I saw this last night on a JaydonJudson Short. I decided to check this for myself and did a comparison on a cruise of the sort I might easily choose for myself - a 16-night Sydney to Honolulu Celebrity Solstice in April. I selected a Veranda cabin, and used the exact same cabin for both enquires. The prices are in Australian dollars and are inclusive of all fees and taxes. Here are the results: For Cabin Only, the Solo cost was $2,506 more than the total cost for two, Double Occupancy For All-Inclusive, the Solo cost was $3,761 more than the the total cost for two, Double Occupancy. Celebrity has now gone from a main contender to snowball’s chance.
I love Celebrity but their new policy for solo travellers like myself is turning me away from them. Trust me as us Baby Boomers become solo travellers they are shooting themselves in the foot
Exactly. At least Royal Carribean gives double credit for crusing solo in the cabin. I need to call Celebrity and cancel my future cruise that I just booked in 2023. smh I don't want to share my space and don't feel comfortable being penalized for cruising solo. I like Celebrity HOWEVER they might lose me and my deposit. smh
@@mariebrooks7341 Celebrity Cruises gives solo passengers double credit but for the last 10-15 whenever I sailed solo, I had to email or call customer support to get it changed to the double rate because it wasn’t automatic! Bet there’s a crazy amount of people who have sailed solo and are owed tons of Captain’s Club points based upon on this! They’re very slow to respond to emails in changing your points! Sailed Nov. 12-19 on Reflection and about a week after getting off the per person rate of points posted like normal and nearly 4-5 emails later and many weeks after they finally changed it to what it should be!
I'm skipping 5 Celebrity cruises because of the solo discrimination, even with non-refundable deposits. I cruised once with a phantom roommate/no-show, but now I'm seeing solo fares up to 5x the double cabin rate, which is just offensive. Royal is doing the same, so they're also losing my business. It's obviously an attempt to justify their high stock price by increasing profits, but if you treat me unfairly, I'll go elsewhere. If they charged more by gender, race, nationality, or sexual orientation because of perceived spending patterns, lawsuits and bad PR would cost them, yet they openly discriminate against solos.
5x the double cabin rate? that doesn't sound true, I'm doubting this number without seeing the evidence. charging solo cruisers for using up 2 people's space on the ship capacity is reasonable because of the decreased onboard spending. 5X = 500% that means for example you seen a $2000 cabin increased to $10,000
Thanks for letting people know about this nonsense. Time for folks to VOTE WITH THEIR FEET. Don't cruise with Celebrity, or any cruise line which pulls this kind of scam. When they realize they have shot themselves in the foot with their greed, they will change the policy, but until they feel the economic pinch they will continue this unfair policy.
I am single and have given up going on cruises altogether because I can fly around the World for the price of a tour of out of the way European ports. That said, it sounds like Celebrity is having no trouble filling its cabins with couples and can afford to be choosy. Of course, this might change in the future, but now I am used to doing things when I feel like it, I won't be returning to regimented six hour stops.
We used to love Celebrity but all the changes they've made to their packages, the price gouging and their nickel and diming have really turned us off the brand. Princess, Oceania and Holland America now get our cruise dollars.
We took a Holland America cruise this summer. Our last Holland America cruise was exactly 10 years earlier to the week. Service, food, entertainment is way down in quality.
It seems that many lines are moving towards charging us for everything on the ship. So many of the things that were included are now an extra charge. I have opted to do other vacations because of the new class system they are creating on many cruise lines. They only allow passengers who pay enough to go to many areas of the ship. This detracts from the experience when so many doors do not welcome you in!
I agree with you 100%. As someone who is a solo traveler this is one of the main reasons why I am so reluctant to do any type of cruising. The cost for me to go on a cruise is ridiculous. And stories, like this makes me even more, determined not to take a cruise.
I cruised on Silversea to Alaska last summer when the single supplement was waived. I also booked a cruise on Ponant with no single supplement and Silversea offers a number of cruises where the single supplement is 25%. My TA is good at finding solo deals!
