Topic: Industry will 'jump onboard' aboard solo cruises

Following Norwegian Cruise Line's announcement to introduce studio cabins for solo travellers, more operators will get onboard the trend, a travel expert has claimed.

Margie Jordan, spokesperson for the American Society of Travel Agents, said solo travel is big business and is a great untapped market for the cruise industry, according to an interview with Reuters news.

"I wouldn't be surprised if you saw Carnival or Royal Caribbean follow suit by introducing studio cabins," she predicted.

Ms Jordan went on to say that cruise liners are always trying to engage with their travellers by coming up with "innovative" facilities and special offers and the singles market is an extension of that.

From themed trips such as the infamous cougar cruises to those embracing the latest changes in entertainment and offering customers cinemas, casinos and climbing walls, she said it is the ability to tap into niche or new markets that keep cruise holidays fresh and exciting.

NCL are not the only cruise company to target the singles market however. MSC Cruises have also waived the excessive charges for solo travellers, which can often add an additional 150 per cent to the price.

Do you think the charges currently placed on most solo travellers are unfair? Would you go on a cruise holiday alone or do you prefer to have a crew mate in your cabin?

Lets face it, accountants rule and the bottom line will be the deciding factor. There are only so many cabins you can fit into a set space as there has to be a minimum size to fit in the neccessary facilities. Obviously cabins occupied by two people should provide more revenue than those occupied by one and it should be possible to estimate how much single supplement needs to be added to provide the same revenue as two passengers. So single supplements are here to stay.

The latest introduction of single cabins on new ships is probably just a marketing ploy as there are so few cabins available most solo travellers will end up paying a single supplement anyway. What I don't like is the creation of a 'ghetto' grouping of single cabins which may be in the noisiest area near the engines, why cruise lines think singles are more tolerant of noise I don't know. It is better to have no single cabins at all and have cabins throughout the ship available with the supplement varying according to location.

Are supplements fair? Probably yes as long as they are not a high percentage of the fare.

Would I cruise solo? Yes, I do it all the time.

I would like to travel solo but feel the single supplement is way too high and it does limit a lot of single,widowed,divorced people from enjoying cruises especially as it is a very safe way to travel on your own.Perhps cruise companys especiall those I travel with, Princess and P and O could give this serious consideration as it is better to have a full hip with single occupied cabins than empty providing no revenue at all.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This forum has a Singles section
(find it under the CRUISE THEMES, TYPES & INTERESTS bit).

Being I'm married (twice! -serves me right, dunnit?)...
I never visit that 'cyberspace' but would think it's a great place to make arrangements
between non-psychopathic singles looking to identify a cruise-buddy
to share an ordinary Couples cabin, at the regular Couples rate.

Although I appreciate that such an exercise
may be more fraught with problems than it first seems?


____________________________________________
It may be simpler to just marry some poor person
and endure, like the rest of us.

Mine can cook -and clean!!
Beat that.
.

I sometimes travel alone, but have paid 90% single person suppliments.. to do this have had to search for last minute bargains and often dont get quite the cruise I wanted... a single studio cabin would make me cruise a great deal more.. rather than share with someone I haven't met..

There is no need for these suppliments anyway.. the theory is that a single person doesnt spend as much on board.. this is actually not the case.. I was the only one buying wine at the dinner table every night, and buying rounds of drinks at the bar... how else does a single person get to meet people?

What does a single do after the shows in the evening?? err... casino probably... more spending....and do single travellers jump in cabs on their own to see the sites? No we generally do guided tours with the ship.

The first decent line that does single cabins will have my business... but would prefer it to be RCCL (on Freedom or Explorer class) or Princess. I would imagine Oasis (CouncilEstate of the Seas) will be offering suites for single use by next year anyway.

Let's not forget that NCL' 'Studio Cabins' were designed for couples - they have a double bed. I assume NCL has now made them single cabins becuse they were not selling well for couples - they are very small at just 100 sq ft.



The cabins and the 'private lounge' was originally designed for 256 passengers, not 128, so NCL have cut the capacity of their ship by 128.

NCL's U-Turn is very good news for singles, though.

I notice that P&O's Azura has squeezed some single cabins in, but as has been mentioned, they are in a noisy area next to bars. Also, they are more expensive than the lowest fare for a couple so they have the supplement built in.

I'm content to pay a supplement but don't see why it should be a percentage - why not a flat rate per day? I look for cruises with 35-40% supplement for singles - more than that is prohibitive. Consequently, I can't go to the eastern Med, Fjords or Carribean.

QUOTE:

I notice that P&O's Azura has squeezed some single cabins in, but as has been mentioned, they are in a noisy area next to bars. Also, they are more expensive than the lowest fare for a couple so they have the supplement built in.

I'm content to pay a supplement but don't see why it should be a percentage - why not a flat rate per day? I look for cruises with 35-40% supplement for singles - more than that is prohibitive. Consequently, I can't go to the eastern Med, Fjords or Carribean.

I think there are only 18 of these cabins on Azura and were ALL booked on all 2010 voyages when I checked a month ago.....

QUOTE:

Let's not forget that NCL' 'Studio Cabins' were designed for couples - they have a double bed. I assume NCL has now made them single cabins becuse they were not selling well for couples - they are very small at just 100 sq ft.



The cabins and the 'private lounge' was originally designed for 256 passengers, not 128, so NCL have cut the capacity of their ship by 128.

NCL's U-Turn is very good news for singles, though.

If only it was coming "over here" despite being 'visually provoking'

QUOTE:

........I'm content to pay a supplement but don't see why it should be a percentage - why not a flat rate per day? I look for cruises with 35-40% supplement for singles - more than that is prohibitive. Consequently, I can't go to the eastern Med, Fjords or Carribean.

You could try Thomsons for a supplement of 30-40% on the brochure price. Of course the couples get the benefit of discounts while singles have to book early to even get a cabin

Brochure Example - 2 weeks Caribbean Jan 2011 on Destiny. £1649 per person . Single outside + £574, supplement + 34.8%

Current price £1288 + £49 for outside cabin = £1337
which means the supplement is 66% :mad: however this is for a double outside cabin.