Question regarding single suppliment

[ISABELLA]

Singles also don't buy two specialty dinners in one night, or two photo pacjkages or two shuttle tickets in a port, or two airport transfers or two bourbon tastings of a night, or two Reidel wine seminars and the list if the cruise lines lost potential revenue goes on, so they have to make it up somehow

 

what is the % of doubles that do that? After 50+ cruises, I don't buy any pictures, we never drank bourbon, Reidel seminars never interested me.

So they make up on single supplement for the doubles that DO NOT do what you listed.

[ISABELLA]

Singles do get double Captain's Club points now, that change was implemented starting july of this year.

 

Factor into the mix a couple of other things -- singles only have to put down one deposit on a stateroom. Recently I reserved a stateroom with a deposit of $450 while my friends had to pay $900 for their deposit.

 

There was a $300 OBC offer. I will get the entire $300, they will get $150 per person.

 

It doesn't entirely make up for the extra that a single pays, but these things should not be overlooked in the discussion.

 

Putting half of the deposit does not reduce the total cost. I happily will give up half of the OBC for not paying double for the cruise

[ISABELLA]

Your last question in the paragraph...."what do you think"?

 

I think cruiselines want 2 people in the cabin. PERIOD. Do I like the

SS? NO. Do I love to cruise and realize that is the way it is? YES.

 

I have been sailing solo for 11 years now and I stopped looking at the

SS a long time ago. I look at the price of the cruise and if it is within

my budget...if the price, itinerary and time are good? Then I book it.

If it is more than I can afford? I don't.

 

Just so you know, NCL has single cabins, if you want to pay less money,

check them out. And from what I have read, Royal's new ship, Quantum

will have single cabins too.

NCL? The photos of the cabins look like a teeney padded room:eek: (in

my opinion)....no desire to sail with them.

 

Celebrity, as well as most mainstream lines always have a SS...it is

just the nature of the beast.

Your recourse? Don't sail with those lines.......not saying that to sound

sarcastic. I just know it is what it is.....I love cruising solo and will

pay the price for my own cabin.

 

Lois,

I am well aware of what other lines are offering. I like X and just stating my point of view. I am ending up looking at " price for the cabin" is what it is.

I did book the solo cabin on Anthem - will see how that will go.........

[workingonlytocruise]

I don't know anyone who has tried to book a double at a Guarantee Rate and then had their phantom companion just not show up, but that might work. If anyone has been successful at that it would be interesting to hear from them.

 

I just called Celebrity to price a cruise that has good pricing even for a solo. I asked about the guarantee balcony and got a price then asked about the guarantee concierge. I was told I couldn't get a price for the guarantee as a single. But then she suggested putting a phantom person in then called closer to cruise time and dropping the second person. So, it was recommended by Celebrity res agent.

[cruisestitch]

Quite interesting! I'll be trying this for sure!

[ISABELLA]

Thank you all for posting your views.

[ptrpanpens]

I have booked several guarantee rates with celebrity as a solo. You have to go through Captains Club and not the agents because they will just tell you No. Also, if they say No just ask them to call the resolution department and they will approve it. At least that is what has always happened with me. You have to be firm and insist, though, and of course you still have to pay double the fare for single occupancy.

 

The web site will not let you book a guarantee for a single, which is why you must call celebrity. I know they can do it because I just upgraded recently to guarantee rates on the constellation even though it was technically restricted to double occupancy plus it was after final payment and supposedly for new bookings only.

 

Good luck and keep trying until you get a yes answer because I know first hand it is possible and that they have the flexibility to do it.

[chicagopaul]

This is definitely an interesting topic and it is interesting to see how the cruise line adapting to solo travelers. As someone mentioned before NCL is offering solo cabins and NCL even has specific single lounges as well.

 

With regard to why a SS must be 100% it is simply the fact that they sell a cabin and don't charge per person. For instance, imagine they only charged a 25% SS and only singles traveled on a certain cruise. The cruise itself would not be a profitable one.

 

I don't travel alone, but I would like to see X come out with solo pax cabins when they come out with new ships. I think diversity in people on a cruise (from all walks of life) is what makes cruising very appealing to us. I think solo cabins opens up cruising to a whole new market. If I was single I can only think of a couple of friends I MIGHT want to cruise with so I would likely be cruising alone. Traveling with a spouse is difficult enough as it is, let alone with someone else :eek:

 

Cheers & Happy Cruising!

