Solo booking unavailable but 2 person reservations available?

[JCDCA]

Topic describes it.  Found a pretty good price on a close-in sailing, but considering just going solo.  When I input just one passenger on RC's site the cabins come up unavailable -- but when I revise to search for 2, cabins show as available (with said decent price).  Any obvious workaround I'm not thinking of?

[not-enough-cruising]

21 minutes ago, JCDCA said:

Topic describes it.  Found a pretty good price on a close-in sailing, but considering just going solo.  When I input just one passenger on RC's site the cabins come up unavailable -- but when I revise to search for 2, cabins show as available (with said decent price).  Any obvious workaround I'm not thinking of?

Book a bogus second guest and show up for boarding alone; get taxes and fees for second passenger refunded automatically 

 

Done 

[ONECRUISER]

Just now, not-enough-cruising said:

Book a bogus second guest and show up for boarding alone; get taxes and fees for second passenger refunded automatically 

 

Done 

Agree, done this couple times. Had tell my Daughter I Booked her on Cruise with me and that she wasn't going

[not-enough-cruising]

Just now, ONECRUISER said:

Agree, done this couple times. Had tell my Daughter I Booked her on Cruise with me and that she wasn't going

A simple, yet elegant, solution 

[JCDCA]

6 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Book a bogus second guest and show up for boarding alone; get taxes and fees for second passenger refunded automatically 

 

Done 

I had thought of that.  Seems so unnecessary but thanks lol!  

[firefly333]

11 minutes ago, JCDCA said:

I had thought of that.  Seems so unnecessary but thanks lol!  

I dont understand when you say unavailable. Do you mean a gty price isnt available?

 

If you book 2 and one no shows they have not been giving the extra solo loyalty pt. I wouldn't go that route.

[Biker19]

47 minutes ago, JCDCA said:

Any obvious workaround I'm not thinking of?

Calling might be able to get it booked as a solo - you'll want to book it that way for the extra C&A points.

[Another_Critic]

Similar situation for a cruise I'm looking at.  

 

Earlier this week double occupancy had inside guarantee or a few pick your own insides available, solo was just inside guarantee (my TA put the solo inside guarantee on hold for me 🙂 ).  I was surprised to see a guarantee for solo.  Now double occupancy has inside guarantee only, solo is unavailable.

 

I'm DP340 eligible, so not only would I lose the extra C&A point with phantom 2nd passenger, I would also pay 200% vs. the DP340 150% supplement.

[JCDCA]

5 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I dont understand when you say unavailable. Do you mean a gty price isnt available?

 

If you book 2 and one no shows they have not been giving the extra solo loyalty pt. I wouldn't go that route.

I mean if you literally search for one passenger booking it says all cabins unavailable.  If you switch to two persons, availability pops up.  Seemed strange to me . 

[Norwich Cruiser]

6 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Book a bogus second guest and show up for boarding alone; get taxes and fees for second passenger refunded automatically 

 

Done 

That’s exactly what we’ve done and are doing again.

 

Had absolutely no joy even by calling Royal booking a single stateroom.

 

 

[taznremmy]

8 minutes ago, JCDCA said:

I mean if you literally search for one passenger booking it says all cabins unavailable.  If you switch to two persons, availability pops up.  Seemed strange to me . 

You must be new to solo cruising. Welcome.  Get used to it.  That, and the fact that sometimes you will find the solo price even more than the price for two people.  I think they factor in the on board spending from two people is more than for one.  Just my thoughts.  There are some solo friendly boards on the website we can't name, where people post good solo deals they have found.  Good luck!

[AllAboardatSea]

I’ve experienced this annoyance several times as well. I booked a second person as placeholder and called a week or two later to have them removed from the booking so I would be solo at that point. Haven’t had any issues, it’s just an extra hassle.

[ONECRUISER]

16 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I dont understand when you say unavailable. Do you mean a gty price isnt available?

 

If you book 2 and one no shows they have not been giving the extra solo loyalty pt. I wouldn't go that route.

Thanks. Forgot Royal had Changed that

[soremekun]

9 hours ago, AllAboardatSea said:

I’ve experienced this annoyance several times as well. I booked a second person as placeholder and called a week or two later to have them removed from the booking so I would be solo at that point. Haven’t had any issues, it’s just an extra hassle.

So, if you remove the second person, they don't reprice the fair?  Even after final payment and the prices may have increased?

[firefly333]

12 minutes ago, soremekun said:

So, if you remove the second person, they don't reprice the fair?  Even after final payment and the prices may have increased?

No according to me TA you can change the 2nd pax for free. I would remove before final if possible so you arent charged fees and taxes on the 2nd pax and most likely get 2nd loyalty pt without a problem. Nothing is for sure with rcl IT imo. 

[molly361]

For some reason a lot of times guarantees are not available to book online solo.  Like someone said you can call them and see if they will do it so you can get the double points

[ONECRUISER]

12 hours ago, molly361 said:

For some reason a lot of times guarantees are not available to book online solo.  Like someone said you can call them and see if they will do it so you can get the double points

True, surprised when they do pop up. Most time have it was on Cruise with bunch open Cabins and/or with off peak dates.

[Starry Eyes]

Just remember some ships do have solo cabins and people who have booked gty as solos have been assigned those small solo cabins.  Before booking a gty as a solo, one may want to consider whether this is a possibility in your specific situation (ship and gty category) and, if so, if one is willing to accept such an assignment 

[island lady]

I have had the same problem trying to book favorite cabins as a couple, that RCI has set aside for a minimum of three to a cabin.  Very frustrating.