Royal Caribbean Back-to-Back Cruise Guide: Consecutive Cruiser Instructions
Booking two Royal Caribbean cruises back-to-back is an easy way to extend a vacation, but turnaround day works differently from a normal port day. Royal Caribbean refers to passengers sailing on consecutive voyages as “consecutive cruisers,” and these guests receive special instructions covering their onboard account, SeaPass card, immigration, stateroom changes, breakfast, lunch, and the safety briefing for the next sailing.
The consecutive cruiser instructions shown below are from Oasis of the Seas during a turnaround in Bayonne, New Jersey. They provide a useful example of the process Royal Caribbean passengers may encounter when taking back-to-back cruises from a U.S. homeport. Exact procedures and times can change by ship, port, and sailing, so passengers should always follow the instructions provided onboard.
For more information before your cruise, explore our Royal Caribbean menus, Royal Caribbean drink lists and Royal Caribbean onboard guides.
What Is a Consecutive Cruiser on Royal Caribbean?
A consecutive cruiser is a passenger booked on one Royal Caribbean cruise immediately followed by another. Cruisers commonly call this a back-to-back cruise or B2B cruise.
Even when both voyages are aboard the same ship, they remain separate cruises. The first voyage must be closed out, and guests must be processed for the next sailing.
On the Oasis of the Seas sailing documented here, Royal Caribbean provided consecutive cruisers with specific instructions for completing that transition.
Settling Your Account Between Cruises
Royal Caribbean’s instructions state that the onboard account for the first voyage is billed in full and closed the day before that cruise ends. Payment is settled to the credit card on file, and the final statement is emailed to the guest.
The document warns that temporary holds may have been placed on the guest’s funds and that these can take 24 to 48 hours after the cruise to disappear.
Guests using the credit card on file did not need to visit Guest Services simply to close their account. The instructions directed guests paying cash to Guest Services on Deck 5 before 11:00 p.m. on the final day.
Changing Staterooms Between Back-to-Back Cruises
Passengers who have booked different cabins for their consecutive cruises need to prepare for a stateroom change.
On this Oasis of the Seas sailing, guests changing rooms were instructed to:
• Have their luggage packed and ready before 8:00 a.m.
• Tell their stateroom attendant their new room number.
• Leave the safe door open when vacating the old stateroom.
Royal Caribbean indicated that crew members would assist with transferring luggage to the new cabin.
The instructions also state that any purchased liquor would be delivered to the guest’s new stateroom on the last night of the final sailing.
What Happens to Your Old SeaPass Card?
The document states that Royal Caribbean would retain the guest’s current SeaPass card for 48 hours while finalizing the previous cruise.
Guests who wanted the card as a memento could retrieve it from Guest Services on Deck 5 on Day 3 of the new cruise.
A new SeaPass card is issued for the next voyage.
Checking In for the Second Cruise
Royal Caribbean recommended using the Royal app before the second sailing to upload the guest’s photo and credit card information and help expedite check-in.
The instructions also contain an important warning for consecutive cruisers: if the Royal app sends a normal departure notification telling the guest to go to the gangway, the passenger should disregard it and instead follow the consecutive cruiser instructions provided onboard.
For this particular Oasis of the Seas turnaround, consecutive cruisers were told to meet Royal Caribbean staff at:
• 8:45 a.m.
• Main Dining Room
• Deck 5, Aft
Guests were instructed to bring their SeaPass card, passport, and/or any other travel documents required for immigration.
Royal Caribbean staff would then escort the group off the ship to meet with U.S. customs authorities. After completing the required process, guests would be checked in for their next cruise.
Can You Stay Onboard During a Royal Caribbean Back-to-Back Cruise?
Not continuously during the turnaround documented here.
The instructions state that all consecutive cruisers would be escorted from Oasis of the Seas to the cruise terminal for U.S. Customs and Border Protection immigration processing.
Guests wishing to remain onboard for the next cruise would receive their new SeaPass cards and check in for the new voyage. After immigration processing, Royal Caribbean would escort them back onto the ship.
This means passengers did not simply remain aboard while departing guests left and new passengers arrived. They still had to complete the required turnaround procedure before beginning their next voyage.
Can You Leave the Ship and Visit Bayonne?
Yes. Royal Caribbean provided separate instructions for guests who wanted to spend some time ashore in Bayonne, New Jersey, rather than immediately returning to Oasis of the Seas.
Guests choosing this option could collect their new SeaPass card and an In-Transit Card from Guest Services between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m.
The In-Transit Card allowed returning consecutive cruisers to proceed past the normal check-in line. Guests were instructed to present the card at the cruise terminal entrance when returning.
The document notes an important restriction: according to local regulations, once a guest returned to the ship, that guest would not be permitted to exit again.
When Can Consecutive Cruisers Return to the Ship?
According to the Oasis of the Seas instructions, general boarding had to be completed before returning consecutive cruisers could board.
The document estimated this would occur at approximately 10:30 a.m.
Because these guests had already checked in, they were instructed to show their:
• New SeaPass card
• Government-issued photo ID
• In-Transit Card
The all-aboard time listed on the document was 2:30 p.m.
