Back to Backs - Pro & Cons???

[Tagsalong]

 

Cons

1. RCCL won't deliver any Booze you brought the first week until the end of the second week (they got hip to us real quick!)

 

Wow, I'm surprised by this! We have done numberous B2Bs on many RCI ships and other cruiselines, but not on Oasis. We have always gotten our Island-purchased booze on the last night of the first cruise. Apparantly RCI is getting real paranoid about pax having liquor in their rooms during a cruise.

 

Being D+ on Oasis and Allure, in-room booze is not important since we can drink alcoholic beverages in the CL morning, noon and night every day. Way more than I want or is good for my health. Just surprised that they figured this out by linking the two cruises! Seems to me to be beyond IT's capabilities. Who ratted us out, Sparkle???

[Realtor at Sea]

Con - gaining twice the weight. Otherwise, it is ALL GOOD!!!

[Puffinater]

Being D+ on Oasis and Allure, in-room booze is not important since we can drink alcoholic beverages in the CL morning, noon and night every day. Way more than I want or is good for my health. Just surprised that they figured this out by linking the two cruises! Seems to me to be beyond IT's capabilities. Who ratted us out, Sparkle???

 

Ok what did we miss? Multiple trips on the Oasis and never had alcohol offered in the morning. Lunch was limited to wine or beer. Now Happy Hour thats a different story:D

[Tagsalong]

Ok what did we miss? Multiple trips on the Oasis and never had alcohol offered in the morning. Lunch was limited to wine or beer. Now Happy Hour thats a different story:D

 

On her twice last year and DW had bloody marys and I Mimosas in morning with breakfast (complementary) and Heineken beer at lunch. Consierge was someone we had known for years and maybe we got special treatment at breakfast. Can't say for sure since I never asked when he offered the alcoholic beverages the first day we ate breakfast in the CL.

 

We're on Allure in five days and we'll see what happens on Monday morning when we ask for bloody marys with our breakfast orders.

[Puffinater]

On her twice last year and DW had bloody marys and I Mimosas in morning with breakfast (complementary) and Heineken beer at lunch. Consierge was someone we had known for years and maybe we got special treatment at breakfast. Can't say for sure since I never asked when he offered the alcoholic beverages the first day we ate breakfast in the CL.

 

Thanks, we made sure to have a beer with lunch whenever we ate there.

[retired arizona]

Navigator also does B2B, east/ west. Going in January for the 1st time.

Seems like sometimes they make you get off the ship and sometimes not???

[traveling1969]

"Cons

1. RCCL won't deliver any Booze you brought the first week until the end of the second week (they got hip to us real quick!)"

Just pick up a bottle at the on-board store the last evening of the first leg and they'll hand it right to you. Keep it in a cabinet and no one is the wiser.:D

[sunlover58]

If you buy liquor the last night of the first leg, will they not be aware that you are a B2B cruiser by your set sail pass? I know you get a new pass after the first leg but didn't know if there would be something on the first pass that indicates you are a consecutive cruiser. Doing our first B2B in December on the Navigator so not sure what to expect.

[CaptData]

I love doing B2B (consecutive cruising is what they call it now). Tips are done at the end of each week and you have to settle your account at the end of each week too (the only real con I have).

 

Although the menus are the same there is enough for you to try different things each week. Booking shows is easier as if you miss it the first week you can go the second week. As for the Specialty Restaurants you can book the first week and if you really like one, rebook the second while there (they always keep a couple of spots open).

 

The other things I like is you unpack once and the second week you are done when everyone else is getting their luggage and unpacking you are enjoying the pool or a drink.

[FLSteve11]

Another "downside" will be the repeat of menu and most entertainment, although the headliners will be different.

 

Thank you, that was my con as well. You get the same production shows both weeks, they don't change. Also the trivia was the same both weeks on our cruise, so if you are interested in that you'll only be able to do it one of the weeks (unless you want to be like those people who manage to know every answer *wink*) Usually the headliners will be different, so you will not have the same comedians, magicians, guest singers, etc.

[joand452]

I'd forgotten that we switched tables in the MDR, too. Our first headwaiter was nice and found us our new table assignment and told us where it was. DH ate most of the same things, but I tried to order something different each night.

 

Since we were on Allure, I spread out our show reservations across the two weeks, but then forgot there would be new comedians and new headliners the second week. Going "standby" was no problem for either show. I'll try to remember this year to book those two shows for each week for Oasis.

[Sandy Sails]

LOVE B2B's! The only slight con was the same identical entertainment - the CD tells the same jokes, but at least they're funny. And the entertainment was so great, it was fun to repeat. We were too tired to go to the welcome aboard show the first night but got to go the first day of the 2nd cruise - yay. Highly recommend doing a B2B IF the itineraries are different.

[FLSteve11]

You can ask but no guarantees. We asked and got the same table both legs. Unfortunately, the waitstaff was rotated and we ended up with a not-so-special team of newbies. Would have asked to follow our waitstaff had we known.

 

We also got the same table on our B2B, without asking. We just got it. And like you our wait staff rotated so while we sat at the same table we ended up with a new waiter and assistant. They were both good so no problem, but getting the same table does not guarantee anything

[Puffinater]

Thank you, that was my con as well. You get the same production shows both weeks, they don't change. Also the trivia was the same both weeks on our cruise, so if you are interested in that you'll only be able to do it one of the weeks (unless you want to be like those people who manage to know every answer *wink*) Usually the headliners will be different, so you will not have the same comedians, magicians, guest singers, etc.

 

Sail the same ship 3 months later and this is still true.

