What would you do?

[JamieLogical]

I am sorry to start two new threads in one day, but after my thread this morning about finally starting to prepare for my 11/13 sailing on the Summit, I looked into the possibility of doing a B2B and now I am really torn. I am currently booked in a Sky Suite for my 11/13 sailing. I really can't justify doing an additional sailing in the Retreat. I really just wanted to try it out for the first time at a (what I considered) reasonable price.

 

To book the 4-day sailing on 11/18 seems really cheap. Initially, I thought I might do a veranda solo for under $900 total out of pocket. Then I realized that the Aqua class for that sailing is the same price! Aqua class for under $900 seems too good to pass up! Once I get the $50 off each leg of a B2B, it will only be $800 out of pocket not counting whatever switching my air will cost.

 

I would also only have to miss one extra day of work, as I had already scheduled the 19th off. I didn't see any point in going into work just on a Friday. So I would technically only have to miss the following Monday.

 

The big downside of making this a B2B is that I am going solo and it will be tough for both my husband and I. I did a 7-day on the Equinox and around day 5 is when missing my husband sort of started to outweigh what a good time I was having on the cruise. That's why I decided to book a 5-day for my next solo sailing. But then we just got off of 14 days on a B2B on the NCL Breakaway and now 5 days just feels like it won't be enough.

 

I will have the Stream internet for the first 5 days at least, because I am in the Retreat. So keeping in touch with my husband those first 5 days should be easier than it was on the Equinox when I had the free wifi and it did not work so great.

 

I know you guys can't make this decision for me. I just feel like I need to put these thoughts out into the universe and see what I get back.

[miched]

Save your money and go home.  You are already talking yourself into not enjoying it.   AQ is nice but why spoil the memories of the SS by down grading on the next cruise.   You will miss all the extra perks of the SS and wished you went home.  
 

Live it up on the first cruise.  Do twice as much to make up for the other cruise you aren’t taking.  

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[goldsmip115]

Exactly. Don’t downgrade the experience after enjoying the perks and suite experience. You will spend the next cruise reflecting upon what you miss from the previous wonderful experience!

[JamieLogical]

1 minute ago, goldsmip115 said:

Exactly. Don’t downgrade the experience after enjoying the perks and suite experience. You will spend the next cruise reflecting upon what you miss from the previous wonderful experience!

 

Well, that's probably inevitable with my next scheduled sailing on the Equinox in January, when we definitely can't afford to upgrade from our veranda to a suite.

[3dogmom]

Book the 2nd cruise! You have the time and money....don't miss out on experiences!

[JamieLogical]

2 minutes ago, 3dogmom said:

Book the 2nd cruise! You have the time and money....don't miss out on experiences!

 

Devil's advocate... I like it!

[hasentreelake]

Yes.  Book it.  
And, I disagree with those that suggest a downgrade won't be just fine.
My (our) recent experience on Summit - The Retreat SunDeck is not worth going to.
The Retreat lounge is much the same, except for an early cocktail on chic night and early departure walking off...  And we feel the Luminae experience is not to our liking and prefer specialty dining and the main dining room menu.  So, your B2B may be what you need 🙂  
 

[hrhdhd]

Take the second cruise. The hubby and I generally sail in Sky Suites, but on my next solo cruise, I will be in a lowly oceanview. And it'll be great. 😁

[Projunior]

What would I do? I would come up with a less clickbait-ish thread title so people would be less inclined to blow past it.

[emmas gran]

Would the cost of the second cruise go towards an upgrade to Aqua on your next cruise with your husband with the current 20% off sale . If you think it's not for him go for it now solo.

[chemmo]

Firstly I think short cruises are a waste you have barely settled in unpacked and chilled out before you are getting off…Even 7 nights are too short…

 

Perhaps you start missing your husband day 5 because during those first day you are happy to just chill out but by day 5 you are ready for more company? Why not join the roll call for your cruise(s) and make some new friends before boarding?

 

Obviously I am suggesting you go for it!

[JamieLogical]

5 hours ago, chemmo said:

Firstly I think short cruises are a waste you have barely settled in unpacked and chilled out before you are getting off…Even 7 nights are too short…

 

Perhaps you start missing your husband day 5 because during those first day you are happy to just chill out but by day 5 you are ready for more company? Why not join the roll call for your cruise(s) and make some new friends before boarding?

 

Obviously I am suggesting you go for it!

 

I was never lonely on my solo cruise back in July. I met people to dine with every night, hang out with at bars, and see shows with. So, I don't think missing my husband had to do with a need for company. I just missed him specifically. We don't spend much time apart as is and we both worked from home through the pandemic, so I got used to him being around pretty much 24/7 at that point. Not sure it would be as bad this time around, as I am now back in the office full time.

