Does this seem fair?

[DramaQueen22]

I was considering a cruise on Anthem of the Seas out of Cape Liberty in April 2024.  I don't have to fly to port, and the ship has the Studio Interiors for a single guest.

 

Regular Interior lowest category priced out at $703pp, $900 with fees and taxes.  The Studios were not coming up for booking, so I checked with our AAA agent.  The Studio Cabins for the sailing I want are $1200 including port fees and taxes.  Studio Interiors are far smaller than a regular Interior.

 

That means I am paying more than an Interior guest even though I am allocated far less space.  Does that seem fair?  RC markets these cabins as having 'no solo supplement", but you're actually paying virtually the same amount as a double occupancy guest.

[JsMom2]

1 hour ago, DramaQueen22 said:

I was considering a cruise on Anthem of the Seas out of Cape Liberty in April 2024.  I don't have to fly to port, and the ship has the Studio Interiors for a single guest.

 

Regular Interior lowest category priced out at $703pp, $900 with fees and taxes.  The Studios were not coming up for booking, so I checked with our AAA agent.  The Studio Cabins for the sailing I want are $1200 including port fees and taxes.  Studio Interiors are far smaller than a regular Interior.

 

That means I am paying more than an Interior guest even though I am allocated far less space.  Does that seem fair?  RC markets these cabins as having 'no solo supplement", but you're actually paying virtually the same amount as a double occupancy guest.

It’s still less expensive than booking a double occupancy room at a 200% supplement.  Yes it’s smaller, but it’s designed for one person.  The solo rooms will save you some money but I don’t really consider them a good value. 

[oakridger]

Your story demonstrates that everyone should always compare a regular cabin vs the single cabins!  In this case just book the regular interior, save the money and continue on your merry way to enjoy your cruise!

 

~Nancy

[Tigerlily75]

I'm in Australia, so only see Oz rolled-in pricing, but I've never been able to figure out Royal's pricing. It's up and down and all over the place, and changes day to day. I was looking at a transpacific once and the solo balcony cabins were around $12,000. Far far higher than a regular balcony. It was just weird. I've previously booked a solo balcony for less than $4k on the same itinerary (but cancelled due to covid). None were sold, unsurprisingly. It's like a robot does their pricing and it never makes any sense. 

 

Now I have an interior booked for next year for around $3k but could only find that at on online agency. I stopped trying to make sense of it and just book if the price is right on a day I'm looking! 

Edited July 7, 2023 by Tigerlily75
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[Meander Ingwa]

when you are traveling solo, and you book a cabin designed to occupy 2 people, you pay for 2 people.  Some cruise lines with charge a lesser single supplement, you have to weed them out.  

 

you can find bargains by using trip search agents like < vacations to go dot com >  I like VTG because it has a solo sale function and tells you what the single supplement is.  It is easy to look at how prices trend and make long term plans.  On last minute deals it can be a better deal to book and pay the double occupancy price for a quality cabin

 

The single supplement is not unique to the cruise industry.  Land tours often have them as well.  

 

 

[DramaQueen22]

On 7/7/2023 at 10:44 AM, Meander Ingwa said:

when you are traveling solo, and you book a cabin designed to occupy 2 people, you pay for 2 people.  Some cruise lines with charge a lesser single supplement, you have to weed them out.  

 

you can find bargains by using trip search agents like < vacations to go dot com >  I like VTG because it has a solo sale function and tells you what the single supplement is.  It is easy to look at how prices trend and make long term plans.  On last minute deals it can be a better deal to book and pay the double occupancy price for a quality cabin

 

The single supplement is not unique to the cruise industry.  Land tours often have them as well.  

 

 

I am fully aware of these policies.  My point was that royal's solo cabins still end up costing someone MORE than the fare for a single cruiser in a double cabin.  For the cruise i wanted, an Interior priced out at $698 pp.  The solo rate was $1200.  That's in a smaller cabin.  So that pricing structure still charges a single cruiser more to have less space overall.

[Funky Fusion FoodsJ]

13 minutes ago, DramaQueen22 said:

I am fully aware of these policies.  My point was that royal's solo cabins still end up costing someone MORE than the fare for a single cruiser in a double cabin.  For the cruise i wanted, an Interior priced out at $698 pp.  The solo rate was $1200.  That's in a smaller cabin.  So that pricing structure still charges a single cruiser more to have less space overall.

Your explanations seem to be somewhat confused?

[DramaQueen22]

40 minutes ago, Funky Fusion FoodsJ said:

Your explanations seem to be somewhat confused?

No it's not.  

 

Anthem of the Seas, April 7, 2024 Inside Cabin is $698 per person.  Studio Interior is $1200.  The Studio is smaller than the Interior square footage.  

 

Now if I were to simply book the Interior at the double occupancy rate, it would cost me $1400.  So how is it a benefit to me to book the smaller cabin at nearly the price of the regular and larger Interior?  That's what isn't fair!

 

The Studios would be more fairly priced at 1.5 times the regular single occupancy rate IMO

[Pami1968]

The same thing happens on NCL.

[Honolulu Blue]

On 7/8/2023 at 12:08 PM, DramaQueen22 said:

Anthem of the Seas, April 7, 2024 Inside Cabin is $698 per person.  Studio Interior is $1200.  The Studio is smaller than the Interior square footage.  

 

Now if I were to simply book the Interior at the double occupancy rate, it would cost me $1400.  So how is it a benefit to me to book the smaller cabin at nearly the price of the regular and larger Interior?  That's what isn't fair!

I've seen more extreme examples at NCL, where their studios for one person actually cost MORE than a regular interior cabin for one person.  

 

Welcome to the world of dynamic cruise cabin pricing.  No, it's not fair.  Obviously don't book a cabin that's a poor value for you.

[sambamama]

This happens on many, many cruise lines. I had a studio booked on NCL. The regular cabins dropped in priced to the point I was paying triple for a studio compared to a regular outside, and all were more expensive than a HAL cabin on a 14 day cruise from Fort Lauderdale than this 10  day from NYC in February where they would be lousy weather for 3 days. I cancelled and booked with HAL. HAL now has solo cabins on their new ships which are way up at the front, and are really small and cost about 180% for a tiny cabin. No  thanks!

[DE Solo]

Not a matter of what is fair or not fair. You need to carefully compare the various available options before choosing a cabin category. Frequently the studio (or designated single) cabins are not the best deal, based on price, location, size of cabin, etc. I travel solo frequently (four cruises this year on both Princess and HAL) and have never selected one of the designated solo cabins.