Need to do anything Special for B2B?

[awestover89]

We are booked on our first B2B next February. We got the same cabin for both itineraries, and I know from reading posts on here that there is a special disembark line for us to get off, get our new SeaPass cards, and get back on.

 

Do we need to do anything like register with Royal beforehand so they know we are doing a B2B? Or do we just bring both SetSail Passes and that's good enough?

[davekathy]

We are booked on our first B2B next February. We got the same cabin for both itineraries, and I know from reading posts on here that there is a special disembark line for us to get off, get our new SeaPass cards, and get back on.

 

Do we need to do anything like register with Royal beforehand so they know we are doing a B2B? Or do we just bring both SetSail Passes and that's good enough?

No registering with RC for your B2B cruise. Some have posted once they are onboard they stop by guest services just to verify the ship has them listed as a B2Bers. We never do that. If you want (for peace of mind) you can print off the second Setsail Pass. We've never been asked for it on any of our B2B cruises. You will be given detailed instruction a day or two before the first leg of your B2B cruise is over on what the procedures are for the Turn Around Day for the second leg. RC does a great job with this so it's stress free and easy. The only thing we do is let our cabin attendant know we are doing a B2B cruise. The response always is with a big smile and something to the effect of "yes sir I see you are traveling with us for two weeks".

[Ashland]

On board they'll refer to you as "consecutive cruiser's". Remember your folio acct will be closed...no carry over of any OBC you may have from the first leg. It really is treated like two individual cruises.

 

A letter will be left in your cabin with the place and time for your group meeting and all the info you need. At that meeting which will probably be on the last sea day they'll go over everything with you then and give you your new SeaPass cards. Depending on the option you choose on turn around day, and that will be to stay onboard, take an excursion or depart the ship on your own...you will be given the details on doing either of these.

 

We opted to stay on board but had to meet at a certain time and location and walked off the ship as a group and thru customs/immigration and walked back on board this just took a couple of minutes.

 

We were looking forward to having the ship to ourselves...it was really only about an hour before new cruiser's started boarding.

 

Love the B2B's and looking forward to our next one again in San Juan.

[Nessa1dc]

We did our First Back to Back in January of this year, and doing it again in January 2018....we loved it.

 

I printed both of my Set N Sail Passes for my own sanity....here are some things you should know.

 

1. You can bring your 2 free bottles of wine/champagne for both cruises (a total of 4)...make sure that security knows you are on back to back cruises (another reason for 2nd Set n Sail pass)....our security didn't even ask...but just in case.

 

2. Around the middle of your first cruise, you will receive and invite to attend a gathering of back to backers....this is where they tell you what to do on the end of the first cruise.

 

3. Be sure to check with your room attendant (if he doesn't check with you first) about you doing a B2B at the end. This way, he will clean your room first so that after going through customs, you can come back to your room.

 

4. Day of turn-a-around, you will likely be in a lounge with pastries, juice and coffee. Then the crew member in charge will march you off the ship, where you will sit for about 10 minutes while they check that everyone is there....then you head back on pass a customs agent (we had to fill out a customs form, but they didn't check it)

 

5. Once you are back on the ship, you can go back to your room and then they normally have a nice lunch for you in the main dining room....

 

It really is a fabulous experience. It was so nice at the end of the first cruise, knowing that we were doing it all over again. LOVED IT!

[Retired LEO]

We did our First Back to Back in January of this year, and doing it again in January 2018....we loved it.

 

I printed both of my Set N Sail Passes for my own sanity....here are some things you should know.

 

1. You can bring your 2 free bottles of wine/champagne for both cruises (a total of 4)...make sure that security knows you are on back to back cruises (another reason for 2nd Set n Sail pass)....our security didn't even ask...but just in case.

That all depends on the port and who's working that day. They may hold 2 bottles and return them at the end of the first cruise.

 

2. Around the middle of your first cruise, you will receive and invite to attend a gathering of back to backers....this is where they tell you what to do on the end of the first cruise.

This depends on the ship. You may just receive a letter as to the time and place to go on the last morning.

 

3. Be sure to check with your room attendant (if he doesn't check with you first) about you doing a B2B at the end. This way, he will clean your room first so that after going through customs, you can come back to your room.

 

4. Day of turn-a-around, you will likely be in a lounge with pastries, juice and coffee. Then the crew member in charge will march you off the ship, where you will sit for about 10 minutes while they check that everyone is there....then you head back on pass a customs agent (we had to fill out a customs form, but they didn't check it)

This depends on the ship on whether they have any pastries and such. They're doing away with customs forms at US ports.

