Future solo/single passengers might want to read:

[RuthlessBoss]

Just curious as to why it would make a difference if the other solo cruisers are married?

 

I've booked a solo cruise on the Epic in a studio and it's significantly less than the cost of double occupancy cabins--it's not half, but it's a lot less. That makes it very appealing to me. I had originally booked Carnival Glory and cancelled that booking when I found out I could book the Epic and sail the Western Med for less than New England and Canada on the Glory.

I thought that section of the ship was for singles to meet, talk, do things together. This part negates if married.

[NCTribeFan]

I just think people, as usual, are overreacting. It's almost like people are just checking the board non-stop hoping to find something else to gripe about!

 

You are still paying the same amount for your cruise. How about thinking of it as a way to help you budget for payment. It spreads the load out more evenly - more upfront, less later.

 

Trying to post anything non-negative here these days isn't looked at kindly. And we certainly can't look at things logically and objectively! Where's the fun in that? :rolleyes:

[halos]

I thought that section of the ship was for singles to meet, talk, do things together. This part negates if married.

 

LOL...I didn't understand that other poster and didn't understand you either.

Why can't a married person who is sailing solo, mingle with other people?? :confused:

The lounge on the Epic is not a place designated to hook up like one does at a single's bar for goodness sake. Solo sailing married people can't just meet new people and forge new friendships without nookie of some sort??? WHT kind of thinking is that???

:p

[RuthlessBoss]

LOL...I didn't understand that other poster and didn't understand you either.

Why can't a married person who is sailing solo, mingle with other people?? :confused:

The lounge on the Epic is not a place designated to hook up like one does at a single's bar for goodness sake. Solo sailing married people can't just meet new people and forge new friendships without nookie of some sort??? WHT kind of thinking is that???

:p

I simply said "I thought" !! Now, chill out.

[DaytonCruiser]

Since people are saying it should be per cabin, rather than per person....

 

Then couples that book 7 day cruises in cabins that can hold 3 people, they should be required to pay $375,rather than $250, for that third person. Since we want things to be "logical" lol

[crusinpsychRN]

That $500 we have to pay at booking is also non-refundable if you are booking an early saver rate. To me, from a business perspective, it is not a good decision because someone is booking a cabin. The deposit is supposed to be per person- there's still one person in the cabin.

 

Those of us with at least 25 cruises already feel like we have penalized because we sail on five day cruises and don't have the magic number of days CCL wants us to have to reach the highest loyalty level. Those loyal customers who happen to be solo travelers may indeed take it personal. I will continue to cruise with CCL as they are the only year round cruise line in New Orleans. I just makes planning a cruise a little more difficult.

 

Why don't I get double the days counted toward loyalty level? The couple next door gets 14 days, I get 7 on a 7 day cruise. Another disadvantage.

[petesweet]

Another BRILLIANT idea.

 

Someone asked what next. I am sure that it will not be long before they start making the solo cruisers pay double taxes. After all we already pay double port charges when we cruise solo-money that they do not have to pay to the ports.

Surely this is not true. Can anybody verify?

Kathy

[crusinpsychRN]

A lot of complaining when the cruisers themselves did this. Maybe it doesn't happen if people didn't game the system.

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

It's NOT solos doing the gaming.

[halos]

I simply said "I thought" !! Now, chill out.

 

Ummm...my post was very 'chill'...it seems you may need to chill out.

[big_duck]

Why don't I get double the days counted toward loyalty level? The couple next door gets 14 days, I get 7 on a 7 day cruise. Another disadvantage.

 

No, the couple next door gets 7 each, try don't advance to the next level any faster. The program is based on days sailed, not how much you paid for your cruise.

[cruisemom6155]

I think many lines are not liking solo cruisers. Which is bad because there are more and more of them!

 

We already pay double occupancy on many lines - so just stick it to us more. Geesh.

 

Why Carnival wants to alienate a significant segment of their repeat cruisers is puzzling. Looks like they are willing to try this banking that we wont try other lines. NCL here I come. Hopefully Carnival is monitoring our threads. All I can say is post post and repost

[RuthlessBoss]

Since people are saying it should be per cabin, rather than per person....

 

Then couples that book 7 day cruises in cabins that can hold 3 people, they should be required to pay $375,rather than $250, for that third person. Since we want things to be "logical" lol

Sounds good to me.:)

[nonna5]

Surely this is not true. Can anybody verify?

 

Kathy

 

 

If you call Carnival they will verify it. Think about it - your port charges are built into your cruise fare. Solos pay double the per person fare. Solos are paying double port charges. By the way Carnival is the only cruise line I know of that does this. Every other cruise line I cruise on they back the port charges out for one person for a solo. I have called Carnival and asked why I pay double port charges and their answer was "that is the way it is set up at the present time." The only thing they do not pay double on at the present time is the taxes. Which I am sure will change with the way things are going.

[crusinpsychRN]

You are still paying the same amount for your cruise. How about thinking of it as a way to help you budget for payment. It spreads the load out more evenly - more upfront, less later.

 

It's just as even to pay 1/2 deposit and pay slightly higher monthly payments until paid. Why don't you just pay for the entire cruise when you book? You'll pay anyway. That's just ignorant to me.

[firefly333]

Surely this is not true. Can anybody verify?

 

Kathy

 

Yep its true. Port charges are embedded within the cruisefare since about 1995, and up until maybe 4 years ago, when you paid as a solo, they would subtract out the NCFs (noncommisionable fare, which is mostly port charges).

 

Carnival made this change and since so few people get that port charges are embedded in the cruise fare .. most did not complain. I know I did, but most cruisers, no matter how many times its explained do not get that port charges are part of the cruisefare.

 

FL AG said it was not right to advertise a fare and then the final fare was more than double .. so took the cruiselines to court. All have to embed it.

 

But for solos until about 4 years ago they subtracted the NCF out of the fare then applied the 150% to the rest of the fare.. then it was 150% of the whole fare, then it changed to 200% of the whole fare.

 

Solos pay double port fees. 100% true.

[firefly333]

If you call Carnival they will verify it. Think about it - your port charges are built into your cruise fare. Solos pay double the per person fare. Solos are paying double port charges. By the way Carnival is the only cruise line I know of that does this. Every other cruise line I cruise on they back the port charges out for one person for a solo. I have called Carnival and asked why I pay double port charges and their answer was "that is the way it is set up at the present time." The only thing they do not pay double on at the present time is the taxes. Which I am sure will change with the way things are going.

 

I so agree that its not right to pay double port charges for one person.

 

Princess I believe gives double loyalty points for solo cruisers.

 

Carnival sticks it to solo cruisers.. thats why a lot have left for cheaper pastures.

[jpg1747]

Hmmm, I'm going to have to think about this for a bit. I was considering 2 more Carnival cruises in 2013 but I wanted to wait until after my January cruise to see if I wanted to cruise with a roommate again, or go back to going solo. I certainly don't want to commit to ES rates for those cruises now, nor tie up money for that long.

 

I do agree that solo's paying double should get double cruise points. I get them on Princess, but then I also pay more for virtually the same cruise.

[firefly333]

Hmmm, I'm going to have to think about this for a bit. I was considering 2 more Carnival cruises in 2013 but I wanted to wait until after my January cruise to see if I wanted to cruise with a roommate again, or go back to going solo. I certainly don't want to commit to ES rates for those cruises now, nor tie up money for that long.

 

I do agree that solo's paying double should get double cruise points. I get them on Princess, but then I also pay more for virtually the same cruise.

 

Ive seen solo supplements as low as 0% on RCL. There is a TA site that shows solo supplements, and the percent.. you do still have to dig, as they show the inside price perhaps with 32% lets say .. but you have to open it to see OV is 16% and balconys at $299 for a 4 day, 0%.. so you have to click open each cruise, cant just look at the side where they show the percent and price as they show the cheapest price, not the cheapest percentage on each cruise.

