Any chance of single cabins on HAL?

[sugarcharlie]

Is there a possibility HAL's next ship, or even their current ones, can ever be fitted with a few single person cabins?

 

Although I usually have a cabin mate to travel with, occasionally I find a trip I'd like to take but have no one that is available to join me. It is a little rough paying twice the fare to travel alone, but I'm considering doing it for a Canada New England cruise.

 

The NCL Epic has single rooms for solo travelers that are priced comparably to the regular fares for double occupancy. They are small, but they also have a lounge just for the single travelers to enjoy.

 

I really love HAL but would be able to sail more frequently if this was an option.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't see HAL having cabins made just a single person.

And HAL is more interested in adding cabins for 2 on the other ships.

HAL makes more money on cabins with 2 people in them -- drinks, shops, speciality restaurants, maybe the casino -- 2 people spending versus 1 person spending.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I don't see HAL having cabins made just a single person.

 

And HAL is more interested in adding cabins for 2 on the other ships.

 

HAL makes more money on cabins with 2 people in them -- drinks, shops, speciality restaurants, maybe the casino -- 2 people spending versus 1 person spending.

 

Not just HAL. Except for those single cabins on NCL, it's very much Noah's Ark--set up for twos--all around the cruise industry. I have seen a fair number of 'no single supplement' offers on river cruises, but it's rare on ocean cruises.

[Scrapnana]

There is one single cabin on the Prinsendam. As a solo traveler, I feel your pain. I cannot afford to sail on HAL unless I have a friend to go with me.

[RuthC]

From your keyboard to Seattle's monitor, Sugarcharlie. But don't expect to see single cabins in our lifetimes.

Once upon a time in Holland America land there were single cabins on the ships.

But the funny thing was, the price of those selected cabins was the same as any other cabin in comparable categories when you added in the single supplement for those other cabins. Not only was there no bargain for the solo passenger, there was a limited choice of cabins!

I believe HAL still has the single share program, although it is not as attractive financially as it used to be. And sometimes you can find a cruise with a lower single supplement than double the pp/do rate.

We singles just have to bite the bullet and pay more. We either cruise less often, book lower category cabins, or give up other little luxuries to indulge.

[RuthC]

There is one single cabin on the Prinsendam.

There are three single cabins on that ship---two outsides and one inside. I've stayed in the inside cabin, and really like it.

Sometimes the inside cabin isn't available for booking on a given cruise. I don't know why it's held aside; I've wondered if it was reserved for entertainers???

[cruz chic]

I don't see HAL having cabins made just a single person.

And HAL is more interested in adding cabins for 2 on the other ships.

HAL makes more money on cabins with 2 people in them -- drinks, shops, speciality restaurants, maybe the casino -- 2 people spending versus 1 person spending.

 

Yeah, so they like to pretend. I'd be willing to match my spending to any couple and I bet mine would be more. I've seen some very thrifty couples.

[TiogaCruiser]

As of January HAL was still doing single shares. I was on same cruise as Ruth and had one. There was quite a hefty single supplement still that went with it ( but less than double). On the next sailing the price I was quoted was about $80 less than paying for 2 for a 20 day cruise.

 

I ended up in a higher level cabin alone. One draw back to SS program is you can't track price drops like you can with outright single or double occupancy.

[sugarcharlie]

I've got until tonight to decide if I want to go solo on a 7 day N.E./Canada cruise. My kids, (all adults) seem to be busy that week and suggested I go on Craigs list or online to find a shipmate.:eek: I'm an adventurist, but not to that extent!!

 

The Epic single cabins are really tiny and are probably half the size of a regular cabin, so I think the only additional cost to put a few on a ship is for the plumbing.

 

I remember being on a cruise some years back where I ran into a lot of cruisers who belonged to an organization that sponsored a trip. They had a feature where their website would help you find a cabin mate if you were a single cruiser. They took a profile as to your demographics, smoking preference, health issues, etc. and paired them up. It seemed to work OK for them as best as I could see. They were all women between the ages of 21 and 85 and the group was called the Just Us Girls Society. I remember they wore T shirts with the letters J.U.G.S on them!

[Esri]

Yeah, so they like to pretend. I'd be willing to match my spending to any couple and I bet mine would be more. I've seen some very thrifty couples.

 

They are not "pretending". They are using statistical analysis. A one person sample size is not statistically significant.

 

I hate the single supplement as much as you do, but unless it benefits the cruise lines' bottom lines to change that practice, they won't do it. We can either suck it up or vote with our feet. Griping about it on Cruise Critic isn't going to change anything.

[Scrapnana]

As of January HAL was still doing single shares.

 

I used to do single shares on coach tours in Europe. I actually had some great roommates, one of whom I traveled with 4 more times. But now that I am older it does not appeal to me at all, especially on a ship! As Esri says, we just have to "suck it up" and pay the single supplement or not cruise.

