Back to Back Cruise

[Tight line]

what is Holland America Policy/procedure on back to back cruises?
can I leave my baggage on board?

Will I be forced to go through the embarkation procedures a second time?

[Kartgv]

Procedures vary depending on country/port, but you'll not have to go through a full embarkation procedure or take your luggage off the ship.   You may be able to just stay onboard, or you may have to get off the ship briefly while the ship is cleared by customs, but then allowed to get back onboard in a separate expedited line.    If you keep the same room, it's really simple; if you have to change cabins, the room stewards will help you and take care of most of it for you.    

B2B's are so frequent, the cruise lines have it down to a science.   You'll get a letter in your cabin a day or two before the changeover to give you full instructions.   

Edited November 3, 2019 by Kartgv

[rkacruiser]

If you are remaining in your own stateroom, you do not have to vacate your stateroom and your luggage will remain.  You, and others in your situation, will gather at a lounge, be given instructions for the day, and then will be escorted off the ship to go through Customs/Immigration.  You will be given an In-Transit pass that you may use to expedite your return to your ship whenever you return.  If you choose to remain in the Terminal until you can return that morning, the Shore Staff will arrange the guests in lines until the last guest has been cleared from the ship.  At that point, the guests will be permitted to re-embark the ship.  It's a very orderly process, only complicated by the guest(s) who choose not to follow the instructions and disembark in the time frame specified.  Once those inconsiderate guests appear, the catcalls and boos will be loud and, at times, angry.  

 

My above description applies to the situation at Port Everglades that I have experienced more times than once.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

I see that you will be on the Noordam out of Auckland.

 

Hopefully you have booked the same cabin for both segments.  No matter what, you do not need to back and take your luggage off the ship.

 

I do not know what the procedures are for Auckland.  Someone will come along soon and give you that information.

[msmayor]

I was expecting to be told that we had to disembark Eurodam after we arrived in San Diego from Vancouver (the end of the four-day Pacific Coastal segment) but no such instruction came.  Maybe because a majority of passengers were considered 'in transit' and continuing on the next 7-day Mexican Riviera?  I believe they mentioned about 900 or so were disembarking from the 4 day and another 900 coming on.

 

We did get off the ship but did not have any type of in-transit pass, and were told we could return at any time.  We had to go through the same security screening as embarking passengers but they went to a separate area for check-in and waiting to board while we could use the 'in-transit' line and get right back on the ship.  We also were not required to attend muster drill, another surprise as I thought we'd all have to do it again.  Only the new passengers were required to attend.