Non-Conventional Back to Back, who's done it ?

[MPS516]

I have to be in Orlando on February 8th and we are booked on the Magic February 12th out of Miami. Instead of flying home we have decided to spend the night at the Boardwalk and catch the Wonder for a 3 night on the 9th. The plan is to get a Budget Car Rental upon debarking on the 12th, drive to Port of Miami and catch the Magic. Thinking we should be at port by noon since this is a cruise we are not allowed to change, modify or miss, others involved. We want to sail the re-imagined Wonder and if not for other issues would skip the Magic and do back to back on Wonder.

Who has gone from one ship to another in a different port on the same day ?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I have to be in Orlando on February 8th and we are booked on the Magic February 12th out of Miami. Instead of flying home we have decided to spend the night at the Boardwalk and catch the Wonder for a 3 night on the 9th. The plan is to get a Budget Car Rental upon debarking on the 12th, drive to Port of Miami and catch the Magic. Thinking we should be at port by noon since this is a cruise we are not allowed to change, modify or miss, others involved. We want to sail the re-imagined Wonder and if not for other issues would skip the Magic and do back to back on Wonder.

Who has gone from one ship to another in a different port on the same day ?

Yes, it's been done.

Would I do it? No. I don't need the strain of "what if...." the ship (Wonder) doesn't return to port in a timely manner? What if there are traffic/car problems that delay the drive? Getting up at dawn, just to drive 4 hours to catch another ship isn't attractive to me.

 

[MPS516]

Sure not my first choice, don't want to miss an opportunity to sail the Wonder our favorite ship. Since I have no airfare and room cost the only expense is the car rental so hoping that is worth a short 3 day cruise which we would otherwise never do. DD and I did a tour of Disney Studio 2 years ago before boarding the EBPC cruise only because we received a special invite to tour. We fought LA traffic, airport car return at John Wayne and cab got us to port with 1 and 1/2 hour to spare, DW was already on ship. That was way too stressful for me but an experience we will probably never get again. Really hoping someone is going to answer they did it with no problems and 4 hours to spare.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Sure not my first choice, don't want to miss an opportunity to sail the Wonder our favorite ship. Since I have no airfare and room cost the only expense is the car rental so hoping that is worth a short 3 day cruise which we would otherwise never do. DD and I did a tour of Disney Studio 2 years ago before boarding the EBPC cruise only because we received a special invite to tour. We fought LA traffic, airport car return at John Wayne and cab got us to port with 1 and 1/2 hour to spare, DW was already on ship. That was way too stressful for me but an experience we will probably never get again. Really hoping someone is going to answer they did it with no problems and 4 hours to spare.

There's probably not a lot of people here that have done it, but I've read about a lot of people who have done it on RCCL and CCL over on cruise critic. All did it fine with no problems.

 

[shoes99]

We have done the traditional b2b on the Dream out of PC. Next January 2017 we will do a B2B on the Magic
out of Miami. Its the same ship and same port, but different ports of call. One is a Western and one is a Bahama with both
stopping in CC. DH is mobility challenged so changing ships and departure port would not work for us.

 

[bumbershoot]

We went from Royal's Vision of the Seas in Ft Lauderdale up to Dream in Port Canaveral on the same day. No issues, no worries, about 15 minutes of nasty traffic along the drive, and that's it.

 

[ImprovGal]

I didn't do a same-day ship change, but I did debark the Magic in NYC on a Friday, flew LGA-MCO that afternoon, stayed @ the Hyatt that night, and boarded the Fantasy the next morning.

 

[Hundredacre]

Have been at wdw in the morning, left to drive to Miami at about 10am and boarded the Wonder at about 3pm. No issues at all. But probably would have felt more comfortable leaving earlier.

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

Before you leave check AAA to see if there is road work being done. Seems like I-95 always has construction work. Also check out FHP site for accidents http://www.flhsmv.gov/florida-highway-patrol/traffic-incidents-by-region/

edit...stupid auto correct

 

[DVC Doc]

I've done this drive many times. I honestly think you'll be fine. Have fun!

