Solo Price confusion - RCL

[madelk]

Ok so I've been looking at a particular cruise I'd like to do mid year in 2015 as a solo traveller on RCL. Looking at a particular online TA who I've noticed usually have the most competitive deals and often offer onboard credit, their twin cabin price is $2004pp but the solo price for the same inside category solo is $4871. How on earth can this be right? Is it just because it's a new release cruise so the line is trying to discourage single occupancy bookings? Even when going direct with RCL their price is more than double the twin pricing - $4300+

 

Looking at the fares and the port taxes and excluding all tips the correct pricing at 100% fare supplement with only one set of taxes should be around $3700 ($300 worth of port taxes).

 

I have previously booked with this TA as a solo and gotten a good deal and paid around 70% supplement so this one at 240% has me stumped. Anyone else encountered this sort of pricing discrepancy? Anything I can/should do about it? I'm more than happy to pay what I expect is the 100% supplement but refuse to pay $1000 (25%) more than double rate!

[138east]

What cruise is it and what exact cabin category are you looking at?

 

If this is a balcony, I'm guessing that there is a lower price available for two people in one cabin category, but when you put just one person in, it assigns you to a higher priced cabin category.

 

I might invest some time calling RCL to see what they say. If you book with them you can always transfer to a TA within 60 days to get additional perks or OBC.

[madelk]

Hi there - I'm definitely looking at the same cabin class - just the most basic interior.

 

I've attached a screenshot - it's for a Vision sailing in the Med

 

As far as I was aware Vision class haven't got any of the "solo cabins" yet so can't see it being that. My best guess is that they are trying to make up for the lost onboard spendings :(

 

I called RC a week or so ago about the prices and the reply was that they couldn't offer anything different over the phone to the advertised internet price - pretty much dismissed which I was annoyed about. (Remembering also that I have to go through the Australian branch of RC and not the cheaper US site - I tried to book via the US site and it booted me off when I tried to fill in my details) I've been hoping it is merely a bug in the system that will magically get fixed so I can book a cheaper fare when it just pops up!

[AdrenalineRush]

The link didnt work for me, but im sure what you are seeing is category Z. Its an inside guarantee.

 

Often its not available to solo passengers. If they need to fill the ship closer to sailing it might become available to solo cruisers.

 

What is the exact date?

Edited March 3, 2014 by Caribbean King1

[138east]

I agree. That's essentially what I said - its a really a different cabin category.

 

I've seen this happen when doing dummy prices. The price for a cat Z is not available for a solo passenger at 200%.

[MADflyer]

While the posts about GTY categories not being opened up for solo travelers is a long term problem with RCI, I also was following a cruise on Vision for 19 April, 2014 for the past 5 months. They did not have GTY categories open and every category was pricing at around 267% as a solo. This sailing finally got so booked, that I just gave up.

[madelk]

Thanks for your reply MADflyer - glad it's not just me - sort of :(

 

To the other posters - if you see the screen shot it clearly shows that this upscaling for a single is in every category listed within the types - interior - M N Q, outside K L J etc. It's not guarantee cabins - they are available and are about $100 cheaper than the comparable but that's still too expensive IMO.

 

Guess I'm going to have to sit tight and see what happens - thankfully there's still 12 months to final payment so I will hold some hope for now and if not I see that Princess cruises offers a good break on price for solos on PNG cruises from my home port and will use that as a back up plan with no expensive long haul flights. Just disappointed as I haven't been to Europe yet and had seen some very good flight deals to eastern Europe via Singapore and Dubai and wanted the fun of planning a bigger multicountry trip to escape our winter! :D

[AdrenalineRush]

I'm on my tablet and can now see the screen shot, but can't tell what date you are sailing. I was plugging in a few dates on the us royal site and couldn't find rates that inflated for solo cruisers.

[madelk]

Thanks Caribbean King - as I mentioned I'm in Australia and have to book through the AU RCL site for which it is well documented inflates the prices :(

I'm looking at Western Med cruises in May and June on 2 Vision class ships and they all have the ridiculous mark up on them. The screenshot is from an AU online TA that set out the price comparisons better in one shot and are offering OBC - the RCL AU web prices are within a few dollars of the TA for the same categories.

