1 is the lonley Number!

[savdblt]

Hey Gang,

On a tight budget and need to cruise alone,any suggestions to beat the single supplement stick?:confused:

Many Thanks

[Jiminkcmo]

somebody comes up with a scheme for you (and me).

 

The cruise lines budget for at least two people in each cabin. That is how they estimate profits.

 

For us single folks, we get shafted.

 

I wish they would at least give us some on board credits to offset the food we don't, and can't, eat.

 

They should be able to sweeten the pot a little.

 

Good luck to finding a way to save.

 

I'm right there with you.

 

Jim

[mother of twins]

I'm lost here...I you tavel alone they charge you for two people in the room??? That's not fun to pay more just because you are traveling solo....explain to me how this works...:confused: :confused:

[hammybee]

The vacation industry is based upon 2 people sharing. This applies to cruise ships and tours. When one is soloing, there is usually a suppliment whereby the solo travelor pays up to twice the per passsenger fare.

 

All the cruise lines have different single suppliments. HAL has one of the lowest solo suppliments for inside and outside cabins. It's about 25% which is sure better than paying 200%.

 

Alternatively, you could consider a shared cabin . Most of the mass-marketed cruise lines offer some sort of program to match you with a same sex room mate. Here is a link to the CC board for solo cruisers:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=373

[2Cruise4Ever]

There are VERY FEW staterooms that have accommodations for 1 person. I believe (correct me someone if I'm wrong) that the Carnival Triumph class ships have a few staterooms for 1 person. It would be the 1A classification which is an inside cabin and VERY SMALL!!!

[RoofingPrincess]

Or, you get to know some nice people here on CC, and room with one of them! That's what I did for my last cruise!

[CaptData]

Yiou could take one of the Lux lines which have min single supplements. In some cases going on them can be cheaper then Mass market. I too am single and pay the double price.

[DiannaInVA]

The solo board has a thread for single supplement discounts. Occasionally cruise lines will offer single supplement discounts. My mom just got one the other week when RCI had a sale on some sailings. Rather than 200% it was only 125%--which is a GREAT deal!! But since she's never been on a cruise, and knows nothing of cruising, she doesn't truly appreciate what a great deal she got! But I digress...

 

Some lines have lower single supplements, but if you want to go on a line that has 200%, you should shop around--go off-season; fall or spring. Keep an eye on sales. Find a roommate: not something I would suggest. As someone who had an AWFUL roommate in college, there is no way I would want to share a small room with someone I've never met before. But other people have done it, so it's an option. Though the main benefit of going solo is that you have the room to yourself!!

[AuntieBon]

I've found that the group cruises here on Cruise Critic offer decent single supplement prices and then when you take into account the OBC that many off them offer it makes it easier to justify.

 

I took my first solo last October with a group here and have another one with some of the same people for this October.

[letscruisegd]

Whenever I cruise solo I get a category 1A room. I've read several posts that state the category 1A rooms are very small. From my experience this isn't the case. Since there is only one bed on the floor (in most 1A rooms), the room doesn't feel any smaller than the other rooms. Actually the room feels more spacious. I believe I've read the square footage is 165 square feet (other rooms are 185 square feet). With a square footage difference of only 20 square feet I certainly believe 165 square foot room with 1 bed on the floor will feel more spacious than a 185 square foot room with 2 beds on the floor. The double occupancy rate is for category 4A and up. Although you will pay a little more cruising solo, it's not the full double occupancy rate if you book a 1A room. I've taken several 3 day cruises solo and each time I paid right around $300. This past September I cruised with a friend and her dad and the cost of my room (1A - upper deck) was less than their per person rate (4C - inside on the upper deck).

[firefly333]

There are VERY FEW staterooms that have accommodations for 1 person. I believe (correct me someone if I'm wrong) that the Carnival Triumph class ships have a few staterooms for 1 person. It would be the 1A classification which is an inside cabin and VERY SMALL!!!

 

ALL Carnival ships have 1As, and they are the same size as a regular inside for the most part, a couple are larger and everyone says they have plenty of space for one person.

 

We have a single friend with us on the Sept 08 Conquest and the current rate with the single supplement and taxes is $639. For the Ecstasy for Jan 09, she quoted us $419 with taxes and single supplement. Its half of what it is on the other categories. If you get the 1A guarantee, most single cruisers say they are bumped up to at least a inside cabin anyway.

[Coastaljen]

I just check with various travel agencies and see who can get me the best deal. I wanted to book the Holland Vollendam on 8/3. I checked with several on-line cruise agencies on 7/2 to see what the best price was for a single. I was really surprised at the rate. One agency was about $500 below the lowest. Needless to say I grabbed it.

 

I sometimes cruise with my mom too, but I am hoping to do one a year from Christmas alone again. I will just see what kind of rate I can get.

[LPast50]

I got a rate today of $719 for a 1A on the Glory for a 7day cruise to the Carribean (Nassau, St Thomas & St Marten). I was told that a 1A has bunk beds & a sofa. I just hate paying at least $200 more than if I had someone going with me:(

[MIZZ_K]

I cruised solo in February on The Facination I had a 1a cabin which to me was spacious enough for me, the price was $294.00pp with the tax and i guess also port fee, i paid $334.00 which I thought was great, I am cruising the same ship in September, using the past guest code I was able to upgrade to a 6D OV cabin and am paying $379.00 if I did not have the promo code that cabin would have cost about $500+

[ce2000]

You could give one of the on-line travel agencies that offer hosted singles cruises a try. I did this back in May and I had a great time with the other 200 singles that were booked through this agency. I met a lot of fun and interesting people this way. The cabin mate they put me with was great, we had a very good time. I have since booked a second singles cruise with this agency, the Sept. 29 sailing on the Carnival Glory.

[LPast50]

I agree with CE2000. I got an email from a TA that offered prices for some "singles" cruises and offered to match me with a room mate. Prices were good (at least to me) and now I'm booked on the Westerdam:cool: bound for Aruba:cool: :cool:

[gizmo]

I received an email from a TA yesterday that runs single cruises on a couple of different lines. I looked at the prices and most of them were 150% depending on the cabin category. I know Hal has this (150%) but I also saw other cruise lines that normally do not offer the 150%.

This agency has many Vacations To Go ;)

[LPast50]

If you're willing to take a chance on HAL's Room Mate Program, your price is the same as the Double Occupancy price. If HAL is UNABLE to find you a room mate, you get the room to yourself but you only pay the DBL Occupancy rate. I don't think that's too bad of a deal:p