Needing some b2b cruise feedback

[Ozark_Kid]

I have never done b2b cruises but I am considering one now.  I understand all things can change these days but based on the past, when booking b2b do you have to book the same room?  Am I assuming wrong that you don’t have to get off and back on between cruises ?  If you don’t have to have the same room, how does your luggage get to the second room? Do you just set your bags outside the room and they take care of it from there?  Is there anything else I need to know about?

[Ashland]

6 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

I have never done b2b cruises but I am considering one now.  I understand all things can change these days but based on the past, when booking b2b do you have to book the same room?  Am I assuming wrong that you don’t have to get off and back on between cruises ?  If you don’t have to have the same room, how does your luggage get to the second room? Do you just set your bags outside the room and they take care of it from there?  Is there anything else I need to know about?

No you don't "have" to book the same cabin but for us that's a benefit !

 

Getting off and back on will vary...some we have had to walk off check through CBP and walk back on and some they have sent an agent onboard to do this.

 

Your cabin steward will assist you with all your hang up items and packed luggage...you don't leave your luggage outside your door on the last night.

 

A consecutive cruise letter will be left in your cabin towards the end of the first leg and will provide you will all the info you need and usually there will be a meeting to go over the procedure and to answer any questions you may have.

 

B2B are our favorite...enjoy !!!

Edited June 12, 2021 by Ashland

[Sunshine3601]

You will love doing a b2b.  If not in same cabin, no problem.  Room steward will bring a cart to your cabin and remove everything hanging up onto the cart and you pack up anything in drawers, bathroom etc and they simply take your luggage to your next cabin.

One time My Dh joked he will put his underwear and docks on hangers so he didnt have to repack them.  They thought he was serious and bought him a bunch of extra hangers to do that.

 

[Ozark_Kid]

6 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

You will love doing a b2b.  If not in same cabin, no problem.  Room steward will bring a cart to your cabin and remove everything hanging up onto the cart and you pack up anything in drawers, bathroom etc and they simply take your luggage to your next cabin.

One time My Dh joked he will put his underwear and docks on hangers so he didnt have to repack them.  They thought he was serious and bought him a bunch of extra hangers to do that.

 

Lol, that’s funny and sounds like something I would of said!

[Ozark_Kid]

Thanks.  Sounds pretty Simple and fun.  We have cruise friends that may only get to do a 5 day cruise so I found a 9 day cruise that has a 5 day cruise before and after it. 

[cruisegoal100]

Having the same cabin for both legs makes it simpler because you do not have to pack anything.

Usually 2 days prior to the turnaround a letter will be delivered to your cabin explaining the process in great detail. Most ships also have a meeting for back to back guests 1 day before the turn around where they essentially repeat what is in the letter. At the meeting you are usually able to request dining times and possibly make reservations for specialty restaurants on the second leg. The crew representative responsible for the turnaround will also tell you where and when to meet on the day of the turnaround.

We have done back to back cruises in both the US and Europe. I believe every turnaround in the US required that we depart the ship, go through CBP and then return as a group, with the exception of those who chose to do an excursion or visit in the turnaround port. In Europe I believe we were able to stay on the ship once or twice during turnaround. On most back to back cruises the ship prepares a lunch for turnaround cruisers.

Back to backs are great...try it...you will love it!

Hope this helps!

[Sunshine3601]

53 minutes ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Thanks.  Sounds pretty Simple and fun.  We have cruise friends that may only get to do a 5 day cruise so I found a 9 day cruise that has a 5 day cruise before and after it. 

Go for it!   You will love being on the ship.    You may have a "special" lunch that is just for the passengers doing b2b's.      

we started doing b2b's a couple years ago and now I do them all the time or b2b2b's.    It's addictive.

[njkruzer]

On both our US b2b didn't have to get off.  Met in lounge, used old cards to end old cruise, got new seapas cards, and were able to access cabins at all time. Special lunch provided.  Very easy.  If you want to get off they will work it out.

 

In Australia we had to get off for 2 hours.  Their rules.

