MSC discriminating solo cruisers?

[jimmyvh]

Another one of these threads. Meanwhile, I booked my first MSC solo cruise a few weeks ago. 7 nights northen europe cruise in a solo cabin, it was a promotion with easy drinks package included. Total cost: 693 euros.

 

 I could have booked a double cabin as well (only option now since I appearantly booked the last available solo cabin), and that would have set me back 1500 euros: Then the price is a bit steep, but they do allow it. Important factor: I booked this 5 months in advance. Contrary to other claims here, the rates for the extras packages are unchanged.
Again: First time cruise ever, have no special tricks up my sleeve, apart from opening up booking sites and looking around for bargains.

"I'll take my business elsewhere": well, yes? It's what I (and most other people) would do in your situation. Go look at other cruise lines, go compare prices. The insinuation that you should be loyal to msc is rather absurd.

Edited October 16, 2023 by jimmyvh

[bluecontrolman]

Discrimination would be if MSC had statistics on how much people spend onboard by age/nationality/race/disability etc and applied restrictions on that basis. 

 

What they are in fact doing is calculating that people travelling by themselves in a cabin that could accommodate two people will, on average, lose the company money over selling to two people. So, they take the business decision to only sell to two people until it's clear to them that they won't sell out doing so. That's a perfectly reasonable approach and is in no way discrimination. 

[Joebucks]

21 hours ago, travelberlin said:

Can yo explain the reasons why you understand? Solo cruisers pay at MSC double prices. Where is the lost for MSC? 
 

 

 

MSC's profit is definitely not from their cruise fares

[JamieLogical]

Calling this discrimination is completely absurd.

[BoundForSea]

NCL seems to have capitalized on this opportunity to pull the solo group to them by reallocating hundreds of new balconies and ocean views as Solo cabins on their fleets. Rooms that were standard cabins are now set aside as solo cabins and they have access to the great solo lounge on the BA and BA+ and Prima Class. I really think they see an opportunity to attract the folks that MSC and other lines are pushing away. Good on them. 
 

 

[Elkins45]

Some of the online cruise resellers may still have some solo availability even after MSC stops selling.

 

I discovered solo cruising with MSC at exactly the wrong time (immediately after the 21 restart) because the low rates spoiled me. I did a four day solo balcony on Meraviglia in December 2021 for <$200. I doubt that will ever happen again.

[JT1962]

24 minutes ago, Elkins45 said:

 

I discovered solo cruising with MSC at exactly the wrong time (immediately after the 21 restart) because the low rates spoiled me. I did a four day solo balcony on Meraviglia in December 2021 for <$200. I doubt that will ever happen again.

I had the same experience and got spoiled. I had my first MSC solo cruise in Jan 2022 and will be boarding my 7th MSC cruise since then soon. All have averaged $ 40 - $ 60 per day, factoring in any OBC. The new rates are mostly twice that now. Still better than other lines, but not the great bargain they were until recently.

[RD64]

21 hours ago, BoundForSea said:

NCL seems to have capitalized on this opportunity to pull the solo group to them by reallocating hundreds of new balconies and ocean views as Solo cabins on their fleets. Rooms that were standard cabins are now set aside as solo cabins and they have access to the great solo lounge on the BA and BA+ and Prima Class. I really think they see an opportunity to attract the folks that MSC and other lines are pushing away. Good on them. 
 

 

It is 1000 over the total fleet - so maybe 50 extra cabins per ship.

[jimmyvh]

9 hours ago, RD64 said:

It is 1000 over the total fleet - so maybe 50 extra cabins per ship.

That would set them apart regardless. Looking at the floor plan of msc euribia, I count 5 solo cabins in total.

[insidecabin]

18 hours ago, RD64 said:

It is 1000 over the total fleet - so maybe 50 extra cabins per ship.

The solo cabins were often significant premium over the pp 2pax rates and when the discounts started a regular inside cheaper solo than the studio.

[bobfoo]

On 10/16/2023 at 10:50 AM, jimmyvh said:

Another one of these threads. Meanwhile, I booked my first MSC solo cruise a few weeks ago. 7 nights northen europe cruise in a solo cabin, it was a promotion with easy drinks package included. Total cost: 693 euros.

 

 I could have booked a double cabin as well (only option now since I appearantly booked the last available solo cabin), and that would have set me back 1500 euros: Then the price is a bit steep, but they do allow it. Important factor: I booked this 5 months in advance. Contrary to other claims here, the rates for the extras packages are unchanged.
Again: First time cruise ever, have no special tricks up my sleeve, apart from opening up booking sites and looking around for bargains.

"I'll take my business elsewhere": well, yes? It's what I (and most other people) would do in your situation. Go look at other cruise lines, go compare prices. The insinuation that you should be loyal to msc is rather absurd.

They're not on about the availability of solo cabins, merely being able to get any cabin, as a solo occupant.

 

It is one thing, and generally accepted, to charge a solo traveller more, but it is a whole other thing to deny them the ability to book altogether.

 

Also, the user is in the US, and at the time I saw this posted I looked up various itineraries and I couldn't, in Europe, find any that wouldn't let me book at a solo traveller. So just like your experience, I too found no problems. But when I tried on the US site, I found plenty - including one itinerary that I'd actually had my eye on which is coming up shortly and is now being sold with 0% single supplement in the US, go figure...

