back to back cruise, what happens on day cruise changes?

[cool change]

Just wanted to know what happens on the in between day. We will be on our first back to back cruise ( eastern and western caribbean) Can we just stay on board? I would guess we would have to do the lifeboat drill again. Just wondering what the rules were and if anyone had suggestions for this day. We will be in Fort Lauderdale that day and have been there many times.

[Barocl]

We have stayed on board sometimes and other times we have gone for a walk. Yes. you must be present at lifeboat drill again. Have fun and take care.

[cool change]

Thank you for that quick response, I look forward to the extra days. 14 big ones, the longest we usually sail is 10.

[bruceh4]

You will have to go thru immigration, which is just a matter of walking off the ship meeting with immigration and then walking back on the ship. There is not much else you can do at the port other than taking a walk. The cruise port is not close enough to anything unless you want to get a cab. Usually what I do is sit by the pool and watch the newcomers with thier ships deck plan trying to figure out where they are!:D At that point you feel like one of the crew:)

[booboo29]

We are doing a back to back on the Westerdam in November and if the weather is good, I think we planned to take a cab to the beach and wander about and then return to the ship. If the weather is bad, we will stay aboard. At this point we have to change cabins (which I am NOT excited about) so that will have to happen at some point too.

 

Have fun!

Jennifer

[Starr Mtn]

If you don't have to change cabins - just sit back and enjoy and relax !

Room service breakfast is always nice - since it's more hectic in the dining room on disembarkation day.

 

Check with the front desk - sometimes you don't even have to go thru immigration and can just stay on board. A leisurly lunch in the Lido is nice - as well as checking out places on the ship w/o a lot of people on board.

 

It's always thoughtful to remind your cabin steward you are staying onboard. Perhaps all he needs to do for you that day is clean sheets and towels. that would make his very busy day a little easier and is always

appreciated.

 

If you desire to go ashore - check out any instructions provided - you probably need to exchange your cabin cards in order to get back on board.

[sail7seas]

The last night of your first cruise, you will receive a letter giving dining hours, your new ID for the next cruise and instructions as to Immigration.You will have to clear Immigration. Remember that HAL does not control this; the Homeland Security Officials say how and when.

 

Almost always, the 'in transits' (which is what back-to-backers are called) are called last to do Immigration in the terminal. It takes about 2 minutes. You almost always will be permitted to go back aboard immediately if that is what you wish to do. They call in transits last because once you are off the ship, you cannot reboard until all people who are leaving have done so. If you plan to stay ashore, you can go earlier and be on your way.

 

You will need both ID's with you. Scan the ID you have used all week when you leave the ship, use the new one when you reboard.

 

IF you are staying in the same cabin, the day is yours to enjoy. If you will be in a different cabin, the stewards will help you move.

 

You will be able to carry your account forward from the first week to the second. You should remember to turn in your second 'cruise ticket' at the office.

 

We have done many b-to-b's and LOVE them. We are doing another set this summer on Maasdam in August.

 

Hope this helps. Enjoy!!!

[cool change]

We are able to stay in the same cabin. I dont think we will be able to sleep in with all of the announcements, but room service breakfast sounds like a must as well as watching other people to see what we look like on the first day. Thanks for all the help with logistics questions, I will print this and bring it with me.

[jimneycrkit]

Interesting that HAL makes you do muster the second time. I have been on several B2Bs on other lines and never had to go the second time. it was fun watching the new people board and go with their life jackets on to the muster drills and not have to do it again.

[Maryandi]

When we took a 28 day cruise that included a B to B, we had to wait for Immigration until 12:30 (Vancouver). DH went right back onboard and I stayed in the terminal for awhile, then had to go thru the lines again.

 

We changed cabins - with a luggage cart and just stacking folding stuff in open suitcases. It was no big deal. Then once a week had to do a lifeboat drill (4x) !

 

We, also, closed out our ship account and started a new one.

 

M.A.

[sail7seas]

Immigration formalities differ from port to port, country to country. We had to clear in Montreal last year (and will again in August) and their method was quite similar to U.S. (Fort Lauderdale). It could be quite different in another Canadian or U.S. port.

[TylerRose]

We just returned from back to back Ryndam in Alaska.

Only addition I have, they required all of us to retake ID photos.

Dining room steward asked if we wanted to keep the same table, wine and soda card carried over too.

[sail7seas]

Also, you may be interested to know that Internet minutes will NOT carry over if you have any left.

 

[peug]

We did BtoB last fall and the change over was in Vancouver. We got instructions the last night of the first segment. We met a few others and were walked thru immigration by a crew member. We could stay onshore but chose to got right back onboard and were told to use the crew entrance any time we wanted to reboard. We spent the day doing laundry along with another couple doing the BtoB.

