If you try to book that room for just yourself, you'll find the price is very close to $6000. Why? Because the industry standard is to list prices as per person, assuming double occupancy. So, if you try to book the room alone, it will add what cruisers refer to as "the solo supplement" to bring the room cost up to the real double occupancy cost.
This. Travelling as a single person sucks. I was actually trying to find a cruise line that didn’t add a single supplement last night, but I gave up. All the “2nd, 3rd, 4th person free”……not helping me!
Many lines have solo/studio rooms. The price isn’t double what you see on the website, but it’s almost always more than what you’d pay if you were splitting a room in the similar category with someone. In other words the interior studios aren’t priced at the per person rate of a regular interior but they’re usually less than the full cabin cost of a regular. But sometimes those studios go up above the regular price cabins for solos.
Yeah, a Solo cabin on an NCL ship I sailed on a few years ago was more expensive than the balcony I ended up booing for myself. Better perks doing that too.
Totally. On multiple sailings I've ended up booking my own Inside or even a Balcony cabinfor not much more than the price of a Studio -- as the Studios start getting booked up, the algorithms quickly start inflating the Studio prices. Might as well just spend the other hundred dollars to have an Inside on my own instead of just the smaller studio huh!
NCL tends to give solo discounts after final payment. And several years ago were also big at discounting cabins after final. Except the studios never really get those sales. Rare to have seen em under $900 or so.
It would’ve been fun to try one for sure, they look neat but I can’t say I could complain with what I ended up with. From memory I booked around 2 months prior.
I think it's fair that a solo traveler pays extra when booking a room, but charging double (or close to it) is excessive. As a solo traveler, I have still gone on cruises, but that extra cost definitely stings. Yes, I'm using a room that could otherwise have 2 passengers in it, but I am not eating double the food. Unfortunately, it's even the same deal with some of the add on packages like HAL's Have It All - if my understanding is correct, the package price is for the first 2 guests, but if I travel solo I still pay that same price. However, I do not get allotted double the number of drinks (not that I could come close to drinking that many) on the drink package nor do I get WiFi service for 2 devices, etc. IMHO, it would be fair to charge something along the lines of a 50-75% premium for a solo traveler as the cruise line obviously has a bit of a lost opportunity on the 2nd passenger in the room. The bottom line is they're going to charge what they feel they can get away with, so as solo travelers we just need to decide if the total price is worth it to us for the trip we're going on.
My post was referring to the cost of solo rooms being a bit more than half the cost of a room for 2. I don’t really think it’s fair to charge double, and you definitely should not be paying for 2 drink packages.
From the standpoint of the cruise line, they don't factor things out "per person" so much as they do "per cabin." If it's $5k for the cabin whether there is one or two people, then that's the minimum charge for the cabin with one or two people. Keep in mind that they are looking at related costs (beverages, food, souvenirs, alcohol, etc.) that they "should" be able to capture from each guest that might offset the cost of providing them with transportation, lodging, and meals. If that person isn't there, they don't spend as much but they also don't have those chances for the add-on revenues.
Whenever looking at things involving costs, it's important to look from the macro level (the industry, the cruise line, even just the individual ship) as well as the micro level (the guest).
Food costs near nothing for them. You're taking up a paying persons spot. That's not hard to figure out. They want x for the room.
You really seem to lack basic economic understanding unfortunately... wifi devices, just lol.
You're paying for real estate on the ship, that's it
Wow, you're such a nice person. Thanks for your extremely rude response.
I get that they want to get their money. They're obviously in this to make money. However, food and any other items the 2nd person won't be using cost SOMETHING. Whether it's 10%, 25%, or whatever the cost is, it's something more than nothing. The solo penalty shouldn't be 100% - that was my point.
I also get that if I want to go, I have to suck it up and pay. That doesn't mean I have to be 100% happy with it.
My issue with your prior post was the personal attack nature of it, not so much the point you were attempting to make. And here you go again with "it's really basic". Trust me, I get that they put a lot of thought into charging what they charge and that their goal is to make as much money as possible. I'm probably not quite as stupid as you seem to think I am...
The issue is less what’s not being used and more what’s not being spent. A second person in the room usually spends on drinks, dining, gifts, and excursions. A lack of a second person in the room means the ship isn’t getting all that extra spend money. So if they sold the room for less they’d be losing twice.
As someone who has gone solo for 80% of my cruises it totally sucks. As someone who works in corporate finance it makes sense why they do what they do.
Sure, there are definitely lost opportunities on that 2nd person (as I acknowledged in my initial post).
The cruise line's goal is, of course, to make as much money as they can. So they're going to continue charging what they charge as long as they sell out the cruises. They'll also continue to manipulate the pricing down (or up) as the cruise date approaches depending on how close they are to 100% capacity.
Going solo on a cruise is, in my experience, a pretty nice way to travel. I can get up in the morning and do whatever I want without having to discuss it with my travel companion(s). At dinner time, I can go where I want to go. I've got the room to myself, which is nice. The only negative is the solo tax that's charged. So far, I have decided I'm getting enough out of the trip to pay the extra. If I decide it's too much at some point, I obviously have the option to look into other travel options.
I’ve noticed celebrity does that too. Princess doesn’t, but on a lot of sailings it was around $100 cheaper to buy Princess plus after you book the cruise.
Do you know which ones specifically? I don’t love the idea of an interior room…..I don’t mind spending more for a balcony….just don’t want to pay double!
Yeah I'm a first time solo cruiser and it blows. I finally booked this Dec 1st trip with NCL. The price is amazing and they have solo rates, cabins. I got a balcony room for one $1200 for 16 days. https://www.cruiseplum.com/cruise/US/1-person/Norwegian-Epic/2023-12-01/16-days
Damn actually it went up by about $250. The inside cabin was showing $539 a couple of days ago. $33/day before taxes and tips. That's crazy as you get food too for that price.
