SOLO TRAVELERS BEWARE

[scorpiony3358]

I'm a solo traveler and I've traveled on Regent many times. I found a 16 night trip in July from Stockholm to Copenhagen on the Splendor. This cruise has a 25% single supplement which is great. They also advertise a Gift of Travel promotion that must be booked by January 6th. What they don't tell you is that this promotion is not available to solo travelers! 

 

If they want solo travelers then they should provide us with all promotions like they did in the past. 

[BQEC]

Good to know, thank you for your information.

[scorpiony3358]

BQEC if you like River Cruises I just finished a 10 night on Uniworld which included 2 nights in Milan. No single supplement. Have a Uniworld trip booked for April 5 Budapest to Bucharest 10 nights with no single supplement. 

[SWFLAOK]

My brother sometimes travels with us and a 25% single supplement makes him happy. For the 2 of us, we often book early since we like to have a good choice of cabins. We often see a better deal after we book, but when we look at what we might lose from our original reservation, it hasn't been worth it. In fact, we have an upcoming cruise where we have 2 people traveling with us who will be in single cabins with a 50% single supplement. We saw a better deal for the 2 of us, if we rebooked, but if they rebooked, it would have cost them much more. Since we wanted cabins close together, and didn't want to lose ours to save a few hundred dollars, we didn't rebook.

[papaflamingo]

On 1/3/2023 at 6:52 PM, scorpiony3358 said:

I'm a solo traveler and I've traveled on Regent many times. I found a 16 night trip in July from Stockholm to Copenhagen on the Splendor. This cruise has a 25% single supplement which is great. They also advertise a Gift of Travel promotion that must be booked by January 6th. What they don't tell you is that this promotion is not available to solo travelers! 

 

If they want solo travelers then they should provide us with all promotions like they did in the past. 

Pretty sure you started this discussion on another platform, correct?  If not, then I'll simply repeat what I posted there.  The 25% solo supplement is a special promotion as is the Gift of Travel promotion.  If you read the rules, the promotions can't be declined.  If you'd rather have the Gift of Travel promotion, then decline the 25% solo supplement promotion and book the cruise with the standard solo supplement and then get the other promotion.  

You aren't asking to get what others get, you're asking to get TWO promotions. No one is denying you anything. Here is the applicable part of the Terms and Conditions for the Gift of Travel promotion from the Regent website.

 

"Offer is available to all suite categories* and may not be combinable with other offers.".

 

Here's the applicable part of the Terms and Conditions for the Solo Supplement special promotion:

 

" Single Supplement savings are not combinable with Upgrade Offers, Resident Specials, Special Savings for Kids, or other promotions."  

 

Pick the one you'd prefer, but like everyone else, you are only entitled to one promotion according to the Terms and Conditions posted on the website.

Edited January 6, 2023 by papaflamingo

[SusieQft]

19 hours ago, SWFLAOK said:

Since we wanted cabins close together, and didn't want to lose ours to save a few hundred dollars, we didn't rebook.

Our TA has been able to "cancel and rebook" us in the same cabin whenever this situation has arisen (several times, including at least once or twice on Regent).  If the promotion is still active, it might be worth asking your TA if they can do that.

[scorpiony3358]

BQEC if you like River Cruises I just finished a 10 night on Uniworld which included 2 nights in Milan. No single supplement. Have a Uniworld trip booked for April 5 Budapest to Bucharest 10 nights with no single supplement. 

[scorpiony3358]

PapaFlamingo,

All I'm saying is if Regent put "Not Combinable with other promotions" time would not be wasted. Remember they do or did give discounts for past cruisers along with other promotions. 

[SWFLAOK]

1 hour ago, scorpiony3358 said:

BQEC if you like River Cruises I just finished a 10 night on Uniworld which included 2 nights in Milan. No single supplement. Have a Uniworld trip booked for April 5 Budapest to Bucharest 10 nights with no single supplement. 

I didn't see anything that would make me think that they were looking for a River Cruise. Regent doesn't have those. We have taken a River Cruise on Viking, and having encountered Uniworld ships along the our 2 week cruise, I would avoid Uniworld.