[Lois R]

Lois,

I am well aware of what other lines are offering. I like X and just stating my point of view. I am ending up looking at " price for the cabin" is what it is.

I did book the solo cabin on Anthem - will see how that will go.........

 

Hi, I know you were stating your point of view. You asked for people's

thoughts. I gave mine too.

[lysolqn]

Singles also don't buy two specialty dinners in one night, or two photo pacjkages or two shuttle tickets in a port, or two airport transfers or two bourbon tastings of a night, or two Reidel wine seminars and the list if the cruise lines lost potential revenue goes on, so they have to make it up somehow

 

Agreed, but then again, there are also some "doubles" who don't spend one cent more than the cost of their cabin while on the ship!

[cruisestitch]

Quite true, but if everyone did that the cruise line would certainly be increasing the price of the staterooms accordingly.

 

The way that stateroom pricing works, the cruise line is almost selling the room at a loss. If passengers don't buy photos, shore excursions, specialty dinners, spa treatments, Zumba classes, etc etc etc the cruise line does not really make any money.

 

Yes, there are some people who spend virtually nothing on board. But there are also people who book all the above listed things, plus buy purses in the gift shop and they gamble in the casino and they pay for Internet and the cruise line has this all factored in. Without them, stateroom prices would have to be increased.

 

And since it is pretty much a given that a single cannot possibly buy two specialty dinners on one night, or take two shore excursions simultaneously, or sign up for two Reidel tastings, this is all factored into the reason why the cruise line charges double. I don't like it, but at least I understand it.

[Nancyluvs2cruise]

I am just now entering the world of solo cruising. I priced several cruises and some lines want more than double the pp cabin rate for a single. I guess this to account those those ephemeral extras that they expect you to purchase. I would hate to tell them that I was the only one who ever bought those things as my BF didn't care about them! They made money on me, not him. That is a real eye opener for me. I ended up booking with Royal and they knocked off a couple hundred for my Diamond Status, and the room was on sale because it was a late booking. That may be the easiest way to go and make it more affordable. I have an agent at Celebrity checking their program out for me.

[ariawoman]

I probably shouldn't say this, but since I lost my DH this year and am now going to be cruising alone, I feel like I've just received another problem.

 

Anyway, why can't a single book a double and then, after the cabin is assigned or at least somewhere down the road, cancel the second person out? I know it will mean paying a higher deposit but..................

 

If you book a double and then cancel the second person, you're still charged the single supplement. So there's no difference there. You will as a single always pay the cruise fare of 2 people; but won't pay the extra taxes/fees/grats. I wouldn't like it either, but, it is what it is.

 

There has to be at least 2 people in any given cabin on Celebrity - that's the rule. If you want to have 1 you have to pay a single supplement.

 

If people don't want to pay the single supplement - both RCL and NCL have studio cabins now available on select ships. Of course - you won't find them on the higher end - you'll be getting less space. Friend of mine has a studio balcony on the Quantum for our January cruise. I've seen photos of it and well, it's smaller but for just him, it's just fine. He has the same bed area just no couch/desk area. He has a large verandah all to himself and the same bathroom as a regular cabin of the class.

Edited September 29, 2014 by ariawoman

[ariawoman]

I just called Celebrity to price a cruise that has good pricing even for a solo. I asked about the guarantee balcony and got a price then asked about the guarantee concierge. I was told I couldn't get a price for the guarantee as a single. But then she suggested putting a phantom person in then called closer to cruise time and dropping the second person. So, it was recommended by Celebrity res agent.

 

Yes but the res agent failed to mention the pricing would be exactly the same, minus the extra taxes/fees/grats for person 2 in the cabin :-)

[Sloop-JohnB]

I just called Celebrity to price a cruise that has good pricing even for a solo. I asked about the guarantee balcony and got a price then asked about the guarantee concierge. I was told I couldn't get a price for the guarantee as a single. But then she suggested putting a phantom person in then called closer to cruise time and dropping the second person. So, it was recommended by Celebrity res agent.

 

Yes but the res agent failed to mention the pricing would be exactly the same, minus the extra taxes/fees/grats for person 2 in the cabin :-)

 

True enough.

 

But at least now WORKINGONLYTOCRUISE can have access to the Guarantee... And no doubt it's special rate.

 

Something she otherwise was being "closed out of" (dare I say discriminated against ?) cause she chooses to travel solo

 

They tell her that Cabin B she can buy for double rate / full Cabin Price ... Because she is a solo traveller

But Cabin A goes on sale and they tell her she cannot buy it even for double rate / full Cabin Price .. Because she is a solo traveller

 

BS... I say.

