Want 14 day Cruise Without FLL stop Halfway

[pms4104]

HAL and Celebrity offer 14 day Caribbean itineraries with no return to FLL in the middle. Check them out. I think it's a shame Princess got rid of the true 14 day on the Grand. I would have loved to do that one over Christmas one year, and then they got rid of it. But, the 14 dayers probably didn't sell as well as Princess would like, and a 7 day B2B version is more easily marketable, unfortunately.

I think the only true 14-night Carib itinerary on HAL is on the Maasdam ... the same identical itinerary for a couple of years now. It would be nice if HAL were to change the itinerary annually ... who wants to do the same identical sailing year after year after year? It's like groundhog day and deja vu all over again. Not even sure HAL will continue this itinerary, as I don't think they have announced into the Fall 2012 Carib season.

[Mrterryl]

In December 2010 I did 2 weeks on the Grand without returning to Fort Lauderdale. I am booked to do 14 days 12/11 but with the return in the middle to FT Lauderdale and I feel I am missing a day. However I understand why Princess changed because of profit!!!!!!!!!!

[Arlened236]

We have done the Grand Princess 14 day cruise twice and love the sea days and Islands that you cannot get to on a B2B cruise. That is why we are taking the LA to FLL cruise this year...lots of sea days and we still will get warm weather in Feb. Escaping from winter in Chicago LOL

Hope Princess listens and puts the 14 day cruise back.

[Andee]

Oh, I forgot to mention--our B2B was out of San Juan--we didn't go to FLL at all.

[RMorningglory]

How about a B2B on Carribean Princess out of San Juan? You hit San Juan in the middle but I'm not one to explore on departure or return dates so I just think of it as another port on the change over day and use it as my excursion day. I've done it before and would do it again. I agree on Ft Lauderdale, It's a treck to get back there and the weather is better the further south you go anyhow. Start in San Juan and you're already in the Carribean. The only island we repeated was St Thomas (1st day on the 1st week and last day on the 2nd week) We did the beach the first time and shopped on the last day. We did have to get off with the transient passengers on the San Juan stop but it was quick and painless and we of course kept our cabin. There is no Princess Cay on those itineraries either FYI.

 

Best of luck on your search no matter which one you choose.

[MichCook]

Yes your right must be getting blind in my old age,either that or cant read any more sorry for false info

 

Been there, done that! No problem, but, you did make me go back to recheck! :D

[MichCook]

How about a B2B on Carribean Princess out of San Juan? You hit San Juan in the middle but I'm not one to explore on departure or return dates so I just think of it as another port on the change over day and use it as my excursion day. I've done it before and would do it again. I agree on Ft Lauderdale, It's a treck to get back there and the weather is better the further south you go anyhow. Start in San Juan and you're already in the Carribean. The only island we repeated was St Thomas (1st day on the 1st week and last day on the 2nd week) We did the beach the first time and shopped on the last day. We did have to get off with the transient passengers on the San Juan stop but it was quick and painless and we of course kept our cabin. There is no Princess Cay on those itineraries either FYI.

 

Best of luck on your search no matter which one you choose.

 

Now that's another alternative to consider. :D

 

(We miss being on Cape.) :(

[MichCook]

How about a B2B on Carribean Princess out of San Juan? You hit San Juan in the middle but I'm not one to explore on departure or return dates so I just think of it as another port on the change over day and use it as my excursion day. I've done it before and would do it again. I agree on Ft Lauderdale, It's a treck to get back there and the weather is better the further south you go anyhow. Start in San Juan and you're already in the Carribean. The only island we repeated was St Thomas (1st day on the 1st week and last day on the 2nd week) We did the beach the first time and shopped on the last day. We did have to get off with the transient passengers on the San Juan stop but it was quick and painless and we of course kept our cabin. There is no Princess Cay on those itineraries either FYI.

 

Best of luck on your search no matter which one you choose.

 

 

Hmmm, seems they discontinued these itineraries....nothing from San Juan for Jan/Feb 2013.

[RMorningglory]

The Cape misses you too!! Come on down. ;)

 

www.anchorin.com You'll love it

[lljost]

I've always thought it would be fun to do a B2B where I watched everyone getting off knowing I didn't have to. I guess it is a wasted day if you could be at another port. I always thought it would be the day I would do laundry, enjoy a relaxing lunch and just relish having the ship to "myself" for a few hours.

 

My DH and I love B2B cruises for these same reasons. Fun to watch others leaving and knowing that new passengers will soon be boarding. We love meeting new people. Also a great day to do laundry and/or relax by the pool. You feel like the ship is yours. And if you want to run a quick errand on shore (buy wine or whatever) you are still back on board before it gets too hectic. I also like the fact that you get credit for 2 cruises (as long as you book it that way.) We actually look for these types of cruises now when we can. No matter what, you are still on vacation and should relax and enjoy your time off.

[1 HappyCruiser]

My DH and I love B2B cruises for these same reasons. Fun to watch others leaving and knowing that new passengers will soon be boarding. We love meeting new people. Also a great day to do laundry and/or relax by the pool. You feel like the ship is yours. And if you want to run a quick errand on shore (buy wine or whatever) you are still back on board before it gets too hectic. I also like the fact that you get credit for 2 cruises (as long as you book it that way.) We actually look for these types of cruises now when we can. No matter what, you are still on vacation and should relax and enjoy your time off.

