Did the Solo Upcharge Change ?

I always thought the solo upcharge was 75% or 100% depending on cabin class - right now I am seeing a $799 balcony per person rate in Brittania (BZ) come in at $2,743.21 without any extras.

Am I missing something - shouldn't that be more like $1,500 ?

I always thought the solo upcharge was 75% or 100% depending on cabin class - right now I am seeing a $799 balcony per person rate in Brittania (BZ) come in at $2,743.21 without any extras.

 

Am I missing something - shouldn't that be more like $1,500 ?

Hi Winchester Ranger. I don't know if anything has changed, but the following was copied from the Cunard US website moments ago:

"Cunard welcomes single travellers on every cruise. There are countless ways to meet interesting people during your cruise — by attending the ‘Welcome Cocktail Party,’ by choosing to sit at a larger table for dinner and through activities like lectures and Bridge classes. For ladies travelling alone, Gentleman Dance Hosts make great dance partners.

Single staterooms are available. For those who wish to travel as the sole occupant of a double occupancy stateroom, the following single supplements typically apply:

For Grills categories (Q1 – Q7 and P1 – P2), singles pay 200% of double-occupancy fares. For all other categories (A1-IF), singles pay 175% of double-occupancy fares.

Please be aware that supplements may vary and are subject to change without prior notification. Contact your Travel Agent or call Cunard at (800) 728-6273 for details." copied from http://www.cunard.com/frequent-questions/

I always thought the solo upcharge was 75% or 100% depending on cabin class - right now I am seeing a $799 balcony per person rate in Brittania (BZ) come in at $2,743.21 without any extras.

 

Am I missing something - shouldn't that be more like $1,500 ?

I think you might be missing the promotional code that is needed to actually get that $799 BZ balcony fare per person for two passengers. I am looking at the eastbound crossing departing May 31, 2017 which I suspect may also be the voyage you are looking at. When I start a booking on cunard.com for that crossing, if I do not enter a promotional code, the base fare for a BZ balcony is actually $1,529.00 per person for two passengers, not $799.00. That same promotional code reduces the base fare from $2,676.00 to $1,573.00 for a BZ balcony for one passenger.

The promotional code I used (which I received in an email from Cunard) is RGS. Hope this helps clarify the situation.

John

John,

You are an absolute star, thanks so much, that fixed the issue. You were right about it being that particular crossing, so if I end up booking that cruise I'd like to buy you a drink.

I am confused.........

If the per person in double occupancy is $799 and the surcharge for a single is 175% -- why isn't fare $1400???

Taxes & port charges perhaps. Included in UK quoted prices but not in the US.

I am confused.........

 

If the per person in double occupancy is $799 and the surcharge for a single is 175% -- why isn't fare $1400???

Taxes & port charges perhaps. Included in UK quoted prices but not in the US.

In my admittedly limited experience, the 175% single occupancy rate as stated by Cunard for a Britannia stateroom is figured in the US from the base fare before taxes, fees, and port charges are applied. Taking the example of the May 31, 2017 eastbound crossing we have been discussing, when no promotion code is entered, the base fare (before taxes, fees, and port charges) for a BZ cabin on the US web site (cunard.com) is $1,529.00 per person for double occupancy and $2,676.00 for single occupancy. That works out to the stated 175% rate when rounded to an even dollar amount.

However, when the promotion code is entered, the base fare is $799.00 per person for double occupancy and $1,573.00 for single occupancy. That works out to a single occupancy rate of approximately 197%. I do not know how Cunard goes about determining the rate when a promotion is involved, but the single occupancy rate is clearly more than the "typical" 175% for this particular promotion.

Just for the record, the taxes, fees, and port charges are an additional $67.41 per person for this crossing. If you do figure those additional charges into the equation, the single occupancy rate is still 189% when the promotion code is used.

So, old fool, I think you have a legitimate question. The only answer I can provide is that the typical 175% single occupancy rate apparently does not necessarily apply to special promotions such as this.

Regards,

John

In the UK the experience is as follows. If I pay the 'Cunard fare' (i.e. the full fare) then the single rate is 175%. If I purchase a Saver fare then the single rate is 200%, even when air fare is included in the price (i.e. I am paying for 2 air fares). I suspect something similar is happening with your special promotion. Because you are getting it at a discounted rate, you don't get any money off for single occupancy.

At least this is better than the deal 4 years ago when singles were not able to access any sale fares, meaning that we might end up paying four times the per-room rate than a couple did! I'm glad that got stopped.

In the UK the experience is as follows. If I pay the 'Cunard fare' (i.e. the full fare) then the single rate is 175%. If I purchase a Saver fare then the single rate is 200%, even when air fare is included in the price (i.e. I am paying for 2 air fares). I suspect something similar is happening with your special promotion. Because you are getting it at a discounted rate, you don't get any money off for single occupancy.

 

At least this is better than the deal 4 years ago when singles were not able to access any sale fares, meaning that we might end up paying four times the per-room rate than a couple did! I'm glad that got stopped.

Thanks for clarifying how the pricing for single travelers works in the UK. I does indeed sound like it's a similar situation in the US with regard to promotional pricing for singles.

And I do remember the instrumental role you played in getting Cunard's policy changed four years ago so that single travelers could start taking advantage of Saver fares in the UK. Kudos for that.

Regards,

John

I just did a "dummy" booking on the US web site for the QM 2 October 20 eastbound TA -- BZ grade balcony.

