Single Rates, any suggestions?

[Rdabadie]

Hi all

 

I'm a single traveller here, and usually go on Carnival because they just have the best rates if you don't want to share a cabin (1.5x the 1A Rate). However, there has to be better single rates than the 2x rates I see for RCCL on most of the websites. Do any other single travelers have suggestions for a lower rate? FYI for the first time I may be cruising with a group of friends but still want my own cabin. I think RCCL might be a better option for a diverse group than Carnival.

 

Thanks in advance

 

Rob

 

Regal Empress 7/97, Nordic Empress 10/97, Sensation 11/98, Paradise 11/99, Ecstasy 11/00, Norway 5/01, Triumph 11/01, Explorer of the Seas 9/02, Paradise 5/03, Victory 4/04

[Chillhouse]

Rdabadie:

I haven't tried this but I was told that if you are travelling with friends and there are 3 of your friends in one cabin, the third person in that cabin rebooks to be in your cabin so that, on paper, it will now show 2 in each cabin (instead of 3 in one cabin, and 1 in another cabin). Then after you check in, your friend goes down to the Purser and tells the Purser that he/she wants to be reassigned to the cabin with the other 2 friends. As for the price difference, this is where I get a little confused. As I understand it, if everyone has the same category and for example, the 1st and 2nd person is paying $1100.00 and the third person is paying $700.00, then you as the single, would pay the 1st person rate of $1100.00 plus the difference of $400.00, making your total $1500.00, instead of the double rate of $2200.00. You would pay your friend the $400.00 personally, not through the cruise line, so your friend would still only be paying $700.00 ($1100 to the cruise line and getting a "credit" from you of $400). Hope this makes sense.

And before anyone flames me, I have never done this but was only told about it.

 

Can't wait until.....

Mariner of the Seas 6/27/2004

[hdawson]

Build a relationship with a good travel agent. When they know your taste and likes, knowing that you are a solo traveler, they can let you know when a cruiseline has specials on single fares. I recently booked HAL as a single, for about $700 and ended up having an oceanview cabin . Unfortunately, I became sick and couldn't go. Now completing the travel insurance claim forms.

[mikesteg]

As I understand it, Carnival's rates for OV and above are 200% too. They only give us a break if we're willing to stay in an inside closet.

 

RCCL's Tuesday Happy Hour cruises are usually 150% premium for singles, but that only works if you can book in the last couple of months.

 

Search google. There are a number of pages out there, though most seem to be fee-based clubs or directed at specific groups.

 

There are a couple of links I can send you, but they are related to specific TAs so they'd probably get my posting quarantined. Send me an email at mikesteg AT yahoo (.com).

 

Mike

[Todd320]

As mentioned, RCCL's Tuesday Happy Hour worked for me but it was only 30 days out. I paid no single supplement for AOS in March with cruisequick.

 

Todd

 

 

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[yarlenna]

If a single person checks into a hotel, do they get half off for their room?

Yes, they won't be feeding 2 people, but they also won't have the opportunity to try and sell you wine, beer, souveniers, froo froo drinks, shore excursions etc. During really slow times, cruise lines will offer deals to fill otherwise empty cabins. When it is busy, they want every bed and bunk full if they can get it.

 

Work like a dog. Live like a pauper. Save all your money. Then Cruise!

[D4]

I would advise against trying Chillhouse's strategy above. If you book a cabin at less than full occupancy, the cruise line can bump you into a different cabin that matches how many people you have.

 

Please note that I said CAN. It doesn't always happen, but if it did, your friends that booked a triple would be switched to a cabin for 2.

[axu9914]

There is an agency that offers cruises with no single supplement. It is www.YourOwnCabin.com and they send out a weekly newsletter listing all of the cruises. It is $19.95 for a 6 month subscription. I have been subscribed since mid February and have since booked 2 cruises. It is definately worth the subscription fee. Better than spending hours searching the web for single occupancy specials or hoping my local travel agent would come up with something. My wife and cruise together, but want our own cabins, so we are really happy that we found this site.

[Lois R]

hi, I paid 19.95 but it was for a year's subsription...hmmmm....

 

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[cruisnfool]

I have 2 children...sailed with my single sister.

We set up the cabins like this.....me and hubby and one child in one cabin and sister and one child in the second cabin.

after sailing the child in our cabin wanted to be with brother in other cabin. We never asked or told anyone. Only thing was his charges came on our bill which was ok.

 

First ever European adventure on Splendour of Seas

 

[Lizcourt]

Ironically, some of the best single supplement deals are on the really expensive lines, like Crystal. For certain cabins, they charge only 125% of the double occupancy rates.

 

Of course, their double occupancy rates are sky high to begin with, so even at 125%, you're probably going to be paying a lot more than the 200% that RCCL and Carnival charge for most single bookings.

 

I must go down to the sea again. . . .

 

Countdown to Voyager!

 

 

[mattinla]

RCI is now offering pretty good single rates on slower sailings routinely.. yourowncabin is a good resource, but there are others. The RCI Tuesday happy hour specials always offer 150% single rates.

 

If you like a line like Costa, they often have special single rates, as does HAL.

 

but in general, on a popular ship at a popular time you are going to pay double...

 

And you know the whole "per person" rate is nothing more than marketing. Cruises are expensive, and by advertising a "per person" rate, it sounds more attractive in advertising. No I don't pay half for a hotel room, but hotels do not advertise that way. Tell me, if you're traveling with a spouse, do you each pay half? Of course not. And considering unlimited food is a major expense of the cruise line, they could give singles some sort of break and not lose money. I know when I travel alone, I also tend to spend more on incidentals like drinks, because I'm out being more social. There's give and take.

 

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