[SWFLAOK]

1 hour ago, scorpiony3358 said:

PapaFlamingo,

All I'm saying is if Regent put "Not Combinable with other promotions" time would not be wasted. Remember they do or did give discounts for past cruisers along with other promotions. 

There 's a difference between a loyalty reward and promotions. Regent, and many other ocean cruise lines, have loyalty programs that are separate from promotions. From our experience, you cannot have multiple promotions, but you can have a promotion as well as your loyalty rewards based on cruise nights.

[PhD-iva]

3 hours ago, SWFLAOK said:

I didn't see anything that would make me think that they were looking for a River Cruise. Regent doesn't have those. We have taken a River Cruise on Viking, and having encountered Uniworld ships along the our 2 week cruise, I would avoid Uniworld.

I say the complete opposite. Having talked to pax on Uniworld who have previously traveled on Viking, they’d say (and I agree), “Avoid Viking and enjoy Uniworld.”

YMMV.

[papaflamingo]

15 hours ago, scorpiony3358 said:

PapaFlamingo,

All I'm saying is if Regent put "Not Combinable with other promotions" time would not be wasted. Remember they do or did give discounts for past cruisers along with other promotions. 

All promotions, specials, etc. have conditions.  They're very easy to find.  Your TA should have told you when you asked.  That's part of their job.  But it's fairly common knowledge that promotions can't be combined, common among most business,. but definitely the cruise lines.  When I book I always compare the price with the promotion or without the promotion but other perks like frequent cruiser discounts, etc.  

My objection to your original comment, "If they want solo travelers then they should provide us with all promotions,"  is that It's completely  incorrect.  You do have the option of ALL promotions.  Take the ONE you like the best, just like we non-solo travelers do.  We don't get combinable promotions, and don't have the opportunity to a deep discount like the solo supplement.  

As for "wasting your time," if you don't read the printed Terms and Conditions, then you are going to continue to waste your time.  And as soon as you priced out the cruise you were made aware of the inability to combine promotions.   And yes, you STILL get other perks based on the Frequent Cruiser program. Those are earned perks, not "other promotions."  You get those perks with this particular promotion too (unless it says otherwise in the Terms and Conditions).

Edited January 7, 2023 by papaflamingo

[scorpiony3358]

PapaFlamingo,

First I've had multiple promotions combined and have been cruising since 1999. I usually take 3+ trips per year. Second you missed my point regarding wasting my time as all I was saying it would be nice for the companies to mention that the promotion is not combinable. Third you complain about solo travelers getting a better deal well how's about the two for one discounts and no single supplement on most cruise lines. Its difficult for solo travelers to find deals was my point. 

[Pcardad]

37 minutes ago, scorpiony3358 said:

PapaFlamingo,

First I've had multiple promotions combined and have been cruising since 1999. I usually take 3+ trips per year. Second you missed my point regarding wasting my time as all I was saying it would be nice for the companies to mention that the promotion is not combinable. Third you complain about solo travelers getting a better deal well how's about the two for one discounts and no single supplement on most cruise lines. Its difficult for solo travelers to find deals was my point. 

 

Solo promotions are usually reserved for when the cruise line has a lot of unsold rooms. Ideally, the cruise line would have two paying guests in a cabin, not 1 guest paying a lesser amount. Having said that, Regent does offer specials for singles travelers and they will tell you about them if you call and inquire. Some of them are very attractive.

[papaflamingo]

15 hours ago, scorpiony3358 said:

PapaFlamingo,

First I've had multiple promotions combined and have been cruising since 1999. I usually take 3+ trips per year. Second you missed my point regarding wasting my time as all I was saying it would be nice for the companies to mention that the promotion is not combinable. Third you complain about solo travelers getting a better deal well how's about the two for one discounts and no single supplement on most cruise lines. Its difficult for solo travelers to find deals was my point. 

1.  It doesn't matter if you've had "multiple promotions combined" (my experience with promotions cruising since 1998 is the opposite). this one is not combinable.   That's the only promotion of interest.

2. I didn't "miss your point," and the rules were "mentioned' quite clearly in the Terms and Conditions for the promotion. All you have to do is select the "Terms and Conditions" prompt on the bottom of the page.

