How does Princess handle B2B cruisers?

[KKB]

On Celebrity last year we had to wait in a lounge together. 
Once regular disembarkation was done, they walked us out & right back on.

But Princess allows you to stay onboard?

In a particular area? Are you allowed in your room?

[skynight]

Which port? If you are speaking about most US ports then b2b passengers meet in a designated location on the ship at the instructed time. Passengers are then walked off the ship, through immigration and back onto the ship. The walk and process varies a little by port and terminal, but that is the basic way it is handled. You will be instructed to bring your passport, medallion with you. At times in the past immigration boarded the ship, but this probably is not happing now.

No b2b passenger is allowed to stay on board. All must go through the immigration process. No exceptions. If even one passenger is missing all passengers have to wait until that passenger is located.

Leave all your stuff in your cabin. When you reboard you can go back to your cabin.

Pre-covid b2b passengers were permitted to disembark at any time after the disembarkation process began. They had to bring passport, medallion, and intransit card with them. They could then re-board once general boarding began.

If you are speaking about a non US port there there is no process. Treated as a normal port day.

If your are speaking about Whittier Alaska, RT Vancouver, then there is no process. Passengers go through US immigration when boarding in Vancouver.

[reedprincess]

17 minutes ago, KKB said:

On Celebrity last year we had to wait in a lounge together. 
Once regular disembarkation was done, they walked us out & right back on.

But Princess allows you to stay onboard?

In a particular area? Are you allowed in your room?

Entirely depends on where the back to back is happening (US, Europe, UK, etc) and how many back to backers 

 

Every cruise that ends in the US results in every cruiser needing to clear immigration (and customs if they're disembarking that day) as the CBP needs to "zero' the ship.

That means, any back to back guests will have to clear immigration on turnaround day.

Process gives  two choices - 

1) disembark at normal times, on your own, and enjoy the day as a port day, pick up more wine, whatever - and you can come back anytime after general boarding has begun, and show your "In Transit" card and bypass check-in lines, go straight through security and board the ship as normal.

2) meet in whichever designated area for Back to Back cruisers at designated time and clear immigration together, either when a CBP officer comes aboard to do it (sometimes, when there's a very large group) OR exit ship together with ship's escort, clear immigration, wait in holding area til ship is zeroed and board all together when cleared.  You can then go straight back to your cabin, do laundry, whatever.. 

Your choice.

And yes, choice 1) is very much an option post Covid, we did it several times in January and February. 

 

In Europe, generally speaking, there's no formalities, it's essentially a port day, you're free to come and go. 

And so forth.. 

 

[Cabunit]

For what it is worth, we were just on a B2B to Alaska out of Seattle and we did not have to get off the ship or go through immigration on turnaround day.  We chose to stay onboard and for us it was as if it were a sea day.  We had the run of the ship.  They gave us a little card that said we were in-transit, but nobody ever asked to see it. 

[tetleytea]

We did a shorex with an airport dropoff, and they offered to drop us off at the ship instead of the airport.  It worked out. 

[echoshipmate]

6 minutes ago, Cabunit said:

For what it is worth, we were just on a B2B to Alaska out of Seattle and we did not have to get off the ship or go through immigration on turnaround day.  We chose to stay onboard and for us it was as if it were a sea day.  We had the run of the ship.  They gave us a little card that said we were in-transit, but nobody ever asked to see it. 

How recent was your cruise and what ship, please? We are on 3 b2b's on Discovery starting next Sunday. Thank you so much for the current situation, knowing it could/might change at any moment.

Doug

 

[Tak8]

I was on the Caribbean Princess in May out of Ft. Lauderdale.  B2B passengers met in the Princess Theater at 9:15.  We were escorted off about 9:45, went through customs to verify who we were, went to elite lounge, then back on ship about 10:30.  

[westcoaster]

2 hours ago, reedprincess said:

Every cruise that ends in the US results in every cruiser needing to clear immigration (and customs if they're disembarking that day) as the CBP needs to "zero' the ship.

That means, any back to back guests will have to clear immigration on turnaround day.

 

 

That's not the case in Alaska (Whittier), since the ship pre-clears US customs & immigration prior to leaving Vancouver.  

 

We were on a back to back Alaska cruise last month (Vancouver-Whittier-Vancouver) and there was no need to clear immigration at our turnaround point in Whittier.

