Who has done back to back cruises?

[two-foxes]

We are considering doing back to backs for the 09/25 sailing and the 10/02 special itinerary. I am thinking I will be kind of "done" with cruising after our first 7 days....but then again, I think, well, you couldn't decide between the Western and Eastern, so do both! We have only done the 4 night Wonder, and we was depressed getting off the ship! But adding 10 days seems a bit excessive for our second time cruising!

I know some of you, (Three Circles, I think you have) have done them. Any of you regret it, or was it great the whole way through?

 

[inkkognito]

We did a threepeat on the Wonder (3-4-3) and the only thing that I hated about it was that we eventually had to get off the ship! We booked a secret porthole room and were able to leave our stuff in our stateroom during the change over. We would wander to the deck 7 aft verandah to relax or to the hot tub if it was full (but it was usually quite cold, as it had just been filled). We didn't have to get off the ship, but that can change due to customs regulations. I would do a back to back again in a heartbeat, if I had enough vacation days, especially the Eastern and Western.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[Katdb]

Hi two-foxes,

My family and I will be doing two back-to-back cruises this may (western then eastern), so I can let you know how it goes after that!!!!

I'm really looking forward to the cruises, especially since its sucha hassle to get down to orlando from Ottawa Canada. I know we have to get off the ship quickly to sign some forms, but then we get brought right back on (and all our luggage stays on board!)

Anyone else with some replies???

Katdb

 

[two-foxes]

Thanks, you guys! I've got the vacation time....although it will drain it, but it will most certainly be worth it! We are just looking at the final cost...we are working on the whole kid thing right now (practice, practice, practice ), and we probably won't cruise for a few years if we are lucky....so this should take care of the DCL fix for a while!

 

[Stepharoonie!]

Do they offer any deals for back to back prices? Just curious.

 

[gene2geno]

Hi Two-Foxes

We did the back-to-back eastern/western last August. It was incredible! I would do it again in a heartbeat!! Although I should probably let you know that I am a BIG fan of DCL so I may not be very objective. It was rather pricey because I like to have a balcony and no they do not offer any deals for booking back-to-back. We were able to book the same cabin for both weeks and at that time customs allowed us to leave our belongings in the room and did not require us to get off the ship between cruises. I just had to bring my cruise documents for the second week down to the customer service desk. There are no (food) services from the time the passengers get off the ship until the new passengers are allowed on. I used that time to do some laundry. We got to know some of the cast members pretty well during the two weeks. I'm hoping they will remember us if we get a chance to go back at the end of the summer (fingers crossed!).

 

[natdencro]

We did the back-to-back cruises last February! Was such a wonderful holiday - we are hopefully doing it again in March! The weather was glorious, the seas were calm, the service was outstanding, and the food was TOO MUCH! Have lost 20lb in the last 6 months, in order that we can happily munch away without worry this time!

The greatest bit? Why, leaving CC on the first Friday............. and saying "We'll be back!!!" And we were!

Looking forward to doing all those things we didnt do last time on the cruise! How can anyone ever be bored? Cant wait to start packing! Save those £'s and $'s, and do a back-to-back folks!

Of course, seeing our daughter (Server) is an added bonus: also all her wonderful pals aboard the Magic.

Happy cruising. Nat

 

[CRSNDSNY]

Ask ThreeCircles....I'm almost positive they just did one last August....or recently at least.


I can only dream of back to back cruises!!! Ahhhh....

 

[Tandyc]

Maybe you will bring home a souvenier from your cruises. (You know like on the DCL commmercial) Tee Hee hee lol

 

[Cap]

Send a PM to Annie12345. I believe that she and her husband, Randy, are doing the first week of a back to back this week, with the second next week.

 

[Hygiene99]

I know for sure that the second week 10/02/04 would be a blast take a look at the cruise meet board at our thread we have a lot of folks going on that cruise ......

We also working on the kid thing...................

 

[Nesnboy]

We just got back from a 7 day Eastern. It was an awesome time, but I was ready to get off the ship on Saturday morning. Why not combine the cruise with a luxury trip to Disneyworld?

