Best time to become "solo"?

[celoplyr]

Since RCL has made it where you now have to book a solo cabin to get solo sailing points (grumble grumble grumble, they can claim it's always been there, but it was given by the computer as late as Dec last year), my trick to have a second no show person is gone- which I did on the off chance I ever wanted to take a date on a cruise.

 

So, when is the best time to cancel the second person, so that it's cheapest for me? I have 2 cruises booked right now.  Should I cancel now, when prices are still almost what I paid? Should I cancel during a penalty phase- like do I get back 75% of their fare, so it's only 125% of a single fare? Any thoughts?

 

Yes, I'm mad I lost 14 nights, but at least I made diamond already, so it could be worse.

[Lady Hudson]

Can anyone else verify this statement about solo points.  I believe the Crown and Anchor  chart online has not changed.

[twangster]

8 minutes ago, Lady Hudson said:

Can anyone else verify this statement about solo points.  I believe the Crown and Anchor  chart online has not changed.

 

The chart remains unchainged but since the restart some (not all) solo from no-show cabin mate have only reveiced single points much to the dismay of those who counted on booking a ghost as their cabin mate. 

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, celoplyr said:

Since RCL has made it where you now have to book a solo cabin to get solo sailing points (grumble grumble grumble, they can claim it's always been there, but it was given by the computer as late as Dec last year), my trick to have a second no show person is gone- which I did on the off chance I ever wanted to take a date on a cruise.

 

So, when is the best time to cancel the second person, so that it's cheapest for me? I have 2 cruises booked right now.  Should I cancel now, when prices are still almost what I paid? Should I cancel during a penalty phase- like do I get back 75% of their fare, so it's only 125% of a single fare? Any thoughts?

 

Yes, I'm mad I lost 14 nights, but at least I made diamond already, so it could be worse.

You will not be refared  if you cancel the second guest The taxes and fees for the second guest is the only price adjustment made when deleting a second guest.

Edited December 30, 2022 by Ourusualbeach

[Merion_Mom]

It IS now on the website. I was reading it a couple of days ago. 

[twangster]

23 minutes ago, celoplyr said:

Should I cancel now, when prices are still almost what I paid? Should I cancel during a penalty phase- like do I get back 75% of their fare, so it's only 125% of a single fare? Any thoughts?

 

There is no single best time to drop a passenger for all cruises.  It depends what is available the day you call to cancel your 2nd.  If there is a reduced single supplement fare available you might get something back but most of the time it's 200% for solo so you'd get nothing back for canceling a 2nd guest.  It depends. 

 

On my way to 340 and the magic reduced single supplement I paid 200% single supplement for the majority of my solo cruises.  Their ship, their rules.  Yes it sucks but that's the way it is.  I only once used a ghost to get an interior GTY fare that wasn't available to solo guests. 

 

When Cuba was made off limits there were two ships suddenly with no destination so when they redeployed those ships they was no single supplement.  I scored big with that and did a dozen or so on them.  It was great but definitely not the norm. 

[Lady Hudson]

Sorry, I misunderstood.  I thought the OP was saying a change in extra points for solos based on the cabin booked.  Wasn’t even taking into account a no show — though I have been the beneficiary of the extra point when my DH was a no show because of illness.  Thanks for your responses.

[alfaeric]

So you are angry that they closed the loophole that let you pay less than the solo supplement and get double points?

 

 

[Dan83]

42 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

You will not be refared  if you cancel the second guest The taxes and fees for the second guest is the only price adjustment made when deleting a second guest.

Can you book a ghost and then cancel the second guest 3 days out and expect to get the double points?  Or does the cabin need to be originally booked as solo? 

[alfaeric]

3 minutes ago, Dan83 said:

Can you book a ghost and then cancel the second guest 3 days out and expect to get the double points?  Or does the cabin need to be originally booked as solo? 

Wouldn't it be easier to just book a solo cabin?  How would having a canceled roommate be helpful?  You are going to pay the full fare with that short of a cancelation, right?

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, Dan83 said:

Can you book a ghost and then cancel the second guest 3 days out and expect to get the double points?  Or does the cabin need to be originally booked as solo? 