 

We were onboard a total of 25 days and did feel like part of the ships family when the cruise was over.

[PRINSENDAM]

Interesting that HAL makes you do muster the second time. I have been on several B2Bs on other lines and never had to go the second time. it was fun watching the new people board and go with their life jackets on to the muster drills and not have to do it again.

 

 

 

Jimney,

 

Quite right. Let us just say that HAL takes the Emergency Muster a bit more seriously than do some of the other cruise lies.

 

On longer cruises there will be additional passenger drills.... usually about once every ten days or so. I can't remember the exact number, but on the 1995 ROTTERDAM World Cruise we did something like 15 drills. They were made varied and interesting and this kept everyone's attention.

 

I know that on QE2 they hold just one drill for the passengers during their world cruises... segment passengers must attend a drill but not those doing more than one segment. I know which ship I would rather be on in an emergency situation!!!!!

 

Stephen

[RevNeal]

One of the only times I've been free from having to attend drill was on the Panama Canal Cruise, aboard the Zaandam, in October 2004. We boarded in Vancouver and went through the drill there. When we docked in San Diego (4 days later) about half the ship disembarked and another group boarded. Those who boarded in San Diego had to go through muster drill, but those of us who were staying aboard for the transit to and through the Canal were not required to attend.

 

Oh Captain My Captain ... so good to "see" you again! How are you? Are you "down under"?

[Mariner05]

My wife and I have completed many back to back cruises. On the last day they will annouce all those going ashore as usual. We usually take our time and sometimes just enjoy the ship and pool. Other times we take a walk around the areas if they are not too commercial. On our last cruise those who did a back to back in Rome were provided with a tour of Rome on that day which made it a nice day for those in transit. We recieved a letter the day before with instructions. If you do not get off the ship you do not have to go through immigration. In some ports they made intransit guests who disembarked wait until all the others were allowed to embark. You will receive your new boarding cards with dining assignment and asked to take another picture at the purser's desk. We just disembarked the Noordam in Rome in May and that is the way it was handled. Its a pleasant day for you and you will have the run of the ship so enjoy! Should you decide to get off the ship find out if you can return at your leisure from those (officials) on shore. You do not want to spend the day at the pier with all those embarking that day....Hope this helps.

[sail7seas]

On every HAL back-to-back that we have done (and that is many).....

 

We have always been required to go through Immigration. We must present our passports and then are allowed to immediately reboard or to stay ashore as we wish. (We always wait until the last group of disembarking pax are called.)

 

Almost every time we do a back-to-back, we immediately reboard the ship. Only in Montreal have we decided to stay ashore.

 

[sail7seas]

Sorry....I meant to add that they will know if you have not gone through Immigration (not left the ship to do so), as you must swipe your ID card as you disembark. You will swipe the old card when you leave the ship and will swipt the new one when you reboard.

 

[bruceh4]

If you do not get off the ship you do not have to go through immigration.

This maybe true in foreign ports that on back to back you dont have to go thru immigration, but in the US if you do a back to back you must go thru US immigration.

As stated earlier it is nothing more than after the last passengers have departed, you walk off the ship show your passport and then walk back on with no waiting. As for muster drills I agree that HAL is more serious about them and makes everybody participate. The only exception that I have experienced was on a Panama Canal reposition. We boarded in San Fran and then stopped 2 days later in San Diego. Only the passengers who boarded in SD were required to go to muster as we had done it only 2 days earlier. On longer cruise's I have seen muster drills done about every 12 days.

[user8]

I just got off a back-to-back on the Noordam. We did not have to go through immigration but we did have to attend the second life boat drill.

 

On the last day of our first segment, we received our new key cards. We had to go to the front desk and have our pictures retaken. Being overly eager, I tried the new key card immeidately to see if it worked. It did, but once I used it, my old one ceased to work. This surprised me but was no big deal.

[Onbec]

Last March we did a B2B out of Tampa.

 

After everyone has disembarked we went up to the suites and penthouse. The stewart who was cleaning the penthouse was kind enough to let us come into the penthouse, and for 10 lovely minutes we has a penthouse suite. Sat on the vernada, danced in the living room, were tempted to sample the wine but resisted.

 

We then wandered down to the Neptune Lounge and had our pictures taken sitting on the couch.:D

 

Oh well, if the right numbers ever come up on the Lotto, maybe we will be able to enjoy these facilities for an entire cruise.:)

 

We also went up to the teenage area (the Loft???). Darn, but those kids have a great area to enjoy their cruise. Wish I wasn't just a few years (ok so it's decades) too old to use those facilities.