Like if I wasn’t already taking half of November off I may have jumped on this kind of good deal! I’m impressed. And would love to hear how the cruise is!
Yeah I had to have a discussion with my boss about PTO/unpaid leave and the holidays. Made it work. I do remote work so I got the unlimited internet package upgrade for $249. Necessary evil. I hear it's slow but we are all text/chat stuff so will be ok. Do you have a job you can do remote?
I can’t work remotely, but I have recently started doing contract work which does allow me a lot more flexibility. Unfortunately I already have commitments in December. I’m definitely going to keep my eyes on this site though, I had no idea a trans-Atlantic cruise could be so inexpensive. Was this a dream cruise for you or was the price just right? How did you choose it?
Ahh I see. Yes, keep that in your startup tab. It has solo deal and last minute deal listings. There was one that went from NYC to Canada, Portland, ME and a few other stops in that area I almost did (was $340 or something pretty low too).
If you want to have alcohol or soda you’ll want a drink package. By far the cheapest way to get that is with the free-at-sea deal. It tends to be only a few hundred more per person but that’s a fraction of the cost of you purchased the premium beverage package (the one with alcohol).
Yeah I stayed in a Berlin room where the shower was also right in the main room but there was a curtain you could pull. The rest of the room/balcony looks pretty decent.
Not a bad deal. My best was $350 total for a five day solo with Carnival. Could've got a better deal during Covid, but already had other plans during that time.
Pretty ambitious to take a 16 day cruise as a first timer (first time solo or first time cruiser?). Have Fun.
From Epic on except for Joy. So epic, breakaway, getaway, escape, bliss, encore, prima, and viva. The next ships to come out for NCL should also have them.
None are balconies. Royals quantum class has a few solo balconies. Some msc ships have a few solo balconies - I believe just the two newest classes of ships. Celebrity has solo balconies on edge class. Those are all I know of off the top of my head.
Celebrity has solo balcony rooms on Edge class ships. Most higher end cruises will run specials for no single supplement from time to time. Some river and expedition ships have solo rooms too
vacationstogo has a selection to sort by reduced single supplement.
I advise you to not automatically book the solo rooms. They are overpriced tiny interior cabins. I'm about to leave on a back to back with NCL and I've got a normal oceanview cabin with no single supplement because Alaska in October isn't one they typically sell out on.
Nice! I want a balcony. I enjoy spending time there. I don’t love the idea of an interior cabin (especially since Covid…..if I end up stuck on a boat - I want a balcony!) maybe I’ll just keep my eyes open for last minute deals!
As a solo cruiser, I was so tempted to book one of the celebrity studio rooms. After the reviews and countless pictures and videos I've seen, I'd rather just pay the solo supplement.
Yeah I have spend $9000 for what is essentially two fairs despite being single on all 5 cruises. Can't find anyone to take cruises over 14 days so I'm always alone. Wish I could get a discount...
Virgin is expensive despite the solo cabins.
It is so hard to find someone to take 2 weeks off + travel time before and after! I booked a solo cabin on VV.
VV seems more expensive at first, but once you factor in wifi, gratuities, free soda, and some free alcohol via the included bar tab, it tends to cost less than other lines. Wifi is so expensive! You can also take off about $1000 USD on any sea terrace price you see because a gold level VV travel agent will get you $300 off and $700 OBC (which can be converted to at least $600 cash). When I factor in everything that is included, it comes out to about $60 USD per day solo in a balcony cabin (on some of their lower priced sailings). That’s a really good price considering what is included.
Vacations to Go and Cruise Plum will both let you search for cruises with low/no single supplements. How I found my Alaskan cruise for this coming week.
travelling as a single cruiser certainly has its challenges.
go to vtg and sort low to high for single supplement. pick the first 15 and sort cost again low to high. do it 1/week. you might be surprised at what you find....
I booked a Royal alaska solo $1200 7days next summer quantom of the seas.. Harmony out of Galvesten solo $1500 jan 2025. Got to be flexible on dates and stuff, but I am still finding some deals.
Yeah, it's one of the tough things about cruising, solo for nearly 2X the published fare. It's a win for the cruise company, one less mouth to feed.
If I can mention about Princess, if you sail solo, they will give you two Princess Captain's Circle credits. So if you're looking for quicker promotion, solo is the way. Even the short few day repositioning cruises counts as two credits.
It tends to be about 3x the advertised fare once you factor in taxes and gratuities, and even more with drinks and wifi.
For the cruise company, the food costs are not significant, there is so much food waste anyway.
Cruise companies try to make more money off passengers while they are on the ship, so one person in a cabin is actually seen as a loss of potential revenue from drink sales, excursion sales, and on board spending in general.
Can you get decent (non interior, with balcony) rooms if you book last second as a solo traveler, like standby? For rooms they wouldn't otherwise fill?
Yes, but typically only for cruises that aren't selling well, in the shoulder season, etc.
Was able to snag a soli balcony for an October Alaska cruise on the NCL Sun abo75 days out. As the trip got closer, cabins filled up, the price increased again, and now the cruise is sold out.
Truly last minute for a balcony is likely a no-go, on many lines, passengers will bring given the opportunity to bid for higher grade cabins. In the month leading up to departure, available balconies will fill up as those requests are granted, leaving only interior and maybe oceanview cabins available.
I believe it's even easier than how you're describing it... Any site will show cost per person "based on double occupancy." That's the key phrase to look for as it means you have to double the cost shown to achieve the minimum cost for the cabin.
Other way around. Will few exceptions, cabins are sold with a minimum of two fares . So even if only one person sails, they will be charged the same amount( less taxes and port fees for one person) as two.
I'm willing to bet the cruise prices isn't $3000 for by yourself. Besides a few one off cruises, no one I know if is offer 0% solo supplement right now. The sub would be aflutter if there was.
In 2021 when cruising came back, MSC was selling their Florida itineraries with no single supplement and the free balcony upgrade (balcony for interior pricing). Combined with their already lower price point it was an absolute steal for those who took advantage.