 

We'll, yes & no. If you leave the ship early on turnaround day & return before the new people are boarding you'll sometimes have to wait till they begin to board. I managed to cross over a boarding line & mingle with the people who were doing a b2b & were going through custom's & got on a little earlier but it's no guarantee you can do that all the time. Once your off they treat you like a new passenger all over again.

[kath00]

Last month in Vancouver we were B2B and they told us that if we get off the ship, we must go through the whole line again as if checking in as new passengers. The Vancouver terminal was a zoo with 4-5 hour delays so there was no way were were going to do this. We were bummed tho as we would have loved a city tour on the off day. Having the empty ship on turnaround day is not too fun as everything is closed and there are no entertainment options. It's basically just wandering around or going to the buffet...

 

Katherine

[caribill]

Last month in Vancouver we were B2B and they told us that if we get off the ship, we must go through the whole line again as if checking in as new passengers.

 

I have not been on a B2B involving Vancouver, but every other time I could get off anytime after disembarkation started and was given an "in-transit" pass.

 

Once all departing passengers had disembarked, I could get back on anytime I wanted by just showing the in-transit pass and using the new cruise card.

[1 HappyCruiser]

Last month in Vancouver we were B2B and they told us that if we get off the ship, we must go through the whole line again as if checking in as new passengers. The Vancouver terminal was a zoo with 4-5 hour delays so there was no way were were going to do this. We were bummed tho as we would have loved a city tour on the off day. Having the empty ship on turnaround day is not too fun as everything is closed and there are no entertainment options. It's basically just wandering around or going to the buffet...

 

Katherine

 

If you were going to do a tour of the city, what difference would it have made since you wouldn't have been going back to the ship before 11 or 12 anyway? All you had to when arriving back at the ship was get on with you new cruise card & have your picture taken.

[ONT-CA]

I would hope they didn't have the same menus and the same entertainment when it it sold as a 14 day cruise! Is that your experience on such a cruise?

 

There are many choices on the menues. We didn't have to repeat the same orders of the previous cruise. We tried something different.

[RMorningglory]

Hmmm, seems they discontinued these itineraries....nothing from San Juan for Jan/Feb 2013.

 

Now that is a real loss. Oh well... back to the drawing board.

[yukongold]

I didn't read all three pages of comments, but if someone has not already mentioned it, Holland America has lots of 14 day sailings in Jan and Feb.

[MichCook]

We've made our decision! :D

[Nymue]

We've been tossing around the idea of a B2B (or 14 day) as well. However I was wondering, do you still have to do the Safety/Muster Drill for the second half?

 

Anne

[Cruise Junky]

We've been tossing around the idea of a B2B (or 14 day) as well. However I was wondering, do you still have to do the Safety/Muster Drill for the second half?

 

Anne

 

Nope :)

[JustinPlusLauren]

If you book a balcony guarantee for a 14-day cruise that stops halfway in Fort Lauderdale, and has some passengers on for just 7 days, some do B2B, but you book it as a 14-day with a guarantee - is there a chance that they will book you for two separate cabins, or will you definitely stay in the same cabin throughout the entire cruise, even if booked as a guarantee?

 

Hope that question made sense! lol! :)

[caribill]

If you book a balcony guarantee for a 14-day cruise that stops halfway in Fort Lauderdale, and has some passengers on for just 7 days, some do B2B, but you book it as a 14-day with a guarantee - is there a chance that they will book you for two separate cabins, or will you definitely stay in the same cabin throughout the entire cruise, even if booked as a guarantee?

 

 

If you book it as a single cruise, you will be assigned the same cabin for both segments.

[Stevesan]

I recently booked two ten dayers B2B. I never worry about repeat menus.

There are multiple choices for each serving.

If the options don't please one or two nights, there are off-menu choices.

Two shots at having prime rib ain't a bad thing.:p

 

For entertainment during the 2nd half:

I'll read a book on my Kindle, catch a show in Explorers,

watch a movie on MUTS or in cabin, or maybe just watch the world go by.

 

It's all good!!:)

[PescadoAmarillo]

I recently booked two ten dayers B2B. I never worry about repeat menus.

There are multiple choices for each serving.

If the options don't please one or two nights, there are off-menu choices.

Two shots at having prime rib ain't a bad thing.:p

 

For entertainment during the 2nd half:

I'll read a book on my Kindle, catch a show in Explorers,

watch a movie on MUTS or in cabin, or maybe just watch the world go by.

 

It's all good!!:)

Cruising becomes truly relaxing when doing B2B cruises. Like you, we don't mind repetitive menus at all. The entertainment becomes the issue particularly when it wasn't that great on cruise 1 (last year on the Emerald wasn't). We simply spent evening listening to live music (which was very good), walking on the Promenade, and watching sunsets from the aft Terrace Deck. We relax a bit more on each subsequent cruise.

[GingerCandy]

This is the exact reason that those two B2B 7 day cruises do not interest us in the least. The 14 day sailings were fantastic, but booking a B2B of 7 dayers.................not in this lifetime for us. I don't like repeat performances of food or entertainment. :(

 

 

DItto for us! We do not want to waste a day at the terminal in FT. Lauderdale mid cruise--we live in FL--and we don't want a repeat at Princess Cay either. We would like to see Princess bring back some true 14 days cruises round trip from Ft. Lauderdale. They were so good.:mad: