Single surcharge…help me understand

[NelleS]

I haven’t been able to cruise since the beginning of the pandemic, but I am SO looking forward to going! Anyway, I always book a cabin as a single.  I’ve never been on a ship that has single cabins, but I’d probably still want a balcony cabin.

 

That said, I don’t understand being charged an additional 50% or 100% as a single when so many cruise lines offer “second guest cruises free”.  Makes no sense to me that as a single, I pay more than a “BOGO” cabin!

 

Can you help me understand?

[Hlitner]

It is just simple economics.  An empty berth is "opportunity lost revenue."  Imagine a 4000 berth ship with only 2000 singles.  The ship would generate about half the onboard revenue and half the cruise fares.  But their Fixed Costs and many of their Variable Costs would continue or only be slightly reduced.  

 

Hank

[navybankerteacher]

The cruise lines rents out staterooms, not berths.  They figure every warm body on board will spend some money -- so they want warm bodies, not minimally occupied staterooms.

 

Look at it this way:  if you were going to rent out your Florida house for the month of February while you were on a long cruise, would you rent it for half as much if a single person, rather than a couple, were renting it?

[wcook]

Note that cruise line sales are often bogus. This week it’s $800 per person. Next week it’s $1600 for one, second passenger free. 

[LHT28]

Some cruise lines  now have solo cabins  but  I still think they charge more  pp than the double rate pp

Check out the forum for Solo cruisers

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/279-solo-cruisers/

[Essiesmom]

I am also finding I am unwelcome as a solo cruiser.  I was trying to book a cruise today…well, yesterday now, and if I tried booking as a couple, there was lots of availability.  But as a solo, nothing was available.  I even talked with one line that has a few solo cabins, and as they were all booked, they wouldn’t book anything else.  EM

[GeezerCouple]

12 minutes ago, Essiesmom said:

I am also finding I am unwelcome as a solo cruiser.  I was trying to book a cruise today…well, yesterday now, and if I tried booking as a couple, there was lots of availability.  But as a solo, nothing was available.  I even talked with one line that has a few solo cabins, and as they were all booked, they wouldn’t book anything else.  EM

 

Are you trying to get a lower "single rate"?

If not, what about making the reservation for two.  It would be a shame if your companion didn't make the flight to get there in time to board.... 😉 

(Double check that extra fees would be refunded, even if the base rate isn't.)

 

GC

[gerryuk]

Considering many cruise ships are sailing the seven seas with reams of empty cabins that they cant sell, due to the aftermath of covid, it surprises me that the cruise lines don't do more to attract solos.

I get the two in a cabin will spend more than one person argument (although its not always the case) but i would have thought that its better to have one person in the cabin than nobody. 

I do a lot of solo sailings with Costa, many times i will see a cruise that i am interested in but their web site will not let me book it as a solo. If i check back a couple of days or weeks later, it will allow me to book at reasonable rates. 

At the end of the day its your money, if the cruise line does not want you or wants to charge you ridiculous amounts to sail solo with them, shop around. There are other lines out there that a fare more accommodating.  

[sanger727]

Just keep in mind that the BOGO math is made up. They want to sell the cabin for $1,600. So whether or not the bogo is in effect, they show the average pp price on the description page. So they show it as $800 pp. The couple isn’t paying $800 for the first and $400 for the second. They are paying $1033 for the first person and $534 for the second.

[Honolulu Blue]

11 hours ago, NelleS said:

I don’t understand being charged an additional 50% or 100% as a single when so many cruise lines offer “second guest cruises free”.  Makes no sense to me that as a single, I pay more than a “BOGO” cabin!

 

Can you help me understand?

