Single cost more than double

[RHudson1825]

I often cruise solo and celebrities new policy of not just charging double but more than double for singles cruisers is very frustrating. Thankfully other cruise lines are more friendly to singles (sometimes only 1.5x) and are starting to match loyalty level. I will be spending my money where I am welcome and appreciated. Celebrity monitors this site, are others as frustrated? 

[Georgia_Peaches]

There have been a few threads on this topic lately expressing a great deal of frustration. You are not alone. I tend to think a communication with Celebrity directly about your frustration will be read much sooner (and more likely) than in a post on Cruise Critic. They do monitor the Celebrity board but I’m not sure policy will be altered much by what they read. I hope I’m wrong. 
 

In the meantime, check out MSC. I’ve read some positive remarks from solo travelers over there. 

Edited January 6 by Georgia_Peaches

[RHudson1825]

Yes, have done that as well. And will mention to the club rep on my upcoming cruise. Will check out MSC. 

[PTC DAWG]

Generally, two people will spend more than one. 

[CardowMD]

RSSc has cruises with 0-25% single supplement plus all are suites, includes all drinks, dining, shore excursions, tips, laundry. They also have self serve launderettes which is helpful on longer cruises.

[Mark_T]

1 hour ago, RHudson1825 said:

Yes, have done that as well. And will mention to the club rep on my upcoming cruise. Will check out MSC. 

On MSC, you will find that booking early or very late will yield the most options for solo travel, as there is often a period in the middle where there will be no availability for solo bookings.

 

The logic is inescapable though as they are trying to maximise revenue from the remaining cabins, so MSC do that by closing down solo options as a cruise hits its allocation for solo bookings, Celebrity handles it by charging more than twice the price...

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

You are not the only one who thinks this pricing scheme is reprehensible.  Personally, I plan to take my travel dollars elsewhere.

[dreamer321]

Yeah, I just priced out a 7 night Caribbean cruise aboard Apex a a solo and as a couple.  The cruise only base solo fare was $194 more for the exact same cabin.  I'm not looking to book right now but if I was I would be taking along a phantom friend who had something come up at the last minute.

[NanaChar]

I did a mock booking on the Xcel for 2026 for an deluxe porthole view veranda.  It was over $1500 for the single.  When hubby and I cruise, we rarely spend more than our OBC.  We definitely don't spend thousands of dollars.  What in the world is Celebrity thinking.  

 

[megr1125]

I priced one and the cabin total for 2, no perks, AQ was around $9500.  For the same thing, for a single, it was $13000!  Yes, $3500 more.   I was advised that there are no longer single equivalent discounts on BOGO sales for solo pax.   Whereas in the past, the discount was roughly half of the percent of the sale.  Last time, my discount was about 35% and the BOGO was 75% off the second guest.  

[basenji56]

On 1/6/2024 at 10:17 AM, PTC DAWG said:

Generally, two people will spend more than one. 

And generally, one person will eat less than two. And take up less space in the theater. Generally, but not always.

[basenji56]

On 1/6/2024 at 1:12 PM, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

You are not the only one who thinks this pricing scheme is reprehensible.  Personally, I plan to take my travel dollars elsewhere.

Yes, that is apparently our only option.  

[NanaChar]

2 hours ago, basenji56 said:

Yes, that is apparently our only option.  

Please call or e-mail and complain.  There have been enough complaints that they are going to have a conference call about this.  

[SouKnoMe]

On 1/6/2024 at 9:17 AM, PTC DAWG said:

Generally, two people will spend more than one. 

But they haven't met me personally. 😀

[luv2kroooz]

....how to tell someone their business is not wanted without telling them there business is not wanted. Foolish, greedy decision on the part of Celebrity. The logic for a 200% surcharge is understandable. However, when they profess to know the spending habits of each customer by projecting a fictional amount of "foregone" on board revenue, they lose me. They must think every solo traveller spends zero onboard, which is silly. It is unheard of in the industry. Fortunately, other cruise lines have found a way to meet their revenue projections without suffocating solo passengers with unethical, unreasonable, surcharges. This is getting a lot of negative attention on social media. Quite rightly so.

