Confused about the 9-Night Caribbean Princess Sailings from Ft. Lauderdale

[kiester]

My apologies if this has been asked and answered; I did to a forum search but couldn't find an answer.

 

Why does the sailing return to Ft. Lauderdale mid-cruise? Is this more like a 5 night/4 night B2B but just combined?

 

Does one have to get off the ship at Ft. Lauderdale upon its first return (before continuing on)? If so, how long will they keep you off before re-boarding?

[paul929207]

It is sold both as a 9 day cruise and as a 4 and a 5 day cruise. Many will just take one of the two short cruises.

 

You will have to get off the ship and go thru immigration the morning you return to Fort Lauderdale. How long will depend on US officials and the cooperation of your fellow passengers. You will not be able to reboard until all passengers are off the ship

[Nan_Sea]

Yes,it is a B2B and you will need to get off the ship. It is fairly simple but it does take time.. In the past we have taken a tour in Ft.Lauderdale rather than spend time sitting in the terminal.

[robtulipe]

Yes, it's really B2B 4 and 5 nights cruises that Princess sells you as one cruise. What we experienced was when we didn't want to do a shore visit, we were given our new ship's card and got escorted off the ship as a group to get processed by Customs and Immigration, which basically was showing your ID or passport with no declaration and immediately got back on the ship before the new passengers start embarking.

If you do want to disembark then you have wait for the regular embarkation to start to get back on. The one time we did that there was a separate line for re-embarking passengers who were coming back to the ship.

Edited October 29, 2014 by robtulipe

[OCruisers]

On the many B2B cruises we've taken out of Ft. Lauderdale it is normally painless and fairly quick (they walk you through it). :)

As soon as all of the passengers from the previous cruise are off the ship, we have been allowed to go immediately back on the ship.

This can take longer at times when they are trying to find some who have not disembarked when they should have. :rolleyes:

LuLu

[eandj]

We look at other lines when we want longer cruises. Usually Celebrity. We don't like the idea of cruising back and forth.

[M4dC0w]

You will also get 2 cruise credits also, I did on my 9day in august

[fishywood]

You will also get 2 cruise credits also, I did on my 9day in august

 

That is true. But the tradeoff is that you are on a B2B of four and five night cruises--not a true nine-night sailing--so that many of the (as applicable to your particular status) Platinum/Elite/Suite benefits and events will be missing or curtailed per the "on cruises of seven nights or longer" fine print.

[Nan_Sea]

Which benefits are only on 7 days or longer?

[geoherb]

The other downside to taking b2b cruises versus one longer cruise is having repeated menus and entertainment. We did it anyway since it worked out better for us last December. I'd consider doing it again if it worked out better for us.

[lynwar]

We didn't realize it was a b2b when we booked the cruise because it was "sold" to us as a 9 day. Hubby was surprised. However, it worked out OK. It was no big deal to go to the terminal as a group and then back on. We kept our same cabin which was a big plus, too.

 

The upside was that we knew the crew and entertainers and had the same cabin steward. The food was secondary because we ate up on the Lido deck most of the time because of our schedule.

 

I would do it again.

 

Lynne

[Croptop]

I would do it again.

 

Agreed. My wife and I did a 9-day last February and had a great time. The turn around day in Ft. Lauderdale wasn't a big deal for us (although there was a bit of a delay while we waited for Customs to give the "all clear") and the two segments of the cruise were to different ports so there was no repetition for us. As for the repeated menu items and shows, that's not an issue for us. Good food is good food and if I liked it the first time, I'll like it again the second. As an added bonus, because we got credit for 2 cruises, we got bumped up to Platinum status one cruise sooner than we would have by taking "normal" cruises.

 

If the itinerary is to our liking, we would certainly do a B2B again.

[paul929207]

We have done longer cruises that could be booked as a b2b(2b) or as one cruise. I always check the price and the OBC. Taking both into account it is sometimes better to book one cruise, but other times a b2b works best. All things being equal, I will book the b2b. There are times where the drop the price on one leg, but not the other and not the one long cruise.

[Thrak]

I'm sitting here at work. Artificial lighting. No window.

 

I would absolutely love to be on this b2b cruise. Don't sweat the small stuff. Enjoy cruising. It's infinitely better than working!

[M4dC0w]

That is true. But the tradeoff is that you are on a B2B of four and five night cruises--not a true nine-night sailing--so that many of the (as applicable to your particular status) Platinum/Elite/Suite benefits and events will be missing or curtailed per the "on cruises of seven nights or longer" fine print.

 

I got all my full benefits as a 9 day cruise, free internet minutes etc.

 

Had a fcc that required a 7 day or more before it could be used, and also got 200obc pp. I was suprised I got 2 cruise credits

[pompeii]

I'm sitting here at work. Artificial lighting. No window.

 

I would absolutely love to be on this b2b cruise. Don't sweat the small stuff. Enjoy cruising. It's infinitely better than working!

 

I'm right there with you!! Staring at a wall in a cubicle under fluorescent lights! Can't wait to worry about our turnaround day in FLL in a couple of weeks!

[Pia1913]

Which benefits are only on 7 days or longer?

 

Most traveled luncheon.

[Nan_Sea]

Most traveled does not apply to us so nothing lost there.

[Pia1913]

Most traveled does not apply to us so nothing lost there.

 

LOL. I didn't think so, but posted it anyway. How about loyalty? Do you qualify for that?

[Nan_Sea]

We are Platinum and I don't see that we are loosing anything by doing the B2B. I do my research and book in the most advantageous way.

[paul929207]

You need to look at what OBC you are eligible for to see which way is better

[lynwar]

I saw that we have 10 Princess Cruises on our card. We are already Platinum so does it mean that we'll be up to 12 next time. If so, Yippee!!

 

For you folks who are working and looking forward to your cruise, I'd like to sneak into your luggage!! :D It takes me awhile to truly leave the ship, if you know what I mean. I haven't had a bad cruise yet!! :)

These cruise brochures and emails we keep receiving aren't helping my cause. I'd like to get back on board in November.... however, there are other obligations that must be taken care of first. Maybe in the Spring......

 

Lynne

[Nan_Sea]

You need to look at what OBC you are eligible for to see which way is better.

That's what I mean about research. We are booked for 9 days in Nov as a 4&5 because it was less expensive to book that way and we also have more OBC that way. It varies from cruise to cruise.

[Lovetocruiseprincess]

We didn't realize it was a b2b when we booked the cruise because it was "sold" to us as a 9 day. Hubby was surprised. However, it worked out OK. It was no big deal to go to the terminal as a group and then back on. We kept our same cabin which was a big plus, too.

 

The upside was that we knew the crew and entertainers and had the same cabin steward. The food was secondary because we ate up on the Lido deck most of the time because of our schedule.

 

I would do it again.

 

Lynne

So would we if the price was the same. :D

[fishywood]

Which benefits are only on 7 days or longer?

 

On the 4 night segment there will be no Captains Circle party; you will get a drink voucher in its place. I have seen various reports of both yes and no about the party on 5 night sailings.

 

Multiple posts of Elites not getting the complimentary wine tasting on short getwaways--whether this is because no wine tastings were held, or just the benefit denied perhaps someone else can confirm.

 

No formal nights on sailings shorter than five days, so do elites and suites get the canapes they would have received on that night? I've heard no.

 

And no Reflections DVD is produced, so no opportunity to use your 10% discount.