I checked 2025-2026 sailings on Ascent when they were recently added and found some to be 3.25 times the per person rate. Celebrity Edge to Alaska was going for $798 per person but for a solo passenger was $2,400 without port fees and taxes! I’ve never seen this sort of thing in all the years sailing, but unless they change their tune quickly I’ll be sailing exclusively with Princess and Holland America who don’t engage in such hostile tactics! This is coming from an Elite Plus member too!
I usually cruise solo, and if celebrity is going to charge more than a double occupancy for a solo traveler, then I for one will not be choosing that cruise line ever and I’m sure a lot of other people are right behind me
Even worse, on some deals, they discount the 2nd person considerably. As a solo cruiser who likes Celebrity, I will not be cruising with them until they treat solo cruisers fairly. Another bad business decision by a cruise line.
Exactly Don! You are spot on point! Hence why me as a single cruiser have not been back on them since my September 2021 cruise! I loved the cruise experience with them, but I can find the same itinerary for much less!
It is absolutely ridiculous. I think they should be charging solos less than double the price, probably 75-80% or so of the second fare due to the reduced expenses. But it sounds like they just don't want solo travelers.
Why do they let couples have like up to three kids in the cabin with them for free but then treat us "onlies" so badly? I guess I am just not ever going to take another cruise again and stick to land/air packages that include excursions and transfers.
I couldn't agree more. I particularly enjoyed a cruise on the Celebrity Solstice so I have been trying to book a solo cruise on one of her sister ships but discovered this totally unfair pricing policy when I tried to do so. I just now refuse to book with Celebrity until this changes.
Don you are absolutely correct! We as solo cruisers are already paying the cruise fare for another person. Now they want us to pay for that extra persons spending money on a cruise too. It’s wrong.
So if you were a cruise CEO and you had comparisons that showed the lost revenue from a solo cabin versus a true 2 person occupied cabin and, knowing how every penny counted and how you were still recovering from over a year of losing millions bc of covid you wouldnt do anything about that lost revenue??
I really appreciate your passion for raising awareness about issues that you feel strongly about. And in this case it does seem very unfair, but unfortunately it's par for the course when you're a single person in a world designed for couples.
Agreed; I just went on a land-based solo tour to ecuador and the galapagos, now I'm looking at upcharges for just being one person. Actually cruises upcharge a lot more than land-based tours do. Cruise cabins are really small unless you are getting a suite; on the land-based tour I just mentioned, I paid about 35% more than going with another person, which I thought was about fair in order to have my own room for all 10 nights.
I had been thinking about trying Celebrity next year, but as a solo cruiser I will rethink that. Since I am alone I tend to spend more money than when I am with friends. Charging extra on top of the double fee is to much. They are saving not only on the foods, but the room steward doesn’t have to work as hard and you create less laundry for them.
I was a solo cruiser and have decided not to cruise anymore. I always thought it was not fair so I stopped cruising. It's a shame that solo cruisers get ripped off like that. When I was cruising I started staying in an inside cabin being I didn't see the cabin other than to sleep and shower. It's just not worth it. I know a lot of other solo cruisers who are quitting cruising. I'm buying an RV. I always go to Mexico and live not far from the border, so I will just drive there and have my RV to save on hotels.
does it cost you LESS to fill up the gas tank when you travel alone ? Is your insurance cheaper ? I travel solo as well, AND have an RV too ! It is simple economy of scale. They do not pay for extra captains on the ship because there is 3000 instead of 2000 on board. We have the unfortunate situation where if you truly believe free market system, in this case solo travelers pay a premium. Do I like it HELL NO ! but a ship with only singles in all of the cabins would cost us more per person in the long run
After i had the same experience with HAL in 2018, i cruised with them only once more (a cruise i had already agreed to do with a couple, but me in a single inside cabin.) i was pretty miserable on that trip because i saw my friends only at dinner and, occasionally, breakfast. I also got injured on that trip and HAL would not refund me for prepaid shore excursions i could not do because of my injury.