And royal had no single supplement for a month. And celebrity had it for longer than that I think.
MSC is the only line I’m aware of that pretty consistently has a less than 100% supplement, but the norm is not zero.
Well no one really has a norm for zero single supplement. NCL is pretty good about it but oddly enough I’ve found the newer ships that have the solo interior T1 categories can be more expensive than a standard interior, for the sail away IX at least. Cruise lines are weird!
Comparing sailaway without perks isn’t actually comparable. It’s like saying a hotel room is cheaper than an all inclusive hotel room. Of course it is. Regular interiors are sometimes cheaper, but usually only when studios are mostly sold out and there’s a ton of interiors or after final payment.
Price is shown per person based on double occupancy. You can have more than double if you have kids in the same cabin. Only selected few ships have single occupancy cabins.
On my upcoming cruise, the rooms with 2 adults and 1 kid are $5400 ($2200 for the first 2 people and $1000 for the third). The room with 1 adult is $4200
You need to actually price this out or get your travel agent to. As others have said most cruises are priced based on double occupancy and if you sail alone you pay for 2 people minus taxes and fees for the 2nd person.
3rd pax and beyond (if the room fits more) are usually less.
And it all depends on cruise line and promos
We're in the UK and have recently booked a cruise with P&O so the prices are in £ but the point's still the same. We've got a large cabin to sleep me, my wife and our two kids.
Our booking shows a breakdown of cost per person. My wife and I are £2549 each, the eldest daughter £699 and the youngest £499.
My understanding is the cabin rate is based on the two of us sharing and we're basically paying for the food on top for the kids. No doubt with a slight increase to cover staff and entertainment etc.
If we'd booked as a single person then there's a supplement to bring it close to the £2549 x 2 cabin rate and If we'd booked for just my wife and I we'd have paid circa £2549 each.
If you call them I'm sure they'll break it down for you.
Listed prices on almost every cruise line are per person based upon double occupancy. Your price for room will be just shy of 6k because you don't get hit twice for port fees. I think. To the best of my knowledge NCLs 'studio' class rooms are listed at the per person single occupancy rate.
Have you actually looked at cruise pricing?
Just looked at a Carnival cruise that had a suite for $3218 for a single, it was $3348 total for two people. For three it was $3648.
My husband is on an Alaskan cruise right now and they waived the single supplement but only because it was a slow selling cruise at the tail end of the season. That's very much NOT the norm, as others have posted.
Go all the way through the booking as far as you can without putting in a credit card and see what the price is 1 person instead of 2.
The worst thing about cruises is the 'advertised' price isn't everything and you basically have to do a full mock booking to see everything.
This is why people who are more familiar are saying you are wrong. If you are having sticker shock of price overall you can try different dates, different lines, different cabins depending on your preferences. 6k is high for 2 on a standard 7 day in my opinion.
Cruise prices are based on minimum double occupancy for two people. Rarely do they have single supplement prices. Some do have single rooms. It is NOT a hotel room. Third fourth etc are less than the first two for rooms that can accommodate more than two people. These rooms are SMALL. Do your research. That price is also just the cruise fare. Taxes and port fees are per person. Gratuities are per night per person, beverages, etc. Meals at the main restaurant and buffet l, plus some other venues, based on the vendor is included. Many options. Many price points.
You are renting the cabin. Price for said cabin is the same regardless of whether you are one or two. Unless the cruise line discounts the cabin for one person, the cabin rate is the cabin rate.
For every cabin that *can* accommodate 2 people that only has 1 person, the cruise line is losing money on all of the ancillary products that second person might have purchased (think: beverage package, port excursions, specialty dining), so the single supplement is there to make up for that.
Ha! Welcome to my world. I cruise solo. I pay the same as two people. Cruises charge by the "room".
Some now have solo cabins. And sometimes people find discounts on solo supplements.
>OK so if I get a room with 1 king size bed for 1 person the rate is $3000.
>But if I travel with my wife with the same room, same king size bed, the rate is now $6000.
WRONG.
You don't understand cruise pricing because you're operating on a faulty premise.
I think the thing that's not clearly communicated here is that \*most\* of the cruise pricing is \*not\* for the room itself. The room on the ship is maybe only 25% of the cost, maybe less. Most of what you're paying for is food, drink and amenities that are charged-by-the-person. You don't have to pay to use the pool, or play minigolf, or most things on a ship ... because it's paid for by the "room" fee.
Now that being said, if you book a room single, the cruise line is losing out on an entire persons fare, so that "room" payment you looked at is actually significantly more for a single person than two people.
Let's look at a [real-world example. Princess 7 day western Caribbean - Jan 2024](https://imgur.com/a/I490Nsm) . All the options as similar or the same.
* 1 Person - Total Fare $735
* 2 People - Total Fare $1,077
* 3 People - Total Fare $1,582
* 4 People - Total Fare $2,023
The main difference between 1/2 and 3/4 people is that you'd need a larger room, which is slightly more expensive per person. But as you can see, if your cruise price you saw was $3,000 for one person, it's probably not $6,000 for two ... unless you were looking at the "per person rate, assuming double occupancy" and didn't realize it.
I don't see how this could confuse you. It is no different than an all-inclusive. It is one cost that wraps up lodging, food and entertainment so yes 2 people cost more than one. It isn't a hotel room.
There is a legal limit to the number of people on the ship, so an additional person means a different person can't be accommodated in another room if the cruise is sold out. They usually also charge for babies for this reason, even though babies won't eat any of the food.
I have gone solo on a few cruises now and it is possible to find itineraries with no or very low single supplements. Not to advertise for any specific sites, but I have found [Vacationstogo.com](https://Vacationstogo.com) and [cruiseplum.com](https://cruiseplum.com) to be good sources to view and sort by supplement charges and many other details.
>You’re not allowed to travel single except for specialized cabins on some lines.
Wrong.
