So long story short, I got laid off last August and had to cancel my 2 week trip to WDW. FINALLY, 6 months & over 500 job applications later, I start my new job next week. I received a gift card for my birthday last year and used it to make a deposit on my first ever back-to-back cruises!
4-Night Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Wish (never been on before), then a 5-night Very Merrytime Cruise on the Disney Fantasy (have not been on that ship in over 7 years).
How do back-to-back cruises work? As I am changing ships, do I need to take my luggage off the Wish, then go to baggage services to check them into the Fantasy or does the cruise line transfer those from one ship to the other? How does disembark work? Do I go from the ship directly into the top floor of the main building to check into the Fantasy or do I disembark down below, then go back up the escalator to the top floor?
Is it worth doing back-to-backs or should I just do the Fantasy, then do the Wish next year?
I thought about doing the Disney treasure but it’s still really pricey so was gonna give that one a try next year and hopefully the prices will keep coming down
Yes ours were all on the same ship so I’m not sure how it would work to do 2 different ships but I hear talk of it in the Facebook cruise groups so it IS done (and so possible).
If it’s the same day that both ships are in port they will be in different terminals (but right next to each other) in Port Canaveral. My understanding is that you are responsible to get yourself (I’m not sure of the luggage) between the two terminals. If you have a car parked in the garage you’d probably also have to move it as the two terminals have different parking structures. I know there is a shuttle to take people to car rental services, but no idea if there’s any kind of shuttle between terminals. And I don’t know if it’s walkable… I would guess no. Especially with luggage. But I really haven’t ever looked into it…
When we did back to back on the same ship, Disney left a letter with instructions for the disembarking & re-embarking in our stateroom on the last night of the first cruise and it included a ticket we needed to keep with us to present at check-in for re-embarking to indicate we were back to back. If Disney does any kind of guidance or does transport luggage or anything, then you’ll get a letter and follow the instructions in the letter for those things.
For us we had a meeting space on the ship where all the back to back cruisers waited to be escorted as a group as last off the ship & then through customs. There is a tiny bit of time where they have to turnover the terminal to be ready for the next sailing and so for that part we were in the concierge lounge (but not very long). Then we could wait in the terminal and were able to check-in once the staff arrived and got set-up at their desks. Once we were checked in there was also a little bit more wait time to get back on the ship.
The time for us was about 9:30-9:45am getting walked of the ship and by 10:30-10:45am we were checked in and just waiting for the signal to get back on the ship (again as a group together ahead of Group1). We were back on by 11am (and we actually did 3 total cruises so did 2 back to back transfers and the timing for both was very similar).
With the two ships being next door to each other and people needing to figure out the logistics to get between Disney may do a similar process to escort you through/shuttle you to the other terminal, but I know it’s not common and somewhat new so I don’t know exactly. And, with it being a separate terminal/ship I’m not sure they would have you board any earlier like the back to back cruisers on the same ship, but it’s absolutely possible.
I think with the Fantasy & Wish both being in Port Canaveral with some of the time being there the same day, it will become more common to do. If you have FB there are many cruise groups and I’ve skimmed over people’s experiences doing this and so there is info there and it has been done. I just haven’t closely followed the details on how it works to get between terminals.
You are still doing back to back cruises, but I definitely see your point. The term back to back is usually referring to being on the same ship. I don’t know if I’ve heard a universally acknowledged term for two cruises that are back to back but on different ships other than also calling it a back to back. I did see once someone in a FB group call it a side by side, but that was just the one, so not sure it’s catching on.
I agree that this is a side by side, because it’s two different ships. Some abbreviate it S2S, much like a B2B. I’ve seen that term on a few different places.
I think this is something you need to call DCL about, to get the straight scoop on the procedure. I imagine part of it is to talk to Guest Services once you board your first ship and discuss things with them, too.
I suspect you would have to be responsible for gathering your luggage in the port as you leave the first ship, then meet up with a shuttle and go to the second ship. Other cruise lines arrange for a shuttle between their two ships for people doing a same-company side-by-side, since taxi/Uber/Lyft won’t want to do such a short trip.
Thank you everyone for your input. Have decided to just do the Fantasy this year and will plan on doing the Wish sometime next year. Will fly down late afternoon & stay at a WDW resort, then relax the next day & go to Disney Springs, then head for Port Canaveral on Embarkation day. This way I won’t be asking for too much time off my first year at the new job.
It’s been about 8-9 years since I was on the Fantasy, so am looking forward to it. Plus I was able to secure an Aft room at the back of the ship with the oversized balcony! Have had that type of room on my last cruise on the Fantasy & more recently, the Dream and LOVE it! To be at the back of the ship seeing the ocean and the wake from the ship, and especially the sunsets is just breathtaking!!!
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