If you have ever sailed on any cruise before, you normally have the same feeling on the last night which is usually “I really don’t want to get off tomorrow” shortly followed by “I wish we could stay onboard for another cruise”. I know that I have definitely always felt like this so earlier this year we booked a “Back to Back” sailing (two consecutive cruises on the same ship) onboard the Disney Wish and it was truly one of the best decisions we have ever made.

There are many reasons why people book Back to Back sailings on the same ship. It could be two completely different itineraries giving more opportunity to see a lot of places on one trip, wanting to spend a longer time away from home or in our case, being able to spend seven nights onboard the brand new Disney Wish which only sails short three and four night cruises – booking a Back to Back cruise allowed us the time to do everything onboard that we wanted to do which we would not have been able to on a shorter cruise.

For those of you who are considering booking a Back to Back cruise, I have written this blog and included as much up to date and current information as I can along with a list of Pros and Cons as well as helpful tips and advice which you should know before you sail. Booking a Back to Back cruise is very easy as you simply just book both cruises and the cruise line will automatically know that you are staying onboard for another cruise!

Port Canaveral Back to Back Process as of 2023

On the night before our last full day onboard our first cruise, a letter was left in our stateroom which explained in detail the full Back to Back procedure for when we arrived back at Port Canaveral. We had already completed online check in for both of our cruises before we sailed so there was nothing more that we had to do apart from fill in the short Health Declaration online again on the morning of our second cruise.

As we were staying in the same stateroom for both cruises, we had to vacate our room by 8:00am so it would be ready for us as soon as we reboarded the ship later that morning. This also meant that we did not need to pack any of our bags between cruises and could leave everything exactly where it was.

If you are changing staterooms between cruises, you will need to pack all of your luggage and leave it in your stateroom when you disembark and it will be transferred to your new room for you while you are off the ship – all you need to do is write your new stateroom number on the luggage tags that were left for you. You will also need to vacate your stateroom at 8:00am as well however your new room will be ready for you at 1:00pm.

You can disembark whenever you are ready that morning however you must leave the ship by 9:40am at the latest. Your entire travel party will need to proceed through immigration and customs (so remember to take all of your travel documents with you) and after exiting the building, walk straight back into the terminal to check in for the second cruise.

There is a separate waiting area inside the terminal for Back to Back guests and you will be the first to board the ship which will normally be at 11:15am but it could be earlier or it could even be later if there are any delays such as a Coastguard inspection on the day. All you need to show is the yellow Back to Back card (that was in the envelope with your letter) along with the QR code on your Port Arrival Form. Once back onboard the ship, one of the venues will be open for complimentary speciality tea, coffee and pastries for all Back to Back guests until 12:00pm.

A top tip for your turnaround day is to make sure that you have a portable charger with you for your phone if the battery starts to get low whilst you are waiting to reboard and if travelling with children, make sure to bring an iPad or something similar to help them pass the time.

And onto the pros of sailing Back to Back on Disney Cruise Line…

You Will Only Have to Pack and Unpack Once

It really was the best feeling on the last day of our first cruise knowing that we did not need to pack our bags that night as we were staying in the same stateroom for our second cruise. Back to Back cruises are so much more fun and enjoyable if you can stay in the same room for both sailings as there was no stress which made our trip absolutely perfect. If you are able to book the same stateroom for both cruises, do it!

Also not having to carry anything around with us during turnaround day made such a huge difference as it really made that day a lot more relaxed when everyone else around us seemed to be weighed down with bags whilst they waited to get to their staterooms – exactly like we had been on the first day on the first of our two cruises.

You Can Build Your Castaway Club Status Quicker

There is no better pro on this list than going on two cruises especially when sailing with Disney Cruise Line! As Castaway Club status is determined by the number of cruises that you have taken rather than the number of nights that you have spent onboard, taking two cruises will help you go up to the next Castaway Club level much faster than if you booked just one.

As we turned Platinum at the end of our first cruise on the Disney Wish, we were able to make the most of our new higher status on the second cruise and enjoy a complimentary dinner at Palo Steakhouse as part of our benefits.

Sailing on Two Cruises is Much More Relaxing

Sailing on the Disney Wish for two cruises in a row meant that we spent an entire week on the ship which allowed us more time to be able to do everything that we wanted to onboard – whether it be meeting characters, watching the shows and deck parties or doing any of the activities. When you take a short cruise, you will often have very little chance to relax as there is always something to do as you have much less time to fit everything in. The best thing about a Back to Back cruise is that you can have two busy cruises, two relaxing cruises or one of each – the choice is yours!

