Ever pay a "Single" rate on Carnival

[smc0320]

I have a chance to be in Miami early January.....and might want to take a quick 3-day cruise to the Bahammas.....it's SUPER cheap anyway, $149pp for an inside room....but if I can't get anyone to go with me, what are my chances of getting single rate instead of paying for double occcupancy?

[B and C Blake]

I have a chance to be in Miami early January.....and might want to take a quick 3-day cruise to the Bahammas.....it's SUPER cheap anyway, $149pp for an inside room....but if I can't get anyone to go with me, what are my chances of getting single rate instead of paying for double occcupancy?

 

None .. solo cruisers pay 200% but they do only have to pay deposit and tips for 1.

[firefly333]

As in "not a chance". Carnival, in their infinite wisdom, has decided they want a minimum of 2 in each cabin to be spending onboard and did away with the 150% rate.

 

Some TA sites will quote you misleading figures and pretend there is a cheaper than 200% rate, there isn't or I would know about it. I sure wish they would bring it back. I have to look at RCL if I dont want to pay a solo rate .. see what RCL is charging. I've seen as little as 0% on some rates last fall, and on their tuesday specials, they list some.

 

Check out the RCL ship instead?? If they have a solo rate, it might be even cheaper.

[patattack]

I agree with Firefly, if you want cheaper solo rates you have to look at Royal. I have seen some good prices lately during their Tuesday sales.

 

Pat

[smc0320]

thanks everyone.

 

I don't even mind paying the double rate, but this is all in my pursuit of becoming Platinum by taking 4 cruises next year -- assuming I can get them in before the program changes.....and I'm more willing to do it on the cheap than my partner is...mine would all be last minute (within 2 weeks) so would be nice if they offered single rates in that time frame.

 

anyhow, thanks anyway!!

[firefly333]

Well, sounds like the price is cheap enough, I'd still go if I wanted to. I paid more than that for my 5 day triumph, but I wound up getting enough price drops, and IS got me Lido deck inside .. so if you find a decent deal, if you are like me, just go and relax and do what you want.

[cdamion]

RCI sometimes waives their penalty and sometimes has 125% to 150% penalty. I have gone on Majesty twice now because their price was much better than Carnival. Not only that, you get to head to their private island, CocoCay instead of a sea day, so you get 2 ports in the 3 days or 3 ports in the 4 days.

 

I love Majesty and never would have discovered it if Carnival hadn't gotten rid of the 150% 1A's.

[glrounds]

As in "not a chance". Carnival, in their infinite wisdom, has decided they want a minimum of 2 in each cabin to be spending onboard and did away with the 150% rate.

 

Some TA sites will quote you misleading figures and pretend there is a cheaper than 200% rate, there isn't or I would know about it. I sure wish they would bring it back. I have to look at RCL if I dont want to pay a solo rate .. see what RCL is charging. I've seen as little as 0% on some rates last fall, and on their tuesday specials, they list some.

 

Check out the RCL ship instead?? If they have a solo rate, it might be even cheaper.

 

Agree completely with firefly.

 

Years ago I used to cruise at 150% or less, now pay the DO rate for 2. :rolleyes: Last two cruises since Carnival made the change, I've been with someone, but would consider RCL also for "single" rate.

 

[Sh1035]

thanks everyone.

 

I don't even mind paying the double rate, but this is all in my pursuit of becoming Platinum by taking 4 cruises next year -- assuming I can get them in before the program changes.....and I'm more willing to do it on the cheap than my partner is...mine would all be last minute (within 2 weeks) so would be nice if they offered single rates in that time frame.

 

anyhow, thanks anyway!!

 

So you get free laundry?

[Sh1035]

Yep pay double and seeing must have a balcony bend over and take it!

 

but far cheaper then the ex wife :)

[k2excursion]

That price is good. It would be $298, which is under $100 per day. That's always my goal, but most solo (doubled) rates on Carnival now come out to well over $100 per day for the cheapest category. My best rate was $149 on the Holiday, when solos were 150%, minus a $25 promo credit, making it $198.50 for a 5-day. That'll never happen again.

[AdrenalineRush]

RCI sometimes waives their penalty and sometimes has 125% to 150% penalty. I have gone on Majesty twice now because their price was much better than Carnival. Not only that, you get to head to their private island, CocoCay instead of a sea day, so you get 2 ports in the 3 days or 3 ports in the 4 days.

 

I love Majesty and never would have discovered it if Carnival hadn't gotten rid of the 150% 1A's.

 

Yes, some great solo rates on the short Royals ships. I cruise over Halloween a 4 night cruise on Monarch for $235 total.

 

Was looking for a cheap cruise for next month, could have done Monarch again for $251, but since I had a $200 credit with Carnival(due to a ES cancellation), booked Fascination 5 day cruise for $445 total earlier today, on a resident rate...not too bad for 5 day to HMC.

 

Two years ago I booked a 6 night cruise on Grandeur at 106% solo supp, that is the best deal I have ever gotten. Paid around $250.

[ATL2LAS]

I long for the days of the lower single supplement. But...like the dodo, it too has gone away on Carnival. I would definately check with Royal for a lower single price if you are only looking at doing 3-4 nights.

[Cruise-Crazy]

It's very rare but it does happen.

[PaulMedik]

I have a chance to be in Miami early January.....and might want to take a quick 3-day cruise to the Bahammas.....it's SUPER cheap anyway, $149pp for an inside room....but if I can't get anyone to go with me, what are my chances of getting single rate instead of paying for double occcupancy?

 

 

We have paid the 1.5x rate in the past and we have a 2x rate booked for April, but the real kicker is that in both cases we are paying for an EMPTY room. :eek: It's all about location and to get five passenger in the two cabins we want, we had to book a single. On previous cruises the empty single was on a different floor and we never set foot in it, but in April it will be across the hall from us so we might use it for luggage storage or as an extra shower.

 

It sure would be nice if they'd offer a single rate.....

[remharri]

I'm paying for a single cabin on the Breeze next November....it's soooooo expensive. First time doing this. Oh well...

[mjl1960]

If I understand correctly, you don't pay the tipping or the port fees for the 2nd person, otherwise it is just like booking for two people.

[firefly333]

If I understand correctly, you don't pay the tipping or the port fees for the 2nd person, otherwise it is just like booking for two people.

 

Actually since port charges are embedded in the cruisefare you do pay double port charges. Its the add on taxes and fees, which are way less than port charges you only pay for one person.

 

Long ago, there was a time when you paid 150% and they subtracted out the port charges from the 2nd cruisefare and then you paid only 50% extra on it.

 

Then it changed to you pay a flat 150% of both fares of a 1A, so you paid 50% of the port charges of the 2nd fare .. now you pay 200% of the port charges since they are embedded as NCFs in the cruisefare.

 

I think the change to 150% and no longer substracting out port charges, when they did it, so few understood the change on CC that there was hardly even a murmur. They didnt understand that the NCFs were over $150 of the cruisefare that they didnt used to pay extra on and then it was changed so they did.. people said no biggie, who didnt get the change.

 

This change to 200% is the 3rd change in the last 4 years so solos keep paying more and more.

[serene56]

we booked my dad as a solo cruiser on our upcoming Legend- Found it would only cost 81.00 to add another person.

 

I imagine if a solo cruise was to book at a cheaper rate-- more people would book many cabins for their families--

 

I dont understand PaulMed post that had 5 people but had to book a solo cabin ? why not book 3 in one and 2 in another- wouldnt it have been cheaper?

[PaulMedik]

......

 

I dont understand PaulMed post that had 5 people but had to book a solo cabin ? why not book 3 in one and 2 in another- wouldnt it have been cheaper?

 

 

 

Serene56,

 

Yes it would have been cheaper, but the balcony cabins we want only sleep two in each. :o

 

Our preferred cabins (Aft wraps) were all booked so we went with our second preference of location; first two balcony cabins on lido and they only sleep two each. Panorama would have been just as good, but the first two balcony cabins on both sides of Panorama were also booked.

 

We've had to book this way before when aft wraps were all gone and even though it's more $ than booking two balcony cabins (one for 3 and one for 2) it's still cheaper than one aft wrap and one balcony. We received an offer one time to switch to a suite on empress and an inside and we turned it down; suites are nice, but location is more important.

[norcalal]

I have done many solo cruises. The key is research and flexibility. Cruise when the kids are in school and in "off season" to get the best value.

I recently came across the Voyager of the Seas 7 day, 1/21/12 in a k inside for single total of 676.81 and then noticed a few days later that with my diamond balc discount I could get a D-1 for just 135.00 more. A no brainer.

Again, the key is research and flexibility. Forget the confusing percentage....if the price looks good....go for it.

[firefly333]

I have done many solo cruises. The key is research and flexibility. Cruise when the kids are in school and in "off season" to get the best value.

I recently came across the Voyager of the Seas 7 day, 1/21/12 in a k inside for single total of 676.81 and then noticed a few days later that with my diamond balc discount I could get a D-1 for just 135.00 more. A no brainer.

Again, the key is research and flexibility. Forget the confusing percentage....if the price looks good....go for it.

 

sounds like a decent deal especially since its a drive to port for me.

[SMSACE6]

It's very rare but it does happen.

 

Any tips on when is a good time for this? I have loved all my Carnival cruises, but when they put up the cost for solo travel, I just stopped cruising. I have a small travel budget. So therefore, no more cruises. I can be flexible with my travel dates however as long as I have 3 weeks notice. So can you shed any light on when these rare single rates occur? I would appreciate any tips.:)

[Leeroy-Jenkins]

...what are my chances of getting single rate instead of paying for double occcupancy?

 

None.

[firefly333]

Any tips on when is a good time for this? I have loved all my Carnival cruises, but when they put up the cost for solo travel, I just stopped cruising. I have a small travel budget. So therefore, no more cruises. I can be flexible with my travel dates however as long as I have 3 weeks notice. So can you shed any light on when these rare single rates occur? I would appreciate any tips.:)

 

My PVP says they do not exist. She has worked for Carnival a long time and very knowledgeable. There used to be solo deals, there are zero, none less than 200% now she states.

 

I saw that post and the poster does not say he saw them on Carnival, so I let it go. Other ships do have deals for solos, Carnival does not. Not any more.