Solo Traveler - Sold out RC ships any time I look for rooms

[Solo Cruiser Memphis]

I've only been on NCL ships because of their amazing solo traveler program.  I would like to try RC but can't seem to navigate their website to find a solo room.  There don't seem to be many solo cabins and when I do find a ship with them, they are already sold out. Does anyone have any tips?  I called the toll free number and they weren't much help.  I am not willing to pay double.  Thanks

[Clarea]

They don't have very many solo staterooms, and very often you can find a regular stateroom for less cost than a solo.

[Biker19]

18 minutes ago, Solo Cruiser Memphis said:

 Does anyone have any tips? 

Don’t limit your search to single cruiser - unless you have 340+ points it won’t 

make a diff in price. 

[molly361]

When I couldn't book for a solo I just booked for 2 and had the second person be a no show.  I got back their taxes and port fees

[hallux]

Yeah, the solo/studio rooms aren't numerous, and are very hard to locate when trying to find a cruise.  When I sailed in a Studio on the Anthem in 2018 my TA wasn't even aware of the category, but was able to book one for me.

 

Studio inside rooms on the Quantum-class ships number around 2-dozen.  There are two, TWO, on most hotel decks.  Studio balcony are only on 6 and 7 and it looks like only six on each of those decks.

 

I've moved to checking NCL first when looking for a trip if I'm going on my own for sure, primarily for the Studio cabin section on the larger ships, numbering at 86(!) in a segregated area on the Bliss.

[Oceansaway17]

8 minutes ago, molly361 said:

When I couldn't book for a solo I just booked for 2 and had the second person be a no show.  I got back their taxes and port fees

 

Well if say if price for two is 500 a piece, how did you make the final payment?  wouldn't RCI want $1000 at final payment

from two people. 

 

I don't understand this concept of pretending two people.  Because if you paid the $1000 that would have been your 200% rate anyways for solo.

 

 

[molly361]

12 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

 

Well if say if price for two is 500 a piece, how did you make the final payment?  wouldn't RCI want $1000 at final payment

from two people. 

 

I don't understand this concept of pretending two people.  Because if you paid the $1000 that would have been your 200% rate anyways for solo.

 

 

RCL doesn't care who pays for the cruise

[Oceansaway17]

2 hours ago, molly361 said:

RCL doesn't care who pays for the cruise

but what about the final payment.  The no show is at the time of sailing. How did RCI get the money for the room?

 

So if you booked as 1 of 2 people, who pays the balance due for the other pretend person.

You need to explain the math otherwise at the time of final payment, RCI would need the other half of the payment.  And if you paid it, that is the same as hitting the button for 1 person and paying double fare.

[MeHeartCruising]

5 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

but what about the final payment.  The no show is at the time of sailing. How did RCI get the money for the room?

 

So if you booked as 1 of 2 people, who pays the balance due for the other pretend person.

You need to explain the math otherwise at the time of final payment, RCI would need the other half of the payment.  And if you paid it, that is the same as hitting the button for 1 person and paying double fare.

 

If booked as 2 people, you will have to pay the fare + taxes/fees for 2 people.  The person who said that must be willing to pay the price of 2 people even though only one is actually going to go.  At the time of sailing with one no-show person, RCI will refund 1 person's taxes and fees (but not the entire total fare of the second person).

[awestover89]

30 minutes ago, MeHeartCruising said:

 

If booked as 2 people, you will have to pay the fare + taxes/fees for 2 people.  The person who said that must be willing to pay the price of 2 people even though only one is actually going to go.  At the time of sailing with one no-show person, RCI will refund 1 person's taxes and fees (but not the entire total fare of the second person).

 

38 minutes ago, Oceansaway17 said:

but what about the final payment.  The no show is at the time of sailing. How did RCI get the money for the room?

 

So if you booked as 1 of 2 people, who pays the balance due for the other pretend person.

You need to explain the math otherwise at the time of final payment, RCI would need the other half of the payment.  And if you paid it, that is the same as hitting the button for 1 person and paying double fare.

 

If you book with a fake second person you pay for both yourself and the fake person. At time of sailing the taxes and port fees of the fake person will be refunded, making it the same price as booking a single with a single supplement.

 

The main benefit of booking it this way is if you happen to get a second person to join you then it's easy to do a name change of the fake person to your new partner. If you book a solo with the supplement and try to add a second person later it's more involved, and may involve a reprice.

[hallux]

How does booking with a "fake second person" benefit compared to booking a room as a solo with full supplement?  I don't really see a difference, other than reserving room in that muster station in case you find someone to come with you.

