When booking a B2B ...........

[CALMOM]

I have never booked a B2B but I'm interested in doing one for Alaska. I would like to a Northbound, Vancouver to Whittier and then Southbound, Whittier to Vancouver. How do you book a B2B? Do you just book 2 separate cruises with 2 different booking numbers? I want to keep my same cabin for the entire B2B, is that possible? Is it any cheaper doing a B2B, as far as cruise fare?

 

Thanks for your help.

[karatemom2]

We did exactly this on the Diamond last summer. We actually priced it out as two cruises or one 14 day and it came out less expensive as two cruises so that is how we booked it. It was nice because we became Platinum during the first week, so we got the benefits the second week by booking it as a separate cruise. We had the same cabin both weeks and just got a packet the night before the last night of the first week with our new cruise cards for the next week. We exited the ship using our cruise cards for the current cruise and reboarded using our new cards for the second week. It was all very easy.

[cactusrose]

There are some cruises that can be booked as one cruise or booked in segments. I've generally found that booking it as one cruise will be a little cheaper but I always look at the the total price and consider OBC from FCC, TA, shareholder benefit, etc. What you are talking about doing is just two cruises that follow each other. Unless you see them offered as a single cruise you can probably only book them at two cruises. As far as staying in the same cabin just let whoever you book them with (Princess or TA) know that you want to stay in the same cabin and they will book it that way. Of course that will depend on the availability in your desired category.

[Colo Cruiser]

You look for the best price in any combo be it a single cruise or 2 seperate ones.

[CALMOM]

You look for the best price in any combo be it a single cruise or 2 seperate ones.

 

I am a little confused, is there a single cruise that is a B2B, or is it a 14 day, round trip cruise? I don't think I have seen a round trip for 14 days for the ports I was interested in, Vancouver & Whittier. I only want Princess because seeing Hubbard & Glacier Bay are a must.

 

Thank you

[karatemom2]

I am a little confused, is there a single cruise that is a B2B, or is it a 14 day, round trip cruise? I don't think I have seen a round trip for 14 days for the ports I was interested in, Vancouver & Whittier. I only want Princess because seeing Hubbard & Glacier Bay are a must.

 

Thank you

 

When we booked this on the Diamond our TA was able to price it as one 14 day cruise as well as two separate cruises. Many people do the B2B on the Vancouver/Whittier itineraries so it appears Princess will actually sell it as a single cruise with one booking number. In our case it was better to book it as two cruises, but we could have booked it as one 14 day cruise.

[Coral]

I have done this 2x in Alaska. It is almost always sold individually. I know I have seen fliers advertising doing both but I think it was from HAL.

 

I tentatively have this booked next year and have it booked as 2 seperate cruises.

[Colo Cruiser]

I am a little confused, is there a single cruise that is a B2B, or is it a 14 day, round trip cruise? I don't think I have seen a round trip for 14 days for the ports I was interested in, Vancouver & Whittier. I only want Princess because seeing Hubbard & Glacier Bay are a must.

 

Thank you

 

Some cruises are listed as both. For example a 14 dayer could be marketed as a single cruise or broken up into (2) 7 dayers. I go for the one that has better price.

These are listed alot in the Caribbean market.

[spunkie4]

We have taken several back to back cruises. We have always booked them separately as we wanted to reach Elite. We have had to change rooms since we book a balcony guarantee, but changing rooms has never been a problem. Sort of enjoyed it as it made the second cruise seem different. I think the cost may be less to book as one cruise. Our TA in April 2011 could have booked as one cruise, 27 days. We chose to book the TA separate from the Baltic for the additional cruise credits. For Alaska, it enabled us to fly to and from the same airport, so the airfare was much less.

 

Enjoy your B2B.

 

Shirley

[vickie_bernie]

we have done about 8 b2b and have always found the price to be cheaper when we book as two separate cruises. Because after we take into consideration the obc from TA, FCC, and stock benefit. Also it counts as two cruises instead of one.

 

Normally if we are booking and want the same cabin we just check to see what cabins are avail in the category we want and then book the same cabin. Or we have our TA link the two cruise bookings and request the same cabin. Have never had a problem.

 

Sounds like a great trip, enjoy

[btrojanoski]

We have done 3 BTB Alaska, Vancouver-Whittier-Vancouver, twice on the Diamond and once on the Coral. Just tell your TA you want to do BTB and he/she will figure out which way is cheaper. BTW..its great to do it BTB. The return flight from Anchorage is almost as expensive as the 7 day return so if time is not an issue doing the BTB is the BEST.

 

Barry

[CALMOM]

Thank you everyone for your advise and help. I love Alaska and 7 days just isn't enough for me. I also wanted to fly round trip Los Angeles to Vancouver, which is only a 2 1/2 hr flight and pretty reasonable. Anchorage is double the airfare and double the flight time. I have cruised twice to Alaska, one north bound and one south bound and I find that I book excursions from the time I get off the ship, until I have to return to the ship, and never have the chance to walk around at my leisure and enjoy the ports personally. I thought with a B2B, that would give me the opportunity to relax and enjoy it.

 

O.K. I have to admit that it would be fun to tell my fellow passengers, as their busy packing up, the night before disembarkation, that I don't have to :D I'm hoping I can financially swing it for 2011, if not 2012. We are planning a Mediterranean Cruise in 2012 and would like to squeeze in an Alaska cruise too.