Is is possible to do a back to back on 2 different ships?

[Lesinindy]

I was looking at the southern Panama 11 day trip, but the extra taxes for the canal is a little steep for one day in the locks. When you talk with HAL can you set up a btb on the same ship or can you set up one on a different ship. 7 days is too short for my vacation I need at least 11 and better than that 14.

If you have done this either way how did it go?

[Shmoo here]

I was looking at the southern Panama 11 day trip, but the extra taxes for the canal is a little steep for one day in the locks. When you talk with HAL can you set up a btb on the same ship or can you set up one on a different ship. 7 days is too short for my vacation I need at least 11 and better than that 14.

If you have done this either way how did it go?

 

A true B2B would be two consecutive cruises on the same ship.

 

If you find two separate cruises (on different ships) that the first ship arrives back at it's disembarkation port the same day as the second ship is embarking from the same port, that's not really a B2B, but 2 cruises.

 

It's possible to do 2 separate cruises that way. You just have to book them.

 

The only B2B we've done (to this point) was a 10 night Med cruise followed by a 14 night TransAtlantic (different cruiseline). It was great.

Edited December 19, 2013 by Shmoo here

[Fouremco]

A true B2B would be two consecutive cruises on the same ship.

 

If you find two separate cruises (on different ships) that the first ship arrives back at it's disembarkation port the same day as the second ship is embarking from the same port, that's not really a B2B, but 2 cruises.

 

It's possible to do 2 separate cruises that way. You just have to book them.

 

The only B2B we've done (to this point) was a 10 night Med cruise followed by a 14 night TransAtlantic (different cruiseline). It was great.

Where do Collectors' Cruises fit into this matrix? My understanding was that consecutive cruises on a single ticket constituted a Collectors' Cruise, while consecutive cruises on separate tickets constituted a B2B, irrespective of the ship(s).

 

Whatever you call them, I do enjoy them! :)

[KirkNC]

Where do Collectors' Cruises fit into this matrix? My understanding was that consecutive cruises on a single ticket constituted a Collectors' Cruise, while consecutive cruises on separate tickets constituted a B2B, irrespective of the ship(s).

 

Whatever you call them, I do enjoy them! :)

 

Not all B2B are Collectors Cruise but all Collector Cruises are B2B, make sense?:p

[jtl513]

B2B on different ships are done fairly often in FLL, although I never have. I believe it has to be two booking numbers.

,

Edited December 19, 2013 by jtl513

[geocruiser]

If you do a different ships you will have to pack and then unpack again. For me it would be easier to stay on the same ship.

Edited December 19, 2013 by geocruiser

[OVgirl]

Yes you can book 2 B2B cruises on different ships. We have 4 CC members doing a Maasdam cruise and then changing ships to Noordam. This is from Fort Lauderdale, so there are better odds that 2 ships will be in port the same day. They might even be berthed close enough to walk from one ship to the other.

[Fouremco]

Not all B2B are Collectors Cruise but all Collector Cruises are B2B, make sense?:p

Yup, that's how I see it too! :)

[IRL_Joanie]

I was looking at the southern Panama 11 day trip, but the extra taxes for the canal is a little steep for one day in the locks. When you talk with HAL can you set up a btb on the same ship or can you set up one on a different ship. 7 days is too short for my vacation I need at least 11 and better than that 14.

If you have done this either way how did it go?

 

We did a 14 day B2B on 2 separate HAL ships last November and December 2012.

 

We Booked a 7 day Caribbean cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam departing on 25 November returning to Port Everglades on 2 December. We then booked another 7 day cruise on Westerdam departing on 2 December and returning 9 December 2012.

 

It was so easy to grab a Porter to assist us clearing Customs from Nieuw Amsterdam and walking across the street to the Westerdam for Check In.

 

Would do it again in a heart beat it was so easy:) Made more sense to do that than to pay airfare, hotel and scooter rental for just 7 days.

 

Joanie

Edited December 19, 2013 by IRL_Joanie

[FRANKIEDNYC]

:) Several years ago, we did a 14 day trans Atlantic/Northern Europe cruise on Princess from N.Y. that ended in Southhampton England and 2 hours later boarded the QM2 back to N.Y. It was as easy as changing busses.

[Hlitner]

We have done a couple of back to back cruises out of FLL and MIA and it can be fun. Sometimes it is just a matter of walking (with your luggage) from one pier to another. We also liked doing cruises when one ends on a Saturday and the next cruise leaves on Sunday. We spend the intervening evening at a nearby hotel. As far as booking, this is just a situation where you want to book two separate cruises. We find the most fun is doing it on 2 different cruise lines since you are assured of different shows and menus. A few clicks of the mouse is all it takes :)

 

Hank

[Krazy Kruizers]

Okay -- so you are considering doing the Zuiderdam for one of its 10 or 11 day partial Panama Canal cruises.

If you decide to do that same cruise again -- that is considered a back-to-back cruise. No discounts -- 2 separate booking confirmations.

Collector Cruises are when you stay on the same ship but do 2 almost different cruises (some times you may report 1 or 2 ports). There is only 1 confirmation and you do get some savings.

Then there is another combination which people have done. An example since you are considering the Zuiderdam -- you sail on that ship, then you decide to sail on a different ship once you get back to Ft Lauderdale. You may be lucky to just move over to another ship or you may have to overnight 1 or 2 days in Ft Lauderdale to catch the next ship. You will have 2 different confirmations and no discounts like you get with a Collectors Cruise. These are not considered real back-to-back cruises. And if you aren't able to just move from ship to another on the same day, it could become costly because of hotels and food and taxis.

We would never consider trying to move from ship to another.

[Candiaccruiser]

We will be doing a ten-day cruise on the Emerald Princess and then transferring to the Noordam for a twenty-one day Collector's Cruise this February. Both ships are in dock on the same day -- hopefully at the same pier -- so we're hoping that it will be a fairly simple process to make the switch from one to the other.

 

 

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[Typhoon1]

We have some friends that a few years ago, disembarked the Allure and boarded the N.A. in Fort Lauderdale.

 

They took a short cab ride from one pier to the other.

Edited December 19, 2013 by Typhoon1

[donswife]

I would definitely get cruise insurance, especially for the second leg, just in case the first cruise is delayed.

[BJane]

Many years ago we could not find a 14 day cruise that we wanted so we made one up. We did a 7 day Miami to Miami. We got off the ship in Miami, went straight to the airport , flew to San Juan and boarded another ship for seven days in and out of San Juan. (Both were on RCI, not HAL)

[jer_l]

Our b2b's have all been in Alaska. The best was not an "official" b2b since it was on 2 different ships. We cruised north on the Ryndam, stayed in Seward for two nights at a B&B and then cruised south on the Statendam. We had done the same the year before as a true b2b on the Veendam. The advantages of 2 different ships were the extra time in Seward, the scenic drive to Anchorage to pick up our DD and her husband who joined us for the return cruise, and two distinct itineraries (Ketchikan, Juneau, Skagway, Sitka, Hubbard Glacier and then College Fjord, Haines, Glacier Bay, Juneau and Ketchikan).

[innlady1]

We're doing that in January/February. Boarding the Maasdam on 1/27 and disembarking on 2/7. Then, boarding Noordam on 2/17 to 2/17. We have insurance but I'll have to remember to pack the info with my cruise docs. Thanks!

[Typhoon1]

I would definitely get cruise insurance, especially for the second leg, just in case the first cruise is delayed.

 

Excellent idea.

 

The ship waits for no one, unless they are vital to the cruise.

Edited December 21, 2013 by Typhoon1

[sail7seas]

We've done a number of b-to-b's turning around in Montreal, FLL and San Juan. They are wonderful. We have always stayed on the same ship though I've read often on CC about cruisers changing ships. It's an easy process but I don't care for the bother of all the packing and unpacking. :o

[m4hami]

Have done B2B several times on different ships and also the same ship. Just find a ship that departs the same day we return from previous cruise , grab a cab from one pier to the other. Have folders with cruise Docs handy. Last Jan did 2 weeks on Caribbean Princess and came back to Port Everglades , took a cab to the pier where the Celebrity Eclipse was docked and did 14 days on the Eclipse.

[bcscot]

We have done several B2Bs plus 'collector's' style cruises with HAL. One of our most interesting ones though, which was the only one on different lines and was not on HAL, we called our '4 ship relay'! We sailed NY to SOTON on QM2, changed the same day to the Fred Olsen, Black Watch for a return cruise to Norway, 2 nights ashore, then Saga Rose around Ireland and then 1 night ashore before crossing back to NY on the Saga Ruby. It was wonderful (apart from the packing and unpacking!).

I would thoroughly recommend this type of trip, for a variety of ships and lines plus a few nights ashore. :)

Edited December 21, 2013 by bcscot