B2B Cabin Charge Question

[tcdcruiser]

When cruising a B2B to you need to pay-in-full your charges at the end of segment 1 and then again at the end of segment 2?

 

Alternatively, does Princess just keep rolling the charges through both segments and you pay once

 

Hoping to be able to cover my segment 1 charges with OBC I will have available starting with segment 2.

 

Thanks

[VaCruzers]

No, you'll have to settle up on the first cruise and start with a zero balance on the second. A possible exception may be if the B2B was booked as one cruise. For example, sometimes two 7 nights are also marketed and available to book as a 14 night.

[moki'smommy]

We were booked as 2 cruises for 2 cruises that were never marketed as a single cruise. We got an accounting at the end of the first leg that SAID excursions had been billed to the credit card, but in reality they were not. At the end of the second leg, we got a final accounting for both cruises and they DID use the non refundable OBC from the second cruise toward some of the charges from the first cruise.

 

I was in your situation--lots of non-refundable OBC on the second leg but relatively little on the first. If it matters, we stayed in the same cabin. This was August 4-24, 2016. I'v saved my print outs from both cruises in case something funky shows up on my credit card, but I can access my accounts on line and there are no charges from Princess.

Edited September 3, 2016 by moki'smommy

[-Lew-]

We were on the Royal for 27 days last winter...a B2B2B. The first 20 days were booked as one cruise with the final 7 days booked as a separate cruise. Our folio was kept open throughout the 27 days with one credit card charge on the 27th day.

 

[JF - retired RRT]

We've done several B2Bs. The charges on cruise 1 rolled over to cruise 2 and final accounting was done at the end.

 

It doesn't matter if you stay in the same cabin or move. Our folio followed us wherever we slept.

[tcdcruiser]

Thanks. Was hopeful my non refundable obc for segment two could be used to pay for segment one expenses. Did not want to bother with the casino trick.

[caribill]

Thanks. Was hopeful my non refundable obc for segment two could be used to pay for segment one expenses. Did not want to bother with the casino trick.

 

Just be sure to check with the Purser's desk to have them make sure your account will roll over to the second segment.

 

It nearly always does, but it does not hurt to make sure.

[caribill]

No, you'll have to settle up on the first cruise and start with a zero balance on the second.

 

That is true on Carnival and RCCL.

 

That is not the way it is done on Princess.

[VaCruzers]

That is true on Carnival and RCCL.

 

That is not the way it is done on Princess.

 

Actually, that was my experience on Princess. I'll apologize to the OP if my experience was atypical leading me to share potentially inaccurate information, but it is a true account of my experience on our B2B Princess cruises.

 

caribill, your statement is not the way it is always done on Princess.

Edited September 3, 2016 by VaCruzers

[Belle]

Of all my b2b's the bill for both is at the end.

They will use your OBC doesn't matter what

cruise you got it on.

Can always ask up front. I do in case of change

to make sure and it's always at the end. Also doesn't

matter if you change cabins. Go and enjoy! Don't worry!

[skynight]

No, you'll have to settle up on the first cruise and start with a zero balance on the second. A possible exception may be if the B2B was booked as one cruise. For example, sometimes two 7 nights are also marketed and available to book as a 14 night.

Not accurate

No matter how booked the net balances at the end of the first segment roll over to the second segment. This is how it has been for quite a few years. As an example this past Feb/Mar. we were on the Royal for two 7 day cruises, followed by two 10 day cruises, a b2b2b2b. We received one final invoice at the end of all four segments which was then charged to our credit card.

[Hlitner]

We think the answer lies in the "booking number" that you get for your cruise. If both cruises are covered under a single booking number, then for accounting purposes, it should be considered a single cruise. But if you have separate booking number for each cruise, then they are treated separately as two different cruises. In such a situation, with your OBCs, we would certainly pay a visit to Guest Relations early in the first cruise and ask if there is anyway they can combine the two cruises for purposes of a single charge and combining OBCs. We think the answer will be no...but it does not hurt to ask.

 

Hank

[moki'smommy]

I don't know if a "booking number" is the same as a "confirmation number," but we had different confirmation numbers and still one folio, one final bill.

