Our first back to back.

msmickminn

DIS Veteran
Joined
Nov 8, 2002
We are finally checking off of our bucket list a back to back cruise! :cheer2:

The first leg is the DVC members cruise followed by the 7 night western on the fantasy.

...We have been assigned our rooms and were not able to get the same room for both cruises.
* what will be the procedure? We're hoping we don't have to lug all our luggage off to re-check in.
*should we attempt to get reassigned? I'm assuming since we booked the second leg so much later than the first, changing rooms may not be an option.

... what about parking? We are using the Disney terminal for the first time. Do we let them know we are doing a back to back when we arrive to park/pay?

Thank you! :wave2:
 
We are finally checking off of our bucket list a back to back cruise! :cheer2:

The first leg is the DVC members cruise followed by the 7 night western on the fantasy.

...We have been assigned our rooms and were not able to get the same room for both cruises.
* what will be the procedure? We're hoping we don't have to lug all our luggage off to re-check in.
*should we attempt to get reassigned? I'm assuming since we booked the second leg so much later than the first, changing rooms may not be an option.

... what about parking? We are using the Disney terminal for the first time. Do we let them know we are doing a back to back when we arrive to park/pay?

Thank you! :wave2:
You will pack up your bags and hand them off to your room host on debarkation morning (first leg). The room hot will see that it gets to your next room. Be sure to bring off the ship with you your ID/documentation for re-checking in. Also bring something to do. The time off the ship can be anywhere from 10 minutes to over an 1 1/2 hours.

It's my understanding you'll only pay for the first leg parking (since you pay beforehand). When you exit you don't pay for the second. Unless it's changed.
 
We did a B2B last Sept. (Med./WBTA). Had our same room, however, and spent most of the day seeing more of Barcelona. If your room is different, then see above...your stateroom host moves the luggage while you leave the ship then sign in again. The night before you leave for this "tween" day, your head (room) server, during dinner, will ask you if you are happy with your servers and table arrangements (size, folks sitting with, location, etc.). This is where you can make any changes or not...here is where you can ask to keep your servers if you like them. Have a great time!!!
 


We have done a b2b where we move rooms. You still have to pack up all of your things, but you don't put them out at night. You can leave them in your room. We had communicated with our room host that we were moving rooms and she had no problem with it. She also brought the other room host by one day so we could meet him. He let us know that he would be doing our room first so we could get right on the ship and unpack in our new room while he was cleaning the others (even if the hallway barrier was up).

When you get off, as was stated by @PrincessShmoo take your needed items, check in papers, id, passports, medication, a camera, and coins for the pressed penny machine. Once you go through customs you end up at the front of the building DO NOT EXIT THE BUILDING. Instead of going outside, turn and go back up the escalator to the check in area. You can let people know you are doing the back to back and they will point the way. If you leave the terminal for any reason, including to drop something off at your car, you will not be readmitted to the terminal until it opens for all arriving passengers. Often, you will be able to sit in the concierge lounge waiting area. But you will need to check with the cast members that morning. There are a list of reasons why they may not extend the courtesy to back to back guests. When you check in, you can also keep the same lanyards. The check-in agent will also give you a special (yellow or blue) boarding card that lets you (usually) board first. Before concierge, family of the day, etc. But as always that may be subject to change.

Once you get back on board, the cove cafe may be the only place open for treats and drinks. This is complimentary (usually) to back to back cruisers until general boarding begins. You may also go to your stateroom to unpack or start laundry. The staff do ask that you refrain from going back and forth to your room once boarding begins because they don't want guests jumping the barrier because they see you doing it. (We unpacked, and then left to enjoy Cove Cafe and sunning on the top deck).

Then feel free to enjoy your stress free embarkation day! Just remember that you will need to do the muster drill again.

@GPaLarry was right about the head server asking your preferences for the next cruise. If you feel for whatever reason you want to try someone else, a different rotation, by all means make the request. We found that having the same servers is really nice and you get to know them more (if that is your thing). We once did a back to back to back. It was awesome and we received some great service as a result. The head waiter really took care of us when we visited the dining room for breakfasts and lunch too. We also had a great table for animation and crush nights.

... what about parking? We are using the Disney terminal for the first time. Do we let them know we are doing a back to back when we arrive to park/pay?

I like to tell myself that by booking two cruises, I do it because parking is free the second cruise! The parking company only collects the charges when you first arrive to the parking deck. And they can ONLY charge you based on the duration of the cruiseship in port. So you end up paying for the first cruise only. Since you do not leave the parking deck, your car will not be charged for the second cruise. Remember, there are multiple cruises in and out of the terminal, so not all the cars leave the parking deck after each cruise. I have yet to read anything about a car being towed or other issue that makes the above untrue. In fact, I have heard only good things about the parking company (like one person had left a window partially rolled down, and there was a note on the car windshield left by the security guy who said if anything was missing when they returned to the car to let them know so they could pull security footage!)