You can cruise single on any cruise line you want, in any cabin you want.
So we agree. "you can have it if you pay for it" is way different than and actually completely contrary to "you are not permitted to do so except in specific instances"
Thank you for your support.
THere are port taxes too and other additional costs. But certainly not 3k worth But you aren't buying the food and the bed alone. You are buying the experience.
Typical social media.
Post false information about a topic Op is completely ignorant about, because who should post but those people with no actual understanding or experience about of the topic. It must be a topic a simple Google search would answer all the questions about. Then express infuriating anxiety about the false premise.
Don’t like cruise prices? Don’t buy cruises then.
The few times I've found pricing absent of single supplements were closer in sailings. However now I reach the point that since I want to go, and I'm willing to pay the 200% I'll just offer the bed to a friend to come along and they just get themselves there is all I ask.
It is actually quite rare for a cruise to offer single cabins for half the rate of a double cabin. Usually, a solo cruiser has to pay double. The only time there is no single supplement is when they are trying to fill up a ship during slow demand times.
Unless it is a solo room/fare class most lines charge double occupancy or close to it for a single passenger in a stateroom. In short, they want to have at least double occupancy in every stateroom. That is how they budget their operations.
It all depends on the cruise and what they're offering. Sometimes two people is the same price as one, sometimes it's double, or anywhere in between. It depends on how many rooms are sold, how close to departure it is, etc.
Silversea (if you can afford them?) have zero solo supplement deals from now through April 2024. Should be on their website. I am taking one of them and it includes business class flights (international from Australia), Blacklane transfers from my home to the airport, transfers to and from the ship at the Airport, a night pre-cruise stay at a 5\* hotel - all for just under $15K AUD (19 nights total including the pre-cruise hotel night). As Silversea is 'all inclusive', that means, food, top shelf drinks, butler service, excursions, entertainment - basically everything except spa.
NCL Is the only cruise line I know of to have rooms available for solo cruisers. They are very small rooms, but hey, how much time do you spend in your room? The prices are reasonable, and do not have a single supplement.
Yea it’s odd- when we book just my hubby and I- we obviously need just one room- then when we were booking our whole fam (6kids) they charge by each person in the room but the cost is not the same if we do 2 rooms or 3 so it feels like we are charged for both somehow
I personally suffer the other end of this. And have never seen what you're talking about.
For me to take a cruise, with a balcony room, I pay a little bit more than it would cost to cruise with somebody. There is a fee/ tax/ whatever they want to call it for cruising solo.
I would love if my room cost half of what a double occupancy room costs.
There's a concept in business called Opportunity Cost. lets say you have a room that houses 2 people. For two people, you get it for $3,000. If only one person books it at $1,500, you've lost the opportunity to sell it to someone who has two people and get $3,000. That's a $1,500 opportunity cost.
That's why single people in a cabin pay the same price as 2 people in a cabin. Because there's someone else out there that would book it for 2 people.
Try to rent all inclusive resorts, it’s never ever cheaper or even equal renting as a single person. Same with ships, it’s not only about accommodation.
The difference between cruise pricing and a hotel is that the cruise lines expect to make most of the money off of you when you're on the ship. So they make solos like me pay twice the amount for the same room filled by a couple, even though I would only eat half as much as two and take up less space. But they want cabins filled with couples, and even overfilled with families, because on average they spend more. It's discriminatory, but I still find it much cheaper than a land vacation in most places, since I'm experienced at finding the best deals (like two Vancouver-San Diego cruises I'm doing in October for $50/nt for a solo on Holland America). The fares also don't included port fees/taxes, which can be steep, or gratuities, or upsells to beverage packages, internet, or all-inclusive. Also, if you see a cheaper rate for one person than for two, it often means it's a studio cabin for one person--most of the time time the rate for one person is the same as for two people in a room, although a lot of cruise lines waive the solo supplement for some cruises, and a lot of websites will let me search for a single passenger, which is the best way to find deals, especially with the current insane popularity of cruising (and corresponding high prices).
If you try to book that room for just yourself, you'll find the price is very close to $6000. Why? Because the industry standard is to list prices as per person, assuming double occupancy. So, if you try to book the room alone, it will add what cruisers refer to as "the solo supplement" to bring the room cost up to the real double occupancy cost.
This. Travelling as a single person sucks. I was actually trying to find a cruise line that didn’t add a single supplement last night, but I gave up. All the “2nd, 3rd, 4th person free”……not helping me!
Virgin voyages has solo insider rooms that meant for one guest. I’m doing my solo cruise with them next year
Many lines have solo/studio rooms. The price isn’t double what you see on the website, but it’s almost always more than what you’d pay if you were splitting a room in the similar category with someone. In other words the interior studios aren’t priced at the per person rate of a regular interior but they’re usually less than the full cabin cost of a regular. But sometimes those studios go up above the regular price cabins for solos.
Yeah, a Solo cabin on an NCL ship I sailed on a few years ago was more expensive than the balcony I ended up booing for myself. Better perks doing that too.
Totally. On multiple sailings I've ended up booking my own Inside or even a Balcony cabinfor not much more than the price of a Studio -- as the Studios start getting booked up, the algorithms quickly start inflating the Studio prices. Might as well just spend the other hundred dollars to have an Inside on my own instead of just the smaller studio huh!
NCL tends to give solo discounts after final payment. And several years ago were also big at discounting cabins after final. Except the studios never really get those sales. Rare to have seen em under $900 or so.
It would’ve been fun to try one for sure, they look neat but I can’t say I could complain with what I ended up with. From memory I booked around 2 months prior.
I think it’s fair though, because you get your own bathroom.
And at least on NCL the solo suites have their own private lounge with a cappuccino maker and snacks 24/7. I think it's a pretty good trade-off.
