Do Solo Cruisers Feel Discriminated Against By Carnival

[Chacooe]

As a solo cruiser I feel like we are sometimes discriminated against. I don't feel it is fair that under the Early Saver Program that we only get a refund for one person when we have to pay the full price for two. We should be entitled to both refunds like other passengers receive.

I don't mind paying a higher price for my room, but common on 200%. They know well in advance how many are going to be sailing so they order supplies for that number of passengers.

How do other solo cruisers feel about this.

[jessemon]

As a solo cruiser I feel like we are sometimes discriminated against. I don't feel it is fair that under the Early Saver Program that we only get a refund for one person when we have to pay the full price for two. We should be entitled to both refunds like other passengers receive.

 

I don't mind paying a higher price for my room, but common on 200%. They know well in advance how many are going to be sailing so they order supplies for that number of passengers.

 

How do other solo cruisers feel about this.

I book a 1A and that is not double the price....Only Carnival and HAL offer these type of rates that are about 150% and it works great for me....;)

I have gotten them as low as 130%...

[Legend]

What in the world are you talking about?

[Traveler353]

Yes and no. When booking a 1A solo the supplement is 125%. 1As are what I normaly book. On my upcoming Triumph I booked a 6D (now 6B). The supplement was 200%. I have actually gotten most of that back with 2 ES refunds. On both refunds I did receive the cash back based on 2 booking. Both refunds were double what I put on the request form. I just wanted to try an aft cabin on the Triumph. I will be going back to 1As for future cruises. I really don't see why Carnival when they build new ships cannot build in a few truly single cabins. They could be smaller than the standard 1As.

[Legend]

A 1A is 150%, not 125%, for a solo.

 

If you are talking about ES price drops then yes you will get 200% if that's what you paid for cat 4 and above and 150% if you booked a 1A.

[steveaaaaa]

As a solo cruiser I feel like we are sometimes discriminated against. I don't feel it is fair that under the Early Saver Program that we only get a refund for one person when we have to pay the full price for two. We should be entitled to both refunds like other passengers receive.

 

I don't mind paying a higher price for my room, but common on 200%. They know well in advance how many are going to be sailing so they order supplies for that number of passengers.

 

How do other solo cruisers feel about this.

 

Why should they take less? You are taking something made for 2 fares.If you owned a business would you want to maximize profit?

 

Steve

[Traveler353]

A 1A is 150%, not 125%, for a solo.

 

If you are talking about ES price drops then yes you will get 200% if that's what you paid for cat 4 and above and 150% if you booked a 1A.

 

I know exactly what single supplement I pay. I book my 1As under the Military discount and have never paid more than 125% for that cat.

[jonbgd]

I know exactly what single supplement I pay. I book my 1As under the Military discount and have never paid more than 125% for that cat.

I use my Military discount quite a bit but my PVP doesnt always take it He uses other discounts Ive never gotten 125% one time I paid 200% Last time I got 150% Ive only done a couple 1A but a dozen balconies which I know doesnt qualify but dont have to pay 2nd person port fees or Gratuities

Do you call back closer to sail date to get it changed or does it difer per sailing?

[firefly333]

I know exactly what single supplement I pay. I book my 1As under the Military discount and have never paid more than 125% for that cat.

 

Id go solo if I could pay 125%.

[trvljill]

I hadn't even thought about the getting back double on early saver for when booking a single in a non-1A room. I hope this isn't too off topic but was just curious for the 1A can you ever book these online or can you only get them through a travel agent or calling carnival on the phone? Thanks. I've never done a cruise alone before and have been reading a lot of threads on it to figure out the best way to do it for a good price so have been wondering how to actually book the 1A cabins.

[firefly333]

I hadn't even thought about the getting back double on early saver for when booking a single in a non-1A room. I hope this isn't too off topic but was just curious for the 1A can you ever book these online or can you only get them through a travel agent or calling carnival on the phone? Thanks. I've never done a cruise alone before and have been reading a lot of threads on it to figure out the best way to do it for a good price so have been wondering how to actually book the 1A cabins.

 

Anyone can book a 1A. I use a PVP just because I know she will make sure everything is correct, but Im sure I could do it online too.

 

One or two people can book 1As, 2 max.

[robsvacation]

I'm not entirely sure what the original poster is saying (I personally see little to no value in the ES fares, but I generally book late anyways) but yeah, while those "other" lines are almost universally 200% for a single (lower supplements are fairly rare) Carnival has some of those great 1A's on every sailing. Depending on the ship some of those 1A's are huge, have windows or portholes and are an amazing deal.

 

Once I tried to book Celebrity to Bermuda and they had a deal for $399 PP double occ. Well, if you were single you couldn't just double that special rate, you had to book the next fare category up (same cabin class) and double that (I think it was $599.) So basically as a single passenger my total fare ($1198) would be more than double the total fare for 2 people ($798) in the identical cabin! And the lower fare wasn't even an guarantee, in both cases you picked your cabin, in the same category! I know, I know, onboard spending for singles is lower Blah Blah Blah, but wow, that left a bad taste! Basically to get the lower fare I would have to invent a random person and last minute cancel their 1/2 of the reservation (no refund asked for of course) and hope they didn't recalculate the fare.

