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Back to back cruises

Uri1961

By Uri1961,
in Royal Caribbean International

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PeterPan

PeterPan

Posted
Posted

No discount. We're doing a back to back on Navigator because 5 days isn't long enough.:D

 

Basically, you book them as 2 different cruises. They are actually treated as 2 different cruises. You just don't have to get to the port and go through the check in process with everyone else on the second cruise.

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Trainman-2

Trainman-2

Posted
Posted

The thing to do is to call RCI and ask to speak to a back to back expert. They have people with the ability to look at multiple sailings.

 

The "trick" with a B2B is to get the same cabin so you don't have to change cabins.

 

Pick your port, pick your ship, and call RCI and they will set you up.

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lovemylab

lovemylab

Posted
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We booked a B2B because we wanted something longer than 7 days. We looked at the 10 day sailings on Princess, but a B2B on the Serenade was cheaper.

 

So rather than doing 2 seven day cruises a year, we've decided to do them B2B and only pay one airfare.

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davekathy

davekathy

Posted
Posted
I have seen that a lot of members go on btb cruises. I am interested in this.

 

Can someone give me more info?

 

Is there a big discount?

 

The criteria I use when booking a B2B is I get the same cabin for both legs of the Cruise and it does two different itineraries. Our upcoming B2B Cruise on the Liberty Of The Seas goes to the Eastern and Western Caribbean.

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cb at sea

cb at sea

Posted
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The downside to a B2B is that the menus and most entertainment will be repeated. If you choose, say, a 12-14 nighter, rather than a B2B, you will NOT have the "repeats"...just something to keep in mind! And, with a longer cruise (as opposed to a B2B), you won't have to worry about changing cabins or trying to book something where you don't have to pack up and move!

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AlanAllyn

AlanAllyn

Posted
Posted

We are booked on our third b2b out of Fort Lauderdale on the Allure. In each case, one cruise was eastern and the other western Carribean. Although there is no discount, there is usually a small extra, like lunch in the dining room on the change over day. Royal calls it "continuing cruisers" and they have someone at reservations to handle those. We have always gotten the same cabin on both halves.

 

You do have to go through customs and immigrations on the turnaround day. Once it was done on the ship, once in the terminal. In both cases it took less than a half hour and we then had the ship to ourselves. We could return to our cabin immediately, even though new passengers had no access until 1 or so.

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cruisenfever

cruisenfever

Posted
Posted
I was told that if you don't get off the ship on the turn around day then you do not have to go through customs.

 

Also if you are a B2B you will be offered on the turn around day for dinner a 2 for 1 deal in one of the sepciality rest.

It depends on the port. If you do a b2b o Serenade, you do not have to get off the ship on turn around day. I believe that is only done in US ports.

 

They offer a special luncheon for consecutive cruisers on turn around day, if they are enough people to warrant a luncheon.

 

Serenade used to offer the 2 for 1 on the first night of the second cruise, but since the BOGO coupon was issued for D+ members, they do not offer that any longer and I don't believe other ships do as well.

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sassmofi

sassmofi

Posted
Posted
The downside to a B2B is that the menus and most entertainment will be repeated. If you choose, say, a 12-14 nighter, rather than a B2B, you will NOT have the "repeats"...just something to keep in mind! And, with a longer cruise (as opposed to a B2B), you won't have to worry about changing cabins or trying to book something where you don't have to pack up and move!

 

However the atmosphere on a 12-14 night is completely different than a 7 nighter. The 12-nighter I took on the Explorer out of Cape Liberty was very weird, and it turned me off the cruising for quite some time.

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melbur

melbur

Posted
Posted
It depends on the port. If you do a b2b o Serenade, you do not have to get off the ship on turn around day. I believe that is only done in US ports.

 

They offer a special luncheon for consecutive cruisers on turn around day, if they are enough people to warrant a luncheon.

 

Serenade used to offer the 2 for 1 on the first night of the second cruise, but since the BOGO coupon was issued for D+ members, they do not offer that any longer and I don't believe other ships do as well.

 

We just got off our B2B on Serenade and they do still offer the 2 for 1 at either Portofinos or Chops for all consecutive cruisers. The turnaround luncheon in the MDR was also offered. This time the specials for consecutive cruisers also included 30% off all spa/salon services booked at the CC get together for any time during the upcoming week.

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Mickeylee

Mickeylee

Posted
Posted
I was told that if you don't get off the ship on the turn around day then you do not have to go through customs.

 

Also if you are a B2B you will be offered on the turn around day for dinner a 2 for 1 deal in one of the sepciality rest.

 

We have done two B2B's on Freedom from Port Canaveral and we did have to get off and go through customs. They took us off as a group, so it wasn't much of a hassle. We were back on long before the new folks came on.

 

We have never been offered any 2 for 1 deal in a speciality restaurant. They did provide a luncheon for the B2B passengers in the MDR.

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cruisenfever

cruisenfever

Posted
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We just got off our B2B on Serenade and they do still offer the 2 for 1 at either Portofinos or Chops for all consecutive cruisers. The turnaround luncheon in the MDR was also offered. This time the specials for consecutive cruisers also included 30% off all spa/salon services booked at the CC get together for any time during the upcoming week.

Thanks Melanie, I had heard they had stopped that last year when the BOGO coupon was issued. Guess they reinstated that for consecutive cruisers.

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dmwnc1959

dmwnc1959

Posted
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I too am booked on a B2B for late this year, a 5-night followed by a 4-night. It turned out the price was nearly exactly the same as the 7-night I was looking at but gave me two extra days for less than $75 total. The itinerary will be in its entirety that of a standard 7 day Western Caribbean (Jamaica, Cayman Is., and Cozumel) plus a stop at Key West as well as three full days at sea. On turn-around day I was told that I would have to leave the ship long enough to clear Customs (my luggage etc stays on the ship), stay in a special area until the ship got the All Clear, then be the first to reboard before the new set of passengers were allowed on. I did get the exact same cabin for both segments and made sure the two separate reservations were cross-referenced and special notes made in the reservations that this was a B2B just in case someone mis-interpreted the purpose of the cross-reference. Also it is a good idea to remind your stateroom attendant (maybe on the first day) that you are doing a B2B so that they don't freak out on Turn-Around Day as to why all your stuff is still there when everybody else is packed and disembarking.

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