Again-to-back cruises: Get extra trip for much less cash

Generally, a seven-night cruise simply is not lengthy sufficient. Should you want greater than per week at sea, contemplate reserving a back-to-back cruise. It may be an environment friendly technique to get extra trip for much less cash. You possibly can flip a weeklong getaway into one lasting two or three weeks (or extra). Merely analysis the itineraries provided by cruise strains to seek out which successive itineraries are of curiosity to you and can be found to e book.

If an prolonged cruise trip sounds supreme, hold studying. Here is what you want to learn about reserving back-to-back cruises.

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What are back-to-back cruises?

Fairly merely, back-to-back cruises (also called B2B amongst those that regularly e book them) are consecutive itineraries sailed on the identical ship. These are sometimes nonrepeating itineraries — akin to Japanese Caribbean adopted by Western Caribbean. Nevertheless, if you happen to prefer to get pleasure from a ship prefer it’s a resort and like pool time over going ashore, you possible will not thoughts repeating ports.

Associated: Japanese Caribbean vs. Western Caribbean cruises: Which itinerary will I like extra?

How can a back-to-back cruise get monetary savings?

You may spend extra money on an extended trip. Nevertheless, back-to-back cruises can present value financial savings past the fare value.

For instance, you may pay for only one airfare whereas having fun with two or extra cruises to completely different ports of name. The financial savings on worldwide flights may be important, too.

You may also discover one of many sailings is priced decrease as a result of the itinerary is not as in demand or a particular cabin class is obtainable at a reduction. Some cruise strains even package deal a number of one-week sailings into an extended itinerary at a reduced value.

Moreover, you may discover that once you e book back-to-back cruises, some cruise strains supply onboard credit score that you need to use for shore excursions or spa remedies.

Do all back-to-back cruises depart from the identical port?

No. Some, however not all, back-to-back cruises are closed-loop (round-trip) itineraries. Meaning the ship returns to the identical port it sailed from, akin to a Caribbean cruise that begins and ends in Miami or a Mediterranean voyage that sails round-trip from Barcelona. Others are open-jaw (one-way) itineraries. On these sailings, a ship departs from one port and disembarks passengers in a completely completely different port, akin to Athens, Greece-to-Rome or Rome-to-Barcelona cruises.

Most cruise strains supply each varieties of itineraries. This provides you the choice of reserving two round-trip sailings from the identical port, a round-trip crusing adopted by an open-jaw crusing to a unique port, back-to-back open-jaw sailings to and from the identical two ports or two open-jaw itineraries that by no means revisit the identical ports. It would sound complicated, but it surely’s really pretty easy.

Listed below are a couple of examples of back-to-back itineraries.

Closed-loop back-to-back

You possibly can e book back-to-back round-trip sailings from Miami on the identical ship that calls on one set of islands the primary week — to illustrate Japanese Caribbean favorites akin to St. Thomas, St. Maarten and San Juan, Puerto Rico — after which go to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico, within the Western Caribbean the next week.

Associated: Caribbean cruise information: Greatest itineraries, planning ideas and issues to do

One-way back-to-back

Within the Mediterranean, the biggest ships operated by Royal Caribbean, Movie star Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and different mainstream cruise strains usually sail one-way between sure ports with cruise terminals that may accommodate the embarkation and disembarkation of hundreds of passengers. This implies you will note a Rome-to-Barcelona itinerary adopted by a Barcelona-to-Rome itinerary. If these back-to-back sailings name on completely different ports (they usually usually do, maybe with one or two repeats), you may e book each cruises and see extra of the Mediterranean in a single journey.

Associated: Mediterranean cruise information: Greatest itineraries, planning ideas and issues to do

Open-jaw back-to-back

An alternative choice is to e book two back-to-back open-jaw itineraries that by no means go to the identical ports. That is extra widespread amongst premium and luxurious cruise strains akin to Oceania Cruises, Azamara, Crystal, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, Silversea Cruises and Viking. For instance, you may e book a seven-night crusing from Athens to Istanbul that explores the Greek islands, adopted by a seven-night crusing from Istanbul to Venice, Italy, alongside Croatia’s Adriatic coast.