As long as it's cancelled prior to sailing. 

[Dan83]

5 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

Wouldn't it be easier to just book a solo cabin?  How would having a canceled roommate be helpful?  You are going to pay the full fare with that short of a cancelation, right?

A guarantee cabin usually can’t be booked solo. Sometimes people like to save a few bucks. 

[firefly333]

21 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

So you are angry that they closed the loophole that let you pay less than the solo supplement and get double points?

 

 

I'm assuming you dont cruise solo as if a couple can book a gty, only on royal cant a solo book the same gty cabin. If they pay to pick their cabin as a solo then it's more than 200% more than the gty. 

 

Other lines I can book a gty. Makes no sense to me rcl doesnt let me. 

[alfaeric]

4 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I'm assuming you dont cruise solo as if a couple can book a gty, only on royal cant a solo book the same gty cabin. If they pay to pick their cabin as a solo then it's more than 200% more than the gty. 

 

Other lines I can book a gty. Makes no sense to me rcl doesnt let me. 

As far as I can see, that's a different problem.  That's a system problem vs, trying to game the system.

 

So complain about that more than trying to game the system.

[Dan83]

Another scenario this would be helpful, travel companion can’t commit to a sailing when a deal comes up. Go ahead and book both. If one can’t go and the other can, it would still be nice to get the double points for the one that actually gets to sail. 

[Lady Hudson]

9 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I'm assuming you dont cruise solo as if a couple can book a gty, only on royal cant a solo book the same gty cabin. If they pay to pick their cabin as a solo then it's more than 200% more than the gty. 

 

Other lines I can book a gty. Makes no sense to me rcl doesnt let me. 

Interesting.  My sister booked a solo guarantee for a trip in February yesterday.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, Lady Hudson said:

Interesting.  My sister booked a solo guarantee for a trip in February yesterday.

There are some I've heard. But the ones I look at out of Galveston I cant book. Luckily my TA has group rates that are similar. 

[twangster]

1 hour ago, Lady Hudson said:

Interesting.  My sister booked a solo guarantee for a trip in February yesterday.

 

Sometimes a solo GTY is offered.  Sometimes it isn't offered but a phone call will make it happen.  Sometimes a solo cannot book a GTY period.

[gmerick]

FAQ:

 

Q    Do I get double cruise points if my sailing companion cancels and I sail as a single?
A    A booking must be created and sail as a single occupancy, with a paid single guest supplement to cruise fare, to receive the extra single sailor points. When one guest from a multiple-guest occupancy reservation cancels within 100% penalty, their cruise fare is held in penalty within the reservation. This allows the cancelled guest to potentially file a claim with their travel protection provider, if applicable. The booked cruise fare for the remaining guest(s) within the reservation remains the same and no single supplement is applied; therefore, the remaining guests receive Crown & Anchor Society points based on the initial occupancy booked within their reservation.

[Cruise5life]

1 hour ago, Lady Hudson said:

Interesting.  My sister booked a solo guarantee for a trip in February yesterday.

I’m also booked solo in a GTY balcony on the wonder in 30 days.   

[pcur]

3 hours ago, celoplyr said:

Since RCL has made it where you now have to book a solo cabin to get solo sailing points (grumble grumble grumble, they can claim it's always been there, but it was given by the computer as late as Dec last year), my trick to have a second no show person is gone- which I did on the off chance I ever wanted to take a date on a cruise.

 

So, when is the best time to cancel the second person, so that it's cheapest for me? I have 2 cruises booked right now.  Should I cancel now, when prices are still almost what I paid? Should I cancel during a penalty phase- like do I get back 75% of their fare, so it's only 125% of a single fare? Any thoughts?

 

Yes, I'm mad I lost 14 nights, but at least I made diamond already, so it could be worse.

 

Let me make sure, in all fairness to you, I understand your question.  You want to know the appropriate time to cancel your fake second person in your cabin, so you can get the lowest price for sailing as a solo, which you wanted to do all along.  BUT, your fake second person in the cabin is your maybe, but really not, "date"?

