How Does Turnaround Day Work in Vancouver? Back to Back Cruises in Different Cabins

[Roz]

Next spring I'm doing a 6-day Coastal from San Diego to Vancouver, and then staying on the ship for its first Alaskan cruise of the season. I booked the cruises separately so I have different cabins. This is the first time I've done this and I'm not sure about the procedure. After I change cabins,I want to get off the ship and spend a little time in Vancouver, so I want to get an idea about how much time I'll have.

How exactly does turnaround work on HAL in Vancouver? My understanding is that the crew will help me tomove. Is that correct? When does that happen? Do I have to be assigned to acolor group in order to debark? Will I be issued a new card in order tore-board?

 

I normally try to travel with only one suitcase, but in this instance, I'm pretty sure I'll be taking two. I'll be flying Southwest, and they allow 2 bags with no added fees. I'll be gone for 2 wks., starting out in San Diego where I'll need warm weather clothes as well as for some other ports in California. My thinking is to put the warm weather clothes and toiletries in my smallsuitcase, and just unpack that bag when I board in SD. My heavier clothes and extra shoes, etc. will go in the big suitcase for Alaska. When I have to change cabins, I can just re-pack the small bag and get everything moved.

 

Roz

[Krazy Kruizers]

Your cabin steward will be able to help you move. You do not have to take clothes off their hangers -- they get moved just as they are. Biggest problem -- hoping that the other people leave their cabin early so that it can be cleaned up right away. The only time we switched cabins was when we were in Montreal. The people in our new cabin never left the ship until 11:30.

On the last day of the first segment you will get a letter which should contain your new cabin ID card.

[Roz]

Thanks, KK. I was thinking that if I had everything packed up, the steward could move the suitcases and I wouldn't have to wait around the next cabin's occupants to vacate.

 

Roz

[frankc98376]

Hi Roz! We will be sailing with you again (If you are on NA)!

 

We've done this several times (although we've stayed in same cabin). Ship didn't need to zero out like in US. We got a letter that told us at some point we needed to go into the terminal and clear US Customs (I think there were suggested times to beat the crowds). We also got an in transit card and could bypass all of the check in lines (except security) to get on the ship quicker.

 

I've heard that if you are moving your steward will bring a cart. They will take any drawers out (with stuff in them) and take them to your new cabin, They then take the empty drawers from yjr ne rppm back to previous. Hanging stuff on the cart. You will need to pack any liise studd in closets or bathroom. They have it down to a science- they will move you as soon as your new cabin is cleaned.

[Roz]

Hi Frank. Yes, I'm on the NA. The first 6 days I'll be in a Neptune and the 7 days after that I'm downstairs in an inside. The yin and yang of cruising, but I'm happy just to be on the ship.

 

I'm sure I'll run into you and Loren in the Neptune Lounge. Thanks for the info on what happens in Vancouver. I got some ideas over on the West Coast board about what to do in Vancouver. A lot is going to depend on how much time I'll have.

 

Roz

[frankc98376]

We are keeping an eye on the cruise as if enough are booking as B2B HAL may make it a Collector cruise. We have done this B2B 3 times now and the cruise card we got in San Diego showed our disembarkation after Alaska so we didn't need new ones (make sure the bookings are linked)

 

I'm hoping they do make it a Collector as when they come out with the next Explore 4 would cover both legs. A lot of times the promos don't cover the Coastals.

[vedettes1]

I am doing B2B soon with the turnaround in Seattle. Like OP, I have two separate bookings, two different cabins. Anyone know how I can get our stuff moved from cabin1 to cabin2. Or do I have to take it off for customs after being in Canadian ports on first leg?

[Roz]

Frank, yes, both cruises are linked. I booked them thru the same TA. I booked the Coastal first, and then the more I thought about it, I figured since I was in Vancouver anyway, why not go to Alaska?

 

This 6 day is unique in that it's a free-standing cruise. The other Coastals I've done have been the last leg of a longer Panama Canal cruise.

 

Roz

[frankc98376]

I am doing B2B soon with the turnaround in Seattle. Like OP, I have two separate bookings, two different cabins. Anyone know how I can get our stuff moved from cabin1 to cabin2. Or do I have to take it off for customs after being in Canadian ports on first leg?

 

You will need to disembark at a specific time. US ports require the ship to zero out all passengers before the ship os cleared.

You will get a letter the last day of the first cruise with instructions. Normally B2B passengers will be instructed to meet in a location (usually a lounge) and will be taken ashore together. As soon as they zero out the ship and are cleared you will be able to re-board. Normally you leave all of your stuff on board and only carry off what you would normally carry off in a port.

 

Your stewards will move you and will let you know the details the day before (likely details will be in your letter).

[Cruise_More_Often]

Roz, we did the same two cruises on the NA a couple of years ago, but it did not work real smoothly for us. I did not think to have our TA link the two cruises--a mistake I will not repeat. :o We never received notification from the ship about the process of switching cabins, and the front desk just told us our stewards would handle the move. Being somewhat proactive, the night before Vancouver, we walked down to the area of our new cabin and luckily ran into the stewards' supervisor. He confirmed that we were not on his list of moves, but he jotted down our old/new cabin numbers and told us he'd handle it. We also told our old stewards about the move. We packed everything except hanging items and left everything to the two sets of stewards, and the move was perfect. Before we left the ship, we visited the reception desk to get our new key cards.

 

Just in case you're leaving the ship, take your docs for the Alaska cruise and your passports. We found we weren't on the Port's list of continuing passengers either. When we returned to the Port, we were told where to go to avoid going through the whole embarcation process. Even though our names were not on her list, because we had our cruise docs, key cards and passports, the Port official let us back on the ship with no problems.

