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Solo Transatlantic


seadog83

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So I graduated school a couple months back and before going into the big bad world figured I'd get some trips in. One thing I was considering was to get a cheap one way flight to Europe, bum around there for a couple months seeing the sights then instead of flying back, spend a bit more and take a repositioning cruise back because normally I'm told, and on first glance you can get deals since ppl don't want to get stuck with a transatlantic one way flight.

 

Now, for better or for worse the trip in Europe would be solo, and not that I mind that, but it really throws a hitch into my plan to cruise back to North America come November or whenever. I've been on one cruise with my family, but the whole booking and organizing one is new to me - and on first look for solo travel I am not encouraged. I've seen 11-14 day cruises for as little as $599 which would be an absolute dream to take, espeically since I wanted to head to florida anyways after I got back, bypassing Canada this way would make it essentailly the same price or cheaper.

 

But naturally the $599 is 'based on double occupancy' and that those specific rooms aren't even offered for singly occupancy. And when you get to a room that is offered for single occupany, the single suppliment is atrocious. like $899 for double (which even still isn't bad) but then like $1700 for solo. You save a whopping $100. Furthur I've read that some lines don't even ALLOW solo travellers, and others don't have '1' as an option when you select the number of adults.

 

I can appreicate the fact that a room is taken, and that one person occupying it wont give as large a profit as two and something should be done to make up for it, but theres clearly more in your price than the room!

 

I guess what furthur annoys me is that this says essentially your paying by the room and not # of people, which I can understand. But with 4-max rooms, if you want 3rd and 4th ppl their price is only like $50 cheaper than if they got their own room. Just seems unreasonable that the rules seem to change. Based on 1-2 ppl you pay by the room. Based on 3-4 people you pay by the person.

 

Anyways, what I guess I'm getting to is that is there any way to take a solo transatlantic trip where its still a deal? I'll share a room, hell I'd even pay a reasonable single suppliment. Is there any one whose done this kind of trip before? How do you get the best deals? What lines are good and what ones to avoid? Any help's appreciatred. Thanks.

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Boy, I don't know where you got the idea that singles aren't allowed on some cruise lines, but that's absolutely not true. Every line allows singles, but some are more single friendly than others. Here are a few cruise facts:

 

1. Most cruise lines will make you pay 200% of the first person fare. Then again, there are some cruise lines that have very good single supplements ranging from 110% to 125%. Those lines are the luxury lines, but their crossings in November are usually much cheaper than their regular cruise fares. And with what's always included in their fares(drinks, tips, etc), can make it a good deal when you compare them to the mass market lines.

 

2. The least expensive crossings are those that are just crossings and make maybe one or two stops at the most. Those crossings are generally only 8 or 9 days in length, so that would make it less expensive for you to cruise.

 

3. Seeing that you just graduated, I can surmise you're in your 20's. Be aware that crossings generally attract the retiree set, so if that's a concern for you, you must think about that. I've done 4 trans-Atl crossings, one trans-Pacific and I have a crossing coming up next year, LA to Hong Kong, and I can tell you from experience, you won't find many 20-somethings on a crossing.

 

4. As far as what line to pick, that all depends on you. Lots of sea days means you probably want to find a line that offers a lot of activities. Remember that doing a crossing in November won't provide you much of a chance to sit in the sun and swim in the pool. I did a crossing in late November, and it was darn cold until we got within one day of Nassau. At your age, I would recommend RCCI or Carnival. But again, with those lines, you'll pay a pretty hefty single supplement. Carnival does have a number of 1A cabins that can be a good deal, with a lower single supplement.

 

5. My best advice: Get a travel agent near your home. They can find deals for singles, they can point you in the right direction for everything, and they can handle all the questions you might have. No matter what some people might say, if you're a novice at all this, a great TA is invaluable in helping you book your first solo cruise, and they don't charge you for their services.

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One thing. Usually the $599 double occupancy fares are for a guarantee, at least on RCCL. I've found that I can't book guarantees as a solo online at least for RCCL - but if I call and explain that there is a guarantee rate offered but only for 2 people, customer service has overridden that and given me the lowest guarantee rate as a solo.

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Anyways, what I guess I'm getting to is that is there any way to take a solo transatlantic trip where its still a deal? I'll share a room, hell I'd even pay a reasonable single suppliment. Is there any one whose done this kind of trip before? How do you get the best deals? What lines are good and what ones to avoid? Any help's appreciatred. Thanks.

