Back to Back Question

[jesskuhmarie]

We are looking at possibly booking a back to back in may 2020. We are booking only one of the two cruises now but are hoping we will end up being able to book the other one. Since we're not booking them at the same time, I assume we will end up with different rooms. My question is, will our room on the second cruise be ready early? I've read that they move the luggage for you to your new room, but just curious how that works if rooms aren't typically ready until 1pm or so. Would there be any benefit in getting FTTF in that situation or will the room be ready early anyways since we're doing a B2B?

 

[Davey Wavey]

If you end up with different rooms and you don't have priority boarding, you can expect your room will NOT be ready early. The steward for your second room won't have your room on the list for priority, so can't be expected to get it ready early. So, FTTF would have your room early. IF you get a room near your first room and have the same steward, it is possible they could do it for you but you'd have to ask.

 

I will add that you can check with your VIP Planner and ask if they have a reduced deposit available for the second leg so you can secure the same room, although those normally have non-refundable deposits should you end up not taking it.

Edited May 23, 2019 by Davey Wavey

[jesskuhmarie]

5 minutes ago, Davey Wavey said:

If you end up with different rooms and you don't have priority boarding, you can expect your room will NOT be ready early. The steward for your second room won't have your room on the list for priority, so can't be expected to get it ready early. So, FTTF would have your room early. IF you get a room near your first room and have the same steward, it is possible they could do it for you but you'd have to ask.

  

I will add that you can check with your VIP Planner and ask if they have a reduced deposit available for the second leg so you can secure the same room, although those normally have non-refundable deposits should you end up not taking it.

 

Thanks for the response, since it says they move your luggage for you to your new room on Carnival's website when do they actually do that? I'm just confused how we could be out of the first room in time and where they will be taking my luggage if the second room isn't ready yet. I guess the room being ready really isn't a big deal as long as they are handling my luggage and I'm not having to carry it around the ship.

 

[ray98]

My bet is a simple conversation with the hotel manager will make this cabin swap painless, they will already assist you with the embarkation process.  

[Davey Wavey]

6 minutes ago, jesskuhmarie said:

 

Thanks for the response, since it says they move your luggage for you to your new room on Carnival's website when do they actually do that? I'm just confused how we could be out of the first room in time and where they will be taking my luggage if the second room isn't ready yet. I guess the room being ready really isn't a big deal as long as they are handling my luggage and I'm not having to carry it around the ship.

 

You have to be out of the room by 8:30am. You can leave stuff on hangers but pack everything else in your luggage. Tell your steward you are on a B2B and he/she will bring a luggage cart and put your stuff on and take it to your next room. That next room steward will put it in your new room, but be aware the door will be open while it is being cleaned, so careful with your valuables.

[MeHeartCruising]

Discuss the details with your week 1 steward when you get on the ship.  If your week 1 steward is good, they will make it all happen smoothly for you.  On my B2B, week 1 steward communicated with week 2 steward prior to the transfer day so no one was surprised.  And he kept me informed of when he did that.  I was on different level decks and on different sides of the ship between the cruises, but he still went and tracked the week 2 steward down to coordinate with him.  I left my packed bag in the room when I left that morning and he took it to the next cabin and told the second steward it was done.  I didn't see it until later in the day since I left the ship to explore some.  Since I went ashore, I didn't return until after the cabins were open for all guests, so I can't comment on exactly WHEN I could have gotten into my cabin.  I wasn't really concerned about that part of it.

[grandmarnnurse]

Don’t assume that you will not have the same cabin. I booked my April 11, 2020 cruise back in 2018, and added April 5, 2020 to it (to make it a B2B) just after returning from my March cruise this year, and I was able to book the same cabin, as it was still available. I then called Carnival so that they “link” them together and to make them aware that they will be considered a B2B. That way, we will receive the notice as to where we all are to meet to go through customs and come right back on, as a group, have our group B2B pic done, and celebrate the B2B with a complimentary Mimosa or Champagne. You will need to let Carnival know that this cruise of yours is a B2B. I will also check with guest services upon the first leg of my cruise, to verify that everything is listed as such. 

[trudster57]

I just came back from my first B2B on the Magic this past Sunday.  We had to move to a different cabin the second leg.  Our cabin steward moved our luggage for us.  But we carried our valuables with us when we went to wait to clear customs and get our new Sail & Sign cards.  Also when we went to see our new room our luggage was there but it wasn't quite ready. Our new steward came by and said she still needed to vacuum.  So we went to grab some lunch and came back a little later.