Solo sailors: "fares too high!" This sad lament of the single cruiser is not necessarily true - Cruise Guide

I suddenly found myself a widower last year. During our married life, Phyllis and I had taken a number of cruises, and enjoyed every one, But that was together. What would it be like cruising alone?

It turns out there are a lot of us singles, whether inadvertent or purposeful. Perhaps 22 percent of all cruise passengers are singles, according to the Cruise Line International Association, the industry's trade and marketing group. Exact figures are hard to come by: so many friends and relatives board together and share a cabin that it's hard for cruise ships to keep track of who's actually a single person. The true ratio of solo passengers is probably higher than anyone knows.

But before boarding a ship solo, expecting fun and frolic, there are a couple of decisions to be made. Initially I assumed I wanted a single cabin. But most cruise ships these days don't have single cabins. Did I want to share a cabin with someone else--a stranger? Frankly, that was not my first choice. But l also didn't want to pay a huge surcharge for single occupancy of a double cabin.

The options are these: If you definitely want to be alone in a single cabin, first look for a ship that has single cabins. (You'll find these details in the accompanying chart.) When you find one that appeals to you, ask questions of the cruise line or your travel agent. What categories are the single cabins in? Are they inside, with a lower and upper berth'? Cheaper, but obviously not as desirable. Or perhaps outside mad the same size as a comparable double, but with one bed instead of two and perhaps a desk in that space?

Since most ships don't have single cabins, ask about Single Supplements, the industry term for the rate to get a double cabin all to yourself. These fares are based on the regular per-person/double-occupancy price (the amount one person in a double cabin would pay), which is considered 100 percent, and then an extra fee is added, which can range from 10 percent on up to 100 percent. So a Single Supplement of 150 percent means you'll be paying 50 percent morn than one-half of a couple would pay to have the whole cabin to yourself.

There's a big variation in Single Supplements. Some lines quote a standard rate that always applies, but most lines adjust it depending on the category, the itinerary, or the season. Most times when the rate is "150-200 percent," you can figure the 150 percent cabins are standard staterooms and the 200 percent ones are suites.

Another wrinkle is what the industry calls Guaranteed Single. You'll have a double cabin to yourself, but pay less because you won't know which one until you board the ship and the purser directs you, basically, to whichever cabin is still unoccupied. It's a gamble, but you could get lucky and end up in a great but unsold stateroom. More of the lines used this gambit a few years ago: as you can see by the chart, it isn't much favored these days.

Lastly, the Guaranteed Share is widely used. When you don't have a friend to go along and share a cabin to keep the fare down, the cruise line chooses another person in, literally, the same boat, and puts the two of you in one double cabin. You only know in advance that this stranger will be of the same sex (and, likely, smoking preference) as you.

Some people have made life-long friends this way. Others have probably been not so happy. But most assume they can put up with another's small quirks if it's only a seven-day voyage, though I suspect if you are a light sleeper and find you're cohabiting a space with a world-class snorer during an entire around-the-world cruise, you might not be overjoyed.

Here are a few pertinent facts that should be helpful to the single sailor searching for the right ship: Saga Holidays' (a British line that markets only to those 50 years of age and up) Saga Rose has the most single cabins, 63, and its Saga Pearl has a sizable 32. Canard Line has single cabins on all three of its ships (Caronia, Queen Elizabeth 2, and the new Queen Mary 2), Costa Cruise Lines on the majority of its ships, and Cruise West on all its small vessels.

The Single Supplement is often waived by a surprising number of lines, depending on the ship's itinerary and the season. Crystal Cruises reports that, as does Glacier Bay Cruiseline, Norwegian Coastal Voyage, RiverBarge Excursions, and Sea Dream Cruises.

The advantage of the Guaranteed Share program lies with the word "Guaranteed." As Aimee Lyons of Lindblad Expeditions says: "If we are unable to find a suitable [same gander] share, the guest will be given solo accommodation in a double occupancy room at the per-person/double-occupancy rate."

The perennial question of what size ship is best for single passengers comes down in the end, I think, to individual taste. There is usually a larger pool of other singles to be found on the big ships; Carnival Cruise Lines, for instance, attracts large numbers of singles. Those are the ships which have "get-togethers" and cocktail parties strictly for solo voyagers, and are mostly likely to have Gentleman Hosts to dance, and sometimes dine, with single women passengers.

On the other hand, Cruise West's Jerre Fuqua said, "Guests usually have an easier time meeting people aboard a small vessel than a large cruise liner. This is especially important to single travelers." And according to Seabourn Cruise Line's Bruce Good, "Single women feel very comfortable on our ships, which are small and not intimidating. At meal times, for example, the maitre d' takes good care of them."

Two lines may appeal for another reason. Windjammer Barefoot Cruises (you can tell by the name that its cruises are very casual) has a half dozen Singles Cruises each year on its sailing vessels--nothing but solo travelers on those voyages (but be aware the average passenger age is 35). And First European Cruises' 1,566-passenger European Vision sailed last fall on a Singles Cruise from Venice. As usual with that line, a majority of the passengers were European.

Three cruise lines attract a large number of seniors, including single seniors: Royal Olympia Cruises, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, and Saga International Holidays. Windstar Cruises' ships are very "couples oriented," as are those of Oceania Cruises. However, several lines rarely offer any special rates or share programs for singles--Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean International among them, although RCI does host Singles Parties, including "wine bar get-togethers," on its new ships.

