14 night vrs 7 b2b cabin selection.

[mattR]

Looking at booking a cruise to Alaska next summer half the group is only doing 7 night north and the other half are doing 14 nights return.  There is very limited cabin selection for the 14 night cruise however looked at booking 2 7 nights b2b and there is more cabin selection even some of the same cabins are available both directions that aren't available when booking the 14night..   What is the disadvantage of booking 2 7 B2B rather then one 14?   If we are able to book the same cabin can we just leave our stuff in the cabin between cruises?  If we have to switch cabins what would be the procedure for that?  Would you have to check-in at the terminal for the second cruise or could they just do that at guest services? 

[Yehootu]

Several Choices

1) Are youa Carnival Share holder? 7 day=$100  x 2 = $200...14day= $250.00  in OBC

2) If you have cabins book for both legs= No change, same as 14day

   Very little done on turn around

3) If unlucky and have to change cabins, bummer but room steward will help get things out of old cabin( so they can turn it around) and into new cabin ( new cabin for other steward)

[Essiesmom]

If some are only going northbound, you must be sailing from Vancouver.  When you board in Vancouver you are processed into the US.  You do not visit any foreign countries before arriving in Whittier, so there are no formalities.  The ship will know you are on B2B if you choose that option so you do not have to check in again.  If you call Princess they can probably arrange for you to have your preferred cabin for the 14 days.  Cruise lines set aside certain cabins for one week, and others for the 14 day.  A TA or good Princess rep can get you into a desirable cabin.  EM

[memoak]

On cruises that can be booked as a 14 day or b2b 7 days different cabins are made available for each set of cruises

[Pevil]

If you are getting Princess Plus or Premium, if you book as one 14 day cruise, you will only get 2 casual restaurant credits (plus) or 2 specialty restaurants (premium).  If book as B2B, will get 2 credits per week (or 4 total). 

[mattR]

Ok Thanks doesn't seem like there is any drawback to booking 2 7nights b2b so will check the price and go from there.  

[Steelers36]

12 minutes ago, mattR said:

Ok Thanks doesn't seem like there is any drawback to booking 2 7nights b2b so will check the price and go from there.  

Another advantage of separate bookings - although not as great for domestic versus international - is you book each flight independently using EZ-Air and can change and re-fare them independently. 

 

Generally, cabin pricing is not all that different.  I always prefer to book separately and if booking early enough, can get same cabin each time.

[dockman]

Another benefit of back to back is if you like you can buy a bottle or two of booze onboard from the duty free shop and it is delivered to your room at the end of leg one allowing you to have your own bottle in your room for leg 2.....must be two different booking numbers which would be normal if book two 7 days back to back rather than one 14 day.

[wallyj]

39 minutes ago, dockman said:

Another benefit of back to back is if you like you can buy a bottle or two of booze onboard from the duty free shop and it is delivered to your room at the end of leg one allowing you to have your own bottle in your room for leg 2.....must be two different booking numbers which would be normal if book two 7 days back to back rather than one 14 day.

I believe Princess has closed this ‘loophole’ and now knows you are B2B and if you purchase from duty free during first cruise, it will NOT be delivered to your cabin till the end of cruise 2.  
 

Last summer I met a couple who were doing many B2B’s and wanted to purchase some duty free liquor for some band players that would be leaving. They asked me if I would purchase on last day of 1st cruise so I could take with me as they explained, the on board system now knows they are b2b, so if they purchased from the duty free store, the system would flag to not let them take the purchase. 
 

This makes sense as in the APP if u have b2b with 2 separate booking numbers, the APP actually thinks you are on one long cruise, which is also why even with a separate booking number for cruise2, you are not issued a new medallion unless the battery dies.

[antsp]

If you want to take alcohol onboard every one uses rum runners 

[dockman]

1 hour ago, wallyj said:

I believe Princess has closed this ‘loophole’ and now knows you are B2B and if you purchase from duty free during first cruise, it will NOT be delivered to your cabin till the end of cruise 2.  
 

Last summer I met a couple who were doing many B2B’s and wanted to purchase some duty free liquor for some band players that would be leaving. They asked me if I would purchase on last day of 1st cruise so I could take with me as they explained, the on board system now knows they are b2b, so if they purchased from the duty free store, the system would flag to not let them take the purchase. 
 

This makes sense as in the APP if u have b2b with 2 separate booking numbers, the APP actually thinks you are on one long cruise, which is also why even with a separate booking number for cruise2, you are not issued a new medallion unless the battery dies.

 

Just did it on princess in june no problem

[skynight]

It is almost always better to book as two separate booking numbers. The cost difference if any is normally small. Two booking numbers provide you with more flexibility with really no downsides.

"If we are able to book the same cabin can we just leave our stuff in the cabin between cruises?"

Yes. You will clear U.S. Immigration/Customs when boarding in Vancouver. Whitter will be treated just like any other port day.

"If we have to switch cabins what would be the procedure for that? "

Your cabin steward will arrange the switch and the transfer of your stuff to your new location. It is fairly easy to do. From one that has done many b2bs I would recommend trying to book the same cabin for both legs, and to have your booking marked "no upgrade." I always use a T.A. and they arrange to have the booking marked no upgrade. You can not do this on line. You can only do this through a telephone call. Your T.A. or if you have a Princess booking agent can handle it. I recommend a T.A. T.As commonly provide additional OBC.

