celebrity cruise introduced a new pricing model in late 2023, and the company has been under fire for weeks after it was revealed. They charge excessively high prices for solo cruisers Better than the common industry standard.
For solo cruisers, it is customary to pay for the entire cabin, which is basically the same as if you were traveling with two passengers, minus any taxes for the second person who is missing.
I’ve never found the concept so strange. After all, you’re paying the same price for a hotel room whether you’re a single guest or two guests (certain single-his rooms in some hotels). except for).
But what the celebrity has just done goes far beyond that.
The company began charging travelers who booked alone not just the full base cabin price, but huge fees on top of that. In some cases, they may not offer a single-person cabin at all.
All my cruises have been invitations to casinos, so I’ve never really been affected by it. Therefore, the only expenses I incur are taxes, tips, and drinks. But since the pandemic ended, those offers have dried up and ships are once again full.
I was considering a cruise from Bali to Singapore, but the results turned out to be even more shocking than I expected for the fares I regularly paid.
The first offer that pops up on your search is:
Then search for a specific cabin based on the number of guests.
The search results will display prices such as:
solo cabin
This is completely insane. His single-person rate, originally advertised as one-third of that, is now $4,182 plus tax. What on earth are celebrities thinking?
But what happens if you only book two passengers?
double cabin
You will now see the exact price as advertised. It is much cheaper to book just two passengers and let the second passenger be a no-show. You will also be eligible to claim a refund of the taxes you paid.
Doing so will significantly reduce your payments.
- Double cabin for 2 people US$2,866.00
- Solo cabin US$4,182.00 per person
- Difference = USD 1318.00
Given that this is a cabin with an ocean view and not a balcony, we decided to cancel the reservation and invest the money in a cherry blossom trip that takes place every year in late March. The most you can spend in cash on this cruise is $1500.
Note that in this case they are at least offering to pay you. On some cruises, if a passenger is looking for one of their girlfriends, they will flatly refuse to sell you a cabin.
Celebrities are clearly penalizing solo cruisers, perhaps trying to offset the expected ancillary revenue generated by cruise lines by selling beverage packages, specialties, excursions, etc. But no matter how many passengers are in the cabin, their sales are not guaranteed.
Elite and Elite Plus passengers in particular are less likely to book these additional services, as their membership comes with a plethora of beverage perks. I don’t think I’ve ever booked any excursions on board.
This entire issue was also featured in Forbes magazine last week.
… One cruise line, Celebrity Cruises, goes even further. They charge solo travelers far more than twice the rate for two people. We compared prices for an upcoming 8-day Eastern Caribbean cruise. Celebrity Thoughts. The same balcony cabin cost $1,461 for two people and $4,346 for one person. That means a solo traveler will pay $1,424 more than the total amount paid by her two guests.It’s almost 3 times normal price. …
Solo cruises are inherently expensive. Some ships have built-in single cabins, but their rates are higher than her double cabin fares and represent only a small portion of the total. Other ships do not have a single cabin at all. Solo travelers usually have to book a double cabin and pay the dreaded “single surcharge” (often 100%).
Some may wonder whether a solo traveler should pay twice the regular price for a cabin. Sure they will occupy a cabin that can accommodate his two people, but the amount of food will be half that of his two, and the burden on complimentary amenities such as pool chairs, dining-in-his-room seating, and entertainment. is also reduced. Sure, one extra charge could be less than the full price of her second passenger, right?…
I’m not sure if the term “single supplement” that many people use is really accurate. Basically he will be paying for one cabin, so it might just as well be talking about a discount for double occupancy rather than an extra charge for one. After all, this is just a play on words, and what matters is the amount of the bill.
Over the past few years I have frequently covered cruising and have since achieved Celebrity Elite Plus status. Perhaps that was the wrong choice and they should have focused on the Royal Caribbean Crown and Anchor Club instead. For Diamond Plus members with 340 points or more, he reduces the “single surcharge” to 150%. It’s the complete opposite of celebrities who have had a bad time traveling alone.
I hope management gets the message and reverses their pricing mindset because there’s been a lot of outrage about this new celebrity policy and people aren’t actually happy about it.
conclusion
Celebrity Cruises really went overboard with their new pricing policy that discriminates against solo travelers (just kidding). They are currently charging a huge premium for single occupancy over the normal 100% single occupancy rate.
Customers looking to book a single cabin are currently being charged an additional 30-40% on top of the price for two people. This is likely to compensate for the ancillary revenue the cruise line loses by not carrying her two passengers in the cabin.
If you want to cruise again, you’ll have to wait until sometime in the future to receive a casino offer again. There is no way for me to book a revenue fare because I don’t pay such fares and my girlfriend hates cruises.