CRUISE DAILY UPDATE  
 

Singles Cruising: Norwegian EPIC offers rooms without single supplemental charge!

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A cruise has long been regarded as one of the most desirable vacations for single adults. Remember The Love Boat television series? There was no shortage of single guys and gals who "hooked up" on the Pacific Princess each week.

When deciding on a cruise vacation, today's single adult has many more choices than we had back in the 70's. There are more ships, bigger ships and, believe it or not, much lower prices available today. In 1979, you may have paid $1,278 for a single berth in the lowest category cabin for a 7-night Caribbean cruise. Today, it is not uncommon to see cruise fares as low as $599 for a 7-night Caribbean cruise.

Here are a few things to consider when cruising as a single adult:

Cruise Fares Are Based on Double Occupancy

When you see an advertised cruise fare, realize that those rates are based on double occupancy (2 people per cabin or stateroom). Therefore, if you plan to travel alone and have your own private stateroom, you could pay as much as double the advertised rate! ( See note above about the Norwegian EPIC, where there are no supplemental charges for singles )

What About the Single Supplement Charges?

Each cruise line has its own policy on Single Supplement charges, the percentage they tack onto the double occupancy rate. For example, some cruise lines may advertise a single supplement of 175%, which means that a single adult occupying a stateroom would pay 175% of the double occupancy rate. Supplement rates will vary from as little as 110% to as much as 200% and these can vary from one sailing to the next. There may also be different supplement rates for different cabin categories.

Consider Taking A Friend

The best way to get the best deal on your cruise is to take a close friend with you to share the stateroom and the cost of the cruise. By taking a friend, you will each only pay the double occupancy advertised rate. Not only do you save money, but you will probably have a lot more fun.

Use a Travel Agent That Specializes in Singles Cruises

There are travel agencies that specialize in singles cruises. They can better advise you on which cruise lines are best and may be able to suggest cruises that have been set up specifically for singles. There are even forums and message boards for single cruisers where you can post your questions.

Single Share Cabins 

Some cruise lines maintain a few staterooms on a "single share" basis. This means the single cruiser agrees to share a stateroom with another single guest of the same sex and pays the per person, double occupancy rate. In the event that the cruise line does not find a cabin-mate for you, the solo cruiser still only pays the per person, double occupancy rate. Single shares are offered on Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line and Orient Lines.

Singles At Sea is the official operator of singles cruises for the "Love Boats" of Princess, the six-star luxury ships of Crystal Cruises, and the Italian-themed vessels of Costa Cruises. They also offer singles cruises on Holland America, Carnival and Royal Caribbean, so that every single traveler can find a ship or an itinerary to their liking.

Singles Cruises Are you single and dreaming of a cruise vacation, but unsure what to expect? You're not alone! Many single travelers wonder which cruises will have the most singles on board, how they'll meet other singles, what the cruise will cost and whether they'll enjoy themselves. Relax. Cruising is ideal for singles, and no other form of travel affords as many opportunities to meet people and make friends. After all, Princess was the first line to popularize cruising for singles with the hit TV series, The Love Boat. visit Princess Cruises Online

Where can I find Singles Cruise Deals? Read on.
 

From staterooms and dining to nightlife and youth programs, first-time cruisers will find all the information they need about cruising right at  Carnival.com     Find Carnival cruises to the Caribbean, Alaska, Bahamas, Mexico, Europe, Bermuda , Hawaii, Canada, Panama Canal, & more.  Enjoy Spectacular Fun on Carnival Search for cruise ports close to home.     Get the best deals on some of Carnival's most popular cruises. See the latest specials on cruises to the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska and more. Save with Carnival Fun Ship Specials Book online now.

Cruise News Update continued...

How To Find Singles Cruise Discounts and Deals

Check with your travel agent.  You can cruise as a single on any cruise or choice a special "Singles Cruise" where many of the passenger's may be single as this is normally a group organized event.

Browse the cruise line offers direct through their website. Royal Caribbean, Carnival and Princess cruises ( and others ) offer Single discounts and last-minute cruise deals that can save Singles money.

Use Cruise Direct Online. A website touted as The Ultimate Cruise Traveler's Search Engine, specifically designed to save you time and money. Cruise Direct Online offers discounts for Singles, through their Travelocity Partner Network found at the website.

Subscribe to free newsletters and travel alerts from the cruise line websites and Single specific websites.

Search for websites that specialize in Single cruises and/or discounts on group travel. Many offer free cruises for the group's organizer.

Travelocity offers a number of discounted rates, based on your age, where you live, and your previous cruising experience.

Additional Savings

Past Passenger Discounted Rate

Passengers who have sailed with a particular cruise line in the past may be eligible for an additional discount, special past guest rates and member benefits not available to first-time cruisers.

Resident Discounted Rate
Passengers who are residents of certain States may be eligible for additional discounts from the cruise line.

Cruise Booking Tips:

When you search for a cruise sort results by price (low or high), cruise line, cruise destination, cruise length. And don't forget to check the ship reviews, rankings and rating.

Look for the cruise lines that offer BONUS extras such as FREE cabin upgrades, on-board spending credit, pre-paid gratuities and more.

When searching by destination, don’t forget to look for the Travelocity “exclusive offers” marked by an explanation mark and/or anchor.

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Photo: Norwegian EPIC; Credit: Norwegian Cruise Line
This entry was posted on Saturday, January 27, 2010 at 9:00AM by Raye and Marty Trencher and is filed under Singles, Single , Single rates, Single cruise rates, cruise discounts for Singles,  discount Single cruise rates and cruise deals.