 

Hey SeaDog:

 

Just thought I would chime in with a little perspective of my own. First, if you read this forum, you will undoubtedly get the sense that there are lots of folks who enjoy cruising solo. All of my upcoming cruises are solo, and as you can see from my signature space, I've got three of them booked. So I say "if you can find a deal that works with your schedule and budget, go for it!" I personally think that cruising solo opens the possibility of having more social interaction than cruising with a partner - rather than primarily interacting with just one person, you could interact with lots of interesting folks! Who knows, your future best friend, significant other, or "best conversation ever with a complete stranger" might be on that cruise.

 

As for your questions, here are my quick snippets of advice:

 

1) Read the ship reviews and other postings experienced cruisers have posted on CruiseCritic.com. That will give you a feel, not only for different cruise lines, but for different ships in their fleet. Still, I subscribe to the philosophy that "there is no such thing as a bad cruise."

 

2) Aside from getting good advice from a travel agent, you can also easily do your own research to find out what ships are sailing what itineraries on what dates, and what it will cost you to book as a solo traveler in a given cabin. Personally, I book through usairwayscruises.com because I like the frequent flyer miles I get as a booking perk. But even if you don't book through them, you can still use them as a "search engine." You can even get firm pricing (at least on the cruise portion) without speaking to someone or commiting to anything.

 

Whatever you decide, I hope your travels are enjoyable and productive! :)

 

- Paul

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Seadog83, Congrats on your graduation! Education is never bad experience or wasted.

 

As for returning from Europe on a cruise, as others have noted you have to pay the single supplement which can vary. What I have noticed is the more sea days on a transatlantic the cheaper the cruise. As an example, I saw a transatlantic 12-night cruise with a full week of sea days that cost $550. Even if you double that you are paying less than $100 per night. Of course, if you want more ports, the cost goes up. Just a thought.

 

Have a great time in Europe!

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Education is never bad experience or wasted.

 

Good observation, Ginny! As someone who has returned to graduate school in his mid-40's, I heartily agree. In fact, I am using cruising as 1) an educational experience in and of itself, 2) a break from studying, and 3) a reward for hard work.

 

So one additional consideration, SeaDog, is that you can think of your travels not merely as a break between learning and working, but as an extension of "Life 101," a course we should all be perpetually enrolled in! Speaking of that, some cruise lines, like Celebrity, boast that they have on-board workshops, including workshops convened by illuminaries. Especially on cruises with lots of sea days you are more likely to find a spate of such workshops. I can't wait to find out who will be giving what workshops on my transatlantic cruise next spring! :cool:

 

Cheers!

 

Paul

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Hi seadog, I actually joined the boards just to post on this thread because I'm in EXACTLY the same situation. I graduated a year ago but went straight to work, and now have an internship in London in October. I got a one way ticket and decided to cruise back after traveling in November, and am now dealing with the single supplement as I look to get a cruise home. Here's a few things that I've found out so far that may be helpful for you:

 

1. Late November/Early December is apparently a good time to get cruise deals, because most people go earlier in the winter or around the holidays, so at least what you're paying is less than other times of the year, and there's a good chance a cruise won't sell out.

 

2. If you're able to be flexible with your dates and can book last minute (which for a cruise line is 30 days or so before sailing), you can sometimes get the supplement waived because a line prefers a single passenger to an empty cabin. I've read you can get this though both the line itself and cruise consolidators.

 

3. I found this article/chart that lists all the cruise lines and their single supplement policies,http://www.cruisemates.com/articles/single/Supplements.cfm, and though it doesn't help much in my particular case because all the Transatlantic cruises at the time I need are on lines with high supplements, it's pretty useful in general.

 

4. And just in case it doesn't work out, there are enough last minute travel sites like www.travelzoo.com and www.priceline.com that if you can't find a cruise, you can get a one way plane ticket back that's not too painful.

 

That's my plan, at least, since I've also never done this whole cruise-buying thing before. My strategy for the moment is just to wait until late October (when I'll be in London, but they have the Internet there), and see if any of the cruises I can take go on sale, and if they don't, just buy a plane ticket. And now at least you know there's one possible roommate out there! If any other solo cruisers on this board have had success with a waiting stratagy I'd like to hear about it.

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If any other solo cruisers on this board have had success with a waiting stratagy I'd like to hear about it.

 

Hey Cat...

 

First, welcome to CruiseCritics! I hope your first post is not your last... especially since you offered such a thoughtful commentary.

 

Besides just offering my HUMBLE opinion on subjects, ;) sometimes I like to summarize what I have gathered to be "the conventional wisdom" that posters on this site are offering. That said, the conventional wisdom seems to be that booking earlier, rather than later, offers the best opportunity for savings. That is not to say that there is not the real possibility of getting a good price on a transatlantic late in the game. Personally, I would do this: If I really wanted to do a cruise instead of flying, then I would just book the best deal I could find ASAP. Also, in my humble opinion, an inside stateroom on a transatlantic is just fine. I mean really, on a budget I wouldn't pay hundreds extra just to be able to stare out of my own stateroom at the same pond of water. Especially as a first time cruiser, lots of folks think that a stateroom that is low, inside and mid-ship may be the best option, not only to cut costs, but to minimize the risk of seasickness.

