Back To Back Cruises Royal Caribbean Review
The Royal Caribbean cruise line is a major provider of b2b deals. The RCL line has a huge fleet of really big ships, and its policy is actually to encourage back-to-back travel on RCI ships. And why people enjoy these so opposite to short RCL deals so much?
- For many folks, 7 days are just not enough to enjoy some of the world’s largest ships ever.
- For many folks there’s too much rush to get into so many different attractions onboard.
- RCI offers many consecutive itineraries combining Eastern and Western Caribbean. This way you can see a much broader group of destinations.
- You’ll extend your sea vacation in a most comfortable environment – you’ll know the ship, you’ll know the crew, and there are minimal logistical hassles.
- Royal Caribbean is very popular as one of the best cruise lines for a wedding. So just imagine you get married on Royal Caribbean cruise. And you enjoy the experience, for 7 days. And you just want to make the honeymoon special as well. And you have all the time and money in the world to make the best out of your “just married” vacation. And your absolutely perfect option is?
No Lines At The Buffet
The buffet lines can be ridiculously long, especially at lunchtime. But not for you! Just grab whatever you like while the other cruisers are just starting to get through check-in and are boarding the ship. Then take your scrumptious treats to that most-coveted lounge area for some R& R, read a book, or take a nap. I may or may not have stayed there until they forced me to go to the muster safety drill.
Y With The Other B2bs
Once the re-checking in is done, a small welcome aboard party is held for those staying on for the next cruise. With your complimentary glass of champagne or non-alcoholic beverage in hand, a group photo is taken and a free copy is distributed to all participants later during the cruise. Its fun to chat with fellow passengers about past cruises and future plans.
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I’m A Member Of My Cruise Line’s Loyalty Program How Will Back
Obviously, the more cruises you take and the more days you sail, the more points you accrue, and the more quickly you’ll move up the tiers of your line’s passenger loyalty program. You won’t receive any more — or any fewer — points for taking back-to-back voyages than if you were to take two cruises six months apart.
However, back-to-back sailings are still considered two separate cruises, so if you reach a new level in your line’s program during the first sailing, you’ll receive the perks afforded to that tier upon the start of the second cruise.
Vifp Parties To Return
In an announcement to his Facebook page on Friday, June 24, 2022, Carnival Cruise Line brand ambassador John Heald said,On cruises starting today we will return to having the Diamond Lunch/Event and Diamond and Platinum VIFP Party.
These events are highly anticipated by many loyal Carnival cruisers, and often include free drinks and appetizers, visits from the ships officers, and a popular video showcasing every Carnival cruise ship from the lines founding in 1972 to the newest and upcoming vessels.
During the video, it is tradition for passengers to cheer for their favorite ships, or for every ship theyve sailed on or may be booked to enjoy in the near future.
The VIFP events were temporarily canceled in mid-May due to short staffing on Carnivals ships, and guests were offered different compensation as a substitute for the missed events. Diamond-level guests, the highest level of Carnival Cruise Lines loyalty program, were offered $50 of onboard credit, while Platinum-level guests were offered two free drink vouchers.
The parties are only available on sailings of five nights or longer.
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More Updates On International Travel And Booster Shots
John Heald, who has been at the front of answering guest questions every day throughout the pandemic, also explained more on international travel and booster shots, something the cruise line is getting an increasing amount of questions on.
Guests who have traveled internationally within 14 days of sailing will need to bring the required pre-cruise COVID-19 test on embarkation day. This means they will need to do a test in the US or bring their test result if the test and embarkation are within 72 hours of each other.
Although the cruise line requires all guests to be fully vaccinated, a booster shot is not mandated by Carnival. A two-shot vaccine with the last shot administered 14 days prior or a one-shot J& J vaccine suffices as full vaccination.
Also Read: Which Carnival Cruise Ships Have Resumed Operations?
Guests who had previously received a vaccine exemption are out of luck, though, as of August 28, only children under 12 and adults with a medical condition that prohibits their vaccination are exempt from vaccination requirements to sail.
This does spell bad news for all Canadian guests who have received mixed vaccinations the CDC currently does not recognize these people as fully vaccinated. Even if these guests received an exemption prior, they will now not be allowed onboard.
Is There A Discount For Back
Generally there is no discount for doing multiple cruises in a row.
Royal Caribbean does not recognize a back-to-back cruise as anything but two separate reservations that just happen to be right after each other.
In some situations, there has been a discount offered for passengers to stay onboard for another sailing by booking the next sailing at the NextCruise office. This tends to be rare, and not something to count on being offered.
