Single Cruises Survey 2013

29 Responses

1. I have done 2 world cruises also quite a few small cruises I always go with fred olson, I dont mind being on my own, I just object to companies not catering for singles when it comes to the price of cruise.

   We always have to pay more which is not fair.

   There are a lot of single people out there so come on cruise companies give us a break,eh?

2. Have been on two cruises in the last 18 months and have never been able to find a bridge game.

3. Have been on several cruises as a single person and have always enjoyed the experience.

   Most ships do their best to get single people to attend meetings, share shore excursions and dining so they can socialise together – therefore they will not feel left out of events that couples and families attend.

4. I have cruised 16 times, 4 solo, and I am disgusted that some of the lines I’ve been with, WONT even quote — or charge 100% supplement!! I’ll name 2, ___ Cunard and P & O. Of course both are part of the Carnival Group !

   They are NOT the only ones, but Lines that I’ve cruised with !!!

5. Done two solo cruises with Fred Olsen both on the Braemar a smallish ship (900 Pass) , they seat you with other singles for the evening meal.

   I am regularly in touch still with two or three from my first cruise, and have had email contact with others from first cruise and two/three from cruise two.

   Also did a cruise with P & 0 on the Azura, a much bigger ship, no problems although being over 3,000 passengers you met people that you didnt see again!

   If you want to meet people then a smaller ship is obviously better. Fred Olsen seem to cater best of all for solo travellers, of which I understand the number is growing.

   It is to me and I’m sure most solo travellers always the price that seems to stand in the way of possibly doing more cruises

6. P&O ships are lacking in host dancers thats why I go with fred olsen.

7. That is NOT TRUE about P & O. I always cruise with them as a solo passenger (six times) and can tell you that you pay the cruise price as per the brochure, plus 60%.

   Celebrity & Royal Caribbean charge more, I believe.

8. Have reached the stage where about to give up searching as prices prohibitive for young at heart Pensioner.

9. I also love to cruise but the single supplement is crippling.

   What I would like to know is; What are we paying the extra for?

   We have one seat on the plane, eat one meal and the room gets cleaned no matter how many people are in it!!!! I take an excursion every port day, more than I can say for couples.

   What really angers me is “free children” where they load up their plates and eat none of it, then it lands on the floor, extra money being spent on catering for the creche to keep them occupied.

   Then there is the shouting crying running about the dinning room. Is this what the singles are paying for?

10. I have been looking for small ship cruise where they do not almost double the price for a single person.

    We are being victimised – surely there should be a website where cruise companies will offer singles a good price if they have not sold all the cabins to couples.

    It must be better for the ships to sail with all cabins sold?

    Most single people can organise to go without much notice so come on somebody organise this!!?

11. I am stuck with holidays in the school holidays so I have almost no chance of finding a good value cruise for solo occupancy .

12. I am now very unhappy that P&O’s Getaways cannot be purchased by solo travellers (unless filling in another persons name who will not be cruising).

    Last year these were available at double the single price, so I do not understand P&O’s reasoning.

    I would add that this also applies to families.

13. I have cruised on the NCL Epic and they have over 100 single cabins at a reasonable price.

    They also have a lounge specifically for these single cabins and a host to introduce the passengers to each other. I had a wonderful time and met a great bunch of people.

    We made our own way on the shore adventures usually by taxi and saved by not paying the hefty prices charged by the cruise line.

    A great idea by NCL but only one ship has this facility and it follows the same route each year so unless you are happy to see the same places each time, it is a one off.

14. Went on a wonderful cruise in December. Voyager was on her maiden voyage after a refit.

    Prices were the same as for couples and there were more singles than couples!

    I don’t think they will give these prices for many other cruises. I enjoy the Azamara ships which only charge 25% extra.

15. Single supplement is my biggest turnoff for cruising, and the high airfare from my home country (Australia) comes close.

    Once in the UK unfamiliar transport to Dover was a less significant problem but never the less it was a cause of stress for me as an older single traveller.

