Back to Back Cruises

[tiger1938cb]

My wife and I will be doing our first back to back cruises in January 2006. (Westerdam - January 15 and January 22).Since we have not done back to backs before, we would appreciate any information and hints that those of you have done back to backs can give us.

 

Our TA told us that we do not have to get off the ship when it returns to Port Everglades in the middle of our back to backs. Will we still have to report to immigration on the ship at the end of our first leg? Would we be able to take a Ft. Lauderdale shore tour on that day while the ship loads for our second cruise leg?

 

These will be our 7th and 8th cruises and the above may be dumb questions, but we are curious as to the routines involved.

 

Any information would be greatly appreciated.

 

tiger1938cb

[kakalina]

Tiger1938c, Hi. DH and I have taken many b2b and love them. On our most recent last month 44 days on the Veendam, when we terminated the first time in Tampa we were required to go through customs. We went to the customs people in the card room and asked them since we were staying on if we could declare it all on the final form , they said fine and we filled out the immigration form declaring nothing and it worked fine. We were not required to leave the ship however, we could if we wished. We had to take care of some things in town and had no problem. If you do leave the ship you can not get back on until the ship has cleared and they start to let passengers on. There are shorex's and then the above doesn't apply.

By now you should know there are no dumb question. We leave on the Amsterdam on Jan 6 for 30 days in the South Pacific enjoy your cruise and Happy Holidays.

[sail7seas]

We have done many badck-to-backs and have more booked. You will LOVE it.

 

On the last night of your first cruise, they will deliver a letter to you which will detail meal hours for your turnaround day; they will give you your new ID cards and instructions about Immigration.

 

MOST of the time (though it can vary very slightly), you have the choice to wait until the last group of disembarking passengers is called and you would then go through Immigration (held in the terminal and not aboard the ship) and may then return immediately to the ship if you wish. The reason we wait for the last group is that we do not wish to stay ashore and we aren't permitted to reboard until all disembarking passengers have left. Therefore, we leave the ship, go into the terminal, flash our passports and go right back aboard. Takes five minutes or less.

 

Seeing as you wish to stay ashore, you can go as soon as they start calling disembarking passengers numbers. Simply tell them on the gangway when they ask for your 'number' that you are IN TRANSIT. That is what back-to-backers are called.

 

Go through Immigration and you are on your way out to FLL to spend the day as you wish.

 

Be SURE to bring to the gangway both your old and your new ID. You will scan your old one when you disembark but will need to new one to reboard.

 

(You didn't mention moving so I a presuming you have the same cabin for both weeks. If that is not the case, of course, you would have to move to your new cabin but the stewards will give you a lot of help if you are moving.)

Enjoy your back-to-backs. You'll have a great time, I'm sure.

 

[sail7seas]

I just read Kakalina's post and want to add that in over 15+ back-to-backs, we have never been given/asked for a Custom's Form to complete until the end of stay aboard the ship. (Custom's is the declaration of what goods you are bringing into the country; Immigration is the examiniation of you/your documents for being entered into the country.)

 

I have heard others say they had to make 'no declaration' on their turnaround day but it makes no sense. If you are not bringing all your luggage and everything off the ship with you, how/what would you have to declare? How could they possibly do an examination of your things if you don't have your things with you?

 

Once in a while someone says they've been asked for a Custom's Form but it seems to be that Official wasn't 'thinking' about the possibility of it having any value.

 

[kryos]

I certainly don't have the experience with B2B's that others on this thread do, but I definitely WAS given a customs form to complete at the end of the first half of my B2B, but only had to sign it. The form was labeled at the top "In Transit" and all I had to do was hand it to the customs guy and get back onto the ship. The "real" customs form was filled out at the end of the second half of the B2B, when I was truly debarking the ship.

 

The "In Transit" folks are called to disembark after everyone else has left the ship, and then can either choose to get back on right away, or they can spend their day in the port city and return in time for sailing.

 

I enjoyed my one B2B, but I think I much prefer just a longer, single cruise. The problem with B2B's is that if it's a seven-day cruise, you're still gonna have the shorter cruise environment onboard, regardless of how many girations of that cruise you happen to be doing. Menus and shows could repeat too.

 

But, hey ... two is always better than one, though, right? :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[FLACRUISER99]

On the Westerdam - B2Bers Called to the front desk area on Deck 1 - Waited approximately 10 minutes then went off the ship in a group. Needed only the the transit pass, the new passenger ID (both delivered to our room)and passport or birth certificate - went thru immigration and then waited about 15 minutes and then allowed to re-board ship.