On the second cruise it also felt like we had a huge advantage over everyone else as we already knew our way around the ship meaning we were not rushing around and we already knew where the best spots were to watch any of the deck parties onboard. Nothing felt better than sitting on our verandah on the first night of our second cruise with a drink in hand enjoying the sunset as well as the peace and quiet knowing that we did not need to see the show, go to the shops or meet any characters as we had already done everything that we wanted to on the first cruise!

There is More Time to do Everything Onboard the Ship

This follows on from the last pro on the list but if we had done just one cruise, we would not have had enough time on the Disney Wish to be able to do everything that we really wanted to do onboard especially as we also wanted to enjoy dinner at Enchanté which would normally mean missing out on one of the main dining rooms or Pirate Night (all of which are completely different on the Wish compared to the other four ships) which we did not want to do.

So after experiencing all of the main dining rooms on the four night cruise, our three night cruise was for us to sit back and enjoy everything else onboard the Disney Wish as we had dinner at Enchanté, the Enchanté Dessert Experience as well as dinner at Palo Steakhouse to look forward to – it really was a great way to experience the ship!

Sailing Back to Back allowed us to do everything that we wanted to do on the Disney Wish which made the entire trip simply the best!

You Will Have More Time to Explore the Ports

If sailing on two different itineraries you will get to see so many ports (and exploring more places is always good) but if sailing on the same itinerary for both cruises, you will also be able to do a lot more in the ports that you repeat as you will not need to decide what you need to miss out as you can simply do it on the second visit a few days later instead.

For example if visiting Nassau twice, you could explore the port on one cruise and then do something different or stay onboard for the second cruise and treat it as a “day at sea” and enjoy more time on the ship.

Your Dining Experience Onboard Can be Made Even Better

A huge advantage of sailing Back to Back with Disney Cruise Line is being able to stay with the same dining room team or even change your dining rotation, table location or dinner seating with no issues ready for your second cruise. During our first cruise, our Head Server asked us what our preferences were for the next cruise and was able to arrange everything for us including a completely private table which had not been granted (for the first time ever) on the first sailing as the ship was so busy. This meant that we did not have to wait in line along with everyone else to sort any of this out during our turnaround day which was amazing.

As already mentioned being able to dine at Remy, Enchanté or Palo without missing one of the main dining rooms or a certain dinner menu is a definitely a giant bonus to sailing two cruises in a row.

You Will Spend More Time at Castaway Cay

If sailing Back to Back on Disney Cruise Line out of any of the Florida ports, you should be able to visit Castaway Cay twice no matter what your itinerary (Caribbean or Bahamian) so you can do your own version of a “Double Dip” cruise. As there is so much (or so little if you prefer) to do at Castaway Cay, you can spend more time doing exactly what you want whether it be swimming, snorkelling, sunbathing, cycling, running (or walking) the Castaway Cay 5K or even just laying in one of the hammocks underneath a palm tree with a cocktail in hand.

Also from personal experience of being unable to dock at Castaway Cay last year, sailing Back to Back also gives you two chances to visit just in case there is bad weather or any other situation which causes you to sadly miss the island.

There is no Sadness on the Last Night

I remember feeling so sad on the final night of my first ever cruise at the thought of getting off the ship the following day but there is a real feeling of calm throughout the whole first cruise when sailing Back to Back as you know that you still have lots more time onboard and if there is anything that you have missed out on then you still have another cruise to be able to do it.

You Can Enjoy Being Onboard an Empty Ship

On the morning that we arrived back at Port Canaveral after our first cruise, it was a very strange feeling as we were just simply hanging around onboard whilst everyone else was disembarking. But as we did not need to leave the ship until 9:40am that day, we could just take the time and enjoy the peace and quiet of an empty Disney Wish whilst we waited.

It was so interesting to see a near empty ship and watch it being prepared ready for the next cruise a few hours later. If sailing Back to Back, you can get some great photos of an empty ship (as well as an empty terminal at Port Canaveral) with no one in the background and for a short time, it feels like you have the whole ship to yourself which is a wonderful feeling.

Once you reboard your ship, you can also enjoy the peace and quiet for a short time until general boarding begins. You will be able to have your pick of the sun loungers, be the first in line to ride the waterslides with minimal wait as well as eating lunch as early as possible before the buffet or the restaurants get too busy.