 

Happy travels. I love London in the colder months! :)

 

- Paul

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Paul, I noticed in one of your posts that you're looking forward to taking in some workshops while on your cruise. I don't know if this is something that would interest you, or if a line like Crystal is your cup of tea, but they offer what is generally known to be the best in learning experiences at sea. I've cruised with them quite a few times and their guest lecturers are by far the best I've encountered. I've seen former ambassadors, politicians, high-ranking military experts, anthropologists, Pentagon officials, authors, musicians and others in the entertainment field. Some of the most interesting they have on board was a man who was actually in the Pentagon during the 9/11 attacks (if his office hadn't been moved a week earlier, he would no longer be on earth---he works in a top secret facility within the Pentagon), Marlin Fitzwater, Buzz Aldrin, Peter Arnett (his talks on meeting Saddam Hussein were fascinating), and too many others to count. They also have what they call their Creative Learning Institute where they have experts lecture in investing, health and wellness, computer science, foreign language and music (I learned how to play piano on my last cruise in April).

 

So, if you are like a lot of us and enjoy hearing great lectures by some of the world's most interesting people, give Crystal a look.

 

BTW, coming from Western Penn, are you a Steeler fan?

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So, if you are like a lot of us and enjoy hearing great lectures by some of the world's most interesting people, give Crystal a look.

 

BTW, coming from Western Penn, are you a Steeler fan?

 

Hey Darcie! Thanks for the tip re: Crystal. :) Although the prospect of attending a great lecture or workshop is certainly an inducement, I have mainly chosen my cruises for these reasons, in this order: 1) Travel dates. 2) Cruise length. 3) Itinerary. 4) Cost/value ratio. 5) Ship. My dream is to do a full world cruise someday -- I figure the ports of call alone will provide lots of educational opportunity. The "problem" is that I don't know when I will ever find 102+ days to go. :rolleyes:

 

Now, about your "Steeler fan" question... I suppose everyone from "da burgh" is a Steeler fan on some level, especially when they win the Super Bowl! But, honestly, if I had a choice between watching a 3-hour Steeler game and going on a 10-day cruise, the latter option would win out, no question. How much of a "fan" does that makes me? I leave it to you to judge. ;)

 

- Paul

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Hi Paul, thanks for the kind words, sorry it took me so long to respond. And thanks for the advice, it is really helpful. You are right about buying earlier, and had I thought about this months ago I probably would have, but now it seems my best bet is last minute prices. Which I think might work out well, because I was on a few cruise consolidator websites and their last minute prices for cruises leaving in a few weeks were good, so if that holds for a month or two I'm set. And I'm glad to hear that an inside cabin is fine, I figured I'd be out and about the ship a bunch anyway. I've never been to London, but everyone seems to give it a good review, so I'm pretty excited. I'll keep you updated if I get this settled before I go!

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Hi there,

 

I am lucky enough to have a solo transatlantic cruise booked from Genoa to Rio de Janeiro at a reasonable price on MSC Armonia. It's not much use for those returning to the States though! You may also find a deal on MSC Lirica and Opera from Genoa to Fort Lauderdale.

 

The other option I looked at (just a couple of weeks ago), which may be of interest is a Celebrity 13 night repositioning cruise on Oct 27th from Barcelona to Miami. The best price I got was £600 (roughly $1122) cruise only from a UK cruise agent but Celebrity themselves weren't too much dearer. This was the first reasonable price I have seen for a solo-occupancy on a US cruise line and was very tempted with only the more northerly transatlantic route putting me off.

 

Another option, less desirable as it is non-stop, is the inaugural voyage of the Norwegian Pearl on 2 December for 10 nights. The price I got for this, a while ago, included the flight back to the UK but was only priced at £600.

 

All these offers were sourced in the UK if allowed I can post links or contact details for the companies. I suspect other country's offers differ - certainly with MSC as I did check the Italian offers.

 

Craig.

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I'm flying to England Oct 13. Then travelling down to Rome and returning on Carnival's Liberty Nov 3. That's a 16 day returning cruise, well under $100 a day, single occupancy.

Carnival and Royal Caribbean usually have the cheapest solo cabins.

 

Back in April I also went solo transalantic on Legend of the Seas for about $1000. I tend to book 6 or more months in advance but have often seen last minute solo offerings even more cheaply.

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The Liberty trip sounds good. She looks like a nice large ship: she was docked in Venice when I sailed out of there last year.

