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Sailing Solo - your thoughts please!


BBMacLaird
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Have you ever sailed solo on Azamara?

Or ever wondered what it would be like to sail alone? Here's my latest blog post about just this! Sailing Solo, Happily

 

We'd love to hear about your past experiences, or your concerns if you haven't yet sailed solo.

And if you have, share your ideas on how we could improve the experience for you.

 

I've started a thread over on AZAMARA ASKS!, our sub-forum where we ask you questions. Would love to have your input!

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2253045

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Dear Bonnie & dear Community,

 

before answering your question i have to admit that I am a cruising rookie. I just booked my first cruise ever (on Azamara Quest) just a few days ago and I'll be sailing from Bali to Japan in March.

And this is even my first post in this forum!

 

To be honest I have to admit I found an attractive offer with Azamara for a solo traveller that doesn't discriminate singles by taking a super-plus surcharge.

Without this offer i wouldn't ever have booked this cruise.

I am not and never willing to pay a 50-125% percent surcharge for a single traveller.

Up to now I am an avid traveller, cruises never caught me.

Let the story begin:)

 

Therefore I very much appreciate Azamaras solo-passengers-policy.

 

I happily look forward to meeting other solo-travelling Azamara clients from Benoa to Kyoto.

 

Or ever wondered what it would be like to sail alone?

 

Due to my gappy english knowledge I might undergo a misunderstanding for sailing alone.

That appears in my knowledge of english quite narrow for the issue of solo travelling.

I very much enjoy travelling with one of my best travel-mates - even if it's just me, myself and I.

 

A hearty welcome to you cruisy people from Cologne, Germany

Clemens

Edited by Bad_Pritt
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Hi Bonnie,

I have cruised solo many times and I am going solo on my next Azamara cruise. I agree with the previous post, that when cruising solo, the most important factor for me is price-value. It would be good if Azamara would have more options for solo cruisers without for us having to pay the whole cabin price set for two passengers. If they do have this opportunities, somehow I am missing them, because of not knowing where to look for those offers.

Ivi

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I travel mostly solo, and I can say travelling solo with Azamara has always been a wonderful experience. First on large ships, you may meet someone and never see him or her again for the whole cruise. On Azamara, the ships are smaller, so you meet lots of people, that you see again and you never feel alone. People and staff are so friendly and I easily meet nice travel companions.

 

Dinners are usually the worst time. Assigned seating is vacation roulette for the solo traveler. Sometimes you win, sometimes not. However, with Azamara there are many options. I can dine with friends, or friends who I just met at the bar 5 minutes ago! Every night you can dine at the unhosted solo travelers table (6:30 each night) or I can just fill in at a table for 8-10. What they will not do is seat you at an open table for four with another couple to join. So if I want to eat quickly I do not choose the tables of 8-10. In this case I head up to the buffet (and usually find a friend to sit with), or even go to Prime C, which sometimes can usually fit me in as a solo at the last minute (especially early in the cruise).

 

Cost is of course the big issue, but there are quite a few sailings at only a 25% surcharge (see the link below), and with the occasional BOGO half off offer, Azamara will allow a solo traveler the same rate so only a 50% surcharge. Remember with solo traveling I only pay one airfare, so on the whole it is cheaper than traveling as a couple.

 

Link for solo fares (25 % surcharge)

https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/luxury-cruise-deals/savings-singles

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I am working up the courage to actually sail on the cruise I have booked for August 2016; I got the BOGOHO special on it, and it has ports that I would love to see. My husband and I loved to travel and always had adventures together. I haven't been able to go solo yet, I keep saying I am going to, and Azamara seems the ideal line to begin with.

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I travel mostly solo, and I can say travelling solo with Azamara has always been a wonderful experience. First on large ships, you may meet someone and never see him or her again for the whole cruise. On Azamara, the ships are smaller, so you meet lots of people, that you see again and you never feel alone. People and staff are so friendly and I easily meet nice travel companions.

 

Dinners are usually the worst time. Assigned seating is vacation roulette for the solo traveler. Sometimes you win, sometimes not. However, with Azamara there are many options. I can dine with friends, or friends who I just met at the bar 5 minutes ago! Every night you can dine at the unhosted solo travelers table (6:30 each night) or I can just fill in at a table for 8-10. What they will not do is seat you at an open table for four with another couple to join. So if I want to eat quickly I do not choose the tables of 8-10. In this case I head up to the buffet (and usually find a friend to sit with), or even go to Prime C, which sometimes can usually fit me in as a solo at the last minute (especially early in the cruise).

