Am I missing something? B2B cruise vs. 1 week

[CrusingFamily4]

We have currently been on the fantasy and the wonder and would like to try out the Magic- especially after her dry dock.

We are currently booked on the Disney Fantasy early Feb.2014. I looked at the 3 and 4 day cruises and if we did a B2B it would actually be $500 cheaper.

We are typically on board for the ship itself, and not the ports. The one exception to this- Castaway Cay. If we do the 3 and 4 day, then we actually get 2 days at CC.

The benefits:

-2 days at CC
-savings of $500 (we could also move our 2 dummy dates to cover both of these cruises and book another 2 onboard)
-it would help us reach gold status quicker. Am I correct to assume this would count as 2 cruises.
-we are able to board the boat for the 2nd half of the trip quicker- therefore we would be able to get some great pics


The downsides:

-Having to get off the ship, clear customs, and do another mandatory life drill.
-Same menu. (We do not sail for the food, so this truly is not a concern for us).
-Same shows (we have already seen the shows so again, this is not a concern

Am I missing something? I would aim to get the same room so that we did not need to pack

Another question- in regards to the kids club, could we just keep their bands on?

Thanks in advance!

[E ticket rider]

Originally Posted by CrusingFamily4

We have currently been on the fantasy and the wonder and would like to try out the Magic- especially after her dry dock.

We are currently booked on the Disney Fantasy early Feb.2014. I looked at the 3 and 4 day cruises and if we did a B2B it would actually be $500 cheaper.

We are typically on board for the ship itself, and not the ports. The one exception to this- Castaway Cay. If we do the 3 and 4 day, then we actually get 2 days at CC.

The benefits:

-2 days at CC
-savings of $500 (we could also move our 2 dummy dates to cover both of these cruises and book another 2 onboard)
-it would help us reach gold status quicker. Am I correct to assume this would count as 2 cruises.
-we are able to board the boat for the 2nd half of the trip quicker- therefore we would be able to get some great pics


The downsides:

-Having to get off the ship, clear customs, and do another mandatory life drill.
-Same menu. (We do not sail for the food, so this truly is not a concern for us).
-Same shows (we have already seen the shows so again, this is not a concern

Am I missing something? I would aim to get the same room so that we did not need to pack

Another question- in regards to the kids club, could we just keep their bands on?

Thanks in advance!

Yes, it counts as 2 cruises toward your CC level.
I also understand that you are on the ship after only a brief wait in the terminal and are back on board well before the next cruise passengers. The B2B cruisers usually wait in the concierge area regardless of their cabin classification.

If you have to change rooms, your stateroom attendant will move your luggage for you. I believe you are allowed back to your room before the 1:30 opening.

I'm not sure about the keeping the Mickey bands for both halves.

[bmer1rick]

We have done both and would always take the 7 day over a B2B unless you are trying to build CC status. It really comes down for us, would you rather have a day at sea/foreign port or a day where you must get off the ship at PC.

On the 7 day, you will have a fully operating ship on day 3. Shops, activities, child care, food, etc will all be open. On a B2B, you have a skeleton operation for 3/4 of the PC day but yet you are paying for a full day on both cruises.

It isn't even a comparison if you can't get the same room. Packing twice really stinks.

[CrusingFamily4]

Yes... Honestly, I am not too worried about the status of our membership. (Silver vs. Gold). The lack of kids club for the day is a point to consider. However, is that worth an extra day at CC?

My sincere hope is that we would be able to have brunch at the buffet in the morning and then get off the ship for an hour or so. Once back on, we would be able to enjoy the pool/lunch buffet again

I have temporarily booked and was able to get the same room for both cruises.

Thanks!

[UCFGrad01]

Good points both ways. But there's something to be said for getting that brief "nanny nanny" when everyone but you is leaving to go back to reality and you get another sail away party

[kcashner]

I have done a 4/3 B2B as well as many 7 night cruises.

7 day any time! I'm not sorry we did the 4/3 as our choice was to do that or not cruise and we met an awesome friend. However.....

Repeat of shows, menus. You WILL have access to your room on the transition day if you are keeping the same room. You will have limited food/beverage service during the transition, but you have breakfast before you get off and lunch at 11:45 or earlier, so no big deal. We were able to use the pool as soon as it was cleaned. NONE of the slides are available (lifeguards are not on duty). You WILL need to turn in the wrist band at the end of the first leg and get a new one on the second.

There were lots of reasons we really didn't care for the 4/3, and I'd be flamed if I listed most of them again. One problem was that the 3 night leg was made into a KSF special and the ship was literally mobbed with little kids and entitlement parents. There was very little enforcement of "adults only" spaces other than Palo. It was the worst I've ever seen from that standpoint. Don't get me wrong--I don't have a problem with the number of kids on board. I do have a problem when their parents can't teach them that "reserved for guests 18 and over" means that 5 year old kids don't belong here. This was the closest we ever came to "Take a Carnival cruise and just add characters."

Of course, it counts as 2 cruises. This didn't matter to us.

The transition day has a lot of wasted time in it.

[bmer1rick]

It seems like you have already made your decision. For you, it sounds like the the 2 stops at CC trump everything else. I think that is one of the reasons so many cruisers were disappointed when they stopped doing the 5 day double dips. Those were very popular. For most veteran cruisers who have done both, we would rather have an uninterrupted 7 day cruise than a B2B.

Hope you have fun and would be interested what you think once you try both..

[chateau]

I know what you mean kcashner.... flaming can come over the most ridiculous things.

I asked about b2b's a while back and was glad how forthcoming you were with your experiences, along with the varied opinions of others.

For OP, we found the b2b to be quite nice, with the 2 CC stops. We contemplated a 7 night, but there were many sea days. With the 2 b2b's you can make sea days, while many others are off on excursions or exploring the ports that you could choose to omit. The b2b actually made it more relaxing... no pressure to get off the ship in ports, knew we'd be back at CC twice so no hurry there either.

There were many instances where we had to choose between shows or movies on deck... with the b2b we could do the show one time and the movie on the next cruise. This method really left us in circumstances that were uncrowded and slower paced.

The transition day can seem like a lost afternoon, but I'm sure you can work with it, based upon what you expressed in your OP.

Have fun deciding and planning!!

[Stitch'sCousin]

We did a 4/3 B2B in August 2011 and really enjoyed it. Like chateau mentioned, we didn't feel rushed to see the shows on the first leg because we knew we would get to see the ones we missed on the second leg. Our daughter was in the Oceaneer's Lab for both cruises. We asked the CM's if it was necessary to turn in the Mickey band between cruises and they said not to bother. She kept it on and they simply noted down that she still had it. When we reboarded after about 1 1/2 hours in the terminal, we spent a couple of hours in the pool and on the aquaduck. That was the least busy time for both of those places during our entire cruise so we really enjoyed it. Most people who came on board either were waiting for their staterooms or did not have their bathing suits handy. However, similar to kcashner, we found the 3 day portion to feel more crowded. Even though the ship was full both times, it just seemed like there were more people on board during the 3 day leg of our B2B. The other downside to our B2B was that Hurricane Irene eliminated our CC day on the second leg, so we ended up with 3 Nassau days out of the 7 days we were on board ! Having also done a 4 day in 2010, we are "Nassau'ed out" now, so we decided to try out a 7 day Eastern this July.

[CrusingFamily4]

Great points to consider! Thank you very much for the insight. I love the disboards for this!

[Princess Sleepy]

Originally Posted by kcashner

One problem was that the 3 night leg was made into a KSF special and the ship was literally mobbed with little kids and entitlement parents. There was very little enforcement of "adults only" spaces other than Palo. It was the worst I've ever seen from that standpoint. Don't get me wrong--I don't have a problem with the number of kids on board. I do have a problem when their parents can't teach them that "reserved for guests 18 and over" means that 5 year old kids don't belong here. This was the closest we ever came to "Take a Carnival cruise and just add characters."

This just happened with our April cruise and now you have made me nervous. My BFF and I are leaving our kids for some girls only time and purposely picked a time when there would be fewer kids. (Yes, I know it's a Disney cruise and I like well-behaved kids.) I hope your experience was an exception.

[Silly Little Pixie]

Originally Posted by chateau

I know what you mean kcashner.... flaming can come over the most ridiculous things.

I asked about b2b's a while back and was glad how forthcoming you were with your experiences, along with the varied opinions of others.

For OP, we found the b2b to be quite nice, with the 2 CC stops. We contemplated a 7 night, but there were many sea days. With the 2 b2b's you can make sea days, while many others are off on excursions or exploring the ports that you could choose to omit. The b2b actually made it more relaxing... no pressure to get off the ship in ports, knew we'd be back at CC twice so no hurry there either.

There were many instances where we had to choose between shows or movies on deck... with the b2b we could do the show one time and the movie on the next cruise. This method really left us in circumstances that were uncrowded and slower paced.

The transition day can seem like a lost afternoon, but I'm sure you can work with it, based upon what you expressed in your OP.

Have fun deciding and planning!!

This is how we felt as well. We truly enjoyed the B2B...we sailed for the ship and not ports other than Castaway! CC is my very favorite- AND we had missed it on our last 7 night- so we had a do- over!!

Didn't mind repeating menus, plenty to eat without repeating choices. Plus Palo and Remy!

Felt sooo relaxed about the shows, etc.

We would do the B2B again (for the right price, like yours) again in a heartbeat. DCL isn't doing anything we haven't already done right now, except the Med.

[mmouse37]

I also understand that you are on the ship after only a brief wait in the terminal and are back on board well before the next cruise passengers. The B2B cruisers usually wait in the concierge area regardless of their cabin classification

We did a B2B with the Dream (I felt the original 4 day cruise I booked was not nearly enough time to explore the new Dream).

We had different cabins each cruise but we packed up and our stateroom hosts moved them to the new cabin.

I don't think it is true on every B2B that people wait in the Concierge area regardless of your cabin status. That certainly was not our experience or the norm from what I have been reading over the years. Also, how long you wait in the terminal can change....sometimes you are allowed back on right away, sometime you need to wait a bit.

MJ

[bobbiwoz]

I wouldn't chose to go on another "arriving day" vs a 7 day cruise. I am assuming you have to do the boat drill. I would do anything to avoid that! I also enjoy days at sea, so for me, a 7 nighter would win every time!

[gilsan]

This is an interesting thread, I am currently booked on a 7 day Fantasy cruise for 2014, but I have been debating about a 4 day and 5 day B2B on the Wonder. One is to the Bahamas the other Western Caribbean.

I was worried about the feeling of losing a day on the switchover but we would still get 8 full cruise days plus the switch over day that I thought we could spend by the pool for most of it. It is about $300 more to do the back to back vs the 7 day.