Solo Cruiser!?! Learn how to AVOID or REDUCE the single supplement!
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- čas přidán 28. 06. 2024
- When you are going on a cruise vacation by yourself, you may have already learned about the single supplement or solo supplement. Rooms on a cruise ship are priced at double occupancy, assuming a minimum of two people will be staying in that cabin. If you are only one person, you may have to pay the full cruise fare for a person who does not even exist.
However, you have options on how to avoid or reduce the single supplement! It isn't easy and doesn't work on every sailing but there are things you can do as a solo cruiser to make your cruise vacation more affordable.
I tried a solo interior cabin on RC's Quantum to Alaska back in June. it had a "virtual balcony" as they call it which was just a big flat screen TV on the wall co nected to a live camera feed from outside. The cabin was only 110 Sq ft but had a larger bathroom & shower than the standard cabins so I found it to be a nice arrangement. I totally get why the cruise lines charge the supplement and on Quantum I think they only had like 8 or 10 studio cabins as they call them. I would love to see them add more studio/solo cabins since I'm a solo traveler as well and those surcharges for the rooms means I don't get to cruise quite as much as I would like due to cost. Love the channel and all the great tips!!
we have found that sometimes single supplement is more than 2 individuals booked into the same cabin. in this case, our travel agent helped us create a fake profile for the second 'person' who then ended up 'not showing' and ultimately saved a couple hundred dollars
Love it! Another advanced strategy right there!
I just scored a solo Seaview cabin on Resilient Lady for Christmas ‘23. It’s the main reason I’m sailing Virgin tbh. Companies are silly though. Us solos with limited means would cruise a lot more if we weren’t charged double. So yes, they get money in the short term but miss out on having a customer cruising with a higher frequency.
Agree with that! Yes, that is the best way to get a solo cabin and for Christmas it is almost impossible!! Will love to hear how this sailing goes!! Enjoy!
@@TheWeekendCruiser I’ll be sharing how it went with practically every channel I subscribe too. And I didn’t realise it was over Christmas when I booked it. I was merely looking for dates where I wouldn’t have to take extra time off work. I only realised later and shrugged. I’m sure my family won’t miss me for one year….ooops.
I hope you liked your cruise going on one in march
@@Zenstylezhairsalon it was absolutely the best! Minor annoying points is that the prices are in USD instead of AUD but everything else was utterly fantastic. I didn’t get the $300 bar tab and a few days before sailing they had $100 and $200 options. I picked the $100 and it was enough for me. The cabin was super cozy and very comfortable- one of the best cabins I’ve had and I’ve sailed mini suites on other cruises. I also didn’t find it to be as party party as I’d expected. There was plenty of quiet spots to sit and read. And we got a pair of Nutcracker Christmas decorations as a Christmas gift. I’ll treasure them for the rest of my life.
Love these videos you post! Very helpful! I do plan to travel on cruise ship alone, so your video is the one ☝️!
Thank you!!! Let us know how your first one goes!
This was a good video. Not many discuss solo costs. Using a good TA is a smart move. I see your channel is growing! Yay!
Thanks Joyce! Slow and steady over here seems to be getting it done! I appreciate all of your engagement on the channel!
Thanks for the info. We travel with our adult daughter often and she has outgrown sharing a room with mom and dad!
haha, aww they group up so fast! Glad she is able to travel with you!
I really enjoy travelling solo ~ thanks kindly for this valuable information!
You and me both!! Thank you for listening into the channel :-)
Hi Brandon. Great video. Most people think Carnival does not have solo cabins, but they often make their Category 1A "Upper/Lower" cabins available to solos only, for about half the price of a double occupancy interior. Despite the name, some have a twin bed and sleeper sofa instead of an upper/lower arrangement, and although called interiors some have twin portholes. They are room for a solo cruiser, much bigger than solo studio cabins, and a great value.
Good to know! Thank you for sharing!
Do these have to be booked via agent?
They did during covid but I haven't seen any recently
They don't do it anymore..
