Back-to-back on Costa---anyone done this?

[Tarheelbelle]

I am considering booking back-to-back Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises on Costa Magica this fall, having the same cabin on each leg of the cruise. Just wondered if anyone had done this on Costa and if there were problems. E.g. do they make you disembark with your luggage and then re-embark with it, etc.

Thanks.

[mondello]

Back-to-back is a great idea because you're already there and don't have to pay travel costs getting to the 2nd week's cruise. Costa puts reminders in the daily Today cruise newsletter/calender asking that those on B-toB's register with Customer Service during the 1st week's cruise so they can handle your transition to the 2nd week. If you book the exact same cabin for both weeks, more power to you. Others decide to add the 2nd week and end up with a different cabin assignment. Costa will move your luggage to the new cabin and you can stay aboard for a 2nd week of fun. We should all be so lucky!

[Rochesterboatingdotcom]

Our tablemates were doing a back-to- back. They stayed in the same cabin, but everyone has to disembark. However, they didn't have to take their luggage off the ship.

 

-Ron and Jane

[laurenk]

My sons soccer trainer did this over Christmas, and he did not have to disembark. He said about 10 others were also staying on, and they were all allowed to stay on the ship.

[Fred&Lily]

We did Eastern and then Western itineraries on Mediterranea in February and back-to-back is the only way to go. Same veranda cabin 8259 on deck 8 too. There were about 150 other back-to-back passengers. It includes a cocktail party and of course, because you are immediately a repeat passenger in the second week you get invited to the Captain's cocktail party as well.

 

For Lily and I it made sense because of the cost of the return flight from Toronto to Ft.Lauderdale with taxes and departure taxes etc... the second week is a bonus. Also, it takes me a few days just to wind down to vacation mode and something else; the second week becomes more laid back - the cabin steward knows your habits, Paulo the band leader knew we liked slow waltzes and the table waiters figured out what we liked to eat. It's same menu and same shows all through the second week, but that gave us more opportunity to repeat stuff we liked and try other things such as different drinks, lounges, and hang out with a different crowd. The only thing that changed was we were moved from table 49 (Juan was the waiter) to table 185 near the middle where Edwin was our waiter.

 

It seems most of the back-to-back passengers were either Western Canadians or British - so distance of travel is probably the main reason for staying on for two weeks. Lily and I will definitely do back-to-back again next February.

 

On the Sunday back at Ft.Lauderdale we left everything in our cabin and got off the ship and took a taxi to the Sawgrass Mall. That place was busy... packed with shoppers. I supposed that's where all the Floridians go on weekends. Lily found a blue silk formal dress for just $39 at Bebe's which is just around the corner from Neiman Marcus outlet where everything was about $1,500 or more.... Got back to the ship with our shopping bags by taxi and just walk right past the line-up, show the card and on board you go.

[Tarheelbelle]

Thanks to all who responded---sounds great!