Back to back cruising

[Thecat3902]

So i decided that I am going to stick with my 5 day Disney Magic cruise next year. I am contemplating taking my kids to Disney world for a few days there or adding on the 4 day magic cruise and doing a back to back since adding that would total out to what I would have paid for 7 days on the fantasy.

For those who have cruised back to back do you enjoy it? Does it just seem like the same cruise you just got off or do things get changed up a bit ? Any insight would be great.

[Ex techie]

So i decided that I am going to stick with my 5 day Disney Magic cruise next year. I am contemplating taking my kids to Disney world for a few days there or adding on the 4 day magic cruise and doing a back to back since adding that would total out to what I would have paid for 7 days on the fantasy.

For those who have cruised back to back do you enjoy it? Does it just seem like the same cruise you just got off or do things get changed up a bit ? Any insight would be great.

 

Nothing will change on the ship unless the second cruise has a different itinerary or a special cruise like the SWDAS cruises.

So nothing, but the weather. Possibly new servers/cruise staff if they were to finish their contract after your first cruise.

 

So same shows, same menus, same activities, same excursions. Same cruise, just again.

 

The bonus is that you don't have to try to fit everything into the first cruise, but you can leave some things out for the second, or if you enjoyed something on the first you can do it again on the second.

Especially if they are things that are specific to that ship or itinerary.

Also you will know the ship really well and get another cruise on your Castaway status.

 

If you want to know the procedure for debarking then embarking, there have been a few threads or discussions within threads recently.

 

ex techie

[moki'smommy]

As above, if you do a 5 night then a 4 night B2B, everything will be a repeat--same menus, same shows. There may be different variety acts. You can obviously see ahead whether the ports are the same or different.

 

We've done at least 5 B2Bs. As to the changeover day, each one was slightly different. It seems to depend on the port, the requirements of the Customs office there, and the number of guests doing B2B. Obviously things are a little different if you are in the same cabin as compared to if you are moving cabins. Your most accurate info will come from the most current B2B report you can find for YOUR ship, YOUR embarkation port.

 

Advantages to B2B--we have always gotten a call from dining services toward the end of the first leg asking if we had any requests. Did we have all the adult dining reservations we wanted? Did we want to keep our same servers/rotation/dining time or did we want to change anything? In addition, if you see the shows on the first time you can decide whether they are worth a repeat or if there is something else you'd like to do.

 

Depending on the cruise, we have been "just another guest" on a B2B or we have been treated like royalty. But in fairness, the super special treatment has typically been on the long B2Bs (14 night TA + 12 night Med), etc. 4+3 got attention from dining.

[Ex techie]

Great point Moki'smommy about the variety acts!

 

Typically they will embark midway thru your cruise so you will see them, then stay onboard during the turn around, see them again and then they debark midway thru your second cruise and a new act gets aboard.

That way on a regular cruise the Guests only see them at the beginning or end of their cruise. The next set of Guests only see them at the beginning of their cruise.

 

So they do two lots of performances during their time aboard spanning the two cruises.

You will likely see them at the end of your first cruise and at the beginning of your second cruise. Same act verbatim if it is that kind of show.

 

ex techie

[Got2GoGo]

We've done at least 5 B2Bs. As to the changeover day' date=' each one was slightly different. It seems to depend on the port, the requirements of the Customs office there, and the number of guests doing B2B. Obviously things are a little different if you are in the same cabin as compared to if you are moving cabins. Your most accurate info will come from the most current B2B report you can find for YOUR ship, YOUR embarkation port.[/quote']

 

If you book the exact same cabin for a 3 & 4 night B2B, do you have to pack your suitcase in-between or just leave the ship, go through customs and re-board?

[Shmoo here]

If you book the exact same cabin for a 3 & 4 night B2B, do you have to pack your suitcase in-between or just leave the ship, go through customs and re-board?

 

You will leave your "stuff" (clothes) in your room. Just take with you your ID/documents for check in. The time off the ship can vary from 15 minutes to 2 hours. So it's best to bring something along to amuse yourself (and kids) in case it's the latter.

[Got2GoGo]

You will leave your "stuff" (clothes) in your room. Just take with you your ID/documents for check in. The time off the ship can vary from 15 minutes to 2 hours. So it's best to bring something along to amuse yourself (and kids) in case it's the latter.

 

I was able to book the same cabin for both legs, so this is great news! Thank you for sharing/confirming as well as the reminder to take our cruise documents with us. That would be a big oops :eek:

[moki'smommy]

Normal time off the ship is about 45-60 minutes...although as Shmoo said, it can be a lot less or a lot more.