I find the regular interior rooms are a good value even at the “exclusive occupancy” rates. I enjoy the extra room and getting loyalty faster. I made the top tier on Princess after 6 cruises. I love the benefits on Royal Caribbean. That does save a lot.
I like that phrasing "exclusive occupancy"!
Hi Brandon. Great video as always.
Thanks Harry! Always apprecaited!
I’ve recently discovered your channel and I love it! I cruise 2-3 times a year for weekend cruises almost always solo. This was very helpful. Thank you!
Excellent and glad you found it Alain!! Feel free to join us on the Liberty Group Cruise we are doing on January 27! Will be a great time and get to meet a lot of folks.
@@TheWeekendCruiser I’ll be on my birthday cruise that same day out of LA. :)
Happy early birthday! There will be more cruises in the future but have a blast out of LA!
Brandon, you’ve clearly found an important topic here, and this video is excellent! Sadly, the cards are stacked against the solo or single traveller. So thanks for giving us strategies that are all worth trying.
As much as I don't like the single supplement, I think it is just marketing gone wrong. What I mean, is if I went to a land based hotel, I would pay the same amount for one person or two people in the room. I can still bring someone else with me for no additional charge. Cruise lines just love calling this out as they price everything in double occupancy.
@@TheWeekendCruiser Please, don't give the hotel chains any 'bright' ideas. 🤨
@@chrispnw2547 HAHAHAH No, that is 100% not my intention lol
I totally agree - we need to do a bit of work to get the deals. Don’t worry though - they’re out there - just need to be found!
This is one of the biggest questions that I get asked on my channel, as some cruise lines (as you say) can price to double occupancy.
I’ve recently found MSC to be quite amazing at encouraging solo travellers in Europe - I recently paid about a 30% supplement on MSC Virtuosa (my lowest yet).
Some really good tips in this video. One bit of advice I’d totally agree with is that sometimes a solo cabin can actually work out more expensive than a normal double cabin (this is what I’ve found with P&O anyway), which feels like a crime!
Great video :)
Thanks Fraser! Yes! Don't just assume the "solo cabin" is the cheapest option. Unless planning well in advance, I have rarely found this. How do you like MSC? I have not taken them yet.
@@TheWeekendCruiser I really liked them - I saw big changes a few weeks ago! I’ve actually got an overview on my channel if you’re interested :)
Hey Brandon - yes I do enjoy Solo cruising ! Not yet tried a “solo cabin” - I much prefer a full size cabin, maybe an interior “neighborhood “ cabin over Central Prk on Oasis class ships . Most of my cruises are at casino price, good for single cruisers. Hope to see you aboard again !! 👍🏼
The Casino is good for that but is a slippery slope. I have never tried a studio either. I forgot to mention the one time I di, I RoyalUped to an Oceanview room. Saved thousands this way.
Great tips. Some of the cruise lines have the single cabins but often they’re booked way in advance. Sometimes the cruise lines will have sales geared to single travelers
Yes, that is my favorite sale but with ships becoming more full, it will be less and less.
I found a great solo rate on Vacations to go. It was a 5 day cruise for less than 100. I then went to the cruise lines site to book it and they gave me another discount, which ended up being 50 dollars base charge. After port fees, internet, gratuities, parking I paid about 450 total. Considering all the add ons they charge, it turned out to be a good deal. I booked on a Saturday for a Monday sailing.
That is fantastic!! Was that recent? I feel like cruises are cheaper 2 or 3 months out but close.to the date, they sale out 😭
@@TheWeekendCruiser I found it on a Saturday for cruising on the following Monday.
Can you share the name of the cruise line?
Thank you so much. I just found a 7 day cruise on MSC for what NCL was going to charge me for a 4 day.
Woot!!! That is how it is done!! Hope you have a blast!
This is the reason I have never been on a cruise. Don’t want to tag along with family members, I prefer solo vacations, but can’t deal with paying double for just me.
