silvercruiser Posted June 2, 2016 #1 Share Posted June 2, 2016 When did the single supplement for Inside and Oceanview cabins go up to 100%? It's always been that for balconies and above, but for years I paid between 40% and 60% for inside and oceanviews. I've been busy with HAL cruises for a few years and was surprised to find this change at Princess. Does anyone know when this change took place? I'm still paying less on HAL, but they seem to be about the only mainstream lines that offer the lower supplement, except Costa, which offers zero supplement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kruisey Posted June 2, 2016 #2 Share Posted June 2, 2016 When did the single supplement for Inside and Oceanview cabins go up to 100%? It's always been that for balconies and above, but for years I paid between 40% and 60% for inside and oceanviews. I've been busy with HAL cruises for a few years and was surprised to find this change at Princess. Does anyone know when this change took place? I'm still paying less on HAL, but they seem to be about the only mainstream lines that offer the lower supplement, except Costa, which offers zero supplement. You are correct but for 2016 on-wards its 100%. I have argued this fact but to no avail.If a ship has slow bookings one might stand a chance otherwise it is 100% for solos every class of cabin. I just booked a 32 cruise with them(subject to cancellation if my close relative dies). Had taken back all my future cruise credits so had to pay the full deposit plus I have no on board credits. If I can go on this cruise I will love it .All employees always treat this old lady so well. It all boils down to business as is the same with all others. So my dear you have to take it or leave it......Sorry but that is the truth of the matter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Essiesmom Posted June 2, 2016 #3 Share Posted June 2, 2016 I have paid 200% for insides solo on all my solo Princess cruises. EM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moki'smommy Posted June 2, 2016 #4 Share Posted June 2, 2016 The only exception I've seen recently on any line has been occasional special sales near the cruise date. You know, when the cruise line is trying to fill ships. On those occasions, I've seen the single supplement discounted as low as 40%. BUT those occasions have been rare, near sailing date, and not on Princess. Other than that, I've paid 100% on all lines. I've done solo cruises occasionally starting in 2009. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blkspy Posted June 2, 2016 #5 Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) IMHO I believe it changed around 2011-12. At one point you could find a solo cruise at around 130% for some sailings. Now it seems the only discount a single can get is if you are eligible for something like the Casino rate add on. Since my retirement....ive offered Free cruises to my brother and best buddy--DW still works. Because with no discount. ..all that is needed is the additional taxes :) Next April my brother is sailing on a 17 day TA for Airfare and $135 in taxes......he's loving it. How about some single cabins on the New builds. Edited June 2, 2016 by blkspy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corinda Posted June 2, 2016 #6 Share Posted June 2, 2016 but on the plus side - you get credit for 2 cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CA Posted June 2, 2016 #7 Share Posted June 2, 2016 It changed several years ago. It's my choice to cruise solo so that's the reason why I'm now booking obstructed view or inside cabins. It helps mitigate the pain to use a TA who saves me 10-20%. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoncom Posted June 2, 2016 #8 Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) I have never paid more than 50%supplement on Celebrity. Oceania or Princess as single. Do a search for the many SS here on CC in Solo Cruisers section. Go on repos, transatlantics, off or shoulder season. Use a large discount cruise agency. Edited June 2, 2016 by zoncom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvercruiser Posted June 2, 2016 Author #9 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Thanks for the quick replies. If had a health issue that kept me off cruises for a year and since then have taken HAL cruises because of their itineraries, so wasn't really paying much attention to the difference in single supplements on Princess. I sailed for 14 days on the Emerald in January just to have one last chance on one of my favorite ships before she got sent to Australia, and just took an Inside on my favorite deck 5, near the morning donuts in the IC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted June 2, 2016 #10 Share Posted June 2, 2016 You are paying the cost of the CABIN...you need to stop thinking in "per person" terms! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Esprit Posted June 2, 2016 #11 Share Posted June 2, 2016 You are paying the cost of the CABIN...you need to stop thinking in "per person" terms! Totally agree. My wife doesn't work so I have to fund the full fare and share a room. If I were to cruise alone I'd have all that bed space to myself and a bathroom free to use whenever I want! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CA Posted June 2, 2016 #12 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Use a large discount cruise agency.There are some great small agencies that offer even better fares and provide personal service. You don't have to use a large agency. That's just not true. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nāmaka Posted June 2, 2016 #13 Share Posted June 2, 2016 IMHO I believe it changed around 2011-12. At one point you could find a solo cruise at around 130% for some sailings. Now it seems the only discount a single can get is if you are eligible for something like the Casino rate add on. Since my retirement....ive offered Free cruises to my brother and best buddy--DW still works. Because with no discount. ..all that is needed is the additional taxes :) Next April my brother is sailing on a 17 day TA for Airfare and $135 in taxes......he's loving it. How about some single cabins on the New builds. Yes, I could not agree more. Why can't they put a few single cabins on the new builds or on the older ships when they go to dry dock? You cannot believe how many 'free' cruises I have offered friends, with them just having to pay the port fees, grats and whatever they spend. So far I have not had a single taker!!! What a bunch of duds! They would rather travel with their SO than get a free cruise. :rolleyes: I need to find more single friends. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blkspy Posted June 2, 2016 #14 Share Posted June 2, 2016 (edited) Yes' date=' I could not agree more. Why can't they put a few single cabins on the new builds or on the older ships when they go to dry dock? You cannot believe how many 'free' cruises I have offered friends, with them just having to pay the port fees, grats and whatever they spend. So far I have not had a single taker!!! What a bunch of duds! They would rather travel with their SO than get a free cruise. :rolleyes: I need to find more single friends. :)[/font'] My DW isnt too keen on the TA crosings...Shes meeting me in Rome and we will tour for 2 weeks after the cruise.....it AMAZES me also that I have to twist arms to give away a Free cruise......:) I shop around and book with whomever gives me the most for my money.....ive been lucky...I tend to be upgraded 80% of the time. The bottom line for me...Ive found my retirement fun--cruising. Its nice to share with my DW, brother or friends. ...But I will cruise solo at the first sign of a decent deal:) Edited June 2, 2016 by blkspy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earthworm Jim Posted June 2, 2016 #15 Share Posted June 2, 2016 I'm still paying less on HAL, but they seem to be about the only mainstream lines that offer the lower supplement, except Costa, which offers zero supplement. There are also the solo only studio cabins available on some Norwegian ships. Prices are reasonable if you don't mind the tiny cabin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
silvercruiser Posted June 2, 2016 Author #16 Share Posted June 2, 2016 My goodness, cb at sea, I've been cruising 75 or 80 days a year for many years, so don't think I need to be told how to think! I simply wondered when Princess had changed their policy of how to charge a solo cruiser for an Inside or Oceanview cabin. At first, back in the early 90's, it was 40% extra on most of the cruise lines. Then when I was part of a married couple again I didn't notice what solos were paying. The past 6 years, as a solo, it has varied between 40 and 60%, with the lower amount usually being in December, the least expensive time of the year. I find that in checking around with the different lines that almost all of them charge the full 100% no matter what kind of cabin you book, but I didn't know that because I was cruising exclusively on Princess and HAL. And now I find that HAL is the only one charging only 60% extra. I just returned from a 30-day South Pacific cruised with them and that is what I paid extra. The same was true for two other 5-week cruises I've taken with them in the past three years as well as shorter ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shogun Posted June 2, 2016 #17 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Hi All If P&O can do it why not Princess https://ask.pocruises.com/help/fleet/single_cabins yours Shogun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted June 2, 2016 #18 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Hate to say it but they will charge what they can get. I expect they prefer doubles to singles. All they save on a single is about $10 a day cost of food ingredients, but miss out on the second persons spending. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pam in CA Posted June 2, 2016 #19 Share Posted June 2, 2016 As long as singles pay double, Princess won't create single cabins. Always follow the money. The last Princess ships with single cabins were the original Crown and Regal Princess. They each had 12 very roomy single cabins on deck 4 next to the Medical Center. The cabins were 2/3 size but had just a single bed so there was lots of space. Two large portholes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flamencacha Posted June 2, 2016 #20 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Totally agree. My wife doesn't work so I have to fund the full fare and share a room. If I were to cruise alone I'd have all that bed space to myself and a bathroom free to use whenever I want! I call It price per square inch, however, I don't eat or drink(complimentary packages) for two. I would not mind paying extra per square inch, but a 100 % is pretty steep. Fortunately, some cruise lines run specials and waive the single supplement, or at least reduce them. I rearranged one of my cruises this year because of a solo supplement. And no I don't invite anyone along for free, been there done that etc. So OP the solo supplement sales are alive and well and not only at the last minute. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flamencacha Posted June 2, 2016 #21 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Hate to say it but they will charge what they can get. I expect they prefer doubles to singles. All they save on a single is about $10 a day cost of food ingredients, but miss out on the second persons spending. During my TA their wasn't much spending going on. [emoji23][emoji2][emoji23] especially when they had to get permission. Solo travelers tend to treat themselves, at least I do. I have a budget to work with, the supplement knocks it out of my ballpark so be it. I will find something that fits. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill B Posted June 2, 2016 #22 Share Posted June 2, 2016 You are paying the cost of the CABIN...you need to stop thinking in "per person" terms! Then cruise prices should be advertised as such - not 'per person'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brisbane41 Posted June 2, 2016 #23 Share Posted June 2, 2016 It could be worst. P&O UK had the cheek and audacity to introduce "single cabins" that are still charged the single supplement in comparison to regular cabins despite the fact the single cabins are half the size and have a single bed. I have been with them and paid the single supplement for a regular cabin because it afforded me more space for the same price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDC1 Posted June 2, 2016 #24 Share Posted June 2, 2016 As cruise lines have shifted their revenue models from nearly totally fare based to more on board spending based the single premiums have gone up. Even with a 100% solo premium the cruise line loses money. Main stream Cruise lines get about 35% of their revenue from on board spending (Those that have included the drink packages as part of their fares and raised the prices to compensate get around 28%) So to normalize the revenue at the ratio of 65% fare 35% on board spend, if the fare is 100 the ship would get an additional 54 in on board spend. Then for two passengers the revenue in a cabin would be 2X154=308 for a single passenger evenr with 100% premium the revenue for the cabin would be 2X100 + 54 = 254. So on average the cruise line would get 8.2% lower revenue for the cabin then if two people were in it. Even with the 100% single premium. The main stream cruise lines tend to have 104-105% average occupancy. So the average revenue from a cabin is higher then the 2 person number. That is why solo cruisers are not sought after by the cruise lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted June 3, 2016 #25 Share Posted June 3, 2016 As cruise lines have shifted their revenue models from nearly totally fare based to more on board spending based the single premiums have gone up. Even with a 100% solo premium the cruise line loses money. Main stream Cruise lines get about 35% of their revenue from on board spending (Those that have included the drink packages as part of their fares and raised the prices to compensate get around 28%) So to normalize the revenue at the ratio of 65% fare 35% on board spend, if the fare is 100 the ship would get an additional 54 in on board spend. Then for two passengers the revenue in a cabin would be 2X154=308 for a single passenger evenr with 100% premium the revenue for the cabin would be 2X100 + 54 = 254. So on average the cruise line would get 8.2% lower revenue for the cabin then if two people were in it. Even with the 100% single premium. The main stream cruise lines tend to have 104-105% average occupancy. So the average revenue from a cabin is higher then the 2 person number. That is why solo cruisers are not sought after by the cruise lines. Exactly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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