What is a fair Single Supplement

[Traveling Mike]

This morning I was told by a Cruise Line Executive that the cruise lines have people that watch the Cruise Critic Boards.  Because of that I am hoping all you Solo Cruisers will give them your opinions.

Celebrity Cruise lines has just changed their pricing model.  In the past we could pay double the price of the room and pick the additional items I wanted and pay for them.  Now with the new pricing model you pay a 200% Single Supplement and in it is Drinks, Gratuities and WiFi.  That means I pay for 2 drink packages, 2 WiFi packages and 2 people’s gratuities.

1.       Now the question for you is what is a fair Single Supplement?

2.       What Cruise Lines have the best over all deal for Solo Cruisers?

[ppmanusa]

Only number that really matters to me is final line on the invoice. If I can walk away paying $150/night or less for a balcony I feel like iv  gotten a good deal. The whole celebrity pricing all inclusive  I really don't think RCCL will follow suit which is my main cruise line. Celebrity before the sky fell prices weren't attractive. Have only stayed once with them but if the math worked out and got all those extras for the price I was looking for fine id give it a try. 

Right now MSC has some attractive deals for singles. If I wasn't juggling around trying to keep straight  all the cruises that have been cancelled I would be giving them a try. 

[coastcat]

The huge problem with the previous pricing structure was that the old "everybody gets two perks" offer was per cabin rather than per passenger, and thus completely useless for solos because the upgrade cost was considerably greater than the cost of purchasing the options separately for one person. If I had taken the perks offer on my 15-night transpacific, the upcharge was equal to price of buying one beverage package, one Wifi login, PLUS the airfare home from Tokyo (er, which was not included in the perks offer). That's ridiculous.

 

We're essentially getting the same deal now by paying a 100% solo supplement. The fares have been raised to compensate for the inclusion of the beverage/Wifi/DSC. The price hike doesn't seem unreasonable for a couple but solos are still paying double the price hike since we're still paying 2x the PPDO price.

 

The blue text below is from my post in another forum about this topic -  apologies in advance to @farmersfight for inflicting math on the forum again! 😁   The TL;DR version is: solos are still paying for two person's worth of perks.

 

=======

 

On November 14, I priced out a 9-day Mediterranean cruise on Celebrity Constellation in an Ocean View cabin.

 

Per person double occupancy: $1,884 with no perks, $2,429 with two perks. For two people, that’s $3,768 without perks and $4,858 with them. Daily service charge was $15.50 pp per day so that’s now $4,047 and $5,137 respectively.

 

The new price for the same cabin is now $2,199 ppdo, so $4,398 for the cabin, standard booze package, regular WiFi, and daily service charge. That’s a big savings IF you had wanted to get the booze & WiFi as your perks.

 

Solos continue to get hosed by Celebrity perks but not quite as badly as before. I’d be paying $4,398 for the cabin, which is at least less than I would have under the prior pricing ($4,858). The Elevate and Indulge upgrades would cost the same as for two people. I’d get double the ShoreEx/OBC but would also only be getting one upgraded drink package and one upgraded Wifi login. Consequently I'm getting less value for either upgrade option than a couple would, while being charged the same as they would pay.

 

========

 

So I would like to see Celebrity make the solo charges more equitable. The new fare on this cruise is about 17% higher than the original base (no perks) fare. Solos take up a whole cabin but spend less onboard than a couple, etc., etc., whatever. So knock 10% off that price and we're good. Offer us the Elevate and Indulge upgrades at the same per-person price, with the same per-person upgraded booze/internet and the same per-person allotment of ShoreEx/OBC.

 

If I were to book an Infinite Veranda Edge for the March 6 2022 Eastern Caribbean cruise, here are the numbers:

• Double occupancy = $3956 cabin ($1978 ppdo),
  • $260 Elevate for two people ($130 pp)
  • $680 Indulge for two people ($340 pp)
• Single occupancy = $3956 cabin ($3956 ppso)
  • $260 Elevate for one person
  • $680 Indulge for one person

And that's why I booked that cruise in a Single Infinite Veranda. I don't want to pay for two of everything when there's just one of me.

 

Why yes, I'm an analyst by profession, why do you ask?

[mtwingcpa]

Add me to those who don't get all wrapped up in the "single supplement" or "ppdo" issues. I shop based on a daily budget of under $200, and based on the destination/itinerary. I'd never book a cruise based SOLELY on the nonexistence of a supplement.  