3.I never complained about solo travelers getting a better deal," I stated that we aren't offered the same solo supplement discount that you are.  I'm not complaining at all.  I'm simply stating the obvious.  And the 2 for one discount is a marketing only ploy.  My point was that a 25% solo supplement is a pretty sweet financial discount, much better than a 3 day pre-cruise program, right?  So you have a choice... pay the full supplement and take the pre-cruise tour, or choose the 25% solo supplement.  If you were offered both, then how would that be fair to non-solo cruisers who are only offered a single promotion.  That's not a "complaint," it's an observation. 

As to the normal solo supplement.... the cruise lines make 100% of their money by the NUMBER of passengers in each cabin.  If you could sail in a cabin for no supplement, the cruise line is losing money.  It's not like a hotel where it's priced per cabin no matter how many are occupying it,  it's per PERSON based on double occupancy.  Imagine if every cabin was sold solo with no supplement.  The cruise would lose have it's revenue.  In the old days, on other cruise lines at least, you could sail solo with NO supplement but would be assigned a roommate who is doing the same, or you could pay the supplement and get a cabin to your self.  Now they just face the obvious and only offer solo supplement cabins,  

[AtA]

9 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

My point was that a 25% solo supplement is a pretty sweet financial discount, much better than a 3 day pre-cruise program, right?  

Are you trying to say that the fact a single cruiser gets 25% off the price of a room is a sweet deal when they don't use 2x the shore excursions, they don't eat 2x the food or drink 2x the booze? Seems to me those of us who double up in a room are the ones getting the "pretty sweet financial deal" versus the solo traveler. And as such I think they too should get the other promotions or at least be able to get it for a discounted rate. Seems to me the cruise ship is still coming out ahead.

[papaflamingo]

12 hours ago, AtA said:

Are you trying to say that the fact a single cruiser gets 25% off the price of a room is a sweet deal when they don't use 2x the shore excursions, they don't eat 2x the food or drink 2x the booze? Seems to me those of us who double up in a room are the ones getting the "pretty sweet financial deal" versus the solo traveler. And as such I think they too should get the other promotions or at least be able to get it for a discounted rate. Seems to me the cruise ship is still coming out ahead.

No. They don't get "25% off," they get the single supplement for 25% of the second passenger's room COST.  That's a tremendous savings when compared to the normal single supplement. 

I don't actually know what the normal single supplement is.  So I can't comment on whether or not they pay for the entire cabin or a reduced second person cost.  

My real point is that the cruise companies, ALL of them, make money by filling the cabins.  When a single cruiser books a cabin for 2, they are charged a supplement to account for the loss of revenue from the "missing" passenger.  I agree there should be a discount for shore excursions, drink, and food.  But again, I don't know what the normal single supplement is.  I do know that as a promotion they offered the single supplement as 25% of the normal supplement, OR you can pay the normal supplement and get a free pre or post cruise excursion.  But not both.  That's the entire point of this discussion. The promotions are NOT combinable, and that is clearly stated in the Terms and Conditions portion of the website.  

That's all I'm saying.  

If I ever sale solo, I guess I'm the only one who can determine if the single supplement is worth paying. I can say that I assume it's much higher than 25% so 25% sounds like a good deal to me. I'd love to get my wife on board for 25% of the second passenger's fare.  

Edited January 9, 2023 by papaflamingo

[2012_Alaska_bound]

Standard "single supplement" on Regent is 100%! That is why when a single supplement promotion is offered on a Regent cruise, it is a big deal.

[scorpiony3358]

PapaFlamingo,

First I've had multiple promotions combined and have been cruising since 1999. I usually take 3+ trips per year. Second you missed my point regarding wasting my time as all I was saying it would be nice for the companies to mention that the promotion is not combinable. Third you complain about solo travelers getting a better deal well how's about the two for one discounts and no single supplement on most cruise lines. Its difficult for solo travelers to find deals was my point. 

[scorpiony3358]

PapaFlamingo

Maybe my math is wrong, but 2 for 1 equal 50% per person or one paying full price and your wife is free whereas a solo traveler pays 100% + an additional 25% or more for the privilege of sailing solo. Remember a solo traveler doesn't eat or drink more. Finally on a Regent cruise everything is included therefore Regent is saving money. 

