Back to Back Cruises - Advantages / Disadvantages?

[B'moreTraveler]

I'm wondering what the advantages / disadvantages are of back-to-back cruises. Obviously, they extend your vacation and save on travel to and from the ship compared to two separate cruises. But I'm curious, are there any other incentives? Do you get a discount if you book them both at the same time? It sounds great if you're able to do it!

 

Marty

[ellbon]

my TA has incease my OBC by making them B2b vs two cruises.. besides that i get better service as i tip everyone and tell them i am around for 2 cruises.

[klingoncruiser]

I am about to take my first one. I can only see 14 days onboard as a wonderful benefit!:D

[BonnieVA]

The cruiseline doesn't give any incentives or special perks for B2Bs. I just did one ... 3 weeks on the Mercury!

 

The only thing that was a slight negative was that I got sick of the same food at b'fast & lunch. There is quite a variety but I am a vegetarian so my options are smaller. I started this "sick of waffles & omelets for b'fast" thing at about day 15 so I made it most of the way thru the 2 cruises :D.

[City_Woman]

We did our first B2B in October - two 7-day cruises. We decided that there wasn't enough benefit to warrant a B2B for us. We would much rather stay with our 10, 11 or 12 day cruises (all in one).

 

Judy

[3418ahl]

We almost always do b2bs. When we are going to Europe, or traveling by plane, it means one fare instead of two to see much more. You get "better bang for the buck", especially when traveling cross ocean or a fair distance.

 

Also, some cruise lines give discount for b2b. We always book early enough to get the same cabin on both legs, so we don't have to move our stuff.

 

Also, after all the packing and unpacking, I am NEVER ready to repack after only 7 or 10 or even 14 days. When we get off after 20-28 days, I am really ready to go home for a while!

[B'moreTraveler]

Thanks to all for the interesting replies. It seems that this is a topic where opinions differ, some enjoy B2Bs and some don't.

 

 

I hadn't thought about tiring of the same food. I'm curious to know which cruise lines offer discounts. I take it that Celebrity does not?

[sharkwl]

Thanks to all for the interesting replies. It seems that this is a topic where opinions differ' date=' some enjoy B2Bs and some don't.

 

I hadn't thought about tiring of the same food. I'm curious to know which cruise lines offer discounts. I take it that Celebrity does not?[/quote']

 

Not only the food . . . but I would REALLY be tired of the same entertainment!!

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We just did a B2B on Solstice. We received a $100 price reduction on each cruise, in addition to on board credits, when we booked. The same menus were not a problem but the entertainment was the same. We changed cabins because we got a deal after final payment on an upgrade on the 2nd cruise. Didn't need to do much except pack toiletries and what ever was in the drawers. The cabin attendants moved everything and we were settled in by 12:30. We'd do a B2B again if the price was right.

 

Mary Lou

[Janet524]

Advantage: An extra week cruising!

 

Disadvantage: It's twice as hard to leave the ship!

[tuggers]

The best thing about a b2b? Watching everyone else have to pack and leave while you stay. Best thing about a b2b2b? You get two of those days.

If you are doing a b2b out of 7 night cruises (as someone posted) in place of a 10, 11 or 12 night cruise then I see no advantage. Most of us do b2b's on longer cruises to make a 3, 4 or 5 week cruise. And yes, you do get tired of repeating menus. As for shows, I almost never go anymore so it's no big deal to me but I can see how it would impact people who enjoy them.

Hi BonnieVa!

[BonnieVA]

As for shows, I almost never go anymore so it's no big deal to me but I can see how it would impact people who enjoy them.

 

Hi BonnieVa!

 

Hi, Gail! Ya know, I don't do the shows either. I hadn't thought of that repitition.

[adbnva]

i much prefer a 12-14 day cruise. most of the time b2b are southern then western . same ports. you do have to get off & back on. on a 14 day you have a 2 wk menu & different shows. you get to go to more interestiing places in 14 days instead of 7.

that said we leave 12/4 for 14 days on the connie. ad

[Muushka]

We did b2b for a 4 night and a 5 night cruise. Double the credits, got to stay on the ship when most everyone else had to get off. Not that expensive. Would do again if S class cruised shorter cruises! We really liked Century. We love S class. Can't go back to any other class ship now!

[Janet987]

Read post #16 on this previous B2B thread re discount.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1279461

 

Since ChezMaryLou also recently received $100 discount on each leg, I suspect that this may be a new policy for X...a positive outcome for customers in X's quest to make their pricing rules "more in line with the cruise industry". Ask for the discount.

 

Still to take my B2B, but know that I will never tire of any food served to me which was prepared by someone else and for which no clean up is required. ;)

[Orator]

I booked a B2B on Eclipse. To avoid repeated menus I'm going AQ and Blu on week 1 and MDR on week 2. Received an extra OBC for B2B booking.

[biker1972]

While I was not offered an OBC from X for my upcoming B2B, I would suspect that it would not be combinable with the stock holder benefit or with the benefit from booking while on board. TA's on the other hand would most likely be more generous for B2B bookings. X does use a two week menu plan but on shorter cruises they take certain menus and repeat them each cruise so the ones missed are never available. On the Century 4/5 night alternating cruises they have a selection for 4 nights and use the same four plus one for the fifth.