What is a Back 2 Back Cruise?

[MomSwag]

I've seen several people mention B2B cruises.

 

I was wondering exactly what that means.

 

Robyn

[beachbum53]

It refers to doing two cruises, one after the other, either on the same ship, or on two different ships.

[Langley Cruisers]

A true back to back (B2B) is on the same ship on two or more consecutive sailings. When you switch ships it is often referred to as a side to side (S2S). :)

 

They are wonderful! Looking forward to doing another one soon.

[GUT2407]

I think a true b2b need to bith start from the same port.

 

And/or be booked as two separate cruises.

 

Our lat cruise was sold in segments, two man ones and two smaller ones.

 

Peopl kept asking (mainly here on CC) are you doing the b2b, as far as I was concerned no I was doing ine long cruise, but I guess I could claim that I had done a b2b2b2b if I gve a rats about how many cruises I've accumulated.

 

I'm not sure what Princess counted it as, I will have ohave a look, but it doesn't really matter, my level with Captain's Circle is based on days not cruises anyway.

[Shmoo here]

I think a true b2b need to bith start from the same port.

 

And/or be booked as two separate cruises.

 

Our lat cruise was sold in segments, two man ones and two smaller ones.

 

Peopl kept asking (mainly here on CC) are you doing the b2b, as far as I was concerned no I was doing ine long cruise, but I guess I could claim that I had done a b2b2b2b if I gve a rats about how many cruises I've accumulated.

 

I'm not sure what Princess counted it as, I will have ohave a look, but it doesn't really matter, my level with Captain's Circle is based on days not cruises anyway.

 

A true back to back is two consecutive cruises on the same ship, regardless of the embarkation port.

[OCruisers]

A true back to back is two consecutive cruises on the same ship, regardless of the embarkation port.

 

^ Per Above ^ .... Consecutive cruises on the same ship.

[serene56]

a two week cruise that is two different cruises will always have two booking numbers.

There is no cheaper alternative- you do not get a discount by booking two weeks.

BUT for the price of one airfare you get two vacations

[Essiesmom]

A true back to back is two consecutive cruises on the same ship, regardless of the embarkation port.

 

Absolutely...I did a B2B on Oosterdam, San Diego to FLL to Rome. Also on Infinity, San Diego to FLL to Harwich. Nieuw Amsterdam Venice to Venice to Barcelona. EM

[Langley Cruisers]

BUT for the price of one airfare you get two vacations

 

Right??? Awesomeness. :D:D

[LHT28]

Depends on the cruise line we get a discount for a B2B

We have done 2 x 16 day cruises different embarkation ports

shorter cruises 10+ 12 or any combination of days

 

It can vary but a B2B as others have said is on the same ship & consecutive cruises

 

We try for different itineraries

[Krazy Kruizers]

Our first cruise(s) was (were) a back-to-back on the Cunard Countess back in the 80's.

We had 2 different confirmation numbers.

All different ports except for when we went back to San Juan to start the second segment.

Since then we have done a ton of back-to-back cruises-- Caribbean, Europe, Alaska, Mexican Riviera, Canada/New England. And on several different cruise lines. Rarely did we get a discount.

The majority of the time you have only 1 port that may repeat (besides the Embarkation port) which is great.

But HAL changed things a few years ago and started to combine quite a few back-to-back cruises into what HAL now calls Collector Cruises. Only have one confirmation number and there is a bit of savings. Needless to say we have done quite a few of these to save a few bucks.

[beachbum53]

A true back to back (B2B) is on the same ship on two or more consecutive sailings. When you switch ships it is often referred to as a side to side (S2S). :)

 

They are wonderful! Looking forward to doing another one soon.

 

I have seen several people refer to doing two consecutive cruises on two different ships as a "B2B". But then, I've also seen people refer to a ship as a boat, and refer to decks as floors.

[Keith1010]

A true back to back is staying the ship for more than one cruise.

 

You are considered an in transit passenger at the end of the first cruise as you continue onto the next cruise.

 

Keith

[Clarea]

A true back to back is two consecutive cruises on the same ship, regardless of the embarkation port.

That's the way I see it.

[Glaciers]

We’ve done b2bs the past two years. Saves us the airfare to Seattle/Vancouver from Alaska, plus at least one hotel night and we can just hop in the car at the pier and drive home after two weeks of sailing.

[MicCanberra]

A true back to back is staying the ship for more than one cruise.

 

You are considered an in transit passenger at the end of the first cruise as you continue onto the next cruise.

 

Keith

 

Exactly, it makes not difference what the embarkation ports are for each cruise.:D

[GUT2407]

But where s the line between a b2b and a cruise sold in segments?

[MicCanberra]

But where s the line between a b2b and a cruise sold in segments?

 

What line, does there need to be a line?

A segment could be one cruise or more than one cruise.

[Goldygolfer]

We did a 37-day cruise in 2014 which was actually 4 btobs. We started in Miami and finished in Seattle.

It was sold to us (by a TA in Aust) as a single cruise - actually a package, which included airfares and accommodation each end - and we stayed in the same cabin. Other passengers joined for one or 2 segments, including some American friends from a previous cruise, but about 400 Australians did the whole shebang. It was wonderful.

Edited March 4, 2016 by Goldygolfer

[MicCanberra]

We did a 37-day cruise in 2014 which was actually 4 btobs. We started in Miami and finished in Seattle.

It was sold to us (by a TA in Aust) as a single cruise - actually a package, which included airfares and accommodation each end - and we stayed in the same cabin. Other passengers joined for one or 2 segments, including some American friends from a previous cruise, but about 400 Australians did the whole shebang. It was wonderful.

 

I love these packages, and the Panama canal and Alaska would have been an awesome itinerary.:D

[Goldygolfer]

It was such a good deal that it sold out within 24 hours of the promotional email which we received from our TA. Some friends dithered for a few extra hours and missed out.

[Host Walt]

But where s the line between a b2b and a cruise sold in segments?

Sometimes that can be an important distinction.

 

For example, many cruise lines sell b2b's as a separate, combined segment. When that happens the stockholder benefit (on RCI and Carnival Corp lines) is handled differently than if you buy each segment separately. Your wine limit is one bottle per person for the full b2b where you would be permitted a second bottle if you booked separate segments.

 

However, if you buy separate segments it can involve a change in cabins between the two segments which is a hassle and, depending on the cruise line, may require you to disembark and go through a new embarkation process.

 

In other words, make sure you ask your TA or cruise line reservationist exactly what the options are.