Single Supplement? - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Forum, Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

FeliciaLee · 08-30-2005, 10:06 PM

I have been shopping for cruises during the Thanksgiving holiday. I know I will have to pay a premium, but I am a true bargain hunter and have found some great deals.

Here is the stickler. I am going by myself, since my husband will be out of state. I know that most cruise lines charge a single supplement, and that is no problem. The problem, however, is finding and booking one.

I've talked to three different agents, and have gotten three totally different responses to the same question! None of them seem to know what I'm going to pay, or what the supplement is, although I have pointed all of them to the sites I've taken the information from. Some quote me more than 200% of the double occupancy rate! Others say that I am unable to cruise alone, while another agent continued to say that the cruises I'd chosen were completely booked, although they were still available on many other sites I pointed out.

Is this simply a case of "we don't want your business?" Or are some travel agents this completely clueless?

I'd just book it online myself, with no help from an incompetent agent, except for the fact that I'd be worried that when I got to the pier, not all would be as it seemed and I might even be turned back (the charges having been applied to my credit card for almost two months, to boot).

Any experience along these lines?

TIA!

Annieeee · 08-31-2005, 01:43 PM

FeliciaLee

send me your email and I will in turn send you an email addy of an agent that deals with single cruisers. She get good deals from the cruiselines for solo travelers and from what I have been told the single supplement is less than normal.

Annieeee

Tacitus · 06-10-2009, 03:08 AM

Oh yeah...that darn single room supplement !
No way am I going to room with some dude I've never met.
Carnival has been great to me. Some other lines don't value my potential patronage.

earl_m · 09-20-2009, 03:04 AM

I have cruise a few time in the past on Holland America with their single program. You pay normal cost and they find you some one to share the cost,
i have done it 3 times , 2 times with someone , on the first day we set down the rules for sharing , and it went well with out a problem. on the third time
nobody show up and I had the stateroom to my self for 14 days.

cruzinlass · 09-20-2009, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FeliciaLee

I have been shopping for cruises during the Thanksgiving holiday. I know I will have to pay a premium, but I am a true bargain hunter and have found some great deals.

Here is the stickler. I am going by myself, since my husband will be out of state. I know that most cruise lines charge a single supplement, and that is no problem. The problem, however, is finding and booking one.

I've talked to three different agents, and have gotten three totally different responses to the same question! None of them seem to know what I'm going to pay, or what the supplement is, although I have pointed all of them to the sites I've taken the information from. Some quote me more than 200% of the double occupancy rate! Others say that I am unable to cruise alone, while another agent continued to say that the cruises I'd chosen were completely booked, although they were still available on many other sites I pointed out.

Is this simply a case of "we don't want your business?" Or are some travel agents this completely clueless?

I'd just book it online myself, with no help from an incompetent agent, except for the fact that I'd be worried that when I got to the pier, not all would be as it seemed and I might even be turned back (the charges having been applied to my credit card for almost two months, to boot).

Any experience along these lines?

TIA!

I'm sorry you have had to deal with, what sounds like, some very incompetent travel agents. That's what gives the rest of us a bad name.

Most cruise lines will charge 150 - 200 % of the going cruise fare, depending on the category of cabin you are looking for. You can also expect to pay 2 x the amount of the port charges and 1 gov't tax fee.

There is certainly availability on all the major cruiselines. If there is a cabin available, they will sell it to a single (with a supplement, of course). I just did a quick look and saw cabins available on Princess, NCL, HAL, Celebrity, Costa, etc. You didn't mention which cruiseline you were looking for, or how long of a cruise you wanted, but if you give a few more specifics, I will tell you what is available.