 

If I have all that correct in my head, I have two further comments:

 

1.  No way will I assist you in gaming the system.

2.  You sound very much like my 6 year old Granddaughter when I ask her a question she would like to scoot out of answering.  She says, "Well, not that, but actually yes". (She is the Princess of Ambivalence") 

Edited December 30, 2022 by pcur

[celoplyr]

17 minutes ago, pcur said:

 

Let me make sure, in all fairness to you, I understand your question.  You want to know the appropriate time to cancel your fake second person in your cabin, so you can get the lowest price for sailing as a solo, which you wanted to do all along.  BUT, your fake second person in the cabin is your maybe, but really not, "date"?

 

If I have all that correct in my head, I have two further comments:

 

1.  No way will I assist you in gaming the system.

2.  You sound very much like my 6 year old Granddaughter when I ask her a question she would like to scoot out of answering.  She says, "Well, not that, but actually yes". (She is the Princess of Ambivalence") 

I plan on paying the double fare (or as I call it "the price of a room").  Which, should be either 2 people or the single supplement.  I do not want a GTY cabin, but the cabin I already booked. I also do not want a solo balcony.

 

Unless there's a way to cancel at 25% penalty, where I pay my fare and then 25% of the other fare only.  Be odd to me, but hey, why not ask?

 

As for my bf, he exists but doesn't want to cruise. However, I got burned in the past for having a solo cabin, and then a former bf did want to come (I had to reprice with 2 people in the cabin at a higher fare).  With booking cruises 2 years ahead of time, who knows if the same bf will exist. 

 

People book a ghost person all the time, and they pay the same fare as if they had booked solo, but RCL used to give the solo points and now doesn't. I'm absolutely not trying to game the system, the RCL rep I talked to said I have until 30 days beforehand to cancel the second person and get the points. I'm trying to work WITHIN the system, in the most advantageous way possible. And I know that multiple people here book solo all the time, figured they may know more than me.

[Starry Eyes]

45 minutes ago, gmerick said:

FAQ:

 

Q    Do I get double cruise points if my sailing companion cancels and I sail as a single?
A    A booking must be created and sail as a single occupancy, with a paid single guest supplement to cruise fare, to receive the extra single sailor points. When one guest from a multiple-guest occupancy reservation cancels within 100% penalty, their cruise fare is held in penalty within the reservation. This allows the cancelled guest to potentially file a claim with their travel protection provider, if applicable. The booked cruise fare for the remaining guest(s) within the reservation remains the same and no single supplement is applied; therefore, the remaining guests receive Crown & Anchor Society points based on the initial occupancy booked within their reservation.

So, according to this FAQ, the OP should not expect extra C&A points whether the second person on a booking is a no-show or a cancellation.

I guess that means the OP should only cancel the second guest when sure a friend won’t be coming, if at all.

Edited December 30, 2022 by Starry Eyes

[celoplyr]

2 hours ago, alfaeric said:

Wouldn't it be easier to just book a solo cabin?  How would having a canceled roommate be helpful?  You are going to pay the full fare with that short of a cancelation, right?

I don't want a solo cabin, I want the connecting cabin that I have booked (on one cruise) or the balcony cabin I have booked on the ship with no solo cabins. I was wondering if, for some bizarre reason, there was a way to only pay a 125% fee if cancelled at 85 days (rather than the double of paying for two people, or the 200% of a single penalty), or if there was a time of the year that no solo supplement was offered, etc....

 

Basically, as it's a change on RCL's part, now I have to learn how to maneuver that system that they put in place.

[celoplyr]

4 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

So, according to this FAQ, the OP should not expect extra C&A points whether the second person on a booking is a no-show or a cancellation.

I guess that means the OP should only cancel the second guest when sure a friend won’t be coming, if at all.

yup, I was told that you get up to 30 days beforehand (like if you cancel at 31 days beforehand for the second guest you get the points, if you do it 29 days before hand you don't).

 

I'm like 90% sure that I'll be going alone, but it's that 10%... whereas before, you had until 3 days beforehand to change a name, and if they no showed at the pier you got the double points.