B2B Cruising

[PeeBee2]

We are considering a 'back to back' cruise and wondered how we physically transfer from one cruise to the next one. We would not be in the same cabin which would have made the situation easy. We would like to do a short 4 day cruise in a Promenade cabin and then move to a J3 Suite on a different deck. Would we have to get off the ship and re-board, how is Customs & Immigration dealt with and where would we get our change over sea pass for the 2nd stage of the cruise if we didnt have to disembark, Customer Relations I assume. This will be on the Navigator and it sails from Southampton for both cruises.

[awestover89]

Let your stateroom attendant know and they will move over all your bags to the new room. If you don't want to get off and explore South Hampton, they usually have a guide who takes all the consecutive cruisers off, through customs/immigration, and then back on board. You also have the option to just disembark like normal and then come back before sailaway.

[Clarea]

We are considering a 'back to back' cruise and wondered how we physically transfer from one cruise to the next one. We would not be in the same cabin which would have made the situation easy. We would like to do a short 4 day cruise in a Promenade cabin and then move to a J3 Suite on a different deck. Would we have to get off the ship and re-board, how is Customs & Immigration dealt with and where would we get our change over sea pass for the 2nd stage of the cruise if we didnt have to disembark, Customer Relations I assume. This will be on the Navigator and it sails from Southampton for both cruises.

I imagine you don't even have to get off the ship in England, but if you do, it would be very brief.

 

The stateroom attendants will move everything you have that is on hangers. All other items should be packed in your bags, and the stateroom attendants will move those also.

[MeHeartCruising]

We are considering a 'back to back' cruise and wondered how we physically transfer from one cruise to the next one. We would not be in the same cabin which would have made the situation easy. We would like to do a short 4 day cruise in a Promenade cabin and then move to a J3 Suite on a different deck. Would we have to get off the ship and re-board, how is Customs & Immigration dealt with and where would we get our change over sea pass for the 2nd stage of the cruise if we didnt have to disembark, Customer Relations I assume. This will be on the Navigator and it sails from Southampton for both cruises.

 

Definitely work with your cabin steward of the first cruise to coordinate the transfer of your belongings to the second room. In my case, the steward told me I could leave things on hangers if I wanted, but to re-pack the rest into my suitcases. He would take care of contacting the cabin steward for cruise #2 and he would transfer the belongings on turnaround morning. In my case, I preferred to not have my hanging clothes going down the hall on a cart, so I just repacked it all into suitcases neat and tidy. I also had brought the luggage tags for cruise #2, so I put them on my bags, just in case something happened and they got lost in a shuffle somewhere. This probably wasn't necessary and I wasn't asked to do it. But I saw no harm in doing this added protection.

 

During the first cruise, you should receive instructions on exactly what to do on turnaround day. It does vary from different ships. I would suggest you visit the service desk a day or 2 prior to the end of the first cruise if you have not been notified of the process yet. They should be able to verify they have you listed as a "through passenger" after the cruise. There is a crew member on board who coordinates the B2B passengers, and it's somewhat up to them on how they desire to handle it. As others have said, it also will vary by port/country due to local laws and customs. In Rome, for me, all B2B passengers met in a lounge around 9:30am. I was given my room key for cruise 2 the night before in an envelope in my cabin. But some got their key that morning. We were then taken to a holding area room down by the gangway until all passengers had cleared OFF the ship except us. Once all the other passengers had been cleared OFF the ship, the 15 B2Bers were taken to the gangway and processed OFF the ship using the old card. We could then leave the ship if we wanted... we already had our cards for getting back on the second cruise, so we didn't have to go thru checkin... we were told to show our card and proceed back on the ship with the rest of the boarding passengers. If we didn't want to leave the ship, they scanned our new card right at the gangway just after we were signed OFF the previous cruise. We could then go back on the ship and do as we pleased. I didn't go back on the ship right away, so I don't know if my second cabin was ready to go take a nap in or not. They probably asked us to give them a little time to turn things around. By the time I did get to my second cabin, my bags where already there, ready for me to go. I never had to go thru immigration or customs in Rome. But I'm sure some countries make you do at least immigration. Loved the B2B experience! Hope you do too.

 

That was a few years ago. With constantly changing security routines in various countries, your experience may vary.

Edited August 9, 2018 by MeHeartCruising

[danp]

We take B2B cruises every year.As everyone has said every port is different.One thing I didn't see is usually they say that your room will not be ready till a certain time,well this does not apply to B2B.If they try to stop you from going to your room just tell them that you are B2B and you can go to your room.Any time.If you have to change cabins.,after you have breakfast go to your room to see if they moved you,if so go to that room and you can unpack.What we do is put as much as we can on hangars the steward will bring a cart and will put the hung clothes on the cart and will also take your luggage.

We have been doing B2B for ten years.only once we had a problem ,our clothes were not move by nine o clock ,so we called the head of housekeeping and She came to the room and everything was moved within ten minutes.

 

Enjoy your cruise

[PeeBee2]

Thanks everyone for the excellent advice, looking forward to our cruise and the drinks package prices have just dropped !.

Paul

[Desert Cruizers]

When you do your On Line Check in, be sure and mark the section where it asks how you will disembark the 1st cruise, as Consecutive.. Also during your first cruise check with Guest Services to verify they have you down as returning for the next cruise. Just pack up all the clothes in the drawers double check to make sure you gathered everything and your cabin attendant will move things to your new cabin.

[cruisegoal100]

We do a lot of b2b cruises and have always received written notice of a meeting for b2b cruisers that is held a day or 2 before the turnaround. At the meeting they will walk you thru the written procedures for doing the turnaround. Everything will be covered including the procedures if you are changing cabins. We always give the cabin attendant some extra money for his/her help in the transition if we are changing cabins.

The rest of the process has already been covered here. One other thing, there is usually (but not always) a special luncheon in the MDR for b2b cruisers.

[iCruiseTooMuch]

Anyone have advice for b2b on 2 different ships? Will be getting off RCL Symphony and getting on NCL Bliss the same day in Miami.

 

 

41 cruises in the past 60 months on 7 cruise lines

[Clarea]

Anyone have advice for b2b on 2 different ships? Will be getting off RCL Symphony and getting on NCL Bliss the same day in Miami.

 

41 cruises in the past 60 months on 7 cruise lines

Try to stay on Symphony as long as possible.

[deepcman]

Anyone have advice for b2b on 2 different ships? Will be getting off RCL Symphony and getting on NCL Bliss the same day in Miami.

 

 

41 cruises in the past 60 months on 7 cruise lines

Just leave all your stuff in the Symphony cabin and request NCL to transfer it to their Bliss when you check in. Good luck. [emoji23][emoji23]

By the way, that's called a side by side not a b2b but I'm sure you knew that.

[iCruiseTooMuch]

Honestly, I never heard of a side by side but it makes sense. This will be my first side by side. Never did a b2b either. [emoji924]

 

 

41 cruises in the past 60 months on 7 cruise lines

[bonsai3s]

To the OP, please make sure you empty the safe of all your valuables (in the first cabin). Happy Sailing(s)! :)

[Merion_Mom]

To the OP, please make sure you empty the safe of all your valuables (in the first cabin). Happy Sailing(s)! :)

That would be correct advice for anyone sailing on any ship at any time.