"Would you have to check-in at the terminal for the second cruise or could they just do that at guest services?"

No. There is no check in for the 2nd leg. Your medallion will be valid for the entire time you are on board. On board accounts will roll over from the 1st to the 2nd leg. If you have a final balance due your credit card will be charged on your final disembarkation day.

 

[Alaska05]

We are doing the same thing.

 

Booked it as a 14 day because it was a little less and we get $250 shareholder OBC vs. $200 if 2 cruises.  We book standard fare so the extras with the packages didn’t matter.

 

We still get 2 cruise credits.

 

I did notice that it showed less cabin availability as a 14 day cruise.

 

Work out the numbers and see what is best for you.

[chubbypiggy]

If the cabin you like for your 14 days cruise is only available if  book as two separate 7 days cruises, you can call your CVP or TA, and just tell him/her the cabin number, and the CVP or TA can easily get approval and book the cabin that you want.  Can do the same in reverse also.  Meaning you want to book two 7 days cruises, but the cabin you like is only available if book as 14 days cruise. 

 

I have done both ways many times.  I did it for b2b, b2b2b, etc., so I know it is doable.  I called my CVP, and he easily took care of it every time.

[jagoffee]

16 hours ago, Pevil said:

If you are getting Princess Plus or Premium, if you book as one 14 day cruise, you will only get 2 casual restaurant credits (plus) or 2 specialty restaurants (premium).  If book as B2B, will get 2 credits per week (or 4 total). 

Also if booking a suite, you get an included embarkation speciality dining for each 7 day cruise.

[MissP22]

On 11/24/2023 at 5:07 AM, dockman said:

 

Just did it on princess in june no problem

Sometimes they check. sometimes they don't.  If they refuse to give it to you during on the last day, find someone who is leaving to make the purchase for you and give them the cash. 

[suzyed]

On 11/24/2023 at 5:07 AM, dockman said:

 

Just did it on princess in june no problem

I know some did it on the Regal in October...so it didn't sound like a problem.

[mattR]

Called to try to get a cabin that is available for both cruises but not showing up as available to book for the 14 night cruise.  Unfortunately it costs $417 to book the same cabin that I am in as two separate 7 nights and the cabin I was trying to change to up a couple categories an extra $680. 

[_rusty_shackleford]

On 11/23/2023 at 10:42 PM, Pevil said:

If you are getting Princess Plus or Premium, if you book as one 14 day cruise, you will only get 2 casual restaurant credits (plus) or 2 specialty restaurants (premium).  If book as B2B, will get 2 credits per week (or 4 total). 

Do you happen to know if you can be refunded for previously made speciality dining reservations if you upgrade to Premier? We've got a B2B booked in June and enough OBC to pay for the upgrade from Plus to Premier so I'm thinking that's the play once we get onboard. I just don't want to wait to get on the ship and find out everything is booked/only bad times are left to pick from.

[PescadoAmarillo]

On 11/29/2023 at 6:42 PM, mattR said:

Called to try to get a cabin that is available for both cruises but not showing up as available to book for the 14 night cruise.  Unfortunately it costs $417 to book the same cabin that I am in as two separate 7 nights and the cabin I was trying to change to up a couple categories an extra $680. 

Were you successful?  I’ve had to do this numerous times over the years, but always pre-COVID, when customer support was better (IMO). There was a department called Load Management that controlled that, and they were generally will to work with me to change. Cabin not normally bookable for a B2B to one that could be. I had to go through the usual Princess support but they would get Load Management on the call and it got taken care of. 

 

[nasa1974]

Booking the cruise as a 14 day you get credit for one cruise. If you book it as a B2B you get credit for two cruises. It can make a difference making gold, platinum or elite.

[Alaska05]

Deleted

Edited December 4, 2023 by Alaska05

[Alaska05]

1 hour ago, nasa1974 said:

Booking the cruise as a 14 day you get credit for one cruise. If you book it as a B2B you get credit for two cruises. It can make a difference making gold, platinum or elite.

Wrong. I have an upcoming 14 day Caribbean cruise booked which can also be booked as 2 7-day cruises (Eastern and Western Caribbean). My personalizer shows I will get 2 cruise credits.

Edited December 4, 2023 by Alaska05

[J13C85]

On 11/23/2023 at 10:59 PM, Steelers36 said:

Generally, cabin pricing is not all that different.  I always prefer to book separately and if booking early enough, can get same cabin each time.

Good that you prefaced it with "generally". 😀 We booked our 14D Xmas cruise (it leaves in on Dec 23) and at time of booking (over 400 days out) the 14D trip was almost $3K cheaper than booking it as a pair of 7s (full suite). We booked it as the 14D because it was so cheap.

 

Also, the thing about the Plus or Premier packages is, if for 2 7D cruises or one 14D, the cost is exactly the same, yet you only get half of some perks. For Example, with Premier on a 14D cruise you get 2 free specialty dining meals but on a pair of 7D cruises you would get 4 (two for each cruise).

[nasa1974]

8 hours ago, Alaska05 said:

Wrong. I have an upcoming 14 day Caribbean cruise booked which can also be booked as 2 7-day cruises (Eastern and Western Caribbean). My personalizer shows I will get 2 cruise credits.

Good to know. Thanks.