B2B Pros and Cons

I love it.....I can’t tell you why, but.......then list the ‘whys’! Great post! And agree with your reasons you can’t tell us about.

 

And another little secret we don’t want the Celebrity Spies knowing, if you purchase booze in port or from the ship on the 1st B2B, they return it to your SR the night before that cruise ends, and you have it for the 2nd B2B. Fantastic. Between Elite, Drink Package, bottle of (cheap) wine from your TA and the stuff you buy on the 1st B2B, you’ll need a liver transplant!

 

Den

That is one of those little things that I didn’t want to disclose. They will read it on here make Sure they don’t deliver it until the very last night of the 2nd cruise.

Since you brought up the liquor that is another benefit if you are in concierge or above. You will get two bottles of bubbly instead of one.

Another is if you are a few points away from reaching the next CC level before the first cruise and if you accumulate enough from that cruise you can talk to the CC host and have those benefits on the second. If you were on the 14 day cruise you wouldn’t have any of the extra benefits as you aren’t awarded the points until the end of the cruise.

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

We have a unusual back to back next year have a five night music charter with Boz Scaggs and other entertainment, but since 5 days is just too short booked a 4 night cruise before that , the 4 night have a celebrity suite then move to sky suite next door for charter. Had done back to back a long time ago on another line, plus was you will do very well in trivia since many of the same questions.

We’ve seen guest entertIners on both legs of a B2B several times when each leg was seven days. They would meet the ship about half way through the first leg and leave about half way through rhe second leg.

I'm sure it happens but that's why I said not on any of our B2B cruises. IMO not a negative for doing a B2B cruise.

Definitely go for it. You will love it. I'm currently on a B2B2B and can tell you it is really a joy on the night everyone is packing up and you know you don't have to leave.

The only downsize I would say is that 7 day cruises have a different dynamic and often a higher passenger load (due to many people traveling with their kids). That in no way would dissuade me from taking one.

At least on Millennium they had a raffle pull on the B2B Meeting - we won a dinner for 2 in Tuscan Grill or Qsine. B2B's (at least we did) received a nice flower arrangement, bottle of wine and Chocolate Covered Strawberries on Turn Around day from our 7 day cruise.

Definitely go for it. You will love it. I'm currently on a B2B2B and can tell you it is really a joy on the night everyone is packing up and you know you don't have to leave.

 

The only downsize I would say is that 7 day cruises have a different dynamic and often a higher passenger load (due to many people traveling with their kids). That in no way would dissuade me from taking one.

 

At least on Millennium they had a raffle pull on the B2B Meeting - we won a dinner for 2 in Tuscan Grill or Qsine. B2B's (at least we did) received a nice flower arrangement, bottle of wine and Chocolate Covered Strawberries on Turn Around day from our 7 day cruise.

Nice.

We find that air fare is such a large portion of cost that we maximize the value by doing B2Bs whenever possible. The advantages outway any small disadvantages like repeated entertainment. Even if we have to change cabins it is quite painless. On one occasion our steward took the drawers to the new cabin and exchanged them with the empty ones, but usually they load the hangers onto a trolley with other items in suitcases.

An earlier poster mentioned taking a European cruise with a Transatlantic before or after. That is one of our favourite B2Bs, especially if we can spend extra time on land in Europe.

We find that air fare is such a large portion of cost that we maximize the value by doing B2Bs whenever possible. The advantages outway any small disadvantages like repeated entertainment. Even if we have to change cabins it is quite painless. On one occasion our steward took the drawers to the new cabin and exchanged them with the empty ones, but usually they load the hangers onto a trolley with other items in suitcases.

 

 

 

An earlier poster mentioned taking a European cruise with a Transatlantic before or after. That is one of our favourite B2Bs, especially if we can spend extra time on land in Europe.

What room type of room were you in where the Steward loaded your hangers on to a trolley we are doing our first B2B next year and are going from an SS one to an aqua class it would be really nice we didn’t have to pack pack our luggage completely up and leave left all of our hanging items to be moved??

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Definitely go for it. You will love it. I'm currently on a B2B2B and can tell you it is really a joy on the night everyone is packing up and you know you don't have to leave.

 

The only downsize I would say is that 7 day cruises have a different dynamic and often a higher passenger load (due to many people traveling with their kids). That in no way would dissuade me from taking one.

 

At least on Millennium they had a raffle pull on the B2B Meeting - we won a dinner for 2 in Tuscan Grill or Qsine. B2B's (at least we did) received a nice flower arrangement, bottle of wine and Chocolate Covered Strawberries on Turn Around day from our 7 day cruise.

We won the dinner too on the Millennium too this past summer!

We find that air fare is such a large portion of cost that we maximize the value by doing B2Bs whenever possible. The advantages outway any small disadvantages like repeated entertainment. Even if we have to change cabins it is quite painless. On one occasion our steward took the drawers to the new cabin and exchanged them with the empty ones, but usually they load the hangers onto a trolley with other items in suitcases.

 

An earlier poster mentioned taking a European cruise with a Transatlantic before or after. That is one of our favourite B2Bs, especially if we can spend extra time on land in Europe.

We've done the tranatlantic plus Med. cruise as a B2B six times. Wouldn't do a transatlantic if we couldn't tack on the Med cruise to it.

I'm sure it happens but that's why I said not on any of our B2B cruises. IMO not a negative for doing a B2B cruise.

This wasn't meant as a dig it was just to point out that along with the production shows repeating, you could have guest entertainers repeating also. It's only happen 2-3 times to us but we were lucky enough that they were great acts. One of them was a Beatles tribute band and another ones was December 63, a Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons tribute band.

This wasn't meant as a dig it was just to point out that along with the production shows repeating, you could have guest entertainers repeating also. It's only happen 2-3 times to us but we were lucky enough that they were great acts. One of them was a Beatles tribute band and another ones was December 63, a Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons tribute band.

I didn't take it as a dig. :) I was just reiterating our experiences so the OP doesn't get the impression all B2B cruises are the same. It's obvious those of us that do B2B cruises have had different experiences. Now a repeat of a Beatles Tribute band would be ok with me. :cool: Just saw the December '63 tribute group on our September 2018 Infinity cruise. Excellent show.

What room type of room were you in where the Steward loaded your hangers on to a trolley we are doing our first B2B next year and are going from an SS one to an aqua class it would be really nice we didn’t have to pack pack our luggage completely up and leave left all of our hanging items to be moved??

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I am pretty certain that Celebrity handles all B2B room changes that way regardless of cabin class. BUT

I did the exact thing you're doing, SS1 to AQ and it went just as others described, anything that was hanging just magically appeared in the new room.

Have a great trip!!

B2B on different ships from the same port probably provides the best overall variety. We are doing Harmony and Edge B2B from FLL next year.

B2B on different ships from the same port probably provides the best overall variety. We are doing Harmony and Edge B2B from FLL next year.

We would rather not disembark and embark again.. but for the right cruise we would

We would rather not disembark and embark again.. but for the right cruise we would

Agree. We always make sure we have the same cabin on our B2B cruises.

The only con we experienced was with the menus and entertainment. With 2 seven day cruises you have the same menu and shows both weeks. We got tired of eating around day 10! If you go on a ship with multiple specialty restaurants that would help with that.

Another pro - Living on the west coast - if I'm going to pay for airfare to Florida, I'm going to stay longer than 7 days! I have done b2b with the same cabin, with a different cabin, and even 2 different ships. In my future - 9 day from Miami (Celebrity) - uber to Fort Lauderdale - a 5 day (Royal).

Try to BtoB from San Juan or other Caribbean homeport. Stay in the warmth!!

As some have mentioned, too much time wasted (in not great weather) going back and forth to Florida on BtoBs from there.

We also miss the 14 day itinerary.

We find that air fare is such a large portion of cost that we maximize the value by doing B2Bs whenever possible. The advantages outway any small disadvantages like repeated entertainment.

Our sentiments exactly. And we have found that the menus offer enough variety that even if they are repeated, we don't have to choose the same meals unless we want to.

We've done the Caribbean B2Bs, but frankly we're bored with them, so we're venturing further afield. And with the airfare exponentially more expensive, a longer vacation has added value. Our next one will blow the travel budget for a year or so, but will be a bucket list trip. A 15 + 14 day B2B from Dubai to Shanghai with extra land days at both ends. 5 weeks in all- a fabulous way to escape the winter cold.

B2B on different ships from the same port probably provides the best overall variety. We are doing Harmony and Edge B2B from FLL next year.

Understand, but you have to pack, disembark going through customs, go through the full check in which will usually be 2-3 hrs later, embark, unpack.

Kind of two separate cruises instead of a B2B, but it does give you the changes you were referring to. I won’t count it as the best overall variety, just different with more hassle in the middle of it all.

Den

.....I will start another thread... But, I am curious what other people do about tipping when B2B

Didn’t see the new thread, so will answer it: Your standard auto tipping is taken care of and closed out on the firs B2B. If you wish to add your own, do it as you’d normally do at the end of the first B2B, then again on the next one, treating them as separate cruises. You may not have the same waitstaff or steward since they do change to other areas and they do go home.

Den

The problem with doing two cruises on different ships is you may miss the second.

We had 2 cruises with a day in between. Sandy decided to make a visit and our ship couldn’t get into the port. We sailed around the ocean during the buffer day and luckily got into port the day our 2nd cruise was leaving. We had to drive from Port Canaral to Ft Lauderdale. We got there and were delayed getting on that ship until 9 pm because of a noro virus during the previous cruise.

Then again we were on a B2B and the ship had a medical emergency. Got in very late. Many irate passengers waiting to get on and just as many trying to make travel arrangements home. It didn’t matter to us because we were staying on board.

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Happy crusing 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

Something a little different. We are doing B2B Carribean cruises in December on 2 different ships! Two different cruise lines.:cool: Although some of the ports will be repeats, we will just use those days to relax. The downside will be having to get off one ship and over to the next. As per my signature, we are taking a HAL ship, and then switching over to the Edge.

 

We have done a B2B on a Celebrity ship in the Med. Almost a month onboard the Reflection...very nice. We did have to change staterooms, but it was not a big deal.

We just did a 2 cruiseline b2b. Piece of cake and went from Miami to Fort Lauderdale to do it.

Double post

We just did a 2 cruiseline b2b. Piece of cake and went from Miami to Fort Lauderdale to do it.

We had a ball sailing one week on the allure then the silhouette did this twice. once we got on a bus after disembarking the celebrity ship went to the airport to drop off passengers, and the driver took me and my dh to the allure since it was early we had plenty of time No charge but we tipped the bus driver generously. I try to arrange transportation with the edge concierge for our Harmony cruise, and hopefully will have the same experience. The other cruise , the porter walked us across the terminal parking lot, but it was a long walk as the ships were far apart But again a memorable experience.