Where to find the back to back cruises?

[Linsuesue]

  I am finally retired and have time to take a back to back cruise. I was hunting on the Carnival site and found specialty cruises, journey cruises, Christmas cruises… My goal would be to do a back to back with different itineraries. How do I find the choices for back to back cruises? Is it Alaska to Hawaii, Alaska to Australia, Panama Canal to ?? Do you book them with a cruise consultant so the 2 cruises are hooked together( although with separate reservation numbers)?

[d9704011]

4 minutes ago, Linsuesue said:

  I am finally retired and have time to take a back to back cruise. I was hunting on the Carnival site and found specialty cruises, journey cruises, Christmas cruises… My goal would be to do a back to back with different itineraries. How do I find the choices for back to back cruises? Is it Alaska to Hawaii, Alaska to Australia, Panama Canal to ?? Do you book them with a cruise consultant so the 2 cruises are hooked together( although with separate reservation numbers)?

There is nothing particularly special about back to back (B2B) cruises; it's a term used to describe one cruise itinerary immediately followed by another on the same ship.  Some common ones may be a seven day Eastern Caribbean followed by a seven day Western Caribbean.  So, just search the Carnival site for a couple you might like to do and if you're a little hesitant to book yourself call Carnival and they'll be happy to help.

[Sea Raven]

Just simply book two adjacent cruises on the same ship and you are doing a back to back. I have two consecutive trips booked on the Mardi Gras next May. The first leg is in a balcony cabin and the second leg is in the Ocean Suite next door. They are booked as two separate cruises.

[Linsuesue]

2 minutes ago, Sea Raven said:

Just simply book two adjacent cruises on the same ship and you are doing a back to back. I have two consecutive trips booked on the Mardi Gras next May. The first leg is in a balcony cabin and the second leg is in the Ocean Suite next door. They are booked as two separate cruises.

Will there be different ports on your second cruise, or are you doing the same cruise twice?

[d9704011]

Just now, Linsuesue said:

Will there be different ports on your second cruise, or are you doing the same cruise twice?

Entirely depends on your choices.  For the example I described, mostly different ports.  If you book the 'same' cruise for two different departure dates, likely see a repeat performance.

[Sea Raven]

1 minute ago, Linsuesue said:

Will there be different ports on your second cruise, or are you doing the same cruise twice?

The first cruise is an Eastern Caribbean with the ports of Nassau, Grand Turk, and Amber Cove. The second one is a Western one with Cozumel, Costa Maya, and Mahogany Bay as the ports. It will be my first time on the Mardi Gras!!

[CGinMTL]

You can also look at repositioning cruises. And add the cruise before and/or after.

This is a good way to visit different parts of the world 

[WhiteOptima]

We do ships that have different itineraries for the 2 weeks.  I use a Carnival PVP because I want the same cabin and it is easier for her to find them.  Try journey or repositioning cruises.  Sometimes they are cheaper.  We did Vista starting from NYC ending in Miami and Pride Panama Canal Baltimore to Tampa.  My Pride cruise in an extended balcony was $1700 total.

[cellfree]

I do my own research, decide on a cruise I like, then search for one before or after. We have done B2Bs on same ship (we don’t care if same cabin or not, if a different cabin the move is really easy and to us it feels like we are starting fresh again) and we have done Side to Sides (same port different ship) which is fun also. As I said I do all my research (that’s fun for me) and then call PVP to book. 

[Linsuesue]

17 minutes ago, CGinMTL said:

You can also look at repositioning cruises. And add the cruise before and/or after.

This is a good way to visit different parts of the world 

Are repositioning cruises listed on the Carnival website, or did you call Carnival to find them? I think “repositioning” is the word I was looking for to get 2 really different itineraries. Thanks!

[Linsuesue]

4 minutes ago, cellfree said:

I do my own research, decide on a cruise I like, then search for one before or after. We have done B2Bs on same ship (we don’t care if same cabin or not, if a different cabin the move is really easy and to us it feels like we are starting fresh again) and we have done Side to Sides (same port different ship) which is fun also. As I said I do all my research (that’s fun for me) and then call PVP to book. 

I love the research too! I have never heard of a side to side, but it would be fun to try 2 different ships.

[cellfree]

6 minutes ago, Linsuesue said:

Are repositioning cruises listed on the Carnival website, or did you call Carnival to find them? I think “repositioning” is the word I was looking for to get 2 really different itineraries. Thanks!

On Carnival website when you search for a cruise, repositioning are usually listed under “duration,” more than 12 days, etc. 

[Linsuesue]

4 minutes ago, cellfree said:

On Carnival website when you search for a cruise, repositioning are usually listed under “duration,” more than 12 days, etc. 

I just went on the Carnival website and found 49 cruises from 12-31 days. It looks like they are mostly Journeys cruises, but I didn’t see the word repositioning once-although I buzzed through them quickly. I guess I need to figure out what months the repositioning cruises start(like September is the last month in Alaska cruises) so I can start to narrow down which cruises are one after the other.

[cellfree]

3 minutes ago, Linsuesue said:

I just went on the Carnival website and found 49 cruises from 12-31 days. It looks like they are mostly Journeys cruises, but I didn’t see the word repositioning once-although I buzzed through them quickly. I guess I need to figure out what months the repositioning cruises start(like September is the last month in Alaska cruises) so I can start to narrow down which cruises are one after the other.

Perhaps they never use the word “repositioning.” For instance, we are cruising from Rome to Tampa in October and our confirmation refers to it as a Transatlantic.”