[coastcat]

If I would only book a cruise based on the percentage of the solo supplement, I wouldn't have any cruises booked right now except the single-occupancy cabins on NCL and RCL. But I do.

 

My quibble with Celebrity's pricing is that one person pays double the per-person fare and thus is paying a fare which covers two alcohol packages, two DSCs, and two internet packages; this in essence makes the solo supplement more than 100%. Yes, I could make the same argument about NCL imposing a supplement over 100% if you factor in the Free At Sea booze & dining packages, but unlike Celebrity they continue to offer a no-perk Sail Away fare.

 

It annoys me because, on paper, Celebrity is a great match. That's life as a solo cruiser.

[farmersfight]

18 hours ago, coastcat said:

If I would only book a cruise based on the percentage of the solo supplement, I wouldn't have any cruises booked right now except the single-occupancy cabins on NCL and RCL.

 

There is another web site (that shall remain nameless) that lists cruises with solo supplements of 25% or lower only. Also, this web site lists overall deals (even for solos) without regard to the solo supplement. The deals are listed for cruises > 30 days before departure ("hot deals") and for cruises < 30 days before departure ("last minute deals). This web site is an excellent tool for solos to find good cruise deals.

 

18 hours ago, coastcat said:

but unlike Celebrity they continue to offer a no-perk Sail Away fare.

 

But Celebrity offers those Single Infinite Veranda (SIV) staterooms...

[Jared2]

Well whaddaya know.. my post mentioning the other site got shitcanned.

[farmersfight]

5 hours ago, Jared2 said:

Well whaddaya know.. my post mentioning the other site got shitcanned.

 

I don't want to say "I told you so" but, "I told you so". Don't worry, these 2 posts will also soon be sh*#canned because we "were critical of CC".

 

[Lois R]

Add me to the folks who don't look at the "Single Supplement".  I look at the total price

and if is within my budget.  The SS is what it is....it really has no affect on what cruise 

I choose. 

[farmersfight]

4 hours ago, Lois R said:

Add me to the folks who don't look at the "Single Supplement".  I look at the total price

and if is within my budget.  The SS is what it is....it really has no affect on what cruise 

I choose. 

 

I agree wholeheartedly. You have to look at the total price not just the solo supplement. That's why I like that website (that we are forbidden to name here on CC) because it will list not only cruises with reduced solo supplements (25% or lower) but also deals for cruises > 30 days out and for last-minute deals for cruises < 30 days out.

[firefly333]

On 11/23/2020 at 2:16 PM, Traveling Mike said:

This morning I was told by a Cruise Line Executive that the cruise lines have people that watch the Cruise Critic Boards.  Because of that I am hoping all you Solo Cruisers will give them your opinions.

Celebrity Cruise lines has just changed their pricing model.  In the past we could pay double the price of the room and pick the additional items I wanted and pay for them.  Now with the new pricing model you pay a 200% Single Supplement and in it is Drinks, Gratuities and WiFi.  That means I pay for 2 drink packages, 2 WiFi packages and 2 people’s gratuities.

1.       Now the question for you is what is a fair Single Supplement?

2.       What Cruise Lines have the best over all deal for Solo Cruisers?

I switched to rcl because it goes out of Galveston. I have 9 cruises booked, 6 have better than double solo supplements (ie less than 200%). What I prefer on rcl (and celebrity) is double pts for solo bookings. With the double double pts thru march 31, 2022 promo, I get 4 pts for any regular cabin, 6 pts a day for JS and above. Celebrity you have to book a balcony to get double, but on rcl any cabin loyalty pts are doubled. 

 

The 3 free drinks at diamond level on your card, or unlimited if you want to face the diamond lounge is so easily within reach if you arent already there on rcl. 

 

I do have 3 where I'm paying 200% supplement, 2 of which im feeling wishy washy on but can cancel. 

 

If you were watching during covid before they did the double double pts there were some excellent solo deals on rcl.  I will probably get cancelled by I got a hump balcony on liberty for april 25th. Total 884 including taxes and fees.

 

Seemed to go a month at a time, like feb 2021 was cheap for solos early on, then was jan 2021, then I noticed april 2021 was down for solo rates. ..probably why i now have 9 booked lol. Couldnt say no.