 

Cheers!

 

 

Cheers!

Edited September 29, 2014 by Sloop-JohnB

[dwhe]

Singles also don't buy two specialty dinners in one night, or two photo pacjkages or two shuttle tickets in a port, or two airport transfers or two bourbon tastings of a night, or two Reidel wine seminars and the list if the cruise lines lost potential revenue goes on, so they have to make it up somehow

 

That's not a fair analogy. In our 4 cruises so far we have never brought specialty dinners, never brought a photo or airport transfers, no bourbon tasting or Reidel wine seminars. So who's going to have to pay to make up that?

[cruisestitch]

It is a fair analysis --

 

The cruise lines have extensive analysis of passenger spending. They know the average per person optional spending, analyzed for many different factors. They know, for instance, the average amount spent by country of residence, by age, by whether or not you are traveling in a family group or as a couple or as a single, by gender, and probably dozens of other analysis.

 

The price of a stateroom is, as anyone can tell, low in comparison to many other types of vacations. The cruise lines make their money on all the extras.

 

a similar situation exists in restaurants, where the price of the food is often low but the profit comes in the purchase of beverages. You see it where a hamburger is cheap but a Coke's price is outrageously high, or where a steak is a relative bargain, but the markup on a bottle of wine is high. They know that not everyone buys a soft drink or a bottle of wine, but enough do that it in essence "subsidizes' food price for all.

 

If enough people do not buy a Coke or a coffee or a bottle of wine, over time, food prices have to rise to cover costs. If enough people do not spend money shore excursions, massages, wine tastings, internet, gift shops, casinos, and all the other pay situations, the price of the staterooms will rise.

 

Since it is a given that singles cannot buy double the extras simultaneously, the stateroom cost increases starts with them.

[workingonlytocruise]

If you book a double and then cancel the second person, you're still charged the single supplement. So there's no difference there. You will as a single always pay the cruise fare of 2 people; but won't pay the extra taxes/fees/grats. I wouldn't like it either, but, it is what it is.

 

There has to be at least 2 people in any given cabin on Celebrity - that's the rule. If you want to have 1 you have to pay a single supplement.

 

If people don't want to pay the single supplement - both RCL and NCL have studio cabins now available on select ships. Of course - you won't find them on the higher end - you'll be getting less space. Friend of mine has a studio balcony on the Quantum for our January cruise. I've seen photos of it and well, it's smaller but for just him, it's just fine. He has the same bed area just no couch/desk area. He has a large verandah all to himself and the same bathroom as a regular cabin of the class.

 

 

I know that - you weren't getting what I was getting at. I'm talking about the specials. There are a lot of specials for couples that singles can't get - some of the guarantees for example can only be booked for 2 in a cabin - not for 1 paying double.

 

I have no interest in a cramped studio cabin or those insides made for singles. I will not be punished by a cruiseline because my DH died.

 

I am well aware I will be paying more as a single, I just intend to get the best I can afford and where I want to be.

[ptrpanpens]

I know that - you weren't getting what I was getting at. I'm talking about the specials. There are a lot of specials for couples that singles can't get - some of the guarantees for example can only be booked for 2 in a cabin - not for 1 paying double.

 

I have no interest in a cramped studio cabin or those insides made for singles. I will not be punished by a cruiseline because my DH died.

 

I am well aware I will be paying more as a single, I just intend to get the best I can afford and where I want to be.

 

Once again, I want to reiterate my earlier post that you CAN book the specials for sole occupancy, even those after final payment that are on exciting deals or Captains Club rates and supposedly for new bookings only.

 

I have done it several times, most recently on the Constellation cruise I am taking in a little over three weeks where I upgraded from inside to concierge, and then again to Aqua on exciting deal rates for sole occupancy by paying the difference. This rate was supposedly for double occupancy and new bookings only and would not come up on the webpage for single occ so I had to call Celebrity directly. Also, do not talk to the regular agents but call Captains Club as they are more flexible and ask them to speak to the resolution desk if they still say no.

 

I have gotten at least four upgrades on the cheap specials this way after final payment and for single occupancy in a cabin.

 

Just be persistent and do not take no for an answer. Others I know have also done it so i know it is possible. As others have said, and you already know, the price will be double for one person, of course.