 

I believe this applies to any cruise leaving from Vancouver.  For example, a few years ago we did back to back cruises Vancouver-LA/LA-Ft. Lauderdale and again,  there was no requirement to go through US immigration and customs in LA since we had already pre-cleared in Vancouver.  We were allowed to just get off the ship if and when we wanted, like it was a regular port of call.

Edited June 11, 2022 by westcoaster

[montgomeryfamily]

What about b2b Whittier to Vancouver to Whittier?  Do you have to get off the ship?

[memoak]

3 hours ago, Cabunit said:

For what it is worth, we were just on a B2B to Alaska out of Seattle and we did not have to get off the ship or go through immigration on turnaround day.  We chose to stay onboard and for us it was as if it were a sea day.  We had the run of the ship.  They gave us a little card that said we were in-transit, but nobody ever asked to see it. 

The in transit card is usually so you can avoid the mobs of new cruisers when you get back on if you chose to get off the ship for lunch or shopping. Just wave the card and bypass all the lines

[Cabunit]

3 hours ago, echoshipmate said:

How recent was your cruise and what ship, please? We are on 3 b2b's on Discovery starting next Sunday. Thank you so much for the current situation, knowing it could/might change at any moment.

Doug

 

We were on the Crown Princess.  The turnaround day was 5/28.

[masscruiser2010]

I am also very interested in an answer to Kathy's question.  We are doing a Whittier-Vancouver-Whittier back-to-back on Royal Princess, and have gotten a variety of conflicting stories about what happens in Vancouver.

[reedprincess]

3 hours ago, westcoaster said:

That's not the case in Alaska (Whittier), since the ship pre-clears US customs & immigration prior to leaving Vancouver.  

 

We were on a back to back Alaska cruise last month (Vancouver-Whittier-Vancouver) and there was no need to clear immigration at our turnaround point in Whittier.

 

I believe this applies to any cruise leaving from Vancouver.  For example, a few years ago we did back to back cruises Vancouver-LA/LA-Ft. Lauderdale and again,  there was no requirement to go through US immigration and customs in LA since we had already pre-cleared in Vancouver.  We were allowed to just get off the ship if and when we wanted, like it was a regular port of call.

Yes, that's basically the only exception to crusies that end in the US - if they depart Vancouver and have gone through pre-clearance; same as flights to the US from Vancouver, and numerous other Canadian airports (and some other international airports) that have US pre-clearance (FWIW). You're cleared in Vancouver and arrive in US as a domestic passenger.

Do you know whether that's the same out of Quebec City? I'm not aware that they have pre-clearance or not..(for those Canadian fall cruises and the guests who may do QC to NY and back).

 

[Steelers36]

46 minutes ago, reedprincess said:

Yes, that's basically the only exception to crusies that end in the US - if they depart Vancouver and have gone through pre-clearance; same as flights to the US from Vancouver, and numerous other Canadian airports (and some other international airports) that have US pre-clearance (FWIW). You're cleared in Vancouver and arrive in US as a domestic passenger.

Do you know whether that's the same out of Quebec City? I'm not aware that they have pre-clearance or not..(for those Canadian fall cruises and the guests who may do QC to NY and back).

 

All major Canadian airports have US CBP pre-clearance.  That said, it is pretty much only the major airports I expect that have flights into US airports. 

 

[AE_Collector]

2 hours ago, masscruiser2010 said:

I am also very interested in an answer to Kathy's question.  We are doing a Whittier-Vancouver-Whittier back-to-back on Royal Princess, and have gotten a variety of conflicting stories about what happens in Vancouver.

I don’t know for sure but I doubt you will need to go through customs at Vancouver if staying on for the next cruise. But of course you DO want to take advantage of the opportunity to explore Vancouver as a stop on a cruise and not a embark/disembark port! Canada Place is RIGHT Downtown, a luxury slowly disappearing at so many locations due to ships becoming too large. We’ve done Vancouver-Whittier-Vancouver several times and as small as Whittier is, we always go exploring.

[skynight]

10 hours ago, reedprincess said:

Yes, that's basically the only exception to crusies that end in the US - if they depart Vancouver and have gone through pre-clearance; same as flights to the US from Vancouver, and numerous other Canadian airports (and some other international airports) that have US pre-clearance (FWIW). You're cleared in Vancouver and arrive in US as a domestic passenger.

Do you know whether that's the same out of Quebec City? I'm not aware that they have pre-clearance or not..(for those Canadian fall cruises and the guests who may do QC to NY and back).