Edited December 18, 2020 by firefly333

[farmersfight]

17 hours ago, firefly333 said:

What I prefer on rcl (and celebrity) is double pts for solo bookings.

 

Good to know, thanks. 3 of my 5 booked solo cruises are with RCL. As a future solo cruiser, I am already finding more reasons to go with RCL (i.e. their studio balcony cabins on their Quantum-class ships. Imo, RCL "hit the nail on the head" with these cabins because just because you are a solo, you can still love to be booked in a balcony cabin).

[firefly333]

2 hours ago, farmersfight said:

 

Good to know, thanks. 3 of my 5 booked solo cruises are with RCL. As a future solo cruiser, I am already finding more reasons to go with RCL (i.e. their studio balcony cabins on their Quantum-class ships. Imo, RCL "hit the nail on the head" with these cabins because just because you are a solo, you can still love to be booked in a balcony cabin).

If it's a solo cabin, 1 pt, if it's a regular cabin 2 pts. I'm booked for 6 rcl regular cabins between now and march 31, 2022, so each one is 4 loyalty pts. I had some solo cabins, explorer and jewel but used cwc to move to regular cabins when they came down to insides below $100 a day. Two balconys at 884 and 1007 are over the $100 a day, but I splurged and got some discount for being diamond. Tbh I'm not sure when I turned diamond. But I got extra off the balconys with diamond discount.

 

As you might know but maybe not others at 340 loyalty pts you get solo discount of 150%, code dp340. I'd like to hit 340 loyalty pts for that, after that I dont care. Its  not a diamond plus level or pinnacle, something in between. So double the double pts promo has some value toward reached 340. It's where solos get a discount on rcl. There are a couple months it's not valid, but it's good on any cabin.

Edited December 19, 2020 by firefly333

[farmersfight]

5 hours ago, firefly333 said:

As you might know but maybe not others at 340 loyalty pts you get solo discount of 150%, code dp340.

 

Do you mean as a solo, the supplement is only 150% vice 200%?

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, farmersfight said:

 

Do you mean as a solo, the supplement is only 150% vice 200%?

Yes at 340 pts you get 50% off the 2nd pax. Big discount imo. Some dates not available.

 

Also once you hit diamond, for all there is a balcony and suite discount. But it's not as big as it shows, it depends on the sale, sometimes can be zero. I hope to hit diamond plus, if we ever get cruising again.  You can see I got $170 off for my balcony discount on this booking, even though I think the perk list says 250, whatever the cruise discount is applied to the balcony discount. So only 170 came off, still a D2 balcony, which in this case is a hump, is still a good price. I could have gotten a regular balcony for a little less than this. I think i blocked all personal info. I think you get a little bit more off a balcony price at diamond plus I'll be if i ever get to cruise again lol.

 

Total $884, for  D2 hump with taxes and fees for one pax. There were some deals imo. Assuming i cruise I'll get 4 loyalty pts a day, with the double pts offer going on. I think a regular D6 balcony was only $17 less, so wasnt much of a splurge to book the hump. I'm sure solo was not 200%, maybe 53%.

 

Idk if I'll ever hit 340 loyalty pts but solos do get a extra discount on rcl at 340 pts.

[farmersfight]

13 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Yes at 340 pts you get 50% off the 2nd pax. Big discount imo. Some dates not available.

 

Also once you hit diamond, for all there is a balcony and suite discount. But it's not as big as it shows, it depends on the sale, sometimes can be zero. I hope to hit diamond plus, if we ever get cruising again.  You can see I got $170 off for my balcony discount on this booking, even though I think the perk list says 250, whatever the cruise discount is applied to the balcony discount. So only 170 came off, still a D2 balcony, which in this case is a hump, is still a good price. I could have gotten a regular balcony for a little less than this. I think i blocked all personal info. I think you get a little bit more off a balcony price at diamond plus I'll be if i ever get to cruise again lol.

 

Total $884, for  D2 hump with taxes and fees for one pax. There were some deals imo. Assuming i cruise I'll get 4 loyalty pts a day, with the double pts offer going on. I think a regular D6 balcony was only $17 less, so wasnt much of a splurge to book the hump. I'm sure solo was not 200%, maybe 53%.

 

Idk if I'll ever hit 340 loyalty pts but solos do get a extra discount on rcl at 340 pts.

