Back to Back Cruise

[RDP]

How do you back to back?, do you still have to get off? Change room? How does it work, Whats the best way to do it. MTIA

 

[jdb in AZ]

How do you back to back?, do you still have to get off? Change room? How does it work, Whats the best way to do it. MTIA

Yes, you have to get off, but only for an hour or two (varies from cruise to cruise) and you will be able to get back on the ship before the "normal" passengers board. (Why be normal?) If you're able to book the same room for both cruises, you won't have to repack. If you do have to switch rooms, the steward will move your luggage for you.

 

[RDP]

Yes, you have to get off, but only for an hour or two (varies from cruise to cruise) and you will be able to get back on the ship before the "normal" passengers board. (Why be normal?) If you're able to book the same room for both cruises, you won't have to repack. If you do have to switch rooms, the steward will move your luggage for you.

Thanks, we just did a 3 night Dream cruise, 3 nights was not long enough! We didn’t see the whole ship in that time and left feeling we had not been able to take advantage of all the ships offerings.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks, we just did a 3 night Dream cruise, 3 nights was not long enough! We didn’t see the whole ship in that time and left feeling we had not been able to take advantage of all the ships offerings.

One note here, if you do a 3/4 B2B on the Dream, the menus and shows will be repeated on the second leg.

 

[RDP]

One note here, if you do a 3/4 B2B on the Dream, the menus and shows will be repeated on the second leg.

Thanks, worth knowing. For us a B2B would take off the pressure to get it all done in 3 or 4 nights, we left with lots of thing not done or seen.

Does anyone one know if it makes financial sense, as opposed to booking a straight 7 night cruise??

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks, worth knowing. For us a B2B would take off the pressure to get it all done in 3 or 4 nights, we left with lots of thing not done or seen.

Does anyone one know if it makes financial sense, as opposed to booking a straight 7 night cruise??

You'd really have price out the B2B vs a 7 night. Sometimes one way would be cheaper, sometimes the other. I'd pull for the straight 7 night as there will be different menus/shows and other offerings available that aren't on the shorter cruises.

 

[mickeyfan1]

Having never been on the Dream, I am booked on a B2B in January, so I can see and do a lot more. We have the same room for both legs and since we will eat in Palo and Remy for dinner on both legs, the whole MDR repeat won't matter. What ever show they may have that we haven't seen, we will see and that will take care of it.

Yanno, the shows and menus are repeated on all hips, does that stop people from sailing the same ship yearly? No, sp why would that stop someone from doing B2B? Not being snarky, but I think it is a silly argument.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Having never been on the Dream, I am booked on a B2B in January, so I can see and do a lot more. We have the same room for both legs and since we will eat in Palo and Remy for dinner on both legs, the whole MDR repeat won't matter. What ever show they may have that we haven't seen, we will see and that will take care of it.

Yanno, the shows and menus are repeated on all hips, does that stop people from sailing the same ship yearly? No, sp why would that stop someone from doing B2B? Not being snarky, but I think it is a silly argument.

I only pointed it out because on a B2B you're repeating these things immediately. Some people feel it's boring that way. Yes, for those of use who cruise DCL frequently, we do see the same shows (with a bit of variations from ship to ship), and eat from the same menus from cruise to cruise, but there is a span of time between them, so it's not as noticeable.

 

[Silver Queen]

I completely agree with Princess Shmoo's thoughts on a B2B. We would much rather experience a 7 night cruise with different shows, menus, and ports of call rather than immediately repeating what we had just experienced. In addition to that, Nassau can be interesting, but not that exciting twice in a row. I've been there twice and we agreed if we took another 3 or 4 night cruise we probably won't get off the ship at Nassau.

 

[kcashner]

We did a 4/3 B2b once because we couldn't get to Orlando for a Sat cruise. Honestly, given a choice, I'd take a 7 night any day. Lots more to do, different/better ports, menus, etc. Cost for us was almost identical, but that would depend o dates, etc.

 

[jdb in AZ]

If you do a 7-night on the Fantasy, you'd get the additional program in Animator's Palate, which was "imagineered" after the Dream came on-line.

I also like the 7-night itinerary better than the B2B. And tho you're only off the ship for a couple of hours on the B2B change-over day, you're still sitting in Port Canaveral when you could be enjoying the caribbean.

 

[stitchlovestink]

BUT if you LOVE Castaway Cay...You get TWO days there!!! woohoo!
And there's no rule saying you have to get off the ship in Nassau the 2nd time. I really only see the B2B if I were going to do one...but that's JMHO.


Posted from Disney Forums Reader for Android

 

[jdb in AZ]

Castaway Cay is an island paradise, but we like to add Cozumel and Grand Cayman for variety.

 

[dsnydaddy]

Back to Back: Pros and Cons

Pros:
1. For us it was Cheaper than the 7 day (we went in October).
2. Got to really get to know the new ship (would never have happened on either a 3 or 4 night cruise.)
3. 2 Days at Castaway Cay. (If the ship never stopped anywhere else I'd still go just for this island.)
4. The repeating menus allowed us to feel free with doing other things for dinner. (Remy, Palo, eating in, etc.)
5. In the same vein, the repeating shows allowed us to explore more. (Hanging on deck at night, family games. Swimming with nearly empty pools, pictures with the characters.)

