What would you do? BTB or not?

[dna529]

We have the Valor booked for August- 8 days. So I'm itching to go somewhere in June when my kids get out if school. I researched lots of ideas and end up going back to the idea of another cruise in June. Would you book a five day in June or tack the 5 day on to the week before the August cruise? We would be driving to Florida from NC twice if we did June. Just curious - what would you do?

[bakersdozen12]

I wouldn't be able to get enough time off from work in order to do a 5 day and 8 day B2B along with all of the driving. So I would do the two separate cruises.

 

But, I'm not you so I'm not sure it matters what I would do. What makes more sense for you?

 

 

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[GuitarPlayer]

We've done a couple of BTB's.

 

There are pros and cons.

 

One of the biggest things I noticed was I missed out on the anticipation of the second cruise quite a bit, because everything was focused on the first one.

 

Rather than have a couple of different "anticipations" and countdowns to two separate cruises, they sort of got bundled in together.

 

The anticipation part is a big deal to me, it helps keep me going, but if it's not a big deal for you, then no problem.

 

Maybe not a huge deal, but just something to consider.

 

Also, we did a 5 day followed by a 7 day. Toward the end of the 7 day, I was ready to get off and get back home. Separating them would have been better that trip.

 

However, we did a couple of 5-days BTB, with the first one cruising with friends and the 2nd leg by ourselves. That one worked out VERY well, we got the best of both worlds, and by the end of the 2nd leg, I WASN'T ready to leave!

 

The best part of both of them was we didn't have "2 X travel to/from the port" costs, so that made the $/day cost of the trip much less than 2 separate ones would have been. Living near KC, travel expenses can be considerable.

 

Again, just another data point to consider.

 

GP

[kona_wahine]

The worst part of a cruise is the getting there and on and the getting off and travelling home. We just did a b2b and it was so easy. Keep the same room.

[skrufy]

We drive 1,300 miles to Florida for our cruises, so we try to do 10 day or more cruises. Yes I would do the B2B , but both being 7 days.

[crooooze]

We wrestle with the same decision every year... If we have to fly to the port, we do a back-to-back to save on the extra cost of flying.

 

Otherwise, we prefer to look forward to two different, albeit shorter, cruise vacations in the same year. We like to think of it as a "back-to-back" with a crappy 4 month excursion (eh hem - Work). During which, the running joke is "what time do we have to be back on the ship?"

Edited April 29, 2016 by crooooze

[katiel53]

We did a B2B when Carnival Dream was in Pt Canaveral for a total of 14 days. I wouldn't do another one because on day 1 you are boarding the cruise. Day 7 you are heading back to Pt Canaveral as was our case. Day 1 of the 2nd cruise, you are once again in the homeport. That, to me was a wasted day as was the next day as we were going to a port that was far enough away to be a sea day. The next to the last day was going back to Pt Canaveral which was the same as the week before.

 

Not only did I feel a couple of days at least were wasted, but the shows were the same, activities were the same, food was the same etc. I'd much rather do a 10-14 day cruise that is not a B2B than do the B2B.

 

I realize that not everyone feels as I do and I do like port days, but it just seemed as though there were too many on the B2B. So, to answer your question, I'd do two separate cruises.

[tigercat]

We have done a couple of B2B's and if I could make all of our cruises B2B I would. I love doing them. The shortest cruise was a 6 and 9 day cruise. They usually are 2 7 day cruises. But then we have also done a couple of longer cruises as well. A 14 day and a 12 day cruise that weren't B2B's.

 

tigercat

[Ohio Bucki]

I would definitely suggest the B2B. I have done two in the past and have one scheduled for this November. To me the biggest hassle is getting to the port and then back home, so this way I get two cruises and only have one round trip.

 

It's also great at the end of the first week when everybody else is packing to go home and you know you have another week to look forward to.

[bakersdozen12]

Otherwise, we prefer to look forward to two different, albeit shorter, cruise vacations in the same year.

 

 

I think I agree with you on this one. Having a cruise to look forward to helps me get through stressful days, and I really don't ever want to have to wait a whole year to cruise. That would be torture!

 

Actually, the only reason I am doing a B2B in July is because I originally booked a 5-day to tied me over until my next fall cruise. But then I started thinking about how depressing it was going to be to have to get off after only 5 days. So I booked the 4-day one right after too. That, and it didn't hurt that I found out Trace Adkins was going to be performing on the 4-day. [emoji6]

 

So I guess to the OP: if you don't mind the hassle of driving to Florida twice instead of once, I would probably do the separate cruises. But again, that's just me. I would like two separate cruises to look forward to.

 

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Edited April 30, 2016 by bakersdozen12

[cruiser fanatic]

We have the Valor booked for August- 8 days. So I'm itching to go somewhere in June when my kids get out if school. I researched lots of ideas and end up going back to the idea of another cruise in June. Would you book a five day in June or tack the 5 day on to the week before the August cruise? We would be driving to Florida from NC twice if we did June. Just curious - what would you do?

