Solo Travellers Discriminated Against

[Thoth]

I think I have learned what to look for - certain parts of the World, certain times of year. I never pay solo-occupancy supplements now. My favourite is top-class, all-inclusive hotels on the Southern coast of Turkey in the 'winter'. People call it the winter but the Summer is so unbearably hot by December it is just right for sitting out in the sun. I always double check to ensure there are no sole-occupancy supplements, I don't want to feel that I am subsidising couples :). This year I treated my mother and myself to an all-inclusive 3-star for £7.50/night (US$11) and then an ultra all-inclusive five star on the beach for £25 per night (US$38), both no sole-supplements and this was May, the start of the Summer season. The latter hotel was simply stunning and I look forward to returning.

 

My next two cruises are both MSC repos. A 17 nighter for £391 ($590) and a port-intensive, trans Suez canal 10-nighter for £230 ($347), both sole-occupancy, inside guarantee after my 8% MSC Club discount. I would find it very hard to pay 75% supplement on already much higher cruise fares with other lines. And as I said above, a line which does not charge sole-occupancy supplements attracts many more solo travellers and that is huge benefit in itself.

 

Tim.

you are a wise shopper there Tim :)

[Faith77]

I just got back from a land tour/trip of 10 nights through the Utah national parks. The cost was approx. $1,800 which included the ss. I had to reserve and pay for this trip in early February so I could reserve the last solo room available. I figure a lot of this is supply and demand. There are a lot of us solos looking for ways to travel at reasonable prices.

 

I'm ok with cruising solo in an inside or ov and usually find an ok deal for when I can travel. I always expect a ss and mostly look at the total cost of the trip. Faith

[Lois R]

I just got back from a land tour/trip of 10 nights through the Utah national parks. The cost was approx. $1,800 which included the ss. I had to reserve and pay for this trip in early February so I could reserve the last solo room available. I figure a lot of this is supply and demand. There are a lot of us solos looking for ways to travel at reasonable prices.

 

I'm ok with cruising solo in an inside or ov and usually find an ok deal for when I can travel. I always expect a ss and mostly look at the total cost of the trip. Faith

 

Hi Faith:) so if you divide it by 2 it would have been about 900.00

per person. Did this include all your meals as well? Where do you

live and where did you have to fly to in order to start the trip?

(Just curious).

[broberts]

that's correct ! ;) They always market it as per person, which is misleading. If they are going to hit me at 200% then market it as price per room.

 

Reputable firms market it as "price per person, based on double occupancy", or similar wording.

[kjaooo]

Reputable firms market it as "price per person, based on double occupancy", or similar wording.

 

the only reason they use the price per a person, is so they can show the low price to catch your eye. if they simply charged a flat fee for a room for 1-2 people just like hotels do it would end a lot of the debate

[mtwingcpa]

Reputable firms market it as "price per person, based on double occupancy", or similar wording.

 

For example, NCL usually says this:

 

"Fares shown are in U.S. dollars and are per person, based on double occupancy. Government taxes, fees, and fuel supplement (where applicable) are additional."

[Faith77]

Lois,

 

The ss for my trip was approx. $300. Couples/2 friends paid approx. $1500 per person. Solos paid approx. $1800. Mostly everything was included except 2 dinners. The thing about the solo rooms is you have to book the trip early to get one. On some of the trips the ss is a lot higher. The group I travelled with is the old Elderhostel now called Rhodes Scholar.

 

I flew from Oakland CA to Las Vegas and took a shuttle to St. George, Utah. So another $110 for roundtrip shuttle fees. I'm sure I could have found a cruise for the cost of this trip. But I like to mix it up and do a combo of land and cruise vacations.

 

I figure any time I do a tour/program type trip I will need to pay a single supplement. Sometimes I've lucked out and got good prices on my cruises. I figure most of the time us solos have to figure on paying a ss no matter what type of trip we take in order to have our own digs. Faith

[Thoth]

Lois,

 

The ss for my trip was approx. $300. Couples/2 friends paid approx. $1500 per person. Solos paid approx. $1800. Mostly everything was included except 2 dinners. The thing about the solo rooms is you have to book the trip early to get one. On some of the trips the ss is a lot higher. The group I travelled with is the old Elderhostel now called Rhodes Scholar.

 

I flew from Oakland CA to Las Vegas and took a shuttle to St. George, Utah. So another $110 for roundtrip shuttle fees. I'm sure I could have found a cruise for the cost of this trip. But I like to mix it up and do a combo of land and cruise vacations.