[jpg1747]

Ive seen solo supplements as low as 0% on RCL. There is a TA site that shows solo supplements, and the percent.. you do still have to dig, as they show the inside price perhaps with 32% lets say .. but you have to open it to see OV is 16% and balconys at $299 for a 4 day, 0%.. so you have to click open each cruise, cant just look at the side where they show the percent and price as they show the cheapest price, not the cheapest percentage on each cruise.

 

Thank you. I do know how to comparison shop. I do it all the time. Although I don't know what this has to do with the topic of this thread.

[Froufie]

Not sure if this has been addressed but does anyone know how early saver rates would work with this new policy? If you book solo using the ES rate - you pay double deposit - what happens if you need to cancel/switch? Do you get charged the regular $50 fee? 9wht $450 left on account?) Or will it now be $100? (and they keep $400 on account for you)...that certainly doesn't seem fair to me? Anyone know? (or maybe Carnival hasn't thought this one thru yet?)

[firefly333]

Thank you. I do know how to comparison shop. I do it all the time. Although I don't know what this has to do with the topic of this thread.

 

Im just chatting, and some people said they might look around to see if there were cheaper alternatives for solos. (you seem to think it was aimed at you in particular, I was just chatting in general about solo cruising)

 

Having double deposit at ES rates nonrefundable to me makes me not like ES even more, or booking it way in advance. I know two people pay this, but its per person.. dont understand why now one solo cruiser has to have two nonrefundable deposits .. but I am going to keep avoiding ES myself as much as I can.

[TriciaEMTB]

I think that's the difference and why I don't see it as a big deal. The furthest ahead I've booked is 8 months. It's usually around 3-5 months out. I guess if I booked WAY out, I could see the issue, BUT, I still have to pay it. So, I have to come up with more up front or more at final payment. It's not like that $250 is earning a lot of interest :)

 

 

I'd like to get my deposit down as early as possible so I can start watching for price drops and have my rate "secured".

[Quilting_Cruiser]

For those of you asking why Carnival should give solos a break, I really don't see that they give us any kind of break. We pay 200% fare and double port charges. If you're booking well in advance, which I sometimes do, having to pay a double deposit ties up my money that much longer. Yes, I pay the same amount in the end, but I'd rather not have my money tied up for a year or more unless I choose.

 

And, saying we shouldn't look at as "per person" doesn't work for me since that's how they price it. If they priced it "per cabin" and everyone paid the same deposit then I'd look at it that way. But currently, they price it per person and charge a per person deposit.

 

I can sail solo with NCL for far less money and a $250 deposit. If I enjoy my NCL cruise next year, I may have a new cruiseline. :o

 

 

I thought that section of the ship was for singles to meet, talk, do things together. This part negates if married.

 

 

I see. No, it's for solos not singles. I'm looking forward to that part of the experience. I enjoy people whether married or single. It doesn't matter to me. :D

[TriciaEMTB]

LOL...I didn't understand that other poster and didn't understand you either.

Why can't a married person who is sailing solo, mingle with other people?? :confused:

The lounge on the Epic is not a place designated to hook up like one does at a single's bar for goodness sake. Solo sailing married people can't just meet new people and forge new friendships without nookie of some sort??? WHT kind of thinking is that???

:p

 

 

Heck can't SINGLES??

 

Just because I'm single and solo doesn't mean I'm looking for sex or even a new budding romance.

[RuthlessBoss]

Ive seen solo supplements as low as 0% on RCL. There is a TA site that shows solo supplements, and the percent.. you do still have to dig, as they show the inside price perhaps with 32% lets say .. but you have to open it to see OV is 16% and balconys at $299 for a 4 day, 0%.. so you have to click open each cruise, cant just look at the side where they show the percent and price as they show the cheapest price, not the cheapest percentage on each cruise.

I looked this morning, almost fell over!! Carnival had a sailing in the solo section. But, I discovered an OV at $319, then with supplement came to $418. Looked good. Then went to my discount section, OV $219 PP. What does that add up to? $438. My point is...The single start rate was $100 more to start. I guess some saving is there if there is only 1 tax.

So, not sure if it's just a Carnival mark up or other lines doing the same tactic?