Think of your cruise ship cabin like a hotel room.  I've never seen a hotel charge me less for a room as a solo traveler than it would for two people occupying the same cabin.  Seen from that perspective it makes sense, though it's no less annoying and unfriendly. 🤬

5 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

I am also finding I am unwelcome as a solo cruiser.  I was trying to book a cruise today…well, yesterday now, and if I tried booking as a couple, there was lots of availability.  But as a solo, nothing was available.  I even talked with one line that has a few solo cabins, and as they were all booked, they wouldn’t book anything else.  EM

I have to say that I've never seen this, and I've booked quite a few cruises on several different cruise lines - almost all online.  You'd think cruise lines would be happy to offer to sell me (or you) a cabin for full price, assuming there are any cabins available.

[Cruisercl]

41 minutes ago, Honolulu Blue said:

Think of your cruise ship cabin like a hotel room.  I've never seen a hotel charge me less for a room as a solo traveler than it would for two people occupying the same cabin.  Seen from that perspective it makes sense, though it's no less annoying and unfriendly. 🤬

I have to say that I've never seen this, and I've booked quite a few cruises on several different cruise lines - almost all online.  You'd think cruise lines would be happy to offer to sell me (or you) a cabin for full price, assuming there are any cabins available.

I have had both of these situations happen to me, a lower rate for a single in a hotel (usually big name chain) and a cruiseline unwilling to take a solo reservation so it can happen. 

Traveling as a solo can be expensive and seemingly unfair at times, JMO. 🙂

[Sea42]

3 hours ago, Cruisercl said:

a lower rate for a single in a hotel (usually big name chain)

I've found that is usually at hotels that offer an included breakfast.

[cruisemom42]

4 hours ago, Honolulu Blue said:

Think of your cruise ship cabin like a hotel room.  I've never seen a hotel charge me less for a room as a solo traveler than it would for two people occupying the same cabin. 

 

Actually, in Europe that happens often. I frequently see offered (on hotel websites a "double room for single use" at a reduce price. Granted it's not half but it's also not a 200% tariff on single travelers.

[cruisemom42]

10 hours ago, Essiesmom said:

I am also finding I am unwelcome as a solo cruiser.  I was trying to book a cruise today…well, yesterday now, and if I tried booking as a couple, there was lots of availability.  But as a solo, nothing was available.  I even talked with one line that has a few solo cabins, and as they were all booked, they wouldn’t book anything else.  EM

 

I've had that happen. Also, I've looked at cruise lines that charge MORE for a solo traveler in one cabin than two people would pay for the same cabin!  Some lines just seem to actively discourage solos...

 

 

[Honolulu Blue]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

Actually, in Europe that happens often. I frequently see offered (on hotel websites a "double room for single use" at a reduce price. Granted it's not half but it's also not a 200% tariff on single travelers.

Noted.  That may be why I haven't seen it - I've never booked a hotel in Europe and don't have any immediate plans to do so.

[navybankerteacher]

3 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I've had that happen. Also, I've looked at cruise lines that charge MORE for a solo traveler in one cabin than two people would pay for the same cabin!  Some lines just seem to actively discourage solos...

 

 

Agree that it seems unfair, but a line which generally sails with all cabins sold is going to realize that one person in a two person cabin will spend less on board than two would - so there does exist a valid (if arguably unfair) rationale. Yes - they do discourage solos, because solos negatively impact their bottom line (the reason they are in business).

[cruisemom42]

23 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Agree that it seems unfair, but a line which generally sails with all cabins sold is going to realize that one person in a two person cabin will spend less on board than two would - so there does exist a valid (if arguably unfair) rationale. Yes - they do discourage solos, because solos negatively impact their bottom line (the reason they are in business).

 

Well, some lines seem to make it work. And with more and more cabin capacity coming online, the day may come when solos represent an untapped market. As already said upstream -- sailing with one solo in a cabin is still better than sailing with an empty cabin, at the end of the day.

 

[crzndeb]

I break it down into daily rate for room, food and entertainment. If it agrees with my wallet, I book it. I don’t worry if I’m paying for double occupancy. Having that cabin to myself is the big prize. 😉

[GeezerCouple]

3 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Well, some lines seem to make it work. And with more and more cabin capacity coming online, the day may come when solos represent an untapped market. As already said upstream -- sailing with one solo in a cabin is still better than sailing with an empty cabin, at the end of the day.