 

Cost is of course the big issue, but there are quite a few sailings at only a 25% surcharge (see the link below), and with the occasional BOGO half off offer, Azamara will allow a solo traveler the same rate so only a 50% surcharge. Remember with solo traveling I only pay one airfare, so on the whole it is cheaper than traveling as a couple.

 

Link for solo fares (25 % surcharge)

https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/luxury-cruise-deals/savings-singles

 

Thank you for the link but have you looked at the itineraries? It would be good to have solo discounts in all itineraries and not only on the ones in which they expect few bookings

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We have to remember, this is a business, and Azamara prefers selling all cabins for two passenger fares. However, I agree with you about the itineraries, hence the title of my post. The early solo traveler discounts are mostly all repositioning cruises, but those are great fun with lots of solo travellers. Solo travelers can also get the 50% surcharge on many cruises during the BOGO half off promo. That is a recent change in which I strongly support. Also sometimes if you watch a particular cruise, there have been last minute solo fares. I got the British Island cruise at 25% surcharge in Aug 2014. FYI, this fare were not found on Azamara's website, but other 90 day ticker sites, that list solo specials. Azamara's website is not always up to date in the solo travelers discounts. However, it would be nice if more solo fares were added after final payment to help fill the ship, and that these could be found on Azamara's website.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I have done it many times and with Azamara twice, I just love it! If you can be with yourself alone you can do anything! You can or can not meet people it depends of what you want, And I love that Azamara has great opportunities for solo travelers

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I have, this year, sailed alone on Quest. I did it because on both legs of the B2B the cost was only 125%. I also did it as we had sailed on Azamara Quest many times in the past and the crew became friends. I never felt like I was alone while on the cruise. It is like coming home to friends for me.

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I mostly travel solo. I understand and appreciate that most on here disagree with me, but I have never understood the word "surcharge" and the complaints on this subject. Cruise lines sell cabins. A cabin sleeps two. If you're traveling solo, you don't pay a 100% surcharge, you pay the fare for the cabin, minus a deduction for food/drinks and port charges for the second person that isn't there (just as a third person in the same cabin would pay a surcharge for these items). That in my opinion is how it should work. Any further discounts to fill up the ship, such as Azamara's 125% offers (which I think should be called 62.5% (of the cabin fare) offers) are of course much appreciated :)

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I have done a few solo cruises on Azamara and would express to anyone thinking of doing the same that they are a great line if you are on your own. Obviously you have to be happy to take the plunge, but if you do you will find the size of the ship to be ideal. Officers, staff, crew and fellow guests are all very friendly and you certainly won't feel isolated if you want to socialise.

 

I get the single supplement thing. Azamara is a business so why would they not collect the full cabin fare if they can during peak season? Less obvious is why they don't often offer guarantee fares to solo guests when they are paying a full supplement. Two passengers sharing having taken advantage of a guarantee rate could be paying quite a bit less than a solo cruiser in the same grade of cabin who is unable to take advantage of the GTY rate.

 

Phil

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I have done a few solo cruises on Azamara and would express to anyone thinking of doing the same that they are a great line if you are on your own. Obviously you have to be happy to take the plunge, but if you do you will find the size of the ship to be ideal. Officers, staff, crew and fellow guests are all very friendly and you certainly won't feel isolated if you want to socialise.

 

I get the single supplement thing. Azamara is a business so why would they not collect the full cabin fare if they can during peak season? Less obvious is why they don't often offer guarantee fares to solo guests when they are paying a full supplement. Two passengers sharing having taken advantage of a guarantee rate could be paying quite a bit less than a solo cruiser in the same grade of cabin who is unable to take advantage of the GTY rate.

 

Phil

 

While I completely agree that Azamara is a business and needs to make a profit to continue and am glad Azamara does offer lower single prices than many other similar cruise lines, the bottom line is the profit made from the cabin. Sure Azamara can calculate the expected profit from a double occupancy cabin. They can also then compute what needs to be charged to a solo customer in order to bring the same profit. This number plus the actual costs that the single customer consumes should then become the maximum the solo traveler should be charged. Any more and the profit is actually higher than a cabin with two passengers.