Hey Lee! Totally get it and paying double is a tough blow to the ego. There are cruises out there that offer deals to solo travelers. Right now, I know MSC, Virgin, and I believe Celebrity are still running sales where this is not charged. Solo cruisers def have to look a little harder to find deals but when we do, they can be several thousand dollars compared to other lines.
I love sailing solo. And I dont ever pay double. There are options out there. Just hafe to look for them. Ive been sailing for years.
@@TheWeekendCruiser thanks for the advice! I booked and MSC cruise for January 2023
@@LeahLeah222 excellent! Stay tuned I am posting my first comparison video of MSC in just a bit!
Prior to reaching 340 points I booked several cruises with a phantom cabinmate. As the price for 2 guests was cheaper than one. (2nd guest 50% sale etc). My 2nd cruise on Ex for a TransPac. I was quoted over $9k AUD for solo, and around $4700 for dual occupancy, so of course I booked a phantom guest, who didn't show up on the day. I was refunded the fees and taxes for said guest, and awarded double points. win win win
Now that is some advanced booking strategies there! Well done!
Was this on Royal Caribbean or another line? RCL indicates in their FAQ pages that in this situation the cruiser who does show up gets the same C&A points that they would had the "phantom guest" actually existed and cruised. So no bonus points are awarded but the phantom guest's fare is not refunded.
Hey William, this is actually a newer policy from RCL and changed prob a year ago now. Originally, if in any situation, you sailed solo, you got double points. Today, it is the original booking and even if you call in to remove the second person, will only receive one point.
@@williamoday573 this was on Royal. I can only tell you what happened. 🤷♂️ why, but it did
@@kodiak7 Brandon just replied indicating that this policy was revised around a year ago and that today only 1 point per night is awarded in this situation. So I'm guessing your cruise must have been prior to that policy change. Sometimes timing is everything!
One small advantage regardless of cruise line, ship, or cabin is single cruisers are only charged tax and port fees once. These are per passenger charges.
Your tip about RCL’s benefit for frequent cruisers may sway me their direction. Premium lines I.E. Princess or Holland America never forego the SS. HAL do offer single cabins on their newer ships like Koingsdam and Rotterdam. One cruise line catering to singles is Norwegian. They have a a dedicated area called “the studio lounge” with amenities and exclusive access to single studio passengers
Great feedback as always Ben!
I definitely second using a good travel agent. Ones who are experienced with the cruise industry are able to sniff out the best deals and "do the legwork" for you. For example, on one cruise, I had set out to book a studio cabin, but my travel agent was able to find some single supplement discounts and deals that got me into a balcony for only about 150 dollars more, and it included a premium drinks package.
I'm not saying that will happen every time, but serves as an example as to what a travel agent can do for you.
Another tip is to be as flexible as possible in your planning if you can. You might find a significant price difference if you are able to book a week or two later or earlier.
Flexibility is always key! Glad you have found a good travel agent! They are really invaluable!
Thank you for sharing 🙂
Of course Robin! Get those deals!
Sometimes the solo cabins prices are just as much as a double cabin. Check the prices
100%
Cruise critic and cruise plum has good search tools too..
I do like Cruise Plum! I have used them a few times! Didn't know Cruise Critic had a search feature!
Hurtigruten has single supplement waivers on Aug and Sept bookings for Alaska! Just booked mine for Sept. It’s an expedition cruise so already pricey but that waiver really helped!
Hurtigruten is a bit pricey but will be an amazing experience!! Please share pictures on the Facebook group of your trip!
I was recently on an NCL, going solo. I booked an inside, standard. If I had booked the SOLO cabin category, the price was $1000/00 more than what I paid. My single supplement was less (for the inside cabin), but the SOLO was wayyyy more. Don't buy into the idea that SOLO category is cheaper.
Would love to see a video with how you use vacations to go
That is a good idea! Though, as they are a travel agency, I would feel bad providing them that level of advertisement without a proper sponsorship. I also have never booked through them and cannot vouch for that process. CruisePlum is my other favorite that is only a search engine that might be neat to do a quick video on!
