cabin you do NOT have to pack everything up at all. you will get the information necessary to clear customs at the end of the first cruise the night before. every port does it differently so you might have to physically leave the ship but will be allwoed to trun right aroudn and get back on board( even before the rest of the passengers do) or youcan just do everything in a room somewhere and be released to wander. even if you did have to change cabins the cabins steward will move everything to the new cabin for you.She told us when we get on to go to the cruise desk and let them know we are doing a back to back and they will escort us off the ship when the first week is up. correct

 

 

 

relax. it;s painless and you will be one of the lucky few to have access top your cabin all morning and not have to wait until 1 pm like everyone else on the second leg.

[paul929207]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

There is no limit to the number of questions you can ask. So just ask away.

 

On turnaround day (end of first leg and start of second), you will get instructions from the ship a day of two before the end of the first leg. You should not have to take anything other than you cruise card and ID off. You will not have to pack up your things.

 

Have a great trip

[OCruisers]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

There is no limit to the number of questions you can ask. So just ask away.

 

On turnaround day (end of first leg and start of second), you will get instructions from the ship a day of two before the end of the first leg. You should not have to take anything other than you cruise card and ID off. You will not have to pack up your things.

 

Have a great trip

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

Per Paul's reply above, taking a B2B is easy! You'll have a wonderful time. :)

LuLu

[CruiserBruce]

Thanks again :) The cruise leaves Miami and goes back , then of course the 2nd week starts and ends once again in Miami. Sounds stupid but what is the Carnival Board , Do you mean the actual Carnival .com site ??

 

Thanks also for your help yesterday , very helpful indeed :)

 

The Carnival board is one of the links I gave you yesterday. It is a part of Cruise Critic that specializes in Carnival Cruise Line info.

[TEMAY]

Thank you all so much :) It is so nice to have such wonderful people to help , it was a concern , not a huge deal but just the unknown of what we would have to do . So excited to find this info out though it is going to be soooooo nice to be able to get on the ship earlier and maybe even get to try one of those nice Cabanas we saw on the adult deck area :) :)

 

RE: Bruce I didnt know it was called a board lol!! I just clicked what you gave me and thought it was called a thread. Thanks :)

 

Thanks to you all , All THE BEST FROM CANADA :)

[cruisead]

You will get a letter in your cabin a night or two before the first cruise ends. That letter will contain instructions for what happens on turn around day. But generally speaking, you will meet with a ship's officer in a specific room, at a specific time where you will be escorted off the ship to go through Customs and Immigration. You will have to bring both your sign and sail cards with you, one to clock off the ship and the new one to get back on. You will also need your passport. Once through all that, you can choose to get back on the ship or you can leave and tour around Miami.

 

FYI, make sure you tell your TA that's she's wrong about packing up and taking your things off the ship. You definitely Do NOT have to take your luggage off after the first cruise.

[CruiserBruce]

But generally speaking, you will meet with a ship's officer in a specific room, at a specific time where you will be escorted off the ship to go through Customs and Immigration.

 

You DON'T go thru Customs. Only Immigration. You go thru Customs with the little blue form (I-94, IIRC) when you return to the US. That is not required on the turnaround day of a B2B cruise.

[cruisead]

We had to fill out the US Customs forms for both cruises individually---and we've done 4 B2B cruises. So I'm confused by what you're saying. Each cruise is counted separately as far as US Customs, and you can only take the personal exemption for one of the cruises as there's a rule about only allowing the exemption every 30 days.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done quite a few back-to-back cruises.

Many times the cruise lines have Canadians and other foreigners go through immigration on the ship. The letter you get at the end of the first cruise will indicate if you have to do this. Even if you go through immigration on the ship, you will still have to get off the ship in Miami. You will not have to pack up your suitcases since you have the same cabin. You can not get back onto the ship until it is gets down to what is called "zero" count. That means that all passengers are off the ship. Sometimes we have waited only 15 minutes to get back on -- and quite a few times we have waited 1 1/2 hours to get back onto the ship.

There was a time when we filled out the customs form -- but on HAL we haven't done that in a long time.

In your letter you will also get your new ID card. When you leave the ship on what we call "Intransit" day, you will scan your old card. When you get back on, you will scan your new card. HAL started something new (and great in my opinion) a few years ago where they made quite a few back-to-back cruises a Collectors Cruise where we now only get one ID card.

Also -- you will be required to attend the second segment's lifeboat drill.

[CruiserBruce]

We had to fill out the US Customs forms for both cruises individually---and we've done 4 B2B cruises. So I'm confused by what you're saying. Each cruise is counted separately as far as US Customs, and you can only take the personal exemption for one of the cruises as there's a rule about only allowing the exemption every 30 days.

 

It may be because Carnival doesn't sell the B2B as one cruise (like other cruise lines do) you have to do the Customs declaration for each cruise. We have also done 4 B2Bs, all sold as one cruise, and have only done the Customs declaration for the final day going home.

[Keith1010]

If you are returning to the USA on the first voyage you will have to go through customs and immigration but you will not have to take your luggage off the ship. The crew will help you move from one room to the other. They will put priority in getting the other room cleaned up after the people in that room vacate the room.

 

Keith

[Mary Ellen]

The crew will help you move from one room to the other. They will put priority in getting the other room cleaned up after the people in that room vacate the room.

:confused: The OP has the same cabin for both cruises. No need for the crew to help them move or deal with needing the cabin cleaned quickly after "people vacate the room".

[Keith1010]

You are right. I read it wrong.

 

The original poster will not have to pack anything.

 

However, when you arrive back to a USA port before the next cruise everyone has to go through customs and immigration whether you are a disembarking passengers or in transit (staying on for the next cruise). But no need to pack.

 

Keith

[TEMAY]

Thanks again everyone. I just love this site :) Ok so now I know my husband and I will both have to get off and go through customs and immigration since we are Canadians and thank goodness we dont have to take our luggage but does anyone know if a Carnival employee will show us where to go and where we come back at ?? So passports, card from Carnival , and should we have drivers licenses and credit card with us also ?? Thanks again for any help so much appreciated more than you know :)

[paul929207]

Thanks again everyone. I just love this site :) Ok so now I know my husband and I will both have to get off and go through customs and immigration since we are Canadians and thank goodness we dont have to take our luggage but does anyone know if a Carnival employee will show us where to go and where we come back at ?? So passports, card from Carnival , and should we have drivers licenses and credit card with us also ?? Thanks again for any help so much appreciated more than you know :)

You will not need a DL or CC. Passport and the card from Carnival will do