These times applied specifically to this sailing and should not be assumed for another Oasis of the Seas departure.
Breakfast on Turnaround Day
Oasis of the Seas offered several breakfast choices before passengers transitioned to their next cruise.
The turnaround-day schedule listed:
• Windjammer Marketplace, Deck 16 – 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
• Park Café, Deck 8 – 6:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
• Café Promenade, Deck 5 – Snacks, regular and specialty coffee from 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
• Starbucks, Deck 5 – 6:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
• Solarium Bistro, Deck 15 – 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
• Main Dining Room, Deck 3 – 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m.
• The Key Breakfast, Main Dining Room, Deck 4 – 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.
• Coastal Kitchen, Deck 17 – 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. for Sky & Star Class guests
• Chops Grille, Deck 8 – 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. for Pinnacle Class guests
These are the times printed on the photographed instructions, not permanent Oasis of the Seas restaurant hours.
Consecutive Cruisers Lunch
The document also lists a special lunch for passengers continuing onto the next sailing.
Consecutive Cruisers Lunch was scheduled in the Dining Room on Deck 4 from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.
That gives returning passengers a dedicated dining option while Oasis of the Seas transitions from one voyage to the next.
Do You Have to Complete the Safety Briefing Again?
Yes.
Royal Caribbean’s instructions specifically state that maritime regulations require all guests to participate in the safety briefing, including consecutive cruisers.
Passengers could watch the muster video through the Royal app or on their stateroom television. They were then instructed to check in at their muster station before 2:00 p.m.
Even though consecutive cruisers completed a safety briefing on the previous voyage, they must complete the required process for their new cruise.
Tips for a Royal Caribbean Back-to-Back Cruise
The Oasis of the Seas instructions highlight several things that can make turnaround day easier:
• Book the same stateroom for both cruises when possible if you want to avoid packing between voyages.
• Keep your passport and other required travel documents accessible on turnaround morning.
• Follow the consecutive cruiser instructions delivered onboard rather than normal departure notifications from the Royal app.
• If changing cabins, pack by the stated deadline and give your new cabin number to your stateroom attendant.
• Keep your In-Transit Card with you if leaving the terminal during turnaround.
• Pay attention to the all-aboard time if spending the day ashore.
• Complete the safety briefing for the new sailing even though you completed one during the previous cruise.
Royal Caribbean Back-to-Back Cruise FAQ
What does consecutive cruiser mean on Royal Caribbean?
It refers to a passenger sailing on consecutive Royal Caribbean voyages. This is commonly known as taking a back-to-back or B2B cruise.
Do you have to get off the ship between back-to-back Royal Caribbean cruises?
On the Oasis of the Seas sailing documented here, yes. Consecutive cruisers were escorted into the terminal for U.S. immigration processing before being allowed to return to the ship.
Do you have to take your luggage off the ship?
The photographed instructions do not tell consecutive cruisers to take their luggage through the terminal. Guests changing staterooms were instead told to pack their luggage and notify their stateroom attendant so the crew could assist with transferring it to the new cabin.
What happens if you change cabins?
On this sailing, guests changing staterooms had to have their luggage packed before 8:00 a.m. and tell their stateroom attendant the new room number.
Do you get a new SeaPass card?
Yes. Guests receive a new SeaPass card for their next cruise.
Can you keep your old SeaPass card?
On this sailing, Royal Caribbean kept the previous SeaPass card for 48 hours. Guests who wanted it as a souvenir could pick it up from Guest Services on Day 3.
Can you go sightseeing between two cruises?
The photographed instructions allowed guests to spend time ashore in Bayonne. They could obtain an In-Transit Card to facilitate their return through the terminal.
Is there a special lunch for back-to-back cruisers?
There was on this sailing. A Consecutive Cruisers Lunch was scheduled in the Dining Room on Deck 4 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Do you have to do the muster drill again on a back-to-back cruise?
Yes. Royal Caribbean’s instructions state that the safety briefing applies to consecutive cruisers as well.
Are these procedures the same on every Royal Caribbean ship?
Not necessarily. Immigration requirements, meeting locations, times, and turnaround procedures can depend on the ship, port, itinerary, and sailing. Guests should follow the consecutive cruiser instructions provided onboard.
Final Thoughts
A Royal Caribbean back-to-back cruise allows passengers to turn two separate sailings into one much longer vacation, but turnaround day still requires a few administrative steps.
On the Oasis of the Seas sailing documented here, consecutive cruisers closed out their first onboard account, received new SeaPass cards, completed immigration processing in the Bayonne cruise terminal, and checked in for their next voyage. Passengers changing cabins received assistance transferring their luggage, while those going ashore could use an In-Transit Card when returning to the terminal.
Royal Caribbean also provided breakfast options, a dedicated consecutive cruiser lunch, and specific safety briefing instructions for the new sailing.
The exact process can change from cruise to cruise, but these Oasis of the Seas documents provide a useful example of what passengers can expect when planning a Royal Caribbean back-to-back cruise.
