serenityj1

Thank you. This makes sense, esp when you referenced San Diego and their allowing our ships to dock during the multiple fiascos. I appreciate your explanation.  I am calm.

My friend in CA sent me an email from Holland America offering FREE interior staterooms.  FREE. I received my email from HAL today and nowhere am I offered a FREE cabin.... In fact, looking at just 2 of the sailings, I see the following prices:

N. Amsterdam March 21, 11 days out of FLL

Her: inside FREE           Mine $899

Her ocean view $399     Mine $999

Her verandah $599         Mine $1089

Her signature $1099       Mine $1899

Her Neptune  $1599        Mine $2599

Koningsdam, 1/2/21, 7 days out of San Diego..7 days

Her inside FREE!!!       Mine $899

Her ocean view $149  Mine $1099

Her verandah $249      Mine $1149

Her signature $799     Mine $2249

Her neptune $1099     Mine $2749

What am I missing? Has anyone else experienced this outrageous disparity with their pricing? What's going on with HAL? I'm not new to this rodeo, I'm a 4 star Mariner and still don't quite understand.   Thanks.

Also, one more comment on Cunard's pricing.

When one of my tablemates and I were checking on the single cabins, we also asked for pricing of a regular ocean view. We were both interested in this cruise next July to Ireland and the Faroes. We both are travel solo.

The difference in the prices for a UK resident (her) and a US resident (me) was a little over $1000. SAME CRUISE, SAME CABIN CATEGORY. I would be paying $1000 more. The tour agent admitted that for most European cruises, this was very common for Cunard. They identify you by your World Club number.

Really Cunard?? !!!

It's ludicrous charging a single supplement for a cabin that only holds 1 passenger. It makes absolutely no sense, and I can't believe Cunard would gouge its customers in such a way.

 

Checking the rates for the 2015 Ireland/Iceland cruise on the QE finds these tiny cabins are just as expensive as a regular 2-person cabin with a larger bed. In fact a deluxe inside is just a few dollars more than the new solo cabin.

 

I really expected the pricing to be just a bit hight than the per person double occupancy rates. I see nothing exciting about these new cabin options, given the current cost associated with them. I was mistaken in thinking the whole point in providing these accommodations was to make it more affordable to the single traveler.

I was on the Queen Victoria to the Baltics when word came out on the internet about these single cabins. The group of singles at my table were very excited and immediately went to the tours office only to find out they did not have any information about them.

Now that I'm home, I receive the email about the refitting of the Queen Elizabeth and I also called to price the same tour to Ireland etc on July 11,2015.

(THE CABINS PRICE DID NOT SHOW UP ON THE AD, you had to call them.)

The price is over $7500 for both the ocean view single cabin and the larger ocean view for two. I am extremely disappointed in Cunard.

Solo baby boomers make up a huge portion of travelers. And now that we are retiring with lots of disposable income, I would advise Cunard (and other cruiselines) to start noticing. Shame on them.