Back To Back Cruises

[laurieny]

We are going on our first b2b in about 8 weeks. Unless you are going to get off and get on another ship (which would also be fun to try sometime) I would wonder why you wouldn't plan it to have the same cabin. Granted it took a long time (a couple of hours with the loyalty ambassador on our last cruise) to find the right cabin that was available on both legs, but if you plan far enough ahead, it should be doable. We had a lovely aft jr suite on our first 2 cruises, but to save a bit we are going with an aft D1 this time. I am sure we will miss the space (3 of us) but the thrill of 2 whole weeks on a ship will more than compensate. While I have been assured that they move your luggage for you, you still have to pack and unpack. The first week we will get to skip the hours of last night packing as well as the wait in the public areas the next day. I researched this for a long time (the planning is almost as much fun as the cruise, isn't it :D ) and found a great itinerary. We are sailing the Western Caribbean on Mariner out of Port Canaveral for the first leg, and then following it with the Eastern. That way we get to have all different ports with no move. On the Sunday in between we are going to do the NASA excursion (we're all space nuts) so for us it will be like just another port day. Even better we will have 5 sea days through out, so there will be a good balance of relaxation with sight seeing. We did the Southern Caribbean last year and loved it, but 6 port days was really too much. While we would probably love a cruise that just sat out in the middle of the ocean for 2 weeks, this itinerary seemed more exciting than doing the same exact cruise twice.

 

Don't know if I will be able to go back to a one week cruise after this :)

 

-Laurie

[sj25]

We are going on our first b2b in about 8 weeks. Unless you are going to get off and get on another ship (which would also be fun to try sometime) I would wonder why you wouldn't plan it to have the same cabin. Granted it took a long time (a couple of hours with the loyalty ambassador on our last cruise) to find the right cabin that was available on both legs, but if you plan far enough ahead, it should be doable. We had a lovely aft jr suite on our first 2 cruises, but to save a bit we are going with an aft D1 this time. I am sure we will miss the space (3 of us) but the thrill of 2 whole weeks on a ship will more than compensate. While I have been assured that they move your luggage for you, you still have to pack and unpack. The first week we will get to skip the hours of last night packing as well as the wait in the public areas the next day. I researched this for a long time (the planning is almost as much fun as the cruise, isn't it :D ) and found a great itinerary. We are sailing the Western Caribbean on Mariner out of Port Canaveral for the first leg, and then following it with the Eastern. That way we get to have all different ports with no move. On the Sunday in between we are going to do the NASA excursion (we're all space nuts) so for us it will be like just another port day. Even better we will have 5 sea days through out, so there will be a good balance of relaxation with sight seeing. We did the Southern Caribbean last year and loved it, but 6 port days was really too much. While we would probably love a cruise that just sat out in the middle of the ocean for 2 weeks, this itinerary seemed more exciting than doing the same exact cruise twice.

 

Don't know if I will be able to go back to a one week cruise after this :)

 

-Laurie

Trust me I would love to have the same room both times...but the money just isn't there for a balcony for both times so we took the balcony for our second week we're doing a inside room first then the second week will be the balcony so we don't miss the balcony.. we will get to know the ship the first week and then also the second week enjoy the balcony! This is our 25th anniversary gift to each other we just wanted to be away for 2 weeks and this was the best I did alot of researching almost every port, every cruise line to find what was best to do for 2 weeks and have a balcony at least part of the time and keep in our budget. I almost did Princess with their 10 day cruise but just like the looks of RCCI ship seems like alot more fun things to do.

I am then starting to plan my daughter's graduation cruise but we haven't figured out if she will be able to take a week off in Oct if she is going to college. So we will see when we're on the boat we book our next cruise but they say you can change things around. That cruise will not be until OCt or Nov. 2006.

 

Sallyr did they give you the robes and slippers or we're they just for you to use..I think when we was on carnival you used the robe then you had to purchase it!

 

 

faithsangel did you wish it would of been the inside the first week and the outside the second week?

So which one was the inside the eastern or the western?

See I just thought the more sea days you would want balcony and hubby didn't agree he said I want to see from my balcony going into port.

[sally r]

sj25, the robes were just to use for the cruise but we kept the slippers. They didn't look washable so we assumed we could take them. Just ask your cabin attendant and they will provide robes.

 

I also think it is interesting booking two different types of cabins. Try and get to the pier early and ask for an upgrade. Being on your anniversary will help. If that doesn't work, go to the pursers desk as soon as you sail and ask about upgrades. Don't be shy. Tell them you are on a b2b. It has worked for us many times. We have gotten Owners and Grand suites at no extra charge!

 

Seriously, changing cabins is no big deal..just throw your stuff on the cart..takes about 20 minutes tops.

[sj25]

sj25, the robes were just to use for the cruise but we kept the slippers. They didn't look washable so we assumed we could take them. Just ask your cabin attendant and they will provide robes.

 

I also think it is interesting booking two different types of cabins. Try and get to the pier early and ask for an upgrade. Being on your anniversary will help. If that doesn't work, go to the pursers desk as soon as you sail and ask about upgrades. Don't be shy. Tell them you are on a b2b. It has worked for us many times. We have gotten Owners and Grand suites at no extra charge!

