Why do people do a B2B over a 7 day???

[dunnhorn]

Hi group -

I've been curious about something for a while now... I can get why people would want to do a B2B on the Dream, as the Fantasy is not yet out, but why do people like to do the B2B on the Wonder? I am not thinking there is a price break; in fact, wouldn't it be more expensive? And going to Nassau twice - I just don't get it. Is it going to Castaway 2x?

Would love some insight... just curious.

 

[kcashner]

Actually, the prices can be cheaper OR more expensive...you just have to price it out. For us, the issue was that we wanted to sail 7 days and couldn't get to the port in time for a Saturday sailing. Thus, we did a 4/3 B2B on the Wonder.

Some people want to get a lot of cruises to get increased Castaway Club status.....

 

[FJS961]

Hi group -

I've been curious about something for a while now... I can get why people would want to do a B2B on the Dream, as the Fantasy is not yet out, but why do people like to do the B2B on the Wonder? I am not thinking there is a price break; in fact, wouldn't it be more expensive? And going to Nassau twice - I just don't get it. Is it going to Castaway 2x?

Would love some insight... just curious.

I have the same question. The 2 days at Nassau don't seem very appealing to me and you have to gather all your stuff, disembark and re board. A B2B 3 and 4 nighter only gives you one sea day.

The 5 night double dip seems like a nice Bahamian itinerary. In fact, a 5 night with 2 sea days and blowing off Nassau sounds nice

 

[JustTJ]

I have the same question. The 2 days at Nassau don't seem very appealing to me and you have to gather all your stuff, disembark and re board. A B2B 3 and 4 nighter only gives you one sea day.

The 5 night double dip seems like a nice Bahamian itinerary. In fact, a 5 night with 2 sea days and blowing off Nassau sounds nice

For some it's all about the ship. Treat the stop in Nassau as another sea day.

Actually when doing a B2B, if staying in the same stateroom, you do not have to pack up all your stuff. If moving staterooms, your stuff has to be packed by 8am the morning of the first disembarkation, but it's now left in the room for the room stewards to move to your new stateroom. Yes you must disembark, go through customs, but then turn around and go right back up the elevator into the pretty much empty terminal, and most often are back on board soon after. I had priced out the 5 day cruise, and it was actually a bit cheaper, when I booked, to do the 4/3 B2B. For me 5 is still less than 7 days, and I just can't see doing less than 7 anymore (not after experiencing two 4 day cruises 3 years apart, and then a 7 day).

 

[woody73]

. . . I can get why people would want to do a B2B on the Dream, as the Fantasy is not yet out, but why do people like to do the B2B on the Wonder?

Not sure if this topic is timely, now that the Wonder has repositioned to Los Angeles.

Woody

 

[lbgraves]

Well, when the Wonder was at PC the Magic spent many summers away in either the Med or the west coast so there was no other option for anyone who wanted to do a 7 day cruise on DCL out of PC than to do a B2B on the Wonder.

 

[DaveH]

For us to do 7 days, the only way we could do it was to do a 4 day on cash and the 3 day on DVC points. We enjoyed the down time and the ship. We did not go into Nassau and did part of the days at Castaway Cay. We enjoyed the services on the ship and just relaxed.

 

[FJS961]

... makes sense ...

 

[Silverfox97]

We have done two 5 night double dip cruises (NOT B2B), and they were delightful That being said, that would be the only B2B we would consider - 10 total nights, 4 days at Castaway Cay, and we stay on the ship at Nassau, so converting our Nassau days would give us 4 "sea" days.... Nice!!

 

[Anal Annie]

We did a 4 /3 on the Wonder when the Magic wasn't in the Caribbean in 2008... She was doing the Mexican Riviera cruises and we'd done that back in 2005 & didn't want to do the same itinerary again. We THOUGHT it would be just like doing a 7 night but it wasn't the same at all. Live & learn. That's why when they announced the Dream was doing the shorter cruises for this year we booked the Magic in the Med instead. We didn't care for the shorter cruises so much.

 

[JohnO]

We've thought about looking into this too. But our reason is because we cant see ourselves doing less than 7 day cruises anymore. We'd like to try the new ship but don't like the short cruises. So we've considered looking into b2b on the Dream.

However, looks like finances are gonna keep us from a cruise this year. We're gonna hit WDW for 5 days, with the great room discount we got. Looks like Disney Fantasy in 2012 is the next cruise for us!