One person = $1993

Two person = $1139 (dbl occupancy)

This works out to a flat 175% single supplement up charge.

Do others agree with me on this?? - Does the UK, etc. differ??

Dear Winchester Ranger,

Individual ( Solo) upcharges may best be done by booking twiuce ( 2 people) it somehow makes the voayge fares lower too. Yes paying for two fares does only include tTaxes/Fess for one . Booking with a ASTA Travel Agent/Agency IMHO is best they provide waht professionals do ..service and knowledge and not the HIGH Fares by any Cruise line Pamphlet Rates.. Kinda like a Motor Vehicle eh.. do youall pay MSRP?

I always thought the solo upcharge was 75% or 100% depending on cabin class - right now I am seeing a $799 balcony per person rate in Brittania (BZ) come in at $2,743.21 without any extras.

 

Am I missing something - shouldn't that be more like $1,500 ?

...

However, when the promotion code is entered, the base fare is $799.00 per person for double occupancy and $1,573.00 for single occupancy. That works out to a single occupancy rate of approximately 197%. I do not know how Cunard goes about determining the rate when a promotion is involved, but the single occupancy rate is clearly more than the "typical" 175% for this particular promotion.

 

Just for the record, the taxes, fees, and port charges are an additional $67.41 per person for this crossing. If you do figure those additional charges into the equation, the single occupancy rate is still 189% when the promotion code is used.

 

So, old fool, I think you have a legitimate question. The only answer I can provide is that the typical 175% single occupancy rate apparently does not necessarily apply to special promotions such as this.

 

Regards,

John

That is most likely the reason. A while back I was assisting a friend in getting fares for his planned single occupancy crossing. At the time there was an offer from Cunard saying that the "deal" did not apply to single occupancy and every fare I checked was double the pp fare. Even so, he was very happy with what was a cheap fare for single occupancy.

I just did a "dummy" booking on the US web site for the QM 2 October 20 eastbound TA -- BZ grade balcony.

 

One person = $1993

Two person = $1139 (dbl occupancy)

 

This works out to a flat 175% single supplement up charge.

Do others agree with me on this?? - Does the UK, etc. differ??

UK Prices on Saver fare

1 person including air £2185

2 persons including air £2498 (dbl occupancy) BZ grade balcony.

UK Cunard Fare

1 person Solo £2688 inc air

2 persons £3072 including air BZ grade balcony.

I just did a "dummy" booking on the US web site for the QM 2 October 20 eastbound TA -- BZ grade balcony.

 

One person = $1993

Two person = $1139 (dbl occupancy)

 

This works out to a flat 175% single supplement up charge.

Do others agree with me on this?? - Does the UK, etc. differ??

Yes, that agrees with the per-person base fares I am seeing on cunard.com for a BZ cabin on QM2's 7-day eastbound crossing departing October 20, 2017. No promo code is involved (and I don't happen to know any that can be used for this particular voyage), so the standard 175% single passenger up charge applies in this case. An additional charge of $78.02 per passenger will be added for taxes, fees, and port expenses.

Yes, that agrees with the per-person base fares I am seeing on cunard.com for a BZ cabin on QM2's 7-day eastbound crossing departing October 20, 2017. No promo code is involved (and I don't happen to know any that can be used for this particular voyage), so the standard 175% single passenger up charge applies in this case. An additional charge of $78.02 per passenger will be added for taxes, fees, and port expenses.

So solo is really 175% and the taxes, fees and port charges are for one person only, correct? I assume that the UK prices which are much higher include air fare across the Atlantic. US prices are voyage only.

So solo is really 175% and the taxes, fees and port charges are for one person only, correct? I assume that the UK prices which are much higher include air fare across the Atlantic. US prices are voyage only.

Yes, the US single occupancy fare is indeed 175% of the per-person double occupancy fare for the October 20, 2017 crossing since the fares quoted on cunard.com for that voyage do not involve a promotion code.

The additional $78.02 charge for taxes, fees, and port expenses is per person regardless of how many passengers are travelling. There is no single supplement applied to those fees. They also do not vary by type of cabin. Those additional fees are the same for each passenger travelling in the least expensive inside cabin and the most expensive Queens Grill suite.

The UK fares do include a flight from London. Additional fare supplements apply to departures from other UK airports.

Regards,

John

The simple answer is that it varies ....

Most of the time on regular prices it is 175%, on heavily discounted deals it is often 200% and on the rare occasion it is less than 175%. I got a 150% solo supplement on my QE world cruise sector when I booked last year in the Australia/NZ market.

I remember November/December 2013 (I think) when they had no single supplement. I managed a 12-day cruise from Southampton in a balcony cabin for £600. There have been no deals like that since then. I believe their marketing changed with a new CEO.

There have been a number of threads about Cunard's pricing games. I know of one couple, on QM2 one fall and booked for Xmas, got home to find a "Loyal Customer Appreciation" sale for that cruise. They cancelled, paid a whopping penalty, and still saved several hundred dollars on the new booking.

For years I've been getting "Wonderful Price....does not apply to singles" spam, which means the effective rate may be triple (even though from my World Club number they know I've never booked double occupancy). Last fall I got one for QE "Wonderful Price...Single Occupancy"; When my agent tried to book, she was told single occupancy means each of two, so it was double. I don't know what was said ,but they finally honoured the advertised price. I mentioned this to one of the legal people at the shareholder meeting and got an expression of concern, but I doubt anything will change.

So whatever price they quote now will probably change, and keep your wits about you when talking to them.