[skynight]

We think the answer lies in the "booking number" that you get for your cruise. If both cruises are covered under a single booking number, then for accounting purposes, it should be considered a single cruise. But if you have separate booking number for each cruise, then they are treated separately as two different cruises.

 

Hank

Not accurate.

See my post #11.

We had 3 different booking numbers on those b2b2b2b's. To provide additional b2b examples, 2015 - Star - 3 booking nos., 2014 - Royal - 2 booking nos., 2013 - Grand - 2 booking nos., 2012 - Star - 2 booking nos.. On all of these voyages the net balances on our accounts rolled over and we received one charge on final disembarkation. This is the way Princess' on board accounting system is handled. We never had to visit passenger services, but if it makes the OP feel better they certainly can. By the way if you are in the same cabin you will receive one cruise card for the entire time you are on the ship.

[Coral]

I have had it done both ways on Princess! Check when you get onboard to see how it is handled for your ship/cruise.

[easyboy]

On our 14day b2b, we received only one charge at the end of the cruise.

[PescadoAmarillo]

Just be sure to check with the Purser's desk to have them make sure your account will roll over to the second segment.

 

It nearly always does, but it does not hurt to make sure.

 

There is a box that needs to be checked in their system that triggers the rollover. If your cruises are linked as B2B by your TA, the box is automatically checked. If not, you can still visit the PSD and asked for them to be linked so that the charges roll over.

[Lucky TGO]

I do B2B cruises all the time and received my bill on the last segment night

I always book my cruises with different confirmation numbers. If that matters?

Tony

[DougH]

On every one I've done the charges from the first segment were just rolled into the second one. (even with two booking #'s) Last year I even did a B2B2B and still only had one bill.

 

Not sure why it really matters, you're not paying any more and why care if you had two separate charges on your credit card?

[moki'smommy]

Not sure why it really matters, you're not paying any more and why care if you had two separate charges on your credit card?

 

Why it would matter--because you might have a lot of OBC on one cruise (more than you planned to spend), but a much lesser amount on the other. Being able to combine them allows you to use up all the non-refundable OBC before you touch the "real money."

[islandatsea]

Why it would matter--because you might have a lot of OBC on one cruise (more than you planned to spend)' date=' but a much lesser amount on the other. Being able to combine them allows you to use up all the non-refundable OBC before you touch the "real money."[/quote']

 

Excellent point.

[Coral]

On every one I've done the charges from the first segment were just rolled into the second one. (even with two booking #'s) Last year I even did a B2B2B and still only had one bill.

 

Not sure why it really matters, you're not paying any more and why care if you had two separate charges on your credit card?

 

Yea - it does matter. I had a large bill on first leg and had extra money on third leg.

[skynight]

On every one I've done the charges from the first segment were just rolled into the second one. (even with two booking #'s) Last year I even did a B2B2B and still only had one bill.

 

Not sure why it really matters, you're not paying any more and why care if you had two separate charges on your credit card?

The separate charges could wind up in two different billing cycles. You may not arrive home before the initial due date. Not everyone pays on line or has direct payment of credit card accounts.

[Hlitner]

I have had it done both ways on Princess! Check when you get onboard to see how it is handled for your ship/cruise.

 

We have also had it handled both ways (sometimes combined...sometimes not combined). The reason we suggested stopping at Guest Relations (early on your first cruise) is to ascertain how it would be handled on your cruise. And if it is not going to be handled the way you prefer (combined or split) you can resolve it at that time. If you truly care how they handle the charges (we normally do not care) then you need to resolve it BEFORE they post the charges and close out the account. Once you are on the 2nd cruise and discover that they closed out your first cruise accounting...it is too late to get it changed (to combined).

 

Forty+ years of extensive cruising has taught us some lessons...one important one being not to assume how accounting is handled on any group of voyages. We should add that there are sometimes situations where one would want charges split under two different booking numbers. For example, if we were to combine two...14 day cruises we would have a 28 day booking (with a single booking number) which would entitle us to $250 Stockholder Credit and $250 Military credit. But if we did it as two separate bookings (with two booking numbers) we would get those OBCs for both cruises (totally $1000 OBC). So in this case, if all other things were equal...we would specifically have our cruise agent do it as separate bookings.

 

Hank