[MadManOfBethesda]

My DW and I are considering booking a B2B on Mariner for east and west caribbean. Both of us have 6 cruises under our belt, the longest being a Holiday special (9 night).

 

I am interested to hear from people who have done B2Bs in the past and the pros and cons from their points of view.

 

My wife & I did a B2B on Mariner earlier this year, although it was not in the Caribbean. It was a 16-day cruise from Los Angeles to Valparaiso, Chile, followed by a 14-day cruise from Valparaiso to Santos, Brazil. Our only negatives were that we had to change cabins between cruises and our waitstaff were rotated (although we kept the same table). Although not a "con" per se, one challenge was packing for both 90 degree weather and 40 degree weather on the same trip.

 

Other than the overall enjoyment of being aboard the Mariner for 30-days, the other main positive was being able to visit numerous countries/ports over the month-long trip. That said, I'm not sure I'd want to do a B2B in the Caribbean if you're just going to be retracing your first voyage and going back to the same islands in reverse order. If it is a different itinerary, as it appears from your description of both east and west Caribbean, I wouldn't hesitate to book one.

[beachnative]

We did our first B2B2B2B on the Monarch this spring. My wife was recovering from a foot operation and we wanted a small ship that repeated its itinerary. Yes, the food and entertainment repeated but we never got tired of it. Because of the way the crew treated us, we consider it as one of the best cruises we've ever taken...it was as if we were part of the Monarch crew family.

 

For a different experience, we immediately booked a B2B on the Oasis for the following month. The venues were different, but again it was a fantastic experience. The only downside was that we waited too late to ask if we could stay on board for the third sailing.

 

We now book B2Bs whenever we can work them into our schedule. We actually have several more booked including a 62 day set of B2Bs booked for Australia in 2013. Whoooopppee. That one will probably have a downside.....by the end of the cruise our clothes will either be worn out from the laundry washing them or stink to high heaven from not washing them (just joking on the "not washing").

[traveling1969]

If you buy liquor the last night of the first leg, will they not be aware that you are a B2B cruiser by your set sail pass? I know you get a new pass after the first leg but didn't know if there would be something on the first pass that indicates you are a consecutive cruiser. Doing our first B2B in December on the Navigator so not sure what to expect.

Nope! There is nothing on your card that differentiates a B2B'er from anyone else. We always do this with no problem. Bon Voyage!

[Puffinater]

Nope! There is nothing on your card that differentiates a B2B'er from anyone else. We always do this with no problem. Bon Voyage!

 

While there is nothing on your card the B2B is linked (should be) in their system. There seems to be a real mix of received liquor/did not receive liquor. We don't buy it but folks who were B2B with us did and did not receive it. Best way to guarantee it is to have someone not B2B buy it for you.

[traveling1969]

While there is nothing on your card the B2B is linked (should be) in their system. There seems to be a real mix of received liquor/did not receive liquor. We don't buy it but folks who were B2B with us did and did not receive it. Best way to guarantee it is to have someone not B2B buy it for you.

I understand what you are saying regarding linked reservations. In fact, we have received a letter in our stateroom telling us that liquor confiscated at ports would be returned to us the last day of the second leg. What my post referred to was buying a bottle on the last day of the first leg in the onboard shop. The cashier does not have access to any linked reservation information at that point of sale and anyone purchasing liquor late on the last day, it is handed directly to the purchaser.

[Puffinater]

I understand what you are saying regarding linked reservations. In fact, we have received a letter in our stateroom telling us that liquor confiscated at ports would be returned to us the last day of the second leg. What my post referred to was buying a bottle on the last day of the first leg in the onboard shop. The cashier does not have access to any linked reservation information at that point of sale and anyone purchasing liquor late on the last day, it is handed directly to the purchaser.

 

They told us they figured the last night would be the best time to buy but it was in fact the cashier that informed the folks they could not have the liquor. Seems some sort of alert appeared. Looks like, as usual, different ship different outcome.

[Jimnbigd]

My DW and I are considering booking a B2B on Mariner for east and west caribbean.

I don't see the Mariner of the Seas doing an Eastern Caribbean run, except maybe on a Trans-Atlantic crossing. From Galveston it alternates between the Grand Cayman-Jamaica route and the Roatan-Belize route. Both stop in Cozumel, and both are considered Western Caribbean.

[traveling1969]

They told us they figured the last night would be the best time to buy but it was in fact the cashier that informed the folks they could not have the liquor. Seems some sort of alert appeared. Looks like, as usual, different ship different outcome.

Wow! Hope that's not something new. We've done 3 B2B's on RCCL and so far so good. Wonder if it was on the newer ships (Freedom-class, Oasis/Allure)?

[Puffinater]

Wow! Hope that's not something new. We've done 3 B2B's on RCCL and so far so good. Wonder if it was on the newer ships (Freedom-class, Oasis/Allure)?

 

Adventure this past March

[joandian]

We are doing our first BTB next May - 16 night transatlantic and then a 12 day Egypt/Holy Land cruise. We couldn't get the same cabin for both as the TA was nearly sold out when I booked, but we do have a balcony and a hump for the Holy Land. I really don't mind changing cabins but it might have been better if we could have the same one.

 

I really can't see any down side of a BTB and can't wait for ours.

[Stags14]

I've never done a B2B, but if I were to do one I'd probably go on a different ship - I feel like a new scenery would defintely be desired. Just a thought...

 

As for the entertainment being the same - go to the shows on a more relaxed schedule. Don't feel like going tonight? No problem - go next week! :D Nothing says you have to do something EVERY night - split it up and relax!