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[LVGlenn]

I'm pondering booking a back to back for next year, and I'm just curious how the day of disembarkation/embarkation in the middle works. I assume that you have to actually bodily get off the ship, but is their a way to leave your luggage somewhere so you don't have to truck it all around?

 

 

Anyone here done a back to back and have anything they especially did or did not like about it (aside of course from cruising twice as long :D )?

[sally r]

We do a lot of back to back cruises. In fact, we leave next Sunday for a 22 day'er.

 

Assuming your b2b is on the same ship, there is no need to pack unless you are changing cabins. Try to book the same stateroom for both cruises but if you do have to move they make it quite painless.

 

All of the following may change at anytime but GENERALLY you will have to go through check-in again and be issued a new sea pass card. It is not difficult and usually there is an escort from the guest relations desk for b2b'ers. A letter should be delivered to your cabin the day before outlining your particular ship's procedure.

 

It is really quite fun as you can sleep in and have the ship to yourselves for quite a while. It is weird seeing ALL new faces and has been sad to have new friends leave us! But worth every minute.

 

Consider booking a repositioning cruise for best variations in ports of call. For example, we are on NCL next spring leaving Miami, doing the canal, the mex riv and pacific coast. Twenty two days and we never double up on ports. Next Sunday we leave Vancouver, visit Hawaii and stay on to Ensenada, Mexico. The Navigator also does a great itinerary for b2b's by alternating east/west caribbean cruises.

 

Hope this helps. Happy to answer any more questions.

[SeaBaby]

We've done 2 back-to-backs, once in Miami and once in San Juan.

 

Each time, we were able to have the same cabin for both weeks, so we didn't have to pack at the end of the first week which was nice. It was very relaxing the day of disembarkation as the ship gradually emptied.

 

A ship's officer (such as the purser) arranges to escort you through immigration with the other back-to-back cruisers as a group. This was done after everyone else had gotten off. We basically did a quick walk off the ship, through immigration, and right back on the ship again. It took no more than 15-20 minutes. The purser gave us new SeaPass cards for the second week as the old one would expire at noon on the day of disembarkation. There were perhaps 8 or 10 other passengers doing the same; this included the captain's wife and the comic who had done the last headliner show and was staying on to do the first headliner show of the next cruise. Then you have an hour or two of the ship completely to yourselves.

 

Some differences : the experience the second week was quite different from the first week, each time. I believe this was due to the different mix of passengers and our new tablemates at dinner, plus a different itinerary. On the first back-to-back, we were assigned a different table; on the second one, we were assigned the same table, but the wait staff had rotated so we had different waiters anyway.

 

We also got some perks during the second week. They varied depending on the ship. On the Enchantment, we got treats delivered to our cabin every day (bottle of wine, chocolate covered strawberries, etc.) On the Adventure last year, we were invited to dine on formal night with the Hotel Director, who was Canadian like ourselves, and with some of his cruise staff. They were all very hospitable.

 

A back-to-back cruise is wonderful. The whole process is very easy and I highly recommend it.

 

SeaBaby

[mainsd]

We have booked a back to back next November on Voyager. 5 days to Bermuda and then 8 days down to the Caribbean.

 

How do they recognise that you are doing a back to back - does your TA have to do something to "connect" the 2 reservations or will they pick it up automatically?

[sally r]

David, our TA has usually flagged RCCL that we are back to back. RCCL takes it from there. I am not sure how it is entered in the system. We have also received other "perks" as back to backers such as gifts in the cabin, canapes pre-dinner, once even an invite to the captain's table. Talk it up that you are staying on for the next cruise..the staff will pay attention.

 

You picked a nice itinerary..have a wonderful cruise!