Probability of Own Room when not paying for single occupancy?

[sanger727]

OP, when you see a price advertised for a room it is generally going to list half the room cost. So if they want $1,000 for the room, they list $500. 2 people per room and they get $1000. If only one person cruises in the room they almost alwAys want the same money. So if you see $500 as the advertised rate, you can expect to pay as if it were two people - so $1,000.

 

Some lines have single only rooms where the price of the room listed is the price of the room for one. NCL has them and celebrity has them on their newest ship - but celebrity's won't be in your budget.

 

Now once you actually get into a cruise lines website to search for cruises they will often let you price out for a single. So this is when you might be able to see the actually fare for a single. It may be less than the 200% but that's uncommon.

 

 

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[SadieN]

Read the Solo Cruisers board.

Our last Princess cruise a whole bunch of solos got interior cabins for cheap.

 

 

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[paul929207]

Some of the river cruise lines will match singles.

[navybankerteacher]

I want to take a cheap 4-day Mexico cruise. I want to pay the sub-$300 price plus all applicable taxes and fees, etc.

 

I'm wondering if I pay this price which is based on double-occupancy, what will be the likelihood that they will give me my own room if the cruise is not sold out? That is, without paying double the price?

 

'Nice replies' would be appreciated

 

Regards,

While you can probably find something in the $75 per diem range, you wil most likely find it on a line with a 100% single supplement.

 

Particularly in the less expensive categories, the lines make their money in on-board spending rather than fares - the opportunity cost of single occupancy really means that a line would do far better letting two people have a cabin for $500 for four days total than letting one have it for $600.

 

Even If the cruise is not sold out, the line has no incentive to let solo cruisers have their own cabins - that policy would become known, and solos would never book before the last week or so.

 

To answer the question: there is zero chance.

[Elaine5715]

This (from USA Today) may help if you keep on top of it:

 

"With 24 big ships chock-a-block with casinos, water parks, sports and comedy clubs, the emphasis has been on fun over luxury, so the singles market has long been a part of Carnival's target audience. Carnival Cruise Lines offers single supplement waivers on a promotional basis for more than half their fleet at any given time. Departure ports include Vancouver bound for Alaska, as well as Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Tampa, Jacksonville, Port Canaveral, Charleston, Galveston, New Orleans, Los Angeles, New York City and San Juan to destinations in Mexico, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. The single supplement waivers are seasonal and changing, so travelers are advised to check frequently for the latest offers."

That is a completely false information. Another poorly written article.

[Elaine5715]

OP, it sounds like you're new to cruising. If there is a good travel agency near you, or with a toll-free number, I think a conversation with a travel agent would help you decide which cruises and cruise lines you should be looking at for a single occupancy cabin. When you look on line, most cruise prices are given per person, but based on the price that two people sharing would pay, and as you've found it's not always easy to find the price a single cruiser would actually pay.

Actualluyu, it is easy. You just put in One traveler.

[Wheatie59]

This is no different than the vast majority of hotels. You pay the same price for a room whether its one person or two. Yeah, a cruise includes more stuff than a hotel room, food in particular. But then cruise ships have a shot at getting more of your money on drinks, gambling, shops and excursions and they don't have that with a single person in a cabin.

[cb at sea]

If it says $300 PER PERSON, then that means the CABIN costs $600 per night. That's how they price it. They don't put you willy nilly with strangers! If you book alone, prepare to pay the cost of the CABIN!

[Donray]

If you book 2 people in a room that second person has to show up and be on the cruise. If not before the ship sails they will make you pay a single rate.

 

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Not true. You already paid for two people if on does not show and cruise line charges you for another person they are charging three times the per person room rate.

[JVilleGal]

You will have to put in all the Passport details on the mystery guest [emoji15]

 

 

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[JVilleGal]

While you can probably find something in the $75 per diem range, you wil most likely find it on a line with a 100% single supplement.

 

 

 

Particularly in the less expensive categories, the lines make their money in on-board spending rather than fares - the opportunity cost of single occupancy really means that a line would do far better letting two people have a cabin for $500 for four days total than letting one have it for $600.

 

 

 

Even If the cruise is not sold out, the line has no incentive to let solo cruisers have their own cabins - that policy would become known, and solos would never book before the last week or so.

 

 

 

To answer the question: there is zero chance.

 

 

 

Zero chance, you will pay the single supplement. Or you could bring a friend!

 

 

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[firegal2539]

Donray,

I had a friend I was suppose to cruise with on Carnival. She broke her arm and couldn't go and if I wanted the room I had to pay a 150% markup. It came to over $500 more then her and I in the room.

 

 

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[eileeshb]

NCL's bigger ships have the studio cabins but they also offer solo pricing for other cabin classes, I've sometimes seen a standard interior cabin listed cheaper than the studios. While the solo price isn't the same as the per person for double occupancy it is usually less than 200%, normally closer to 150%.

They list solo pricing for cabins on their smaller ships that don't have studio cabins as well.

 

I found the studio cabin perfectly comfortable and plenty of space for me on my first ever cruise. The solos social programme was a great way to meet people on board.

From what I've seen and heard from folks who've tried solo with other cruise lines they regularly have to pay 200% and can still wind up in a cabin with a single twin bed, so check the cabin specifications for whatever cruise line you consider.

[Tatka]

Donray,

I had a friend I was suppose to cruise with on Carnival. She broke her arm and couldn't go and if I wanted the room I had to pay a 150% markup. It came to over $500 more then her and I in the room.

 

 

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Did she just not show up for a cruise?

[firegal2539]

She cancelled and got most of her money back through insurance. I had to pay 150% since we were past final pay.