Virgin Voyages has a special running thru August 2022--on all cruises for the remainder of 2022, the single supplement has been removed and they have increased the bonus on the "bar tab" to $100 (normally $50). Note that if you cancel and rebook an existing reservation, you will lose all perks associated with the existing reservation. They are also offering a discount of 50% off the second guest with the same time and booking restrictions.
That is great information! Virgin is very well priced for solo travel right now!
Can I ask Brandon, who do you dine with when you solo cruise?
If you hit it off with other guest(s), can you simply dine with them or are seating arrangements pretty much set from Day1?
Thanks in advance and great video as always. Love the canary on you.
Hey Ernest! It really depends who I dine with. Some cruise I will take a random table of 10, others I will go to the windjammer by myself or request a 2-person table by myself. If you do make friends, you simply need to gain their approval and chat with the Maître De who will try to accommodate. You could do this as early as night 1 if you wanted.
This was great. Solo cruising can sound exhausting - but you make it a breeze.
People have to watch the hide out on sea day video - shew fly - don’t bother me. 😂
Vacationstogo is invaluable
I am shocked they are the only one with this good of a search feature. It is very nice.
Some Norwegian ships have more single cabins, and I've found on a good percent of their sailings, they have reduced single supplement fares.
Hey Mona, that is very true! NCL is the leader in solo cabins though I believe their new ships might be shifting away from this? Not sure if you have heard.
If you book before 9/1/2022, Virgin is eliminating the single supplement on cruises thru 12/31/2022 plus a bar tab perk is added. Basically, you can cruise in a double cabin (made for 2 people) for 1/2 of the rate that 2 would pay to stay in the cabin. They do have solo cabins; not sure if the rate on those is impacted by this sale. Unfortunately the previous "early booking" discount is gone, but this is a great deal!
I did see this sale! This is where Solo cruisers can save THOUSDANDS of dollars depending on the suite they book. Wish it was a permanent sale!
Hi guys! I've noticed that Celebrity Edge class ships all have balcony single cabins. The Edge has a few, and each new ship in the Edge Class (Apex, Beyond) have more solo balcony cabins too. Something to think about.
It sure is! But when booking those, just make sure they are not more expensive than a regular cabin. Solo cabins need to be booked well in advance to get the best rate. Excited for my first Celebrity Cruise later this year! Everyone tells me I will love it.
Brandon, you have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Thanks for the information about solo cruising.
Well hello and thank you!!
Great video on an important topic. Virgin voyages pricing for solo travellers recently is particularly obscene. It makes me angry when you see so many great deals for cruises but only if two people are sharing a room. Solo travellers are really getting a poor deal
It is very true! I don't know where this ends, but I hope they return to normal pricing. We're getting messed over pretty bad by majority of the lines right now
i got a solo-balcony for a RC NYE cruise this year for 1200!!
Not shabby at all!!!
😩 have to wait till after my back to back cruise in may 2023 to get to diamond level. Long wait
You will make it there soon enough!! You can always book more cruises in the meantime :-)
Good points on how different options exist for solo travelers. Norwegian certainly offers some cool options on the Epic 😃
I think I would enjoy their studio cabin with the lounge. They just look extremely small!
Brandon, if there’s interest, please create a video on the benefits of using a travel agent for solo weekend cruisers. I have heard multiple cruise experts say travel agents are the way to go, but I’m not convinced. As a solo weekend cruiser, I love the simplicity of booking an easy itinerary directly through RC. I did have one issue that caused me to be on hold for an hour, but otherwise I find the website and booking process straightforward. The third party websites I have visited are clunky and annoying to deal with. Please enlighten me!
There is interest. Like you I book directly through the cruise line but try to book as early as possible to get the best rate. Thank you for calling this out.
Hey Charles, it is on the list!! As with everything, there are trade-offs and pros and cons we can chat through here. Glad to do it!
Same!
@@TheWeekendCruiser thanks Brandon, I appreciate your videos!
