Collector Cruise versus Back to Back?

[iflyrc5]

We have done several collectors cruises over the years and understand the process very well. You get on with your 1 bottle of wine per person - keep your key card for both legs of the cruise - get off during the stop to get the ship count down to Zero - get back on - one bill for the entire cruise.

 

In January we are doing a Back to Back - same ship - same cabin. Embark the Statendam in Ft. Lauderdale with our one bottle of wine per person - go through the canal and end up in San Diego after 15 days - I assume we will need to get off to get the head count down to zero. Now the questions - since this is a new cruise can we head over to the local Walgreens and get another bottle of wine per person and bring it on board for our 30 days to the south pacific? Do we need to check in again like we do during our initial boarding or is that already taken care of during our checking in Ft. Lauderdale - Also - will there be a new billing cycle started? Each cruise has a separate booking number and I got the stock ownership OBC for each leg so I assume that they are really 2 different cruises and we should be able to bring on the additional wine in San Diego.

 

No big deal either way - just wondering.

[sail7seas]

Technically probably not but in practical terms, you likely would be okay doing that. Best is for you to ask on the ship but, of course, if you get a "No" and then try it, it could be embarrassing.

 

[innlady1]

I would guess that since you have two separate booking numbers, it's considered two separate cruises...and you can bring on wine for each cruise.

[sail7seas]

There were several times we booked two cruises as b-to-b and at a future time, HAL combined them and made the bookings Collector's. It was odd they never consulted us but just did it. We got a small discount but it surprised me to not be asked in advance. Your b-to-b's could possibly be combined at some future time.

[Cruzin Terri]

If it were I, I would just play dumb. Don't ask any questions. Since you have two different booking numers, it's two cruises, then, two more bottles of wine. If you don't ask, they can't say no.

Terri

[RMLincoln]

It would make logical sense to be able to bring on a new pair of wine bottles without corkage fee, but in practicality when we have turned around we had an 'in transit' pass and usually we were escorted off the ship, past the customs agent and back onto the ship... although we could have left the ship earlier and boarded again later in the day, but again, with an 'in transit' pass, not as a newly embarking passenger. I'd like to hear from those who have tired it recently. m--