Single Supplements now 100%?

[Denarius]

In days of yore P&O used to publish single supplements which were typically of the order of 50%, sometimes less for cruises in the school holidays. They have not done so for some years, and as a single traveller I have suspected that the supplements have gradually been increased during that time. This was confirmed when I costed a cruise to the Canary Islands on Ventura in the Spring of 2022; the fare quoted for sole use of a twin balcony cabin was almost exactly double that for a couple sharing, making it expensive in P&O terms. Is this typical nowadays?

PS I also costed a similar cruise with Saga in one of their single balcony cabins, which at over 185sq feet are almost as big as P&Os twins and roughly twice the size of P&Os. Taking advantage of their early booking discount the fare was only a few hundred pounds more than P&Os, even before allowing fof the fact that Saga is all inclusive incl speciality restaurants. I booked with Saga!

Edited February 27, 2021 by Denarius

[lindylooellalouise]

I think a lot of people will be swapping over to Saga cruises for various reasons we will definitely be booking a Saga cruise when they resume sailing.

[Angel57]

On my last cruise on Aurora in December 2019 the single supplement for a Christmas Markets cruise was 65% (Outside, midship, D deck with double bed).

I have usually paid between 50% and 80% on P&O  but wouldn’t be at all surprised if they raise these percentages now.

[wowzz]

14 minutes ago, lindylooellalouise said:

I think a lot of people will be swapping over to Saga cruises for various reasons we will definitely be booking a Saga cruise when they resume sailing.

I think that as long as you book at launch, when there is an offer of a 35% discount, Saga are beginning to appear very attractive compared to P&O.

[lindylooellalouise]

Yes I agree and compare well to Cunard  grills prices in fact we can’t wait for all this pandemic to be over and to sample a Saga cruise some of the itineraries look great as do the new ships 

[davecttr]

I am not surprised that the single supplements have increased, maybe due to demand as no cheaper inside or oceanview cabins are currently available? Several US cruise lines have a 100% supplement but there are usually special offers now and then. My best solo price on P&O was a 24 nighter on Oceana to the Caribbean and back, only £130 more expensive than a 14 night fly cruise. £13 per night 😁

 

I am looking at Saga as well, especially as Dover is not far away and I like the look of their new ships.

[Windsurfboy]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

I think that as long as you book at launch, when there is an offer of a 35% discount, Saga are beginning to appear very attractive compared to P&O.

 

I think you will find even at launch Saga are about twice the price per day for thier balcony  cabins , ( albeit 15% bigger) compared to a similar P&O cabin balcony  cabin at launch. Yes Saga are all inclusive and much more space per person. However you can buy a wine package and daily speciality dining with P&O and still have a lot of money left. 

 

 Saga single cabins are the same size as P&O normal balcony cabins and 80% roughly of the cost of a Saga double cabin which makes them more attractive.

 

However whether single or double if price is the criteria P&O beats Saga easily  and most other lines.

 

On the other hand the new Saga ships look very nice, and they have a lot more longer cruises of say 3 to 4 weeks 

 

 

 

[Windsurfboy]

2 hours ago, lindylooellalouise said:

Yes I agree and compare well to Cunard  grills prices in fact we can’t wait for all this pandemic to be over and to sample a Saga cruise some of the itineraries look great as do the new ships 

 

We're Booked on their 32 night Black sea out of Southampton for 2022 hoping things will be ok by then .  Saga suites are about 15% more than Cunard QG,  but you get more.  Lovely designed  suite, but I think Cunard QG suites are not well designed,  our P&O suite although same size as Cunard QG  felt much bigger and you get a proper dining table,  P&O feels like a real suite. Saga  looks similiary better designed than Cunard.

 

In the end intinerary dominates, and we now feel like a 2 week cruise is not long enough, especially for the med out of the UK. P&O now only have four  19day med cruises 2 each on  Arcadia and Aurora, all rest are 2 weeks 

 

Edited February 27, 2021 by Windsurfboy

[wowzz]

35 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

think you will find even at launch Saga are about twice the price per day for thier balcony  cabins , (

Not on my cruise! Roughly 50% more for 16 days on SoD versus 16 days on Arcadia in a balcony cabin.

Edited February 27, 2021 by wowzz

[Windsurfboy]

15 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Not on my cruise! Roughly 50% more for 16 days on SoD versus 16 days on Arcadia in a balcony cabin.

 

Looks like a good deal,  but you'd agree that Saga is significantly dearer. It could be a very attractive choice as a well designed spacious  ship with a lot of extras and some good itineraries  . 

[lindylooellalouise]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

We're Booked on their 32 night Black sea out of Southampton for 2022 hoping things will be ok by then .  Saga suites are about 15% more than Cunard QG,  but you get more.  Lovely designed  suite, but I think Cunard QG suites are not well designed,  our P&O suite although same size as Cunard QG  felt much bigger and you get a proper dining table,  P&O feels like a real suite. Saga  looks similiary better designed than Cunard.

