linking B2B cruises?

[IntrepidFromDC]

I've looked all over carnival.com and don't see anything about linking my upcoming B2B cruises, but I'm pretty sure I've read on various threads that I should do so, from memory a couple posts gave good reasons to.  Can anyone direct me how to do this magical linking thingy?  TIA

[peteandpris]

Call anyone at Carnival and they will link your back to back. We call our PVP and she takes care of it. 🥰

[ObstructedView2]

28 minutes ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

I've looked all over carnival.com and don't see anything about linking my upcoming B2B cruises, but I'm pretty sure I've read on various threads that I should do so, from memory a couple posts gave good reasons to.  Can anyone direct me how to do this magical linking thingy?  TIA

 

Hi 🙂

 

If you booked online you have to call Carnival to have Back2Back sailings linked.

 

 

Information located @:

https://help.goccl.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4529/~/back-to-back-cruises

 

Also located @:

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/4529/~/back-to-back-cruises

 

 

✌

[IntrepidFromDC]

Thanks that is very helpful, the hold time was only about five minutes, and when I asked why we link B2Bs she said now I won't have to get off the ship.  I said FOREVER?  😁 🏴‍☠️

Edited November 4, 2022 by IntrepidFromDC

[BTromboneFrack]

When you say "linking,"  what exactly do you mean?  I was told that any onboard credit I had would be treated as if I was leaving the ship, and I would have a clean slate at the beginning of the second cruise.  Essentially, they would treat our accounts as two separate cruises.   

 

[IntrepidFromDC]

49 minutes ago, BTromboneFrack said:

When you say "linking,"  what exactly do you mean?  I was told that any onboard credit I had would be treated as if I was leaving the ship, and I would have a clean slate at the beginning of the second cruise.  Essentially, they would treat our accounts as two separate cruises.   

 

I didn't know, I had just read about it on cruisecritic and suddenly realized it was something I should look into.  At the very least, linking means I don't have to disembark, I was told by Carnival agent today.

[ShakyBeef]

11 hours ago, BTromboneFrack said:

When you say "linking,"  what exactly do you mean?  I was told that any onboard credit I had would be treated as if I was leaving the ship, and I would have a clean slate at the beginning of the second cruise.  Essentially, they would treat our accounts as two separate cruises.   

 

 

"Linking" your B2B sailings ensures that the two sailings are recognized in the system as a B2B and not just two separate sailings.  If this step isn't taken, you will have to debark the first leg and reembark the second leg like all the other PAX.  As a B2B guest, you either don't have to leave the ship, or you get escorted quickly through the terminal between legs (which seems to depend on port).  You are correct about the two S&S accounts.  In some ways a B2B is treated as two separate cruises, but in some important ways it is treated as one.  As long as the two legs are linked.😉

 

There are several other reasons to make sure your B2B sailings are linked.  In addition to the above, if staying in the same cabin for both legs, your Room Steward will know not to turn over your cabin.  And, at the discretion of the Hotel Manager on your ship, you will get some gifts/perks for being a B2B guest (examples: food gift delivered to cabin, free photo with special B2B backdrop, free mimosas on turn around morning, etc.).  A B2B is really a great experience, but in order to get the full experience, the on board computer system and thus the staff and crew need to know that you are on a B2B.

 

So, call your PVP, or, if you don't have one, the Carnival 1 800 number, and get your sailings "linked".😁

[Jamman54]

4 minutes ago, ShakyBeef said:

 

"Linking" your B2B sailings ensures that the two sailings are recognized in the system as a B2B and not just two separate sailings.  If this step isn't taken, you will have to debark the first leg and reembark the second leg like all the other PAX.  As a B2B guest, you either don't have to leave the ship, or you get escorted quickly through the terminal between legs (which seems to depend on port).  You are correct about the two S&S accounts.  In some ways a B2B is treated as two separate cruises, but in some important ways it is treated as one.  As long as the two legs are linked.😉

 

There are several other reasons to make sure your B2B sailings are linked.  In addition to the above, if staying in the same cabin for both legs, your Room Steward will know not to turn over your cabin.  And, at the discretion of the Hotel Manager on your ship, you will get some gifts/perks for being a B2B guest (examples: food gift delivered to cabin, free photo with special B2B backdrop, free mimosas on turn around morning, etc.).  A B2B is really a great experience, but in order to get the full experience, the on board computer system and thus the staff and crew need to know that you are on a B2B.

 

So, call your PVP, or, if you don't have one, the Carnival 1 800 number, and get your sailings "linked".😁

Couldn't have said it better. My PVP automatically takes care of this for me,  but I'm so anal that I'll always stop at Guest Services during the first leg just to make sure! 😁

[ShakyBeef]

Just now, Jamman54 said:

Couldn't have said it better. My PVP automatically takes care of this for me,  but I'm so anal that I'll always stop at Guest Services during the first leg just to make sure! 😁

 

Me too.🤭

[Mic101680]

I called a few weeks ago to have my B2B's in January linked. I seemed to know more about the process than she did, so I'm not confident it was done right. She re-sent the confirmation booking emails to me, but nothing seems to have changed. Does anyone know if there is any way to tell they are linked, besides having to call to confirm again?

[skrufy]

Your second leg will be in the ships system. When you board just go to the guest services desk and confirm your in their system for the second leg of your B2B. 