Not having to move rooms is WAY better in my opinion than having to move rooms. I dislike packing. But it isn't the end of the world. We got lucky and got the same one on a cruise this past May despite booking the rooms almost 6 months apart. The same room host is nice too since they already kind of have your daily schedule down. But again, just minor. At the end of the day you get to Enjoy Castaway one extra time!
 
When doing a B2B, what do you do with your stuff that you bought (rum, jewelry, souvenirs, etc.) on the first trip? You can't take it back to your car or you have to go through security again, which is a pain. Do you just pick it up at the table and take it back to your room before disembarking? How do you declare it if you don't have it with you?
 


When we did our latest B2B we used changeover day to go to the beach. We disembarked with everyone else, grabbed a cab to the beach, had a fun time, went back to the ship around 2. There were no lines, walked right on, and our room was ready.

Our first B2B we did the wait in the terminal process and it took almost 2 hours for them to board us. Then concierge was boarding right behind us so we didn't get the whole empty ship experience. After that we said we'd rather sit on a beach than an empty terminal.
 
When doing a B2B, what do you do with your stuff that you bought (rum, jewelry, souvenirs, etc.) on the first trip? You can't take it back to your car or you have to go through security again, which is a pain. Do you just pick it up at the table and take it back to your room before disembarking? How do you declare it if you don't have it with you?

On a back to back, you are not leaving the secured zone if you don't leave the terminal so there isn't another security to go through, just customs. There is no one to check your allowance of alcohol for the second cruise. how you deal with customs and the law is your own business, But as far as customs goes, as a US citizen, I have noticed they don't seem to check luggage especially if your purchases are what you would expect from a cruise. They aren't looking for your t-shirts and trinkets afterall.

If you have any items that you need to pick up from the liquor table on the ship you still MUST do that. At the end of the cruise all items are taken off the ship and then likely disposed of. I didn't read if you could take them back to your room if doing a back to back. But it seems if they might have you labeled as back to back in which case they MAY keep them, but you should still visit the guest services/table with any questions and to ensure they don't just toss it. On all of our back to back cruises, we never had items we needed to pass through customs before we reboarded.

@Quellman Do you recall what time the pools were open for use on your turnaround day? AquaDuck?

Generally they open once the ship goes to General boarding. The pools will have the nets over them and the slide access cut off. But usually by 1115 or so they have everything open and going. Since you';; already be on board getting to enjoy those amenities will be easy since everyone else is carrying their luggage and what not waiting for the rooms to open
 
I would never trust them to hold my purchases until after the second cruise. That's been a disaster for other people, from what I understand. It definitely bears thinking about.
 
Just wanted to say have a great time!!!!! I've never done a b2b, but it's on my list of things to do! Happy cruising!
 
Another question....how would we go about keeping our servers?

If the head server does not approach you by the last night, make sure to contact him/her. We were asked just before dinner the night before the end of our first leg which was a good thing. We not only wanted our original servers but he told us that we'd been assigned to our own table for the second leg which we didn't want so he moved us. We not only got to keep our original servers but he assigned us to a table with a couple we'd had at our table the previous year so it worked out great. I sometimes wonder if the servers get "brownie points" for being kept on; at some level it must be recognized that the guests like them well enough to want to have them again.
 
We've done a b2b the last two years in feb and booked again for this feb. feb 2018 is a 3/7 on the wonder. Same cabin always. I hate packing, so will take almost any cabin to avoid packing. Yes, you only pay parking on your first leg. One of the reasons we like to do the 3 night first. The wonder in early 2018 is doing several different cruises so grabbed a 3 night Bahamas cruise when it comes back from San Juan then it goes out on a 7 night western Caribbean cruise, so no repeat cruises this time. We've done b2b on both the Magic and Wonder. We found each handles everything a little different. We are adult only so enjoy alone time at the adult pool.
 
So glad I found this thread - we are doing our first b2b on the Wonder next year, unfortunately I wasn't able to get the same room (across the hall though), so I was curious as to what happened in between. I have made a note to speak with my room host (thanks @Quellman) that we are changing rooms.
 
So glad I found this thread - we are doing our first b2b on the Wonder next year, unfortunately I wasn't able to get the same room (across the hall though), so I was curious as to what happened in between. I have made a note to speak with my room host (thanks @Quellman) that we are changing rooms.
Excellent. If the room is literally across the hall you'll have the same steward. They work blocks of rooms. So that is plenty easy to do. They'll even already kinda know your routine so that will help them out as well. i think they really like B2B cruisers.
 
Excellent. If the room is literally across the hall you'll have the same steward. They work blocks of rooms. So that is plenty easy to do. They'll even already kinda know your routine so that will help them out as well. i think they really like B2B cruisers.

Thanks again for this information.
 
If we get the same room, we always have our steward do the deep turnaround day clean on CC day right before we are back in port. This allows them to get the room turned around quicker and when we reboard, we have a clean room to go back to if we want to get a shower and change.
 

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