[takeabreath3]

I'm doing a B2B for the first time in October.  Thanks for answering all my questions without even asking!  

I'm already addicted to cruising and now I may have a new addiction to B2B.

Ahhh, so many cruises so little time.

 

Sea ya on the Sea, Judy

[davekathy]

@Ozark_Kid you will also need to spend any non refundable OBC before the end of the first leg. The non refundable OBC will not carryover to the second leg. Your onboard account will be closed out at the end of the first leg and a new onboard account will start on TAD. All this be outlined in the TAD letter @Ashland posted about in #2. 

[orville99]

18 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Thanks.  Sounds pretty Simple and fun.  We have cruise friends that may only get to do a 5 day cruise so I found a 9 day cruise that has a 5 day cruise before and after it. 

If that was us, we'd book a B2B2B and cover all possibilities for when your friends can cruise.

Only thing I would add to the excellent advice you've already received is the earlier you book the higher the probability that you can get the same cabin for both legs. If you have one booked already and can't get the same room for the second leg, look at whether the cabin you get for the second leg is also available on the first leg. We have a B2B booked for October (the second leg was an L&S from an RCL cancelled cruise), and all we could get on the second leg was an identical cabin on the other side of the ship. I went back online and found that the second leg cabin was also available on the first leg so I called C&A and had them switch our first leg cabin so it matched the second leg.

[jcc1025]

Kind of depends on the port. Last b2b we did there was a meeting a couple of days before. Then on the turnaround day we went to a separate lounge with some coffee and lite snacks.  A ship office came in and passed out new cards and we were escorted as a group off the ship. Walk through customs and then came right back on. We were meeting some friends coming on for the second week and were able to wait in one of the bars until the ship was open. We were also told we could go back to our staterooms early to wait if we wanted since we didn't change cabins. Loved it. 

[Ashland]

2 hours ago, davekathy said:

@Ozark_Kid you will also need to spend any non refundable OBC before the end of the first leg. The non refundable OBC will not carryover to the second leg. Your onboard account will be closed out at the end of the first leg and a new onboard account will start on TAD. All this be outlined in the TAD letter @Ashland posted about in #2. 

Agree and thanks for noting that detail...It's completely 2 separate cruises...and the folio needs to be closed out after 1st leg...Nothing is carried over, this includes any cruise planner purchased items....drink pkg, dining pkg, internet...just to name a few.

[bonsai3s]

Pre-covid, they had a special lunch for b2b passengers. Limited but a very nice menu. We've had it in the MDR and a few times at one of the specialty restaurants....sometime with complimentary wine.

[Ashland]

22 minutes ago, jcc1025 said:

Kind of depends on the port. Last b2b we did there was a meeting a couple of days before. Then on the turnaround day we went to a separate lounge with some coffee and lite snacks.  A ship office came in and passed out new cards and we were escorted as a group off the ship. Walk through customs and then came right back on. We were meeting some friends coming on for the second week and were able to wait in one of the bars until the ship was open. We were also told we could go back to our staterooms early to wait if we wanted since we didn't change cabins. Loved it. 

Yes you have complete access to your cabin...slip in quietly (unnoticed) through those closed fire doors so other's don't think they can do the same.

[orville99]

Just to add: if we’re in the same cabin for both legs we let the cabin steward know that he/she doesn’t need to do anything for our room on TAD, and we will probably be sleeping in a bit. 

[neverbeenhere]

What can I expect between consecutive cruises?

 

 

Just because your ship is docking, doesn't mean your vacation is ending. If you're one of the lucky ones continuing on the following voyage aboard the same ship, we've enhanced our award-winning service to provide a seamless transition for you.