[startwin]

Is there a possibility HAL's next ship, or even their current ones, can ever be fitted with a few single person cabins?

 

Although I usually have a cabin mate to travel with, occasionally I find a trip I'd like to take but have no one that is available to join me. It is a little rough paying twice the fare to travel alone, but I'm considering doing it for a Canada New England cruise.

 

The NCL Epic has single rooms for solo travelers that are priced comparably to the regular fares for double occupancy. They are small, but they also have a lounge just for the single travelers to enjoy.

 

I really love HAL but would be able to sail more frequently if this was an option.

 

Have you actually seen those NCL singles cabins? My gosh they are teeny, and with see-through bathroom door... if indeed there is a door. A friend of mine sailed in one, took lots of photos. I'd prefer to pay the supplement:o

[cubfan63]

Have you actually seen those NCL singles cabins? My gosh they are teeny, and with see-through bathroom door... if indeed there is a door. A friend of mine sailed in one, took lots of photos. I'd prefer to pay the supplement:o

 

I have no interest in NCL for other reasons, but I don't have a problem with a see-thru bathroom door since I am the only one in the stateroom.

[Oceanwench]

NCL is including single cabins on its two newest ships, as well -- Breakaway and Getaway.

They do seem tiny, but the private lounge area for those staying in the single cabin seems to compensate a bit! :)

[RD64]

The prices for the NCL singles are not that great a bargain - for the last two years, I have compared the prices on the Epic to Princess. This year the price differential was only $75 in favour of Princess - so I went with Princess, and had a much larger cabin than the studios on Epic.

[cruz chic]

They are not "pretending". They are using statistical analysis. A one person sample size is not statistically significant.

 

I hate the single supplement as much as you do, but unless it benefits the cruise lines' bottom lines to change that practice, they won't do it. We can either suck it up or vote with our feet. Griping about it on Cruise Critic isn't going to change anything.

 

Please explain where I was griping about it? Also which cruise line do you work for that you have the inside information.

[cruz chic]

The prices for the NCL singles are not that great a bargain - for the last two years, I have compared the prices on the Epic to Princess. This year the price differential was only $75 in favour of Princess - so I went with Princess, and had a much larger cabin than the studios on Epic.

 

That's what I found too.

[Typhoon1]

Most likely it will not. Singles are not money makers.

 

It is all about increasing the revenue stream these days.

[BruceMuzz]

Please explain where I was griping about it? Also which cruise line do you work for that you have the inside information.

 

I work for a major cruise line and do have that information.

Single travelers - as a group - spend far less on average than couples do.

On my vessel, 98% of single travelers spend less than a comparable cabin with 2 guests inside.

We really don't care what a single individual traveler spends. That number is too insignificant to make any difference to us. We can only consider averages and trends with large numbers.

 

Many travelers do not realize the full importance of the difference between cabins for 2 and cabins for 1.

When we build a ship, we look at the cost of building a cabin, and then calculate how much revenue that cabin needs to generate to make us profitable.

This year, the total cost of a standard cabin on a new cruise ship will cost us somewhere between $310,000 and $350,000. Having one bed or two beds in that cabin has very little effect on the construction cost. But in the grand scheme of business, the number of beds in that cabin has a huge effect on the profitability of that stateroom.

 

Complicating that issue, we have many stockholders who have this crazy (and frankly somewhat selfish) notion that we should pay them dividends on all the money they invested in our company. So as much as we would like, the generally charitable act of giving a single cruiser a financial break at the cost of lost profits for the stockholders is not going to happen.

[TiogaCruiser]

I work for a major cruise line and do have that information.

Single travelers - as a group - spend far less on average than couples do.

On my vessel, 98% of single travelers spend less than a comparable cabin with 2 guests inside.

We really don't care what a single individual traveler spends. That number is too insignificant to make any difference to us. We can only consider averages and trends with large numbers.

 

Many travelers do not realize the full importance of the difference between cabins for 2 and cabins for 1.

When we build a ship, we look at the cost of building a cabin, and then calculate how much revenue that cabin needs to generate to make us profitable.

This year, the total cost of a standard cabin on a new cruise ship will cost us somewhere between $310,000 and $350,000. Having one bed or two beds in that cabin has very little effect on the construction cost. But in the grand scheme of business, the number of beds in that cabin has a huge effect on the profitability of that stateroom.

 

Complicating that issue, we have many stockholders who have this crazy (and frankly somewhat selfish) notion that we should pay them dividends on all the money they invested in our company. So as much as we would like, the generally charitable act of giving a single cruiser a financial break at the cost of lost profits for the stockholders is not going to happen.

 

So you're saying the calculation is made by numbers of cabins and not square footage? Why? How would two small cabins work out ( at 60% the floor space?) would 90 or 100 square foot cabin be practical?

