Are cruise lines sending the SOLO cruiser a message?
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- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- Are your favorite cruise lines making solo cruisers pay sky-high fees for being SOLO? Are you paying significantly more for the same room on the same cruise than the couple next-door? 
The solo cruiser usually pays a solo supplement fee when booking a standard sized room. Usually, this fee is designed for a solo cruiser to pay the same price as a couple would pay for the same room. And that's fair enough. 
But what if that 'fee' is nearly $2000 MORE than a couple would pay for the very same room?
When does that solo supplement fee reach the point of "gouging?"
And some cruiselines will deny categories of cabins to solo cruisers on certain cruises, (even if you're willing to pay that solo supplement fee or more ), claiming they are sold out. However, if you book those same rooms as a couple, those rooms are suddenly available. Why?
In today's video, I look at examples from prominent cruise lines where solo travelers are asked to pay an EXTREMELY high solo supplement fee. We will also look at times when a solo cruiser is told that categories of cabins are "SOLD OUT," when in fact, those same cabins are available to couples.
Gouging? Targeting? Or is it just plain business?
If you are a solo cruiser, have YOU run into extremely high supplement fees or supposedly sold-out cabins?
Today I invite the solo-cruising community to share their thoughts on the examples in this video. Tell us what you think, what you've run into, where the cruise lines are that are fairest to the solo traveler who wants a full-sized cabin (not a solo cabin) or a suite. What do YOU do with your cruising dollars when a cruise line (perhaps) sends the strong message: "Solo cruisers are not wanted?"
Your thoughts are welcome!
#solotravel #solocruise #cruise
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It should be illegal to charge a solo cruiser extra money only because they are solo. It's absolutely insane that I can't go enjoy myself like all the other couples out there without having to pay for, essentially, another person to go. A massive benefit of being a solo traveler is saving money. This completely negates that.
It’s unacceptable. We need to send a strong message. The solo cruising market is growing. Business should be responsive to consumer demand. I will choose NCL, Princess or MSC. They often have no or low solo supplement or at least have a fair process.
Thank you so much for watching and commenting . Agree with you as well!
I agree, this is totally unacceptable! I’ve taken 2 Celebrity cruises in the last few years but I will be very careful about booking again. I travel with other people but always want my own cabin. They must send me 3 emails a day and then they want to charge me more than 2 people?? That’s just insulting 😖
It really is. Love celebrity and and I enjoyed my solo cabin, but it seems like if we want a standard size cabin and are willing to pay the same as a couple, that should be an option. And for a lot of their cruises it is. But some of them them… Not by a longshot.
What I find really strange is that what you're paying for is NOT simply the room. You're paying for all the food as well. So with a solo traveler the ship doesn't have to provide the food for the nonexistent second traveler. If the room is the same size for a couple or a solo, it should be CHEAPER for the cruiseline to have solo travelers in those rooms.
what happens if you book for two and your cabin mate doesn't show up?
That's a great question! I know some people do this and they've had no problem when their cabin mate does not show up for the cruise.
@@SheSailsAway so the cruise line is forcing you to pay for 2 so you don't get gouged as a solo and they make solos feel good about paying for a 2nd guest. The original argument was that we had a problem with supplement charges and they put the price higher than paying for 2 so we feel psychologically better when still paying more than what we were feeling we were trying to not pay more than a reasonable amount, but we settle for paying for two because they gave us a need to cheat to not pay MORE than for 2.
I thought it was bad enough for NCL to say a perk for a Platinum and above in a room gets 2 Specialty dinners for 2, but 2 Platinum and above in the same room are not allowed to get their latitude perks if in the same room as another Platinum and above. If it's a perk for a Platinum and above it shouldn't matter if there are more than one latitude members at Platinum and above in the same room.
A breech of contract it seems to me!
@@rgruenhaus interesting information about NCL! I do want to try them at some point. Thank you so much for sharing
I really like Celebrity but a 150% - 200% single supplement is a total gouge. Unacceptable. I'm voting with my wallet.
Good idea!
I have noticed before that Celebrity is definitely not friendly to solo passengers
I travel solo and only go on cruises where I don’t get gouged. Often Norwegian, Princess, Holland, and Carnival.