 

[belac]

If you get off ship and in rental by 9 am you should be in Miami around 12:30 straight drive no stops - nothing going astray. Please add at least 30 mins for Miami traffic at that hour (they have traffic of some sort every time of day). We had about that at around the same time frame. We went to my parents in West Palm stayed the night and off to the port the next morning. The Budget return is not at the actual port, it is a bit inward in the city and they have a shuttle to the port. Take an hour or so for finding the car rental and trip to port (they only leave when shuttle is full). Last time we left from Miami we did that very thing with budget.
That will put you at 2:00 or so at the port. I-95 has an HOV lane down that way and just after Fort Lauderdale I-95 has a paid express lane (without toll booth, on a ez pass system) that you can bypass some traffic, perhaps inquire with budget if you can use their toll service device (ez pass), that they have in the car. See the costs and penalties if you happen to take it without knowing. Waze and our GPS wanted to take us on that lane no matter what I did. There is also a HOV lane that is free but ends somewhere closer to Miami, at that point you will be in traffic. If you take an hour for whatever, then conservatively you will be there at 3 - Again only if all goes well. Good luck

 

[karmacats]

we did it the next day. this feb, we took a 5-night cruise on the wonder out of miami, got back, hopped in the car, picked a friend up at the airport, drove to ft lauderdale and stayed overnight in a hotel there, and took a 4 night cruise on independence of the seas the next day. we hit almost no traffic between miami and ft lauderdale (mid-morning). we had our own car so didn't have to deal with rentals etc. tbh, i'd probably be too nervous to do it the same day; we arrived in fl the morning of a cruise once and i was so rushed and stressed it was horrible, even though we got on the ship just fine. but, plenty of people do it all the time; sometimes you just have to.

 

[Quellman]

Sounds like a great time!​

 

[RedSox68]

I hope you have a great time -- let us know how it works out. I have done a traditional b2b, and your idea sounds like fun. For me, I'm not sure I'd do it all for a 3-nighter, but you won't know until you try it!

 

[FigmentSpark]

Have you checked the cost of having the rental at PC in the parking lot? I know it feels like a waste, but if you don't have to wait to rent a car, that's one thing that's guaranteed. Also, then compare with the Miami drop off. Or, what's the cost to keep the car in Miami? Where are your flights from? Are you driving back to Orlando?

 

[Partyof4LA]

I would look into a private transport to save some time. You will have to wait for a shuttle to bring you to budget to pick up and drop off the rental. It can take a while to find one with enough empty seats for you, your family and your luggage. Then factor in lines at the budget pickup/drop off counter and you've really eaten up a lot of time.
It will save quite a bit of time and hassle to have someone already waiting as soon as you get off the boat to drive you straight to the next port.

 

[Quellman]

I hope you have a great time -- let us know how it works out. I have done a traditional b2b, and your idea sounds like fun. For me, I'm not sure I'd do it all for a 3-nighter, but you won't know until you try it!

You could do a Dream 4 night followed by 1 night in a hotel at the port and then leave the next day on the Fantasy.

 

[jrabbit]

we did it but had 3 days between our sailing out of Miami and the next one out of Port Canaveral.

Really should not have an issue. Budget has (a few years ago) an office in "downtown" less than 2 miles from the port of miami.

Since you have to be on board by 4 - you really have about 8 hours from the time you get off of the ship to get there. and that's with "normal" gosh awful early breakfast. 1.5 hour getting off the ship and renting your car in PC, 3.5 driving (take the road with tolls) and you are in Miami easy peasy (and a little stress too).

 

[MPS516]

We went from Royal's Vision of the Seas in Ft Lauderdale up to Dream in Port Canaveral on the same day. No issues, no worries, about 15 minutes of nasty traffic along the drive, and that's it.

Nice, oping to get the same luck.

Have been at wdw in the morning, left to drive to Miami at about 10am and boarded the Wonder at about 3pm. No issues at all. But probably would have felt more comfortable leaving earlier.

So if we catch our rental by 8:30 or 9 we should have 2 hour cushion at Miami end.

I've done this drive many times. I honestly think you'll be fine. Have fun!

Thank You, really nice to hear from someone who drives it regularly, a bit more reassured its possible.

You could do a Dream 4 night followed by 1 night in a hotel at the port and then leave the next day on the Fantasy.

The only reason we are doing it is to be on the Wonder, its a huge draw for us and having no airfare now for either cruise or hotel costs, makes it a huge bonus.