Sick and tired of the Solo's getting ripped off.

[CruisinHeels]

You will occasionally find a RCI promo sailing with a reduced or zero single supplement. They are few and far between, but they are out there. NCL seems to offer this promo more than other lines, but Celebrity does them too. RCI offers it rarely, but I have seen it. There is a vacations.... website where singles discounts can be easily searched. Don't think I'm allowed to say which one in this forum.

 

I appreciate your position. I sometimes travel with a buddy and we prefer separate cabins. He usually gets a casino rate or comp, I don't play as much. As a solo, I prefer the inside cabins, dark and cool like a cave! Haha!

Edited March 29, 2017 by CruisinHeels

[JoyMouse]

I also sail solo and may not like it but I also pay for 2 (or 4) people in a hotel room whenever I book - it is like a ship cabin - price is per room not person. I prefer to cruise (found a land coach tour in Europe made cruising look like a bargain) and prefer the freedom that going solo without room mates allows. Don't feel "ripped off" - if you feel that way find another type of vacation or share a room.

 

 

 

Thanks, but I'm not the OP nor do I feel ripped off--just quoting her words. I was trying to gently poke at the logic, let her know I knew where she was coming from, and make sure I was interpreting her complaint properly.

 

As I read it she either chooses to pay $1726 for a full balcony or $1163 for a studio balcony saving her $563. In my opinion it's not costing her $300 more but rather saving her almost $600.

[franl24fan]

I will have 340 points by the end of 2017. So I have been eagerly looking at 2018 cruises as they open up.

 

Snap, the itineraries are just the same old ports, almost no repositioning or cruises more than 12 days, except for TAs. Was really disappointed that some unique cruises offered in 2017 were changed to fewer days and same old ports. As of now I see nothing worth booking in 2018.

 

So, for me as a solo I finally reach 340 points, but all those cruises also means there are nothing new for me, except for new ships going to the same old ports. Oh well, I do have land options for my travel.

[sr4mjc]

I know when I was pricing hotels in Europe for a land vacation, it was frequently quoted per person or the rate changed for a single, double or higher occupancy.

[GUT2407]

Your hotel rate doesn't include food/beverages or entertainment. And many if not most hotels do charge more per person beyond 2 in a room. What exactly do the additional people use that costs them more? Use a couple towels?

 

 

It also doesn't factor in that the bulk (all according to some) comes from on board spending and one spends less than two.

[GUT2407]

As for pricing of studio cabins, like all cabins they will charge what they can get.

[ONECRUISER]

Embassy Suites Ft. Lauderdale, Night of April 29th.

 

1 Guest

 

4 Guests

 

2 Guests

 

King bed rooms change, while double stay the same.

 

Sent from a mobile device

Thank you for responding for me...

[ONECRUISER]

Which ones? I have stayed at hotels owned by most (if not all) of the major names and have never seen a room rate that is higher for two adults than it is for one.

 

Not saying you are 100% wrong...but would like to know the name of one so I can verify it is true.

Sorry you didn't believe me, as you see someone above helped me. I traveled for US ARMY almost 30 yrs spending as long as 10.5 months a yr in hotels, so knew I was right...

[ColoradoGurl]

I understand the frustration, because you are an honest person who genuinely wants to sail by yourself and are having to pay for an additional person who won't be there. I have been looking into taking a solo cruise soon and came across the same frustration, although I just rolled my eyes about it and accepted it, because I realize there are several reasons this has to happen.

 

For one, if they charged only half the rate for you to sail by yourself, then less honest people (or maybe I should say, "resourceful people who figured out how to capitalize on a loophole") would take a cruise (let's say it's just 2 people), each person would book their own room, each paying the price of 1 person, but now they have more space; 2 bathrooms, 2 closets, double the space for the same price. The ship would sell out twice as fast for half the revenue. There's really no way around this other than to have single rooms available, and charge a little more for them to de-incentivize people who aren't traveling alone to pretend that they are.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[BermudaBound2014]

I am a solo traveler and respectfully disagree with the OP. I think that Royal Caribbean's solo balcony or perhaps one of the best deals on the sea for a solo. A solo balcony cabin is 119 ft compared to a regular balcony cabin which is 198 ft. So with one in a cabin you're actually getting 20% more square footage (as a double you would only get 99 sq ft per person).

 

Not to mention, if you can snag one of the oversized solo balconies, the balcony itself is huge and the "48"s look nearly double the balcony deck space.

 

I'm sure this changes with each sailing, but my rate was 10% more than a double. In other words, regular balconies were selling for 999 per person and I paid 1099 for my solo.

 

I'm leaving this weekend for an annual solo trip and am thrilled to try the solo balcony. While not perfect, I think rcl is headed in the right direction for the solo traveler.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[LisaAtlCruiser]

I am a solo traveler and respectfully disagree with the OP. I think that Royal Caribbean's solo balcony or perhaps one of the best deals on the sea for a solo. A solo balcony cabin is 119 ft compared to a regular balcony cabin which is 198 ft. So with one in a cabin you're actually getting 20% more square footage (as a double you would only get 99 sq ft per person).

 

Not to mention, if you can snag one of the oversized solo balconies, the balcony itself is huge and the "48"s look nearly double the balcony deck space.

 

I'm sure this changes with each sailing, but my rate was 10% more than a double. In other words, regular balconies were selling for 999 per person and I paid 1099 for my solo.

