Cunard policy on adding pax to single occupancy fare

[tangoll]

Hello, I am booked on QV cruise later in March, having paid 175% supplement for a single occupancy inside cabin. Has anyone had any experience with how

Cunard would handle a request to convert that single occupancy fare into adding a 2nd passenger into the cabin? Would Cunard merely ask for an

additional payment for a double occupancy fare (times two), or any other

method of handling this request? Haven't made this request to Cunard, just

want to know if anyone has done this in the past and how it was handled.

 

Thanks.

[pepperrn]

Hello, I am booked on QV cruise later in March, having paid 175% supplement for a single occupancy inside cabin. Has anyone had any experience with how Cunard would handle a request to convert that single occupancy fare into adding a 2nd passenger into the cabin? Would Cunard merely ask for an additional payment for a double occupancy fare (times two), or any other method of handling this request? Haven't made this request to Cunard, just want to know if anyone has done this in the past and how it was handled. Thanks.

I did this once (added another passenger to an existing single booking with supplement)(many years ago) and the fare was simply adjusted as if there had always been two names on the booking.

 

However, I made the change well before final payment and therefore am not certain if this would change matters/incur a fee. Logic says it shouldn't make a difference (Cunard get more booking money, and two people spending on board), but logic doesn't always come in to things!

 

I hope this helps a little; my advice would be to 'phone Cunard and pose the hypothetical question "what if..."

 

Best wishes and Bon Voyage for your cruise :)

Edited February 28, 2016 by pepperrn

[Tara Jane]

This happened to my sister.

She booked on QM2 an inside paying single supplement. The following day she paid the deposit and the next day her friend decided she would join, after initially declining the invite.

My sisters booking went from $2400 for her own booking to a twin and each paying $2200. So in effect Cunard are now getting $4400 for the room.

We booked together, hubby and I took a balcony at 1448pp but sister went for the cheapest as a single. This was last September and we sail in 2 weeks so long before final payment was due.

She was told if she hadnt paid the deposit it could have been changed but having paid the deposit two days before it was due it was a major disadvantage.

Cunard may have different rules for different countries.

Edited February 28, 2016 by Tara Jane

[tangoll]

Pepperm and Tara Jane, thanks for your replies. Two vastly different policies.

I'll pose the hypothetical question to Cunard and let you know what they say.

[tangoll]

Got a response from Cunard. Basically, I can pay a small supplement to convert my single occupancy fare to make up to a level as if it were two times the double occupancy fare. So it's a fair position from Cunard.

[Host Hattie]

That sounds fair, thanks for reporting back.

[pepperrn]

Got a response from Cunard. Basically, I can pay a small supplement to convert my single occupancy fare to make up to a level as if it were two times the double occupancy fare. So it's a fair position from Cunard.

Thanks for coming back and reporting the outcome tangoll.

 

Sounds as if common sense prevailed and, as happened in my case (above) in 2006, they simply amended the booking as if two names had been on it from the start. Great news :)

 

Have the most wonderful time :)

[tangoll]

A strange message from Cunard via my agent, that the Cunard offer of

the supplement to add a 2nd pax has a deadline of up to if the ship sells out.

If that happens I wonder if Cunard intends to put another pax into the extra bed in my single occupancy cabin?

[pepperrn]

A strange message from Cunard via my agent, that the Cunard offer of the supplement to add a 2nd pax has a deadline of up to if the ship sells out. If that happens I wonder if Cunard intends to put another pax into the extra bed in my single occupancy cabin?

:eek:

 

How VERY odd! That sounds like complete nonsense to me. Someone shoreside hasn't understood your question.

 

Anyway, I presume you'll decide whether to leave things as they are, or change the booking, fairly soon.

 

Best wishes.

[GUT2407]

A strange message from Cunard via my agent, that the Cunard offer of

the supplement to add a 2nd pax has a deadline of up to if the ship sells out.

If that happens I wonder if Cunard intends to put another pax into the extra bed in my single occupancy cabin?

 

Sas I understand it most ships have more berths than their maximum legal capacity, which is, again as I understand it, governed mainly by life boat capacity.

 

So if many people book triple or quads there will be no room for an extra in your cabin.

[pepperrn]

I believe that QM2 can (currently) board 3,090 passengers if all berths are used (double occupancy is 2,620).

 

I understand that there has to be a % of lifeboat/inflatable spaces available in excess of the maximum possible number of people on board (incl. 1,238 crew), I think this % is currently 125% (ie +25%), but am very willing to be corrected.

 

(I find it interesting that despite having new cabins added this summer (= more passengers), I can find no reference to extra lifeboats being fitted. Which to me means there could have been overly generous lifeboat capacity provided from the start? Or maybe they'll fit more inflatables?)

 

It seems to me, as long as there is an empty bed in Tangoll's cabin, then the ship is not yet sailing full. With that empty berth, there could be only 3,089 passengers on the ship ;) .

 

Best wishes.

Edited March 1, 2016 by pepperrn

[tangoll]

Gut and Pepperm are absolutely correct. My agent's explanation:

"So it works this way. If the ship has reached the maximum number of "bodies" on board, it wouldn't matter if there was a suite avail that held 6 - they couldn't book them. They have a max passenger count - not necessarily how many are in a room. Have only encountered this a few times. We normally don't have a problem with a single cabin."

 

Must have to do with lifeboat/life preserver capacity. I will advise the prospective 2nd pax to decide quickly.

[KarenR_UK]

Gut and Pepperm are absolutely correct. My agent's explanation:

"So it works this way. If the ship has reached the maximum number of "bodies" on board, it wouldn't matter if there was a suite avail that held 6 - they couldn't book them. They have a max passenger count - not necessarily how many are in a room. Have only encountered this a few times. We normally don't have a problem with a single cabin."

 

Must have to do with lifeboat/life preserver capacity. I will advise the prospective 2nd pax to decide quickly.

 

On P&O the single supplement varied by sailing and could go down to 20% or even 0% on some sailings - some years ago now though!

 

What I used to find when booking as a single passenger, that the best single supplements would be on the same sailings that offered lower 3rd and 4th passenger prices & free child places

- it seemed they tried to offset the larger number of passengers in some cabins with less in others.

[fantasy51]

Different rules will apply in different countries and for different fare structures.

 

Some years ago I booked and paid for a cruise about 3 weeks before it was due to leave. This was in the days before late offers, so basically I was paying 1 full fare and 75% supplement. A friend decided to join me a week later. We had to pay about £300 extra to take it to the amount it should have been for 2 people.

 

Nowadays when I book Saver fares from the UK, it specifically states that no changes can be made. If I tried to add in a second person I would have to forfeit my deposit (or the full fare if I'd paid it) and start a new booking.

 

Tangoll, it sounds as though you have paid a full fare rather than a special deal and that is why you can add in a second person.