Do we have to leave the ship

[keithm]

We've booked a B to B on the Regal on Feb.7. We wonder that when we return to Ft. Lauderdale after the first part, do we have to leave the ship?? or can we stay on board?

[ar1950]

We've booked a B to B on the Regal on Feb.7. We wonder that when we return to Ft. Lauderdale after the first part, do we have to leave the ship?? or can we stay on board?

 

Yes you will have to get off. You don't have to take any luggage off. If you are in the same cabins for both legs everything stays there. If changing cabins, pack up the small stuff in luggage, leave the stuff on hangers hanging up and the room steward will move it all to the new cabin.

 

You have two choices to get off. Get off whenever you want to before the last passengers are called off (We got off early and did an Everglades tour). Or get off with the B2B group, go through customs and then get back on with them.

 

You will get all information about the process delivered to your cabin the last night.

 

BTW, be sure to bring your passports or passport cards, the "in-transit" cards that you will receive the night before, and your cabin card(s).

Edited October 18, 2015 by ar1950

[riclop]

They will escort you off the ship thru immigration and then back on.

[Pam in CA]

The ship must be cleared of all passengers before boarding of new passengers can begin. This is a requirement of Homeland Security, not a Princess policy. When boarding is delayed, it's often due to B2B passengers not paying attention to instructions. It affects everything.

 

A year ago, I did a BVE on the Crown Princess in San Pedro and a few passengers either refused to disembark or figured they didn't have to. They delayed embarking passengers by over an hour, including a wedding party who were boarding for just a few hours for an onboard wedding.

 

Look for the instructions and follow them. :) If you want, you can disembark, go to the nearest supermarket or Total Wine, restock and re-board.

[OCruisers]

Please know it's easy. Princess will "Mother Hen" you thru the whole thing! :D

 

LuLu

[ar1950]

One other thing, you won't need to attend the muster drill on the beginning of the second leg! Yahtzee!! :D

[satxdiver]

As others stated you have to get off the ship for the US authorities and process through them again. Princess will herd you off, through the formalities and back on the ship ahead of the boarding pax. You can choose to stay off the ship and board with the new pax and can even leave the port for a tour or something else. The choice is yours. Just be sure to take the proper documentation when you get off. Yes, not having to attend the safety briefing the second time is great.

[Putterdude]

It will depend entirely upon the number of in-transit passengers there are and how CBP wants to do the clearing. We have had the experience in Fort Lauderdale where CBP has come aboard and done the clearance of everyone in one of the MDR and the next week everyone has had to go ashore to be cleared. In either case their is just a cursory glance at your passport and you will be provided with instructions as where and what time to meet and what to bring.

[dorisis]

You will receive written information in your cabin before the turn around day that explains the process and gives directions on what is necessary for you to do.

[Hlitner]

Just be forewarned that if you decide to go off with the small group that intends to get directly back on the ship....there can be delays. For those who do not take a tour or go into town on their own the procedure has a peril and its called CBP (Customs and Border Protection). So what happens is you will be escorted (in a group) off the ship by one of the crew. At this point you will go through the Passport/ID check conducted by a CBP official. This usually takes a minute. At that point you will be put in an area (within the terminal building) where you are held until such time as CBP "zeros out" the ship and allows passengers to reboard. If things go well this might only take 5 or 10 min. But if there is a problem, such as a missing passenger or crew member, they can hold you for a longer period of time which can even become hours instead of minutes.

 

This happened to us 2 years ago on a HAL ship. There was a young female passenger traveling with her infant and she "decided" not to get off the ship since her baby was sleeping (true story). They made announcements (ignored) and searched the ship for this lady and her baby and it took them over an hour to find her and get her off the ship (she insisted her baby did not need to be screened by CBP). Meanwhile about 100 of us (waiting to reboard) were cooling our heels in a terminal holding area wondering "why won't they let us reboard." We are aware of another instance on Carnival where they held everyone several hours until they could find a certain member of the crew (we were not told the whole story but some said there was a warrant for his arrest).

 

Hank

Edited October 18, 2015 by Hlitner

[emmak8]

Very simple as we have done it many times. Follow the directions that you receive in your cabin. If you are changing cabins, stewards will take care of everything.

[geoherb]

Hlitner's story is similar to what we experienced on the Ruby a couple of years ago. In our case, it was an older mother and daughter who were missing. We waited an hour for them in the Wheelhouse. They still hadn't shown up after numerous pages. Eventually we were led down and off the ship to have our passports checked. We then still had to wait for the pair to show up. They should have been forced to run the gauntlet.