It is hard to believe that there could even be any “cons” when sailing onboard two consecutive Disney Cruises, but there are and it is best to be aware of them so you know what to expect – and even possibly turn them around and make them a positive instead.

There is no Fanfare When Reboarding the Ship

Whilst it did not bother either of us in the slightest, I know some people love being announced and welcomed aboard by name when boarding a Disney Cruise Line ship as it is all part of the experience. One thing to know when sailing Back to Back is that when you reboard the ship for your second cruise, there are no announcements and no fanfare – you simply just walk straight back on and it really feels like you never even left the ship.

However as soon as you get back onboard, make sure to enjoy the free speciality tea, coffee and pastries that are especially for the Back to Back guests (these were served in the coffee shop at Marceline Market for us on the Disney Wish) and explore more of the very quiet ship whilst you wait for lunch.

You Will Have to do the Muster Drill Twice

As you are sailing on two separate cruises, you will need to complete the muster drill twice and the only thing more painful than one full “in person” muster drill is having to do two in the space of five days. This is the one time that I truly missed the virtual muster drills as they were a lot easier and made embarkation day a lot more relaxing

You Will See the Same Theatre Shows and Deck Parties

Whilst this could be seen as a negative as everything will be repeated on the second cruise, this can also be a huge positive as if you love watching the shows or the deck parties, you can see them for a second time and even watch them again from a different viewpoint. If one of the deck parties (which has happened to me before with the sailaway party) or fireworks are rained off, it also means that you will have an another chance to watch.

You could also watch all of the shows on one cruise and then use the time on the second cruise to do something different such as enjoy one of the bars when they are empty.

You Will Have the Same Dinner Menus

As you are sailing on the same ship, the dinner menus will normally be exactly the same on both cruises so there will not be any variety but the upside to this is you have the chance to be able to get your favourites again or even try something new that you saw on the menu.

You could also use one of the nights onboard to skip one of the dining rooms and get some food on deck from one of the quick service locations, order room service or even make reservations at Remy, Enchanté or Palo.

You Might be Repeating the Same Ports

On some itineraries (but especially if sailing Back to Back onboard the Disney Wish) you will be visiting the same two ports of Nassau and Castaway Cay on both cruises so it really does feel like you have the biggest case of déjà vu on the second cruise. However you can turn this feeling around by thinking of it as a second chance to do something different in port or more time to be able to do everything that you want to do that you might not have had time for otherwise.

It Can Feel Like You Have One Wasted Day Onboard

Despite sailing two cruises in a row, turnaround day can definitely feel a bit “meh” as you have to get off the ship to clear customs and sit around and wait before you can reboard. Also until you have left Port Canaveral, not all of the venues on the ship are open and everyone else onboard is rushing everywhere around you. It is those few moments when a relaxed day at sea instead without having to do anything would be much more preferable.

However we counteracted this feeling by taking some time out on this day to sit and chill on our verandah after having lunch and we also booked dinner at Enchanté on the first night of our second cruise so we had something to look forward to and it was definitely worth the wait!

Whilst You are Sailing Back to Back, No One Else Onboard Is

Until you have experienced this for yourself, you have absolutely no idea but whilst you are spending two cruises and a much longer amount of time on the ship, the majority of other people are only there for a couple of days so it does not calm down onboard at all as everyone is frantically rushing around to get everything done in a very short and limited amount of time.

Usually on longer sailings (such as a seven night cruise) it starts to calm down everywhere onboard after the third day and the lines for characters also get much shorter but this simply does not happen on a short three or four night sailing and it is very noticeable especially if you have sailed on a longer cruise before and are used to the more relaxed atmosphere.

Despite all of this I am so happy that we decided to book two consecutive cruises on the Disney Wish as it was a great way to spend a much longer time onboard especially when the ship only sails short itineraries. The feeling of knowing that you can get straight back onboard at the end of your first cruise is truly the best but sadly you will have to experience that last night feeling eventually but it will be with a sense of satisfaction that you have done everything onboard that you wanted to.

I sailed onboard the Disney Wish from Port Canaveral in January 2023 and all of the above information is based on my experience there however I am aware that the process can vary between different embarkation ports as well as between different countries. When sailing Back to Back onboard Disney Cruise Line no matter where you are in the world, any important information that you need to know will be given to you on your first cruise.

Since this blog post was written back in 2023, some of the information may no longer be accurate or up to date. Be sure to do your own research and check official websites for the latest details before making any of your own travel plans.

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