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B2B and Other questions...


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Assuming  I get my refunds and FCCs before I die of old age. I've been going through re-booking options. My money RCCL is sitting on  is earmarked for cruise travel. It does have a budget but not overly restrictive...  With GF kids in school there is time constraints...  They live in Jersey so our plans did lean toward Oasis. They get expensive in prime summer season so that would push us to July 11 to book. As I have been burnt twice by the cancellations and as yet not refunded or FCC, I'm slow if at all to risk yet another cruise worth of my money floating in cyber space. If I was to book it and it actually did go, I would do a second trip in early November when the kids have another break on Indy from Lauderdale for a five night. If Oasis doesn't pan out (which I'm thinking likely not) then that would leave November to do our cruising.  I'm looking at one on Harmony that has good itinerary. Touch pricey. If I go that route a second trip is out.. 

That leaves my B2B option on Indy. A 5 then 4 night...  Have never done a B2B... Do we have to disembark when we get back from one? Is there some way to stay checked in to the same staterooms  or do we have to pack, leave, then come back to another? Any other things I should know about B2B . As you can see I'm trying to be organized but am completely  scatterbrained right now... 

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I've never done a B2B, but I have one scheduled (June 12, no less!).  I worked through a TA (Thanks @michelle!) and I highly recommend them.

I booked the same cabin for both, explicitly so we wouldn't have to pack and change cabins.  I'm not sure what happens in the situations where you switch cabins, but I have known people to do this.  I would think non-suite moving to a suite (or suite to suite) would work best (I believe the suites tend to be ready earlier so the change would be easier).  

You do need to leave the ship between, as the regulations are that the ship must be completely empty of passengers before embarkation starts, as I understand it.  But, I believe you are the first to get back on board.

I hope I have my facts correct.  I know @WAAAYTOOO, @Matt and quite a few others have done B2Bs, so hopefully they'll correct any details I've gotten wrong...

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Yes, it sounds like you covered all of the important stuff, @mathbees.

Depending upon the embarkation/disembarkation port and the specific situation, you may have to leave the ship for a brief period of time, but you are the last to leave and the first to come back on, if they do make you disembark (it all has to do with passing through customs).  They keep you all together to minimize the disruption and it's very easy and quick.  Sometimes there is a consecutive cruiser event like a special lunch, depending upon how many people are in the consecutive cruiser club that day. 

It is important that you confirm with Guest Services that you are a consecutive cruiser BEFORE you get back into port.  Most of the time, they are aware, but sometimes they are not.  There are some logistics that they have to perform for consecutive cruisers so they need to coordinate all of that ahead of time.  You will receive a sheet of paper before turnaround day that will give you instructions on when and where to meet once the ship is in port. If you do NOT receive that sheet of paper before the evening of the last day, it means that they are not looking for you as a consecutive cruiser; go to Guest Services ASAP to clear it up.

It is certainly easier if you do not have to change rooms but they make it very easy for you, if you do have to change.  Basically, you only have to pack up the "loose" items; the attendant(s) move everything and you leave whatever is hanging in your closet and they just swap the closet stuff into the new closet.  If you are able to keep the same room, they will allow you to go right back to your room once you board, even before the rest of the pax can go to their rooms.  If you have to swap rooms, you can usually go as soon as the new room is ready, well before 1:00 or 1:30 or whatever time the rest of the rooms are ready.

B2B are so nice.  It is such a GREAT feeling when you see everyone else's luggage outside in the hallway and you know that you are NOT one of "those" people.  You have another WHOLE cruise to go !!

We will have our first B3B in January 2022 on Oasis and I can't wait !!!

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10 hours ago, deep1 said:

Have never done a B2B... Do we have to disembark when we get back from one?

Sort of. They escort you off the ship. So you are last ones off, first one's back onboard.

10 hours ago, deep1 said:

Is there some way to stay checked in to the same staterooms  or do we have to pack, leave, then come back to another?

If you have same room, no need to pack and unpack. Leave stuff as-is.

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We've done 3 B2Bs in the last three years and love them.  We've actually never had the same room twice, and hasn't been difficult.  We just packed up our suitcase and left everything that was hanging in the closet as is.  They moved everything to the new room and it was waiting for us.  They will typically hold a brief meet-up for those doing b2b the last day to cover procedures and hand out new seapass cards.  On the day of turnaround you're usually instructed to meet somewhere like a lounge later in the morning.  Once everyone else has disembarked, you'll be escorted into the terminal, we've never had more than a very brief visit with customs.  Once the ship is cleared, you're escorted right back on and have free reign of the ship until everyone else is allowed to board.

B2B is such a great way to cruise and the only problem (if you call it that) is once you do it, you'll want to keep booking them.

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We had to change stateroom on our past Christmas cruise on the Adventure and it was only three staterooms away.  We became friendly with the stateroom attendant during the first part.  She told us once the people left, it would be the first stateroom to be cleaned and by our luck, they were gone early.  We moved everything our self and the process was done before we had to leave the ship for custom reasons. 

It really is a unique experience.  Your are gonna love it! 

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