Cruising Solo - Question

[creeblee]

Hi all! I'm thinking of taking a solo cruise around the end of next month. Has anyone done this before w/ Carnival? If so, were they willing at all to waive the single supplement charge? Thanks in advance!

[coevan]

😂 that will not happen

[jbethel11]

16 minutes ago, creeblee said:

Hi all! I'm thinking of taking a solo cruise around the end of next month. Has anyone done this before w/ Carnival? If so, were they willing at all to waive the single supplement charge? Thanks in advance!

Unfortunately, I do not think Carnival will waive the single supplement charge, but some members will say otherwise. Here is a review from a solo traveler: 

 

[Saint Greg]

I have 11 solo cruises under my belt and five more booked. I've never known them to waive it. My recommendations to make solo cruising more affordable are:

 

1. Book early

2. Use the 10% off gift cards to pay

3. Book when Carnival is offering OBC and use a TA that will give you their OBC+Carnival's OBC (I have $255 OBC on my next cruise)

4. Watch for and claim price drops

 

Edited October 24, 2019 by Saint Greg

[TxShipShape]

I think, but not sure, that if you see one of their 2nd person travels at half price promo's you end up with 150% instead of 200% for a solo.  And remember you pay the port & taxes only for one not two people.

[sanmarcosman]

OP, the last time Carnival waived the single supplement for me was in 2015. It happened twice in fact and I received the offer through their website in the " My Offers " section of the VIFP Club. Each cruise was a 4 day from Cali. to Ensenada and Catalina. I paid $175 for an inside cabin inclusive of port fees and taxes for each cruise.

 

I haven't had another offer waiving the single supplement on Carnival since that time. Good luck.

[NCTribeFan]

I don't even know how many times I've sailed solo (probably a dozen times on Carnival) and I've only ever once didn't pay 200%.  That may have been in 2015 as well.  It was on Pride and I ended up with an aft balcony for about what I typically pay for an inside when I get to pay for that invisible 2nd passenger.

 

Just took my 3rd consecutive MSC cruise last month because there was NO solo supplement (a repeat of the cruise I took in May except without Havana).  I sailed in an OV cabin for $365 for a 7-night cruise!!  I'm paying considerably more than that for 4 nights in an inside on Paradise in a few weeks.

 

I'd look for solo discounts on other lines.  You're just not going to find them on Carnival.

[jmcathome]

Have not seen a singles supplement in many years. When i first started they did have them on selected cruises. Think they stopped about 9 years ago.

[Juwarhala]

They most likely will not drop the extra cost. I haven't seen the single supplement offers since 2014. If they go through a lull in bookings they occasionally will have a sale posted with the single supplement sailings. Even then it's only certain ships/itineraries.

[Elaine5715]

Not going to happen

[sanmarcosman]

4 hours ago, jmcathome said:

Have not seen a singles supplement in many years. When i first started they did have them on selected cruises. Think they stopped about 9 years ago.

It was only 4 years ago in my case. 

[Markmom18]

As a newbie to Solo myself....booked my March 7 Day on  Glory.  Full 200%.

 

I booked Inside, Upper Deck back Aft.   

 

Last week I got an Upsell Offer to Balcony on Verandah for $300. Both were very back Aft (my preferred section of any Ship). I took it, as my pòrtable fan drowns out most noises. 

 

🌻🌻

Bobbi

[airlink diva]

The majority of my sailings with Carnival I sailed solo.  Would love for them to get rid of the ss, but not going to happen.

Now there have been a few times it was either 100% or less.  Best was 75%, but that was because Carnival changed the cruise from five to seven and credit also ( this was during the swine flu issue and my cruise from New Orleans couldn't visit the Mexican ports and less than week from sailing did a 360).

I find that sailing in the fall and early winter offer the best rates for sailings .  One of the best times is right after Thanksgiving until the week before Christmas.  Even on other cruiselines, the rates are reasonable.  Reposition cruises and if a cruise not selling well will offer a lower rate.

Summer time, sailing during holidays, Alaskan sailing (during the middle portion) are the highest rate

[tree.critter]

I have also cruised solo many times, only once did I not have to pay ss.  I had already booked early saver solo in Cloud 9 balcony spa room, it was spendy but I wanted to do the reposition cruise so it was worth it.  While waiting for cruise date Carnival offered a solo rate, I contacted my pvp and asked if I could use that fare since I had early saver....it was yes!  It was paid off so I wound up with over a $1000 obc

 

So, I would say, book early saver and just keep your fingers crossed that you may get lucky and price match in the future.....extremely rare though so just don't count on it. 

[glrounds]

Cruise almost exclusively solo and have never seen supplement lifted.  Super cheap cruises sometimes on priority section, however.

