B2B Turnaround Day - Miami

[RLM77]

The search feature is "temporarily unavailable" so I can't find previous posts on this topic. Can someone who has recently been on an RCI B2B out of Miami please describe their experience on turnaround day? Are you allowed to stay on the ship or must you disembark? Do you receive your new Seapasses onboard or must you go through the check-in line a second time? Any other information that would be helpful or informative?

Thanks for your help and insights.

[hmsdos]

Our experiences have always been very smooth.... you will be told time and place to meet..... "generally" you are escorted by a staff person out through Immigration and then right back on the ship.... that said... once we didn't even have to leave the ship.... no matter, it is a blast to be on while everyone else is rushing to get off :-) And then to watch as new boarders come on and are amazed at the ship.... have a wonderful cruise!

[honeywell]

Forgive my ignorance, but I am totally ignorant on this very interesting topic! You have the same cabin, of course, but do you have to pack, vacate, etc. and make customs claims or just go back and forth through immigration?

[hmsdos]

Forgive my ignorance, but I am totally ignorant on this very interesting topic! You have the same cabin, of course, but do you have to pack, vacate, etc. and make customs claims or just go back and forth through immigration?

 

Nope... it is wonderful ... if you are in the same cabin... you just have a (another) wonderful day no packing/unpacking.. .get up when you want, have breakfast and then go to the area where you will have received a notice to be at a certain time... you will meet with a staff person who will "walk you through" the process... and then you have a little while where you "own" the ship:D .... and then we like to go to the deck where passengers arrive and watch the expressions as they arrive:)

[megr1125]

we did a B2B out of Ft Lauderdale...we did change cabins (our request.....) and our attendant moved our stuff...we only had to pack stuff that wasn't hanging....

 

we didn't get our new seapasses the night before, (there were 6 people all together....4 got them, we didnt) so the GR manager made them for us...we exited the ship with the old ones, went thru immigration (took 10 seconds) and walked back on....

 

just stop by GR at some point that day or the next to make sure your new seapass was linked to your CC on file (if you are using a CC)...the letter said they would do it, but they didnt...so just go at YOUR convenience and check!

 

it's really fun to do a b2b. BTW when you do immigration, you can not take anything off with you except personal stuff as you are considered "in transit". we didn't have time for me to comfortably leave the ship (i was going to do a load of laundry dow the road).....but if you do wish to leave the ship after you clear and get back on, you can.

[honeywell]

How difficult is it to book the same cabin for a B2B?

[megr1125]

depends on how the ship is selling....call RC and ask if it is open for both legs...even if it isn't on line, it MAY be...(ours was but the 1st cabin was SOOO noisy as it was over the karaoke bar-and it was an aft JS so it shook ALL the time...not up and down, just shaking...the drawers always were opening.....:eek: )

 

THEN, call the back to back desk to make sure your reservations are linked....that way the ship will know you are on a b2b! However, you can't access your ressie on line once it is linked, unless things have changed. i wasn't even able to print my e-docs, and no one could fix it.....no biggie, i made my own luggage tags, and i had my set sail passes all done!

 

(if the ressies aren't linked, the ship won;t know you won't get your letter, and seapass cards, etc....)

[Luna]

Well, that explains that. I'm glad I read this thread. Thank you.

 

We've booked a b2b for Oct, 2009 and I was wondering whether the 2 reservations were linked or not, after reading on this board that we should make sure they were. When I tried to access our reservations, I got a notice that they were not available and to contact customer service. Well, after reading your explanation, I now know they *are* linked. I just don't like not being able to fill out my e-docs online, though. I know, I know, it's a tad early yet. Who knows, maybe by this time next year, things will have changed.

[Alexis]

Well, that explains that. I'm glad I read this thread. Thank you.

 

We've booked a b2b for Oct, 2009 and I was wondering whether the 2 reservations were linked or not, after reading on this board that we should make sure they were. When I tried to access our reservations, I got a notice that they were not available and to contact customer service. Well, after reading your explanation, I now know they *are* linked. I just don't like not being able to fill out my e-docs online, though. I know, I know, it's a tad early yet. Who knows, maybe by this time next year, things will have changed.

 

You can fill out your Set Sail Passes on line.

Here is a post by cruisenfever explaining how to do it. I always do mine that way too and never have a problem.

You should also be able to see one of your B2B cruises on line, but not both.

Post # 5 is cruisenfever , # 20 is my post in there about B2B bookings.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=764600

[hmsdos]

Well, that explains that. I'm glad I read this thread. Thank you.

 

We've booked a b2b for Oct, 2009 and I was wondering whether the 2 reservations were linked or not, after reading on this board that we should make sure they were. When I tried to access our reservations, I got a notice that they were not available and to contact customer service. Well, after reading your explanation, I now know they *are* linked. I just don't like not being able to fill out my e-docs online, though. I know, I know, it's a tad early yet. Who knows, maybe by this time next year, things will have changed.