RC's site is slow and annoying as hell at times. It freezes and doesn't load. One of the worst websites I've ever seen. Travel agent sites normally don't have the same issues in my experience b
Travelzoo advertises sales for solo cruisers from time to time. Hope that helps 😊
Will check them out! Didn't know they had a solo section!
@@TheWeekendCruiser I don’t think there’s a section, but they have random sales that discount the single supplement.
Hi Brandon my question is about booking a Junior Suite as a solo cruiser which I know you do. Do you get triple points from Crown & Anchor?
You sure will! You will get one point for each night, one point for the suite, and one point for solo. All together, three total points per night! Not shabby!
Hey I'll sail with you... save a lot of money!
A strategy that I use is select a cruise a year out, reserve the room, and lock in the space and price. The initial deposit is extremely low and final payment is almost a year away. Meanwhile, I continue to shop the same or similar cruise through online travel agents who work in volume (giving them the exact specifications) to see if they can beat the deal offered by the cruise line. These agents (due to the volume of sales they make) are given incentives/deals they can pass along to customers that you will not get from the cruise line directly. It could be a win-win for you as the customer and the travel agent. Hope this helps.
Good feedback Chris!! I have not heard of anyone "shopping out" an already booked cruise but don't blame you for doing it! Especially, knowing yo can transfer an existing book to a travel agent for a little bit after booking.
I have done 3 MSC cruised with out double...
Never seen a single studio cabin at a competitive price. MSC is the only place to go to mitigate (not eliminate) the SS.
I have rarely seen it happen. Really do have to check all options!
Hey Brandon, I was just on another website and people there were complaining about Royal Caribbean ships quality standards being disappointing, especially the food. Since you are so frequently sailing aboard Royal, I’d like your opinion. Do you think the brand has gone downhill since the pandemic?
Hey Andrew, great question. Right now, on Freedom of the Seas it has been fine. However, I am hearing rumblings of quality going down on other ships. I don't believe it is the entire brand but is differnet for every ship with a few struggling more than others. Lower staffing at maximum capacity being the main driver IMO of lower quality.
Hello all! I am late to the party but I love the information and experience Brandon articulately shares! Writing my comment 5 months after this vlog was posted, I think all the cruise lines, like many land based restaurants were having supply chain issues. I am hoping things have gotten better as we get the worst of the pandemic behind us! I am cruising the Enchantment in December 2022...about 11 days from now! Generally my worst day on a cruise still beats my best day at work!
This past year was the greatest for solo and no supplements. Unfortunately that will change for this coming year
100% With cruise lines filing up again, that single supplement discount gets smaller and smaller.
What about Virgin cruises? Do they have single occupancy
Hey there! They have ran a promotion where there is no single supplement. I believe it is still going on. Celebrity as well at the moment.
Has anyone cruised solo on Royal Caribbean paying the reduced single supplement for Crown and Anchor members with 340+ cruise points? If so, did you still receive double points? It seems that should be the case but I haven't done it yet myself. Thanks!
Hey William i have done this MANY times! Yes, as long as you originally book as a solo guest and sail as a solo, you will get double points. When booking, ensure yourself or the travel agent uses the discount code DP340 to book and show the reduction and be cautious of the excluded dates for this discount.
@@TheWeekendCruiser Thanks for confirming! I look forward to utilizing that benefit now that it's available to me. I definitely appreciate the advice and information you provide via your channel.
Are there any single cabins that are handicapped?
Hey Nora, not that I am aware of. The Studio or single cabins by nature are VERY small, smaller than an Interior room.
Luckily I sail on casino bookings so their isn't any single supplement fees
I call those rooms prepaid at a premium ;-) You are right though, that is an advantage to the casio rooms but it is a slippery slope and ensure you are not still paying the supplement, just in different forms. ;-)
I drives me nuts that I have to pay for two people when I NEED a wheelchair room and they are bigger. yes I know the wife or husband can be able body but still. You cant have two wheelchairs in the room. Well BIG power chairs.
That is an interesting one Michael. Had never thought about it but makes sense. I have not heard of any studio cabins being able to accommodate a chair.