 

This is why cruise lines who charge the 200% charge for solo passengers are actually ripping off the customer as it is painfully obvious that air (if included) is not paid for the non-existent passenger and other costs including but, not limited to food, drink, excursions etc. etc. are also lower for one passenger vs. 2 in a cabin.

 

While it is true to not diminish profits the solo passenger should pay more than a single fare, a guess would be that the proper surcharge should be in the range of approximately 150% and not the egregious 200% charged by many cruise lines who are simply adding to their bottom line at the expense of the solo passenger.

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I have done a few solo cruises on Azamara and would express to anyone thinking of doing the same that they are a great line if you are on your own. Obviously you have to be happy to take the plunge, but if you do you will find the size of the ship to be ideal. Officers, staff, crew and fellow guests are all very friendly and you certainly won't feel isolated if you want to socialise.

 

I get the single supplement thing. Azamara is a business so why would they not collect the full cabin fare if they can during peak season? Less obvious is why they don't often offer guarantee fares to solo guests when they are paying a full supplement. Two passengers sharing having taken advantage of a guarantee rate could be paying quite a bit less than a solo cruiser in the same grade of cabin who is unable to take advantage of the GTY rate.

 

Phil

Since I don't travel solo (and hope it is never necessary as I treat my dear wife as an American Express card and don't leave home without her) but I wonder if it would work to take advantage of a BOGOHO sale with a second name and simply cancel the second person (or have him/her be a "no-show").

 

That way, you are only paying 150% (and possibly the taxes/fees if you go the no-show rate) but probably don't get the double points of sailing solo. But is it possible that the overall cost might be less than a straight-up solo fare? If you are close enough to another level that might matter, but it might be an interesting exercise for a solo traveler to calculate any potential advantage.

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Since I don't travel solo (and hope it is never necessary as I treat my dear wife as an American Express card and don't leave home without her) but I wonder if it would work to take advantage of a BOGOHO sale with a second name and simply cancel the second person (or have him/her be a "no-show").

 

That way, you are only paying 150% (and possibly the taxes/fees if you go the no-show rate) but probably don't get the double points of sailing solo. But is it possible that the overall cost might be less than a straight-up solo fare? If you are close enough to another level that might matter, but it might be an interesting exercise for a solo traveler to calculate any potential advantage.

 

Bob, I'm pretty sure the BOGOHO deal that appears from time to time does work for single cruisers on Azamara without the need to add a second person and cancel. I haven't done it for them, but did for a cruise on Royal Caribbean next year. It's the cabin guarantee limitations for solo cruisers that I really don't get.

 

Phil

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All I can say is wow! The list seems to be just about every cruise through 2016 on Journey and Quest. It's almost too good to be true. I need to drill down to UK prices because I don't seem to be able to change my country location on the website, but in the meantime thank you for posting Bonnie. This is a much more extensive list than I have ever seen before.

 

Phil

Edited by excitedofharpenden
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Yes, I have seen these solo cruise fares on other websites. Azamara seems a bit lax in the upkeep of the solo fares page. :confused:

 

Thanks Bonnie for letting us know. Do you know if booking under the current promotion gives us an additional "up to 25% " off?

 

I also wonder if a solo travelers would get the $500 on board credit, or would that be reduced to $250?

 

Thanks

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I know when I booked onboard I received 125% of the OBC.

 

Phil

 

Correct, booking onboard my $200 on-board credit was reduced to $150, because I booked under the BOGOHO promotion ($150%). So would the $500 OBC be $312.50 for a solo traveler????

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That is absolutely an amazing thing; it's a lot of cruises at the lower price. I wish I didn't have responsibilities that tie me down to home, I'd book more than the one I already have booked.

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Correct, booking onboard my $200 on-board credit was reduced to $150, because I booked under the BOGOHO promotion ($150%). So would the $500 OBC be $312.50 for a solo traveler????

 

I think so. I say think because I had a look at mine for next April where it was $1,000 per cabin and as a single I seem to have a bit more than $650. It's confusing because it's broken down into three amounts.

 

Phil

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