KarenB 2 Posted February 9, 2017 Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 Hi everyone, I’m new to the forum and this topic has more than likely being covered before on here, so accept my apologies if so. I’ve been looking for a suitable cruise but the price for me to travel as a solo cruiser is extortionate and quite frustrating. Could anyone also give me any advice on which cruise lines are the best for solo cruisers in terms of deals or offers? Should I opt for a single cabin or should I be trying to find a cruise line with low supplement? I’ve done a little research and would prefer a small or mid-sized ship, sailing from the UK if possible, but if anyone could give me any advice on which cruise line to sail with and what these cruise lines offer for solo cruisers I would be very grateful. Karen marggieann 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Furby 441 Posted February 9, 2017 Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 Always compare the price of a single cabin and a double cabin for sole occupency as sometimes there is not much price difference and the single cabins tend to be smaller. I have noticed last minute fares for singles are normally double, however looking a bit earlier they can range from 50% - 80% supplemet Some cruise lines will have 0% supplements but they tend to be the more expensive lines anway For example I had an offer through from APT who are a river cruise line for 0% single supplement, but there fares can start at £2000 per person anyway. So to sum up there is no rule of thumb to get the best deal for a single, just keeping an eye out unfortunately. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sammy sun 1084 Posted February 9, 2017 Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 You have my sympathies on this issue Karen as it seems to be very difficult for single passengers to pick up a decent priced cruise these days. I know more and more cruise lines are introducing single staterooms but these cabins seem to come with hefty price tags due to the 'supply and demand' situation they find themselves in. I have however seen some good offers advertised with the likes of Fred Olsen who I repeatedly here are excellent for single passengers. From speaking with friends, I'd definitely advise giving them a closer look although I am yet to cruise with them myself. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Furby 441 Posted February 9, 2017 Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 6 minutes ago, sammy sun said: You have my sympathies on this issue Karen as it seems to be very difficult for single passengers to pick up a decent priced cruise these days. I know more and more cruise lines are introducing single staterooms but these cabins seem to come with hefty price tags due to the 'supply and demand' situation they find themselves in. I have however seen some good offers advertised with the likes of Fred Olsen who I repeatedly here are excellent for single passengers. From speaking with friends, I'd definitely advise giving them a closer look although I am yet to cruise with them myself. Having cruised with Fred Olsen I can definitely reccomend them, excellent service, food, deck space, passenger space, entertainment and itineraries. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CJW 24 Posted February 9, 2017 Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 Hi Karen, I too have just joined the forum so I'm still finding my feet and working it all out. One of our oldest friends now has the quandry as you each time he looks to cruise. Sadly his wife passed away three years ago and prior to that they had enjoyed many cruise holidays over the years. He too now struggles with the price factor of booking a single cruise but he has still managed a couple where he did get a decent deal. One of them was with Fred Olsen which is what attracted me to comment on this. He had cruised with them before so knew what to expect to a degree but he commented on how good the cruise line where on the whole for single passengers. There was a lot of focus around encouraging single passengers to meet up and a lot of different events put on throughout the cruise allowing people to get together and chat. He's a very sociable man and never likes the idea of sitting still for too long so for him this was perfect. He's cruised with P&O too and managed to snag one of the single cabins they have on some of their ships. He did like that cruise too but it wasn't as good of a deal as he got with Fred Olsen and although there was a focus on single guests on board, with it being a bigger ship, he struggled to find the same atmosphere as what he had with Fred Olsen so from his recommendation to us, I would recommend them to you. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KarenB 2 Posted February 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 Thanks for the advice Furby, I had noticed that most of the last minute fares for singles were nearly double so I shall have to look into booking a cruise further ahead - luckily I'm quite flexible with dates. It's such a shame for me and other solo cruisers who have a diificult time in finding a decent cruise price but I suppose it's just something we've got to accept and be vigilant in keeping an eye out for any deals. I shall have a look into Fred Olsen and see what they have to offer as I hadn't really thought about them - does anybody know if Fred Olsen offer meet and greets for solo passengers at all? Also are the cabins for solo cruisers of a lower grade, are any them outsides, balconies etc or does this all vary on the cruise line? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KarenB 2 Posted February 9, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 3 minutes ago, CJW said: Hi Karen, I too have just joined the forum so I'm still finding my feet and working it all out. One of our oldest friends now has the quandry as you each time he looks to cruise. Sadly his wife passed away three years ago and prior to that they had enjoyed many cruise holidays over the years. He too now struggles with the price factor of booking a single cruise but he has still managed a couple where he did get a decent deal. One of them was with Fred Olsen which is what attracted me to comment on this. He had cruised with them before so knew what to expect to a degree but he commented on how good the cruise line where on the whole for single passengers. There was a lot of focus around encouraging single passengers to meet up and a lot of different events put on throughout the cruise allowing people to get together and chat. He's a very sociable man and never likes the idea of sitting still for too long so for him this was perfect. He's cruised with P&O too and managed to snag one of the single cabins they have on some of their ships. He did like that cruise too but it wasn't as good of a deal as he got with Fred Olsen and although there was a focus on single guests on board, with it being a bigger ship, he struggled to find the same atmosphere as what he had with Fred Olsen so from his recommendation to us, I would recommend them to you. Hi CJW, thanks for your response. You've just answered one my questions about meet and greets on board Fred Olsen. One of my concerns about being a solo cruiser are those initial first few days on board, where you're yet to know anyone and just getting to grips with getting around, which can sometimes be a little daunting when you're on your own. I like to chat and get together with others but I know this isn't what everyone likes to do, some people prefer the to keep themselves to themselves so meet and greets would be a great way do just that. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Pesky Pirate 172 Posted February 9, 2017 Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 Hi... re last minute cruises, even though the price is double for a single sometimes it can be cheaper than the original price. in relation to being in your own some cruise lines have a daily meet up for singles, to get to know each other, on sea days. tpp Quote Link to post Share on other sites
