If you enjoy taking one Disney cruise, it stands to reason that you’ll enjoy taking back-to-back cruises twice as much! (I aced my college Intro to Logic class, so trust me on this.) In October 2015, my wife Jenn and I got to experience a back-to-back on the Disney Magic – a 5-night Caribbean cruise followed by a 4-night Bahamian voyage – and suffice it to say, we weren’t disappointed.
The transition from cruise one to cruise two is fairly straightforward. On the day before disembarkation, you’ll receive instructions on where to meet with your fellow back-to-backers when you hear “last call.” Once there, you’ll soon be escorted off the ship, through customs, and to the check-in desk. And when that’s taken care of, it’s just a short wait in the cruise terminal before you’re permitted back on the ship!
Chillin’ at Fathoms with our fellow B-to-B’ers, awaiting further orders.
If you’re staying in the same stateroom, there’s no need to do anything with your possessions – everything will be just where you left it, and you can typically return to your room as soon as you re-board. And if you’re changing staterooms, while you do have to pack up your stuff, the housekeeping crew will transfer your luggage, and your new room will receive priority cleaning so you can enter it as early as possible – usually, several hours before the “newbies” can get into theirs!
For those of you who have considered doing a back-to-back, I have assembled a list of “pros” and “cons” based on my own experiences. Now, I will readily concede that the “cons” on the list are more along the lines of “minor irritations” than “deal breakers” … because let’s be honest, back-to-backs offer everything you love from a Disney Cruise, times two. What’s not to like?
Cooling my heels in our stateroom before “last call.”
PRO: More days (and nights) in the Disney cruising bubble. I know what you’re saying: “Well, dur-hey.” But a pro’s a pro, and getting extra time to take advantage of everything a Disney cruise has to offer should top any smart traveler’s wish list. More ports and at-sea days, more opportunities for meets-and-greets, more chances to load up on souvenirs… it’s all good.
CON: Repetition. No getting around it… when you take consecutive cruises on the same ship, you can’t avoid getting bombarded with a heavy dose of déjà vu. You’ll generally experience the same dinner menus, the same stage shows (save for specialty acts), and many of the same activities. Of course, this can also be seen as a “pro” – if you’re a fan of a particular menu item you have another chance to enjoy it. Or, if you’re not in the mood to watch a show on the first cruise, no problem… just wait to catch it on the second go-round.
PRO: Gloating privileges. I’ll come right out and admit it: There is something enormously satisfying about watching your fellow passengers file off the ship while you get to hang back and anticipate another cruise. Sure, it may not be the most “Disney” mindset, but hey, you paid for the privilege, so why not enjoy the moment?
The disembarkation parade… only this time, you’re a spectator.
CON: The “lost day.” While disembarkation occurs for the rest of the passengers, there’s not much for “stay behinds” to do but wander the ship or hang back in your room (assuming you’re staying in the same one), as all stores, restaurants and activity areas are closed. And when you finally have to leave the ship, it takes about an hour to go through customs and wait for the green light to re-board. Bottom line, there’s a good chunk of down time that doesn’t occur on a longer single cruise.
PRO: Empty ship = primo photo-taking opportunity. Actually, there is one thing to do… if you enjoy getting pictures of the ship without a lot of people in the background, this is your time. So get out on deck and start snapping!
CON: The solitude is sweet, but fleeting. While it’s cool to have the ship to yourself (more or less), it’s a short-lived perk… you’ll probably have no more than an hour after re-boarding before other passengers start filling up the ship again. Still, early access does mean first dibs at the Cabanas dessert counter!
The glorious emptiness of the ‘tween-cruise deck.
PRO: Rackin’ up Castaway Club points faster. A 5-nighter backed by a 4-nighter offers the same cruise length as a single 9-nighter, but counts as two cruises… which in our case was just what we needed to reach Gold Castaway Club status!
CON: The “hangover” effect. This one’s a little weird, but hear me out: When you’re on a cruise, after a few days you become pretty accustomed to seeing the same people over and over again – not only at your dining table, but around the ship in general. So when they all leave and you stay behind, it feels somewhat strange to suddenly be surrounded by a bunch of new faces… sort of like being at a party where you really overstayed your welcome. But then again, there are worse problems to have, right?
PRO: For Bahamian and Caribbean cruises, an extra day at Castaway Cay. Actually, our second cruise had two stops at Castaway Cay, so I really got to feel at home there… so much so that by the third day, I inquired about housing opportunities. (Nothing currently available, unfortunately.)
CON: Back-to-back cruises means back-to-back muster drills. Because the only thing more soul-crushing than enduring a muster drill is enduring two muster drills.
PRO: A perfect excuse to eat at Palo twice. Because “yum” never gets old.
CON: No matter how many back-to-backs you take, Disney will eventually expect you to get off the ship. Seriously, there’s no reasoning with these people.