[Linsuesue]

4 minutes ago, cellfree said:

Perhaps they never use the word “repositioning.” For instance, we are cruising from Rome to Tampa in October and our confirmation refers to it as a Transatlantic.”

Is there such a thing as a transatlantic that will leave the US and get you to Rome, then you could book the Rome to Tampa and not need to have transatlantic airfare?

[crzndeb]

I don’t see any repo cruises listed for Carnival right now, only TA’s and TP’s. It might be easier to start with where you want to cruise to. How many days are you looking at? Most Carnival cruises over 9 days are called Journey cruises. Even a 3/4 day combined is a B2B, so narrowing down your choices might help.

Edited July 8, 2023 by crzndeb

[cellfree]

3 minutes ago, Linsuesue said:

Is there such a thing as a transatlantic that will leave the US and get you to Rome, then you could book the Rome to Tampa and not need to have transatlantic airfare?

Typically ships go over and stay a few months then return. 

[Prometheus1]

I find that the easiest way  is to use one of the big box travel sites to search- they have repositioning listed under the search functions, its just easier to see the dates, etc.. then I can search the carnival site after then contact my PVP at Carnival

Doing a B2B next summer, was able to have the same cabin

 

Edited July 8, 2023 by Prometheus1
addendum

[Linsuesue]

3 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

I don’t see any repo cruises listed for Carnival right now. It might be easier to start with where you want to cruise to. How many days are you looking at? Most Carnival cruises over 9 days are called Journey cruises. Even a 3/4 day combined is a B2B, so narrowing down your choices might help.

Now you are asking the hard questions!🤪 I would be happy with anything in the 14-31 range. As long as the itineraries are different, I am game. I wonder if it is possible to cruise to Europe and then get right on a European cruise. Me knees are telling me that tons of hours in an economy seat on a plane to Europe is not so fun.

[Linsuesue]

Just now, Prometheus1 said:

I find that the easiest way  is to use one of the big box travel sites to search- they have repositioning listed under the search functions, its just easier to see the dates, etc.. then I can search the carnival site after.

Never thought of doing that. Big help!!

[crzndeb]

1 minute ago, Linsuesue said:

Now you are asking the hard questions!🤪 I would be happy with anything in the 14-31 range. As long as the itineraries are different, I am game. I wonder if it is possible to cruise to Europe and then get right on a European cruise. Me knees are telling me that tons of hours in an economy seat on a plane to Europe is not so fun.

In 2016, I did 2 Europe cruises and then the TA on the Vista. I prefer Westbound TA’s. I just finished a B5B on the Ovation of the Seas from Australia. It included legs to South Pacific, New Zealand, TP, Hawaii and Alaska. Next year I will be on the Panorama from Singapore to Long Beach. I did the reverse on the Splendor in 2019. Enjoy your retirement. There’s a whole big world to cruise to now.

[Linsuesue]

2 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

In 2016, I did 2 Europe cruises and then the TA on the Vista. I prefer Westbound TA’s. I just finished a B5B on the Ovation of the Seas from Australia. It included legs to South Pacific, New Zealand, TP, Hawaii and Alaska. Next year I will be on the Panorama from Singapore to Long Beach. I did the reverse on the Splendor in 2019. Enjoy your retirement. There’s a whole big world to cruise to now.

Your post looks like a bucket list to me! Now I am thinking maybe I could find one cruise line to get to Europe, stay a few days and find any cruise line that goes back to the United States. I would prefer the same cruise line to make it easier, but I just checked Carnival’s transatlantic dates to Barcelona and they dont match up.

[crzndeb]

5 minutes ago, Linsuesue said:

Your post looks like a bucket list to me! Now I am thinking maybe I could find one cruise line to get to Europe, stay a few days and find any cruise line that goes back to the United States. I would prefer the same cruise line to make it easier, but I just checked Carnival’s transatlantic dates to Barcelona and they dont match up.

I believe Cunard is your only choice for consistent RT’s between Europe and US.

Most cruise lines do their Eastbound TA’s in the spring and westbound return late summer/early fall.

Edited July 8, 2023 by crzndeb

[Linsuesue]

2 minutes ago, crzndeb said:

I believe Cunard is your only choice for consistent RT’s between Europe and US.

Most cruise lines do their Eastbound TA’s in the spring and westbound return late summer/early fall.

Good to know!

[firefly333]

19 minutes ago, Linsuesue said:

Good to know!

I do a lot of b2b. No matter which line. Just because it's a 5 hour drive to Galveston and the gas and hotel, it's not worth driving down for 1 cruise, especially a short one. I did b2b on breeze just to make it worth driving down. 4/5. Both times went to cozumel.

 

Miracle out of Galveston has some different itineraries I would love b2b. Not inexpensive but nice ports. If you can see my signature 80% of the time I book b2b. The feb 2 2025 is a group cruise on wonder, i normally wouldnt book, too new and expensive.. and utopia is coming in brand new next year doing 3/4 days. We decided to match it up as a s2s. There is one day between getting off wonder and getting on utopia so people will have to debark, get a hotel for 1 night, then get on the other new ship none of us know much about. ..side by side isnt my normal. Usually involves a hotel as most ports dont have 2 different ships boarding at the same port together, though some do. I prefer to keep the same cabin and not have to pack up.

 

The best thing about b2b or b3b keep the same cabin, dont pack, briefly off and back on and allowed in your cabin when the rest cant.