Dreaded Single suppement - Will X Ever 'Get It'?

[FinelyCruising]

HAAAA!!

 

Inequity? (I want twice the space, and I want to deprive the bar, the casino, and the shops of another wallet; but I'll diet and leave the shows at intermission... so Gimme a discount!) HAAAA!!

 

Equity? Goodwill? (If you give away the store you'll generate goodwill all right!)

 

This is business folks.

 

That argument sucks wind big time. Me thinks you have no idea how many don't drink and don't gamble while on board, let alone use the shops or tip.

 

Nice try though.;)

[woodofpine]

That argument sucks wind big time. Me thinks you have no idea how many don't drink and don't gamble while on board, let alone use the shops or tip.

 

Nice try though.;)

 

OK you win... You're entitled to twice the space without paying for it... :rolleyes:

 

(I may have no idea... but I'll bet the line does, and they seem to agree with ME!)

[FinelyCruising]

OK you win... You're entitled to twice the space without paying for it... :rolleyes:

 

(I may have no idea... but I'll bet the line does, and they seem to agree with ME!)

 

If it were twice the space maybe you would have a point. But the cabin is acutally the same size.:rolleyes:

[Sky Sweet]

There is another way of looking at this situation.

 

There are many couples who pay for suites that are more than twice as expensive as balcony cabins, because they feel that the standard cabins are too small for two people, even though they are more than adequate for one person.

[Maya-Tucker]

If it were twice the space maybe you would have a point. But the cabin is acutally the same size.:rolleyes:

 

He does have a point as it is twice the square footage per person at half the price.

 

I can't believe this discussion goes on. Anything less than paying the two person price means everybody else has to subsidize the solo cruiser as the cruise line will raise prices to maintain their bottom line.

 

If they are not willing to share a cabin then they should be prepared to pay full price for it. End of story.

[FinelyCruising]

He does have a point as it is twice the square footage per person at half the price.

 

I can't believe this discussion goes on. Anything less than paying the two person price means everybody else has to subsidize the solo cruiser as the cruise line will raise prices to maintain their bottom line.

 

If they are not willing to share a cabin then they should be prepared to pay full price for it. End of story.

 

How does everyone subside that? Do we subsidize less than full ships? Do we subsidize if all cabins that can accomodate 4 are not filled? :confused:

[Drew B]

He does have a point as it is twice the square footage per person at half the price.

 

Actually, no. It's the same amount of square footage plus whatever negligible volume is actually taken up by the human body of the other person. It's not like when somebody shares a cabin with a spouse, each only gets use of half of the cabin. They both can occupy any space in the cabin except the tiny area that the other is currently occupying.

[Maya-Tucker]

How does everyone subside that? Do we subsidize less than full ships? Do we subsidize if all cabins that can accomodate 4 are not filled? :confused:

 

Fine!! Have it your way but don't complain in the future.

 

Let the solo cruisers have any regular cabin for half price. And the same day they announce the new policy for solos they will announce all fares are now doubling from current levels. They can call it the "solo supplement".

[FinelyCruising]

Fine!! Have it your way but don't complain in the future.

 

Let the solo cruisers have any regular cabin for half price. And the same day they announce the new policy for solos they will announce all fares are now doubling from current levels. They can call it the "solo supplement".

 

There is not one solo cruiser asking for half price. They are asking for the 2 times charge to be reduced. Quite a difference.

[Maya-Tucker]

Actually, no. It's the same amount of square footage plus whatever negligible volume is actually taken up by the human body of the other person. It's not like when somebody shares a cabin with a spouse, each only gets use of half of the cabin. They both can occupy any space in the cabin except the tiny area that the other is currently occupying.

 

Semantics.

 

You can manipulate the numbers any way you want but the bottom line is that the solo passenger would be paying 50 cents on the dollar for the identical space that a couple of passengers would be staying in.

[Drew B]

Semantics.

 

You can manipulate the numbers any way you want but the bottom line is that the solo passenger would be paying 50 cents on the dollar for the identical space that a couple of passengers would be staying in.

 

In that case, should couples who book rooms with additional occupancy (third or fourth berths) have to pay a supplement for those whether or not they fill them?

[FinelyCruising]

In that case, should couples who book rooms with additional occupancy (third or fourth berths) have to pay a supplement for those whether or not they fill them?

 

Or is the overall avaerage cost pp less with 4 in a cabin less when compared to a single if it were at 100% pp???

[Maya-Tucker]

In that case, should couples who book rooms with additional occupancy (third or fourth berths) have to pay a supplement for those whether or not they fill them?

 

Only those who deceitfully book the aft family cabins on the Millenium class with four people and drop two at final payment.