 

Seriously, changing cabins is no big deal..just throw your stuff on the cart..takes about 20 minutes tops.

So they let you use the robes and didn't make you pay for them?

 

And you just went and asked for the upgrades did a little talking and got them free! So how early do you think you should be there?

I would love a upgrade for the first cruise sooo bad..I already told them I think they should give upgrades like Princess does when you do b2b.

I will throw in also that the second week is my hubby's birthday...think that help my goodness anniversary, and birthday what else would they want our first vacation alone with out kids also!!!! lol I mean after 25 yrs!

I am not one afraid to ask!

[sally r]

Julie, I think if anyone could get an upgrade it would be you! Get to the pier 10:30-11:00. They may charge you AT THE PIER but we have gotten them free when on board the ship. Don't be too disappointed if they aren't available but it is worth asking.

 

Good luck!

[sj25]

Julie, I think if anyone could get an upgrade it would be you! Get to the pier 10:30-11:00. They may charge you AT THE PIER but we have gotten them free when on board the ship. Don't be too disappointed if they aren't available but it is worth asking.

 

Good luck!

Thanks I will give it a try and will be early now do you ask when you check in with all your info or do you wait until you get on the boat? Just making sure I know where I do the asking!

 

What ports have you been to?

 

I am just so anxious for this cruise and vacation, being my hubby and I first vacation with out kids..also getting 25 yrs in. It's more a huge milestone on his side of the family. There is only about 2 or 3 couples that we know that made it that long....so yes a very high rate of divorce on his side of the family. not mine though!

 

Thanks again!;)

[FaithsAngel]

 

faithsangel did you wish it would of been the inside the first week and the outside the second week?

So which one was the inside the eastern or the western?

See I just thought the more sea days you would want balcony and hubby didn't agree he said I want to see from my balcony going into port.

Yes I wish we had the inside the first week as it was dissapointing after our outisde, but then again, the views we had from our outside in the first week were amazing!! (We did western first so saw Labadee, Cozumel, Ocho Rios etc....)

 

We have got an outside both weeks this time though as my friend is coming to!!! We want to save up and have a balcony next year tho!

 

Gem

[sj25]

Yes I wish we had the inside the first week as it was dissapointing after our outisde, but then again, the views we had from our outside in the first week were amazing!! (We did western first so saw Labadee, Cozumel, Ocho Rios etc....)

 

We have got an outside both weeks this time though as my friend is coming to!!! We want to save up and have a balcony next year tho!

 

Gem

So then are you glad that you took the balcony for the western cruise instead of the eastern?

Because that is what we did and that is why we put the eastern first so that we had the inside first and the outside second. Now that would make it nice to travel with another couple because one could get it one time and the other next time. But then it has to be good friends that you think it would work. See we went with people 2 times and it just didn't work. But I really don't have any friends yet that loves to cruise that my husband would also get along with.

I just don't know very many that loves to cruise like I do, except my kids so maybe when my son gets married we could do that....yeah right he wants mom and dad on a cruise with him and his wife!

lol

oh well.

[FaithsAngel]

I thought the views for the western were beautiful!!!! We were on teh right side of the ship :)

 

We will find out how the eastern is this year!! lol

 

Gem:D

[sj25]

I thought the views for the western were beautiful!!!! We were on teh right side of the ship :)

 

We will find out how the eastern is this year!! lol

 

Gem:D

So was you on the right side of the boat if you look at the deck plan or was that you had the right room?

 

We're on the right side of the boat if your looking at deck nine floor plan

we hope this is good when you coming into ports.

 

We're getting an ice and snow storm, told my son not to come home today he is down in North Carolina right now and said wait until friday sure hope weather better then.

 

later,

julie

[FaithsAngel]

We we're on the right sie of the ship according to the deckplan :)

 

We're on the left side this time, but hey, it's still a view :)

 

Gem:p

[sj25]

I am really surprised that on our cruise for the 23rd the balcony rooms are already sold out.

 

I am tired of winter after yesterday with ice.

I will be glad when my son gets back tomorrow from NC because we're to get snow and ice again and he is on his way home tomorrow.

[cruiselvr04]

We took a b2b cruise on the explorer in June to celebrate our 25th anniversary. It was a wonderful 2 weeks as we sailed the eastern and then western. There were only a handful of b2bers with the same two weeks. We got to eat with the captain the second week. We don't know why we were chosen but it sure was a neat experiance and a highlight of our trip.

[sj25]

We took a b2b cruise on the explorer in June to celebrate our 25th anniversary. It was a wonderful 2 weeks as we sailed the eastern and then western. There were only a handful of b2bers with the same two weeks. We got to eat with the captain the second week. We don't know why we were chosen but it sure was a neat experiance and a highlight of our trip.

 

I can't wait to do the 2 weeks...I teased hubby and told him by the slight chance if we get to eat with the captain we will do it! But I don't think we will get picked. But we should tell them this is our 25th anniversary trip and my hubby's birthday and doing b2b!

 

I am so happy to hear that people that had a good time on this b2b, because that is one of the reason we choose this ship because it allow you to do b2b easy and do the eastern and western. We almost did Princess the Dawn for the 10 day cruise. But just like the ammenties on this ship better!:)