If there's no single supplement, shouldn't we book two separate rooms?

[computeruser]

There are two of us, and we normally share one room. However, I see the NCL cruise we booked actually doesn't charge a single supplement for inside & oceanview rooms (i.e. booking one room for one person is exactly half the cost of booking one room for two people).

 

If we had booked two separate inside rooms (which would cost the same amount as one room for two people), I assume we would get the following benefits for free:

• An extra room
• We could also use 4 CruiseNext certificates (since we have two staterooms, we could use two each stateroom with the double up promotion)
• If we also took the free shore excursion credits, we would get double the credits ($50 x 2 per port instead of just $50 per port)
• Since we are latitudes members, we would get double of anything that is awarded per stateroom (e.g. two bottles of sparkling wine)

 

I unfortunately already booked as normal with one room, but what do you think of this? Would it work?

[julig22]

Your logic is absolutely correct - and you could possibly book adjoining rooms.  But I have never seen a NCL cruise that doesn't charge more as a single, unless you are talking about the specific solo suites - I travel solo and usually go for a balcony, so haven't priced the inside/OV rooms lately as solo.  So if what you are saying is true, I'd definitely go for it.

 

You can always rebook if you are within the final payment window.

[computeruser]

6 minutes ago, julig22 said:

Your logic is absolutely correct - and you could possibly book adjoining rooms.  But I have never seen a NCL cruise that doesn't charge more as a single, unless you are talking about the specific solo suites - I travel solo and usually go for a balcony, so haven't priced the inside/OV rooms lately as solo.  So if what you are saying is true, I'd definitely go for it.

 

You can always rebook if you are within the final payment window.

I'm not talking about solo suites. This is not the cruise I'm taking, but https://www.ncl.com/cruises/7-day-western-mediterranean-from-barcelona-EPIC7BCNNAPCIVLIVCEQPMIBCN is an example of a cruise, as of 10/22/2019, there is no single supplement for INSIDE rooms on the November 3rd sailing. The price for a sailaway inside is $399 per person whether you select 1 guest or 2 guests.

 

I usually book cruises soon before they sail. The cruise I booked sails in about 30 days or so, so I don't think I can rebook. Right?

[The Other Tom]

I assume you've paid for your cruise already?  It may be hard to change now, but you should as your TA

[computeruser]

Just now, The Other Tom said:

I assume you've paid for your cruise already?  It may be hard to change now, but you should as your TA

Yeah, we've paid.

 

More wondering if this kind of booking would work and be beneficial for the future though. Unless someone thinks it wouldn't work out well for some reason? Seems like a loophole.

[The Other Tom]

I don't see why this wouldn't work.  My guess is the ship is not sold out and this is NCL's way of filling cabins.  Just a guess, though.

[julig22]

No reason you can't do this on future cruises - I gave similar advice to a group that was looking at getting a suite for 2 couples - I recommended 2 rooms for the same reasons you listed.  But if you wait to book last minute, there might be bargains and the ship might be full, so whatever works!

 

Keep in mind that sailaway (the cruise you listed) doesn't usually give you any perks, so no shore excursions, etc.  As to using 2 CruiseNext certificates, that depends on whether or not they are running a doubleUp promo when you book.

 

As to your upcoming cruise, you can always call and ask - I've gotten upgrades at the last minute just because I asked.  If you booked under sailaway, they might not care.  If you booked with perks, they might not let you.

[tomservo]

14 hours ago, computeruser said:

Yeah, we've paid.

 

More wondering if this kind of booking would work and be beneficial for the future though. Unless someone thinks it wouldn't work out well for some reason? Seems like a loophole.

 

It's not a loophole per se, it's a side effect of dropping the single supplement on those cruises, which NCL often does when it's trying to fill cabins at the last minute. It's great when you can combine it with other promos (double up cruise next certs on insides). I would absolutely do this if I were in your situation, but I'm typically with my family. I will also say that sometimes it's cheaper to book 2 separate cabins then putting 4 people in one cabin. 