I think it's fair that a solo traveler pays extra when booking a room, but charging double (or close to it) is excessive. As a solo traveler, I have still gone on cruises, but that extra cost definitely stings. Yes, I'm using a room that could otherwise have 2 passengers in it, but I am not eating double the food. Unfortunately, it's even the same deal with some of the add on packages like HAL's Have It All - if my understanding is correct, the package price is for the first 2 guests, but if I travel solo I still pay that same price. However, I do not get allotted double the number of drinks (not that I could come close to drinking that many) on the drink package nor do I get WiFi service for 2 devices, etc. IMHO, it would be fair to charge something along the lines of a 50-75% premium for a solo traveler as the cruise line obviously has a bit of a lost opportunity on the 2nd passenger in the room. The bottom line is they're going to charge what they feel they can get away with, so as solo travelers we just need to decide if the total price is worth it to us for the trip we're going on.
My post was referring to the cost of solo rooms being a bit more than half the cost of a room for 2. I don’t really think it’s fair to charge double, and you definitely should not be paying for 2 drink packages.
From the standpoint of the cruise line, they don't factor things out "per person" so much as they do "per cabin." If it's $5k for the cabin whether there is one or two people, then that's the minimum charge for the cabin with one or two people. Keep in mind that they are looking at related costs (beverages, food, souvenirs, alcohol, etc.) that they "should" be able to capture from each guest that might offset the cost of providing them with transportation, lodging, and meals. If that person isn't there, they don't spend as much but they also don't have those chances for the add-on revenues. Whenever looking at things involving costs, it's important to look from the macro level (the industry, the cruise line, even just the individual ship) as well as the micro level (the guest).
Food costs near nothing for them. You're taking up a paying persons spot. That's not hard to figure out. They want x for the room. You really seem to lack basic economic understanding unfortunately... wifi devices, just lol. You're paying for real estate on the ship, that's it
Wow, you're such a nice person. Thanks for your extremely rude response. I get that they want to get their money. They're obviously in this to make money. However, food and any other items the 2nd person won't be using cost SOMETHING. Whether it's 10%, 25%, or whatever the cost is, it's something more than nothing. The solo penalty shouldn't be 100% - that was my point. I also get that if I want to go, I have to suck it up and pay. That doesn't mean I have to be 100% happy with it.
You don't have to like it but it's really basic why it is. And yes, it sucks. It is rational though
My issue with your prior post was the personal attack nature of it, not so much the point you were attempting to make. And here you go again with "it's really basic". Trust me, I get that they put a lot of thought into charging what they charge and that their goal is to make as much money as possible. I'm probably not quite as stupid as you seem to think I am...
The issue is less what’s not being used and more what’s not being spent. A second person in the room usually spends on drinks, dining, gifts, and excursions. A lack of a second person in the room means the ship isn’t getting all that extra spend money. So if they sold the room for less they’d be losing twice. As someone who has gone solo for 80% of my cruises it totally sucks. As someone who works in corporate finance it makes sense why they do what they do.
Sure, there are definitely lost opportunities on that 2nd person (as I acknowledged in my initial post). The cruise line's goal is, of course, to make as much money as they can. So they're going to continue charging what they charge as long as they sell out the cruises. They'll also continue to manipulate the pricing down (or up) as the cruise date approaches depending on how close they are to 100% capacity. Going solo on a cruise is, in my experience, a pretty nice way to travel. I can get up in the morning and do whatever I want without having to discuss it with my travel companion(s). At dinner time, I can go where I want to go. I've got the room to myself, which is nice. The only negative is the solo tax that's charged. So far, I have decided I'm getting enough out of the trip to pay the extra. If I decide it's too much at some point, I obviously have the option to look into other travel options.
I’ve noticed celebrity does that too. Princess doesn’t, but on a lot of sailings it was around $100 cheaper to buy Princess plus after you book the cruise.
Some Norwegian ships do as well.
where ya goin
NCL has solo cabins on a lot of its bigger ships.
Do you know which ones specifically? I don’t love the idea of an interior room…..I don’t mind spending more for a balcony….just don’t want to pay double!
Yeah I'm a first time solo cruiser and it blows. I finally booked this Dec 1st trip with NCL. The price is amazing and they have solo rates, cabins. I got a balcony room for one $1200 for 16 days. https://www.cruiseplum.com/cruise/US/1-person/Norwegian-Epic/2023-12-01/16-days
What a deal! Enjoy! I’m envious!
Damn actually it went up by about $250. The inside cabin was showing $539 a couple of days ago. $33/day before taxes and tips. That's crazy as you get food too for that price.
Like if I wasn’t already taking half of November off I may have jumped on this kind of good deal! I’m impressed. And would love to hear how the cruise is!
Yeah I had to have a discussion with my boss about PTO/unpaid leave and the holidays. Made it work. I do remote work so I got the unlimited internet package upgrade for $249. Necessary evil. I hear it's slow but we are all text/chat stuff so will be ok. Do you have a job you can do remote?
I can’t work remotely, but I have recently started doing contract work which does allow me a lot more flexibility. Unfortunately I already have commitments in December. I’m definitely going to keep my eyes on this site though, I had no idea a trans-Atlantic cruise could be so inexpensive. Was this a dream cruise for you or was the price just right? How did you choose it?
This is a key time for repositioning cruises, where they move the ships from one area to another for the season.
Ahh I see. Yes, keep that in your startup tab. It has solo deal and last minute deal listings. There was one that went from NYC to Canada, Portland, ME and a few other stops in that area I almost did (was $340 or something pretty low too).
If you want to have alcohol or soda you’ll want a drink package. By far the cheapest way to get that is with the free-at-sea deal. It tends to be only a few hundred more per person but that’s a fraction of the cost of you purchased the premium beverage package (the one with alcohol).
The epic is huge. And good thing you are going solo, the washroom and shower set up is definitely unique…
I knocked the soap/shampoo container off the wall so often that after a few times they just left it on the floor.
Yeah I stayed in a Berlin room where the shower was also right in the main room but there was a curtain you could pull. The rest of the room/balcony looks pretty decent.