 

 

Right, but... considering if a double occupancy would generate (just any figure for comparisons) $1k x 2 people = $2,000... vs a single with no surcharge.  The single would be paying $1k, and be spending less than 2 people.  Now consider offering the single the cabin for, say, $1,500 (at least it's better than $2k!).  Compare that with the line offering the cabin to two people for $1,500 instead; they'd have approximately twice the spend on board, and that extra spending can be very profitable.

That is, it's probably more likely that the line would discount the cabin for a couple than for a single.

 

Whether it's "fair" depends upon the definition of "fair", as there is more than one perspective.

But in terms of which makes more "business financial sense"...? 

What is interesting are the very small single cabins, at lower cost for singles.  This seems to be a reasonable compromise, at first glance.  Then they could presumably price them such that, given the higher passenger density, it works pretty well for all.

A separate question is whether they'd do something similar for one or two singles at the suite/luxe category.  Again, it could be much smaller, and charge more than 50%, but not 100% of what two would pay at regular pricing.  Some single travelers may want something other than tiny cabins, but they don't need the size of regular larger suites/etc., generally meant for two.

 

GC

[Cruisercl]

4 hours ago, navybankerteacher said:

Agree that it seems unfair, but a line which generally sails with all cabins sold is going to realize that one person in a two person cabin will spend less on board than two would - so there does exist a valid (if arguably unfair) rationale. Yes - they do discourage solos, because solos negatively impact their bottom line (the reason they are in business).

The term fair is subjective based on the situation and opinions. So yes, this is the cruiseline's definition.

Usually fair means equal but there are variables that get used  them to justify them.

Cruise lines are not alone.

[Cruisercl]

20 hours ago, LHT28 said:

Some cruise lines  now have solo cabins  but  I still think they charge more  pp than the double rate pp

Check out the forum for Solo cruisers

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/279-solo-cruisers/

The solo cabins offered are not usually the same product when you are traveling with another.

JMO.

[navybankerteacher]

4 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Well, some lines seem to make it work. And with more and more cabin capacity coming online, the day may come when solos represent an untapped market. As already said upstream -- sailing with one solo in a cabin is still better than sailing with an empty cabin, at the end of the day.

 

Of course -- but not when the itinerary offered can be counted upon to sell out.

[CPT Trips]

2 hours ago, Cruisercl said:

The term fair is subjective based on the situation and opinions. So yes, this is the cruiseline's definition.

Usually fair means equal but there are variables that get used  them to justify them.

Cruise lines are not alone.

Equal does not necessarily mean fair. Several people go out to dinner together. One orders the surf and turf for $100. Another the pasta at $50 and the final person the??? at $75. Is splitting the bill equally fair to the pasta person? 🤷🏻‍♂️

[fruitmachine]

16 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I've had that happen. Also, I've looked at cruise lines that charge MORE for a solo traveler in one cabin than two people would pay for the same cabin!  Some lines just seem to actively discourage solos...

 

 

In this case, wouldn't a solo just add their imaginary friend to the booking, who'd then fail to make their connection and miss the sailing time?

It feels more like a pricing error.

[Twickenham]

8 hours ago, CPT Trips said:

Equal does not necessarily mean fair. Several people go out to dinner together. One orders the surf and turf for $100. Another the pasta at $50 and the final person the??? at $75. Is splitting the bill equally fair to the pasta person? 🤷🏻‍♂️

 

Do not get me started on the ridiculousness of not being able to get separate bills at US restaurants. But to limit myself to your example - the pasta person should pay $50, and the others the price of their own meals. Anything else would be preposterous.

 

To get back to the subject of the thread. It's interesting that one of the most reasonable single supplements I've ever seen was on Seabourn, a line that I would think relies less on onboard spend than the mainstream lines - I remember years ago them offering 110 % pricing for singles on certain voyages.