Booking back to back question

[Hoop0527]

Is there an easy way to find back to back cruises on the website? I put in the month but it just seems so hard to find 2 on the same ship with connecting weeks. Any tips? 

[Clarea]

1 minute ago, Hoop0527 said:

Is there an easy way to find back to back cruises on the website? I put in the month but it just seems so hard to find 2 on the same ship with connecting weeks. Any tips? 

 

Not exactly sure why you cannot find consecutive cruises on Royal's website.

 

However, if you contact  travel agent or call Royal directly, they have better tools to search for cruises.

[awestover89]

I'd suggest using a travel agent for back to back; especially if you want to make sure you get the same cabin on both cruises. The travel agent website has a lot more flexibility than the main consumer website

[Ashland]

I haven't had any problem booking B2B's....using the RCI website and once I narrow it down I call directly and book...also easy to ask about other cabins not listed during that call.

[grandgeezer]

The problem you might be seeing is when  a ship does say the eastern Caribbean one week and the southern Caribbean the other. Sometimes they show the cruises on one table with either and E or S next to the date other times they show all the Es together and all the S together. Find the one you like in the E list then go to the S list and find the one before and the one after the E date one. Find the trip you want then I would suggest you call either the cruise line or travel agent to book it, especially if you are new at it. It's nice to have the same cabin for both legs, but if you have to change after week one, no big deal. We've done at least 15-20 B2Bs with no problem. I go to the u.k.website to find available cabins as they show almost all available versus the limited ones listed on u.s. sites. Then I call and book it with my regular travel agent to get the extra perks you don't get from the cruise line. Never had trouble getting the ones i asked for.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, awestover89 said:

I'd suggest using a travel agent for back to back; especially if you want to make sure you get the same cabin on both cruises. The travel agent website has a lot more flexibility than the main consumer website

While it is easier there is still a lot of back and forth with multiple windows open looking for cabins available both weeks.  It would be great if they added “same cabin both weeks to a search parameter.

 

Wile  I’m on the topic of TA site improvements I’d love to see a search all cruises by specific cabin number feature.

Edited July 8, 2019 by Ourusualbeach

[LeeW]

On 7/8/2019 at 4:21 PM, Ourusualbeach said:

While it is easier there is still a lot of back and forth with multiple windows open looking for cabins available both weeks.  It would be great if they added “same cabin both weeks to a search parameter.

 

Wile  I’m on the topic of TA site improvements I’d love to see a search all cruises by specific cabin number feature.

 

Didn't realize it was that much work for a TA - thought ours just waved her magic wand and the cabins appeared.  Agree that the booking engine you use should have had those features from day 1!  Pretty simple database search - maybe 20 minutes to code and then a few days to integrate into the search engine.

[awestover89]

5 minutes ago, LeeW said:

 

Didn't realize it was that much work for a TA - thought ours just waved her magic wand and the cabins appeared.  Agree that the booking engine you use should have had those features from day 1!  Pretty simple database search - maybe 20 minutes to code and then a few days to integrate into the search engine.

 

They've made some enhancements. Booking more than one cabin for a single cruise is now WAY easier than it was a year ago, but there's still no good booking tools to help with back-to-backs. Espresso (the back end of the TA site) started advertising enhanced B2B features, but nothing's actually been implemented yet to my knowledge

[island lady]

I have "a few" B2Bs booked (check my signature). 

 

My trick?  Use another travel website that lists cruises by consecutive dates.  They are also good with listing cabins that do not show up on RCI website.  

 

Then I note the dates and cabins I want, and go into RCI website direct to book.  Easy Peasy.  🙂 

 

I like booking on my own...(control freak 😮 )...but another reason is a past pretty awful experience with using a bad  TA.  Shame, I know, since many have had good luck with them, but I found I actually enjoy doing it myself.  Of course that's just me.  😉 

[sdrocks]

On 7/8/2019 at 4:20 PM, Ashland said:

I haven't had any problem booking B2B's....using the RCI website and once I narrow it down I call directly and book...also easy to ask about other cabins not listed during that call.

I agree with this.  Have never had trouble booking b2b in same cabin.  We do as the above poster & it works well.

May have a problem if trying to book last minute though I would guess, but have never tried it

[gatour]

For a B2B in the same cabin, I would recommend engaging a TA or RCCL directly over the phone.

 

It may take a bit of time, but trying to use online websites will be a PIA.

 

If you are willing to change cabins between the B2Bs.  Then doing it online is do-able.  You just need to ensure their are cabins in acceptable categories on each leg.  Purchase both.  Then when doing online check-in there is a drop down that says you are doing a B2B (wording is not quite like that).  There is a drop down that links the two cruise.  However.  I would double check that this took, and even on board make sure they know you are doing a B2B

 

 

[robandana]

Princess have a series of cabins in each cat. that they have set aside for back to back bookings...its awesome as you always get the same cabin. The other cool thing is you get the same sea pass card for the whole voyage so you only do the Emergancy drill on the first leg.

[ONECRUISER]

39 minutes ago, robandana said:

Princess have a series of cabins in each cat. that they have set aside for back to back bookings...its awesome as you always get the same cabin. The other cool thing is you get the same sea pass card for the whole voyage so you only do the Emergancy drill on the first leg.

I book early, always get same Cabin B2B and even B3B. Time well invested when dates are released... Surprised Princess only requires 1 Drill, after the resent Cruise ship Emergencies on her sister lines thought they'd tighten requirements

Edited July 17, 2019 by ONECRUISER

[robandana]

3 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

I book early, always get same Cabin B2B and even B3B. Time well invested when dates are released... Surprised Princess only requires 1 Drill, after the resent Cruise ship Emergencies on her sister lines thought they'd tighten requirements

Because its 1 voyage and in the same room and the same muster station its all that is required. Like being on 1 14 day cruise instead of 2 7 days cruises.

[Notaworryintheworld]

This might be a stupid question but do I need to alert royal if I booked (through two different TAs, long story) b2bs? They both show in my cruise planner so I assume they just figure it out that we are staying on? I’ve never done it before. 

[Merion_Mom]

12 minutes ago, Notaworryintheworld said:

This might be a stupid question but do I need to alert royal if I booked (through two different TAs, long story) b2bs? They both show in my cruise planner so I assume they just figure it out that we are staying on? I’ve never done it before. 

 

No requirement to do that.   Once you are on board, go to Guest Services and ask them to check the consecutive cruisers list to be sure that you are on it.

[StCroixCruiser]

28 minutes ago, Notaworryintheworld said:

This might be a stupid question but do I need to alert royal if I booked (through two different TAs, long story) b2bs? They both show in my cruise planner so I assume they just figure it out that we are staying on? I’ve never done it before. 

If you are in different cabins on the two cruises, let your cabin attendant know and he can help arrange a luggage cart to move your items to the new cabin on the swap-out day.  Most cruise lines help with that process so you may not have to take clothes off hangars and put in suitcases, etc.  You won't get to use the new cabin until it gets cleaned, but they usually let you put your stuff in the closet until the cabin is ready.

[BensonFan711]

When I've booked back to backs, I've gone to my TA's site and looked at cruises by ship.  Then I can figure out where the ship is going, and which weeks I want.  I'm a booking nerd, so I'll look ship by ship and keep a list of the ones that look good.  I immediately rule out anything that does the same itinerary over and over and over.  Howeer, I've noted that the Oasis class ships alternate regions of the Caribbean (i.e. Western one week, Eastern the next).  Those make FANTASTIC B2B cruises.