Back-to-back with a day in between... what to do?

[Daghis]

As I had posted in another thread, I have the opportunity to do my first back-to-back cruise with a hotel night stay in the middle. Royal Caribbean's benefits for consecutive cruisers allow those who have one cruise ending one day and the next cruise starting the next day to get a free hotel room plus transportation between the port and the hotel for free!

 

So, for those who've booked consecutive cruises and gotten a free hotel stay in between, how did you spend your day?

 

I'm thinking that instead of using Royal Caribbean's transportation to/from the hotel, we'll rent a car and drive ourselves around to do fun stuff. Plus, that'll also make it a bit easier for us to do our laundry.

[LilMermaid]

We also did a b2b on the Oasis, then the Allure in December. Royal put us up in a hotel for the night in between. (Of course, this was in Ft. Lauderdale, and not Port Canaveral as you will be doing.)

 

When your documents arrive via email, print out the final couple of pages - they have your vouchers to give to the hotel and for your transportation if you use them. We did not use the transportation either, although that was because we drove to the port. I think renting a car for the day is a great idea though! You can go shopping in Orlando, or just stay in the port area, go to the beach or go to Cape Canaveral for the day.

[M&M Hayden]

Double check, I was under the impression that they don't provide transportation between 'ship one' and hotel.

[Daghis]

We did not use the transportation either, although that was because we drove to the port. I think renting a car for the day is a great idea though! You can go shopping in Orlando, or just stay in the port area, go to the beach or go to Cape Canaveral for the day.

I'm glad to hear that others have skipped the transportation part of this package. I was very slightly afraid that if I didn't show up on the bus, they'd do something silly like cancel the hotel room.

 

Double check, I was under the impression that they don't provide transportation between 'ship one' and hotel.

I was definitely told that they provide transportation both ways, by two different representatives at that. The exception would have been if our two cruises weren't sailing out of the same port. In that case, they'd provide transportation from the hotel near the second cruise to the port.

 

Fortunately, I do think we'll do the rental car thing anyway.

 

On a different note, I notice that my information online already has the hotel listed. I was a bit surprised that they're putting us in a hotel by the airport as I thought it didn't make as much sense to ferry us to Orlando, just to have to take us back to Port Canaveral the next day. After thinking about it, though, I realize that they're probably using the same transportation that goes to/from the airport, so swinging by a hotel near the airport isn't as big of a deal.

[Daghis]

Double check, I was under the impression that they don't provide transportation between 'ship one' and hotel.

Perfect timing to answer this more definitively. I just received e-mail confirmation regarding my booking and it says:

We also have you confirmed at your complimentary hotel the night of October

14, 2012. You will be staying at the Orlando Doubletree Hilton. All

transfers to the hotel from the pier and to the pier from the hotel are

included.

[Heidils]

Awesome!

[LilMermaid]

RCI must use Hilton as their hotel of choice - they put us up at the Hilton Marina in Ft. Lauderdale about a half mile from the port at our b2b. I definitely give Royal 2 thumbs up on their choice - they took good care of us! And we simply ignored the transportation vouchers and had no problem with the hotel reservation.

 

I'm glad you already received a confirmation email!