[sail7seas]

Of course we know the menus are 'gonna' repeat. WE think that a good thing. If there are a few things I am choosing between on the first week, I know I can have the other choice on the second week.

We almost never go to shows so that isn't relevant to us. We have the chance to meet new folks two weeks. We have the choice of doing one thing in port the first week and something different the second (if we choose to leave the ship at all. :) )We have the time to visit with crew friends for two cruises vs. a brief short one. We get to cruise longer for only one round trip flight.

 

We take the 10, 12 and 14 day cruises and love them. We take the 7 day back-to-backs and love them.

 

Sometimes seven dayers are all there are to choose from for the ship we want to cruise, the port we want to embark in, the itinerary we wish to sail that time.

 

Great to have the choices.

And it is hard to deny what a grand feeling it is when you see 99.5% of your fellow passengers lugging their coats and carryons and leaving the ship and you know you have a whole other cruise to enjoy.

 

[kryos]

Great to have the choices.

And it is hard to deny what a grand feeling it is when you see 99.5% of your fellow passengers lugging their coats and carryons and leaving the ship and you know you have a whole other cruise to enjoy.

I must admit, you are right on that point. I remember relaxing in the Lido on that final morning of the first half of my b2b, watching everyone else carting around hand luggage and rushing through their meal, while I sat there lingering over my oatmeal and sipping my coffee, saying to myself "these poor folks all have to deal with hauling it home today ... shame ... think I'll go take a nap after I'm done with Customs." :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[sail7seas]

On the Westerdam - B2Bers Called to the front desk area on Deck 1 - Waited approximately 10 minutes then went off the ship in a group. Needed only the the transit pass, the new passenger ID (both delivered to our room)and passport or birth certificate - went thru immigration and then waited about 15 minutes and then allowed to re-board ship.

 

 

Was that in FLL? We've never gone 'as a group' per se. Because we don't wish to stay ashore, we wait until the end of disembarkation; go off the ship; show our passports and reboard immediately....Just the two of us. I'm sure there are other In Transits but they've always done their thing on their own, as well, on all of our experiences with b-to-b.

[RevNeal]

Was that in FLL? We've never gone 'as a group' per se. Because we don't wish to stay ashore, we wait until the end of disembarkation; go off the ship; show our passports and reboard immediately....Just the two of us. I'm sure there are other In Transits but they've always done their thing on their own, as well, on all of our experiences with b-to-b.

 

There was a group of about 50, or so, of us doing b2b on my Westerdam b2b in November. They had to wait for all of us to get off and down the escalator before they could reverse the escalator to let us go back up and re-board. We couldn't wait upstairs because customs was using the whole room.

[sail7seas]

Elevators? Stairs? :) I realize after a week of fine dining, the stairs might be getting used less and less, but.......??? :) :)

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Have done quite a few back-to-back cruises - 4 this year alone and 3 of them were in Ft Lauderdale. Westerdam was one of the ships.

 

On all three ships we were given instructions that indicated that intransit passengers would be the last group to called to go through immigration in the terminal. When we were called, we all left the ship together using our old ID cards, went through immigration and down the escalator. We all sat there until everyone was off the ship. One time we sat for nearly 1/2 hour waiting for a couple who should have left the ship way before we did. Then we all went up the escalator and boarded the ship using our new ID cards.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You mentioned somthing about taking a Ft Lauderdale shore tour. Do you mean one offered by the ship where you tour Ft Lauderdale, then drop passengers off at the airport, wait for passengers to fill the bus at the airport and then return to the ship? Some of the ships offer that and some don't.

 

If you are planning on taking a tour on your own, what arrangements have you made?

[sail7seas]

 

On all three ships we were given instructions that indicated that intransit passengers would be the last group to called to go through immigration in the terminal. When we were called, we all left the ship together using our old ID cards, went through immigration and down the escalator. We all sat there until everyone was off the ship. One time we sat for nearly 1/2 hour waiting for a couple who should have left the ship way before we did. Then we all went up the escalator and boarded the ship using our new ID cards.

 

 

That sounds like a real pain. Luckily, we have never had to go through that routine. As you know, we've taken a great many b-to-b's and (so far) we've never been herded like that. We have always waited until the last disembarkation group was called and then (on our own) we processed through Immigration and immediately went right back up the gangway. Five minutes from start to finish.

