Bookings only available for two guests, dummy/placeholder booking for Pax 2?

[Fly and Sail]

I'm currently looking at a variety of Asia cruises from Singapore (Spice Route, Hong Kong, and Bali), and the same issue pops up for each of them: Some cabins are either not available for single-passenger bookings. and on others the rate is 400% on the inside/oceanview cabin. The problem disappears when when I search for two passengers and the price is actually quite good.

 

At first I thought this was an IT bug but I called and the agent said "The company wants to keep the cabins for two guests." Now, I don't know why it is a Celebrity's business if a passenger wants to travel on his own but no agent or supervisor found a workaround. Quite frankly, I'm getting more and more annoyed about this.

 

Would you simply book a second passenger, and then that person is a no-show? Or I call a week before and say the second guest got sick. Assuming they would also refund that person's port taxes. I highly doubt they will come around and say "you're not allowed to sail alone",

 

Interested if anyone ran into the same problem, followed a similar solution, or if there are any issues with my plan you could think of.

[Essiesmom]

It’s becoming common with other cruise lines.  I have run into it with Carnival, Celebrity, MSC.  I just keep trying.  EM

[mahasamatman]

2 hours ago, Fly and Sail said:

I don't know why it is a Celebrity's business if a passenger wants to travel on his own

 

Cruise lines don't like singles because two passengers means twice the anciliary income.

[Fly and Sail]

40 minutes ago, mahasamatman said:

 

Cruise lines don't like singles because two passengers means twice the anciliary income.

 

They have zero ancillary income with my cabin either way as E+. Free coffee house items and free beverages during the evening (stocked up in the cabin). That being said, I think this blocking is discrimination.

 

Do you think I should just book for two? Nothing they can really do about it I figure.

[mahasamatman]

16 minutes ago, Fly and Sail said:

Do you think I should just book for two?

 

Only if you have no moral objections to lying.

[jelayne]

Coffee and a few drinks are not the income they are interested in.   Excursions, on board purchases ( shops, art, spa, specialty restaurants) gratuities for 2 vs 1. A single does not normally generate the amount of profitable revenue that a solo cruiser generates.

[Fly and Sail]

16 minutes ago, mahasamatman said:

 

Only if you have no moral objections to lying.

 

Zero whatsoever. If I count up the lies that Celebrity has told me and the times they cheated over the years, I'm in the dozens. Will do it this way!

[Fly and Sail]

9 minutes ago, jelayne said:

Coffee and a few drinks are not the income they are interested in.   Excursions, on board purchases ( shops, art, spa, specialty restaurants) gratuities for 2 vs 1. A single does not normally generate the amount of profitable revenue that a solo cruiser generates.

 

Never purchased any of these things since my first cruise. A non-alc beverage package was the highest. I must be the least profitable customer aside from my casino adventures, but thanks to those, each of my 13 cruises was free. 😄

[goofysmom99]

This has happened to me several times when making a dummy booking on X site to check prices.  However, once I've chosen something and contact my TA to book it, the bookings have always been the usual 200%.  Maybe try a dummy booking on the big box website that begins with a C for comparison.

[Fly and Sail]

8 hours ago, goofysmom99 said:

This has happened to me several times when making a dummy booking on X site to check prices.  However, once I've chosen something and contact my TA to book it, the bookings have always been the usual 200%.  Maybe try a dummy booking on the big box website that begins with a C for comparison.

 

I tried that, but no luck. I guess the workaround is the easiest. The prices aren't all that unreasonable on a paid basis.

[blueslily]

Yes, this  has become more common this year on many cruise lines. There are quite a few postings here on CC about it. I'm often a solo cruiser. So, I'm not a fan either. But I understand why it is happening. 

 

Happy sailing. 

[rj59]

It’s the result of full ships and needing to justify the high RCL stock price. I get irritated, but then I had my first non-sailing cabin mate, my niece, and it was easy. I booked for two, told them at check-in she couldn’t make it, and I had her taxes/port fees refunded to me. I’ve been sailing solo for over a decade, so I accept the price discrimination against solos, and respond by finding the best deals and spending as little as possible on board. I just know for Celebrity I now have to search for 2, then check the solo price, and then check the TA site I use to get better fares. Today I’m on Reflection and in January on Ascent, with a normal 200% supplement, and there have actually been solo discounts, such as for Beyond next July/August and for Eclipse transatlantic cruises in 2005. Cruiseplum solo deals and hot deals have been valuable search tools. There are also studio cabins on Silhouette, which I booked for a b-2b in 2025. 

[Fly and Sail]

I have no problem with the model that they charge the same for one cabin, no matter if one or two people occupy it. Hotels do the same thing. However since cruise fares also include food, it should be at least 30% less as the missing second person won't consume anything.

 

Until now, I was waiting for a proper casino offer, but I only get useless cruises ex Florida. Flying to the U.S. costs me US$7000 so I rather spend $400 to fly to Singapore or Hong Kong and pay for the cruise itself.

[mayleeman]

I wonder if Celebrity feels justified when increasing prices, or changing promises (what OP calls lying), because they know their customers try "workarounds" (3 syllable meaning lying).

 

My friend, who in all other ways asserted lofty standards of morality, used to sneak into movies with his wife because they were poor grad students. I called it stealing, but he said the prices were so high that it was justified. 

 

Rationalizing is the best way to quiet a conscience.

Edited December 3, 2023 by mayleeman

[chemmo]

After becoming a ‘singleton’ after 42 years of marriage and beginning to look at future cruises and other holidays I have been amazed at the prices and on some occasions even the inability to book a holiday.

 

Quite simply I think I will either book with family members/friends or not book. 

[blueslily]

1 hour ago, chemmo said:

After becoming a ‘singleton’ after 42 years of marriage and beginning to look at future cruises and other holidays I have been amazed at the prices and on some occasions even the inability to book a holiday.

 

Quite simply I think I will either book with family members/friends or not book. 

 

Since the spring, I've found solo booking more challenging on multiple cruise lines. But, I've also found that if I keep looking and looking, I can find something if I am a bit flexible. Timing seems to be a big factor. Somwtimes I catch a good option, other times i just have to keep looking for a while. I love solo cruising (minus the cost these days). Hahahha.  

Edited December 3, 2023 by blueslily