Spherical-trip and open-jaw

Should you e book the final Alaska cruise of the season in September, round-trip from Vancouver, British Columbia, you may usually e book the next open-jaw Pacific Coastal crusing from Vancouver to Los Angeles.

What you can not do is e book back-to-back open-jaw sailings that depart from one U.S. port for the primary crusing and finish in one other U.S. port for the second crusing. For instance, in case your first cruise goes from Los Angeles to Vancouver, you can not keep on board for the subsequent cruise from Vancouver to the Alaska cruise ports of Seward or Whittier.

Why? All itineraries should adjust to the Passenger Vessel Providers Act. This federal legislation prohibits passengers on foreign-registered ships (which most cruise ships are) from embarking and disembarking passengers in numerous U.S. cities with out having known as on a “distant overseas” nation in between. On this occasion, distant overseas ports are any port not in North America, Central America, the Bermuda islands or the West Indies.

The legislation sees your back-to-back crusing as one cruise from Los Angeles to Seward (two U.S. ports) versus two distinct sailings. Thus, your cruise doesn’t adjust to the PVSA, even when every particular person itinerary is in compliance.

Associated: The very best Alaska cruises for each kind of traveler

The best way to discover and e book back-to-back cruises

Examine your most popular cruise line’s web site, and use the cruise finder software to prepare upcoming sailings by date. Then, choose a particular ship to see its back-to-back itineraries. If each cruises can be found, you may e book each of them.

When you make two separate bookings in your back-to-back cruises, contact the cruise line by telephone earlier than departure to hyperlink each bookings. If you’re working with a journey agent, they may hyperlink the bookings. This may assist you to bypass the total embarkation course of in your second cruise.

Some cruise strains make it pretty straightforward by advertising longer sailings, sometimes 14 or 21 days, which can be really two or three one-week round-trip sailings. You possibly can inform by wanting on the itinerary. If a ship on a 14-night crusing returns on day eight to the identical port it left from, the longer crusing is definitely a mixture of two back-to-back seven-night cruises.

Holland America Line does this regularly within the Caribbean. Its Collector’s Voyages mix two or three back-to-back cruises at extra economical fares than reserving the cruises individually. As a result of these 14- to 21-night journeys mix nonrepeating itineraries, friends get to go to a number of Caribbean areas on their island hopping journey.

Will I pay the identical value for every cruise?

In all probability not. Cruise fares change regularly based mostly on demand. Additionally, cruise strains may supply particular offers and promotions for particular sailings they’re making an attempt to fill. That mentioned, the worth for a similar cabin class should not be drastically completely different from week to week until one of many sailings is nearly absolutely booked, which suggests costs can be larger.

Do you will have the time for a multiweek trip? Earlier than reserving a particular itinerary, have a peek on the ship’s subsequent (and even earlier) cruise to see if any offers can be found. You possibly can usually prolong your trip by doing back-to-back sailings.

Can I e book the second cruise as soon as I’m already on board?

In some circumstances, you may — and sometimes, you will get an incredible deal. If the next cruise is not bought out, the workers members on the cruise reserving desk can assist you safe a cabin. Nevertheless, it’s extremely unlikely to be the identical cabin and perhaps even not the identical class you’re already in. Inquire and e book as early within the first cruise as attainable since all cruise bookings must be made no less than 48 hours earlier than embarkation.

Observe that if you happen to do have success, you may additionally must be sure you can rebook your flights house for the later date (until you reside inside driving distance from the port and each cruises are round-trip sailings).

Do I must disembark after which re-embark?

More often than not, sure. Nevertheless, it is not as sophisticated as you may think.