Thank you for sharing! I'll have to give Norwegian a try.
@@SheSailsAway Cruise Plum is the best site I've found for discovering solo deals. Often these are on Princess but tend to be unadvertised by the cruise line itself. Be careful with the NCL solo cabins, these sometimes cost more than booking a double room for one, because of dynamic pricing based on demand. I use Cruise Plum to search for one traveller and sort by price per day. Thanks for this video!
It is sad that RCCL is treating solo cruisers this way. I find that with Cunard, the solo cruisers get a slight discount. This maybe due to less port fees, etc. The point is that Cunard, along with other Carnival group cruiselines, value their solo cruisers and do not gouge their solo customers.
Good to know! I'm trying Cunard out later this year. Can't wait. Thank you for sharing
I now only book with NCL. I have stayed in a solo cabin, with access to the lounge and would book that again. I just booked a 15 day cruise in January 2025 from New York to Galveston in a studio. But over the weekend the studio price went down by $450 and the price for an solo inside cabin also went down and ended up being less that the studio. So on Monday, my travel agent booked the solo inside. When I checked the price on Tuesday the inside cabin price went up by $1224. So I'm going to keep checking just in case there's another offer.
Wow, big savings!
I read an article where someone confronted Celebrity on this policy and their thought process is they are charging more because of lost revenue from onboard spending by not having a second guest in the cabin. I think its bull. I only sail NCL for this reason. They are very solo friendly. I go on one cruise per year and spend between 3K-6K and am happy to give my money to a company that appreciates me.
I will have to try them. Thank you for sharing!
This is really ridiculous! Solo travelers don't mind the double supplement but almost triple the amount is just wrong. There is no way the cruise line can estimate how much a couple will spend vs a solo cruiser.
@@chandramcduffie8697 agreed. Paying the same as a couple is fine, paying way more than that for the same product seems off.
That’s bs from Celebrity. Just because there’s another person in the room, doesn’t mean they are spending extra money onboard. Some people cruise and don’t buy anything or spend any extra money onboard. I am going on my first Celebrity cruise next month but I booked before they raised the solo cruiser fee. This may be my only Celebrity cruise.
I see the point that they're trying to make, but the argument falls apart when you take into account that there is no guarantee that any particular passenger - whether they're single, half of a couple, or one of a large group - is going to go to the casino or shop at the gift shop or eat at any of the specialty restaurants. It's a sure thing though that they are going to be using the resources that are included in the price of the cruise; food, water, linens, etc. If one ship has twice as many passengers than another, then that company is naturally going to have to spend the money to bring on board twice the amount of supplies that the ship is expected to provide. On a smaller scale, having one person in a cabin instead of two means that the cruise line will still get the full payment for that one cabin while only needing to spend half of the money on included amenities.
And this is why I sail solo with Norwegian Cruise Lines. I book their studio cabins for one person. There is a supplement, but it is usually much less than double the 2-person fare. Plus, there are singles activities, a singles lounge and a dedicated "cruise director" who acts as a concierge to get our group reservations for dinner and shows.
Royal and Celebrity were already bad deals for solo cruisers, and now they're making it worse. I have noticed the issue is the worst on the biggest, newest ships. Looks like it's just NCL for now.
There are laws against discrimination. I always cruise solo and used to pay extra, but these examples are crazy. And then it comes to food, i only eat for one person.
I have booked an NCL solo cabin on a few occasions and hade had a wonderful time. That includes a 15 night Panama Canal cruise in 2018 when the Bliss dented! I’ve also been lucky in NCL upgrading me to a larger inside or a balcony because they could. I’m sailing the Discovery Princess next year to Alaska, and because I lost my Alaska cruise from a few years ago (pandemic) it decided what the heck. I’m doing a mini suite Reserve Collection as a splurge. But I’m still only paying what it would be for two in the sabe cabin. On a trip like this I don’t really mind cause how many times will I go to Alaska. My issue would be if Princess charged me WELL over 200% because I WOULD start to feel unwelcome or perhaps even slightly shunned as I’m choosing to travel alone as a single woman. I don’t mind paying a reasonable supplement, even 200% as I understand they are a business and I’m using a room meant for two. I don’t like, however, being ripped off or made to feel I’d do better off elsewhere as I’m a nuisance to the line in general. I have considered Celebrity in the past, but I think I’ll keep my business with NCL or Princess for now. I also know some lines including Oceania and Cunard now offer solo staterooms so I might look at them one day. Just don’t look at me as an easy cash machine because I don’t have a companion or kids. I’ll definitely look elsewhere if you do.
Thanks for doing the video. It’s something we ought to be more aware of. 😊
Thank you so much for your comments, I agree with everything you said. Completely fair to pay the same as a couple for a standard sized room, not fair to pay huge fees on top of that just because we are solos. My opinion anyway. I will have to give NCL a try, I've heard great things!
Excellent analysis. I just got off the Celebrity Apex (in a designated Solo cabin) and asked at the Future Cruise desk about this very issue. The representative (I so wish I was recording our discussion!) suggested booking for two and one not showing up. I think the reps are also very frustrated with the pricing as they seem to get this question frequently from solo cruisers.
I'll be doing a family cruise in July (6 cabins) and we booked through a travel agent who was able to book as a group rate so that three of the cabins could be solo without the extra gouging. I think Celebrity will come around after great videos like this one. THANKS!
Interesting! Thank you so much for sharing and commenting.
That still sounds crazy since the whole fare still needs to be paid before the cruise
@@niuhuskieguy Yep - but the full fare for two people is still less than the full fare for a solo cruiser. 😞
This is predatory pricing, pure and simple. I also do not like their ever fluctuating pricing for ancillary items like beverage packages, wifi, specialty dining, excursions, etc. This is why I have stopped sailing with Royal and Celebrity and no longer recommend either line to my customers (I am a cruise agent for transparency). There are too many alternative options out there for me to steer my, and my clients, hard earned money to. I am sure my business will not be missed.
Very insightful. Thank you so much for sharing!
It doesn't seem fair to charge a solo more than a couple. I will before selective on which cruiseline I go ok n.
It’s not fair, because when I add a third person to the room, I don’t get it discount
As you say, its fair enough to pay double occupancy on the cabin: you are using the space a couple would. But it is unfair to have to pay extra: I once found a cruise on Fred.Olsen that worked out over 3x the per person fare. Solo cruisers don't cruise alone for the fun of it, they are often single, divorced or widowed. They don't eat twice as much, poop twice as much, charge twice as many electrical items etc which all add to operating costs. Generally they also hog less sunbeds, use less space in the restaurants and bars and so on as people travelling with those cheap third and fourth in the cabin travellers.
I will not even look at their website, they lost possibility of my business.
Princess and hal only ones I use as a solo cruiser.
I need to try those two, but i heard Holland America is super boring
If you look at the charge details for Celebrity at 5:37 for double and 6:31 for single, you'll see the base charge for both is the same, $6910. The big difference is that the double gets a bigger discount of $3983 versus $2556 for the single passenger. So Celebrity isn't charging the single passenger more, they're just giving them a smaller discount. And you see this in the advertisements that offer 60% discount for the second passenger, or even the second passenger for free. That explains the difference.
Thank you!
Agree with your highlighted issue of disappearing cabins when booking Solo compared to two persons. Found this exact problem when trying to book Celebrity Edge, it was quite deceitful. Didnt book.
I thought they only did this at resorts.. I noticed they upped the price for my solo trip as I was about to pay for my All Inc. to PuntaCana so I changed it to 2 adults before comfirming my room🤷🏽♀️
Celebrity has completely lost me-solo or otherwise. It’s unacceptable. I like carnival and choose to sail there. I just snagged a solo cabin with no single supplement. Royal and celebrity can keep their cabins !
This subject depends on your point of view. Are you looking at it from the point of the cruising passenger or are you looking at it from a business standpoint. If they don't charge this way, they not only lose the cruise fare for the second person, but the on board spending as will which averages about $50.00/day/person. Those in suites tend to spend more than the average on board. Is it possible they are taking a hit with solo cruisers in interior and balcony cabins and are recouping it by charging more for the solo cruiser who has already demonstrated they are willing to pay more by booking the suite, also more capable of paying more, maybe. Just a question. They will find a way to price it to where they don't lose money on solo cruisers. The cruise line also knows they can book at least four people into that suite, so the loss is multiplied.