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Are Discounts Offered If I Book Consecutive Cruises
We’ve never heard of discounts offered specifically as incentives for people to book two round-trip sailings in a row. Your best bet in those cases is to look for deals that apply individually to each of the two sailings you want to take. General cruise bargains range from straight-up price reductions and free onboard credit to discounts on third and fourth passengers and free add-ons like bottles of wine or dinner in a for-fee restaurant.
There are however, sometimes lower price options on point-to-point cruises when the cruise line offers a choice between booking the same trip as two cruises back-to-back or a composite booked as one cruise. But hereâs the deal: In some cases the composite is lower, while in others, the back-to-back bookings may be lower. A travel agent can help you sort through the options. Lines that offer these types of options include Viking Ocean, Crystal, Holland America and Seabourn, among others.
Related:
Return To Cruising: Carnival Announces Sailings For 42 Ships
Carnival Corporation has announced plans to resume cruise operations for eight of its brands in the United States, the Caribbean and Europe.
The sailings involve the return of 42 ships by November 30, 2021, representing a little over half of the companys total global fleet of 91 ships. Guest operations will resume using a gradual, phased-in approach and initial cruises will take place with enhanced health protocols developed in conjunction with government and health authorities, and informed by guidance from the companys public health, epidemiological and policy experts, Carnival Corp. said.
Brands returning include AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, P& O Cruises and Seabourn.
Update: Carnival Adds Over $2 Billion to Pandemic Losses
For all of our brands, our highest responsibility and top priorities are always compliance, environmental protection, and the health, safety and well-being of our guests, our shipboard and shoreside employees, and the communities we visit, said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corporation. We are excited to see eight of our world-leading cruise line brands sailing this summer, and to date, weve announced over half of our capacity returning by the end of the fiscal year, as we work to meet significant pent-up demand for cruising and get back to what we do best serving our guests with one of the worlds most popular vacations.
North America Brands:
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Do I Need To Do The Muster Drill For Each Sailing On A Back
Yes, maritime law requires all passengers to conduct the mandatory safety drill on a cruise, regardless of if you did it last week or not.
While you are doing consecutive cruises, each cruise is a separate sailing, and the Coast Guard makes no distinction between someone going on more than one sailing and someone on for just one cruise.
The Ultimate Guide To Carnival Cruise Line Ships And Itineraries
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If the United States has a national cruise line, its Carnival.
The self-described fun ship line is the king of short, affordable, fun-focused cruises from U.S. ports to the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico and other nearby destinations. No matter where you live in the U.S., youre probably within a few hours of a Carnival ship.
You wont find Carnival ships in Asia, South America or, for the most part, Europe. Unlike other big cruise brands such as Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line and Princess Cruises, Carnival doesnt spread its vessels around the world to draw a fly-in crowd. Aimed squarely at Americans, its trips are all about cruising close to home at a reasonable price.
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Chances are, if youre going on a Carnival cruise, youre driving to the ship, not flying, and youre probably not paying much more than you would for a trip to a local beach town.
Youre also not going for anything too highbrow. Carnival ships are all about fun in a very laid-back, unpretentious, nothing-too-fancy sort of way.
What Happens To The Alcohol I Purchase On Back
Generally, any alcohol you purchase ashore or onboard in one of the ship’s duty-free shops will remain checked for the duration of both sailings. However, some cruise lines will allow passengers to take alcohol back to their cabins if it’s purchased on the last night of a sailing. If you’re on a back-to-back and buy booze on the last night of the first cruise, there’s a chance you’ll be able to keep it in your cabin to have for the second voyage.
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Alcohol — such as a bottle of wine — purchased for consumption onboard in the ship’s dining room can be carried over from one sailing to the next.
Tipping Policy On Carnival Cruises
It is customary for our guests to extend gratuities to the shipboard staff in appreciation for their hard work and exceptional service. 100% of your gratuities are distributed to the crew who you interact with, such as your stateroom attendants, dining and culinary services staff, as well as others who work behind the scenes to enhance your overall cruise experience. Applying this charge automatically streamlines the recognition process and ensures our crew will share in your generosity.
To help you plan, we have provided the recommended guidelines:
- Standard Staterooms: $13.99 USD per person, per day *
- Suite Staterooms: $15.99 USD per person, per day *
*Effective with all cruises departing on or after May 1, 2022, Carnival is making adjustments to thier recommended onboard gratuity guidelines, as follows:
- Standard Staterooms: $14.50 USD per person, per day
- Suite Staterooms: $16.50 USD per person, per day
You may pay this daily gratuity in two different ways:
Pre-Pay
Gratuities can be added at the time of booking or anytime up to the sail date. Guests who booked directly with Carnival may add their pre-paid gratuities on Carnival.com. If a guest booked with a travel agent, they may contact their travel professional to add pre-paid gratuities to their booking. Prepaid gratuities are reflected in the ‘Miscellaneous Charge’ field on the confirmation and in the guest’s E-Documents.