 

In percentage terms what single supplement have you been charged for your cruises? On this side of the Atlantic, when I priced Royal Caribbean, the lead-in double occupancy fare was not available - even at a supplement - meaning the lowest fare available was the brochure standard fare charged at 200% minus the 2nd lot of taxes etc. This cost well over double the best available price. Extremely annoying!

 

Surprisingly, considering it's ownership and past practice, Celebrity seems to be offering better deals for single occupancy this year. I plumped for my MSC cruise at 150%, but next year, if the transatlantic offers continue, and I enjoy my sea days, I'd like to try X.

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I think the cheapest inside cabin price (1A) solo occupancy is now around $995 for Liberty transatlantic 11/3-11/19

 

I paid around $1200 3 or months ago for a category 4 cabin, solo occupancy, which I thought was such a great deal that I added the next two follow-on cruises as well for another $1500. That makes up a 30 day total cruise for under a $100 a day.

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Surprisingly, considering it's ownership and past practice, Celebrity seems to be offering better deals for single occupancy this year. I plumped for my MSC cruise at 150%, but next year, if the transatlantic offers continue, and I enjoy my sea days, I'd like to try X.

 

Hey GoodClicks:

 

I agree that X has some reasonable prices for a solo transatlantic. As you can see from my signature space, I am doing a TA aboard X's recently refurbished Century next April. It will be my first TA, but hopefully, not my last! The thought of lots of sea days doesn't bother me in the slightest. On the contrary, I enjoy time to unwind and take things at a slower pace. By the way, I found my cruise using an online booking engine. It is a great way to compare itineraries across a spectrum of lines, even if one uses a traditional agent or prefers booking directly with the line.

 

Happy cruising!

 

- Paul

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Golden Princess has an interesting 17 day itinerary from Rome to New Orleans on Nov. 29, 2006 and I was able to secure a cabin for about $100 a day. One way air was only about $450. I'm happy with the "deal"-------any cruise is a good cruise.:)

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CFS2000, I was put off the Celebrity Century transatlantic because there was little time in the warm Caribbean waters. I didn't even consider staying on board for longer as you are doing. Seems like you have the right idea!

 

PaulPA, I'm afraid I found the comparison sites that I have available to me in the UK a little lacking when comparing the cruises because the supplements varied so much and often were not even published online requiring a phone call to enquire.

Like you I am looking forward to the sea days. When I was in the Med on the Opera there was so little time and energy left to make the most of what the ship offered. After 8 sea days - 5 in-a-row - I should be well rested and very familiar with Armonia!

I have seen the TA rates for MSC, I don't know how they compare to other lines, but they looked very attractive to me. I even considered setting up a small home agency (friends and family come to me anyway as I seem to always find them good deals) to take advantage of what is offered. I wonder if there are any limits?!

 

Hi Pussa, we will probably pass in the Med as I am leaving from Genoa on the 30th of November. Hopefully the weather will be kind.

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Goodclicks,

I usually try to book for at least 14 days or more and that usually means two back to back 7 day cruises. That way I can cut down slightly the effect of the single supplement by more cost-effective flying.

I think I went overboard this fall, since I'm away from home from Oct 13 to Dec 3. Just the logistics of making sure I have pre-paid all bills likely to come during that time is getting a bit tedious. It also means I can't use a credit card during the first few weeks because that bill would arrive before I get back. I will be carrying a lot of travellers checks I guess. I had forgotten how tedious this can be. Although I've done a couple of seven weeks trips in the past, it has been a decade since I last did it.

I've also booked back to back on Victory next february! Have not booked flights yet though, so I can add an extra cruise on the end if I find a good one. The single supplement stops me from adding a Princess cruise - I simply refuse to pay double rate.

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I'm flying to England Oct 13. Then travelling down to Rome and returning on Carnival's Liberty Nov 3. That's a 16 day returning cruise, well under $100 a day, single occupancy.

Carnival and Royal Caribbean usually have the cheapest solo cabins.

 

Back in April I also went solo transalantic on Legend of the Seas for about $1000. I tend to book 6 or more months in advance but have often seen last minute solo offerings even more cheaply.

Hey, I will be on that same cruise. I am traveling solo as well. Would love to say hi to you.

Cruzn

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  • 2 weeks later...

4ME2CRUZ: Hi. I had not checked this board in a while - just too busy tidying up all the loose ends. I will be going to the roll call, which I think is at aft pool bar 4 pm first sea day. (I have to go look that up again and make sure.) I will be checking up cruise-critic from some internet cafe in Europe a couple of times before I make it down to Italy. If we don't meet up at the roll call we will probably bump into each other sooner or later. If the weather is bad at sea I can usually be found in the library reading. I am really beginning to get quite excited about the cruise!

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  • 1 month later...

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