Celebrity at it again, I guess the new CEO can’t seem to tell the truth!

[pzsdd6]

I know this has been hashed out here many times, so much so that the last webinar with the new CEO, this was brought up and she was adamant that this would stop, she even agreed it was wrong!

Well, I guess she just can’t tell the truth! 
This has to do with the highly distasteful practice of gouging solo travelers. According to Celebrities CEO, this issue was addressed many months ago, well not true! See below…….

Before any of the Celebrity cheerleaders pipe up about how cruise lines can do as they please, just stop! This practice is WRONG! Period!

What do you have to say now Laure Hodges Bethge? Seems as though ever since you were made CEO, all you do is piss of cruisers with all of your changes. Do everyone a favor, stop lying and go back to your old job! You clearly don’t have what it takes. Bring back Lisa Lutoff-Perlo! 

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

I agree, this practice is ongoing.  I've been checking pricing on a cruise I'd like to take because some of my cruising buddies are on it, but I'm not going to pay $1100 more for the same cabin that two people occupying it would pay.  So this reprehensible practice continues apace.  

[pzsdd6]

10 minutes ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

I agree, this practice is ongoing.  I've been checking pricing on a cruise I'd like to take because some of my cruising buddies are on it, but I'm not going to pay $1100 more for the same cabin that two people occupying it would pay.  So this reprehensible practice continues apace.  

Don’t get me wrong, I really do enjoy cruising on Celebrity. If you take a look at all the changes the new CEO has made, none have been well received. Trying to make Celebrity like Royal is just wrong. If I wanted to sail on Royal, I would have booked Royal!

This particular change doesn’t sit well with me. I’m going to continue to place topics and comments, calling out the lies and poor decision making by management. 
 

[C-Dragons]

The practice of charging extra for single travelers has been going on for decades, nothing new here. Rooms, both in hotels and on cruise ships have been built/designed for double occupancy. Unfortunately I can’t see this changing.

Two people typically spend more money than singles.

Edited June 8 by C-Dragons

[Swordfish1949]

I could not agree more...this practice is despicable...

[pzsdd6]

3 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

The practice of charging extra for single travelers has been going on for decades, nothing new here. Rooms, both in hotels and on cruise ships have been built/designed for double occupancy. Unfortunately I can’t see this changing.

Yes it has, and while no solo travelers feels happy about paying double, most have just chalked it up as a price of doing business so to say. My heartburn comes from the price gouging of 300%, 400% and more! I’m sorry but there is no excuse or rationale that can validate this practice.

[NMTraveller]

Take a look at other lines.  Don't other lines have solo cabins?

Also on our AMA Waterways cruise they had solo cabins that were in between single and double fares for solo.

[pzsdd6]

17 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

Two people typically spend more money than singles.

This too is mostly true, however, a single person uses less:

electricity

water

eats less food

less impact to room services, one bed, one towel, etc

This is the side of the equation that they won’t acknowledge because it evens out and cancels their excuse for the unreasonable supplements that they take great pains to inflict on solo travelers

[wrk2cruise]

Isn't this more a by product of the second passenger 75% off stupid "sale".  Don't 3 passengers in a cabin have the same issue?   I agree it's not right, that they should just put a real price on the product.

[Gracie115]

49 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

  Rooms, both in hotels and on cruise ships have been built/designed for double occupancy.  

 

True..... but hotels don't charge double & triple to rent the room.  The difference in one or two persons on a hotel reservation is minimal. 

[mahasamatman]

14 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

The difference in one or two persons on a hotel reservation is minimal. 

 

That's a very North American perspective. In much of the world, you pay different prices based on occupancy.

[ggo85]

As a general rule, hotels (at least US hotels or hotel chains) price per room whereas cruises price per person.  
 

It’s much more likely that 2 people will spend a lot more than one on a cruise ship than at a hotel. Drinks, excursions, spa, specialty dining, etc. are all PP on a cruise. It adds up.  
 

I’m not defending the practice.  I fully agree that singles are discriminated against, pricing wise, on most cruise lines and that, in a day when many need, want or choose to travel alone, the practice is somewhere between sad and reprehensible. But at least the reason is there.  
 

 

Edited June 8 by ggo85

[C-Dragons]

15 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

 

True..... but hotels don't charge double & triple to rent the room.  The difference in one or two persons on a hotel reservation is minimal. 

Does your hotel booking normally include 3 meals a day, beverages,  and daily entertainment ?

[pzsdd6]

1 minute ago, C-Dragons said:

Does your hotel booking normally include 3 meals a day, beverages,  and daily entertainment ?

Let’s go ahead and use your argument above, if that was the case and hotels did provide all that, do you think they would be so stupid or insulting as to charge a solo traveler double or triple for things they don’t have to provide? If a hotel chain tried that here is the U.S.,they would have people calling for legislation to prevent it….BECAUSE ITS WRONG!

Cruise lines do whatever they want because there is NOTHING you or I or anyone for that matter, can do about it. My last comment on that particular issue is this…….

Karma baby, karma!