[Essiesmom]

We have a similar story, but on a Celebrity ship in San Juan. They held us and held us in a lounge onboard while trying to find someone. We didn't know if it was a B2B passenger, or what. They finally led us off into the terminal, but after screening, they held us another hour without seating, kept coming around asking if we were so and so. they finally let us back on. One of my tablemates reported he was at guest services when the missing person showed up, wanting to know why her cabin was taped off with 'crime scene' type tape. Well, that's what they do when a passenger is missing, and might have gone overboard. Unfortunately, he didn't remain to eavesdrop on her reason for being 'missing'. Of course, it was 12:30 by then, and all boarding had been delayed...EM

[rdsqrl]

. . . . Unfortunately, he didn't remain to eavesdrop on her reason for being 'missing'. . . .

Wild horses couldn't have drug me away at that point: you just know the "reason" for her failure to appear was going to be brilliant in its stupidity. He coulda dined for a year on that story! Plus, I think the crime scene tape is totally the icing on the cake -- can you imagine the looks she got from her neighbours for the entire cruise?

[SadieN]

Wild horses couldn't have drug me away at that point: you just know the "reason" for her failure to appear was going to be brilliant in its stupidity. He coulda dined for a year on that story! Plus, I think the crime scene tape is totally the icing on the cake -- can you imagine the looks she got from her neighbours for the entire cruise?

 

 

Nothing travels as well as a good Travel Story.

[kangarooer]

Continuing along this line I am on a 15 day cruise of Japan next June?Jul. Depart Yokohama and return before setting off on Part 2. Will this be same that we must get off then re-board.Maybe a day trip somewhere might be best

[caribill]

Continuing along this line I am on a 15 day cruise of Japan next June?Jul. Depart Yokohama and return before setting off on Part 2. Will this be same that we must get off then re-board.Maybe a day trip somewhere might be best

 

All of the above posts are about USA laws.

 

Japanese laws may be different.

 

Either way, a day excursion in Japan is a good way to spend turnaround day.

[Times Prince]

We just booked a B2B out of Houston, our first B2B. While this thread answers the passport check question, we have a few others.

 

1. What time (approximately) is the immigration check for the in-transit passengers? During or after the normal disembarkation times? Do you have to vacate your cabin at 8 a.m., like those disembarking?

 

2. Are you given new cruise cards on turnaround day? If so, when?

 

3. Are there dining facilities open when the in-transit passengers are allowed to reboard? (Note - we had one cruise where we were some of the first to board, but nothing was open until noon.)

 

4. Are all recreational facilities open for in-transit passengers? How about bars or spa?

 

5. We will have our car in the port parking area. If we opt to drive to some local attraction, can we later immediately reboard without waiting in lines, other than security check?

 

Note - we are from Texas, and have visited many of the local tourist spots, so we will probably treat the turnaround day as a "sea day", relaxing and enjoying our private yacht until those newcomers board. Then we'll people watch the newbies, which can be really funny.

[fishywood]

We just booked a B2B out of Houston, our first B2B. While this thread answers the passport check question, we have a few others.

 

1. What time (approximately) is the immigration check for the in-transit passengers? During or after the normal disembarkation times? Do you have to vacate your cabin at 8 a.m., like those disembarking? If you are not changing cabins you certainly can stay until the meeting time for in-transit passengers. You have the option of meeting at the designated time or going ashore as soon as general disembarkation starts.

 

2. Are you given new cruise cards on turnaround day? If so, when? Unless changing cabins you will likely be given one card for your entire B2B. Just look at the expiration date when you board; if it does expire after the first leg just check the turnaround day instructions for when to collect your new one.

 

3. Are there dining facilities open when the in-transit passengers are allowed to reboard? (Note - we had one cruise where we were some of the first to board, but nothing was open until noon.) Breakfast hours will be listed in the turnaround day info you will be given. Lunch venues will open once boarding for new passengers starts. Sometimes part of the MDR that opens for lunch may be set aside for B2Bers.

 

4. Are all recreational facilities open for in-transit passengers? How about bars or spa? Bars will open when embarkation starts. Pools and gym will be open. Spa usually is undergoing a deep clean each turnaround day, opens for tours and appointments once boarding starts.

 

5. We will have our car in the port parking area. If we opt to drive to some local attraction, can we later immediately reboard without waiting in lines, other than security check? Yes, once general boarding starts, just show that you have your cruise card.

 

Note - we are from Texas, and have visited many of the local tourist spots, so we will probably treat the turnaround day as a "sea day", relaxing and enjoying our private yacht until those newcomers board. Then we'll people watch the newbies, which can be really funny.

 

See answers in red. No need to overthink or overplan, you will receive adequate instructions and be guided through the process which is simple and fast as long as all your fellow B2Bers cooperate.

[GUT2407]

we've booked a b to b on the regal on feb.7. We wonder that when we return to ft. Lauderdale after the first part, do we have to leave the ship?? Or can we stay on board?

 

 

i believe so