Adding a 2nd person to a solo cruise pricing problem

[john5325]

I am an Elite member and tried to add a cabin mate to a solo cruise I booked and paid the double amount, per usual. When I asked about adding someone to the cabin which I assume would only be taxes and port change additional I was hit with a large additional cabin fare amount. Is this standard practice for Princess or did I just get someone Saturday that did know how to price this change? I don't like the idea of paying a triple fare when only 2 people are in the same cabin. Is this standard practice for other cruise lines as well?

[cr8tiv1]

When is your cruise?  Did I read correctly…you made final payment?  Do you have a travel agent?  
 

I know you can add a second passenger before final payment, but not sure about after.  
 

With the holiday weekend, it will be difficult to get anything resolved. Good luck. 

Edited December 24, 2023 by cr8tiv1

[9tee2Sea]

I am not sure about this response, but I would think Solo cabins are for only 1 person ( a single bed, and tiny).  Hence the name ' Solo".  I assume ( and again, I am not sure), that since you are adding a cabin mate, you will now be needing a double room.  I believe that would require cancelling the Solo reservation, then re-booking as 2 people in one cabin ( regular fare).  Extra charges might be due to cancellation fees, and the price difference with the current cruise price.  Like I said, I am not sure, but the logic seems to work.

[john5325]

I did make final payment. There is someone at Princess I normally work with that booked the cruise but I started to look into this yesterday and that person is not available. I'll try on Tuesday and hope Princess can be reasonable with me.

[john5325]

I currently bid on and was upgraded to a mini-suite going solo so I didn't pay for a special solo price. I paid was they same as if 2 people were going when I booked the cruise originally which is normal. My logic is I've already paid for amount as if 2 people were going. In the future I guess I'll book for 2 people and then cancel one if I end up going alone instead of the other way around.

[CynCyn]

54 minutes ago, 9tee2Sea said:

I am not sure about this response, but I would think Solo cabins are for only 1 person ( a single bed, and tiny).  Hence the name ' Solo".  I assume ( and again, I am not sure), that since you are adding a cabin mate, you will now be needing a double room.  I believe that would require cancelling the Solo reservation, then re-booking as 2 people in one cabin ( regular fare).  Extra charges might be due to cancellation fees, and the price difference with the current cruise price.  Like I said, I am not sure, but the logic seems to work.

Not on Princess.  Maybe NCL.

Edited December 24, 2023 by CynCyn
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[reedprincess]

49 minutes ago, 9tee2Sea said:

I am not sure about this response, but I would think Solo cabins are for only 1 person ( a single bed, and tiny).  Hence the name ' Solo".  I assume ( and again, I am not sure), that since you are adding a cabin mate, you will now be needing a double room.  I believe that would require cancelling the Solo reservation, then re-booking as 2 people in one cabin ( regular fare).  Extra charges might be due to cancellation fees, and the price difference with the current cruise price.  Like I said, I am not sure, but the logic seems to work.

Princess does not have solo cabins, ie smaller cabins solely for one occupant.

 

NCL, RCCL, Virgin, and various others have solo cabins, at a slightly lower price than a " full size " ie double occupancy cabin - but not Princess. Not even on the new Sphere class ships. 

[upsmanclt]

If you have plus or premier the cabin mate you add will be charged for plus or premier and port fees and taxes. 

[Incognito1]

6 hours ago, john5325 said:

I currently bid on and was upgraded to a mini-suite going solo so I didn't pay for a special solo price. I paid was they same as if 2 people were going when I booked the cruise originally which is normal. My logic is I've already paid for amount as if 2 people were going. In the future I guess I'll book for 2 people and then cancel one if I end up going alone instead of the other way around.

I think someone screwed up.  We did this for the music cruise last November.  Booked a single, upgraded to a mini-suite via bid so decided to add a second person.  We paid taxes and port charges (I'm thinking we paid double for the bid amount when it was going to be one person; not sure).  Nothing more.  I'd call and get someone after Christmas to fix it.

Edited December 25, 2023 by Incognito1

[wen_c82]

This requires ‘special handling’ and if you have a  Princess CVP it’s best let the CVP  handle this for you. I have avoided calling the general # since Princess outsourced call center
 

yes, based on past experience if you paid 100% solo supplement you ‘should’ expect to only pay additional port charges and taxes for adding a second passenger in the same cabin

[rj59]

If you add someone later, they're going to price the second person at the current rate, which in this case seems to much higher. The way to avoid that is to book a second person when you book, even if the person has no intention of going, and then simply call them a no-show at the port, and you'll get the second person's taxes/fees back. The fare you originally paid was based on one person, even if was doubled, and was the fare at the time, which they're not going to honor for a booking now. They can also reprice a cabin if two people pay but one cancels, so they can reprice it as a higher solo price at the time. It's unfair, but it's what they do. Even worse now is lines like Celebrity charging 3-4x the double rate for a solo passenger. For future cruises, if you have any possibility of someone else going, just book a second person, because it will end up being the same price, you'll just pay more up front for taxes/fees but will get it refunded when the other person doesn't show. 

[dreamin'ofthesea]

I did exactly that before my November cruise. Had already paid in full. Was maybe 6 weeks out. Just paid the taxes and the extra for Princess plus. 
I had make enquires months earlier also the difference was the same.

I had expected maybe to pay more if the price had gone up but only taxes and the Princess plus.

[Rick&Jeannie]

@john5325, did you book yourself with either Plus or Premier fare? That probably explains the difference. 

[john5325]

No I have not as yet added the Plus or Premiere package to the fare. I did add it the last time I was on the Discovery Princess after I boarded and I will probably do that again.

[wallyj]

@john5325, have you called in again to check if you were initially given incorrect amount to add passenger2 to your solo booking. 
 

My experience with Princess solo bookings where I paid a 100% solo supplement, adding passenger2 only incurred the additional amount of the taxes and fees.

 

As a solo you also paid ‘double’ the amount for your upgrade bid, so it does not make sense why you were quoted more to add passenger2 than just the taxes and fees.

 

Having a successful upgrade bid might have complicated your fare, so your situation probably requires special handling as @wen_c82has commented.