[FinelyCruising]

You know there are alot of those deceitful people that get upgraded to Sky Suites. :)

[insidecabin]

Or is the overall avaerage cost pp less with 4 in a cabin less when compared to a single if it were at 100% pp???

 

On discounted cruises the 3-4 pax rates are often more expensive than the cheapest inside cabin because those prices don't move with the other fares as they drop.

[gillianrose]

I think the cruise lines are not making a financial mistake when they alienate solo travelers with 100% single surcharge rates. Those singles that want to cruise and have disposable income will pay it; those that don't will be replaced by couples that will spend more on board.

 

I have read the first 23 posts in this thread, including yours, and I understand both points of view that have been expressed thus far.

 

My husband and I have cruised together as a couple for over twenty years. Neither of us has ever cruised solo, but odds are there will come a day (hopefully many years from now) when one of us will travel solo and may consider cruising as an option. Neither of us is likely to pay double to do that, especially as we look around and see people on ships including Celebrity that pay far less. These people are usually called CHILDREN, and their extremely low fares are usually not adequate for the amount of food they eat and the impact on facilities they have. If children (and/or thirds and fourths in staterooms) paid more, then singles would not have to pay double. I find it very annoying that their fares are so low on Celebrity and some other cruise lines. I want cruises with FEWER children in the pools, hot tubs, etc., not more, and I don't want to subsidize them, for sure.

 

As a couple, we spend a great deal more time in our stateroom nowadays than either of us would as a single. Part of that reason has been because of smoky public areas, but part of it is our enjoyment of each other and our private time on the balcony. We have someone with whom to share special moments. Solo cruisers don't. They are likely to want to attend frequent functions to meet other singles, and those functions are likely to cost EXTRA money, whether it is for a shore excursion or simply drinks in a lounge. I have met singles (meaning solos in a stateroom, not marital status) on cruises that are already doing this, but those that I have met that were active, high-spending singles were all on HAL.

 

As a couple we would rather Celebrity extend a reasonable discount (supplement not to exceed 175%) to solo cruisers than to encourage packed ships.

[bobbyleduck]

OK, everybody, it may be time to take a more logical look at this question. Is everyone ready? I know this won't satisfy everybody, but it's the best I can offer.

 

Oil futures prices jumped above $120 a barrel today. It costs less than $10 a barrel for the average oil producer to bring it out of the ground. Why are they able to get $120 a barrel? Because someone is willing to pay that amount, and then another and another, and you get the point.

 

Now, back to our cruise cabins. It costs $X per cabin to operate the ship and produce a profit, but marketing experts tell us what a wonderful experience cruising is, the ship takes us to all of these exotic locations, we only have to pack and unpack once, we don't even have to handle the driving, and in the end we're willing to pay something for the privilege.

 

Prices are set and reset, surcharges are added and (hopefully) subtracted, and all of this happens in an open market. Many ships, such as Celebrity, advertise the many pluses of doing business with them, and we consumers make choices about where to spend our leisure $$$.

 

Some people are willing to pay more for some things, while others are willing to pay more for something else. The end result is we get all kinds of travel choices. If you've made up your mind that cruising is your preferred way to spend you leisure $$$ then you have other choices to make. Which cruiseline, which ship and which itinery. Also, some may make decisions based upon the other people sharing the cruise, such as friends and family. You may make your choice based upon the per day cost of the cruise, the size of the cabin, the particular entertainment, the number of available deck chairs, the payout at BINGO, the art sales, or the number of announcements each day.

 

Price is one factor, and yet, even within price there are differences. Some of us are willing to spend a good deal of our valuable time researching and waiting for the best deal. The advertised price of our Trans Atlantic, last December, was $56 per person, per day, for an inside cabin. Even after factoring in taxes and fees, as well as air transportation from Portland to Barcelona and back to Portland from Fort Lauderdale, and ground transportation in Barcelona and Fort Lauderdale it was only $102.28 per person, per day. Factor in a couple of days in Miami, a day in Fort Lauderdale, tours, gratuities and all other miscellaneous expenses and it still came to less than $104 per person, per day (I tacked on the three extra days in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, so the final count of days was 17). Not even factored into the above breakdown was the $175 OBC we received. That, effectively reduced the total price of our vacation to less than $100 per person, per day.

 

Now, most people aren't willing to keep their costs down to about $100 per person, per day, but that is an inportant part of the experience for me.

 

On the other hand, some people are willing to turn their plans over to a local travel agent, who hopefully knows them well, and accept whatever they get. Some people don't care what it costs, as long as they get what they want.