[basenji56]

3 minutes ago, luv2kroooz said:

....how to tell someone their business is not wanted without telling them there business is not wanted. Foolish, greedy decision on the part of Celebrity. The logic for a 200% surcharge is understandable. However, when they profess to know the spending habits of each customer by projecting a fictional amount of "foregone" on board revenue, they lose me. They must think every solo traveller spends zero onboard, which is silly. It is unheard of in the industry. Fortunately, other cruise lines have found a way to meet their revenue projections without suffocating solo passengers with unethical, unreasonable, surcharges. This is getting a lot of negative attention on social media. Quite rightly so.

The hotel analogy is instructive. A hotel charges by the room. But I have never heard of a hotel that charged a single guest more than a couple or family because the couple was projected to spend more in the gift shop. This is pure greed and solos should take their business elsewhere. 

[luv2kroooz]

Just now, basenji56 said:

The hotel analogy is instructive. A hotel charges by the room. But I have never heard of a hotel that charged a single guest more than a couple or family because the couple was projected to spend more in the gift shop. This is pure greed and solos should take their business elsewhere. 

Oh, I'll do you one better. I rarely cruise solo. However, this is poor policy. We won't consider Celebrity, period....as a couple, as a family, with a group of friends. When we see reprehensible greed, we run the other way.

[Cruisegroover]

Agree as a solo traveller I'm off elsewhere. Have sent a message to Celebrity with no answer of course.

[RMS Olympic]

I am a solo cruiser who has paid the single surcharge for decades. I have sailed Celebrity for years starting with the Horizon, and I spend money on board, but this new pricing is just plain greed in my book.

Yes operating costs are up so an increase in pricing is logical. But then institute cutbacks on top of this to increase revenue…..is another thing. Now charging solos more…..that’s just wrong if not discriminatory. 

Yes cruise lines are in debt up to their ears and want to generate more income every which way possible….yet they continue to build more ships increasing debt even more. 
I’ll take my money elsewhere. My next cruise (#95) will be on WindStar.

Bye bye Celebrity.

 

[johhnnyt]

I agree with you all. I have done about 40 cruises with Celebrity (since 1996) and really think this is an awful plan. Paying the 200% premium wasn't something that made me happy, but was understandable from a business standpoint.  It just seems a bit discriminatory and short sighted. I have two trips scheduled in 2024, but penalizing me for being a single traveler, but as a good traveling buddy told me "I'm loyal to Celebrity but not to the point of any substantial financial loss"

[vjmatty]

Time to start booking future no-shows I guess.

 

 

Edited January 8 by vjmatty
Typo

[Salt Lifer]

Forbes just did a story on this.  Celebrity seems to be skilled in doing dumb things to bring themselves bad press.

 

 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I just got a marketing piece in the mail today about the 75% off second guest promo.  It states "Single occupancy guests paying 200% cruise fare are eligible."  What the devil does that mean?  If one is paying 200%, how does one take advantage of the 75% off the second person fare?  And this does not play out when I price potential cruises.  I still show $2-3000 more for a single in upper cabins than two people would pay.  I don't price out insides, oceanviews, or standard balconies.

 

Sorry, Celebrity, my travel dollars are going elsewhere this year.

[diesel1973]

I have done some land tours with an agency in the past and some had a single supplement and some didn't. When I inquired about the extra charge I was told that some hotel rates were priced at double occupancy, Didn't make much sense to me.

[drakes2]

23 hours ago, basenji56 said:

The hotel analogy is instructive. A hotel charges by the room. But I have never heard of a hotel that charged a single guest more than a couple or family because the couple was projected to spend more in the gift shop. This is pure greed and solos should take their business elsewhere. 

And that's what I plan on doing. I have a cruise booked on the Beyond in March for which I paid solo supplement but unless they revert back to charging 2x I will look elsewhere. Who knows, things may change yet again. Perhaps they are testing the waters.