Cruise companies make as much money from on board spend as from cabin sales. So if under occupying, the company will get less onboard spend, which is undesirable .
Better for them not to allow under occupancy…. Or to make it un attractive.
Take a cabin mate with you… you don’t need to be a couple.
Yes, I've certainly encountered cabins suddenly becoming unavailable when you change the number of people to one. P&O Australia does this (I've been able to bypass it by booking using an agent). It's unacceptable. I don't mind paying more for the room - I see it as like buying a hotel room, if theres two of you the room costs half as much as one person. That's fine. But underhanded methods to prevent solo cruisers from being able to book or charging them more than what two people would pay is a disgrace. Thankfully there's still some solo friendly cruise lines. Cunard simply charges you 175% of the normal price for a twin share room if you're solo, which I think is fine.
That is garbage! I will be doing more solo cruises in the future and I am pissed that I have to pay extra because I am a solo traveller.
I cruised on HAL and Royal for many years. I spent plenty onboard in the spa and shops. Have been to Russia 3 times. Many times solo and always got a balcony cabin. What you just showed me for prices is a shock. I am so glad I got my cruising in because now I worry for safety with all that’s happening in the world. This is flat out descrimination!
Thank you so much for watching and sharing. Cruising to Russia sounds amazing!
Reason why I'll stick with ncl. Msc is affordable but not for me
Every once in awhile, I can get a real good solo rate on Princess and I was able to get a balcony cabin at a great rate for solo on MSC.
Have you or any viewers sailed Saga cruises, based in the British Isles? What has been your experience? They appear to be solo-traveler friendly, with 20% of their cabins dedicated to solo travelers. Their prices are solo-traveler friendly. They do NOT charge the full double occupancy rate. Of course it's not 1/2 price either (that would be too much to ask, lol), but their single occupancy fee, from briefly perusing their website, ranges from 800 to 1300 pounds cheaper than full double occupancy rates. Sounds like a good deal to me, and I am seriously looking into booking a cruise with them.
Interesting. Thank you for sharing! I haven't tried them yet. Maybe somebody on the comment section has and can share.
What would be the issue if you booked a room for John and Mary Smith, but only John showed up for boarding?
I'm really not sure. I've heard some travel agents recommend that very thing.
I will be on QE in September and back on the QM2 in Oct/Nov. The QM2 is a ship that everyone should sail on at least once.
Oh I am glad to hear that! I will be on QM2 this summer!
Hotels charge for the room but a Cruise line charges for the cabin AND the Entertainments AND the food. Comparing a hotel room to a Cruise experience is a bad idiom and false analogy. A cruise is an ALL inclusive vacation where as a hotel room is just that, a room and only one small part of a vacation experience. I would also not compare one tire to an entire car that has a tire on it. A tire costs one price and a car with a tire costs another price which includes the tire as a part of the total package.
Good perspective. Not really commenting on the price of cruising so much as a single person paying far more for a standard room than a couple would. So… You don't mind paying a significant markup for the same room that a couple would pay less for? Genuinely curious. Some people don't.
Solo cruisers don’t mind paying the double occupancy fee, that’s fine but why do solo cruisers have to pay more than the double occupancy fee? Just because there’s another person in the room, doesn’t mean that person is spending extra money onboard. A extra person means more food and supplies versus a solo cruiser. It doesn’t make sense to charge a solo cruiser more than the double occupancy fee.
@@missplummer1066 agree! 😊
I absolutely agree with DR. This is my point exactly, that a hotel room is just a room, whereas a ship's cabin price is inclusive of other amenities that DR states. Plus some lines even have more inclusion in the cabin price, such as excursions, wi-fi, specialty restaurants. Why should I even have to pay double if I'm not eating twice the food, taking part in twice the activities and taking up twice the space? So of course any extra charge for a solo on top of having to pay double is absolutely ridiculous and unacceptable. But the bottom line is, it's unfair even to pay double. There should be a discount for a solo traveler!
NCL is great for solo cruisers, I wish more Cruise lines do the same.