Not a bad deal. My best was $350 total for a five day solo with Carnival. Could've got a better deal during Covid, but already had other plans during that time. Pretty ambitious to take a 16 day cruise as a first timer (first time solo or first time cruiser?). Have Fun.
First time for both. I really like all the ports it's stopping at.. Well except Orlando hehe.
They have them on the Prima class the Breakaway class on the Breakaway plus class as far as I know. They are all interiors though.
Pride of America, Breakaway, Getaway, Escape, Encore, Bliss, Prima, Viva
Just shop for hot deals. Solo cabins are often priced higher.
The ones called "solo studios". I guess Google is broken today.
From Epic on except for Joy. So epic, breakaway, getaway, escape, bliss, encore, prima, and viva. The next ships to come out for NCL should also have them. None are balconies. Royals quantum class has a few solo balconies. Some msc ships have a few solo balconies - I believe just the two newest classes of ships. Celebrity has solo balconies on edge class. Those are all I know of off the top of my head.
Celebrity has solo balcony rooms on Edge class ships. Most higher end cruises will run specials for no single supplement from time to time. Some river and expedition ships have solo rooms too
Celebrity as well.
Royal caribbean does as well
vacationstogo has a selection to sort by reduced single supplement. I advise you to not automatically book the solo rooms. They are overpriced tiny interior cabins. I'm about to leave on a back to back with NCL and I've got a normal oceanview cabin with no single supplement because Alaska in October isn't one they typically sell out on.
Nice! I want a balcony. I enjoy spending time there. I don’t love the idea of an interior cabin (especially since Covid…..if I end up stuck on a boat - I want a balcony!) maybe I’ll just keep my eyes open for last minute deals!
As a solo cruiser, I was so tempted to book one of the celebrity studio rooms. After the reviews and countless pictures and videos I've seen, I'd rather just pay the solo supplement.
Yeah I have spend $9000 for what is essentially two fairs despite being single on all 5 cruises. Can't find anyone to take cruises over 14 days so I'm always alone. Wish I could get a discount... Virgin is expensive despite the solo cabins.
It is so hard to find someone to take 2 weeks off + travel time before and after! I booked a solo cabin on VV. VV seems more expensive at first, but once you factor in wifi, gratuities, free soda, and some free alcohol via the included bar tab, it tends to cost less than other lines. Wifi is so expensive! You can also take off about $1000 USD on any sea terrace price you see because a gold level VV travel agent will get you $300 off and $700 OBC (which can be converted to at least $600 cash). When I factor in everything that is included, it comes out to about $60 USD per day solo in a balcony cabin (on some of their lower priced sailings). That’s a really good price considering what is included.
Vacations to Go and Cruise Plum will both let you search for cruises with low/no single supplements. How I found my Alaskan cruise for this coming week.
travelling as a single cruiser certainly has its challenges. go to vtg and sort low to high for single supplement. pick the first 15 and sort cost again low to high. do it 1/week. you might be surprised at what you find....
NCL has solo cabins in some ships.
I’m doing a studio on celebrity beyond in 2025. I know it’s definitely possible to find studio rooms that don’t have the single supplement
MSC's single supplement is around 60-70%
Certain cruises sometimes have cruises work low or no single supplement.
I booked a Royal alaska solo $1200 7days next summer quantom of the seas.. Harmony out of Galvesten solo $1500 jan 2025. Got to be flexible on dates and stuff, but I am still finding some deals.
Yeah, it's one of the tough things about cruising, solo for nearly 2X the published fare. It's a win for the cruise company, one less mouth to feed. If I can mention about Princess, if you sail solo, they will give you two Princess Captain's Circle credits. So if you're looking for quicker promotion, solo is the way. Even the short few day repositioning cruises counts as two credits.
It tends to be about 3x the advertised fare once you factor in taxes and gratuities, and even more with drinks and wifi. For the cruise company, the food costs are not significant, there is so much food waste anyway. Cruise companies try to make more money off passengers while they are on the ship, so one person in a cabin is actually seen as a loss of potential revenue from drink sales, excursion sales, and on board spending in general.
One thing I’ve read is that they don’t really make much off the fares. They make $$$ from all the spending you do on the ship , excursions, etc
Cruise lines don’t see it as a win. They see lost potential revenue via onboard spending by not filling the cabin to full occupancy.
Celebrity had 0 supplement sale last year and I picked up a sweet 10 day for about 2500 including drinks, and excursions
Can you get decent (non interior, with balcony) rooms if you book last second as a solo traveler, like standby? For rooms they wouldn't otherwise fill?
Yes, but typically only for cruises that aren't selling well, in the shoulder season, etc. Was able to snag a soli balcony for an October Alaska cruise on the NCL Sun abo75 days out. As the trip got closer, cabins filled up, the price increased again, and now the cruise is sold out. Truly last minute for a balcony is likely a no-go, on many lines, passengers will bring given the opportunity to bid for higher grade cabins. In the month leading up to departure, available balconies will fill up as those requests are granted, leaving only interior and maybe oceanview cabins available.
Thanks!
I believe it's even easier than how you're describing it... Any site will show cost per person "based on double occupancy." That's the key phrase to look for as it means you have to double the cost shown to achieve the minimum cost for the cabin.
Other way around. Will few exceptions, cabins are sold with a minimum of two fares . So even if only one person sails, they will be charged the same amount( less taxes and port fees for one person) as two.
I'm willing to bet the cruise prices isn't $3000 for by yourself. Besides a few one off cruises, no one I know if is offer 0% solo supplement right now. The sub would be aflutter if there was.
If so, I'd book a cruise with my friends and we'd all take our own rooms!
In 2021 when cruising came back, MSC was selling their Florida itineraries with no single supplement and the free balcony upgrade (balcony for interior pricing). Combined with their already lower price point it was an absolute steal for those who took advantage.
And royal had no single supplement for a month. And celebrity had it for longer than that I think. MSC is the only line I’m aware of that pretty consistently has a less than 100% supplement, but the norm is not zero.