 

Even if the reservations are not linked by the time you sail... there is no problem... just check in at Guest Services (we always do the first day)... and if they are not linked let them know and they will take care of everything.... we have never had a problem. We do fill out our set sail for each cruise and take that with us.... just in case we need it for the second half.... so far, we have not needed:)

[honeywell]

What an interesting thread! Good to know you can reserve via a RCCL B2B desk! Do you look for different itineraries or just go on the same one?

[megr1125]

eDocs and SetSail passes are 2 different things...you FILL OUT the SetSail pass info on line...that you CAN do. The eDocs you get AFTER final payment...that has all the stuff that the paper docs have...including a sample bag tag. You do not need these....JUST the SetSail pass.....

 

I wouldn't wait to have them linked until I was on the ship, but that's just me.....some GR people are great, some aren't...and some reservation people fall into the same categories.....

 

as for Itineraries...we did Enchantment..2 westerns but diff ports.....so we got Key West, and Coz on one and Cayman and Jamaica on the other.....and belize too, was one port....

 

We also didn't need the 2nd set sail.

 

OH...and to fill out your set sails....do NOT log in......you have to go in as if you do not have a "my cruises" account....just go under "before you board" then click on line check in, then fill in the info! (i learned that right her on CC!):p

[biomedbob]

Have never linked b2b. Never had a problem, even with different cabin assignments on second leg.

[Alexis]

Have never linked b2b. Never had a problem, even with different cabin assignments on second leg.

 

I have never heard of a actual B2B desk and I have never asked to be connected to one.

I have never mentioned linking my two cruises.

I just call RCCL and say I want to book a cruise on such and such ship for this week and the next week.

I ask them to see if the cabin I want is available for both weeks. If not I always have backup cabins I ask for.

[rubrrick]

I, too, did not know that there is a B2B desk.

 

I have always let the GSM know immediately when boarding that I'm doing a B2B and everything is taken care of.

 

I have never had any difficulties..........but I'm glad to have this information.

 

Rick

[chanclay]

You can fill out your Set Sail Passes on line.

Here is a post by cruisenfever explaining how to do it. I always do mine that way too and never have a problem.

You should also be able to see one of your B2B cruises on line, but not both.

Post # 5 is cruisenfever , # 20 is my post in there about B2B bookings.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=764600

Actually, you can see them both, just click on purchased and held cruises, and they both will come up on the same page. I just did it, so I know it works. Have a nice cruise.

[Luna]

Actually, you can see them both, just click on purchased and held cruises, and they both will come up on the same page. I just did it, so I know it works. Have a nice cruise.

 

Yes, I can see that I've purchased them, but when I click on the res #, I get the message I mentioned before. And when I try going in the way megr1125 mentioned and get the msg that it's "unavailable at this time, try again later."

I'm not going to worry about it, yet. I have an invoice that proves I've made my down payment. Besides, I have 2 other cruises to get through before then.

[cruisenfever]

Nope... it is wonderful ... if you are in the same cabin... you just have a (another) wonderful day no packing/unpacking.. .get up when you want, have breakfast and then go to the area where you will have received a notice to be at a certain time... you will meet with a staff person who will "walk you through" the process... and then you have a little while where you "own" the ship:D .... and then we like to go to the deck where passengers arrive and watch the expressions as they arrive:)

You can get up when you want.........but breakfast is only served until 8:30 in the WJ and I believe it's 9:0o in the DR. Then everything is closed down and then the process begins for the new pax getting on.

[cruisenfever]

To see your b2b reservation...........here is what you do........

 

1. Go to the RCI Home Page and click on Before you Board (DO NOT click on your name or sign in)
   
2. Click on Countdown to Cruise (Again DO NOT click on your name or sign in)
   
3. Now click on Retrieve your Reservation (located on the left hand side of the page under Countdown to Cruise) and now you can enter in all the information it asks for.
   
4. It will bring up your first cruise and at the bottom it will show your second booking number for your second cruise.

[chanclay]

To see your b2b reservation...........here is what you do........

1. Go to the RCI Home Page and click on Before you Board (DO NOT click on your name or sign in)
   
2. Click on Countdown to Cruise (Again DO NOT click on your name or sign in)
   
3. Now click on Retrieve your Reservation (located on the left hand side of the page under Countdown to Cruise) and now you can enter in all the information it asks for.
   
4. It will bring up your first cruise and at the bottom it will show your second booking number for your second cruise.

Thanks for the info it worked great!!:) Things have really changed since I first cruised, back then you received your papers in the mail, went to the port and got on the ship!!:) Then my daughter introduced me to the computer age, things haven't been the same since. But I love it.:D Good cruisin' everyone.

[Luna]

Thank you! I was able to review my 2 reservations for Oct, 2009. And I wrote down how to do it, so I won't have to go searching for this thread! ;)