Pigs Fly: Solo Cruisers Get Double Points!!

[ThursdaysChild]

WooHoooo....finally! I got an email just minutes ago from Celebrity stating that for all sailings after July 1, 2014, solo travelers paying double the fare for a stateroom will get double Captains Club points. It's about time!:)

 

Now I can NOT cancel the three solo cruises I had set up for 2015.

[Orator]

WooHoooo....finally! I got an email just minutes ago from Celebrity stating that for all sailings after July 1, 2014, solo travelers paying double the fare for a stateroom will get double Captains Club points. It's about time!:)

 

Now I can NOT cancel the three solo cruises I had set up for 2015.

 

This subject has been recently discussed. Not a solo, bur received the email today as well. Check the fine print. You must pay a full fare to get the points. That would mean any discounted fare will not make you eligible for the double points. Many not be a good deal for some since a discounted fare might be worth more than points. Perhaps celebrity Cruises will comment?

Points may trump a higher price for those who are close to a higher level, especially Elite+ or Zenith.

Edited August 7, 2014 by Orator

[Shake]

WooHoooo....finally! I got an email just minutes ago from Celebrity stating that for all sailings after July 1, 2014, solo travelers paying double the fare for a stateroom will get double Captains Club points. It's about time!:)

 

Now I can NOT cancel the three solo cruises I had set up for 2015.

 

 

Guess you missed this. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2079584

[ThursdaysChild]

Guess you missed this. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2079584

 

Well, yes, I did miss it. Too busy working 12 hour days to pay for the double fares that nearly every one of my cruises costs me. Thanks for pointing me to that thread, it was back on page 2 or 3.

 

Really, the points are almost meaningless as I am Elite Plus after my next cruise, but all but 2 of my X cruises have been solo at full fare (no Exciting Deals) and 200% of AQ fares. On my last two I've found a friend with whom to travel, but I can't plan my travel schedule around anyone's availability but my own. This announcement just means there's some long overdue fairness for solo travelers.

[Guern69]

Travelling solo, not had any email from X.

[gimletgal]

Travelling solo, not had any email from X.

 

You need to subscribe to receive email from Celebrity. Doesn't automatically get sent because you are traveling solo. :(

 

I would take a reduced fare (say 150%) any day over double points!

[Montreal Marc]

I wrote a letter to Bayley about this exact issue on March 1st. I'm glad to see that my plea was finally heard.

 

I was actually sailing on Infinity when the announcement was made, so I didn't hear about it until I received the e-mail this morning.

 

I've done about 25 cruises with Celebrity as a solo traveller since 1997. For most of that time, I paid almost as much as 2 people did travelling in the same cabin category. So why shouldn't I get the same number of points as they do (combined)?

 

Anyway, all's well that ends well.

 

Marc

[WestLakeGirl]

Could someone kindly cut and paste the letter in, for those of us who didn't get it (despite getting almost daily mail from X, they said that "unsubscribe" had been checked?!?)

[Montreal Marc]

Could someone kindly cut and paste the letter in, for those of us who didn't get it (despite getting almost daily mail from X, they said that "unsubscribe" had been checked?!?)

 

Here you go:

 

 

 

 

Can't view this e-mail? See it online.

To ensure proper delivery of future Celebrity Cruises Inc. emails, please click here

 

FOLLOW US

 

Dear "Celebrity Insider",

 

New: Double Club Points for Solo Travelers

 

Captain's Club is happy to announce a new benefit for solo travelers. When you sail with us as a single traveler in a stateroom, you will earn double the amount of Club Points*, based on stateroom category and number of nights sailed. This applies to all sailings on or after July 1, 2014, and to all Captain's Club members including Preview members.

 

Check out Captain's Club benefits for each tier here

 

*Double Club Points are for guests paying full fare and traveling solo in a stateroom.

 

If you wish to change your preferences or opt to be excluded from future commercial emails from Celebrity Cruises, click here or visit: Celebrity.com

Edited August 7, 2014 by Montreal Marc

[Celebrity Cruises]

This subject has been recently discussed. Not a solo, bur received the email today as well. Check the fine print. You must pay a full fare to get the points. That would mean any discounted fare will not make you eligible for the double points. Many not be a good deal for some since a discounted fare might be worth more than points. Perhaps celebrity Cruises will comment?

Points may trump a higher price for those who are close to a higher level, especially Elite+ or Zenith.

 

Hi all,

 

We have some exciting news to share. Solo travelers who pay the total price of the stateroom will receive double points for the sailing. Please note: the total price may or may not be the full 200% fare. Hope this helps!

[Orator]

Hi all,

 

We have some exciting news to share. Solo travelers who pay the total price of the stateroom will receive double points for the sailing. Please note: the total price may or may not be the full 200% fare. Hope this helps!