Cons:
1. The changeover day was a wasted day. I've heard others say it and really didn't think it was true because, after all, It's DCL!!! (Went to fast with nothing to do really. we should have arranged a quick jaunt to WDW for the day. If DCL was smart they'd offer this for those who are B2B. it would get them out of their hair for a while and they'd make money.)
2. Even though you have a bunch of days on the ship you really only have one "at sea" day. (That means only one chance at Palo brunch.)
3. Two Days at Nassau. (Meh. We did enjoy the ship completely at this time though.)
4. Changing rooms. I wanted to experience two different "new" types of rooms on the Dream. Mistake. Swapping rooms was a hassle. Stay in your same room. (No, really, stay in your same room!)


Hints for B2B'ers:
1. Stay in your same room.
2. Do laundry on the first night of your second leg. NO ONE is using the laundry on the first night of their cruise.
3. We were not allowed back to our rooms until everyone else was allowed there. So make sure that you have a day bag packed and think about how you are going to handle the time during the change over. We hung out at a coffee shop area which was okay but not optimal.
4. Keep your same servers if possible. This made dinner times really cool because they already knew our preferences.
5. If you couldn't score one of those rare Palo ressies online and your second leg is the 4-night (that's what we did) then don't despair, you'll have first crack at that the onboard reservations if you do it when they first start boarding the new passengers.

I think that I all I have to say. Except, Have Fun!

 

[RDP]

Back to Back: Pros and Cons

Pros:
1. For us it was Cheaper than the 7 day (we went in October).
2. Got to really get to know the new ship (would never have happened on either a 3 or 4 night cruise.)
3. 2 Days at Castaway Cay. (If the ship never stopped anywhere else I'd still go just for this island.)
4. The repeating menus allowed us to feel free with doing other things for dinner. (Remy, Palo, eating in, etc.)
5. In the same vein, the repeating shows allowed us to explore more. (Hanging on deck at night, family games. Swimming with nearly empty pools, pictures with the characters.)

Cons:
1. The changeover day was a wasted day. I've heard others say it and really didn't think it was true because, after all, It's DCL!!! (Went to fast with nothing to do really. we should have arranged a quick jaunt to WDW for the day. If DCL was smart they'd offer this for those who are B2B. it would get them out of their hair for a while and they'd make money.)
2. Even though you have a bunch of days on the ship you really only have one "at sea" day. (That means only one chance at Palo brunch.)
3. Two Days at Nassau. (Meh. We did enjoy the ship completely at this time though.)
4. Changing rooms. I wanted to experience two different "new" types of rooms on the Dream. Mistake. Swapping rooms was a hassle. Stay in your same room. (No, really, stay in your same room!)


Hints for B2B'ers:
1. Stay in your same room.
2. Do laundry on the first night of your second leg. NO ONE is using the laundry on the first night of their cruise.
3. We were not allowed back to our rooms until everyone else was allowed there. So make sure that you have a day bag packed and think about how you are going to handle the time during the change over. We hung out at a coffee shop area which was okay but not optimal.
4. Keep your same servers if possible. This made dinner times really cool because they already knew our preferences.
5. If you couldn't score one of those rare Palo ressies online and your second leg is the 4-night (that's what we did) then don't despair, you'll have first crack at that the onboard reservations if you do it when they first start boarding the new passengers.

I think that I all I have to say. Except, Have Fun!

Thanks for a great response! Top Tips, thank you very much.

 

[RDP]

Dsnydaddy... How long were you off the ship for between cruises?

 

[dsnydaddy]

It was a little over an hour. We were escorted off the ship and lounged in the concierge area for a while. Then we were allowed to board while the other passengers were just coming in to check in.

 

[Victoria J]

We are doing a B2B in January for all of the "Pros" listed by the PP. We actually switched to this from a previously booked 7 night on the Fantasy after contemplating all of our options. There are crtainly a few things that make me sad about the switch, but in the end it will be the right decision for us this time. It worked out much better for our schedule and flights too. We might actually just rent a car on the switchover day and either go to Kennedy Space Center for a few hours (our Port "excursion") or just check out the town and refill our snack supply.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We tried a b2b last Nov just to be on a new ship and the Fantasy wasn't available yet. My kids begged that we never again do that and just stick to 7 nt cruises. It felt like the same cruise all over again. PC day was a waste as was the 2nd Nassau day (well, and the 1st one too for that matter.)
We enjoy the shows after dinner so having them repeat too was just kinda boring. I thought we'd spend that time finding other things to do like swim in a much less crowded pool but they weren't into that.

Also I like the Fantasy better than the Dream. They're near identical but we loved the Satellite Falls area for adults and though I didn't walk through completely, the water splash area for kids looked fun.

I'd have to have a really compelling reason to choose a b2b over a 7 nt. such as a massive price difference or Sun-Sun being the only way we could sail.

 

[shillee]

We have a B2B booked on the Wonder in 2013. Now, ours is a bit different as it is a 5 night, then a 4 night (Caribbean then Bahamas) so we will have different ports for both and also 2 stops at CC. We moved from an 8 night out of Galveston (before it had gotten switched to those 4 night ones they now have) as DH wanted the stop at CC.

We think we will tour around Miami a bit when we get into port and have to wait around perhaps? Haven't looked into that part yet to decide what we can do while we wait to leave again...