Same Cabin Back to Back Cruise Inquiry and Misc. Inquiry

[gkthorn]

My wife is retiring this Summer and something we have never done before is back to back cruises. We are inquiring about any tricks or tips experienced back to backers may have. 

 

Number one on our list is how to secure the same cabin for the back to backs. Also any advice regarding the dos and don'ts of back to back cruises would be appreciated.

 

Thank you for your assistance,

 

Glenn & Kerrie

[Essiesmom]

I have done a number of B2B cruises, and most have been done through a travel agent, or on the phone with the cruise line in order to get the same cabin for both legs.  But I am currently booked on two short cruises back to back, booked at different times.  I sail solo and at times have difficulty booking, so I booked a short cruise online when I saw the opportunity.  But later that night I was considering booking the cruise prior.  The next day I was called from a number that in the past seemed to be reps from the cruise line.  They didn’t have record of my latest booking, but I booked the accompanying cruise and asked they be linked so I might get the same cabin (I had booked gty cabins).  Turns out the number seems to be a travel agency connected to the cruise line, as they share the same Miami address.  Cabins were assigned at different times and are quite different.

   Some cruise lines, HAL and Princess in my experience, will sell cruises as two 7 or 10 day cruises, and also sell them as linked 14 or 20 day cruises.  And the allocate some cabins for the short cruises, and some for the longer ones.  You might see a cabin available for the shorter cruises, but not for the longer cruise.  That’s where a travel agent can manage it for you.  EM

[Essiesmom]

Another thing to consider in booking is whether or not you have OBC from stock ownership, or Military OBC.  On Princess it would benefit to book the cruises separately, as for one week it would be $150 each, but if booked as one two week cruise, it would be $250.  Booking separately would be $50 more.  
   Sometimes you can’t get the same cabin.  I booked a 14 day cruise, and later decided to book the previous cruise of 7 days.  But my cabin wasn’t available for the shorter one.  So I booked one two doors down, and kept watch on the website.  The original cabin popped up again and I was able to move to it.  EM

[gkthorn]

5 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

Another thing to consider in booking is whether or not you have OBC from stock ownership, or Military OBC.  On Princess it would benefit to book the cruises separately, as for one week it would be $150 each, but if booked as one two week cruise, it would be $250.  Booking separately would be $50 more.  
   Sometimes you can’t get the same cabin.  I booked a 14 day cruise, and later decided to book the previous cruise of 7 days.  But my cabin wasn’t available for the shorter one.  So I booked one two doors down, and kept watch on the website.  The original cabin popped up again and I was able to move to it.  EM

Great idea regarding doing them separately for the military and stock OBC.  you mentioned how you kept a watch on the website to find out with the cabin you seemed popped up again. On Princess is there actually a page where you can view real time reserved cabins being taken and released?

[Essiesmom]

That example was on Carnival, and what you have to do is start a mock booking, going as far as selecting a cabin, to see what is available.  EM

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, gkthorn said:

On Princess is there actually a page where you can view real time reserved cabins being taken and released?

I think the process is the same as EM has said. If you don't have a travel agent, you might want to ask Princess for a liaison, which I think they call PVP (personalized Vacation Planner?). Carnival, Princess, and Holland America are all brands of Carnival Corporation, along with a few more lines! but they do some things quite differently.

 

Your PVP (or TA I guess) would be a tremendous help if you were to encounter the situation where a combined voyage showed different availability than the two cruises individually. They would "call inventory" to determine (and orchestrate) the booking. 

 

The Military/First Responders OBC (at least on HAL) is per voyage. The Stock Ownership OBC is by length of booking and can go either way -- we did a B2B of 9+7 days that was not sold as a collectors cruise, so we received $100 x 2 OBC. If it HAD been booked as a 16-day cruise, the OBC would have been $250. However, the actual fares can also go either way -- more expensive combined, or not!

[gkthorn]

41 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

That example was on Carnival, and what you have to do is start a mock booking, going as far as selecting a cabin, to see what is available.  EM

got it, thx