 

I'm leaving this weekend for an annual solo trip and am thrilled to try the solo balcony. While not perfect, I think rcl is headed in the right direction for the solo traveler.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I can tell you are going on Anthem. I think that is hands down the best ship for solo travelers! I had 6648 March 2016 and have 7648 Nov 2018. For this August I went with an inside virtual view studio as I wanted to experience the virtual view.

 

But you are right on target that Anthem really does price their studios correctly. LOVE LOVE LOVE it for solo travel.

[ravensbad]

Royal Caribbean is in the business of making money, it doesn't make sense for them to charge less than people are willing to pay. Obviously, people are willing to pay what they are asking, otherwise those cabins would be cheaper.

[NJporkroll]

Bye

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[perditax]

Just chiming in as a potential RCI solo cruiser who has never, ever found one of these mythical solo cabins where the pricing made any sense to me. (Usually I can't find them at all, so there's that.) Thus I've been stuck with NCL for the most part, and while I have issues with them they at least provide some additional solo amenities and a coordinator.

 

No, RCI does not owe me a solo cabin. Just providing a data point.

[setsail]

Funny how posters on cc post about being ripped off about everything yet they keep right on booking or doing the same things over and over.

[Pmorton3360]

I've been lucky enough to find some good solo prices. I'm sailing Princess Crown in September for New England/Canada for 799plus 150 obc. It was available for about a week. Also got a Regal March 2016 for about the same. Next winter I'll be 9 days on Royal Grandeur for 851. Sometimes you just have to get lucky and book it when you see it.

 

Sent from my BLU STUDIO 5.5 HD using Forums mobile app

[dswallow]

I'd have a lot more sympathy for RCL if they could at least allow us to search single-occupancy prices easily, right from the front of the search. And where we could see and compare prices across the board rather than having to individually pick each and every date of a sailing and each and every time change the number of adults back to one to see the pricing, then, cabin type by cabin type, explore each type to see single occupancy prices.

 

Yeah, I know about cruiseplum, but that's no excuse for intentionally being so difficult to customers interested in single occupancy cabins.

[Biker19]

Yeah, I know about cruiseplum, but that's no excuse for intentionally being so difficult to customers interested in single occupancy cabins.

Have you ever considered that their web site is designed that way to generate more income? Or drive traffic to TAs?

[LisaAtlCruiser]

Just chiming in as a potential RCI solo cruiser who has never, ever found one of these mythical solo cabins where the pricing made any sense to me. (Usually I can't find them at all, so there's that.) Thus I've been stuck with NCL for the most part, and while I have issues with them they at least provide some additional solo amenities and a coordinator.

 

No, RCI does not owe me a solo cabin. Just providing a data point.

 

If you want to see an example (as I have pointed out a couple times in this thread) look at Anthem of the Seas. But you need to look at 2018 or 2019 as the studio staterooms sell out FAST!

 

If you don't book as soon as itineraries are released, I am afraid you will never find these cabins as there is so few of them they go fast. I got one on Brilliance for March 2018 but there are only 3 on the entire ship - so they are already gone.

[Shocked91]

I recently did a 2 week cruise with NCL on the Breakaway.I had my own studio cabin and paid £1,400.I had a free premium drinks package and had use of the studio lounge.I cruised on the Escape last Jan again in a studio cabin also had the drinks package.Flights included with the price.

[RocketMan275]

I recently did a 2 week cruise with NCL on the Breakaway.I had my own studio cabin and paid £1,400.I had a free premium drinks package and had use of the studio lounge.I cruised on the Escape last Jan again in a studio cabin also had the drinks package.Flights included with the price.

There is no such thing as a "free" drink package. There are "included" drink packages. You paid for the drink package but it was "included" in the fare.

[Thetrail]

$863 is listed as pp for balcony so you feel it is acceptable to add another $300/.258% ontop and stick you in a tiny solo balcony cabin and RCI calls it a solo balacony rate. That is ripping solo's off. I know on a straight normal cabin you pay %15 higher as a solo. That means it costs you 215% more than actually 2 people in the same cabin. It is in the metric of when less $% comes off you pay more. Do the Math.

 

I've spoken to C&A and they don't care. Well when others get as sick as me and the industry starts tanking, because the economy is tanking they will care. We are basically on a bubble again. It is going to break.

 

Why these sales are a pure joke. 30% off a just marked up 50% does not a sale make!

 

It's been fun! This solo is beyond tired of getting ripped off paying 25% to 30% higher after the 200% to have the right to board a ship. Hence I didn't book and nor was I dropping $250.00 deposit. Lake house is looking better every day.

 

 

 

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk

Still not getting your rant, the rate seems reasonable for a solo. On top of that your rant about "the industry tanking" well your solo will be sold out regardless if you cancel or decide not to cruise, sorry, just saying....K.O.:eek:

[caddykid12]

There is no such thing as a "free" drink package. There are "included" drink packages. You paid for the drink package but it was "included" in the fare.

 

Wrong the package is free. Fare is the same weather u book it with or with out. Only thing u do is pay the 199.08$ as the 18% gratuity on the package for what it would cost at 79/day

[Shocked91]

There is no such thing as a "free" drink package. There are "included" drink packages. You paid for the drink package but it was "included" in the fare.

 

True but it's still way cheaper than Royal.

[RocketMan275]

Wrong the package is free. Fare is the same weather u book it with or with out. Only thing u do is pay the 199.08$ as the 18% gratuity on the package for what it would cost at 79/day

Oh, you paid for the 'free' drink package alright. Did you ask for a fare that didn't include the 'free' drinks?