 

[two-foxes]

I just booked the 10/02 this morning!!!! So it looks like we are decided! Thanks for all your help and replies. I must say, I am a bit nervous about 14 days on a ship, but my DH is all about it! We also rented points for 4 nights at WLV before the 09/25 cruise, so we will have nearly 3 weeks of Disney under our belts!(Everyone I work with thinks I am crazy ) Bring on the kids!

 

[Scotch]

For a first timer on DCL, is it worth it to book a back-to-back 3 nights/4 nights or is it better to do a 7 night (eastern preference)?

Background: Hubby and I cruised for the first time July 2003 on Royal Caribbean's Radiance of the Seas to Alaska and had a fabulous time. We look forward to sailing on a RCCL ship again. However, with baby #1 arriving this spring and RCCL (1) charges infants in same cabin the same as an adult the same cabins plus (2) offers no nursery (for the under 3 age group) on the ship plus (3) offers no tubs (for easier baby baths) in the less expensive cabins, we have decided to put off a RCCL cruise for a few years and try a DCL cruise at least once in the meantime (to get our cruise fix!) Besides both hubby and I are Disney fans (though likely not as diehard or devoted as most of the DIS board participants).

The 2005 dates I'm considering for a DCL cruise are the third week of May 2005 (before Memorial Day because I usually have a work conference the week following Memorial Day and because we prefer milder weather for a caribbean cruise) or a December 2005 cruise that is right before the expensive Holiday cruises but starting at least the third weekend because hubby teaches and can't get off for break until then. (Like many of you I'm dying to find out what changes they have in plan for the mid-May through December 2005 cruise schedules.) Anyway, with no experience yet travelling with an infant, I'm just thinking that we would probably not get as much out of visiting all those other countries enroute as we would if we were either alone or if our child were older. (We're not big fans of just hanging out by the beach on the different islands, particularly with an infant who would not yet be able to swim -- days at Castaway Cay would be plenty enough for beach excursions. When visiting different countries we like to take in historical sites or go on nature hikes.) So maybe it would not make much of a difference whether we do a back to back 3/4 nighters or if we did a continuous 7 night cruise except for the need to pay two sets of port charges/taxes (since it sounds like we won't even have to get off the ship during the changeover day and we could keep the same cabin)??? Would we regret not going all the way down the caribbean when we would be 7 nights anyway and neither of us has ever visited the area?

I would appreciate the thoughts of experienced DCL cruisers (particularly those who have traveled with infants) re our options. Thanks in advance.

 

[makaylee]

If I could afford it I would live on the ship! I wouldn't hessitate about being on it for two weeks.

 

[Scotch]

I forgot to ask another question -- for back to back cruises if one manages to book the same cabin, can you leave all your stuff in the cabin and have access to that cabin during the disembarking/embarking day?

 

[Goofy Girl]

A back-to-back eastern/western is a dream for mys sister and I! This thread has me yearning to plan it again!

 

[two-foxes]

Scotch- we were told that we could leave our belongings on the ship in our stateroom (we do have the same stateroom for each) and another DISer said they were able to stay on the ship and she did laundry. You may just need to leave your stateroom so they can clean it.

And if I were spending the $$ on either a 7 night or back to back 3/4 night, I would do the 7. The port(s) of call on the Bahamian 3/4 night are not all that nice, IMO. Granted I have yet to do a 7 night or have a child, but the variety of ports with the added days at sea would far outweigh seeing Nassau twice, with an infant or not. I flat out did not care for it at all. I will add that you cannot go wrong going on DCL, no matter what you decide!!

 

[natdencro]

We managed to upgrade for our second week on the Magic! Left our luggage in Guest Services for the day, and then got a taxi to Walmarts/Merrit Island Mall to stock up on shorts/shirts/sandals, etc. Had to then join new guests at check in, but wasnt a problem. Kind of nice to see lots of people boarding for their first cruise, and the excitement on the faces of the children.

Fingers crossed, we will be doing a back to back from 6th March-20th March. 2004. Cant wait! Nat