[ShakyBeef]

57 minutes ago, Mic101680 said:

I called a few weeks ago to have my B2B's in January linked. I seemed to know more about the process than she did, so I'm not confident it was done right. She re-sent the confirmation booking emails to me, but nothing seems to have changed. Does anyone know if there is any way to tell they are linked, besides having to call to confirm again?

 

I thought my PVP sent me some kind of confirmation email, but if he did, I can't find it, sorry.  When I requested that my sailings be "officially linked" as a B2B, he knew exactly what I was talking about and confirmed he had already done it.  But, like Jamman54, for my peace of mind, I stopped by Guest Services (I think it was on Day Two) just to make sure that it was indeed done.  It's not critical that they are linked before boarding the first leg, and it can be taken care of on board on the first leg if it failed to be done pre-cruise. 

 

On a related B2B note, I recommend what was recommended to me on these boards: if you are carrying on all of your allotted wine for both legs and embarkation of the first leg, print both boarding passes for all passengers and present them to the terminal security with your wine, explaining that you are on a B2B and allowed to do this.  Also, printing the rules from the Carnival site on B2B wine allowance is a good back-up in case you get push-back from security:

 

Alcohol and Beverage Policy
The same policy applies - click here for details. You are entitled to bring onboard the same quantity as stated in the policy, per guest, per cruise. The additional quantities will be stored for safekeeping at the start of the first cruise and will be given to the guest as each following cruise begins.  

 

[momof3cruisers]

6 hours ago, skrufy said:

Your second leg will be in the ships system. When you board just go to the guest services desk and confirm your in their system for the second leg of your B2B. 

Don’t do this if you are on the Spirit. They will A) look at you like you are an idiot and B) tell you that is not a thing. Also, they will tell you when you ask (including on the last day of your first leg at 7:30 PM) that information about what to do will be delivered to your cabin. When it is not there by midnight, they will deign to tell where and what time to meet in the morning. I.e. 8 hours from when you are asking…for the third time. We had such a negative experience, we won’t be doing a B2B again. Heck, my husband will likely never sail on Carnival again but that’s a separate post. 

[ShakyBeef]

25 minutes ago, momof3cruisers said:

Don’t do this if you are on the Spirit. They will A) look at you like you are an idiot and B) tell you that is not a thing. Also, they will tell you when you ask (including on the last day of your first leg at 7:30 PM) that information about what to do will be delivered to your cabin. When it is not there by midnight, they will deign to tell where and what time to meet in the morning. I.e. 8 hours from when you are asking…for the third time. We had such a negative experience, we won’t be doing a B2B again. Heck, my husband will likely never sail on Carnival again but that’s a separate post. 

 

I'm sorry that happened to you.  They should have definitely known it was "a thing".  It should have been handled much better than that. 

 

A story: when we showed up at the Port Canaveral terminal in January 2020 with our two sets of boarding passes and our four bottles of wine to board Carnival Elation for our B2B, I presented the boarding passes to the terminal employee and proceeded to explain we were on a B2B.  She (and her fellow port employee beside her) seemed a little confused and she said, "You mean you're cruising on Magic (or whatever other ship was sailing from same port) after this cruise?"   I said, "No, we're doing a B2B on Elation.  Five days, then the next five days."  She and her coworker looked at each other with raised eyebrows and she said, "No one ever does that on Elation!"🤣 

 

Even though Elation reportedly didn't get many (any?) B2Bers, the staff and crew handled our B2B fabulously.  It was smooth and enjoyable.  You should have gotten the treatment we did and I'm sorry you were cheated out of it.

Edited November 5, 2022 by ShakyBeef
extra word

[kona_wahine]

We did one on the Breeze and paperwork was sent to us in our stateroom (our steward also knew and talked to us about it) on the process of when to meet to be escorted off the ship and to get our new s&s cards and right back on. It was all VERY civilized and pleasant, with a mimosa and a nice picture of us all. And a nice fruit basket in our room. I did call Carnival before hand and did the linking thingy also, because I was told to here. They did whatever over the phone…..

[Moviela]

Your PVP can link any B2B cruise for you, even if you book the two a year apart. If you have the same room on both cruises you don't need to pack. If you are changing rooms, pack all bags and alert your steward. They will move everything to the new room. 

 

You must leave the ship with your passport and the B2B crew. They will escort the group to the terminal to be processed by customs. Now you simply stand in front of an Ipad and smile. 5 seconds later you head back to the ship and be the first aboard. 

 

If you wish to visit the port you can use a reboarding pass to return later. Have your ID and sign and sail card (the new one) 

[ShakyBeef]

4 hours ago, Moviela said:

 

You must leave the ship with your passport and the B2B crew. They will escort the group to the terminal to be processed by customs.

 

 

Many B2Bers have reported they did not have to leave the ship at all on turn-around day, that they were reprocessed onboard.  It seems to be port- or ship-specific how this is done.

[RockinRobin]

Looking forward to our first B2B on the Horizon.  We booked them weeks apart and have to move cabins.....2 doors down!  Should be easy for our steward. And I can "messy" pack since I'll be unloading the luggage quickly in the new cabin. I had heard that they will move your hanging items without having to pack them.  Does anyone know if that is still true on the Horizon?

[luv2kroooz]

To CCL shareholders.....two B2B 7 day cruises are considered a 14 day cruise. Shareholder benefit is $250 for a 14 day cruise, not $200 for two 7 day cruises.