16. I have cruised as a single passenger on 26 occasions in the past 12 years and have noticed that many single travellers tend to spend a considerable amount of money on drinks.

    We all know that the sale of beverages on cruise ships generates considerable revenue for cruise companies when you consider the massive ‘mark up’ they enjoy on these sales.

    I can remember in the seventies that every cruise brochure you picked up would always ram home to potential passengers the fact that duty free prices were charged for beverages but of course they finally cottoned on to the fact that they need not charge these lower prices.

    They perhaps should conduct some research into single passenger spend and therefore realise this fact when costing cruises for single travellers, the result would be far fewer empty cabins on ships.

17. I would take a lot more cruises if it wasn’t for the single supplement.

    I have the other hitch of living in the north and to get the best deals have to travel to places like Portsmouth and Southampton.

    I would put up with that if the price was right and more in line with the price per person as two sharing a cabin.

18. GREAT IDEA.Please start a web site or group on face book, We need the numbers for negotiating.

19. It’s not what you’re paying for, it’s what you aren’t paying for.

    They make very little money on your cruise these days, but they hope to make it up with tours, gambling, spa, drinks etc.

    They think that on our own, we don’t spend enough, and that’s why they’d rather we went to Eastbourne!

20. I love cruising but it is so expensive for solo travellers.

    I could understand a small surcharge say 10-20% but why pay 60% plus up to 100%.

    Even those cruise agents who advertise solo travelling without single surcharges just charge you a higher price to start with.

    I agree with the other contributor that singles tend to spend more on board anyway.

21. Some friends of mine (a couple) have just booked a P and O cruise which cost £2500 for both of them.

    It was seemingly a good offer since the cruise will depart shortly.

    I enquired about a single cabin on the same cruise and was quoted £3800 and for sole occupancy of a double cabin £3003 and £3900

    I cannot see how this is fair.

    Also the supplements payable by singles as shown in the brochures seem to have increased from 50% or 60% to 70 or 80%.

22. I have travelled several times with Fred Olsen and had both experiences of reasonable single supplement and 100% extra.

    I would have like to travel with P & O but when I made enquiries I was offered 100% extra supplement so declined. With so many singles around the cruise lines should realise they are losing out.

23. Hi, try MSC I did my first solo cruise with them in February/March and really enjoyed it.

    Look out for their supplement free single prices, I paid £299 for 7 days cruising the western Med, met lots of lovely people of all nationalities including Russian, Japanese and French.

    I shared a dinner table with 3 others, Mum, Dad and adult son they were so friendly even asked me to join them (if I wanted to) for dinner in the Mexican restaurant, not included in cruise; had a lovely, enjoyable evening with them.

    I have no qualms about cruising solo again if the price is right.

24. I share your frustration. Cunard has adopted the same policy.

    Last year I booked Getaway and as a single I paid 100% supplement.

    This year I can`t benefit from Getaway offer.Have to book Vantage and on top of that pay 100% supplement.

    I`ve checked one cruise, if I book solo Vantage (only this one as a solo I am allowed to book), I will pay £1400.oo more than Gateaway for two people.

    Something is very wrong with the system.!

25. I would love to go on a solo cruise but the price for one person in a cabin just scares me.

    I went on a small cruise boat with a friend but the cost was almost £800 for 7 days which made me think I could not afford the solo thing.

    I think many more people are like myself.

26. Hazel, i have found the P&O 60% supplement to be correct until this year when some I have enquired about have sometimes been 150% more.

    They started around £599 for two sharing.

27. My favourite ships are Cunard but now that I am single the supplement stops me using them.

    As a ballroom & latin dancer I found them very good .

28. It seems there is an attitude problem with the treatment of single passengers.

    Reading all the comments it appears many single people would cruise more often if there was a smaller supplement for single people

29. Thanks to all of you for the feedback!

    The results can be found in our latest post.