 

I would say this does enter the realms of discrimination, and probably why they haven't tried it on in European markets where the EU has a long history of standing with the consumer on such topics.

[insidecabin]

If the links work

The counts are lower that 2pax/1pax

 

UK solo list(1286/1151)

https://www.msccruises.co.uk/Search Result?departureDateFrom=22%2F10%2F2023&departureDateTo=02%2F11%2F2025&passengers=1|0|0|0&page=1

 

 

US solo list(1231/1105)

https://www.msccruisesusa.com/Search Result?departureDateFrom=22%2F10%2F2023&departureDateTo=02%2F11%2F2025&passengers=1|0|0|0&page=1

 

 

[fishn4sun]

Just called MSC to book a cruise for myself on very short notice. I was told you can’t book for one person anymore that you must have two people. If the second doesn’t show up they will reimburse the fees and taxes.  No way is that happening. The last time I had to get a refund it took three months from the sail date and they still sent it to the wrong person. Guess I’m done with MSC. Going to call one of their affiliates to see if I get same answer. How dumb!

[nferr]

On 10/16/2023 at 10:14 PM, BoundForSea said:

NCL seems to have capitalized on this opportunity to pull the solo group to them by reallocating hundreds of new balconies and ocean views as Solo cabins on their fleets. Rooms that were standard cabins are now set aside as solo cabins and they have access to the great solo lounge on the BA and BA+ and Prima Class. I really think they see an opportunity to attract the folks that MSC and other lines are pushing away. Good on them. 
 

 

LOL. Look at the pricing on those reallocated "solo cabins".  You save the fees and port charges on the second passenger and maybe $100 or $200 on a balcony cabin. It's far from 50% off booking double.

[Host Kat]

9 hours ago, fishn4sun said:

Just called MSC to book a cruise for myself on very short notice. I was told you can’t book for one person anymore that you must have two people. If the second doesn’t show up they will reimburse the fees and taxes.  No way is that happening. The last time I had to get a refund it took three months from the sail date and they still sent it to the wrong person. Guess I’m done with MSC. Going to call one of their affiliates to see if I get same answer. How dumb!

 

Hello @fishn4sun and welcome back to the message boards! I see it has been a while since you have posted on the boards.

 

To help you out your new topic/thread titled No more single cruisers on MSC? posted on an incorrect forum has been merged into an existing thread. It is MSC discriminating solo cruisers? and is on the MSC Cruises forum. Per the Cruise Critic software posts are now in post date/time order. It is a large thread with 4 pages so far. It was started on September 3, 2024. I suggest you read back through the thread to see what your fellow Cruise Critic members have to say.

 

I also suggest you use the Follow feature on any new topics/threads you start or any other topics/ threads where you are interested in the new replies. That way you will not have to go looking to see if there are new posts because they will come looking for you as notifications. If you need information on how to do it, please click here: How to: Follow Topics & Forums (Subscribed Threads/Forums Info)

 

Hope this will be helpful!

 

Host Kat

[1kaper]

9 hours ago, fishn4sun said:

Just called MSC to book a cruise for myself on very short notice. I was told you can’t book for one person anymore that you must have two people. If the second doesn’t show up they will reimburse the fees and taxes.  No way is that happening. The last time I had to get a refund it took three months from the sail date and they still sent it to the wrong person. Guess I’m done with MSC. Going to call one of their affiliates to see if I get same answer. How dumb!

 

My friend just booked a trip tonight for herself and husband. Then she booked a solo cabin for her BIL. He got one of the studio rooms, that was all she could select for a solo booking.  
 

Did they mean you couldn’t book solo for one particular cruise? It is possible that all the solo allocated rooms were taken. 
 

I know that it isn’t uncommon to get incorrect information from the call centres. Sadly that isn’t limited to MSC. 

[Elkins45]

I’m waking up this older thread because there are some cruises listed now that have <100% single supplement rates. If you’re interested in a solo MSC cruise then now might be the time to book one.

[Morgsmom]

I booked a solo fare last week that was a 20% supplement, so it is possible. It just varies by sailing and ship.

[jmsnyc]

Just to add, I noticed this too.  I was able to book solo 2 weeks prior on a cruise that sold out however many of the cruises I looked at produced a sold out error when I changed number of passengers from 2 to 1

Edited December 22, 2023 by jmsnyc

[Nextcruise47]

Two weeks ago I was  unable to book  solo on Meraviglia so I  ended up booking on a different line. Today it is allowing me to book solo.

[PistolPete13]

On 12/22/2023 at 9:29 AM, Nextcruise47 said:

Two weeks ago I was  unable to book  solo on Meraviglia so I  ended up booking on a different line. Today it is allowing me to book solo.

So strange.  I was able to book a solo on the Meraviglia for the 1/15/24 sailing about 3 weeks ago.  I wonder if this is part of their website / IT booking issues.  I had a ton of issues trying to complete the check-in process.

[Tura Lura]

I booked an inside cabin for one person just this week on MSC.  No issues. Pretty cheap too!