 

In the end intinerary dominates, and we now feel like a 2 week cruise is not long enough, especially for the med out of the UK. P&O now only have four  19day med cruises 2 each on  Arcadia and Aurora, all rest are 2 weeks 

 

 

39 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Looks like a good deal,  but you'd agree that Saga is significantly dearer. It could be a very attractive choice as a well designed spacious  ship with a lot of extras and some good itineraries  . 

 

39 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Looks like a good deal,  but you'd agree that Saga is significantly dearer. It could be a very attractive choice as a well designed spacious  ship with a lot of extras and some good itineraries  . 

Absolutely agree 14 nights not enough we have booked 19 nights on Arcadia in Oct 2022 and Cunard B2B 24 nights in Dec 2022 just love longer cruises 

[Windsurfboy]

1 hour ago, lindylooellalouise said:

 

 

Absolutely agree 14 nights not enough we have booked 19 nights on Arcadia in Oct 2022 and Cunard B2B 24 nights in Dec 2022 just love longer cruises 

 

Arcadia in October looks a great cruise enjoy !

 

 should have been on 19 night Arcadia Adriatic  in June ,  will do it some day. We don't cruise in October to March as it's summer in Southern hemisphere and I'm windsurfing,  sharks and all, in South Africa , then hopefully cruise back, 2022 Cunard,  awaiting 2023 launch soon.

[Ardennais]

8 hours ago, Denarius said:

In days of yore P&O used to publish single supplements which were typically of the order of 50%, sometimes less for cruises in the school holidays. They have not done so for some years, and as a single traveller I have suspected that the supplements have gradually been increased during that time. This was confirmed when I costed a cruise to the Canary Islands on Ventura in the Spring of 2022; the fare quoted for sole use of a twin balcony cabin was almost exactly double that for a couple sharing, making it expensive in P&O terms. Is this typical nowadays?

PS I also costed a similar cruise with Saga in one of their single balcony cabins, which at over 185sq feet are almost as big as P&Os twins and roughly twice the size of P&Os. Taking advantage of their early booking discount the fare was only a few hundred pounds more than P&Os, even before allowing fof the fact that Saga is all inclusive incl speciality restaurants. I booked with Saga!

I might be a bit dense here because I’ve never had the need to look at single supplements, but what exactly do you mean by ‘the fare quoted for sole use of a twin balcony cabin was almost exactly double for a couple sharing’? Let’s say that the couple paid £1,000 each making a total of £2,000 for the cabin for the cruise. Do you mean that you were quoted 2 x £1,000  meaning that you would pay £2,000, or that you were quoted 2 x £2,000 meaning that you would pay £4,000? 

[wowzz]

5 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Looks like a good deal,  but you'd agree that Saga is significantly dearer. It could be a very attractive choice as a well designed spacious  ship with a lot of extras and some good itineraries  . 

I think that if you compare a bog standard balcony cabin on, say Britannia, to Saga,  then yes, there is going to be a 100% difference in price.

However,  when you start looking at Arcadia, and especially Aurora, the price differential becomes much less. 

Obviously, in the current environment with pent up demand , FCCs etc, it is difficult to make precise comparisons.

In our particular case, comparing two 16 day cruises that we have booked , one on Arcadia (mid range balcony cabin) and one on SoD, the extra cost of the Saga cruise was £2,400  for the two of us. The transfer to Southampton with Saga will save us about £300 in hotel, meals, petrol and parking costs. The AI drinks on Saga, plus free speciality dining  will save us around £1000.

So, cruising with Saga will cost us about £1000 extra, or  circa £30 each per day. I think that is a reasonable supplement for a small bespoke cruise ship. Others may have other opinions.

  

Edited February 27, 2021 by wowzz

[Britboys]

I think as always, it will depend upon ship and specific cruise. Not sure that 2022 is a particularly good comparator due to the number of FCC's still being used.

With regard to Saga, I think they are now becoming quite good value for those who cruise in a balcony cabin, especially when cruising on P&O's smaller ships.  Where the wheels come off the cart (or that should maybe be where the propellers come off the ship) is with those of us who cruise in standard outside/inside cabins - which of course the Saga ships do not have. I got an outside cabin on Aurora for my 19 night cruise next August for £3100 which includes free port parking. Adding on board spend for drinks and maybe one or two extra-charge meals, I would estimate a cost of around £450, taking into account shareholder benefit of £150. Therefore total cost of cruise being around £3550. Having seen plenty of Saga offers online, I suspect a 19 night cruise with Saga would be significantly more.

[silversurf]

We have a P&O cruise booked for this summer, also a Saga cruise.

Not convinced either will sail, due to countries visited in Europe.

We have always enjoyed our P&O cruises on various ships, but mostly Ventura. But our travel insurance is horrendous. Over £700 for 14 nights in Europe.

Saga insurance is included covering my medical condition and it is all-inclusive of drinks, speciality dining and several excursions as well as a chauffeur driven car from home and back.We went in 2019 and loved the Spirit of Discovery. Excellent food, service and worth the extra money.