 

I figure any time I do a tour/program type trip I will need to pay a single supplement. Sometimes I've lucked out and got good prices on my cruises. I figure most of the time us solos have to figure on paying a ss no matter what type of trip we take in order to have our own digs. Faith

Sounds like a nice trip there Faith ! I loved those Utah parks . the only one I have not visited is Brice. Zion, Arches, Capital Reef, Canyonlands ....awesome :)

[katrina915]

While I agree that the single supplement is a business decision, I think 100% is unreasonable since I won't be eating for two. I am planning an Alaska trip next year. lf no one wants to go with me, I will decide if I want to take cruise based on economics. Yeah, I pay full fare for hotel and rental car but I am not in some dungeon of a room on a ship. It should be interesting once l crunch the numbers. It sounds like the cruise lines have no problems filling their ships or they would change the policy.

[Thoth]

While I agree that the single supplement is a business decision, I think 100% is unreasonable since I won't be eating for two. I am planning an Alaska trip next year. lf no one wants to go with me, I will decide if I want to take cruise based on economics. Yeah, I pay full fare for hotel and rental car but I am not in some dungeon of a room on a ship. It should be interesting once l crunch the numbers. It sounds like the cruise lines have no problems filling their ships or they would change the policy.

If it helps look at Princess. So far on 3 cruises I've been charged what appears to be 150%...not 200%. When Carnival went from 150% to 200% that is when I started shopping around. Too bad for them since they had my brand loyalty, now Princess is #1 on my window shopping list. As a matter of fact, they were the only one I called last time. ;)

[bottomfeeder]

The other thing is be sure to check the solo pricing for every line. When I was looking at fall transatlantics recently, the best-priced Celebrity TA I could find (when I priced a Concierge Class room plus a basic beverage package, to make the amenities as similar and possible, plus added the gratuities) was several hundred dollars MORE than a TA on Azamara. All due to the difference in single supplement--25% on Azamara and something like 87% on Celebrity. Even with a basic (obstructed view) balcony and no alcohol package, I was still ahead by a bit on Azamara.

 

Granted, if I waited until after final payment date a Celebrity cruise might come down in price...but I want to get my vacation plans for the rest of the year figured out now so that I can make holiday flight arrangements for myself and my sons.

 

I was always skeptical when people said the luxury lines could actually be bargains for solo travelers. No more!

[Lois R]

The other thing is be sure to check the solo pricing for every line. When I was looking at fall transatlantics recently, the best-priced Celebrity TA I could find (when I priced a Concierge Class room plus a basic beverage package, to make the amenities as similar and possible, plus added the gratuities) was several hundred dollars MORE than a TA on Azamara. All due to the difference in single supplement--25% on Azamara and something like 87% on Celebrity. Even with a basic (obstructed view) balcony and no alcohol package, I was still ahead by a bit on Azamara.

 

Granted, if I waited until after final payment date a Celebrity cruise might come down in price...but I want to get my vacation plans for the rest of the year figured out now so that I can make holiday flight arrangements for myself and my sons.

 

I was always skeptical when people said the luxury lines could actually be bargains for solo travelers. No more!

 

Hi there:).....this is just an observation from looking at prices and

supplements over the years.....when you say 87%.....maybe my lightbulb just doesn't want to go on:eek: but that doesn't make any sense to me.

The Supplements are always presented in the 3 digits.....125%, 150%,

175%.....200%.

I don't even look at those numbers anymore because it makes no

difference to me. I look at the total price of the cruise but was just

curious about the 25%---87% figures you are looking at...........

 

As for the price of luxury lines? If the actual base price is more than

a person can afford then a lower supplement would not help. (In

my opinion).

 

If I am out of line, just tell me, but would you mind posting the price

you paid for that Azamara TA crossing? I do know TA's can be much

lower (for 1 or 2 people).

[bottomfeeder]

Lois, you're right, I think of the extra price, so I say 25% supplement instead of 125% supplement. To me, 125% means I'd pay twice as much plus 25% on top of that...which I know is not how it is meant. So basically on Azamara the solo price is 125% of the price for one person sharing a cabin with another. On Celebrity it's typically an odd number...maybe it's 78% extra rather than 87% but something along those lines.