[Clarea]

3 minutes ago, hallux said:

How does booking with a "fake second person" benefit compared to booking a room as a solo with full supplement?  I don't really see a difference, other than reserving room in that muster station in case you find someone to come with you.

 

I don't think the muster station is an issue.  Except for solo staterooms, I believe Royal always reserves 2 spots in the muster station for every stateroom.

[kochleffel]

I managed to book a single cabin on the Radiance for this summer, but I booked it on the day that booking opened -- I believe that there are only three on the entire ship!

 

For two other cruises I've booked a double and just paid the supplement. Because of the 30% off or BOGO50 offers at the time, it was a price that I could accept. Yes, it was more than a studio on NCL for a comparable itinerary, but also more comfortable. Go by total cost, not whether the cabin is a single or a double.

[Ptroxx]

I’ve almost always traveled solo and never book for 2.   It’s the same price.    
And you can still add someone if you want to.  Just pay port taxes for the second.  
 

why pay for 2 and taxes for 2.  When your only one person. ?   
 

also. If you purchased a drink package wouldn’t you have to get it for the 2 people as well.    

[Clarea]

3 hours ago, Ptroxx said:

 ...

also. If you purchased a drink package wouldn’t you have to get it for the 2 people as well.    

 

Correct, unless you made the fake 2nd person under 21.

[Cel_cruise]

27 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Correct, unless you made the fake 2nd person under 21.

 

Brilliant Pro Tip!  Filing that away for later!

[Slainte!]

If you are D+ with 340+ points and trying to book Solo then you really need to call direct. Even after putting in your C&A number the website is not recognising or showing the reduction (C&A benefit) in the final pricing.

Also if do the second fake booking you will need to check that person in and then at the port say they couldn’t make it (e.g. work commitments/unwell). As said before taxes etc will be returned and the bonus for you will be double C&A points.

Cheers!
Joan

Dublin Ireland

Edited January 16, 2020 by Slainte!

[Biker19]

7 hours ago, hallux said:

How does booking with a "fake second person" benefit compared to booking a room as a solo with full supplement?  

GTY and maybe other rates (which could be cheaper) are not available if you book solo. 

[soremekun]

Could you make the fake second person a child and benefit from a kids sail free promotion?

[Clarea]

14 minutes ago, soremekun said:

Could you make the fake second person a child and benefit from a kids sail free promotion?

 

I thought that the KSF only applied to guests 3,4, etc.

[hallux]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

GTY and maybe other rates (which could be cheaper) are not available if you book solo. 

Ah, a difference between the 2 lines.  I booked a Guarantee balcony as a solo on NCL.  Of course, taking the reduced air I had to pay the full supplement but it only cost me a little extra for that vs. the studio with airfare booked on my own and I got 2 perks with the balcony where the studio got one.

[SRF]

6 hours ago, Slainte! said:

the bonus for you will be double C&A points.

Cheers!
Joan

Dublin Ireland

 

Technically not double.  But 1 extra point per night.

 

If double, and you were in a suite, you would get double the 2 points for 4.  

 

1 point for sailing.

 

1 extra point for solo

 

1 extra point for suite

 

Maximum 3 points per night.

[Btank]

16 hours ago, Solo Cruiser Memphis said:

I've only been on NCL ships because of their amazing solo traveler program.  I would like to try RC but can't seem to navigate their website to find a solo room.  There don't seem to be many solo cabins and when I do find a ship with them, they are already sold out. Does anyone have any tips?

 

Not an ideal solution, but look for the Buy One Get One __% Off promotions and get a standard stateroom.  Royal will honor the "Get" on a single supplement.  For example, last Saturday I booked Liberty of the Seas as part of their Buy One Get One 60% Off promotion.  They honored the 60% discount on the "empty" half of the room, with the result being effectively a 40% single supplement.

 

Good luck!        --bruce T.

 

[Another_Critic]

2 hours ago, Btank said:

Not an ideal solution, but look for the Buy One Get One __% Off promotions and get a standard stateroom.  Royal will honor the "Get" on a single supplement.  For example, last Saturday I booked Liberty of the Seas as part of their Buy One Get One 60% Off promotion.  They honored the 60% discount on the "empty" half of the room, with the result being effectively a 40% single supplement.

 

Good luck!        --bruce T.

 

 

You fell for the fake "sale" (translation: you still paid 100% single supplement).  😲

 

Example: Liberty May 10, 2020 Oceanview BOGO 60% off "sale" 

 

Single = $1875.08

Double = $1993.16 - $118.08 (1/2 taxes fees) = $1875.08

 

Edited January 16, 2020 by Another_Critic

[Tree_skier]

11 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Correct, unless you made the fake 2nd person under 21.

How would that work if the fake person was under 21 and booked under the KSF program?