 

We've done this on Zuiderdam, Maasdam, Veendam, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Zaandam (I think?)........(multiple sets of b-to-b's on some of these ships; most particularly :) "MY" Maasdam. :) )

[Krazy Kruizers]

Until this year, we never had to wait and go as a group in Ft Lauderdale. We were always able to go through immigration on our own and then we used the crew entrance to get back on the ship.

 

Each year Ft Lauderdale keeps changing the rules.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We don't do back-to-back cruises in Ft Lauderdal until fall 2006.

 

I'll be curious to see what the rules will be then.

[RevNeal]

Elevators? Stairs? I realize after a week of fine dining, the stairs might be getting used less and less, but.......???

 

LOL ... well ... the Elevator was being used for those who couldn't negotiate the escalator in going down. i.e., they wouldn't let anyone go back up that way. As for the stairs ... I tried, and security told me to wait in the downstairs waiting area until everyone had been through customs, and THEN we would be allowed to re-board.

[tiger1938cb]

My wife and I would like to thank all who took time to answer our request for information on back to back cruise routines. You have put our minds at ease and it certainly sounds like we will enjoy the experience with a minimum of hassles.

 

There is nothing like information from those who have "been there and done that." Thanks again.

 

May we take this opportunity to wish all of you "Season's Greetings."

 

Cathy & David

[Krazy Kruizers]

If you have any other questions - ask away.

 

Someone will be able to help you here.

[sail7seas]

Cathy and David.....Hope you enjoy your back-to-backs as much as we have always enjoyed ours. That turn around day is really Delicious.

 

And "Seasons Greetings" to you as well.

[user8]

We will being taking our first b2b in June on the Noordam leaving out of Civitavecchia, Itlaly. Since this is a foreign port, will we still be required to go through Italian Immigration?

 

Also, for those of you who have been there, will we have enough time to go into Rome on our own, see anything, and still get back to the ship in time for the second leg of our cruise?

[sail7seas]

Immigration procedures will depend entirely upon the Italian Authorities. You will be advised by the Front Office exactly what is required of you. You'll receive a letter the afternoon/evening of the last day of your first cruise telling you dining hours, what formalities are required of you and giving you a new ID for the second cruise.

 

No......I do not think you will have much time to do much sightseeing in Rome.

The ship docks very near the train station so you could take a train into Rome but Italy is infamous for their lack of transportation dependability. The traffic can be murderous between the port and Rome.

 

Rome is a huge city and is about 1 1/2 - 2 hours from Civitavecchia. (dependent upon traffic) If you get caught in traffic or the train shuts down (as sometimes happens with no warning), you could have a problem returning to the ship on time.

 

I am a low risk taker. If you can tolerate higher risk........

I suppose some might try it but assuming the ship sails at 5:00, you won't have all that much time in the city to make the trip very worth it IMO

 

There is soooo much to do and see in Rome. We've been there about 7 times and still have not seen and done all we would like.

 

[user8]

Thanks Sail,

 

That is exactly what I wanted to know.

[sail7seas]

There's a little 'grocery' near the train station. If you enjoy wine, why not get off the ship and walk over there. Pick up a few local wines and enjoy them on the ship. (We are permitted to bring wine aboard for our private consumption.) Look to see if there is a little Trattorria in the area. (family owned small restaurant). Have a nice Italian lunch. It'll get you off the ship and give you a 'destination' to walk to. I don't think there is very much nearby to Civitavecchia to see and do as a tourist.

 

You will have a wonderful cruise, I'm sure.

[robertmnch]

:) I have been on 25 HAL Cruises since 1987. Just came off the Ryndam, December 17th. Gave it a "9" rating across the Board! Best "DAM" cruise ever! HAL had their act together on this cruise out of San Diego.

 

I was on the Old Westerdam in October, 1999 when they had Theme Cruises. TA made sure I had the same Cabin for the two weeks. On the Turn-Around Day, we could get off the ship if we chose to do so, and do a tour of FLL, but upon coming back on the ship, I would have had to go through the same Secutiry Check-In Process. I stayed on board the Old Westerdam, and watched the crew do their thing getting the ship ready for the next cruise. I did NOT have to report to Customs on the Turn-Around Day. You should have seen the Buffet set-up for the Customs people when they finished clearing the ship. ALl on a firt name basis to the crew in the Lido.

Robertmnch:)