 

And, finally, there is the single-supplement, which isn't a supplement what-so-ever, but more the lack of a reduction in price for extra people occupying the cabin.

 

Remember: It costs so much for each cabin, and the cruiseline will set the price accordingly. If more people are willing to occupy that cabin, the per person cost will generally be lower (such as 1 person costs $X, 2 people cost $X + $Y, while 3 people cost $X + $Y + $Z, and so on up to the maximum capacity of the cabin.

 

In the end, we all make decisions about what we'll do, and most of us complain when it appears that someone elses decision results in them getting what appears to be an unfair perk. But, remember: In the end we all make choices and with each choice there is something we're giving up. So, go forth and make choices, take cruises and be happy!

 

Happy cruising to all who are still able to afford cruising!

 

Bob

[librarycin]

Inequity? (I want twice the space,

 

Not all of us are asking for this. I have mentioned already that I would be perfectly happy to have a smaller cabin as a lesser cost, and I would even go so far as being willing to share a bathroom. I cannot afford to go by myself and it's not always so easy to find a roommate.

 

With or without sharing a bathroom, I would just love to see a few cabins per ship available to people who want the smaller cabin for one person. Those solos who want all the space of a two-person cabin and are willing to pay for it at 200% may still do so, if they wish.

 

I would just like the option to pay less for a smaller space, but currently it's not even an option (at least on Celebrity).

[woodofpine]

It's probably because of the kids that the line has to charge solo's more. If they banned kids, then solo's could get cabins at single pp rates as well as chicken fingers and pasta with butter. Alternatively, the children should be required to drink a lot and get boisterous at the bar.

 

Solo travelers should also pay less for gasoline and cars too (at least two seater rag tops); and don't get me started on the size of the typical economy plane seat...

 

I'm sure X management is giving this thread A LOT of consideration! ;):D;)

[FinelyCruising]

And the value you add to is is where????

[FinelyCruising]

Not all of us are asking for this. I have mentioned already that I would be perfectly happy to have a smaller cabin as a lesser cost, and I would even go so far as being willing to share a bathroom. I cannot afford to go by myself and it's not always so easy to find a roommate.

 

With or without sharing a bathroom, I would just love to see a few cabins per ship available to people who want the smaller cabin for one person. Those solos who want all the space of a two-person cabin and are willing to pay for it at 200% may still do so, if they wish.

 

I would just like the option to pay less for a smaller space, but currently it's not even an option (at least on Celebrity).

 

Right now the ships are built. They can' t be changed to have smaller connecting rooms share a bathroom, I am sure you know that. I believe the smallest cabins are the insides, which many solo cruisers do take, and I know there are some balcony cabins with interior obstructions and balcony issues that negate any menaingful use as a balcony.

 

I do agree that there are ways this issue can be accomdated and it was said a while back in time one way is to have the option for a supplement discount on a very limited basis similar to a fist come for a number of cabins or particular sailings. Like airline reward travel, it's there for a limited opportunity for valued guests.

[woodofpine]

Or I suppose the line could always go...

 

"Here's the single fare... take it or leave it!"

 

Now let's see, which one is easier to administer and generates more revenue?"

 

Hmmm... Wait! Don't tell me! :D;):D

[Conrycol]

I have read the first 23 posts in this thread, including yours, and I understand both points of view that have been expressed thus far.

 

My husband and I have cruised together as a couple for over twenty years. Neither of us has ever cruised solo, but odds are there will come a day (hopefully many years from now) when one of us will travel solo and may consider cruising as an option. Neither of us is likely to pay double to do that, especially as we look around and see people on ships including Celebrity that pay far less. These people are usually called CHILDREN, and their extremely low fares are usually not adequate for the amount of food they eat and the impact on facilities they have. If children (and/or thirds and fourths in staterooms) paid more, then singles would not have to pay double. I find it very annoying that their fares are so low on Celebrity and some other cruise lines. I want cruises with FEWER children in the pools, hot tubs, etc., not more, and I don't want to subsidize them, for sure.

 

 

LOL now where going to expand to a children bashing thread. From single supplement to kid bashing. WOW:eek:

[librarycin]

Right now the ships are built. They can' t be changed to have smaller connecting rooms share a bathroom, I am sure you know that. I believe the smallest cabins are the insides, which many solo cruisers do take,

 

Yeah...I know you're right. It would be nice if they could just add a few to the new ships as they build them or as they - my mind has blanked on the word - "refurbish" them, but I doubt that will happen either.

 

For my next cruise, not only am I in the less pricey inside room, I am sharing with 2 roommates! (I know I said it's hard to find roommates, but this is a couple who was interested in coming with me.)

[cruise kitty]

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