 

5. Once you are back on the ship, you can go back to your room and then they normally have a nice lunch for you in the main dining room....

Depends on the ship and how many consecutive cruisers there are. Some ships have a lunch and some ships don't.

 

It really is a fabulous experience. It was so nice at the end of the first cruise, knowing that we were doing it all over again. LOVED IT!

 

Answers noted in red above.

[davekathy]

We did our First Back to Back in January of this year, and doing it again in January 2018....we loved it.

 

I printed both of my Set N Sail Passes for my own sanity....here are some things you should know.

 

1. You can bring your 2 free bottles of wine/champagne for both cruises (a total of 4)...make sure that security knows you are on back to back cruises (another reason for 2nd Set n Sail pass)....our security didn't even ask...but just in case.

 

2. Around the middle of your first cruise, you will receive and invite to attend a gathering of back to backers....this is where they tell you what to do on the end of the first cruise.

 

3. Be sure to check with your room attendant (if he doesn't check with you first) about you doing a B2B at the end. This way, he will clean your room first so that after going through customs, you can come back to your room.

 

4. Day of turn-a-around, you will likely be in a lounge with pastries, juice and coffee. Then the crew member in charge will march you off the ship, where you will sit for about 10 minutes while they check that everyone is there....then you head back on pass a customs agent (we had to fill out a customs form, but they didn't check it)

5. Once you are back on the ship, you can go back to your room and then they normally have a nice lunch for you in the main dining room....

 

It really is a fabulous experience. It was so nice at the end of the first cruise, knowing that we were doing it all over again. LOVED IT!

 

Not true for all ports or ships.

[bouhunter]

On Jewel last winter we didn't leave the ship in SJU. We gathered in the Viking Crown Lounge and took care of things there.:)

[biomedbob]

We've only done about a dozen b2bs so we aren't the end-all-be-all.

 

Each have been unique. Once we disembarked into an area where the booze stores were located and past the security scanners where they looked for booze. Everyone loaded up.

 

Sometimes, easy peasy. Walk off walk on, luncheon complete with a wide chose of wine available.

 

Once they screw up where to meet and we wandered around looking for our "loyalty ambassador".

 

Another, most forgetable, there were about 4 couples, us included, that they overlooked printing our 2nd cruise passes. We had to wait almost to the m-drill before they gave us some to get back on board.

 

Good Luck!

[RenieRaider]

We did our First Back to Back in January of this year, and doing it again in January 2018.......

 

It really is a fabulous experience. It was so nice at the end of the first cruise, knowing that we were doing it all over again. LOVED IT!

 

That says it all! We have ALWAYS wanted to do a B2B. If you were to do a 4 Day - 3 Day B2B....would it be the same feeling?

[BND]

We're doing our first b2b in a couple of months on Oasis. When you do your online check in for the first and second leg, in the section where you address departure times/mode and arrival times/mode , there's a choice of consecutive cruiser to select. So, arrival time/mode for first leg is arriving to port, then departure is consecutive cruiser, arrival for second leg is consecutive cruiser and then departure is your time/mode leaving. Everything else in between apparently varies as you can tell from previous posts. One person's experience doesn't mean that's what will happen. It varies as you can see from ship to ship and cruise to cruise.

 

Our hope is that ours is smooth and we walk off/walk on, have lunch and relax.

[awestover89]

That says it all! We have ALWAYS wanted to do a B2B. If you were to do a 4 Day - 3 Day B2B....would it be the same feeling?

 

This is a 3 day into a 7 day, so we'll find out partially :cool:

[ALSEAU]

We're doing our first b2b in a couple of months on Oasis. When you do your online check in for the first and second leg, in the section where you address departure times/mode and arrival times/mode , there's a choice of consecutive cruiser to select. So, arrival time/mode for first leg is arriving to port, then departure is consecutive cruiser, arrival for second leg is consecutive cruiser and then departure is your time/mode leaving. Everything else in between apparently varies as you can tell from previous posts. One person's experience doesn't mean that's what will happen. It varies as you can see from ship to ship and cruise to cruise.

 

Our hope is that ours is smooth and we walk off/walk on, have lunch and relax.

 

One other major variable is are you at a US domestic port or an international port which has different rules and regulations.

[Cinders411]

We are so excited about our first B2B in Oct! :D

[Pstreet12]

On one, we were excited about staying on ship, etc. However, Noro virus came to visit on the first cruise, so everyone had to get off--and stay off--until about 2:00 or 2:30 pm while they did their sanitizing. That definitely made doing a B-2-B less exciting.