On turnaround days in a U.S. port, all passengers have to be off the ship for it to be cleared for the subsequent voyage. So, if the primary cruise disembarks friends in a U.S. port after visiting the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada, Bermuda or another overseas nation, you’ll most definitely should disembark and clear customs earlier than reboarding the ship. In restricted cases, customs officers could as a substitute come on board to clear these passengers who’re doing back-to-back cruises.

Understand that this is not a full embarkation course of — your baggage can keep on board — and every cruise line has its personal process for friends staying on board.

For instance, on Carnival Cruise Line cruises, a visitor companies workers member will meet back-to-back-cruise friends on the morning of disembarkation and lead them off the ship to a customs official within the terminal. Company are then guided again to the ship’s visitor companies desk to finish a brand new check-in for the second cruise.

Royal Caribbean calls back-to-back cruises “consecutive cruises.” On turnaround day, friends staying on will obtain customs requirement particulars of their cabins, together with info on trade previous keycards for brand new ones.

Princess calls anybody crusing on back-to-back cruises “friends in transit.” Earlier than the top of the primary cruise, the road offers them in-transit playing cards and invitations them to an in-transit gathering to supply them with particulars in regards to the transit course of. On turnaround day, Princess workers members will lead the group of friends in transit off the ship to customs officers. As quickly because the ship is cleared (which means all friends have disembarked), workers members lead the friends again on board.

Even on Holland America‘s Collector’s Voyages within the Caribbean, an organized disembarkation and second check-in are required as a result of the sailings originate and finish in U.S. ports.

Usually, back-to-back cruisers can count on to be the final to disembark from the primary crusing and the primary to embark on the second crusing.

Outdoors the U.S., necessities range by port for back-to-back cruise passengers. Some ports do require all friends to disembark per native port and customs rules. Your cruise line will present particulars.

Will I get a brand new keycard?

Sure, keycards are issued for every cruise and marked with the ship’s title and sail date. Princess Cruises is the exception, because it makes use of the Medallion, a reprogrammable machine passengers can put on as a necklace or bracelet.

Can I hold the identical cabin or suite?

It is attainable. Nevertheless, you should handle that in the course of the reserving course of by ensuring the identical cabin is offered to e book for each sailings. If that appears too daunting, you need to use a journey agent or name the cruise line’s customer support quantity and work with a consultant to safe the identical cabin for each cruises. This fashion, the consultant or agent can hyperlink each sailings, guaranteeing the simplest transition in the course of the disembarkation and re-embarkation course of.

If you’re unable to safe the identical cabin in your back-to-back cruises, you’ll have to pack your baggage on the morning of disembarkation. Usually, the ship’s visitor companies workforce or your cabin attendant will transfer your baggage to your new room throughout turnaround day.

Are there further perks to back-to-back cruises?

Sure, they usually range. Some cruise strains, akin to Carnival, supply a voucher for a complimentary beverage to friends staying on for an additional crusing. Princess holds an onboard gathering throughout which free cocktails are served and spa specials are provided. Azamara offers friends who e book back-to-back sailings an onboard credit score, with the quantity depending on the size of the cruises booked.

What is the distinction between back-to-back and side-to-side cruises?

Aspect-to-side cruises entail disembarking one cruise and getting on a very completely different ship the identical day. For instance, say you’ve got noticed a extremely nice deal on a three-night cruise to the Bahamas from Miami on Royal Caribbean, however you want a 10-night trip to essentially unwind. You possibly can seek for a seven-night crusing that departs from Miami (or close by Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale) the identical day you disembark — on a completely completely different ship. It does not even should be a Royal Caribbean vessel.

Backside line

In case your trip completely happy place is at sea, back-to-back cruises are an effective way to increase your enjoyment, go to twice as many ports and have ample time to get pleasure from all points of a ship. Reserving back-to-back sailings requires just a little on-line analysis of obtainable itineraries. You can even name your cruise line’s customer support workforce for help in analysis and reserving. You will quickly be able to set sail, chill out and discover.

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