 

I'm sure you'll have an easier time. Have fun with your planning.,

[canadianbear]

We are booked on the 6 day Coastal as well in a Neptune-love the itinerary.

 

I'm watching the prior Mexico cruise but will probably only do the Coastal. We are already cruising in late February on the Koningsdam and then 3 days later on Celebrity so I think my hubby will have had almost enough!

[Roz]

Cruise More Often,

 

Thanks for relaying your experience. I had already planned to carry my meds, passport, and anything else important with me, so I'll include my boarding pass. Better safe than sorry.

 

CanadianBear,

 

Looking forward to meeting you. Yes, the itinerary is something different. I've never been to Santa Barbara and the one time I was in San Francisco, it was a miserably cold and rainy day, say it limited what we could do and say. I also came back sick as a dog due to the cold and dampness. I'll need to research SF weather in late April.

 

Roz

[Crew News]

We have done a number of B2B cruises out of Vancouver. It is our experience that you will be told to stop by the Front Desk for your new room keys and "in-transit" cards before proceeding to the designated waiting area near the gangway at 10:00 o'clock, which is after all other passengers should have departed the ship.

 

Your Room Steward, and probably your new Room Steward, will arrive with a luggage trolley as soon as the the occupants of your future stateroom have departed which will be 9:30 AM at the latest. All of your hanging clothes will hang on the trolley and your other bags will ride on the trolley. You may have to bring your own roller bags if they don't fit on the trolley.

 

Although your new room will not be ready for occupancy, you can store your luggage their before heading to the Front Desk for your new keys.

 

At 10:00 AM, you will be led to the "in-transit" waiting area in the terminal where you will wait until all passengers have left the ship. A terminal rep will let you know when you can re-board (around 10:30 AM) along with new crew members. Unless there is a safu, you will not process through Customs/Immigration. Your new room will not be ready so you can hang out somewhere on the ship and perhaps your new balcony. The Lido Market will open at 11:30 AM so you can be first for lunch.

 

FWIW all of the stateroom will be open which provides a great chance to take pictures of each class of staterooms to share.

[canadianbear]

 

CanadianBear,

 

Looking forward to meeting you. Yes, the itinerary is something different. I've never been to Santa Barbara and the one time I was in San Francisco, it was a miserably cold and rainy day, say it limited what we could do and say. I also came back sick as a dog due to the cold and dampness. I'll need to research SF weather in late April.

 

Roz

 

 

I see familiar names booked on this coastal cruise so hopefully will get a roll call going in the future. The aft Neptunes were cheaper when I booked but sadly my husband just can't do aft cabins (crying from me).

 

I think we may have briefly met years ago but my brain is mush if we actually did or I am just imagining it! Will definitely meet this time in the lounge.

[frankc98376]

Roz- weren't we all on the Zuiderdam "code red" cruise out of San Diego? They all start to blur together :-)

[Roz]

Frank, gosh, I can't remember. I've done 3 Coastals on the Zuiderdam - 2012, 2013, and 2014. I don't remember us being in Code Red, but like you said, things get fuzzy over time.

 

CanadianBear, I'm booked in an SC guarantee, so who knows where I will land. I love the SCs. In a way I prefer being further away from the Lounge. I've had cabins right across from the Lounge and it was too easy to pop in there every time I came back to my cabin on the pretense of just "looking" at what they had out.

 

Roz

[frankc98376]

We are in an SC on deck 6 for both legs. Just far enough that I won't be tempted constantly

[canadianbear]

Frank, gosh, I can't remember. I've done 3 Coastals on the Zuiderdam - 2012, 2013, and 2014. I don't remember us being in Code Red, but like you said, things get fuzzy over time.

 

 

 

CanadianBear, I'm booked in an SC guarantee, so who knows where I will land. I love the SCs. In a way I prefer being further away from the Lounge. I've had cabins right across from the Lounge and it was too easy to pop in there every time I came back to my cabin on the pretense of just "looking" at what they had out.

 

 

 

Roz

 

 

 

Roz-2012 Zuiderdam I think it was! It was our first try in an aft and my husband got sick & said never again in an aft. Sad because for this 2019 cruise my TA offered the aft & I said no or my hubby won't go. The cruises do start blending together for me as we try to always celebrate in April for our anniversary by doing a cruise.

 

Frank I think we met on the Mexico cruise maybe?

[Haboob]

Cruise More Often,

 

Thanks for relaying your experience. I had already planned to carry my meds, passport, and anything else important with me, so I'll include my boarding pass. Better safe than sorry.

 

CanadianBear,

 

Looking forward to meeting you. Yes, the itinerary is something different. I've never been to Santa Barbara and the one time I was in San Francisco, it was a miserably cold and rainy day, say it limited what we could do and say. I also came back sick as a dog due to the cold and dampness. I'll need to research SF weather in late April.

 

Roz

 

SF weather:

 

There are two breaks in California's Coastal Range: At Golden Gate and at

Monterey (Pajaro River valley). Whenever the Central Valley heats up then

cooler, wetter ocean air gets sucked through those two breaks. Summertime,

there can be a 15ºF difference between Monterey vs Salinas = 1º/mile, the same

in San Francisco vs Oakland. I've watched fog shoot (not "drift", or even "swirl")

across my front yard in Monterey during May - September.

[frankc98376]

We did B2B 2 years ago Coastal and Alaska.  Our cards had our final disembark date on the- didn't get new ones. We were in the same stateroom both legs- maybe that was the reason. Always verify that our PCC links the cruises.