It's ok - I'm going to let it drop. I've tried to book through a couple of US TAs as they have the cheaper prices and they have declined my booking previously (my booking for Feb 2015 would've been 30% cheaper through the US for an AU domestic sailing! :eek: and I tried for a month to get a cheaper fare with TAs and RCL direct) Getting ready to jump ship from RCL to another line if I can find one I like that treats me better! It's just that I've liked the RCL experience onboard and got a FAB deal last year over Christmas that I have absolutely no complaints about. I just wish life was fair! :cool: At US domestic prices I could afford to cruise so much MORE!!

[SandraDJ]

We have similar issues in the UK. Cruises seem to be released in the US before the UK, so we get second choice.

 

I've been looking around for something for autumn 2014, and the solo prices are more than 200%. I'll wait for a deal to come up.

 

I do have two bookings for 2015, and booked the last available studio cabin on both.

[cjc3008]

We have similar issues in the UK. Cruises seem to be released in the US before the UK, so we get second choice.

 

I've been looking around for something for autumn 2014, and the solo prices are more than 200%. I'll wait for a deal to come up.

 

I do have two bookings for 2015, and booked the last available studio cabin on both.

 

Hi Sandra

As a first time cruiser can I ask if you use an online TA to book or go directly with a company. I would appreciate any tips on finding better prices for solo cruisers.

I am a retired lady so able to take last minute deals but what is the best way to find them. Would appreciate any input before I start a new thread on prices for solo cruisers.

[travelberlin]

Is Royal Caribbean requesting solo passengers to pay double port taxes and fees? Does anybody experienced this?

[BriAlDam]

I was looking at going solo to the Mediterranean in June of 2015 as well. Let's just book a double at US prices. LOL

[SandraDJ]

Hi Sandra

As a first time cruiser can I ask if you use an online TA to book or go directly with a company. I would appreciate any tips on finding better prices for solo cruisers.

I am a retired lady so able to take last minute deals but what is the best way to find them. Would appreciate any input before I start a new thread on prices for solo cruisers.

 

I've used online TAs and booked direct with the cruiseline. If I can get a better price with a TA, then I'll go there.

 

I have one favourite online site which lists solo deals. That makes it easier to spot them. I do check prices elsewhere before booking.

 

I did book quickly on my 2015 cruises, as there was only one studio cabin left, so it may have gone if I'd dithered!

[cynt]

I would book it for two people. When you get to the port check in yourself. If they inquire, say they are supposed to be here. Hopefully they will make it. Whatever you do - DO NOT CANCEL THEM! Let it look like a last minute NO SHOW.

[Hoopster95]

I would book it for two people. When you get to the port check in yourself. If they inquire, say they are supposed to be here. Hopefully they will make it. Whatever you do - DO NOT CANCEL THEM! Let it look like a last minute NO SHOW.

 

Here's a thread I started a few days ago on the RCL board:

 

Hello CC family,

 

I've been looking really hard the last couple of weeks at booking the Serenade either Sept 17 or 29 as a solo. A mock booking today via my TA's website comes up with the following:

 

•Sept 17 N-interior 2 people = $2964.44 total,

exact same cabin single adult = $3,661.69

 

•Sept 29 N-interior 2 people = $2,590.44,

same cabin single adult = $3,727.69

 

I emailed my TA asking if this was a glitch or not. Besides the rest of the interaction on the email, the bottom line is:

"Unfortunately, the cruise lines reserves the right to charge a single supplement rate of up to 120%."

 

 

And I was replied to by a fellow CC'er do this as a no show as well! Can a cruise line deny you coming on board if you're on your own with a double occupancy booking? What are the ramifications?

[madelk]

 

And I was replied to by a fellow CC'er do this as a no show as well! Can a cruise line deny you coming on board if you're on your own with a double occupancy booking? What are the ramifications?

 

I don't think they can do anything and here's why I think that. December 2013 I was booked to share a cabin with my father who landed in hospital in October and the Dr told us he was unlikely to make Christmas. This obviously caused me some panic about our booking and my TA contacted Royal about it and they basically said the same thing - up to 14 days before sailing I could change the name for a fee but after that I'd have to sail on my own and there'd be no refund - fair enough. This was a Christmas sailing and there was no mention of a surcharge.

 

At this stage I'm going to sit and wait on the booking for now - the cheaper fares are gone even for twin share so I'll just wait for another sale to hopefully come up and then perhaps try this theory. Only flaw I can see is that you need to provide personal details of the other person so my query then is do you find a best friend that will allow you to use their details or do you make up a completely fake person?

 

(as an aside my father made the cruise easily and is still ticking along and it's now the end of March! The drs can eat his shorts!! :p)