Your Opinions Please

[kruisey]

The Cruise line that I sail with have a 'single share' program.

The downer on this is that they will not let you know who they have paired you up with......They pick someone of same sex plus the smoking preference.

Then you do not know anything else about the person till you actually meet them in the cabin on board.

Your opinions on this policy would be appreciated.

[Host Caroline]

Although not as many cruise lines offer this as used to, it's been in place for ages... and used to be very popular when I was a TA (have not been x 8-9 yrs now so don't know how many actually book). The guarantee share program has been a boon and a bust..When we booked it there were often weeks when our client got the cabin to themselves becuase there was no one else to match with.. but not sure if that happens much now or if they even offer that option. If you don't want to pay the single supplement and are pretty easy going (seeing as you will not have a clue re your roomate), then it might be an option for you.. But if you are a very light sleeper, like to sleep late, don't want to be awakened by someone else etc. it may not be for your. It's two people who don't know each other's vacations so both are entitled (to some extent) to not be expected to change their ways so to speak. On the upside, you might meet someone who has problems getting friends to cruise with them and have a cruising buddy for the future!

[prime9time]

two singles cruise companies I know of and there are probably others have message boards and allow you to "jockey for room mates" via telephone calls e mails etc. as you get to know the people on the respective cruise message boards. (by some singles booking companies and it appears not by cruise critic which is fine BTW). Another deal ive seen on singles cruises is a kind of informal "Swapping roomate" thing NO NOT FOR IMMORAL purposes (well maybe sometimes but I wouldnt know or maybe I know but wont say so), but then that gets into this deal about the cabin key cards which are also used to buy stuff, so it can get really strange really fast. The other stuff I have seen is about smoking and age. Somebody may say they don't smoke then on a cruise they decide they do smoke. Another thing I have noticed is that the match by age can be kind of strange. Some 40 year olds act like 70 year olds and some 60 year olds act like 25 year olds. On another message board that doesnt delete my posts there are some examples of booking a cruise really late with the "single share" thing so that the booking agent cant find a "match" and they have got the room by themselves. Maybe if you are REALLY OLD and smoke a lot that would help hahahha. personally my "roomie" days are over..........if i dont have the money for a single cabin or a lover to share the room, I just dont go since I've seen some pretty strange stuff go on with that cabin share thing. John from NM usa

[kruisey]

I usually do book single but wont so much to do this 29 day cruise.......I am beginning to wonder....its a long time to have to share with an incompatible room mate.

[kitty9]

My personal opinion on this matter stays the same---you take the chance of having a miserable cruise if you should get the roommate from hell, which is always possible. I've read countless books on cruise travel and most of them say the same thing---you really take a chance of having a bad cruise when you are put with a complete stranger. For me, it's also the idea of sharing a bathroom with a complete stranger---that thought is just yucky to me. You could be put with someone who's the complete opposite of you, which would not be fun.

[prime9time]

A 29 day cruise? The single supplement must be horrible! You better find out who your bunking with..........thats one day longer than most alcohol treatment programs (which you would need with a bad roomate) and not that much shorter than "boot camp" you are one brave person though John from NM usa

[Faith77]

On less expensive trips/cruises (tours to Thailand & Mexico/Copper Canyon, 7 night cruises, ) I have tried to get the best possible deal and then booked solo.

On my more expensive trips (England & Ireland and a Russia river cruise) I booked a share. For me it is the difference between going and not going. I would not be able to go on one of these more expensive trips as a solo.

So far I've had good luck with roommates--no big problems.

I would love to book all my trips as a solo and have a private room but, if I want to have lots of choices in my trips, I book the expensive trips as a share.

Faith

[Dihead]

personally...i'd pay the single supplement. it's kind of akward for me to share a sleeping space with someone i dont know.

the first few nights, i know i would sleep with one eye open....but that's just me.

[MaryEllen1952]

I just returned from the Holland America Volendam Inside Passage Glacier Bay cruise booked on the single share program. Holland Alaska cruises are typically older 60+ and very few singles so I had the stateroom to myself without paying the single occupancy price so it is just a luck of the draw.The time of year you book greatly influences the chances of having a roommate share.

[kruisey]

I am beginning to think hard about this....but cannot afford over $11,000 which I would have to pay single.I don't like the idea of sharing a washroom....and what if the other person snores ect ect lol ;)

I can see myself taking a blanket and sleeping under the stars yet ;)

[JLT]

I have never cruised solo but I just booked a 35 day cruise for next year. At first I thought I'd try the "single share" but the more I thought about it the more convinced I became that 35 days with a stranger was too big a risk to take so I bit the bullet and booked a cabin by myself. Now, if I take a 7 day cruise, I think I would take the chance. Or maybe not! I did share on an Elderhostel and it worked out fine. But it was only for 5 nights. In the end it comes down to how badly you want to take the cruise!

[kruisey]

I rang Princess up and asked them how much it would cost for single.......they told me the cruise was full........I said what about my cabin.....they said they had someone else in it,I was the first to book ....so I cancelled.Earlier Princess told me yet again that I could not be told until on board who I was partnered up with.

I am really disappointed.....but on the other hand fele I have had a lucky break.

It would have been alot of money to spend for 29 days with a roomie .....it would have been a gamble I was not willing to take.

Thank you all for your great advise...... :)

[kruisey]

That same cruise is running in April 2007.....so I will be able to save and go single on that one.I really took a big gamble on the earlier cruise thinking because it was a long trip no one would wont to risk going single share and I would have my cabin to myself and I lost out.... Still have this other cruise in 2007.This has been another learning experience in my cruise career. You guys helped me make up my mind :)