 

Thank you for your quick response. Appears that Celebrity has moved away from the 200% requirement which would help some. It still appears that any discounted fare, as Exciting Deals, Military Discounts, Senior discounts, Resident rates for example would not be eligible for the double points. Is this correct?

Thanks for your responses.

[Lois R]

I never receive emails from Celebrity:rolleyes:...and recently I even signed

up to receive them again:eek:....they have had my email address for

years (and years). For whatever reason, they choose not to send

me any emails........

 

As for the double points? I am Elite Plus already as well and will never

reach the Zenith category. If they were to give people a choice, I

would prefer a lower SS but that will never happen either. It is what

it is.

[suntan]

Well, yes, I did miss it. Too busy working 12 hour days to pay for the double fares that nearly every one of my cruises costs me. Thanks for pointing me to that thread, it was back on page 2 or 3.

 

Really, the points are almost meaningless as I am Elite Plus after my next cruise, but all but 2 of my X cruises have been solo at full fare (no Exciting Deals) and 200% of AQ fares. On my last two I've found a friend with whom to travel, but I can't plan my travel schedule around anyone's availability but my own. This announcement just means there's some long overdue fairness for solo travelers.

 

The operative words in your post are "some long overdue fairness for solo travelers." Get ready people because I'm going to rant about the treatment solo travelers are subjected to from cruise lines. When are people going to see the light that charging a solo traveler 200% for the same stateroom occupied by 2 people is discriminatory and tantamount to usury. It's like extorting the solo traveler - you want to cruise with us you have to pay this outrageous fare. There are other travel businesses that charge a single supplement of $200-$300 over their rate. That amount I am willing to pay. Why should we: we being those not married for whatever reason or just want to travel on their own and don't want to be forced to find someone to travel with or worse agree to share a stateroom with some stranger, be subjected to such treatment. Every time I hear a cruise line belly ache that they didn't make enough money I roll my eyes and question how many cruises went out without being fully booked. Did they ever think they would make money by welcoming single cruisers but they're not doing that by charging them 200%. That email we received today about giving solo cruisers double points - sorry Celebrity, doesn't do it for me. Yes you can see I am sailing with Celebrity next month - that's because for this cruise I am travelling with other people and that's the only way I, being single and proud of it :D, can afford to take a cruise until such time as this practice is changed. There will be others who say that I can take other types of vacations but you are just feeding into the discriminatory way of thinking about solo travelers. Why shouldn't solo travellers be able to enjoy a cruise like you without be gouged by the cruise line? I would love to debate this all with you because the treatment of single people goes beyond cruising (for instance, tax treatment) but this is not the forum for that discussion.:D

[cle-guy]

The operative words in your post are "some long overdue fairness for solo travelers." Get ready people because I'm going to rant about the treatment solo travelers are subjected to from cruise lines. When are people going to see the light that charging a solo traveler 200% for the same stateroom occupied by 2 people is discriminatory and tantamount to usury. It's like extorting the solo traveler - you want to cruise with us you have to pay this outrageous fare. There are other travel businesses that charge a single supplement of $200-$300 over their rate. That amount I am willing to pay. Why should we: we being those not married for whatever reason or just want to travel on their own and don't want to be forced to find someone to travel with or worse agree to share a stateroom with some stranger, be subjected to such treatment. Every time I hear a cruise line belly ache that they didn't make enough money I roll my eyes and question how many cruises went out without being fully booked. Did they ever think they would make money by welcoming single cruisers but they're not doing that by charging them 200%. That email we received today about giving solo cruisers double points - sorry Celebrity, doesn't do it for me. Yes you can see I am sailing with Celebrity next month - that's because for this cruise I am travelling with other people and that's the only way I, being single and proud of it :D, can afford to take a cruise until such time as this practice is changed. There will be others who say that I can take other types of vacations but you are just feeding into the discriminatory way of thinking about solo travelers. Why shouldn't solo travellers be able to enjoy a cruise like you without be gouged by the cruise line? I would love to debate this all with you because the treatment of single people goes beyond cruising (for instance, tax treatment) but this is not the forum for that discussion.:D

 

I travel solo, I see a ship cabin as a hotel room. It has a fixed price. If I share with a friend, we split the cost, otherwise I pay full price. If I add extra people, there is a slight fee for additional guests sharing the room.

 

I understand the ships' need for budgeting to assume all cabins will pay a certain minimum fare, to avoid some cruises with lots of solos lowering the revenue if it were truly per person.

 

So giving bonus points for paying the full fare at least is something.

 

That ships sail full, would mean allowing solos with solo fares would lower the revenues for the lines, not in their (or their shareholders - such as myself) best interest at all. Ships likely do not really care for solos nor want to attract them but see us as a necessary item in the "market basket" of their ship guests. Look at how NCL added solo cabins, in the inside bowels of the ship and then reduced that number on subsequent builds...

