First Time B2B

[lindy sails]

Will be doing the first B2B cruise on the Regal in December. Booked the same cabin for both weeks. I understand B2B passengers get off the ship. Do you meet as a group? Do you go to the custom area? Can you leave the ship from there or does the group get back on the ship,then you can leave the ship? Do you exit terminal at the customer area? What time does this usually take place. We may do some things in Ft Lauderdale on the turn around day. Any information would be appreciated.

[weedpindle]

All you need to know

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=72990159

[cherylandtk]

You will be given specific instructions a day or two before the first cruise ends. A lot depends on how many back to back travelers there are on your sailing. In general, you can either

A) choose to get off the ship with the departing passengers and go into town, see some sights or do some shopping and wait to re-board until after the ship starts boarding new passengers. You generally would leave prior to 9:30 or 10, and wait until after 12 to reboard with your in-transit card.

OR

B) meet at an appointed time, usually just after the final debarkation group around 10 or 10:30, and get walked through the disembark-rembarkation process with your fellow back to back pax in about 15 minutes.

 

As mentioned, it all depends on the number of passengers; I was on one cruise last year where there were over 700 back to back passengers. They were strongly encouraged to go do something for the day, but even so, they had five or six debarkation groups just for the back to back re-boarding process. And it took several hours instead of the usual 15 minutes.

[lindy sails]

Thanks Cheryl for your detailed response.

You answered my questions very well.

[FritzG]

It also depends on how cooperative the b2b passengers are. You will be asked to report at a specific time, but nothing can happen until everyone arrives. If people are inconsiderate you could sit for a long time while you hear the same names being paged time after time. If everyone cooperates it can be a quick and easy process. Usually you have to get off the ship, have passports etc., checked, and reboard. Sometimes they do it right on the ship which is great and a lot quicker.

 

A slow b2b process also makes check in for the new passengers run late. On one cruise recently boarding didn't start until after 1pm because one b2b passenger couldn't be found.

Edited June 21, 2015 by FritzG

[lindy sails]

Great information! Thanks Fritz.

[flying fingers]

I did a B2B last January. There were over 600 people sailing both weeks. We met in the dining room and then just filed out past a customs officer who looked at our passports. Easy peasy. I was out at the back pool in the sunshine by 10:30. It was nice to just relax back there while everyone was boarding and running around! Any chance you could ever go in November? Debbie

[lindy sails]

How are you? When in Nov ?

Could you go on 12/13? I love the Regal.