[Victress2007]

Couldn't you cancel just one person?  Then they could book another room.

 

Vic

 

[Named-Tawny]

Does anybody know if port fees and etc are per person or per room?

[julig22]

3 minutes ago, Named-Tawny said:

Does anybody know if port fees and etc are per person or per room?

per person

[doconner]

This is an interesting topic.  

I've just looked at this cruise here on the UK website:

Norwegian Epic - November 3rd -> 10th

 

2 guests - 1 inside cabin = £859.42 total = £429.71 per person (£266 cruise fare + 80.71 prepaid grats + £83 port fees) 

 

1 guest - 1 inside cabin = £377.21  ( £213.50 cruise fare + £80.71 prepaid grats + £83 port fees)

 

so it works out to be £52.50 cheaper per person (£105 all in) to book 2 inside cabins with 1 guest each, instead of 1 inside cabin with 2 guests.

 

These are sailaway cabins, but in the UK even with sailaway cabin you can add 2 'Free at See' to sailaway cabins for £99 per person (that is total, with no extra grats for drinks / dining packages).

 

If both guests were platinum, and you booked into 2 separate insides, then I assume you'd get 2 x (Cagneys or Le Bistro) for two AND 2 x (Moderno or La Cucina) for two.  Though the other things that you'd double up on (bottle of brut, chocolate covered strawberries) I'd care less about.

 

It's going to be a rare situation where it works out cheaper to do this, but for any last minute cruises in the future, it's certainly something I'll spend a few minutes looking at.

 

 

 

 

 

[AnitaVacation]

yes, get two cabins!  This happened to me and a friend on the Escape last year.  We had booked adjoining studios and about 10 days before sailing, they dropped the prices and the single supplement charge and we each got our own balcony cabin for $50 each.  It was great! (I even got an aft balcony)

[smplybcause]

21 hours ago, Victress2007 said:

Couldn't you cancel just one person?  Then they could book another room.

 

Vic

 

 

If it's past final they'd lose money. ie two in a cabin is 500 each, but one in a cabin is 500. They already booked and paid for two in the cabin so if they canceled the second the'd loose the 500 they paid for the second person. If it was before final they could, but single supplements are usually only decreased after final. 

[sanger727]

21 hours ago, Victress2007 said:

Couldn't you cancel just one person?  Then they could book another room.

 

Vic

 

 

If they have already booked then they have already paid for a double occupancy cabin rate. They won't save anything by cancelling one person due to how soon the cruise is.

[billslowsky]

On 10/22/2019 at 8:03 PM, julig22 said:

But I have never seen a NCL cruise that doesn't charge more as a single, unless you are talking about the specific solo suites - I travel solo and usually go for a balcony, so haven't priced the inside/OV rooms lately as solo.  So if what you are saying is true, I'd definitely go for it.

On their site click "Cruise deals" and "Solo Cruiser Discounts".  They're not all leaving this weekend either.

[julig22]

21 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

On their site click "Cruise deals" and "Solo Cruiser Discounts".  They're not all leaving this weekend either.

NCL prices their rooms as PP/double occupancy.  Which means that if you travel solo, you are going to pay for 2 people (less port/DSC charges) unless there is a solo cruiser discount, in which case they will discount your cruise somewhat.  Not the same as no charge for going solo, which is what the OP is asking.  Solo Cruiser Discount is just that - a discount against the pp/dbl occupancy fare, not elimination of the 2nd person charges.

 

[billslowsky]

14 minutes ago, julig22 said:

NCL prices their rooms as PP/double occupancy.  Which means that if you travel solo, you are going to pay for 2 people (less port/DSC charges) unless there is a solo cruiser discount, in which case they will discount your cruise somewhat.  Not the same as no charge for going solo, which is what the OP is asking.  Solo Cruiser Discount is just that - a discount against the pp/dbl occupancy fare, not elimination of the 2nd person charges.