This may be your best public sailer video ever Don. I don’t have time to analyze the cruise line pricing formulas so it is great to know when they are behaving unethically and are taking advantage of loyal customers.
Try to make a reservation for 4 people in a room and then go back and try to make a reservation under a kids sail free promotion. The price goes way up!
Agree 100% Don. All inclusive should be all inclusive. Solution: Have gratuities removed. Pay those you want to, and the hell with the rest. Blame your employer not me.
Auto gratuities only benefits the cruise line, not the service provider. Makes it easier to track the income of personnel that work for tips and receive a lesser hourly wage due to that. Pay cash in tips and it works out better for the cruise members who have directly helped you.
Absolutely correct. Just ask any Cabin Steward, or Waiter. They hate the automatic gratuities. They would much rather have cash direct to them. Cost you less, and gives the people who actually serve you more. Wake up. Cancel daily gratuity at your first opportunity. Norwegian makes this somewhat difficult, but if they fail to remove them, do a charge back with credit card company. It is a gratuity, not a mandatory payment.
We need to stop Cruising for two years and make COVID losses look like good times. Maybe things might change. But not while they are making record profits and still stealing more.
Another sore point is cruises that change overnight due to Port over crowding. The Monstrosities of the Sea that we are seeing are flooding the Port with just one or two ships forcing others to have to miss the Port and go somewhere they didn't choose. Eventually it will just become floating around in circles on a floating amusement park. That is not cruising, and it is not fun!!!!
Then Again, It's All about finding ways to make MORE $$$$ by ALL the Cruise Lines. Not Only Celebrity. We are South Florida residents since 1962 and have cruised All over the World. Know the Industry very well. We commend folks like you for continuing to keep us informed of all these constant changes. Then, As seasoned cruisers , we are able to plan and make smart decisions on our future cruise adventures. Thank-you so much. We Love what you bring to the Table !
My wife and I have been cruising Celebrity for more than a decade in Aqua Class but have made the decision not to cruise with them in the future because of the decisions made of late- Less for more money. Our contact for years was fired along with many others 😢.
As a long time Celebrity cruiser, I feel they are going in the wrong direction in food quality, quanity, and on and on.....its too bad this is happening.
In the past few years Celebrity has priced itself of the market. They use the excuse that they are a luxury cruiseline but I'm sorry, they are still a premium cruiseline just like Holland and Princess. Just because you charge more doesn't mean you are better.
Thank you for calling this out. As a solo cruiser the cruise lines make it look like they don’t want the solos on their ships. PS… love the shirt! I’m honored. 😊
NCL has been the preferred cruise line for solo travellers here, but we are limited to one ship since we will only choose Solo Balcony cabins. Would love to see more solo balconies offered on more ships.
Celebrity Cruise line is loosing clients to Princess and HAL due to their very unpopular recent decisions; for instance a change to their All Inclusive package. This is not just an opinion, as I am also a cruise agent. This is happening! That is just one example of a very poor policy decision recently made. They really need to rethink their decisions and not let ego get in the road of saying “we made a mistake”, and simply reverse their bad policy moves. Agree with you 100% Don.
They aren't going to Princess because Princess are doing the exact same thing. People we met on our recent Princess cruise who were very loyal to Princess cancelled their next booked cruise with Princess because of how bad it has become. Nickle and diming, less and less in packages that cost more and more and the food was awful. They also were not given the cabin they had booked.
This is sad. I wonder if it’s the same thing for solo rooms. I have a solo balcony on Celebrity in Aug. but won’t be shopping with them again if this keeps up. They prob thought no one would notice. Great job Don!!