 

FYI I'm taking a 10-night river cruise on Uniworld from Budapest to Bucharest in April and that's a 6-star company that is all inclusive minus the air without a single supplement and just returned from an 8-day Venice cruise with Uniworld that included 2 nights in Milan.  

[papaflamingo]

15 hours ago, scorpiony3358 said:

PapaFlamingo

Maybe my math is wrong, but 2 for 1 equal 50% per person or one paying full price and your wife is free whereas a solo traveler pays 100% + an additional 25% or more for the privilege of sailing solo. Remember a solo traveler doesn't eat or drink more. Finally on a Regent cruise everything is included therefore Regent is saving money. 

 

FYI I'm taking a 10-night river cruise on Uniworld from Budapest to Bucharest in April and that's a 6-star company that is all inclusive minus the air without a single supplement and just returned from an 8-day Venice cruise with Uniworld that included 2 nights in Milan.  

The "2 for 1" is a standard "promotion" that is always there.  It's a marketing tool only (I suspect you know that).  And you get it too.  The real brochure full cost is double the cost per person.  Since all cruise revenue is based on DOUBLE OCCUPANCY.  So  you, as a solo cruiser, also pay 2 for 1, but you pay for the second person since the standard supplement is 100% (or so I read above).  So take another person with you.  You're paying for them anyway.  Is it fair?  Well I agree you should get a percentage off for shore excursions, food, alcohol.  So maybe the solo supplement should be 75% or 50% or whatever they figure those costs to be.  No argument there.

Or, book a "second person" and take advantage of the pre/post cruise excursion and then just say the "second person" couldn't make it.  Hmm.... but wait.... in lieu of paying for the "second person," you can get the second bed in the cabin for 25%.  If the cruise is $10000 you'd be paying $12,500 OR you can pay $20,000 and get the "free" pre/post cruise excursion.  Your choice.  I'd go with the 25% discount on the supplement.  NOW, if you think we should be able to combine promotions, then how about I get the opportunity to take my wife for 25% of the cost of the second person in the cabin AND the pre/post cruise excursion.  Then we'd BOTH be happy. 

I know that other cruise lines don't charge 100% as a solo supplement, but apparently Regent does.  So it's your choice.  If you think they're patently unfair, , don't sail on them.

I really don't mean to sound snippy, so I apologize.  But it's how I feel.  You are "attacking" Regent because you disagree with their pricing policy.  But it's fair. Any pricing policy they choose is fair as long as it doesn't discriminate.  And no, you aren't being discriminated against.  If I want a separate cabin from my wife, I would have to pay the solo supplement for both of us wouldn't I?  Should I be able to do that and not pay anymore than I would for a single cabin with 2 people in it?  Of course not, and I suspect YOU know that too. 😏

[Jlhalldc]

Sorry if this is has already been mentioned, but there is a page of special offers for solo travelers on the RSSC site, some supplements as low as 25%

https://www.rssc.com/specials/single-supplement-special-us

 

 

[papaflamingo]

20 hours ago, Jlhalldc said:

Sorry if this is has already been mentioned, but there is a page of special offers for solo travelers on the RSSC site, some supplements as low as 25%

https://www.rssc.com/specials/single-supplement-special-us

 

 

Actually that's the point of the discussion.  The 25% solo supplement is a limited special program, as is the free pre/post cruise excursion.  It clearly states that the specials can not be combined.  This inability to not get 2 specials is pretty much what prompted the thread. 

[PhD-iva]

I was VERY happy on my recent 16-day solo cruise on Mariner (LA to Lima). 25% supplement. Cost me a bundle, but life is short!  My next 25% SS Regent cruise is a 19-day SA cruise on Voyager in Feb 2024.
Can’t wait!

[Dolcevita Diva]

Longtime solo traveller on Silversea tiptoing over to the Regent board to learn more about what travelling on Regent as a solo is like. Silversea currently only has 2 voyages in the Mediterranean available in their low single supplement offering for 2023 and 2024, so it's time to start trying out other lines!

It is interesting that other promotions are not combinable on Regent (promos are combinable on Silversea).