 

[owensamo]

We did 2 5-nights B2B last June, and it was heaven! The first one had Key West instead of a second CC day, so and we actually went to Atlantis on the second cruise (only the second time ever getting off in Nassau in 4 Wonder cruises), and 3 days at Castaway Cay. Having the menus and shows repeat was actually a blessing because we tried new foods the second time around, and skipped the shows to do other stuff we don't normally do. It was so relaxing!

I can't see doing less than 5 nights, but I'd probably add another onto that for a B2B rather than doing it by itself. Our next cruise is a 14-night TA, though - I might get spoiled and have to do B2B 7-nights once the Fantasy starts sailing!

 

[Tracykim]

We are doing a B2B (3/4) on the Dream in May. The reason that we did it this way was because my kids wanted the Aqua Duck and we wanted a 7 night cruise. It was cheaper for us to do it this way instead of a 7 night cruise. AND seeing that we will be stopping in Nassua twice we can opt to stay on the ship and enjoy it on one of those stops. We have the same cabin for both cruises so we won't need to "pack up" once the first cruise is done.

While on board we plan on booking two 7 night cruises (B2B). One will go to the Eastern Caribbean and the other will go to the Western Caribbean. It will be a two week vacation seeing many different places!!

 

[darwinsrule]

Well, when the Wonder was at PC the Magic spent many summers away in either the Med or the west coast so there was no other option for anyone who wanted to do a 7 day cruise on DCL out of PC than to do a B2B on the Wonder.

Pretty much sums it up. We are doing our first (and granted probably not the last) this August. Wasn't particularly by choice and a 4 night is certainly not long enough for us either. With DD6 in school, and DW a teacher we are limited in our timing and where the ships are. When the Fantasy comes into service in 2012 we will be on it.

 

[scootch]

I have the same question. The 2 days at Nassau don't seem very appealing to me and you have to gather all your stuff, disembark and re board. A B2B 3 and 4 nighter only gives you one sea day.

The 5 night double dip seems like a nice Bahamian itinerary. In fact, a 5 night with 2 sea days and blowing off Nassau sounds nice

We actually like Nassau. One stop we are going to Atlantis(we have gone before and LOVE it) and the other stop we are doing Blue Lagoon Sea Lion. The disembark is for less than an hour and then we will have time to run around a nearly empty ship. CC twice is an added perk. The 5 day is a good option, but only available in summer. So to meet our dates and to really experience all the new ship offers, we are B2B in April on the Dream.

 

[Alexander]

Our first B2B will be on the Dream. We have done 3 night cruises on the Wonder and they just aren't long enough to do all of the activities we wanted to do. So often we found that there were things going on that we would like to do during our dinner time or during our show time. I thought that there was no way we would be able to even get a feel for the lay of the ship in 3 or 4 days.

So, on our first leg (3 nights) my parents are joining us. We'll do all the shows and attend all of the dinners. On the 4 night, we'll do everything or nothing. We will be completely playing the 4 night cruised by ear.

 

[MinnesotaMouseketeers]

While on the Panama Canal cruise we overheard a lady all excited that they were at the Gold level for the Castaway Cay club. They got that far, fast by intentionally taking 3/4 night back to back cruises. So for some it's to get the advantages of a higher level in the club.

We took our three and four night cruises years apart, however for the four night cruise we still treated Nassau like a sea day. We thought we did not need to go ashore again at Nassau even with the trips being separated by a few years. It is great because so many people are off the ship.

 

[KSDisneyDad]

Interesting topic, but even with all of these reasons, I am still not convinced that B2B's are that great. We really enjoy the 7-night cruises and believe that a B2B would be a big letdown as repeating menus, shows and ports sounds boring when DCl will be offering year round 7-nights from PC in 2012. We decided to wait until 2012 for a 7-night rather than be impatient with a B2B Dream. Prior to that, we cruised off-season or did the PC cruise.

 

[scrapbookmomma74]

I feel like sometimes on a 7 night cruise, you are trying to do so much in that short time, it isn't as relaxing as I picture a cruise being. We are doing a B2B (5/4) in August 2012, and I plan on treating one of the Nassau days as a sea day (there's SO much to do on the ship!), and hoping to do different things on CC each time. We haven't made it to the adults only beach, hoping when the kids are 12 and 9 that we can do that!

We've done the Western and Eastern Caribbean on the Magic and loved it, hoping this B2B will be awesome!

We're also doing a 3 night in October, just to try out the Dream (and Concierge)!