[mayleeman]

I think a veranda feels pretty crowded with 2, but if I were going solo it would be fine.

[Homosassa]

Book the second cruise and savor that you are still at the point in your relationship where you will miss his company.

 

After forty five years of marriage, I can tell you from my experience and from the experiences from my many friends and relatives still in their long term "starter" marriages this will not always be the case.

[Fouremco]

From purely a cruising perspective, it sounds like a great deal and you should probably book the b2b.

 

From a marital point of view, enjoy the first cruise and then enjoy being with your hubby during the time that you would have been on the second cruise. Make it special and go out for dinner each night to celebrate being together!

 

DW and I celebrate our 50th anniversary next summer, and there's no question in either of our minds what your choice should be.

[Jim_Iain]

Personally I would go for the B2B and bid for an upgade on the second one.    Be happy with your choice and if you win an Upgrade you know it was meant to be. 

[JamieLogical]

1 hour ago, Jim_Iain said:

Personally I would go for the B2B and bid for an upgade on the second one.    Be happy with your choice and if you win an Upgrade you know it was meant to be. 

 

Bidding for an upgrade would be pretty cost prohibitive, since upgrade bids are always charged at double occupancy. My suspicion is, with the solo supplement dropped on this sailing, it would be cheaper to book the retreat directly than paying double on an upgrade bid. Though, I don't yet know what the minimum bid would be, since I haven't booked it yet. I do know that booking a Sky Suite directly would cost about $1000 more. So if the minimum bid is around $500, then it wouldn't make sense to bid versus the direct upgrade.

[LGW59]

7 minutes ago, JamieLogical said:

 

Bidding for an upgrade would be pretty cost prohibitive, since upgrade bids are always charged at double occupancy. My suspicion is, with the solo supplement dropped on this sailing, it would be cheaper to book the retreat directly than paying double on an upgrade bid. Though, I don't yet know what the minimum bid would be, since I haven't booked it yet. I do know that booking a Sky Suite directly would cost about $1000 more. So if the minimum bid is around $500, then it wouldn't make sense to bid versus the direct upgrade.

Just book it already 

[vms]

I'm sailing solo on the November 18th Summit sailing, so if you do end up booking it, maybe we'll run into each other. 🙂

 

I booked Aqua class for the same reason you're considering it- to get an Aqua room for less than $220 per night as a solo cruiser was a great deal. I think I'm actually paying less per night than I am for the  balcony cabin I have scheduled for 11 days in March 2022.

 

After the last 18+ months, I'm even more firmly in the "you never know what will happen in the future, so seize the moment when you can" camp. So many adventures deferred and delayed, with a chance that some of them will never rematerialize. So I'd vote go for it.

 

Whatever you decide, happy cruising!

[jagoffee]

Hopefully you did not book your air with Celebrity Air as it will cost you any fare difference plus a $200 change fee.  
if not, it will be just fare difference for most airlines.  
obviously you need to check it our before you make your final decision.

Edited October 23, 2021 by jagoffee

[DirtyDawg]

I say go for the B2B with one caveat. If your anniversary or your hubbies birthday is during the second cruise you might want to rethink the second B part of the B2B.  😉

 

[Pinboy]

On 10/21/2021 at 7:55 PM, JamieLogical said:

The big downside of making this a B2B is that I am going solo and it will be tough for both my husband and I.

It's difficult for anyone but you and your husband to guide you on this. 

However, based on reading " between the lines ", my guess is you are looking for confirmation on not doing the B2B--- and, I would agree. 

Either way, all the best and enjoy your cruise.

[JamieLogical]

8 hours ago, jagoffee said:

Hopefully you did not book your air with Celebrity Air as it will cost you any fare difference plus a $200 change fee.  
if not, it will be just fare difference for most airlines.  
obviously you need to check it our before you make your final decision.

 

I did book through Celebrity air. However, I don't think I am going to try to change my flight home through them if I do this. I ill just book a one-way flight directly, as I still have unused air credit I need to use with Delta by the end of the year, due to a prior COVID cancellation.

[ETHTrader]

You can enjoy The Retreat during the first part of the B2B. And then you can enjoy the Persian Garden during the second half of the B2B. 

[miched]

1 hour ago, ETHTrader said:

You can enjoy The Retreat during the first part of the B2B. And then you can enjoy the Persian Garden during the second half of the B2B. 

Not much to enjoy as she is on the M class, not the S or E 

 

Happy cruising. 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