 

Thanks. It's good RCL gives you the extra points as a solo. I'll be trying RCL as I have 3 solo cruises booked with them in early 2022 (Anthem OTS - Jan, Odyssey OTS - Feb and Allure OTS -April).

 

Diamond and Diamond Plus status? I can only dream. As a "newbie" I'm more like Lump of Coal status;

 

Edited December 20, 2020 by farmersfight

[firefly333]

3 hours ago, farmersfight said:

 

Thanks. It's good RCL gives you the extra points as a solo. I'll be trying RCL as I have 3 solo cruises booked with them in early 2022 (Anthem OTS - Jan, Odyssey OTS - Feb and Allure OTS -April).

 

Diamond and Diamond Plus status? I can only dream. As a "newbie" I'm more like Lump of Coal status;

 

Idk what cabins you have booked? Regular cabins, ? The Jan and Feb 2022 you get double pts of whatever you would get. Right now the April booking is regular pts.... unless it gets extended. Ship has to leave by the end of march 2022. I got one leaving march 27, 2022, right under the wire. Instead of 14 pts a week, I'll get 28 for any regular cabin. JS and above solos get 6 loyalty pts a day, it will add up fast you will see. We were talking how a solo could hit diamond in one year. Going to have a lot more diamonds in the diamond lounge for free drinks.

[farmersfight]

5 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Idk what cabins you have booked? Regular cabins, ? The Jan and Feb 2022 you get double pts of whatever you would get. Right now the April booking is regular pts.... unless it gets extended. Ship has to leave by the end of march 2022. I got one leaving march 27, 2022, right under the wire. Instead of 14 pts a week, I'll get 28 for any regular cabin. JS and above solos get 6 loyalty pts a day, it will add up fast you will see. We were talking how a solo could hit diamond in one year. Going to have a lot more diamonds in the diamond lounge for free drinks.

 

On the Anthem OTS (Jan 20-31, 2022) & Odyssey OTS (Feb 26 - March 6, 2022), I'm in studio balcony cabins on deck 6 (both ships). On the Allure OTS (April 24 - May 8, 2022; TA), I'm in a Central Park view balcony cabin.

 

I'll have to do a research "dive" on RCL's award (loyalty) program and see what the different levels are, how many loyalty points to get to each level, what the perks are at each level, etc. The perk of free drinks in the Diamond Lounge for Diamonds sounds good to me!

[ericfromri]

On 11/23/2020 at 4:31 PM, ppmanusa said:

Only number that really matters to me is final line on the invoice. If I can walk away paying $150/night or less for a balcony I feel like iv  gotten a good deal. The whole celebrity pricing all inclusive  I really don't think RCCL will follow suit which is my main cruise line. Celebrity before the sky fell prices weren't attractive. Have only stayed once with them but if the math worked out and got all those extras for the price I was looking for fine id give it a try. 

Right now MSC has some attractive deals for singles. If I wasn't juggling around trying to keep straight  all the cruises that have been cancelled I would be giving them a try. 

you should try MSC.  i am a pinnacle on Royal ,filled out a form and they staus matched me to there highest level"black".  the cabins were a little worse than royal, most of the food was better.

 

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/manage-booking/msc-voyagers-club/status-match

[ericfromri]

On 12/19/2020 at 5:01 PM, firefly333 said:

Yes at 340 pts you get 50% off the 2nd pax. Big discount imo. Some dates not available.

 

Also once you hit diamond, for all there is a balcony and suite discount. But it's not as big as it shows, it depends on the sale, sometimes can be zero. I hope to hit diamond plus, if we ever get cruising again.  You can see I got $170 off for my balcony discount on this booking, even though I think the perk list says 250, whatever the cruise discount is applied to the balcony discount. So only 170 came off, still a D2 balcony, which in this case is a hump, is still a good price. I could have gotten a regular balcony for a little less than this. I think i blocked all personal info. I think you get a little bit more off a balcony price at diamond plus I'll be if i ever get to cruise again lol.

 

Total $884, for  D2 hump with taxes and fees for one pax. There were some deals imo. Assuming i cruise I'll get 4 loyalty pts a day, with the double pts offer going on. I think a regular D6 balcony was only $17 less, so wasnt much of a splurge to book the hump. I'm sure solo was not 200%, maybe 53%.