 

[Forchunut1]

The only time I didn't have to pay a single supplement was back in 2002 on my first cruise.  Back in those days, great solo rates without the single supplement were common.  But, unfortunately, those days are long gone.

[Kermarkim]

On ‎10‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 3:51 PM, sanmarcosman said:

OP, the last time Carnival waived the single supplement for me was in 2015. It happened twice in fact and I received the offer through their website in the " My Offers " section of the VIFP Club. Each cruise was a 4 day from Cali. to Ensenada and Catalina. I paid $175 for an inside cabin inclusive of port fees and taxes for each cruise.

 

I haven't had another offer waiving the single supplement on Carnival since that time. Good luck.

I have also had the single supplement waived and this too was from Long Beach California to Ensenada.  In my opinion these cruises To Ensenada from Long Beach for whatever reason don't sell out and you can get some great rates without paying the single supplement.  Especially if it is off season.  The last time I got it was coincidentally 2015.  So I'm not sure if they are still doing it, but the interesting thing is the cruise rate for single person was $80.  I am not exaggerating the least bit.  That's all I paid for 3 day cruise to Ensenada and of course, the taxes, port charges and gratuities.  All of which if I am not mistaken was maybe not even $140.  This rate was published on Carnival's site and wasn't for VIPFs.  It was just a public rate.  And it was in December. In some cases if you just pick a cheap cruise, its almost like you are getting the single supplement waived.  But you have to travel off season.  As an example, right now Carnival has a published rate for Single Occupancy on January 24 for 4 days on the Victory for $258.  When you think about it, where can you go where your hotel, transportation, all you can eat food and entertainment is included for 4 days for $258.  That's a nice upscale dinner at a fancy restaurant for 2.

 

[tree.critter]

On 10/27/2019 at 10:31 PM, sanmarcosman said:

How did you spend $1,000 nonrefundable OBC on a repositioning cruise?  😮

 

It was refundable, I wound up getting about $700 back at the end of the cruise.  Drinks, Chef's table and steak house got most of the rest of it.  Casino isn't my thing, all my cruises put together the casino had taken maybe $20 total from me.  I am grateful to all those who do play though, helps keep my cruise fairs affordable.  

[sgttami]

I cruise solo on repeat casino offers, most recently on Pride.  Free cabin, free drinks, casino $$.

 

Doing the January 14 day Journey's for port charges only!

 

Back in 2014 Carnival had great sailings from NY on Splendor and it was $600 for a solo in a balcony for 8 days.  It's how I got hooked on Carnival and went 5X that year.   After that, I never saw those prices again but did start getting the free cruises so that's worked out even better. 

[Donh44]

On 10/24/2019 at 1:49 PM, creeblee said:

Hi all! I'm thinking of taking a solo cruise around the end of next month. Has anyone done this before w/ Carnival? If so, were they willing at all to waive the single supplement charge? Thanks in advance!

Don't hold your breath.  I even wrote to Carnival to tell them that there is a market for single/solo travelers and suggested that they build a fewer smaller cabins in their new ships to accommodate them but never got an answer.  There is a market out there and one of the cruise lines will latch on to it.  NCL has studio/solo cabins and I have been in them but the final costs come out to the same as an inside cabin.

 

[coevan]

9 hours ago, tree.critter said:

It was refundable, I wound up getting about $700 back at the end of the cruise.  Drinks, Chef's table and steak house got most of the rest of it.  Casino isn't my thing,

 

 

I am not following this casino offer thing. why would CCL offer casino deals to non gamblers?  I am a moderate gambler $10-25 chips in Blackjack a few hours a night. I have received free drinks and was emailed a casino offer, but nothing like this. I offered a minimal discount on a cabin and drinks while gambling. Has anyone received a free cruise, cash back to go home with, Chef's Table and Steakhouse? 

[glrounds]

4 hours ago, Donh44 said:

Don't hold your breath.  I even wrote to Carnival to tell them that there is a market for single/solo travelers and suggested that they build a fewer smaller cabins in their new ships to accommodate them but never got an answer.  There is a market out there and one of the cruise lines will latch on to it.  NCL has studio/solo cabins and I have been in them but the final costs come out to the same as an inside cabin.

 

 

Being an almost exclusively SOLO cruiser I looked into the NCL studio cabins also. I was amazed at how close they come in price to an inside DO anyway. Another thing bothered me. It seems they are almost always SOLD OUT. Need to book years in advance to even see them listed as available. I sure wish Carnival would do something like this also. At a 100 sq ft they could get almost the same number of passengers as their standard 185 sq ft cabins. Do away with the "hookup lounge" on NCL and run a whole deck of solo cabins . . . money maker I think.

Edited October 30, 2019 by glrounds