 

There is no reason to rush off in the morning; it won't get you back on any sooner. If there is a group doing the B2B, meet them at the time specified. If it is an "on your own" disembarkment, shoot for about 9:15 to get off. You're usually back on by 10 or 10:15 at Port Canaveral.

[gometros]

We did a B2B last year when we were on the last Southern Caribbean out of Puerto Rico and then stayed on for the 3-Day repo to Port Canaveral. It was so popular that around 900 passengers did the B2B. Even with that number, the turn around time was no more than an hour.

 

Another nice thing about a B2B is having the ship to yourself for a few hours while they turn it around for the next cruise. You can still use the pool during that time.

[Shmoo here]

We did a B2B last year when we were on the last Southern Caribbean out of Puerto Rico and then stayed on for the 3-Day repo to Port Canaveral. It was so popular that around 900 passengers did the B2B. Even with that number, the turn around time was no more than an hour.

 

Another nice thing about a B2B is having the ship to yourself for a few hours while they turn it around for the next cruise. You can still use the pool during that time.

 

I'll just point out - it doesn't always happen that way. Our B2B on the Fantasy we reboarded just prior to the regular Concierge boarding at 11:10. We were off the ship for about 2 hours.

[moki'smommy]

We've had B2Bs where we had the ship "to ourselves" for a bit over an hour and some where we had it for 10 minutes. Depends on life at the terminal!

[VACruiseJunkie]

We did a B2B last year when we were on the last Southern Caribbean out of Puerto Rico and then stayed on for the 3-Day repo to Port Canaveral. It was so popular that around 900 passengers did the B2B. Even with that number, the turn around time was no more than an hour.

 

Another nice thing about a B2B is having the ship to yourself for a few hours while they turn it around for the next cruise. You can still use the pool during that time.

 

So glad to hear that even with large amount of B2B passengers, they get you back through quickly! We are doing our first B2B next fall on the Magic. I was pumped to learn I could spend 9 nights on the ship for less than a 7 night on a different ship (granted we were to fussy about the ports on the second leg). Thank you!

[gometros]

So glad to hear that even with large amount of B2B passengers, they get you back through quickly! We are doing our first B2B next fall on the Magic. I was pumped to learn I could spend 9 nights on the ship for less than a 7 night on a different ship (granted we were to fussy about the ports on the second leg). Thank you!

 

Is that the cruise out of New York? Nice. We're cruising out of New York on the Magic this September. Convenient for me, since I work on the west side and can practically walk to the pier. Did it in 2012, got off the ship on a Wednesday morning and went right to work. best commute ever.

[shellyc]

So i decided that I am going to stick with my 5 day Disney Magic cruise next year. I am contemplating taking my kids to Disney world for a few days there or adding on the 4 day magic cruise and doing a back to back since adding that would total out to what I would have paid for 7 days on the fantasy.

For those who have cruised back to back do you enjoy it? Does it just seem like the same cruise you just got off or do things get changed up a bit ? Any insight would be great.

We have done a b2b on the Dream, but this winter we are doing a b2b on the Magic

out of Miami. We have the same cabin, but this b2b is different ports but both stopping at CC. It will be fun. DH has mobility issues, we have an inside cabin accessible. Last time b2b we waited around 45 minutes in the lounge, then we were let back on the ship by 10:30am. We went to cove café and just hung out with the bartender, and had some complimentary coffee. We are a retired couple who enjoy cruising but take it slow.

[VACruiseJunkie]

Is that the cruise out of New York? Nice. We're cruising out of New York on the Magic this September. Convenient for me, since I work on the west side and can practically walk to the pier. Did it in 2012, got off the ship on a Wednesday morning and went right to work. best commute ever.

 

No, we are on the repo cruise out of San Juan 12/1 and then take the 4 night Bahamas cruise out of Miami that follows! I would love to do a New York port!

[shellyc]

We have done a b2b on the Dream, but this winter we are doing a b2b on the Magic

out of Miami. We have the same cabin, but this b2b is different ports but both stopping at CC. It will be fun. DH has mobility issues, we have an inside cabin accessible. Last time b2b we waited around 45 minutes in the lounge, then we were let back on the ship by 10:30am. We went to cove café and just hung out with the bartender, and had some complimentary coffee. We are a retired couple who enjoy cruising but take it slow.

This is our first time sailing out of Miami in the winter, so we are flying down from the northeast 2 days before our Magic back-to-back.