 

We did a B2B on the Valor last year. We did a 5 day followed by an 8 day. The 5 day went to Freeport, Nassau, and Half Moon Cay. The 8 day went to Aruba, Bonaire, and Grand Turk. It was a blast. We kept the same room for both cruises so we didn't change rooms. We drove from Houston to Port Canaveral and we figured since we were driving really far (we won't fly) we would make it a B2B. I would do the B2B so you don't have to do the drive twice.

[Jamman54]

I also drive to Florida for my cruises, and If you have the time I would do a B2B or even a SBS (Side by Side). Two years ago we did a 5 Day cruise on the Fascination out of Jacksonville, then drove to Port Canaveral to get on an 8 day cruise to the Southern Caribbean on the Liberty. Those cruises were separated by one day. We also have a B2B booked on the Magic October 2017. For years, as my boys were growing up we would do a theme park for 5 to 7 days, then jump on a cruise. Bottom line is, as much as I enjoy driving down to Florida, I wouldn't want to do it two months apart.

[Doggielover68]

We live in VA and began doing back to back cruises last year. It's really great! Even though some activities are the same, you don't have to do the same activities both weeks. Also the comedians are usually different, love and marriage show has the same questions but different people, new people to meet, etc. I do hate waiting a whole year to go on our annual cruise vs two seperate cruises, but to me looking forward to having an entire two uninterrupted weeks away from reality is even more exciting!

 

 

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[terri-eddie]

My husband and I fly from Canada for our cruises, so a back to back would be a great money-saver for us. However, I can only take a week at a time off from work, so it's not going to happen until I retire.

 

In my opinion, the best back to back would be two different ships sailing out of the same home port, going to different destinations. Is that still called a back to back, or would it be a side to side?!

 

I think, doing this, you would have the anticipation of two different trips, not have them lumped together.

[dettlja]

I wouldnt do a b2b for a couple of reasons. 1: Id do one cruise with the kids, one without. Thats hard to do unless youre ok putting your kids on a plane alone.

2: I cant be gone from home that long. about day 6 or 7 I'm missing my bed and my pets.

 

So I'd def go with 2 separate week long vacations vs a single 2 week trip. But, that said, everyone is different. Only you know what will work for you.

 

Jaimee

[cruiser fanatic]

I wouldnt do a b2b for a couple of reasons. 1: Id do one cruise with the kids, one without. Thats hard to do unless youre ok putting your kids on a plane alone.

2: I cant be gone from home that long. about day 6 or 7 I'm missing my bed and my pets.

 

So I'd def go with 2 separate week long vacations vs a single 2 week trip. But, that said, everyone is different. Only you know what will work for you.

 

Jaimee

 

How are you going to do the Vista repo for 13 days if you are missing your bed by day 6 or 7? :D

[Quilcruisers]

I like the anticipation of 2 different vacations. That being said, i would like to do a side by side (2 different cruises - different ports) or even 2 cruises with a day in between - again going to different ports. I also dream of doing a cruise longer than 8 days. This is the longest one I have ever taken. I agree with 1 previous poster that I would like to do one with just me and my husband, but I would not want to be away from my children that long - so that has to wait many years from now :) Besides, its difficult for us to get more than 10 days off at one time too.

[crooooze]

Better idea... Book 2 back-to-back cruise vacations. (Total of 4 cruises.)

Problem solved!

[dna529]

Better idea... Book 2 back-to-back cruise vacations. (Total of 4 cruises.)

Problem solved!

 

I really like the way you think! So maybe I'll tack one on to my NCL cruise in December too!

[roxy13]

We have the Valor booked for August- 8 days. So I'm itching to go somewhere in June when my kids get out if school. I researched lots of ideas and end up going back to the idea of another cruise in June. Would you book a five day in June or tack the 5 day on to the week before the August cruise? We would be driving to Florida from NC twice if we did June. Just curious - what would you do?

 

 

The only way to cruise is B2B. Our next cruise is on the Vista B2B 17 days cant way.

[dulcimergirl]

Here is my key point. The longer I'm on a cruise the better, weather a really long one or B2Bs, it works for me.

The only downside I can see about B2B's is on the turnaround day, a bit boring. Although you do have the ship to yourself for awhile you get the fun of watching everyone come aboard.

If it was me, and I had the time and funds, it would be B2Bs all the way.

Especially if I had to fly in at that cost..

[N2Mischief]

We love B2B, and S2S. Once we did a long stretch its hard to do anything shorter.

[dna529]

Well we decided to do the short cruise in June instead of B2B cruises! Mainly because it gave us 2 to look forward to and we decided we couldn't take off for 2 weeks. Thanks for all of the interesting responses!! Loved all of your reasons!

[Sparky2]

I vote for B2B.

 

We've been doing only B2B since 2013. If we didn't have to fly, I'd suggest 2 different cruises.

 

I'm never ready to get off the ship after the 1st cruise, but I'm kind of ready after the 14 days.

 

Activities I miss on the first cruise, I can do on the 2nd one. Of course, we always have 2 different itineraries.

[WendyVF]

I vote for 2 cruises. Instead of Florida, look at Charleston. It'll be a shorter drive and tack on a few days before/after and do some historical sightseeing.