B2B cruises anyone have experience good or bad?

[wwinfl91]

Hi,

 

I'm considering a Transatlantic cruise to Barcelona followed by a 7 day to Venice on the same ship. The total cruise is 21 days but it doesn't seem to be offered that way either on RCL's site or on my TA's site.

 

I'm wondering what has been the experiences of this group when doing this kind of cruise. I am especially interested in whether I can negotiate a good deal especially on the second 7 day cruise. The Transatlantic already is pretty discounted but I will be paying more for the second 7 days than the first 14 if I would book with the listed fares.

 

Anyway I am hoping some of you have done these B2B cruises and will share your experiences with me.

 

Thanks

[Clarea]

Royal does not negotiate prices because someone is taking consecutive cruises. From Royal's point of view, they are two separate cruises.

[britty1]

Hi,

 

I'm considering a Transatlantic cruise to Barcelona followed by a 7 day to Venice on the same ship. The total cruise is 21 days but it doesn't seem to be offered that way either on RCL's site or on my TA's site.

 

I'm wondering what has been the experiences of this group when doing this kind of cruise. I am especially interested in whether I can negotiate a good deal especially on the second 7 day cruise. The Transatlantic already is pretty discounted but I will be paying more for the second 7 days than the first 14 if I would book with the listed fares.

 

Anyway I am hoping some of you have done these B2B cruises and will share your experiences with me.

 

Thanks

 

Royal will book the cruises as two separate cruises and will not negotiate the price for either segment of the cruise. Typically the transatlantic portion is simply to get a ship to its next home port and is usually a good deal because they need to to that port full or empty, so why not full and make some money. The 7 day portion will be its new itinerary while sailing from that port and the price you pay is the price. It is possible for a price drop but not real likely. Royal has not been dropping prices much. My experience has been book early to get the best price. Hope this helps.

[nomoreknothead]

Love Back2Back cruises but No Such thing as special prices for doing such !!! Enjoy your days at Sea!

[cruisenfever]

We only do b2b cruises and as Bob has said, there is no discount. Each cruise is handled separately and has it's own booking number.

[lv2bcruzin]

The Good:

It's a B2B

 

The Bad:

It's not a B2B2B

Edited August 25, 2015 by lv2bcruzin

[knittinggirl]

The huge advantage of a B2B is only one plane ticket!

[TexasRCH]

Book early enough to get the same cabin. Moving is a hassle

[DragonOfTheSeas]

We booked a B2B when prices dropped on the cruise before one we had scheduled. We had to move--but, it was easy.

[39august]

We find moving easy. Your cabin steward will take everything to your new cabin, and if you put every possible thing on hangers, you only have to pack what is NOT on hangers in your luggage to be moved for you.

[robtulipe]

We booked a B2B when prices dropped on the cruise before one we had scheduled. We had to move--but, it was easy.

 

We did a similar thing, booking the European cruise after our eastbound TA. We had several weeks to kill before a family wedding in the UK and both cruises ended in Southampton. We already had a return flight that would allow us to do this and the price of the following 12 night cruise dropped quite a bit around the final payment date. Even with the price drop the second cruise being in Europe was still quite a bit higher for a similar cabin than the first, a 15 night TA. We couldn't stay in the same cabin and ended up booking a higher class and we got a free upgrade to an even higher class of cabin so we went from an inside on the TA to a prime balcony for the European cruise. Moving was no problem with the help of the ship's staff.

We booked B2B cruises on Navigator for this past January and while on the first cruise booked the next cruise following the second so it became B2B2B cruises. We had Southwest flights and I was able to change our return flight to one week later at no additional cost as this airlines doesn't charge change fees and a same cost flight was available. We had to change cabins for the third cruise but it wasn't a problem as the new cabin was only four cabins away so we still the same cabin attendant.

If changing cabins discuss this with your cabin attendant and he will arrange to have your next cabin cleaned and available early even if it's not in his/her section.

Edited August 25, 2015 by robtulipe

[tinatark]

We did a 4/5 b2b on the Liberty of the Seas starting last Thanksgiving. Turn around day was disappointing -took a few travelers so long to get off the ship once we did the turn around the next sailing people were already coming aboard!

 

Stayed in the same room. That was nice!

[SPacificbound]

We have only completed one b2b2b, and we really enjoyed it. So much so I booked some more. :)

[dorisis]

RCs B2B policy is another reason I prefer Princess. Princess gives me a small discount on B2Bs and lets me combine all my OBCs

[Viv0828]

We've taken a couple of B2B cruises. We've been lucky and have not to change rooms. On changeover day we get off the ship with the later groups, explore the port, and zip back on easily. Lots of fun!

Edited August 26, 2015 by Viv0828

[Clarea]

RCs B2B policy is another reason I prefer Princess. Princess gives me a small discount on B2Bs and lets me combine all my OBCs

About the only thing Royal may give B2B guests is a special luncheon in the MDR on changeover day. Some ships do this if there is some minimum number of B2B guests.

[Tagsalong]

RCs B2B policy is another reason I prefer Princess. Princess gives me a small discount on B2Bs and lets me combine all my OBCs

 

Being able to combine all OBC sources is one reason we throw in a Princess cruise every now and then. We have over $700 OBC on our October 20 day/night Royal Princess cruise. This was being sold as both a 20 nighter and as two 10 nighters. It was less $ for us to book it as a single 20 night cruise.

 

Princess allocates a certain number of cabins on two consecutive itineraries to be sold only as a combined single cruise. Depending on how these itineraries are selling, the price (based on supply & demand, I assume) is sometimes less booking as a B2B and other times less when booked as a single cruise.

 

However, the turn around day is treated the same regardless which way one has booked it.

[TxKroozer]

We have done a few B2B cruises and enjoyed everyone with some in the same room and others not. The procedures for debarkation and embarkation vary ship to ship, but all are done very good with no hassles. The best part of every back to back cruise is the night before the cruise ends and you can walk up and down the hallways seeing all the luggage outside the rooms and knowing your still going to be cruising the next several days. Enjoy.

[island lady]

Looking forward to our first B2B in Alaska next year. Now they won't have to take us off

the ship at the end of the first cruise...kicking and screaming "No, we don't want to go!!"

 

:p :p

 

And we have the same cabin for both legs....coveted corner aft #9256 on Radiance! :D

Edited August 26, 2015 by island lady

[jules815]

The best part of every back to back cruise is the night before the cruise ends and you can walk up and down the hallways seeing all the luggage outside the rooms and knowing your still going to be cruising the next several days. Enjoy.

 

This is our favorite part, too! :D We're doing our second one in 10 days.

Edited August 26, 2015 by jules815

[wwinfl91]

Thanks for all the good info in these posts. It looks like calling RCL looking for a deal would be a waste of time. I may try my TA and see if she can do anything for me.

 

I am a RCL stockholder and should get that cruise credit for both cruises as far as I can tell.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[cruisenfever]

Thanks for all the good info in these posts. It looks like calling RCL looking for a deal would be a waste of time. I may try my TA and see if she can do anything for me.

 

I am a RCL stockholder and should get that cruise credit for both cruises as far as I can tell.

 

Have a great next cruise.

Just to let you know, but if you are a member of RCI's Crown & Anchor Society or are a member of Celebrity's Captain's Club where you could receive reciprocal benefits on RCI depending on your tier level, you can not combine OBC from Shareholder Benefits with any benefit that comes from Crown & Anchor like getting a balcony discount when booking a balcony cabin.

[Cigar King]

I'm in the camp now where I prefer the B2B. As other's have said, you only pay the airfare once, so there's a big savings right there.

 

The other thing I like about it is 10 or so days seems about right for a relaxing vacation. There's not a hug selection of cruises of that length. I can take 2 cruises and basically make any cruise a 10+ day cruise.

 

My one rule is, I must have the same room. We typically book early so it's not been an issue. I know they will help move me, but, I want to relax, period.

[denatravels]

About the only thing Royal may give B2B guests is a special luncheon in the MDR on changeover day. Some ships do this if there is some minimum number of B2B guests.

 

 

Not today on the Liberty! Was also disappointed that I couldn't get a specialty coffee this morning, either.

[Clarea]

Not today on the Liberty! Was also disappointed that I couldn't get a specialty coffee this morning, either.

We didn't get a luncheon on our Liberty B2B this past March either. We had about 20 B2B guests, so I guess that's not enough.

 

On Adventure, we usually have between 100 and 200 B2B guests.