The Seven Seas 147 Posted February 9, 2017 Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 Hi Karen, welcome to the forum. Some great advice already given from other forum members. Fred Olsen have had some positive reviews on here as of late so I would certainly recommend that you look into what they have to offer and see if it meets what you're looking for. Mayway 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sammy sun 1084 Posted February 9, 2017 Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 I've seen NCL mentioned a few times on this site and others as being a good cruise line for single passengers too. The single cabins look nice and quite quirky in typical NCL fashion. Very different to Fred Olsen but could be another option to consider and keep an eye on their prices. Not sure what kind of cruise you're looking for so difficult to narrow it down more for you. There's always something out there, I just appreciate that it's difficult looking for a decent single occupancy deal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Oldworldtraveller 2225 Posted February 9, 2017 Report Share Posted February 9, 2017 One reason I was given as to the answer to the original question was this. The price of the lead in fare over the years has decreased and therefore the cruise lines have become more reliant on 'On Board Spend' to make up the difference. If only one person occupies the cabin they charge the extra to make up for the loss of revenue that would have been generated by that second person. Fred Olsen and MSC are always worth keeping an eye on as they often advertise single travellers a no supplement deal. From personal experience Fred Olsen look after their solo travellers very well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sammy sun 1084 Posted February 10, 2017 Report Share Posted February 10, 2017 14 hours ago, Oldworldtraveller said: One reason I was given as to the answer to the original question was this. The price of the lead in fare over the years has decreased and therefore the cruise lines have become more reliant on 'On Board Spend' to make up the difference. If only one person occupies the cabin they charge the extra to make up for the loss of revenue that would have been generated by that second person. Fred Olsen and MSC are always worth keeping an eye on as they often advertise single travellers a no supplement deal. From personal experience Fred Olsen look after their solo travellers very well. This is my understanding of it too OWT and I do believe you're quite right as to the reason why single passengers are charged so much. It doesn't change the fact that it's a shame and shouldn't be the case but sadly it's the way of the cruising world. They rely heavily on passenger spend on board so from another perspective you can see where they're coming from. Unfortunately it tends to hit the passengers pocket more than the cruise lines. Oldworldtraveller 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Moswinner 6 Posted February 12, 2017 Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 It won't make you feel any better, so sorry for that, but it's a bit like a taxi fare, The cruise ship is taking you to a destination as is a taxi, if you decide to share the taxi it's cheaper for you. If the cruise lines charged per cabin and not per person then this situation, just like a taxi would be more acceptable, as you would know the price of a cabin. They of course then would have to limit how many passengers there are to a cabin. Best solution is to go with a friend who you don't mind sharing with. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lauro60 4 Posted February 12, 2017 Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 I too find Fred Olsen tend to have the best deals on single cabins and you get the benefit of Fred's wonderful service.Also that double cabins for single occupancy are often better value than single cabins which tend not to have balconies. Some cruise lines offer deals late in the season for "no extra cost" single cabins, but these are generally not the best positioned cabins and sometimes are interior ones. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
smj777 0 Posted February 12, 2017 Report Share Posted February 12, 2017 Try http://www.cruiseline.co.uk/Singles-Cruises?gclid=CjwKEAiArIDFBRCe_9DJi6Or0UcSJAAK1nFvr9sExYJVGxytOv_OdM2M2b_naOOWdZK-o1ckUo3PmxoCXejw_wcB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
marggieann 0 Posted February 13, 2017 Report Share Posted February 13, 2017 My husband and I enjoyed many cruises together before he died last year. Now I find land tours with more cost effective single supplement the only choice I have. Until the cruise industry realise they are losing regular customers from the single sector and charge more fairly I shall not be cruising again for some time. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KarenB 2 Posted February 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 (edited) Like you marggieann I hope that one day cruise lines will start charging more fairly for solo cruisers, or one can at least hope! Thanks for all the advice regarding Fred Olsen, as I spotted a great email from Bolsover the other day which advertised a selection on Single Supplemet cruises. A couple of cruises caught my eye from a quick glance but I'll be sure to look at these again later this week. Edited February 16, 2017 by KarenB Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sammy sun 1084 Posted February 16, 2017 Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 You beat me to it Karen. I was going to ask if you had seen Bolsovers email this week on Fred Olsen. It appears they're doing a marketing campaign at the moment where they are offering free drinks or no single supplement. Could be worth considering. The Seven Seas 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
KarenB 2 Posted February 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2017 Thanks sammy sun, I plan to look into these cruises further tonight and I shall more than likely give Bolsover a call to help go over all the details etc. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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