 

Anyways I'm platinum on Carnival, all my cabins booked as single occupancy. I've tried other lines when the double rate was low enough that I didn't feel complete taken advantage of as a single. So I guess my point of view is exactly the opposite since I've REALLY felt discriminated against on other lines.

[jessemon]

Anyone can book a 1A. I use a PVP just because I know she will make sure everything is correct, but Im sure I could do it online too.

 

One or two people can book 1As, 2 max.

I book everything through one of two travel agents I use. If a problem arises they take care of it and I don't have to waste my time. As you have pointed out, PVP or TA it is up to them to make sure things go right. I personally would never book online and the price is the same no matter who or how you book......

[boaterette]

There fares are based on double occupancy so I have no problem paying 200%. I usually book a balcony. It is what it is and if you don't like it just don't do it. They aren't trying to rip you off it is just their policy.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I book everything through one of two travel agents I use. If a problem arises they take care of it and I don't have to waste my time. As you have pointed out, PVP or TA it is up to them to make sure things go right. I personally would never book online and the price is the same no matter who or how you book......

 

My TA discounts the CCL price by rebating some of their comission so there is a difference.:)

 

Bill

[jessemon]

My TA discounts the CCL price by rebating some of their comission so there is a difference.:)

 

Bill

Your TA must be hungry for business....;)

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Your TA must be hungry for business....;)

 

and why is that? she was doing the same was business was booming.

 

It's not like she changed her business model when the bottom dropped out.

 

Bill

[Guest TropicOne]

I always have paid a "double fare" and just accepted it as the cost of staying in a stateroom by myself. Will it stop me from cruising ? No. Never stayed in a 1A.

[Quampapetet]

I don't mind paying "double" for the room itself (just like at a hotel), but I wish they would leave off the cost of some of the other things like the second person's meals. I don't recall if it is Carnival that makes you pay double for port charges or not, but I know there is at least one line that does that and that REALLY should not be done.

 

A 1A room is not a solution, as I can't be in an inside cabin due to motion sickness issues. (The fresh air of a balcony really does help.) Those 1As also look very small from the photos I've seen (I haven't been on a Carnival ship yet).

[Tom Crusin]

There fares are based on double occupancy so I have no problem paying 200%. I usually book a balcony. It is what it is and if you don't like it just don't do it. They aren't trying to rip you off it is just their policy.

I just sailed solo on Royal Monarch Oct. 26. The advertised rate for the cabin type I chose was $220 double occupancy at the time I booked, or $440 for the cabin. (It went up to $365 x 2 before I sailed)

 

I got a single senior rate of $174.00 !!! Not only no single supplement added, but at a rate 79% of the advertised !!!

 

:D

[Sea Turtle]

Nope

[MrPete]

Whatever happened to the cabin share program?

[firefly333]

I don't mind paying "double" for the room itself (just like at a hotel), but I wish they would leave off the cost of some of the other things like the second person's meals. I don't recall if it is Carnival that makes you pay double for port charges or not, but I know there is at least one line that does that and that REALLY should not be done.

 

A 1A room is not a solution, as I can't be in an inside cabin due to motion sickness issues. (The fresh air of a balcony really does help.) Those 1As also look very small from the photos I've seen (I haven't been on a Carnival ship yet).

 

Port charges are included in the cruise fare, not added on, so most people are unaware of what they pay. Carnival used to subtract out the port charges and then apply the solo supplement. A year ago last summer they changed it to 150% of the cruise fare on 1A so you are paying 50% of the port charges, or 100% if you pay 200% ... what they remove is the 2nd persons taxes and fees (the fees do not include port charges).

 

Also, on Triumph class, Conquest class and higher the 1As have windows and port holes. I have a port hole on Triumph .. so you can see out of many 1As ..

[Traveler353]

I use my Military discount quite a bit but my PVP doesnt always take it He uses other discounts Ive never gotten 125% one time I paid 200% Last time I got 150% Ive only done a couple 1A but a dozen balconies which I know doesnt qualify but dont have to pay 2nd person port fees or Gratuities

Do you call back closer to sail date to get it changed or does it difer per sailing?

 

The 125% is for Military 1As only. They like all specials prices are capacity controlled and not always for all cabins on a specific cruise. On several cruises with the fare reductions I have got'en the supplement back and then some. On my upcoming Triumph 6D/6B ES I am down to 130% after two rate reductions. I started out at 200%. If there are Military discounts available on a cruise and catagory that you are interested in and your PVP is not giving you the option to use it then maybe you might need to talk to another PVP. My PVP the first thing that he always checks for me is if the Military discount is available.

This has been "my" experience, someone else may have a different experience with the different discount programs.

[jpg1747]

Quite the opposite. I feel that Carnival does more for solo's with the 1A's. I book early to get the cabins with windows or portholes, but even at the last minute a 1A is a terrific bargain. Of course, I also get the senior rate, so I pay an even smaller supplement. I just got a great OBC because my cabin price was reduced so I'm only paying $500 for a 7 day cruise in a cabin that is now designated a 6B.

 

Solo bargains can be found on all lines if you are diligent in your searching. There are threads about it on the Solo Board.