B2B vs. Ship Switch

[monkey1]

I've heard B2B cruises are becoming more popular, but I don't know anyone who's been on one. What are the pros/cons? My fiance and I are getting married on a 7-night cruise Eastern Caribbean itinerary next year and are deciding whether to stay onboard for our honeymoon to the western caribbean or flying to san juan to catch a 7-night southern caribbean.

 

Any recommendations/suggestions are GREATLY appreciated!

 

~Traci

[Merion_Mom]

We're not going on our first B2B until December, but here's my opinion on your question.

 

If the two itineraries alternate, you'd be cruising two different routes. You get to stay on the ship, be escorted off and back on in a leisurely fashion within half an hour. Why would you stress yourselves flying to another city???? It's your honeymoon; book the same cabin for both weeks, relax, and enjoy the pampering. Don't even THINK about changing ships, much less ports of departure.

 

Carol

[weechloe]

We just did a B2B on the Explorer in March and it was awesome. If you stay on the ship back in Miami it gives you a great time to look at all the cabins before the ship sails again. We had a great time.

[dms_cruisers04]

Do the B2B, you'll get to see all the best the Caribbean has to offer (not that our Southern wasn't wonderful too) and as Carol said, you won't have to be bothered with changing cabins or having airline/port hassles.

 

Have a great wedding and a wonderful honeymoon!

[Nliedel]

I can see the advantage of doing both! Packing up is not fun but flying to San Jaun would be neat. Stull tho not to have to unpack and you are familier with the ship etc. That could be really fun. Either way have a wonderful, long and joyous marriage! I love being married and I know my other half feels the same way... 11 years later :)

[monkey1]

Thank you for all the kind wishes. After hearing from all of you, I'm definitely thinking the B2B is the way to go!

[celtic selke]

I have done back to backs and I love them. It is really neat to stay on the ship when it is empty and like a previous poster said, you can see the other cabins as they are cleaning them. Celebrity even had a special lunch for BTB'ers only.

And Princess had tours only available to BTB'ers.

I have heard of people doing the same itinerary the second week, which to me was odd, until they explained that what they did was do someting different the second time in the same port. So shop one week and do an excursion the next. That made sense.

So if you have the time, do it. One week on a ship is just not enough for me.

We either do back-to-backs or 11-12 dayers.

Have fun.

 

celtic

[gerif]

I can see the advantage of doing both! Packing up is not fun but flying to San Jaun would be neat. Stull tho not to have to unpack and you are familier with the ship etc. That could be really fun. Either way have a wonderful, long and joyous marriage! I love being married and I know my other half feels the same way... 11 years later :)

 

What makes you think that "flying to San Juan would be neat"???? One of the worst airports ever. I say avoid the hassle of repacking and unpacking (and worrying about possible lost luggage) and stay on the ship. Oh, and save the airfare for some extra drinks! JMHO

[ruskatab]

Do you get any kind of discount when you do the back to back or any other special insentives?

[celtic selke]

I never got any special deals for doing this. But the incentive is, I get to wave goodbye to all the first week people as they cry their way down the gangplank.

 

It is a great feeling.

 

 

 

celtic

[balconyonly]

"One of the worst airports ever."

 

Have to agree there, on both of our Southerns on Radiance and Serenade the only negative I can say about each trip was the airport. it's like you're stepping back in time.

[cme]

I especially like the night when all the people from the first week are back in their cabins packing to go home and I can just go out and enjoy another night on the ship.:) Its also fun to be the first people in the windjammer for lunch.

 

 

Carrie

[barbgazz]

I love b2b's. Last year we did a seven day on Celebrity Galaxy that went from Baltimore to Puerto Rico and then the next seven day, went from Puerto Rico to Galveston. It was awesome. I kept looking for the same type of deal for this year but couldn't find one.

[kelmac]

We like BtoB cruises, but on different ships. We did the Vision northbound and Summit southbound in Alaska last summer. It was very cost effective to eliminate the "open jaws" flight to, or from, Anchorage. We just needed a roundtrip to Vancouver. This summer we are doing the Caribbean Princess(western caribbean)/Zuiderdam(eastern caribbean). Yes, you have to repack and change ships, but that's part of the excitement. Next Christmas we are doing the Costa Mediterranea(western caribbean)/Coral Princess(Panama canal).

 

In addition, we add many precruise days, or post cruise days. Why not turn two seven day cruises into a three week vacation!:rolleyes: :D

Our new motto: "A trip of a lifetime, every three months"

 

Enjoy!

Kel

[sleeples23]

I am new to cruising and I've never heard of this before. Are these cruises sold as a back to back or is it just the customer who purchases any two consecutive cruises? I understand the point of a repositioning cruise to move a ship for winter/summer itineraries, but I am wondering if the cruise lines actually sell B2B cruises for some reason. Am I missing something here? Also, if it is just a cruiser purchasing two cruises back to back with no other benefit, wouldn't it be easier and more economical just to book a longer cruise to begin with?;)

[celtic selke]

No, the cruise line doesn't sell BtoB's. You have to make up one for yourself. I find that fun. I peruse the brochures until they are worn out. Now if you do a BtoB, you are on the ship for 2 weeks and it is hard to find regular cruises that are that long unless you do repositioning or perhaps the Panama Canal.

The normal longer cruises are 10, 11, or 12 days.

I was even considering doing a 7 and a 10 BtoB on a Princess ship one year,but decided I would be so rotten spoiled by the end, that there would be no living on land again.:D

 

celtic

 

And I forgot to mention some of the European cruises are pretty long too.

 

c

[sleeples23]

Thanks for the info Celtic. Does sound fun to plan out. I don't know how I'd ever afford it though.:confused: