Single Occupancy in Cabin

[CRUISE4JANE]

A friend wants to go on the cruise I am going on with my family and so far there is no one to share a cabin with. Would she pay 1 1/2% or have to pay for double occupancy? Thanks.

[silentbob007]

It depends on when you book and the sailing. The single rate can range from 110% to 200%.

[Clarea]

A friend wants to go on the cruise I am going on with my family and so far there is no one to share a cabin with. Would she pay 1 1/2% or have to pay for double occupancy? Thanks.

The single supplement varies on a cruise by cruise basis. To find the single price, use Royal's website to perform a mock booking for one person.

[CRUISE4JANE]

Thanks. :)

[wendyatpml]

We are booked on IOTS in Oct. My single friend is going. She had to pay for two people, less the tax and port charges.

[JaxieWaxie]

I've done the vast majority of my cruises with Royal as a solo traveler and have never had the luck of getting anywhere near 110%. Not even close. :(

 

The economics behind the stateroom pricing assumes, among other things, at least double occupancy, as that tends to be the norm. My experience of having to pay a double fare or very close to it bears that out (which is why I think solo travellers should get double points, but that's a theme for another thread).

 

The single supplement cruise fare doesn't drop to 150% until you've accrued 340 cruise points. Sadly, I have quite a way to go!

[Ocean Boy]

We are booked on IOTS in Oct. My single friend is going. She had to pay for two people, less the tax and port charges.

 

You don't mention what cabin category she has. However, if she would be happy with any cabin, I bet if she delayed booking until after final payment she would be able to get a cabin for much less than that. October is not a vacation month and I would bet that Independence is not going to have every cabin sold out. There are plenty of deals to be had on left over cabins. Again, that is if she is not fussy about category or location.

[NorbertsNiece]

Do NOT get me started on solo occupancy. I became a solo traveller last cruise..... do I get 2 loyalty coupon books? No. Yet I pay for 2.

[Ned11]

I totally agree! I've always been a solo traveller and has just started cruising last year. I only know of NCL Epic has the studio cabins but it doesn't go where I want to go.

We should get something extra for paying nearly double! :mad:

[dacsmom]

Do NOT get me started on solo occupancy. I became a solo traveller last cruise..... do I get 2 loyalty coupon books? No. Yet I pay for 2.

 

Thanks for bringing up something I had not thought about:confused: I frequently travel solo and usually pay double. I did get a good deal on the Monarch. I book inside staterooms and they are plenty big enough for me. I cannot see paying balcony prices for my solo cruises.

[NorbertsNiece]

Thanks for bringing up something I had not thought about:confused: I frequently travel solo and usually pay double. I did get a good deal on the Monarch. I book inside staterooms and they are plenty big enough for me. I cannot see paying balcony prices for my solo cruises.

 

Last cruise I took a PR room which was lovely. This time am on a B2B and used the Balcony discount but doubt I will afford this again. The whole experience is going to be something special but not repeatable on one income. Now I think of it this will be my 3rd solo occupancy cruise..... RCCL is doing well out of me....

[Cotswold Eagle]

The single supplement cruise fare doesn't drop to 150% until you've accrued 340 cruise points. Sadly, I have quite a way to go!

 

It may do - that's a C&A perk, but the pricing model can take it down towards that level occasionally. There's also no reason in theory why it can't go above 200% - as a solo cruiser I recognise in addition to potentially lost fare revenue, they also lose out on a second person onboard spend, which accounts for a significant chunk of their profit too. Obviously, I don't know any details of RCI's yield management model, but I suspect they might just show N/A at that point :)

[macruisefan]

Do NOT get me started on solo occupancy. I became a solo traveller last cruise..... do I get 2 loyalty coupon books? No. Yet I pay for 2.

 

Of course you don't! A solo traveler COSTS the cruise line money. You may pay a 100% premium, but your on board expenses are not double. So the cruise line is losing the anticipated revenue they make from having two people on board.

 

Remember, cruises make their money on the fact that they have a captive audience. One person doesn't make up for two. In essence they DON'T want solo travelers, and are therefore trying to disincentivize it.

 

That's why I never think about how much more I'm paying as a solo. I simply look at the cost and say "is that worth it?". If the answer is yes, I'm there!

[Ocean Boy]

Of course you don't! A solo traveler COSTS the cruise line money. You may pay a 100% premium, but your on board expenses are not double. So the cruise line is losing the anticipated revenue they make from having two people on board.

 

Remember, cruises make their money on the fact that they have a captive audience. One person doesn't make up for two. In essence they DON'T want solo travelers, and are therefore trying to disincentivize it.

 

That's why I never think about how much more I'm paying as a solo. I simply look at the cost and say "is that worth it?". If the answer is yes, I'm there!

 

That is only the case if all the cabins are sold out. If a solo takes a cabin that would have sailed empty then the cruise line is doing quite well from that traveler. And depending on the person. A solo traveler paying 200% could possibly have a larger seapass bill than a couple in the same cabin. Again, the cruise line makes out and there is less wear and tear on the cabin.

[macruisefan]

That is only the case if all the cabins are sold out. If a solo takes a cabin that would have sailed empty then the cruise line is doing quite well from that traveler. And depending on the person. A solo traveler paying 200% could possibly have a larger seapass bill than a couple in the same cabin. Again, the cruise line makes out and there is less wear and tear on the cabin.

 

Average occupancy is GREATER than two people per cabin. So, on average a solo booking IS a loser for the cruise line. If it weren't, they wouldn't disincentivize it the way they do.

[Ocean Boy]

Average occupancy is GREATER than two people per cabin. So, on average a solo booking IS a loser for the cruise line. If it weren't, they wouldn't disincentivize it the way they do.

 

On AVERAGE, an occupied cabin produces more money for the cruise line than an empty one. I would bet that a good part of the pricing issue comes from the cruise lines not wanting a couple to book two cabins as singles in order to get either more space or an extra bathroom.

 

And the cruise lines will only sell so many cabins for occupancy for more than two people because if they sell too many and meet the ship's capacity for souls on board then other cabins have to go empty.

[wendyatpml]

The problem for the Solo traveler on theIOTS booking late is that the airfare goes up from the US.

[Ocean Boy]

The problem for the Solo traveler on theIOTS booking late is that the airfare goes up from the US.

 

There is nothing to say you can't book airfare before booking the cruise. If there are a lot of cabins available you aren't going to get shut out.

[howard18]

I managed to book a JS at a single rate. Maybe it was a computer glitch - I don't know - but I'm very pleased with the outcome.

[NJcruisenewbie]

OP, if you're going on the same cruise with your family why not book yourself in the cabin with your friend. You don't have to sleep there. You can stay with your family and get an extra seapass to get into the family cabin once you're onboard.

 

When we cruised last month 1 of my brothers was in a cabin by himself but I stuck my husband in with him on the reservation so we wouldn't have to pay the supplement. Our cabin steward didn't care one bit.

[Matthewc]

Solo supplements do take the biscuit really.

 

My Parents going from Gatwick (London) - Orlando (4days) - 7 Day Allure Cruise - Orlando (3 Days) - Gatwick (London) = £4200.00

 

Myself (25) travelling alone on same trip....... £3600.00

[Nhsaltshaker]

I'm going solo in a Junior Suite.

 

And you better bet with a 200 percent charge, I'll be eating twice as much and making a double mess in my cabin to make up for it. LOL.

 

I agree double loyalty points should be given if one pays double the price.

 

Now, where is that invisible friend of mine? :D

[ARCruisinNana]

I'm going solo in a Junior Suite.

 

And you better bet with a 200 percent charge, I'll be eating twice as much and making a double mess in my cabin to make up for it. LOL.

 

I agree double loyalty points should be given if one pays double the price.

 

Now, where is that invisible friend of mine? :D

 

I had a JS on the Jewel TA this past May all to myself. It was awesome!

[138east]

I've gotten great deals as a solo on RCL in an inside cabin, but you have to shop shop shop for them, travel at off times, and watch for price drops. I typically pay about 150%, but I also got 100% once. I'm a diamond and I managed to score a balcony for less than an inside with the balcony discount. The balcony discount is one place you really get a bang for your buck - a solo gets the full discount applied against the solo fare.

[CRUISE4JANE]

OP, if you're going on the same cruise with your family why not book yourself in the cabin with your friend. You don't have to sleep there. You can stay with your family and get an extra seapass to get into the family cabin once you're onboard.

 

When we cruised last month 1 of my brothers was in a cabin by himself but I stuck my husband in with him on the reservation so we wouldn't have to pay the supplement. Our cabin steward didn't care one bit.

 

One family already booked a cabin for 3. They needed a sofa sleeper as no one wants to sleep on a berth. DH and I booked a cabin for just us. Therefore, the friend decided to book solo, but is hoping another friend will decide to go and share the cabin and expense with her.