 

In 2019 we cleared US immigration at the first US port, which at that time was Portland, Maine. No immigration upon arrival in Brooklyn, but Customs is there in case they wish to inspect luggage. Expect it is the same today where you will clear immigration at the first US port.

Don't know how a turn around will be handled in Brooklyn. Expect there will be no legal requirements, but the ship may have some procedures.

[rheathslc]

Thanks everyone who replied to the OP. We have our first B2B on the Diamond in September and turnaround is in San Diego. I want to have lunch with a friend in San Diego that day and it sounds like I will be able to do that. ❤️

[memoak]

11 hours ago, rheathslc said:

Thanks everyone who replied to the OP. We have our first B2B on the Diamond in September and turnaround is in San Diego. I want to have lunch with a friend in San Diego that day and it sounds like I will be able to do that. ❤️

Yes there will be no problem as long as you are back on deck prior to sailing.  You will have an in transit card to show when reboarding to avoid check in lines

[jwattle]

Does anybody know the B2B in Sydney, Australia? 🙂 

[phabric]

B2B in Barcelona (2019) and Southampton (2022) we were given a “In Transat” card and told to treat the port as any port and show the card when returning to the ship.

 

Southampton (2022), we did not need to do a Covid test for the second cruise.

Edited June 18, 2022 by phabric

[Level six]

2 hours ago, phabric said:

 

Southampton (2022), we did not need to do a Covid test for the second cruise.

What ship were you on?  I just canceled a cruise because I read on CC that over 300 people on a B2B out of Southampton were taken off the ship for testing positive.

[juniper berries]

For back to back in Australia depending where you are going.

If going to some place within Australia then you can just get back on ship with your intransit card. If going some place like the South Pacfic then you need to go through immigration and security.  Make sure you have your pasport with you. You also can bring on wine.

This is what happened pre covid in 2020.

 

[phabric]

2 hours ago, Level six said:

What ship were you on?  I just canceled a cruise because I read on CC that over 300 people on a B2B out of Southampton were taken off the ship for testing positive.

I was on Sky out of Southampton May 28-June 4 and June 4-11, 2022.  
 

My sister asked at Guest Services the first week if if there were Covid cases onboard, he was not suppose to say, but he whispered to her “a few”.  They do not broadcast if there are any cases.

 

My brother in law, was coughing at the end of the second week.  On Saturday June 4 (disembarking day) about 1am, they called medical center.  He tested negative (he was told a cold) but still had to be quarantined for a few hours before disembarking with the other quarantine passengers.  He saw only about a dozen people quarantined leaving the ship..
 

From the June 4 Facebook, a few stated they tested positive once home.

[Level six]

3 hours ago, phabric said:

I was on Sky out of Southampton May 28-June 4 and June 4-11, 2022.  
 

My sister asked at Guest Services the first week if if there were Covid cases onboard, he was not suppose to say, but he whispered to her “a few”.  They do not broadcast if there are any cases.

 

My brother in law, was coughing at the end of the second week.  On Saturday June 4 (disembarking day) about 1am, they called medical center.  He tested negative (he was told a cold) but still had to be quarantined for a few hours before disembarking with the other quarantine passengers.  He saw only about a dozen people quarantined leaving the ship..
 

From the June 4 Facebook, a few stated they tested positive once home.

But were you on a B2B?  If you were just getting off the ship, no testing.  But for a B2B I am sure you still need to test. 

[phabric]

23 minutes ago, Level six said:

But were you on a B2B?  If you were just getting off the ship, no testing.  But for a B2B I am sure you still need to test. 

I had 2 different booking numbers for the two 7 day cruises on the Sky May 28-June 4 roundtrip out of Southampton  and June 4-11 roundtrip out of Southampton. Princess makes it one cruise on the medallion.  I asked at Guest Services 2x, if we needed a Covid Test for the second cruise, “No, as you are not going to a country  that needs a Covid test” “You needed a Covid test to get on the ship”. Treat the second Southampton stop (embarkment day for the second cruise) as any port day, if you want to get off the ship.

 

In 2019, on the Sky, two 7 day cruises with 2 booking numbers for Athens-Barcelona and  Barcelona- Rome. Princess made it one cruise on the medallion.  Told to treat Barcelona as any port day, get off if you want.

Edited June 18, 2022 by phabric