A puzzlement is that none of the big, new ships are including single cabins in their construction plans (the Queen Mary 2 being the exception). This despite the fact that Ian Waterfield, general manager in America of Saga Holidays, said its many single cabins are usually the first to be booked. The other lines with a smattering of single cabins say the same. The lesson is to make reservations early if yon want to get a single cabin. Booking early usually results in a lower price, too.

I've ventured out on a seven-day sailing since I started looking into the singles situation. Though I admit I was doubtful at the outset, I made new friends, joined in a number of activities, and generally had a very good time.

After all, it was a cruise.

CRUISE OPTIONS FOR THE SINGLE PASSENGER

SMALL SHIPS (13-500 PASSENGERS)

Cruise Line             Single      Single      Guaranteed
                        Cabins    Supplement      Single

American Canadian         --       175-200%         --
Caribbean
American Safari *         --         175%           --
American West            1 *     150-200% (B)       --
Steamboa
Clipper                   --         yes            yes
Cruise West             yes *      125-175%         --
Delta Queen              8 *       175-200%         --
Galapagos Islands (D)     --         125%           --
Glacier Bay               --      0-175% (C)        --
Lindblad Expeditions     yes         125%           --
Norwegian Coastal         --      varies (E)        --
Peter Deilmann *          --     150-200% (B)       --
Radisson Seven Seas       --     125-200% (B)       --
RiverBarge Excursions     --      125-150% *        --
Saga Holidays *           32         190%           --
Seabourn                  --       110-175%         --
SeaDream                  --       175-200%         --
Silversea                 --     110-200% (G)       --
Star Clipper              --       150-200%         yes
Windjammer Barefoot       --         150%           --
Windstar                  --       175% (I)         --

MEDIUM SHIPS (500-1,500 PASSENGERS)

Celebrity                 --       200% (J)         --
Costa                    yes     150-200% (K)       --
Crystal                   --        125% *          --
Cunard *                 yes       175-200%         --

Fred. Olson              many        175%          yes *
Holland America         yes *      150-190%         --
Oceania *                 --         175%           --
Orient                    2        150-200%        yes *
Peter Deilmann *         yes          --            --
Saga Holidays *           63         190%           --
Star Clipper              --         175%           --
Swan Hellenic             --       150% (L)         --

LARGE SHIPS (1,500-PLUS PASSENGERS)

Carnival                  --     150-200% (M)      yes *
Celebrity                 --       200% (N)         --
Costa                    10 *    150-200% (O)       --
Cunard                  yes *      175-200%       yes **
Disney                    --       175-200%         --
First European *          --         150%           --
Imperial Majesty          3          185%           --
Norwegian                 --       150-200%         --
Princess *                --       150-200%         --
Royal Caribbean *         --       200% (N)         --
Royal Olympia             --       150-200%        yes *

Cruise Line             Guaranteed           * Notes
                           Share

American Canadian         yes (A)               --
Caribbean
American Safari *           --             Safari Queen
American West               --        * Empress of the North
Steamboa
Clipper                   yes (C)               --
Cruise West                 yes           * On all ships
Delta Queen                 yes          * American Queen
Galapagos Islands (D)       --                  --
Glacier Bay                 --                  --
Lindblad Expeditions        yes                 --
Norwegian Coastal           --                  --
Peter Deilmann *            --            * Lili Marleen
Radisson Seven Seas         --                  --
RiverBarge Excursions       --          * Sometimes 0% (F)
Saga Holidays *           yes (A)          * Saga Pearl
Seabourn                    --                  --
SeaDream                    --                  --
Silversea                   --                  --
Star Clipper                --                  --
Windjammer Barefoot       yes (H)               --
Windstar                    --                  --

MEDIUM SHIPS (500-1,500 PASSENGERS)

Celebrity                   --                  --
Costa                       --                  --
Crystal                     --          * Sometimes waived
Cunard *                    --              * Caronia
                                         Gentlemen Hosts
Fred. Olson                 --            * On occasion
Holland America             yes            * Prinsendam
Oceania *                   --          * Gentlemen Hosts
Orient                    limited        * When available
Peter Deilmann *            --            * Deutschland
Saga Holidays *             yes            * Saga Rose
Star Clipper                --                  --
Swan Hellenic               yes                 --

LARGE SHIPS (1,500-PLUS PASSENGERS)

Carnival                    --           * When available
Celebrity                   --                  --
Costa                       --           * Costa Fortuna
Cunard                      --        * QM2/QE2, ** QE2 only
Disney                      --                  --
First European *            yes         * Singles Parties
Imperial Majesty            --                  --
Norwegian                   --                  --
Princess *                yes (P)        * Singles Mixers
Royal Caribbean *           --          * Gentlemen Hosts
Royal Olympia               yes             * Limited

(A) Small ships, sometimes no one to share with
aboard, so single gets entire cabin alone.

(B) Varies by cabin category.

(C) Varies by ship and itinerary.

(D) Metropolitan Touring Co.

(E) September 15 to April 15; waived in some categories.

(F) If handicapped cabins not booked 30 days before
cruise, no single supplement charged.

(G) Half of all sailings, single rate starts at 110%.

(H) Sails "singles only" cruises, where all cabins
are shared

(I) 150% on trans-Atlantic repositioning cruises.

(J) Lower on "singles" promotional cruises.

(K) Standard cabins 150%; suites 200%.

(L) Supplement waived four periods each year,
after publication of new brochure.

(M) Depends on season; subject to availability.

(N) Lower on "singles" promotional cruises.

(O) Standard cabins 150%; suites 200%.

(P) Purser will attempt to find share, but not guaranteed

COPYRIGHT 2004 World Publishing, Co. (Illinois)
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group