cruise ships wake up

[Watson's aunt]

come on cruise ships there are a lot of us (solo) cruises out there. Its time you stop charging us double or more fares.. We should pay the same as a any one else on ship just because some are doubles there is no way we should have to pay a double or more rate. You are not losing any money on solo travelers... What you are doing is driving them away.

 

 

Mary

[SantaAna,CA]

I agree. You can sometimes find a better deal, but they are few and far between, and usually are for the cave-like inside cabins. No thanks!

[kitty9]

Mary, unfortunately, your logic is not correct on this with regards to cruise lines losing money on solos if they didn't charge the supplement. First, I hate the single supplement, as we all do. But to say that solos don't cause cruise lines to lose money is inherently wrong. Look at it this way. You have 10 cabins to sell, at $1000 per person, double occupancy. That adds up to a total of $20,000 when they sell two per cabin. If they sold just 5 of those cabins to solos, at the per person rate of $1000, and didn't charge the supplement, the line would make $10,000 on the double occupancy cabins and only $5000 on the solo occupancy cabins, for a net loss of $5000. No business is going to do that. Yes, I know solos don't eat double the food and all that. But in the same light, solos don't spend the same on board as two people do, and the crew only will receive one tip instead of two when a cabin is only occupied by one person.

 

So, like I said, single supplements stink, but unless cruise lines start building ships with dedicated solo cabins, like NCL has on Epic, we're going to be stuck with the dreaded single supplement.

[Flip2cruise]

The other factor that is often forgotten.....If they didnt charge a single supplement what would stop couples from booking two balcony cabins side by side. You know it would happen, or 2 couples booking 4 balcony cabins.

 

I dont like the SS, but just learned to accept it and cruise during off season when rates are lower.

[mrobstad]

Its not just the solo cabins that make the Epic so enjoyable for solos, its the solo dining room, half price drinks at happy hour, the fact no other passengers can share that dedicated space, that a cruise director is assigned to the solo lounge a couple of nights and arranged a group dinner with complimentary wine....add it all together, and it was a big success......I am still fearful of traveling on other ships, because before I discovered a way to get dinner companionship, the MDR never accommodated my wish to dine with others.

[jtwanabe]

I understand the concept of double occupancy. I would be curious to know what is the average percentage of solo's on a cruise. Would there be enough to have a solo section. Maybe a section of rooms that have a substantial divider between the rooms so that if there are two solos the partition can be drawn. If you have to charge extra than maybe it ought to be only a 50% up charge.

 

I'm going solo for the first time cause my lovely wife can't get off work. So here I am paying double and using only half. I can't think of any other area of entertainment that does that. :rolleyes:At least give me some coupons or something.

[Donh44]

Mary, unfortunately, your logic is not correct on this with regards to cruise lines losing money on solos if they didn't charge the supplement. First, I hate the single supplement, as we all do. But to say that solos don't cause cruise lines to lose money is inherently wrong. Look at it this way. You have 10 cabins to sell, at $1000 per person, double occupancy. That adds up to a total of $20,000 when they sell two per cabin. If they sold just 5 of those cabins to solos, at the per person rate of $1000, and didn't charge the supplement, the line would make $10,000 on the double occupancy cabins and only $5000 on the solo occupancy cabins, for a net loss of $5000. No business is going to do that. Yes, I know solos don't eat double the food and all that. But in the same light, solos don't spend the same on board as two people do, and the crew only will receive one tip instead of two when a cabin is only occupied by one person.

 

So, like I said, single supplements stink, but unless cruise lines start building ships with dedicated solo cabins, like NCL has on Epic, we're going to be stuck with the dreaded single supplement.

I sailed on the EPIC and got a single studio cabin and paid as much for that as I am paying as a solo traveller in an inside cabin (which is larger) on the Carnival Dream. The solo cabins on EPIC are very nice, but you are not really getting a bargain.

[snowbird1]

I sailed on the EPIC and got a single studio cabin and paid as much for that as I am paying as a solo traveller in an inside cabin (which is larger) on the Carnival Dream. The solo cabins on EPIC are very nice, but you are not really getting a bargain.

 

That is what I noticed, they really are not a bargain in most cases but I am willing to try it one. I can't really be a judge until I have tired it however I can be a judge with the prices I see.