I have become a Solo cruiser expert. Celebrity always charges as if two people were in the cabin unless it is a solo cabin. However there are a variety of their ships/ itineraries on which you are not charged a further markup. You just have to be flexible and constantly check pricing. If you really want better pricing more consistently for solo travelers, you need to check Cunard. I often find their Britannia Balcony cabin for one is a few hundred dollars less than for two.
The hotel room comparison doesn't work though because you don't typically pay more if there are 2, 3, or.4 people. Cruises want it both ways.
Good point!
I think NCL has some good policies. Especially with their Solo Studios and now they even have balconies designated at solo only.
Definitely a nice option to have a balcony with a solo cabin! I'll have to try them out. Thank you for sharing
I feel this is a example of discrimination against solo travelers. I don’t agree they can do what they want. Since Covid too many companies are doing whatever they want to us as consumers. If we decide not to give these greedy companies our business, they would go out of business. When do we as consumers say enough is enough!
Good point! Thank you so much for sharing
What would happen if a person booked and paid as though there were two people, but then on boarding day, only one person showed up? Would they deny boarding?
I honestly don't know, I've never tried it. Maybe someone in the comment section has?
Solution: Book the room as double occupancy. Then cancel the 2nd guest the day you board. I consider this fighting fire with fire. You will be charged the full double occupancy amount, less 1/2 of taxes, port fees.
this is why MSC is my go to
Same here!!!
And no queers with cameras are allowed!!
Wow, I had no idea!
Can’t believe Celebrity is still doing this. I booked an interior for a friend on the Ascent this August, no solo supplement. But those are few and far between, it seems.
It really does seem hit or miss. I have seen some fair solo supplemental fees and I've seen a few slightly discounted standard size rooms for solos and of course there are those solo cabins if you want a smaller room. But when they gouge they really gouge.
I am a solo traveler and it is crappy. I use a travel agent and I don’t seem to run into that problem.
That's good to hear. I may have to try that next time. Thank you so much for sharing
It's unfair, it takes longer for a solo to save for and cruise anyway, as the cost of bills isn't subsidised for 1 person so we have less each month to save for a cruise. We are more likely to stay with the cruise line on excursions to stay with the ship. No excuse ever to charge more, maybe 75% of what a couple would pay. I wouldn't go above that, we need to send a message back to them.
I have two upcoming carnival cruises that I am getting very cheap cabin including ocean view- because I am an established gambler.
I do not believe at all, that solo cruisers should pay like two people in a cabin. A solo traveller uses only half the water for their hygienic needs, they use only one set of towels and the wear and tear on the cabin is also only half as bad. The problem is that solo travellers only spend half as much as a couple would, and so we get supplemented for that loss, and that's just greedy.
I travelled once with HAL and twice with Hurtigruten, and with both I payed the price for a couple travelling, no other extra charge.
One stupid question : is it possible to make a resrvation and pay for two people even if you are travelling solo. I mean, the other person could decide not to cruise the last minute and you board on your own?
Not as stupid question, lots of people have asked that here! I really don't know the answer to that one. Might be worth asking a travel agent!
@@SheSailsAway thanks for the quick answer! My next cruise is on NCL and I am glad I had access to a solo rate for an oceanview cabin.
cruiseline greed
Could you just book two people and then just go on your own?
I don't know, I haven't tried that! Maybe?
I booked a Princess repositioning cruise as a solo inside cruiser, and found that the cost for a couple is $100 more than I paid. I chose this cruise over a similar RC cruise that had the penalty examined here, although that wasn't the main reason. The RC cruise was actually cheaper, but I get get a lot of onboard credit with Princess.
I've cruised only once, back in 2008 on the next-to-last sailing of QE2. One reason I haven't cruised again is because of the ridiculous supplements for singles. (That's not the only reason, to be sure -- but I do want to sometime.)
