Possible B2B and staying on ship or must temporarily disembark?

[Tampa Girl]

We just booked a 14-day Caribbean cruise on the NA, and I just realized that it appears to be a back to back.  Each week has a different itinerary, except for the inevitable Half Moon Key.  Two questions:  Will we be required to temporarily disembark when the first week's passengers disembark, or can we stay in our cabin?  Secondly, since the booking is for a 14-day cruise and we have only one booking number, does this qualify for a Carnival 14-day OBC or only a 7-day OBC?  I apologize for asking this because I know that it has been asked before, but my research is not pulling it up.  Thanks in advance.

[CruiserBruce]

It's considered a 14 day cruise for the stock owner's OBC.

 

The turn-around day has been explained here many times. The current policy is you appear at a designated spot ( typically the main lounge) at a designated time, usually between 9 and 9:30. When the Immigration folks are ready, you go off the ship as a group and show your passport in the Terminal. When the ship has zero-ed, you are allowed back on.

[FOPMan]

While Carnival Corporation owns both Carnival Cruise Line and HAL, there is no overlap in passenger awards programs

 

The ship will be returning to its home port halfway through your voyage. Assuming you have the same cabin for your entire 14 days, you will not need to pack for the halfway point.

 

US Immigration requires the ship to be cleared of guests. Passengers on both legs will be called to a meeting point (probably the theater) at about 9:30 on turnover day. You will need your ship IID, your passport, and a transit card provided by HAL.

 

The group is escorted off the ship and into the boarding facilities. Passport scans and facial recognition scans are conducted by INS. You are then free to either reboard or stay ashore.

 

Assuming all passengers show up promptly, it should take about 30 minutes. 

 

 

[Banditswife]

We had a B2B on the NS in March/April.  Other passengers had booked it as a 14 day cruise.  We all had to meet in the main show room at 9 AM, & then were escorted out to the immigration people & then allowed back on the ship.  If you choose to leave the ship & explore Ft Lauderdale, you are not allowed back on until, I think, 11ish.  Can't remember the exact time.  But please show up on time to the theatre, they have to wait until everyone is there & accounted for before the group can go to immigration people. 

 

There are tours available too.  If you do one of the ship sponsored tours of Ft Lauderdale, then you meet your tour & bypass the immigration process. You reboard the ship, bypassing all those who are trying to board for the 2nd leg of your cruise- you will use the intransit card that they provide.  But might still need your passport & ship card.  We have done it both ways, very easy.   

[lissie]

39 minutes ago, FOPMan said:

While Carnival Corporation owns both Carnival Cruise Line and HAL, there is no overlap in passenger awards programs

 

 

 

Its not the rewards program is  Sharholder benefits which operate on all the Carnival brands inc HAL. 

 

To the OP - you will get the 14 day OBC because you have 1 booking number 

[Loreto]

We booked a back to back Panama Canal Feb-March 2023 on the Zaandam.  We gathered in the theater and customs officials came on board in Ft. Lauderdale and checked our passports.  We did not have to get off the ship🙂.

[Tampa Girl]

Thank you all so much for this info.  I know that it has been discussed in the past, many times, but I could not find it tonight.  This has eased may concerns about having to wait until the embarkation time for the new batch.  The info is most appreciated.

 

[Haljo1935]

Enjoy your trip - it's an easy process that doesn't take much time. You will spend more time waiting for everyone to show up in the lounge than it will take you to get off/back on. As Banditswife mentioned, being on time is important as they do have to wait for everyone before the group can leave. And be sure to check in with crew before you sit down - happens every time that one of the missing passengers the group was waiting for was already there, but not accounted for because they didn't check in.

Edited April 28, 2023 by Haljo1935