[HowardK]

That is what I noticed, they really are not a bargain in most cases but I am willing to try it one. I can't really be a judge until I have tired it however I can be a judge with the prices I see.

 

 

The base price has increased significantly over time. I booked mine in January and it has gone up $250, i think it was a bargain when I booked it however.

[mrobstad]

I don't think the studios are a bargain, but at this point, they are the only way I feel comfortable traveling solo. I'm OK with me, myself and I... until dinner, which I do not like to eat alone. Meeting solos in the lounge meant I would not have to eat dinner alone, and when I randomly ran into them on the ship, it was like finding a long lost friend, because the solos I met wanted to befriend others. It has been my experience that the maitre' d does not attempt to sit you with anyone else, groups or solos. Perhaps if they changed this, I might brave other ships, but for now, the Epic is my choice for solo cruising....IMO.;)

[Lois R]

Driving solos away?....nope, not all of us. I love to cruise solo.

I understand why they do it...not that I like it either, but I look at

the "total price" of the cruise. If it is within my pricepoint then I

book it. I know there will be a single supplement and I won't stop

cruising because of it. Personally, I still feel a cruise is the most

wonderful vacation my $ can buy me. (Just my opinion).

[HowardK]

I don't think the studios are a bargain, but at this point, they are the only way I feel comfortable traveling solo. I'm OK with me, myself and I... until dinner, which I do not like to eat alone. Meeting solos in the lounge meant I would not have to eat dinner alone, and when I randomly ran into them on the ship, it was like finding a long lost friend, because the solos I met wanted to befriend others. It has been my experience that the maitre' d does not attempt to sit you with anyone else, groups or solos. Perhaps if they changed this, I might brave other ships, but for now, the Epic is my choice for solo cruising....IMO.;)

 

That's very nice to read- and posts like yours have encouraged me to keep my reservation. What is also inspiring is the ability to book shows and excursions ahead of time to have some sort of structure.

I also found that eating alone is a drag but I refused to order room service.

[mrobstad]

That's very nice to read- and posts like yours have encouraged me to keep my reservation. What is also inspiring is the ability to book shows and excursions ahead of time to have some sort of structure.

I also found that eating alone is a drag but I refused to order room service.

 

Howard, I can honestly tell you that all of the solos I spoke to last February during school break agreed we loved the studio experience. Though the rooms are small, we felt they were intimate. I made a mistake my first three nights, thinking I was so smart, and I booked the early shows. BOOK THE LATE SHOWS! That way, you can go to happy hour--a must-- and meet other solos for dinner. We ate as a group of between 8-10, men and women. Then, one night, six of us decided to try Le Bistro which I felt was A+++. When I go again in February, I will try to convince a solo or two to go to the specialty restaurants, whose food, IMO, was far superior to MDR. One more thing, the front of the ship is "for 18 and older" ...it might be call H2O or Spice, and that's where the solos typically sunbathed. It gets crowded on days at sea. I planned all my excursions using Tripadvisor.com as a reference, and typically just tried to grab a cab with other passengers, which opened up a whole other world of new friends, but I always looked forward to meeting the solos for dinner, and needless to say, the entertainment is awesome....perhaps best is Slam at the Jazz bar, opened all nights but one or two--he was fabulous! and BMG gets all the praise!! Second City was also fantastic, and I forgot my reservation for Legends--they should send reminders, but they don't.

[HowardK]

I was thinking of maybe holding back on blue man group for late Monday and Friday so that I focus more on meeting people early on. Was Spice/H2o for the pool part of the Posh pass or is it seperate?

 

Also, did you notice if passengers ever played with the band at Fat Cat's as I play the piano and sometimes have gotten to play on ships in the past.

[mrobstad]

I was thinking of maybe holding back on blue man group for late Monday and Friday so that I focus more on meeting people early on. Was Spice/H2o for the pool part of the Posh pass or is it seperate?

 

Also, did you notice if passengers ever played with the band at Fat Cat's as I play the piano and sometimes have gotten to play on ships in the past.

 

Late reservations for the shows are best, and sign up before u set foot on the ship. Spice/H2O was open/free to everyone over 18 and was always my first choice of pool because it was calm and the solos hung out there. There are also tables there for snacks, but I never arrived early enough to snag one of those. The pool is small, so u almost have to talk to whomever is in the water with you. I believe Slam called someone up from the audience to play piano and maybe one other instrument, and if I recall, the piano was electric. I should probably keep silent about Slam and Fat Cats because on the first half of the cruise, it was almost empty, but by the last few days of the cruise, word had clearly spread that these guys were totally awesome. You could barely find standing room the last night. Jam on!!

[HowardK]

Late reservations for the shows are best, and sign up before u set foot on the ship. Spice/H2O was open/free to everyone over 18 and was always my first choice of pool because it was calm and the solos hung out there. There are also tables there for snacks, but I never arrived early enough to snag one of those. The pool is small, so u almost have to talk to whomever is in the water with you. I believe Slam called someone up from the audience to play piano and maybe one other instrument, and if I recall, the piano was electric. I should probably keep silent about Slam and Fat Cats because on the first half of the cruise, it was almost empty, but by the last few days of the cruise, word had clearly spread that these guys were totally awesome. You could barely find standing room the last night. Jam on!!

 

Thanks, all of this sounds really good- its almost a good idea to be forced to talk to people in the pool I think. I figured I would not do BMG until the 3rd night. Do they let you sign up twice or are the shows limited due t demand?

One more question- do you recommend getting the Posh pass?

[Colorado Kat]

When I vacation with my daughters, I like to cruise (3 of us.) When I vacation solo, I usually go to Europe, where you can get great rates on trains, and small, one person rooms for a one-person rate.

[mrobstad]

When I vacation with my daughters, I like to cruise (3 of us.) When I vacation solo, I usually go to Europe, where you can get great rates on trains, and small, one person rooms for a one-person rate.

 

Kat,

I'm trying to plan a European vacation Easter week. Don't care if land or cruise, but don't want to pay any double rates, mainly based on principle. Can u give me some tips/ideas? Location optional. Thanks.

[Colorado Kat]

Mrobstad - I start with airfare. You can set up alerts on various airlines, between pairs of cities. Last trip, I got an alert for $750 R/T between Denver and Prague. Booked it right away, and the fare was back up to $1100 the next day.

 

Then start deciding on cities. I like the Rick Steves books. He has a web site with a forum, like here. I flew in and out of Prague (didn't think ahead enough to do open-jaw). Prague - 3 days, overnight train to Budapest - 3 days, overnight train Krakow - 3 days, fly to Berlin - 3 days (I knew people there), train south to Prague, stopping at a couple of different spots. I got very nice sleeper berths on the trains.

 

I don't stay at American-style hotels (why leave America?) I booked a private hostel room in Prague (3 beds - just me), found a great little room in the apartment of a lovely couple in Budapest, nice little single room just off the square in Krakow, and stayed with friends in Berlin. Mostly shared baths. Most overnight places $30-45 US dollars per night. Found thru Rick Steves site, or googling city. The sleeping compartments in trains saved me hotel fees. Very comfortable to sleep on a train.

 

I normally love museums, but didn't go into a single museum on that trip. Why? I took lots of city walking tours, and the guides told me "Well, you can pay to go in if you want, but the communists took any decent art from inside." I love architecture, and just soaking up the feel of a new city and country. I wish I had had more time there, but I only booked 2 weeks, as a hunch, before I had time to research what there was to see. Had a great time, and was surprised by how little the trip cost me.

 

You have potential for some great activities Easter Week, but be aware that many places may be closed for a few days. Let me know if you have more questions. I love Europe.

[mrobstad]

Wow Kat! I can only aspire to be able to plan like you. Our tastes are exactly the same. I've only been to Europe twice and adored it. I'm familiar with most of what u said, but never connected the dots from all those sites. I've been lazy--the NCL Epic is an easy way to plan a friendly solo trip, but I want to explore Europe, too. I am a teacher, so my two weeks off are President"s week and Easter break. What suggestions do u have? I've been to London, Paris, Rome and Florence and loved them all! Easter is early this year--April 8.

Thanks again!

[Thoth]

150% is somewhat understandable....200% is intolerable. I only eat for one, not two.

Plus my room was a 1A inside bunk-bed. It isn't like a couple would book that one.

It would be difficult for a newly wed couple to be "romantic" in that small bed !