 

Idk if I'll ever hit 340 loyalty pts but solos do get a extra discount on rcl at 340 pts.

the 150% has saved me some money although i think it should be that amount from the start. i understand the room needs a net income but its not really fair to charge me for the second persons food,utitlities, flowrider....etc

[ericfromri]

On 12/19/2020 at 9:30 AM, firefly333 said:

If it's a solo cabin, 1 pt, if it's a regular cabin 2 pts. I'm booked for 6 rcl regular cabins between now and march 31, 2022, so each one is 4 loyalty pts. I had some solo cabins, explorer and jewel but used cwc to move to regular cabins when they came down to insides below $100 a day. Two balconys at 884 and 1007 are over the $100 a day, but I splurged and got some discount for being diamond. Tbh I'm not sure when I turned diamond. But I got extra off the balconys with diamond discount.

 

As you might know but maybe not others at 340 loyalty pts you get solo discount of 150%, code dp340. I'd like to hit 340 loyalty pts for that, after that I dont care. Its  not a diamond plus level or pinnacle, something in between. So double the double pts promo has some value toward reached 340. It's where solos get a discount on rcl. There are a couple months it's not valid, but it's good on any cabin.

alot of frequent cruisers call it diamond plus plus    because it is twice the plus requirement.  the dp340 thing does not work at christmas holiday time and summer break times.

[pcur]

I just finished booking several cruises with RCCL, and the current 2nd passenger 60% off promo took priority over the DP340 single supplement at 150%, but I'm not complaining.  I booked anywhere from an ocean view to a junior suite, plus 2 are virtual balconies.  My average per night is $174.

 

I'm happy with that.

[MHF]

It seems to me the "all included" lines which include drinks, tips, air fare, and excursions (Regent) should not charge as large a supplement.  Celebrity is now leaning towards all included.  In essence, you are paying for 2 plane tickets and 2 excursions which are the largest of the included items.  Many lines only want solos in the inside cabins (Cunard) and thus charge 200% for anything else; I avoid those on principle.

As I am now retired, I can go more often and without as much notice.  If cruise lines would let me know they have empty (decent) cabins for a reasonable price, I would hop on them.  I look forward to checking out the purple cruise site for deals when we start cruising again.

[PhD-iva]

10 hours ago, MHF said:

It seems to me the "all included" lines which include drinks, tips, air fare, and excursions (Regent) should not charge as large a supplement. 

I feel the pain! I’m booked as a solo on Regent’s 15 JAN 2022 Buenos Aires to Santiago cruise. The single supplement was 50%, but I’LL BE ON REGENT! 
I’m hoping to find a GF to travel with me since DH now refuses to travel. 🤯 

I was able to talk his SIL to accompany me on an Oceania cruise Rome to Venice in April 2023. Prices seemed crazy low (for Oceania), now I realize we’re in Rome during Settimana Santa (Holy Week). Crowds and high prices. We’re pondering our options......

[coastcat]

16 hours ago, MHF said:

It seems to me the "all included" lines which include drinks, tips, air fare, and excursions (Regent) should not charge as large a supplement.  Celebrity is now leaning towards all included.  In essence, you are paying for 2 plane tickets and 2 excursions which are the largest of the included items.  Many lines only want solos in the inside cabins (Cunard) and thus charge 200% for anything else; I avoid those on principle.

As I am now retired, I can go more often and without as much notice.  If cruise lines would let me know they have empty (decent) cabins for a reasonable price, I would hop on them.  I look forward to checking out the purple cruise site for deals when we start cruising again.

Based on their new pricing model, Celebrity only wants solos in the Single Infinite Verandas on Edge-class ships. I don't really want to pay Edge-class pricing and I don't want to support the business practice of soaking solo cruisers for perks we cannot actually use. Also, Celebrity's base drinks package classifies Blue Moon beer and Woodchuck cider as "premium" beverages not available on the standard package. Seriously?

 

The more I look at pricing models, the more I'm beginning to like the RCI/MSC versions. Both sell cabins without perks (although MSC does have a bundle option) and both sell non-alcoholic drinks packages with unlimited specialty coffees, mocktails, sodas, and smoothies.

 

We'll see what the post-payment date discounts look like when sailing resumes. When lines can resume 100% capacity sailings, maybe those last-minute bargains will return.

 

Edited May 2, 2021 by coastcat