Sail & Sign®
Additional Information
No Waiting To Be Called Or Standing In A Queue To Go Ashore
Passengers debark after arriving back in port via two methods. They struggle to haul their luggage down the stairs, halls, elevators, and/or ramps to get off the ship, or their baggage is taken the night before, but in the morning they are required to leave their rooms and wait in one of the crowded designated areas of the ship until their assigned number is called. In contrast, B2Bs can have a leisurely breakfast and linger over coffee until all the other passengers have left the vessel. No waiting in any lines.
Back To Back Guests Will Need To Test
Much of the confusion on how Carnival is organizing guests on multiple cruises had to do with the cruise linestesting requirements for all guests. Testing should be done a minimum of 72 hours before the cruises, and proof needs to be shown in the terminal this presented back-to-back guests with a potential problem. John Heald, the Carnival Cruise Line Brand Ambassador, went into detail about what guests need to do.
Guests who sail on back-to-back cruises do not have to worry too much. The cruise line will do a simple Antigen test before the second voyage starts. Guests on back-to-back cruises but onboard a different Carnival cruise ship within one day of disembarking their first ship have to inform onboard Guest Services in advance.
These guests will then receive the required pre-travel COVID-19 test before they disembark. Guests must present their negative test results upon arrival at the cruise terminal for their next voyage.
Side-to-side guests traveling on a different Carnival ship within 2-7 days of disembarking their last ship only need to show proof of their previous cruise at check-in, and they can then receive the required pre-travel COVID-19 test at the cruise terminal.
Customs And Immigration Are Easy
As soon as the hordes of cruisers in the irritable lines have sifted through, you are led by one of the staff out of the ship and over to immigration, where there is no line. They check your passport, and voila you just walk back on board. Occasionally, the process is even easier A customs official comes to the end of the off-ramp to check the passports.
Enroll In Carnivals Vifp Club
Most cruise lines have loyalty programs that can offer very lucrative benefits and rewards. Make sure you and your travel party are all enrolled in Carnivals VIFP Club, which stands for Very Important Fun Person Club.
Once you have your VIFP number, you can start to access Carnivals member-only fares and specials. You can also start earning points each time you cruise!
New York And Texas Departures
If youre cruising from a departure port in Texas or New York, dont expect to enjoy your beverage package on day 1 of your cruise. Due to state laws, Carnival doesnt allow beverage packages to be available until 6:00 am on day 2 of these cruise.
No fear though! You can still purchase alcohol on the first day. For sailings in Texas, the ship will still offer special drinks that comply with state laws.
Also an important note, you are only charged for days you can access your purchased beverage package. For example, if you are sailing on a 7 day cruise, you will only be charged for 6 days of drinking.
What Is A Back
When someone says they are doing a back-to-back cruise, it means they are doing multiple cruises in a row on the same ship.
Rather than get off the ship at the end of the cruise, they are remaining onboard for another sailing.
Royal Caribbean refers to such guests “Consecutive Cruisers”.
A similar concept is when someone goes on a sailing on one ship and then disembarks to board a different ship right after. That is known as a “side-to-side” cruise.
How Can I Find Out More About Back
TheWhat to Expect on a Cruiseseries, written by Cruise Critic’s editorial staff, is a resource guide where we answer the most common questions about cruise ship life — including cruise food, cabins, drinks and onboard fun — as well as money matters before and during your cruise and visiting ports of call on your cruise.
Early Dinner At Guys Burger Joint
Famous foodie-chef and Food Network Star Guy Fieri partnered with Carnival Cruises to open Guys Burger Joint onboard the company’s cruise ships. You can enjoy a delicious burger and hand-cut fries poolside – the definition of vacation!
Its no surprise that there can be long lines at Guys Burger Joint because everyone wants to try it out. Its a hot spot on the pool deck anytime during the day.
If you want to eat at Guys Burger Joint and beat the crowds, consider eating later in the afternoon right before everyone heads to dinner. This is when youll probably find the shortest line. Consider it a small appetizer before your dinner!
What To Do When You Board
Once you board your ship, you really don’t need to do anything special, though it is worth talking to the guest services team onboard to let them know you will be sailing back-to-back cruises. They will be able to advise you of any special procedures you need to know about and will ensure that your reservations are linked on their internal systems so you are included on the manifest for “in-transit” passengers who are continuing on with the ship on its next sailing.
Doing this on the first day is just a good idea in general, as it eliminates potential complications when one voyage ends and the other begins. In the event you have to change staterooms, guest relations might even be able to assist you with that process.