Edited August 8, 2014 by cle-guy

[Orator]

I travel solo, I see a ship cabin as a hotel room. It has a fixed price. If I share with a friend, we split the cost, otherwise I pay full price. If I add extra people, there is a slight fee for additional guests sharing the room.

 

I understand the ships' need for budgeting to assume all cabins will pay a certain minimum fare, to avoid some cruises with lots of solos lowering the revenue if it were truly per person.

 

So giving bonus points for paying the full fare at least is something.

 

That ships sail full, would mean allowing solos with solo fares would lower the revenues for the lines, not in their (or their shareholders - such as myself) best interest at all. Ships likely do not really care for solos nor want to attract them but see us as a necessary item in the "market basket" of their ship guests. Look at how NCL added solo cabins, in the inside bowels of the ship and then reduced that number on subsequent builds...

 

If Celebrity didn't charge a heavy premium for a single I could see the possibility that some couples would be tempted to take separate adjoining cabins. They would gain an extra bathroom, closet and double balcony at a minimum cost. This possibility would cut deeply into revenues. The question for me is: How much premium do they need to charge to discourage this possibility?

[Ma Bell]

If Celebrity didn't charge a heavy premium for a single I could see the possibility that some couples would be tempted to take separate adjoining cabins. They would gain an extra bathroom, closet and double balcony at a minimum cost. This possibility would cut deeply into revenues. The question for me is: How much premium do they need to charge to discourage this possibility?

 

Of course they would. I'd do it just so I wouldn't have to listen to the snoring. LOL

[d4m]

If Celebrity didn't charge a heavy premium for a single I could see the possibility that some couples would be tempted to take separate adjoining cabins. They would gain an extra bathroom, closet and double balcony at a minimum cost. This possibility would cut deeply into revenues. The question for me is: How much premium do they need to charge to discourage this possibility?

 

I agree with you that some people would get two cabins.

 

While I can agree with a fare that is 1.5 times the rate of a couple, I refuse to pay 2 times the cost - I usually eat once of twice a day on a cruise but instead pay for eating for two people. That's the part that really irritates me.

[NLH Arizona]

The emails are still coming, I just got my a few minutes ago.

[cle-guy]

I agree with you that some people would get two cabins.

 

While I can agree with a fare that is 1.5 times the rate of a couple, I refuse to pay 2 times the cost - I usually eat once of twice a day on a cruise but instead pay for eating for two people. That's the part that really irritates me.

 

Sure it sucks, but we just have to accept it and move on. Next thing, someone says I never use the pool. I want $10 a day off my bill, I ate lunch in port so credit me for meals not eaten. I didn't watch the hot glass show so I want some OBC to cover that. I never went to the theatre one time on this cruise, so why should I pay for entertainment, let alone for 2 of them.

 

The majority of the cruise fare is certainly related to the ship, accommodation and transportation costs, the amount that covers meals is going to be relatively insignificant. And cruises would never want to establish a precedent and identify the food cost component.

 

Back to the hotel analogy, if I book as a single on a club level that includes meals in the club lounge, I don't get a credit back for being just one. I've never stayed at a land based resort, but seems pricing is the same as cruises with the "based on double occupancy" language, not sure if land based resorts allow less than double the room cost as standard practice, and if they do is it a promotion on occasion?

 

Sailing solo does come with its perks, ability to "meet someone" on the cruise, more personal space, no fighting for storage, fighting ove the TV channel, flexibility with plans.... So there is benefit to the extra money that offsets the lack of costs the line incurs with us, let's not kid ourselves...!

[Lois R]

The emails are still coming, I just got my a few minutes ago.

 

Hi Nancy, glad your emails are coming through...I gave up on them a long

time ago.

[suntan]

I agree with you that some people would get two cabins.

 

While I can agree with a fare that is 1.5 times the rate of a couple, I refuse to pay 2 times the cost - I usually eat once of twice a day on a cruise but instead pay for eating for two people. That's the part that really irritates me.

 

That's my point and thank you for bringing that up. Of course being a solo traveler, we don't eat as much as two, we don't use the same amount of linens, so why do we have to pay twice as much?

[cruisestitch]

What is not generally understood about cruise stateroom pricing is that the fare passengers pay is actually almost a "loss leader". Cruise lines make their money on all the extras. Single travelers are less likely to purchase photos, souvenir DVD's, etc. The single traveler might book a shore excursion, but if there were two passengers in that stateroom there might be two shore excursions booked. Having single travelers in rooms designed for two actually means a loss of income for the cruise line, money that they must make up somewhere. Thus the single supplement.