 

If you look at the Silhouette TA leaving 12/1/13, right now I'm seeing a solo 2D guarantee for $1768 plus taxes/fees, total $1863. Or a solo 2C (partially obstructed) where I can choose my own cabin, which is likely the lowest category I'd actually book, for $2288, or $2383 with taxes/fees. C3 is $2468, or $2563 with taxes/fees.

 

Given the price difference I'd probably go with the C3. But I'll compare the price using the 2C.

 

The classic alcohol package is $708 for 14 nights ($44/day plus 15%, correct?.)

Gratuities is $168 for 14 nights ($12/day.)

 

So, a 2C including the alcohol package and gratuities is: $3259

A 2C without the alcohol package is: $2551

 

What I paid was $2976 which includes gratuities and inclusive alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (pretty equivalent to the classic alcohol package on Celebrity) plus a $100 OBC plus a $500 discount on my cruise fare when I buy my airfare through ChoiceAir (which is the best deal on a 1-way fare by far, anyhow.) So my net cost is $2376, for a solo balcony cabin, not a guarantee but I got to choose my cabin.

 

And I've gotta say that I looked at the MDR menus on Azamara and they look wonderful! And with my newly-minted elite status in Captain's Club I'll get something like 200 free internet minutes and laundry done for me, and assorted other benefits similar to Celebrity's elite benefits.

 

Granted, my Azamara cruise is 13 rather than 14 nights, but I will fly to Seville a day or two early and there are several highly-rated and inexpensive hotel options I found there so I think I'll still end up ahead financially. :)

 

(And I'm sure it's considered bad taste to post about cruise fares, but I am such a bargain-hunter I don't care if it's in bad taste, I love to talk about it!) :)

[Lois R]

Hi, thanks for the information:) and yes, that is a very good price

for a 2 week cruise solo. 13/14 nights LOL...both are 2 weeks to me;)

And yes, picking your own cabin? I can't remember the last time I booked

a gty.

 

And on Celebrity, it is usually 200%...sometimes you can find

Tuesday Specials that are 150%-175%. There are alot of cruises

listed for this coming week actually.

 

I have a long time friend who sailed Celebrity on a regular basis

(solo) and he has now been on Azamara quite a few times and loves

them.

 

I hope you have a wonderful cruise too.:) oh, I don't think it is bad to post

prices......there are lots of solos looking for help......I don't mind posting what

I paid. But if someone doesn't want to post it? That is ok with me too.

I didn't want to overstep....that is why I said, If I was out of line, just tell me.

[broberts]

If it helps look at Princess. So far on 3 cruises I've been charged what appears to be 150%...not 200%. When Carnival went from 150% to 200% that is when I started shopping around. Too bad for them since they had my brand loyalty, now Princess is #1 on my window shopping list. As a matter of fact, they were the only one I called last time. ;)

 

I've noticed on Princess that the supplement percentage can differ depending on the class of cabin.

[calliopecruiser]

.when you say 87%.....maybe my lightbulb just doesn't want to go on:eek: but that doesn't make any sense to me.

The Supplements are always presented in the 3 digits.....125%, 150%,

175%.....200%.

 

The math is the same......paying an extra 25% is the same as paying 125% of the original cost. The supplement (the extra) is 25%, which means the fare is 125% of the fare posted for "based on double occupancy" travelers. The actual supplement (the additional amount) is somewhere between 25% and 100%, and when you add that to the base amount (which is 100%), you get solo fare of 125% - 200%

[Thoth]

I've noticed on Princess that the supplement percentage can differ depending on the class of cabin.

 

I book the lowest possible class....steerage if available. :D I would sleep in the bilge if I could get a cheaper rate :p

[Scrapnana]

I've noticed on Princess that the supplement percentage can differ depending on the class of cabin.

 

That is true on Cunard and HAL, as well.

[calliopecruiser]

That is true on Cunard and HAL, as well.

 

And Crystal.

[TruckerDave]

I book the lowest possible class....steerage if available. :D I would sleep in the bilge if I could get a cheaper rate :p

 

i was in the Navy and literally fell asleep in a fuel tank one night. (I was a fire watch and the shipyard workers were welding on the other side and out like a light I went.:D )

 

I was an empty tank by the way, we were in dry dock at the time in San Diego.:eek:

[Thoth]

i was in the Navy and literally fell asleep in a fuel tank one night. (I was a fire watch and the shipyard workers were welding on the other side and out like a light I went.:D )

 

I was an empty tank by the way, we were in dry dock at the time in San Diego.:eek:

LOL :D good thing it was empty.