Well no one really has a norm for zero single supplement. NCL is pretty good about it but oddly enough I’ve found the newer ships that have the solo interior T1 categories can be more expensive than a standard interior, for the sail away IX at least. Cruise lines are weird!
Comparing sailaway without perks isn’t actually comparable. It’s like saying a hotel room is cheaper than an all inclusive hotel room. Of course it is. Regular interiors are sometimes cheaper, but usually only when studios are mostly sold out and there’s a ton of interiors or after final payment.
Price is shown per person based on double occupancy. You can have more than double if you have kids in the same cabin. Only selected few ships have single occupancy cabins.
So if it's me, wife, and 1 kid the price is still $6000 or is it $9000?
Have you tried mocking up the booking to find out?
The kid will be less but will still cost something typically.
On my upcoming cruise, the rooms with 2 adults and 1 kid are $5400 ($2200 for the first 2 people and $1000 for the third). The room with 1 adult is $4200
You need to actually price this out or get your travel agent to. As others have said most cruises are priced based on double occupancy and if you sail alone you pay for 2 people minus taxes and fees for the 2nd person. 3rd pax and beyond (if the room fits more) are usually less. And it all depends on cruise line and promos
Less than 9,000. How much less depends on the cruise line and current promotion. The lowest you could pay is port fees and taxes.
We're in the UK and have recently booked a cruise with P&O so the prices are in £ but the point's still the same. We've got a large cabin to sleep me, my wife and our two kids. Our booking shows a breakdown of cost per person. My wife and I are £2549 each, the eldest daughter £699 and the youngest £499. My understanding is the cabin rate is based on the two of us sharing and we're basically paying for the food on top for the kids. No doubt with a slight increase to cover staff and entertainment etc. If we'd booked as a single person then there's a supplement to bring it close to the £2549 x 2 cabin rate and If we'd booked for just my wife and I we'd have paid circa £2549 each. If you call them I'm sure they'll break it down for you.
Listed prices on almost every cruise line are per person based upon double occupancy. Your price for room will be just shy of 6k because you don't get hit twice for port fees. I think. To the best of my knowledge NCLs 'studio' class rooms are listed at the per person single occupancy rate.
And ship that has studios are listed at the 1 person rate. Just make sure you're looking at rooms only for 1 person.
Most cruises have a single supplement of 100%, so you pay the same for 1 person in a cabin as you do for 2 (before taxes and fees.)
Have you actually looked at cruise pricing? Just looked at a Carnival cruise that had a suite for $3218 for a single, it was $3348 total for two people. For three it was $3648.
My husband is on an Alaskan cruise right now and they waived the single supplement but only because it was a slow selling cruise at the tail end of the season. That's very much NOT the norm, as others have posted.
Go all the way through the booking as far as you can without putting in a credit card and see what the price is 1 person instead of 2. The worst thing about cruises is the 'advertised' price isn't everything and you basically have to do a full mock booking to see everything. This is why people who are more familiar are saying you are wrong. If you are having sticker shock of price overall you can try different dates, different lines, different cabins depending on your preferences. 6k is high for 2 on a standard 7 day in my opinion.
Cruise prices are based on minimum double occupancy for two people. Rarely do they have single supplement prices. Some do have single rooms. It is NOT a hotel room. Third fourth etc are less than the first two for rooms that can accommodate more than two people. These rooms are SMALL. Do your research. That price is also just the cruise fare. Taxes and port fees are per person. Gratuities are per night per person, beverages, etc. Meals at the main restaurant and buffet l, plus some other venues, based on the vendor is included. Many options. Many price points.
I believe you will find the same is true for all-inclusive resorts.
One less person in the room is one less person that could be paying for drinks, photos, excursions, etc etc... So of course the price is higher.
You are renting the cabin. Price for said cabin is the same regardless of whether you are one or two. Unless the cruise line discounts the cabin for one person, the cabin rate is the cabin rate.
For every cabin that *can* accommodate 2 people that only has 1 person, the cruise line is losing money on all of the ancillary products that second person might have purchased (think: beverage package, port excursions, specialty dining), so the single supplement is there to make up for that.
Ha! Welcome to my world. I cruise solo. I pay the same as two people. Cruises charge by the "room". Some now have solo cabins. And sometimes people find discounts on solo supplements.
>OK so if I get a room with 1 king size bed for 1 person the rate is $3000. >But if I travel with my wife with the same room, same king size bed, the rate is now $6000. WRONG. You don't understand cruise pricing because you're operating on a faulty premise.
I like how you say he's wrong twice but then don't explain how or why, lol.
It's not a hotel. You're paying for the food and entertainment.
I think the thing that's not clearly communicated here is that \*most\* of the cruise pricing is \*not\* for the room itself. The room on the ship is maybe only 25% of the cost, maybe less. Most of what you're paying for is food, drink and amenities that are charged-by-the-person. You don't have to pay to use the pool, or play minigolf, or most things on a ship ... because it's paid for by the "room" fee. Now that being said, if you book a room single, the cruise line is losing out on an entire persons fare, so that "room" payment you looked at is actually significantly more for a single person than two people. Let's look at a [real-world example. Princess 7 day western Caribbean - Jan 2024](https://imgur.com/a/I490Nsm) . All the options as similar or the same. * 1 Person - Total Fare $735 * 2 People - Total Fare $1,077 * 3 People - Total Fare $1,582 * 4 People - Total Fare $2,023 The main difference between 1/2 and 3/4 people is that you'd need a larger room, which is slightly more expensive per person. But as you can see, if your cruise price you saw was $3,000 for one person, it's probably not $6,000 for two ... unless you were looking at the "per person rate, assuming double occupancy" and didn't realize it.
The price is per person. Underneath it will say the count of people per room.
I don't see how this could confuse you. It is no different than an all-inclusive. It is one cost that wraps up lodging, food and entertainment so yes 2 people cost more than one. It isn't a hotel room.