First, as others have said, I'm not going to spend the extra money anyway. Dinner is already included, I'm not going to pay an add-on for a specialty restaurant that is higher than the same meal would cost me at home (and trust me, Seattle is not inexpensive!). Casinos are a ripoff, and my understanding is that those on cruise ships are a worse deal for the gambler than most on land (I can't confirm that). I'll buy the drinks package (non-alcoholic) if it's a good deal, but not if I'm traveling with someone else and we're required to both have the same package. I'm not interested in the shore excursions for the most part; for me, the *cruise* is what I'm there for, and I don't mean the seagoing amusement park. And I'm not going to find someone else to travel with just because a cruise line is out of touch with trends in the real world.
Emma recently had a video about Fred Olsen Cruises, and they sound like just what I'd be looking for. I haven't done any research, so it may have been just on her cruise, but a single supplement of only 10% is definitely worth exploring!
It certainly is! Thank you so much for sharing. I would be interested to try that cruise line out at some point.
I had noticed this when looking at Celebrity (every time) but not Royal Caribbean. The thing is both are part of the same corporation! As I shareholder I hope to ask about this if the annual meeting is virtual (as most are these days).
I will disagree with the comment about some of the other costs to the cruise line. Entertainment costs the same to produce if the theater is full or empty. The included food has to be done in large quantities - the buffet is take as much as you want and the main dining room allows ordering multiple dishes - some exceptions are creeping in, I know - so one person more or less isn't going to make a difference.
I've sailed solo on Carnival & NCL and had good experiences on both.
Thank you for sharing. Good insights!
Can you book as a couple, but only show up with one person?
That's a great question, and a lot of people have asked that same question… I honestly don't know. I will say that I know people who have done that and everything has worked out just fine, I've never tried it myself. 🤔
@@SheSailsAway Thank you!
This is going to be so interesting, I have to save to Watch Later for now, but just wanted to say I love your channel and congrats on the growing number of subs, views, comments! yay 😊
Aw thank you! I know you were one of my very first subscribers.
I just put my info in twice if there is no good solo rates.
What happens if I book as a couple - and my partner does not show up ?
Good question! I don't know
Try adding in the need for an accessible cabin as a solo cruiser no single accessible cabins
Oh my goodness . Have not even thought about that, and I really should have. Thank you so much for sharing and commenting
SO WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU BOOK A CABIN FOR 2 AND ONLY 1 SHOWS UP?
Good question! I don't know
tour operators does this to, Its nothing new...
Tour operators charge a single person 30% to 50% more than a couple on a tour? Or do they just charge a single person the same price as a couple?
Interested because I have been charged the same as a couple on tours but never more than a couple.
I have recently discovered the not available for singles / available for couples thing while researching cruise prices on another line. When speaking to a sales rep on the phone about it, she agreed it was unfair but said it was just company policy. I asked her about a hypothetical situation where you book as a couple and only one shows up and goes on the cruise? I asked her if this would work. she sounded like she wanted to say it was okay to do that ...but her official answer was she couldn't tell me to do that .... I felt like she was trying to say it was an acceptable workaround without actually saying it. Has anyone tried this tactic?
I haven't, but someone else I know did that and it worked out fine
I do agree that the market needs to adjust to allow for solo cruisers - especially those cruiselines that expect solo cruisers to pay more for the same experience (i.e. Carnival). Royal Caribbean may charge me more as a solo cruiser but I ALSO earn double rewards - so it's not a 1:1 service. Although I do hate paying more and love cruising it was an easy choice to move to Royal Caribbean instead of Carnival even though Carnival is a cheaper line. On the whole, though, the market has not adjusted to allow for solo cruisers but to be honest I don't think it WILL as long as they can get couples and families to cruise and get them to pay gratuities and for services like resteraunts and drink packages.
That's a very good point! Food for thought. Thank you so much for sharing.
Look, unless it is a designated one person solo cabin then it is for double occupancy.
Cruiselines do not need to offer solo cabins, it's a business their business.
You want to book a non single person cabin...then you pay the extra or move on.
Something for nothing as always.
I agree, my point was why would we be charged far more than a couple for the same room on the same Cruise. Don't mind paying double, I do mind paying up to $2000 more than a couple for the same product.
@@SheSailsAway and let's face it, double is already an exaggeration, because you don't eat for 2 and you don't use 2 seats at the theater because you paid double.
Wow....bet you're a BLAST at parties.😐😐
You clearly did not watch the video. It's not about paying for double occupancy. It's about paying a lot more.