5 December 2019
So I had the opportunity to do a back-to-back cruise. This was not planned, it just worked out this way, and I’m so glad it did. A back-to-back cruise is one in which you are booked on two (or more) consecutive cruises on the same ship. Therefore, you do one cruise, disembark at the end, and then board that very ship again. Due to a series of odd events, long story short, my family and I were booked on the Disney Dream for two sailings in a row. Here’s my review:
As a travel agent specializing in cruises, I have booked my share of back-to-back cruises for clients, but in all honesty, this was my first personal experience with this... And goshhhh….There is a difference between being trained in such areas and actually experiencing it firsthand.
I always thought that if I were to book a back-to-back cruise, it would most likely be two one-way cruises that stopped at different ports. One of my favorite sets of back-to-back cruises I ever booked for clients was a one way from Dubai to Cape Town sailing all throughout Africa, and then from Cape Town to Singapore sailing all throughout Asia. Mine, however, was a simple back-to-back... the first was a 4-night cruise going to Nassau and Castaway Cay in the Bahamas with one day at sea, and the 2nd sailing was a 3-night cruise visiting Nassau and Castaway Cay with no days at sea… Not usually one would consider a great back-to-back option. However, it is definitely an option I would love to do again. Here’s why:
1/ We can skip a port without feeling guilty. - It was an absolutely relaxing 7-night cruise. The Bahamas are great islands that we’ve been lucky enough to sail to many times. This then provided an open schedule for us to just relax. On the first stop in Nassau, we decided to stay in. Our daughter was able to take advantage of all the ship’s amenities without a crowd as almost everyone was out on the island. She enjoyed many of the games in the kids club while my husband and I caught up on work in an adults-only patio overlooking Atlantis while sipping on my favorite champagne. When the ship stopped in Nassau on the second sailing, we chose to come out and enjoy the island… and the dolphins.
2/ We can split up our port day activities to get more in. – We came out both times we stopped in Castaway Cay. On the first sailing, my husband and I rode bikes on a scenic trail because our daughter wanted to be in the island’s private kids club. The second time around, it was more of a family day, with our daughter riding bikes with us before taking to the sea for some water bikes and other beach fun. We could not have gotten all of that in with just one visit to this island, unless we were on a strict schedule… and we sure don’t like cruising like that. It’s supposed to be fun AND relaxing, right?
3/ We got first priority for dining on the second cruise – Not only did we have our waitlist cleared for our preferred dining time, but we even got to choose our table and waitstaff for the second sailing, as well. Of course, I chose to keep our original wait staff, but I did request to be in front of the large screen in the Animator’s Palate restaurant. For those who have cruised with Disney before, you know why we want that. For those who haven’t, that will be explained in another blog.
4/ Having the whole ship to yourself – Guests sailing on back-to-back cruises go through a different debarkation process than everyone else. We must get off the ship in the morning and go through customs like everyone else, but we are then given a card that we use to re-board the ship again before everyone else. Our room is one of the first ready, but during this time, there is no one else onboard besides the crew. This gave us great time and space to film my daughter’s review of the Disney Dream for her vlog, “Being Amaya”. If you’d like to take pictures or videos of the ship in its glory without all the guests, this is the time to do so.
5/ Not having to pack and unpack your suitcase – A travel agent comes in pretty handy here, especially when you’re looking to book a guaranteed rate or any of the other lowest rates and cannot actually pick your cabin. We were able to get the same cabin on both cruises, which I highly recommend. If you end up getting different cabins, you will end up having a not-so-relaxing time on the day you switch sailings. Because we were keeping the same room, we did not have to pack our belongings. Therefore, the night before when everyone else was packing, we were still enjoying all the entertainment onboard. We did not have to leave any bags out that night, and we did not have more than my purse to come out, go through immigration, check-in and re-board the ship. Our room was clean when we came back on, and all of our belongings were still in place. If you are not able to get the same cabin on your second sailing, at least try to make more use of your packed suitcases by trying to get an upgrade. For Disney, the upgraded cabins are first-come-first-served. Since you will be the first checking in on that second sailing, see what upgrades are available. You may be able to score big with very little!
6/ More Castaway Club points. – Unlike most other cruise lines, Disney still utilizes a Past-Guest point system based on the number of cruises, not the number of days. Therefore, if this were a normal 7-night cruise, it would count as 1 point. But these 7 days counted as 2 points. This makes us level up on our next Disney cruise!
Overall, I love back-to-back cruising. Hey, two cruises are always better than one, right?! Consider taking two back-to-back cruises that do different itineraries, it will maximize your trip to the fullest. However, if you’re looking to extend a very relaxing, more laid-back cruise where you can get so much in without the rush and time restraints, a back-to-back Bahamas cruise is perfect! Although you can take a back-to-back cruise on any cruise line, my experience on Disney was amazing and I would absolutely recommend it for everyone, regardless of whether or not you’ll be cruising with children. Getting the same cabin on both sailings makes a HUGE difference so make sure you make every attempt to do so. Remember, CruiseGuruz can always help you plan the perfect cruise and get that perfect cabin on both sailings for you.
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