What happens with prices if you add someone?

[Everydaymatters]

This is my first cruise and I found out I had to pay substantially more to go solo.

Does anyone know how the price is determined if someone decides to go along with me? I mean if at the time I booked the price is $850 each for 2 people and $1400 for a solo, and I booked a solo, and later I add someone to my room, do we both now pay $850 each for a total of $1700 or does the price go up as the cruise date gets closer.

[BurBunny]

If you add someone, the fare for both people goes to the double occupancy fare. Even if the fare has gone up since the original solo booking, it is refared back to the original rate it would have been if it had been booked double occupancy.

 

So in your example, the fare would go back to $850/person. Remember that the port charges may also change, as on some lines (most notably Princess), the port charges are also doubled for a solo cruiser. Taxes are always the same per person, solo or double.

 

But the solo fare isn't always double the double occupancy base fare. Sometimes it's at a lower percentage. So you can't presume it's going to be cut in half - talk with your travel agent when you book about that possibility to see what the cost difference would be.

[starshine]

If you plan a cruise and do not know when you book it whether you will be traveling solo or with another person, is it better (more cost effective or less hassle, less paperwork) to book it for two people and then just cancel one at the last minute, or better to book for one and add the other person at the last minute? This hypothetical assumes that you have to pay 200% for single supplement.

[BurBunny]

My preference is to book as a single then add a second person later. In all cases, if you drop someone, there is a refund of at least taxes, even if the supplement is a full 100%. It's a lot easier to process a credit card payment for port charges and/or taxes than it is to ensure a refund goes through correctly.

 

Other than that, the only other difference would be if you book as a single and add a second person then getting payment from the second person. If you book double and drop the second person, at least there's only one person involved, and refund goes back to you. Book as a single, and while it's technically possible to have the supplement amount refunded to you and the second person's card charged for the double occupancy rate, it can be a pain (and if you get a bad cruise line rep a mess).

 

So it's about 50/50. But when asked which is easier for me - I prefer booking it as a single.

[Frandick]

I originally booked a solo cabin on Crystal Cruises and the supplement was 25%. Then my sister-in-law decided to go with me and my fare reverted back to the original price for a double.

My 25% was taken off.

[kitty9]

BurBunny, I must respectfully disagree with you regarding port taxes/charges. They cannot charge you double port taxes, as those taxes are per person, not per cabin. If someone is charging you port taxes for two people, even if you cruise as a single, you need to get a refund. I've been on 19 cruises as a single, on almost all the cruise lines out there, and never once have I paid double port taxes. Charging one person port taxes for two people is illegal. Like I said, port charges are based per person, and not per cabin, and if you're only one person, port taxes are charged for just one, not two.

 

 

Also, depending on the cruise line, they may look at adding another person as a cancellation of the original cruise and then a re-book, and if the price of the cabin has gone up, and you haven't made final payment, they can charge you and your travel partner the higher price. It all depends on the cruise line. A friend of mine booked as a solo on RCCI and then her mom decided to join her, so when she called to add her mom, the cruise line reservation agent said the price of her cabin had gone up, and charged them the new, higher, price.

[BurBunny]

Darcie, think we have a terminology misunderstanding here. You're correct, they cannot charge you double *taxes*, but that's different than port charges, now officially called non-commissionable fees in the industry. Port charges used to be the actual charges ports assessed to dock, but those are now "taxes" after a large court case in Florida several years ago. Port charges are completely at the discretion of the cruise lines, and they can charge whatever they like, including double for singles. Thankfully only Princess does it as a matter of course.

 

I've yet to have a cruise line impose a cancel/rebook fare for adding a second passenger. While under some fares they may have the right to do so, never once have I had them do it in literally dozens of bookings with just that circumstance. Sometimes you'll get a squirrely reservations agent who doesn't understand the rules - in which case you politely decline and hang up then call back. My rule in dealing with the cruise line: Never accept the first no (or unfavorable answer), rarely accept the second. Only when you're told the same thing three times by three different agents should you begin to believe it's the truth ;)

 

Even RCCL/Celebrity for Happy Hours haven't charged cancel/rebook when adding a second passenger. And these are their most restrictive fares.

[mikesteg]

If you add someone, the fare for both people goes to the double occupancy fare. Even if the fare has gone up since the original solo booking, it is refared back to the original rate it would have been if it had been booked double occupancy.

 

That is good to know. I always assumed it would be current fare, at least for the new person. You'd have to stay in the same cabin (or at least category) for this to work, right? If upgrading, I assume it would go to current fares just like any other category change. Still, not a bad deal... this might be a consideration when considering a 1A vs. a 4A or inside GTY.