[pzsdd6]

14 minutes ago, mahasamatman said:

 

That's a very North American perspective. In much of the world, you pay different prices based on occupancy.

And your point is? Are they not operating in North America? The simple fact is they operate here, period. If they don’t like the complaints from Americans, then either change or operate somewhere else. We all know that won’t happen because without the North Americas there wouldn’t be much of a cruise industry left. The North American market is responsible for more than 75% of all cruise business. 

[NMTraveller]

The cruise lines are also counting and profiting from people spending additional money while on the cruise.  Excursions,  gift shops,  extra fees for drinks and dinners ...  If you only have one person spending these additional amounts and not two,  that also cuts into profits.  Of course 3 in a cabin would be more profitable than 2.

[the penguins]

2 hours ago, pzsdd6 said:

I know this has been hashed out here many times, so much so that the last webinar with the new CEO, this was brought up and she was adamant that this would stop, she even agreed it was wrong!

Well, I guess she just can’t tell the truth! 
This has to do with the highly distasteful practice of gouging solo travelers. According to Celebrities CEO, this issue was addressed many months ago, well not true! See below…….

Before any of the Celebrity cheerleaders pipe up about how cruise lines can do as they please, just stop! This practice is WRONG! Period!

What do you have to say now Laure Hodges Bethge? Seems as though ever since you were made CEO, all you do is piss of cruisers with all of your changes. Do everyone a favor, stop lying and go back to your old job! You clearly don’t have what it takes. Bring back Lisa Lutoff-Perlo! 

My question is this.

What happens if you simply book for 2 people and one is a no show at the port/check in?

If the cabin doesn't get repriced at the port then that seems the simple solution to your issue.

[twincheryl]

Couldn't be more true... I'm starting to look at what I might like to book when the new releases come out for 2026 and the solo price gouging is no better since her ridiculous statement on the webinar, even for 2024 or 2025... not to mention what it will be for 2026.

 

 

[Gracie115]

44 minutes ago, mahasamatman said:

 

That's a very North American perspective. In much of the world, you pay different prices based on occupancy.

Many hotels in North America do too, but again it's not a huge difference in price.  We haven't found any significant difference in hotels in Europe when booking for 1 person or 2 persons.

[Gracie115]

41 minutes ago, C-Dragons said:

Does your hotel booking normally include 3 meals a day, beverages,  and daily entertainment ?

Many include breakfast, happy hour food and full service hotels generally have some entertainment in the evenings.  But OF COURSE it's not the same as being on a ship.  I just didn't think the comparison to a hotel's pricing vs a ships was a good one.

[ngrund]

2 hours ago, pzsdd6 said:

I know this has been hashed out here many times, so much so that the last webinar with the new CEO, this was brought up and she was adamant that this would stop, she even agreed it was wrong!

Well, I guess she just can’t tell the truth! 
This has to do with the highly distasteful practice of gouging solo travelers. According to Celebrities CEO, this issue was addressed many months ago, well not true! See below…….

Before any of the Celebrity cheerleaders pipe up about how cruise lines can do as they please, just stop! This practice is WRONG! Period!

What do you have to say now Laure Hodges Bethge? Seems as though ever since you were made CEO, all you do is piss of cruisers with all of your changes. Do everyone a favor, stop lying and go back to your old job! You clearly don’t have what it takes. Bring back Lisa Lutoff-Perlo! 

The 2nd one has the non-refundable deposit discount, first doesn't.

[the penguins]

6 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

Many hotels in North America do too, but again it's not a huge difference in price.  We haven't found any significant difference in hotels in Europe when booking for 1 person or 2 persons.

then you have been very lucky. There are always complaints about the extra "single supplements" and how even after having paid the supplement the hotel allocates a much inferior room.

 

[jcpc]

13 minutes ago, ngrund said:

The 2nd one has the non-refundable deposit discount, first doesn't.

@ngrund I have found that more times than not when pricing a solo, the option of refundable deposit is not available.  So it appears most times if you want to book as a solo not only are you paying MORE than the normal double rate but you are not given the option of a refundable deposit.  

Edited June 8 by jcpc

[ngrund]

Just now, jcpc said:

@ngrund I have found that more times than not when pricing a solo, the option of non-refundable discount is not available.  So it appears most times if you want to book as a solo not only are you paying MORE than the normal double rate but you are not given the option of a non-refundable deposit.

Oh, ok, Just wanted to make sure that wasn't the issue. I can't stand the deposit BS, but we have to deal with it.

[jcpc]

I just booked a solo rate for a December Apex sailing and the refundable deposit option was not available for my booking, however, the price for a solo Sky Suite was $668 less than if I had booked the Sky Suite at double occupancy (and both the solo and the double pricing was for a non-refundable deposit).  So, in reality, pricing varies from sailing to sailing.  In this instance I did not have to pay any "penalty" for booking solo.......but I was not given a price if I wanted to book a refundable deposit.  Celebrity plays games with their bookings......as I'm betting all cruise lines do.

 

Edited June 8 by jcpc