Recently widdowed

[highscar]

Advice for getting best value cruise paying single. We are veteran holland America cruisers.

[Scrapnana]

Sorry to hear about your loss.

 

Good deals on single supplements are hard to come by. If you are willing to book an inside or ocean view on HAL, you will usually (some itineraries, such as Alaska, are usually 200%) pay 150-165% of the per person/double occupancy price. Balconies and suites are almost always 200%.

 

Koningsdam does have some single cabins. Although they are more than the per person/double occupancy fare for the same grade of cabin, they are usually less than 150%. Some other cruise lines also have single cabins on some of their ships.

 

Some people will suggest going to one of the premium lines where some charge only 125% or so. However, this usually comes out to be more than what you would pay for HAL with a higher supplement since the base cost is so much higher.

 

Once in awhile you will find a cruise with no single supplement (although I have not found any on HAL). They are few and far between and are often of the "last minute" variety.

 

I travel solo and just look at the final cost (with the supplement) and decide if I can afford it. I try not to think about the supplement!;)

 

If you haven't already, check out the solo cruisers forum. There is a thread where people post any good deals they have found. Here is a link. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2396334

Edited December 4, 2016 by Scrapnana

[Tom O.]

So sorry about your loss.

Rather than pay double for being a single, I suggest trying to find someone who is willing to come along. You could even offer to supplement their fare, if cost is an object.

I know it is not always possible, but if someone offered to pay half of my fare, I would be tempted.

[take us away]

So very sorry about your loss. My DH has been gone for a year and a half and I have found cruising to be a good thing! Personally I just pay the supplement as now like having the cabin to myself. A good TA should be able to help a lot and also frequent checking cruise websites for any changes.

 

A few options to recommend if you cannot find a travel partner:

1. The Prinsedam also has a few single cabins but check the pricing vs. a different cabin with the supplement.

2. Longer cruises have less supplement charges, usually 50%, but gave gotten 25%.

3. On many cruises, HAL has a single share program where you would share a cabin with another single female who has signed up for this feature. You pay the 'regular' double-occupancy charge for the cabin (no supplement) and if there is not a single-share female, you get the cabin to yourself with no upcharge. This is a great way to go but chancy as have heard horrible stories about roommates but I had a great experience the 1 time I did this. If interested, here is the reference: hollandamerica.com/assets/about-best-cruise-lines/PR_Single-Part.pdf

 

Seems like longer cruises tend to attract a lot of single travelers so you will be in good company as HAL tries to make us feel at home.

[IndyDenise]

So very sorry about your loss. My DH has been gone for a year and a half and I have found cruising to be a good thing! Personally I just pay the supplement as now like having the cabin to myself. A good TA should be able to help a lot and also frequent checking cruise websites for any changes.

 

 

 

A few options to recommend if you cannot find a travel partner:

 

1. The Prinsedam also has a few single cabins but check the pricing vs. a different cabin with the supplement.

 

2. Longer cruises have less supplement charges, usually 50%, but gave gotten 25%.

 

3. On many cruises, HAL has a single share program where you would share a cabin with another single female who has signed up for this feature. You pay the 'regular' double-occupancy charge for the cabin (no supplement) and if there is not a single-share female, you get the cabin to yourself with no upcharge. This is a great way to go but chancy as have heard horrible stories about roommates but I had a great experience the 1 time I did this. If interested, here is the reference: hollandamerica.com/assets/about-best-cruise-lines/PR_Single-Part.pdf

 

 

 

Seems like longer cruises tend to attract a lot of single travelers so you will be in good company as HAL tries to make us feel at home.

 

 

My mom did this on a cruise once (years ago on Norwegian or Royal ) .

 

It was a total nightmare. The room mate was great.. she was a Detroit cop that was an alcoholic whose family sent her alone on the cruise to dry out. [emoji33][emoji33][emoji33]

 

She drank herself to sleep non stop and didn't leave the cabin.. but being passed out she was very cordial.

 

The bad part.. the cabin stewards didn't clean the room because she was always in it ( in the bed).

 

She did start smelling, 7 days without bathing will do that to a person.

 

 

 

 

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[Traveling Dot]

Sorry to hear of your loss. I lost my husband last January and sailed by myself in April to the South Pacific (a cruise we had planned on doing together, he wouldn't let me cancel it). I paid the single supplement and I am booked again on another 30 day cruise to South America (another cruise he wanted me to do).

 

I love to cruise so paying the single supplement is worth it to me. As others have said look for what you can afford. I hope to be able to keep on cruising (maybe not always on a really long cruise) as long as I can. I'll just keep looking for those bargains. Being retired I can wait to the last minute to book at a hopefully cheap rate.

[Tom O.]

It was a total nightmare. The room mate was great.. she was a Detroit cop that was an alcoholic whose family sent her alone on the cruise to dry out. [emoji33][emoji33][emoji33]

 

Something tells me that a cruise ship is not a good place to "dry out."

[FlyingFishy]

So sorry for your loss.

 

If you are flexible with dates etc., keep an eye out for last minute cruises. You should "break even" even if having to pay the 100% supplemental charge.

[sail7seas]

As a widow, I, too, sail as a solo. I would not dream of sharing a cabin with a girlfriend, let alone a stranger. :eek:

[TiogaCruiser]

Sorry for your loss. Regarding the Single Share Program, unless something has changed in the past 3 years:

 

- the fare is not the double occupancy rate- it carries a single supplement that is less than the single occupancy rate.

- the single share supplement is different percentage wise from cruise to cruise (same itinerary)

 

I did it in 2013 and priced out 2 sailings of the same itinerary (opposite directions): one was over $1000 less than the 100% rate and the other was something like $70 less for 3 weeks.

[Sue from Canada]

As a widow, I, too, sail as a solo. I would not dream of sharing a cabin with a girlfriend, let alone a stranger. :eek:

 

I'm also a widow and totally agree with you sail7seas. I would rather pay a little more and know that I'm going to have a great time than sharing a cabin and have my cruise ruined with someone incompatible.

 

Best solo prices IMO: Caribbean cruise or a repositioning cruise (inside or forward cabin).

Edited December 8, 2016 by Sue from Canada

[81Zoomie]

You might want to also look at the smaller ships. If you have some flexibility Azamara or the Pacific Princess (r class) are more intimate. It's easier to meet people and get to know the crew. They both have some excellent after final payment deals on occasion.