 

I sailed in July using this rate.  

 

Should I be expecting another bill from NCL in the same amount that I already paid?

 

Thanks for the heads-up.

[adam_s_allen]

That’s a great idea. If all the right circumstances are there you can factor in an additional $250 off the fare by being able to use 2 extra cruise next certs.

[julig22]

5 minutes ago, billslowsky said:

I sailed in July using this rate.  

 

Should I be expecting another bill from NCL in the same amount that I already paid?

 

Thanks for the heads-up.

Huh?  You pay what you contracted to pay.  If you got a true single, meaning half of the pp/dbl rate, good for you.  That is not the usual situation for the "Solo cruiser discount"

 

[bob brown]

If you each individually owned 100 shares of NCLH stock, you would double your shareholder OBC benefit by booking two separate rooms.   The benefit is only one per cabin, normally....😉

[julig22]

2 hours ago, bob brown said:

If you each individually owned 100 shares of NCLH stock, you would double your shareholder OBC benefit by booking two separate rooms.   The benefit is only one per cabin, normally....😉

Debatable - you might get $50ea, you might get $100ea, you might not get anything.  Per NCL " Singles paying 200% are entitled to full onboard credit value. "  So far, I've always gotten my full amount, even with solo-cruiser discount, but others have reported getting less.  Seems to be a mystery how this is interpreted.  You would definitely get the $100 if booked together in 1 cabin.

[StefkaP]

On 10/22/2019 at 9:51 PM, julig22 said:

No reason you can't do this on future cruises - I gave similar advice to a group that was looking at getting a suite for 2 couples - I recommended 2 rooms for the same reasons you listed.  But if you wait to book last minute, there might be bargains and the ship might be full, so whatever works!

 

Keep in mind that sailaway (the cruise you listed) doesn't usually give you any perks, so no shore excursions, etc.  As to using 2 CruiseNext certificates, that depends on whether or not they are running a doubleUp promo when you book.

 

As to your upcoming cruise, you can always call and ask - I've gotten upgrades at the last minute just because I asked.  If you booked under sailaway, they might not care.  If you booked with perks, they might not let you.

You have piqued my interest with your last comment.... you called NCL and asked for an upgrade and got it??  How soon before sailing (just as a reference point)? The cruise I am going on is not full. I got an oceanview cabin, solo,  for exactly half, and got 2 promos... its basically a month away. That solo supplement is now gone (3 days later), and there appears to be lots of cabins still.  There is the ability to put in 'bids" for upgrades, stating if you get the upgrade, original promos would not change. Just curious... you straight out asked them... "I want up upgrade??!!" I LOVE this. Any tips for this frugal, but not shy, first time solo cruiser who REALLY wants a balcony?? lol

 

[Budget Queen]

5 hours ago, bob brown said:

If you each individually owned 100 shares of NCLH stock, you would double your shareholder OBC benefit by booking two separate rooms.   The benefit is only one per cabin, normally....😉

No- they would not benefit.    With a single supplement drop the benefit is half.     

[Budget Queen]

35 minutes ago, StefkaP said:

You have piqued my interest with your last comment.... you called NCL and asked for an upgrade and got it??  How soon before sailing (just as a reference point)? The cruise I am going on is not full. I got an oceanview cabin, solo,  for exactly half, and got 2 promos... its basically a month away. That solo supplement is now gone (3 days later), and there appears to be lots of cabins still.  There is the ability to put in 'bids" for upgrades, stating if you get the upgrade, original promos would not change. Just curious... you straight out asked them... "I want up upgrade??!!" I LOVE this. Any tips for this frugal, but not shy, first time solo cruiser who REALLY wants a balcony?? lol

 

If you bid It WILL be double.   Just keep that in mind with solo -  inside and up cabins.  There is no bidding for studios.   

 

Calling for possible upgrades could be better deals.  Compare.