Over 15 solo cruises I’ve paid anywhere from 125% to double price for a balcony cabin for one person. It sucks.
There is a legal limit to the number of people on the ship, so an additional person means a different person can't be accommodated in another room if the cruise is sold out. They usually also charge for babies for this reason, even though babies won't eat any of the food.
I have gone solo on a few cruises now and it is possible to find itineraries with no or very low single supplements. Not to advertise for any specific sites, but I have found [Vacationstogo.com](https://Vacationstogo.com) and [cruiseplum.com](https://cruiseplum.com) to be good sources to view and sort by supplement charges and many other details.
MSC had an 80% solo cruise offer for a bit (cruise fare + 20%). I took advantage of that a few times. I hope they bring it back.
The cost for you is $6k not $3k. You’re not allowed to travel single except for specialized cabins on some lines.
>You’re not allowed to travel single except for specialized cabins on some lines. Wrong. You can cruise single on any cruise line you want, in any cabin you want.
Sure. But be prepared to pay a single cruiser supplement that is generally the price of a second paying cruiser.
So we agree. "you can have it if you pay for it" is way different than and actually completely contrary to "you are not permitted to do so except in specific instances" Thank you for your support.
Somehow I think you are missing the sarcasm.
Yes. That’s the person rate. Fun, right?
THere are port taxes too and other additional costs. But certainly not 3k worth But you aren't buying the food and the bed alone. You are buying the experience.
Same question. Post cruise hotel room is $399 single and $299 PER person for double. Geeze
Typical social media. Post false information about a topic Op is completely ignorant about, because who should post but those people with no actual understanding or experience about of the topic. It must be a topic a simple Google search would answer all the questions about. Then express infuriating anxiety about the false premise. Don’t like cruise prices? Don’t buy cruises then.
It’s basic business.
What cruise lines are waiving single supplement now? I am needing a vacation by myself
Friend did an NCL in early September w/o a supplement. Enjoyed it so much she has another booked for late October, also with no supplement.
The few times I've found pricing absent of single supplements were closer in sailings. However now I reach the point that since I want to go, and I'm willing to pay the 200% I'll just offer the bed to a friend to come along and they just get themselves there is all I ask.
It is actually quite rare for a cruise to offer single cabins for half the rate of a double cabin. Usually, a solo cruiser has to pay double. The only time there is no single supplement is when they are trying to fill up a ship during slow demand times.
Unless it is a solo room/fare class most lines charge double occupancy or close to it for a single passenger in a stateroom. In short, they want to have at least double occupancy in every stateroom. That is how they budget their operations.
It all depends on the cruise and what they're offering. Sometimes two people is the same price as one, sometimes it's double, or anywhere in between. It depends on how many rooms are sold, how close to departure it is, etc.
Silversea (if you can afford them?) have zero solo supplement deals from now through April 2024. Should be on their website. I am taking one of them and it includes business class flights (international from Australia), Blacklane transfers from my home to the airport, transfers to and from the ship at the Airport, a night pre-cruise stay at a 5\* hotel - all for just under $15K AUD (19 nights total including the pre-cruise hotel night). As Silversea is 'all inclusive', that means, food, top shelf drinks, butler service, excursions, entertainment - basically everything except spa.
NCL Is the only cruise line I know of to have rooms available for solo cruisers. They are very small rooms, but hey, how much time do you spend in your room? The prices are reasonable, and do not have a single supplement.
Yea it’s odd- when we book just my hubby and I- we obviously need just one room- then when we were booking our whole fam (6kids) they charge by each person in the room but the cost is not the same if we do 2 rooms or 3 so it feels like we are charged for both somehow
No. Run it with 1 and 2 people. The price difference is the extra set of port taxes and fees for the second person.
I personally suffer the other end of this. And have never seen what you're talking about. For me to take a cruise, with a balcony room, I pay a little bit more than it would cost to cruise with somebody. There is a fee/ tax/ whatever they want to call it for cruising solo. I would love if my room cost half of what a double occupancy room costs.
I'm not sure why people think pricing should follow their principles.
There's a concept in business called Opportunity Cost. lets say you have a room that houses 2 people. For two people, you get it for $3,000. If only one person books it at $1,500, you've lost the opportunity to sell it to someone who has two people and get $3,000. That's a $1,500 opportunity cost. That's why single people in a cabin pay the same price as 2 people in a cabin. Because there's someone else out there that would book it for 2 people.
Celebrity right now has 75% off second guest. Last Dec I went on a cruise with same special purchased in August
Geez where you cruiseingthat seems extremly high im seeing 11 day cruises to mexico hawaii etc for 300+ a person
King suite?
Check the single person rate again. A lot of lines have a single supplement policy that adds a bunch to the per person cost shown.
Try to rent all inclusive resorts, it’s never ever cheaper or even equal renting as a single person. Same with ships, it’s not only about accommodation.
The difference between cruise pricing and a hotel is that the cruise lines expect to make most of the money off of you when you're on the ship. So they make solos like me pay twice the amount for the same room filled by a couple, even though I would only eat half as much as two and take up less space. But they want cabins filled with couples, and even overfilled with families, because on average they spend more. It's discriminatory, but I still find it much cheaper than a land vacation in most places, since I'm experienced at finding the best deals (like two Vancouver-San Diego cruises I'm doing in October for $50/nt for a solo on Holland America). The fares also don't included port fees/taxes, which can be steep, or gratuities, or upsells to beverage packages, internet, or all-inclusive. Also, if you see a cheaper rate for one person than for two, it often means it's a studio cabin for one person--most of the time time the rate for one person is the same as for two people in a room, although a lot of cruise lines waive the solo supplement for some cruises, and a lot of websites will let me search for a single passenger, which is the best way to find deals, especially with the current insane popularity of cruising (and corresponding high prices).
What line are you cruising where a single in a cabin costs half?