[workingonlytocruise]

Once again, I want to reiterate my earlier post that you CAN book the specials for sole occupancy, even those after final payment that are on exciting deals or Captains Club rates and supposedly for new bookings only.

 

I have done it several times, most recently on the Constellation cruise I am taking in a little over three weeks where I upgraded from inside to concierge, and then again to Aqua on exciting deal rates for sole occupancy by paying the difference. This rate was supposedly for double occupancy and new bookings only and would not come up on the webpage for single occ so I had to call Celebrity directly. Also, do not talk to the regular agents but call Captains Club as they are more flexible and ask them to speak to the resolution desk if they still say no.

 

I have gotten at least four upgrades on the cheap specials this way after final payment and for single occupancy in a cabin.

 

Just be persistent and do not take no for an answer. Others I know have also done it so i know it is possible. As others have said, and you already know, the price will be double for one person, of course.

 

I am more than aware of that. My point was airiawoman was misreading what I was posting. It isn't necessary for me to call Capt. Club, reason's I won't go into. I am in an aqua on my upcoming Reflection cruise. I really do know what I'm doing.

[tonyrocks922]

Things may be different in the US but here in Australia it is a very very rare thing to be able to pay for just one person in a hotel/motel room.

Perhaps in a small pub type place but the general hotels there is the same charge whether 1 or 2 persons use the room. So in effect it is a 100% single supplement. If you have extras in the room there is an extra charge for each person over the 2. Some of the upmarket hotels allow children under the age of 10 or 12 to sleep free in the existing bedding if with the 2 paying adults.

Of course going upmarket you are paying more anyway for the room.

eg. 1 person in room $200pn 2 persons in room $200pn and if have 2 kids something like $25 extra pppn so a family of 2 /2kids $250 unless staying at the under 12's free places.

I have travelled quite extensively and my favourite country to be staying as a single is Japan. I stay at business hotels generally at or within a couple of minutes walk of the railway station. They have genuine single business rooms with single beds and are generally something like 60% of the cost of a double.

 

It's exactly the same in the US, 99% of hotels rent rooms based on Double Occupancy. 1 or 2 people pay the same rate.

[tonyrocks922]

what is the % of doubles that do that? After 50+ cruises, I don't buy any pictures, we never drank bourbon, Reidel seminars never interested me.

So they make up on single supplement for the doubles that DO NOT do what you listed.

 

That's not a fair analogy. In our 4 cruises so far we have never brought specialty dinners, never brought a photo or airport transfers, no bourbon tasting or Reidel wine seminars. So who's going to have to pay to make up that?

 

Someone did the math based on annual reports in another thread, and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd makes something like 90+% of it's operating profit on on-board purchases, the profit margin on fares alone is very slim.

 

Although not all passengers buy extras, many do, and whatever % do is the % chance that a second passenger in a cabin will, while the chance of a non-existent second passenger buying extras is 0%.

[dwhe]

It is a fair analysis......

Sorry I don't agree but I respect your opinion.

[ghstudio]

Someone did the math based on annual reports in another thread, and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd makes something like 90+% of it's operating profit on on-board purchases, the profit margin on fares alone is very slim.

 

Although not all passengers buy extras, many do, and whatever % do is the % chance that a second passenger in a cabin will, while the chance of a non-existent second passenger buying extras is 0%.

 

Based on the way some are suggesting the justification, I vote for a surcharge on children who are too young to drink and aren't admitted to many of the specialty restaurants.

Edited September 29, 2014 by ghstudio

[Cuizer2]

Why there is a 100% single supplement? Does he or she eats for 2 people? get entertained for 2 people? I travel solo and I get nothing for 2 people, except the cabin, which I don't mind to pay more- say 25%, but not 100% more. I don't think it's right. Hotels don't charge double for 1 person staying in the room. I know that some might say that cruise line will loose potential revenue. But that is what extra 25% - 30 % should be cover. What do you think?

 

Hotels charge by the room, not by the person. If you get a hotel room for $200 per night and you are a couple, you are paying $100 for each for each person. If you are solo you are paying $200 for each person.

 

Cruise lines charge by the person BASED ON DOUBLE OCCUPANCY. You are paying for the room, not for the bed. If you put a third or fourth person in the room, there is a reduced charge for the third or fourth person.

 

Since the hotel room does not include meals or entertainment, hotels do not charge extra for the third or fourth person.

 

If you want two seats for yourself on an airplane, you pay for two full seats. You don't get a discounted rate for the second seat.