[kirin]

Yeah, so they like to pretend. I'd be willing to match my spending to any couple and I bet mine would be more. I've seen some very thrifty couples.

 

I am with you here. I think there is a misconception about solo cruisers - that they are socially inept people who have no friends to cruise with and spend very little on board.

 

Most of the solo cruisers I have met are extremely adventurous and determined to enjoy their cruise, which includes paying freely for whatever they want.

 

There was a post here a few years ago from a couple who walked off the ship with a "zero balance" owed to HAL. I can only assume they cancelled the HSC.

 

I remember the "we-only-sail-in-suites" couple who, mistaking me for a newbie, told me how to get the HSC removed.

 

Then, there was the "if-we-can't-have-a-balcony, we-don't sail" couple who brought glasses of wine to the MDR from their cabin. The wife had the screw top bottle in a tote bag and refilled their glasses when she thought the waiters weren't looking.

 

I spend freely on board - it's my vacation - and I am not going to trawl the internet pre-cruise trying to find Happy Captain Bob's Pina Colada Catamaran Cruise that is $5 cheaper than a similar HAL excursion. When I feel like doing an excursion, I book it with the ship.

 

HAL might not be making a lot of money off me, but I can't believe they are losing money, after I have paid the full double occupancy fare, spent freely on-board and make my nightly contribution to the casino.

 

Kate

[sugarcharlie]

I think adding a few single studio cabins would accommodate the solo cruiser just as having connecting rooms accommodates a family. I have seen two or three school age children in a room adjoining their parents room making it possible to have a wonderful family vacation. I doubt that cabin is generating a big profit for HAL unless the kids are buying liquor and spending time in the casino:rolleyes: They want to have families travel with them.

 

If having some studio single accommodations wasn't working for NCL, I doubt they would be adding them to their new ships.

 

When a ship has a thousand cabins, having ten studios will not kill their bottom line IMO. How many single people are they losing by not being able to offer a single rate might be something they might want to research. I agree with the previous poster that the single cruiser is not the one that is trying to pinch the pennies as much as the couple who pride themselves on removing the hotel service charges and stiffing the hard workers on the ship.

[cruz chic]

I am with you here. I think there is a misconception about solo cruisers - that they are socially inept people who have no friends to cruise with and spend very little on board.

 

Most of the solo cruisers I have met are extremely adventurous and determined to enjoy their cruise, which includes paying freely for whatever they want.

 

There was a post here a few years ago from a couple who walked off the ship with a "zero balance" owed to HAL. I can only assume they cancelled the HSC.

 

I remember the "we-only-sail-in-suites" couple who, mistaking me for a newbie, told me how to get the HSC removed.

 

Then, there was the "if-we-can't-have-a-balcony, we-don't sail" couple who brought glasses of wine to the MDR from their cabin. The wife had the screw top bottle in a tote bag and refilled their glasses when she thought the waiters weren't looking.

 

I spend freely on board - it's my vacation - and I am not going to trawl the internet pre-cruise trying to find Happy Captain Bob's Pina Colada Catamaran Cruise that is $5 cheaper than a similar HAL excursion. When I feel like doing an excursion, I book it with the ship.

 

HAL might not be making a lot of money off me, but I can't believe they are losing money, after I have paid the full double occupancy fare, spent freely on-board and make my nightly contribution to the casino.

 

Kate

 

It sounds like you and I are very much alike. I've had similar experiences. I once had a "suite couple" at my dining table. They also were letting people know the hsc can be removed:rolleyes:. They removed theirs because they were upset about an excursion.

[cruz chic]

So you're saying the calculation is made by numbers of cabins and not square footage? Why? How would two small cabins work out ( at 60% the floor space?) would 90 or 100 square foot cabin be practical?

 

Now don't be bringing common sense to this:D.

[cruz chic]

I work for a major cruise line and do have that information.

Single travelers - as a group - spend far less on average than couples do.

On my vessel, 98% of single travelers spend less than a comparable cabin with 2 guests inside.

We really don't care what a single individual traveler spends. That number is too insignificant to make any difference to us. We can only consider averages and trends with large numbers.

 

Many travelers do not realize the full importance of the difference between cabins for 2 and cabins for 1.

When we build a ship, we look at the cost of building a cabin, and then calculate how much revenue that cabin needs to generate to make us profitable.

This year, the total cost of a standard cabin on a new cruise ship will cost us somewhere between $310,000 and $350,000. Having one bed or two beds in that cabin has very little effect on the construction cost. But in the grand scheme of business, the number of beds in that cabin has a huge effect on the profitability of that stateroom.

 

Complicating that issue, we have many stockholders who have this crazy (and frankly somewhat selfish) notion that we should pay them dividends on all the money they invested in our company. So as much as we would like, the generally charitable act of giving a single cruiser a financial break at the cost of lost profits for the stockholders is not going to happen.

 

I am also a shareholder.