But we would still consider P&O for itinerary and different vibe.

Fortunately don’t have to consider single cabins. I have always thought they are priced unfairly.

[Denarius]

16 hours ago, Ardennais said:

I might be a bit dense here because I’ve never had the need to look at single supplements, but what exactly do you mean by ‘the fare quoted for sole use of a twin balcony cabin was almost exactly double for a couple sharing’? Let’s say that the couple paid £1,000 each making a total of £2,000 for the cabin for the cruise. Do you mean that you were quoted 2 x £1,000  meaning that you would pay £2,000, or that you were quoted 2 x £2,000 meaning that you would pay £4,000? 

As underlined. The price P&O quoted for me sole occupancy of the cabin was about twice the fare per person which they would have charged for two people sharing that cabin. Hope that this makes it clearer.

[davecttr]

Just now, Denarius said:

As underlined. The price P&O quoted for me sole occupancy of the cabin was about twice the fare per person which they would have charged for two people sharing that cabin. Hope that this makes it clearer.

Yes, that is how it works so the single supplement %age is what is added on top of what one of two people sharing would pay.

[terrierjohn]

2 minutes ago, Denarius said:

As underlined. The price P&O quoted for me sole occupancy of the cabin was about twice the fare per person which they would have charged for two people sharing that cabin. Hope that this makes it clearer.

But the revenue to P&O for the cabin was the same, so no real profiteering, especially as your on board spend, and the profit from that to P&O would be half the norm per cabin.

[davecttr]

I checked out a Saga cruise to Norway for summer 22 and there was only one available in September. Nine nights for over £3000 with 4 of the days at sea crossing the north Sea. Visiting Gieranger and Olden plus Stavanger. I have booked an Iona 7 nighter for summer 22 calling at the same ports plus Haugosund and two sea days. Forward Balcony cabin on Lido deck for just over £1800 and that is expensive. The lack of a casino on Saga clinched it, I will stick with P&O for now.

[Britboys]

29 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

But the revenue to P&O for the cabin was the same, so no real profiteering, especially as your on board spend, and the profit from that to P&O would be half the norm per cabin.

I understand that when it is a double cabin but P&O offer a number of single cabins which are as expensive or even more so. Thus, you end up paying a lot more for less space. I also understand the on-board spend argument but if course that doesn't work out for the individual. We all know couples who can have a two week cruise and spend less than £100 on board, whereas I am likely to spend over £500. I also wonder too whether solo pax are more likely to book ship's excursions 🤔

Sadly, life seems to be designed for couples and families. Those of us who live and travel solo get a poor deal.

[terrierjohn]

17 minutes ago, Britboys said:

I understand that when it is a double cabin but P&O offer a number of single cabins which are as expensive or even more so. Thus, you end up paying a lot more for less space. I also understand the on-board spend argument but if course that doesn't work out for the individual. We all know couples who can have a two week cruise and spend less than £100 on board, whereas I am likely to spend over £500. I also wonder too whether solo pax are more likely to book ship's excursions 🤔

Sadly, life seems to be designed for couples and families. Those of us who live and travel solo get a poor deal.

I agree singles get a raw deal, I have often wondered what I would do if I was in that situation, and I think I would try to find someone to cruise with, even if I ended up paying the most.

 

[Britboys]

59 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I agree singles get a raw deal, I have often wondered what I would do if I was in that situation, and I think I would try to find someone to cruise with, even if I ended up paying the most.

 

I am lucky in that I have two friends who I can sometimes cruise with, plus I can cruise solo too. I enjoy both options.

 

[Windsurfboy]

18 hours ago, wowzz said:

I think that if you compare a bog standard balcony cabin on, say Britannia, to Saga,  then yes, there is going to be a 100% difference in price.

However,  when you start looking at Arcadia, and especially Aurora, the price differential becomes much less. 

Obviously, in the current environment with pent up demand , FCCs etc, it is difficult to make precise comparisons.

In our particular case, comparing two 16 day cruises that we have booked , one on Arcadia (mid range balcony cabin) and one on SoD, the extra cost of the Saga cruise was £2,400  for the two of us. The transfer to Southampton with Saga will save us about £300 in hotel, meals, petrol and parking costs. The AI drinks on Saga, plus free speciality dining  will save us around £1000.

So, cruising with Saga will cost us about £1000 extra, or  circa £30 each per day. I think that is a reasonable supplement for a small bespoke cruise ship. Others may have other opinions.

  

 

I agree Saga is certainly worth it, or we wouldn't have booked on it.  You pay more and get more on a bespoke ship with twice the space per passenger.  But on a pure price basis P&O wins

Edited February 28, 2021 by Windsurfboy

[wowzz]

5 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

But on a pure price basis P&O wins

Which is totally meaningless,  as you have not taken quality into account. 

I can fly 12 hours in economy,  in a  cramped seat with average food, or fly Club with a proper bed and decent food and drink. On a pure price basis,  economy obviously wins, but some of us prefer quality over price.