Here's what you can expect between cruises: 

• Special attention, activities and dining options, such as:
  • Personalized services
  • Assistance to ensure your main dining room seating requests are made in advance of the following cruise
• Continued access to your stateroom, including in-stateroom TV entertainment
• A special notice to keep you in the loop of turnaround day immigration requirements and options-whether you’re planning to remain onboard or go ashore
• A minimal amount of ship-wide public announcements to maintain a relaxing atmosphere; we'll try and limit all departure updates to the departure lounges and in-stateroom TV programming
• A hot breakfast in our dining room or café. If you're in a suite category stateroom, you'll be treated to an exclusive continental breakfast hosted by guest services or the concierge
• An on-hand Shipboard Staff, ready to answer any questions and ensure your comfort

[raudacruise]

My rollcall gave me the idea to do a BTB.  So many cruises canceled, why not?  Since this was booked later on, the same cabin wasn’t available. But I’ll be moving next door and up a category as a special treat. 

 

(This is on Celebrity, guess I’ll find out their procedure eventually.) 😎

Edited June 13, 2021 by raudacruise

[jcc1025]

3 hours ago, orville99 said:

Just to add: if we’re in the same cabin for both legs we let the cabin steward know that he/she doesn’t need to do anything for our room on TAD, and we will probably be sleeping in a bit. 

Yes agree with this, they will really appreciate it as they have so much more to do for turn arounds and they work hard enough so let them know and they will just do a regular day cleaning. This is a great point. 

[Ozark_Kid]

Wow. The more I am reading the more I ask myself why I never thought about this before.  Also sounding like more than I expected are doing back to back.  I am learning a lot of good stuff.  I didn’t even think of needing a new sea pass.  This certainly sounds like something I may get addicted to doing.  Sounds like RC goes out of the way to make it as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

[Ozark_Kid]

Is there an easy way of figuring out which room you can get on both cruises of a b2b?  I have been opening two tabs and going back and forth.  Has anyone  just figured out the dates for a b2b and then call RC and let them find the same room for both cruises?

[Cigar King]

My TA takes care of that for me.  I imagine RC can as well.  They do when you book on board.

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Is there an easy way of figuring out which room you can get on both cruises of a b2b?

Other than looking at both sailings online for inventory, no - but, some TA web sites make this much easier than RCI's site. TAs may have tools to make it easier.

[bonsai3s]

3 hours ago, Ozark_Kid said:

Wow. The more I am reading the more I ask myself why I never thought about this before.  Also sounding like more than I expected are doing back to back.  I am learning a lot of good stuff.  I didn’t even think of needing a new sea pass.  This certainly sounds like something I may get addicted to doing.  Sounds like RC goes out of the way to make it as smooth and enjoyable as possible.

It took us a few years to discover the value of b2b, b3b, b4b...for us, when rccl left California, we had to fly to every embarkation port...it just made sense to do a b2b (or more) to save on airfare.

 

Note: During our early days of cruising, we also sailed "s2s",.....consecutive cruises, same port, but different ships. Not as relaxing, but you learn so much comparing each ship. For example, we sailed the Allure out of Port Everglades, then walked over to Celebrity Solstice tbe second week. Or when we sailed the Indy then shuttled our way to Royal Princess. Or when we sailed the Voyager, then on to the Grand Princess.

[RobInMN]

10 hours ago, bonsai3s said:

It took us a few years to discover the value of b2b, b3b, b4b...for us, when rccl left California, we had to fly to every embarkation port...it just made sense to do a b2b (or more) to save on airfare.

 

Note: During our early days of cruising, we also sailed "s2s",.....consecutive cruises, same port, but different ships. Not as relaxing, but you learn so much comparing each ship. For example, we sailed the Allure out of Port Everglades, then walked over to Celebrity Solstice tbe second week. Or when we sailed the Indy then shuttled our way to Royal Princess. Or when we sailed the Voyager, then on to the Grand Princess.

That's our thought on our first b2b next summer on Jewel. Arctic Circle then Iceland/Ireland. We want to do both at some point, so why double the airfare plus pre-cruise hotel, etc. to do them at 2 separate times?

Prior to this booking, we did have a pseudo "s2s" booked for this summer, which was COVID cancelled. We were booked on a Norwegian Fjord cruise out of Southampton on Anthem, then 5 days, then the Baltic cruise out of Stockholm on Jewel (which is back on the todo list). These were replacements for 2 other COVID cancelled cruises; Norwegian Fjord and Iceland and a separate Trans-Atlantic (also back on the todo list).