 

 

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[Elaine5715]

Not true. You already paid for two people if on does not show and cruise line charges you for another person they are charging three times the per person room rate.

No, they do not. You pay for two,

[firegal2539]

I have been a solo cruiser for about 8 years and when I am looking for a cruise I will always get the rate for the cabin I want for two people, then I get the rate for a solo cruiser and it is always 150% of the cruise price. In other words, if the cruise for two is $1000 I will pay almost $1500 for the same cruise. Holland American and Celebrity have charged up to 200% for a solo cruiser. You can do it yourself to see how they really overcharge the solo traveler, just go to any line and do a mock booking for two then for one and you will see the difference.

 

What is even worse, I am handicapped and there is an upcharge for an accessible room. I was looking at a cruise yesterday on Royal and for a Ocean View cabin, regular, it was $1500 for just me, when I put in I wanted an accessible, the price jumped for the cabin to $1800. I think that is terrible, I get stabbed in the back two times for being a solo and handicapped cruiser.

[spookwife]

What is even worse, I am handicapped and there is an upcharge for an accessible room. I was looking at a cruise yesterday on Royal and for a Ocean View cabin, regular, it was $1500 for just me, when I put in I wanted an accessible, the price jumped for the cabin to $1800. I think that is terrible, I get stabbed in the back two times for being a solo and handicapped cruiser.

 

 

are you sure you are comparing exact categories? they may NOT charge more for a HA cabin. but if the HA OV cabin you want is different category OV from the regular, it could be more. there are fewer HA cabins in each category so they sell out fast.

[sail7seas]

are you sure you are comparing exact categories? they may NOT charge more for a HA cabin. but if the HA OV cabin you want is different category OV from the regular, it could be more. there are fewer HA cabins in each category so they sell out fast.

Very good point.

[navybankerteacher]

"Stabbed in the back" seems a harsh term for a line wanting a somewhat higher fare for a larger, less plentiful cabin; or for trying to replace lost revenue from on-board spending resulting from there being one, rather than two, in a cabin. Yes, it is tough -- but implying betrayal seems excessive.

[firegal2539]

spookwife,

 

I am comparing the same category room and I know there are different OV categories. I have cruised one time on Carnival, 20 times on Royal, 10 times on Princess and 5 times on NCL. I have a Holland and Celebrity booked for next year.

 

When I was looking on both Princess and Royal an accessible cabin was $300 more than a regular OV. When I looked on NCL, the accessible, although bigger in square feet, was on a lower deck, Deck 3 (Yuck) and one category lower and they charged $200 more for it.

 

Holland and Celebrity, on the 2018 cruises I booked, had sold out of OV and offered me an accessible balcony for the same price as an OV. I jumped on those two cruises.

 

It is another way for the cruise lines to make money.

 

Candie

[navybankerteacher]

spookwife,

 

...

 

It is another way for the cruise lines to make money.

 

Candie

 

Which, after all, is why they are in business - isn't it?

 

Somehow many posts seem to express the view that the cruise lines' attempting to make money is somehow reprehensible - or at least underhanded.

[firegal2539]

You seem to read between the lines of what I am saying. Do you think it is fair for the cruise lines to double charge (or more) for a cabin and then charge even more for an accessible cabin? As I have said, I have been looking for a 2019 cruise on Princess and Royal. For two people in an OV cabin, one cruise was around $2000, for me the cruise went up to $2600 and if I wanted an accessible cabin it rose to almost $2800. On your next cruise that costs $2000 for you and your traveling companion, you wouldn't mind paying $3000 or $4000 for it, since they are in the business of making money. Let them make the money off of you instead of me.

 

I understand they are in the business of making money, but to take it out on a handicapped solo cruiser and not couples or two friends who cruise together, that just isn't correct in any way. I am not saying it is the cruisers fault, it is the cruise line in their pursuit of the bottom line.

 

So on your next cruise just hand them an extra 50% so you can see just what it feels like to be charged $3000 for a $2000 cruise.

 

I love to cruise and I won't stop because I have learned there are ways of getting discounts to lower the 150 to 200% mark up, by gambling in the casino and getting casino rates, by earning cruise certificates or by booking through a group reservation by my TA, all which save me some money.

 

Please quit trying to read between the lines of my posts.

[JVilleGal]

Highly sought after cabins that are in limited supply = higher cost

 

 

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[sail7seas]

You seem to read between the lines of what I am saying. Do you think it is fair for the cruise lines to double charge (or more) for a cabin and then charge even more for an accessible cabin? As I have said, I have been looking for a 2019 cruise on Princess and Royal. For two people in an OV cabin, one cruise was around $2000, for me the cruise went up to $2600 and if I wanted an accessible cabin it rose to almost $2800. On your next cruise that costs $2000 for you and your traveling companion, you wouldn't mind paying $3000 or $4000 for it, since they are in the business of making money. Let them make the money off of you instead of me.

 

I understand they are in the business of making money, but to take it out on a handicapped solo cruiser and not couples or two friends who cruise together, that just isn't correct in any way. I am not saying it is the cruisers fault, it is the cruise line in their pursuit of the bottom line.

 

So on your next cruise just hand them an extra 50% so you can see just what it feels like to be charged $3000 for a $2000 cruise.

 

I love to cruise and I won't stop because I have learned there are ways of getting discounts to lower the 150 to 200% mark up, by gambling in the casino and getting casino rates, by earning cruise certificates or by booking through a group reservation by my TA, all which save me some money.

 

Please quit trying to read between the lines of my posts.

Fair? Who ever promised us life is fair? If they did, they were sadly mistaken. stop looking for fair. It is a hopeless mission. IMO