I have ALWAYS been a solo cruiser on Celebrity, my cruise line of choice. However, their recent decisions have been designed to push me away from them. This policy just adds another nail in the coffin. I cruised solo on Celebrity Beyond in November on a 9 night cruise to the ABC's and Grand Cayman. While I found the food in the MDR and Specialty Restaurants to be excellent, I notice a distinct drop in service from my November 2022 cruise on Celebrity Constellation. I'm not sure if I will ever cruise on Celebrity again.
Don't worry. They are only overcharging because they can. There will eventually be more cabins than cruisers (it may take years) and all the cruise lines will be competing to get your business. I just hope they don't start selling tickets to their shows with assigned seating based on the location within the theatre, time of the night, class of your cabin, etc. I will absolutely draw the line if they install turnstiles or turn the buffet into an a fee per item cafeteria.
Well we are going on the Celebrity Ascent in a week. Our daughter was originally thinking of coming with us and I told her they had solo cabins. Now I'm glad she decided not to come! I LOVE to cruise but they are making it harder and harder!! Happy New Year!
I noticed this for my solo clients and I simply book them as a double with a phantom person as the second, and the. They then have the phantom no show at the port, and have their port fees, taxes and expenses refunded back to the original form of payment. Problem solved. This is why to always use a good TA. Yes it’s underhanded and a horrible policy. Thank you for pointing this out Don, but it is easy to work around.
We have been cruising with Celebrity since it's Horizon ship, and we did so because it was affordable, but our last cruise this past November was so expensive and the food was not what it use to be, and the expectation was to spend, spend, spend. It has put Celebrity on the back burner for us.
Thank you for the advice. We are trying something completely different in March and that is Virgin Voyages. They are trying to be different and do not want to follow the tactics of the traditional cruise lines. @@warpedweft9004
Exoticca has many land-based tours that don't upcharge crazy amounts for solo (just an idea); I just went on an ecuador and galapagos trip and was only upcharged about 35% for having my own room . It is quite a bit more rigorous to change hotel rooms more often, but you really do wind up paying a lot more for a solo cruise; also, you decide when and where to tip.
@@Reed-2big I believe Don was saying that they progressively charge more for being solo as the room gets fancier because they figure if you can spend more money by yourself for a single room, then if you had someone with you, they would spend more as well/ something along those lines?
@@Reed-2big Buying more drinks, more crap from the gift shop, paying for dining options vs. the same old buffet that everyone else gets included. Tips that would have been generated from having a second person in that suite?
Hi Don most of the time I'm a solo cruiser and my go to cruise line is celebrity I agree with you the pure greed of charging a solo cruiser more than two people 😔 I went on celebrities Facebook page and express my opinion about what they're doing I think if more and more people did that they may get the message that they may be losing customers to other cruise lines that welcome solo cruisers not gourge them and by the way I was just on the silhouette in the buffet they show full cakes but when you want a piece they take it out of a sheet cake behind it the old bait and switch
I was almost 40 when I first left the states to go overseas. This was in 1990. I had my first taste of single surcharges. I didn’t have much money, and no savings, but I had a deep desire to go somewhere! I opted to ask for a strange to share my room with. It always has seemed unfair to pay extra just because my life has had no one to share it. I haven’t traveled for over 5 years now. I am 75 and struggling to get around my house!
A small piece that you didn't mention was that there are no gratuities being paid by that second occupant. This would easily make up the $100 difference in the balcony category, but your point about the rediculous upcharge in the suite catergory is valid.
If that's how they're justifying it, then why wouldn't they do the same thing when only two people are in a cabin that sleeps four? That is price gouging and it's ridiculous!
Hello Don! First things first…love your new intro. Very nicely done. Second is this solo booking thing. Yes, Celebrity has been doing this since cruising has returned. The solo infinite cabins cost an arm and a leg and are limited. I have learned to book for 2 and have saved me a ton of money. I have also taken advantage of the allowed soft drinks and wine permitted per passenger to save on the horribly inflated prices onboard. Not to forget how easy it is to whip up a nice cup of water with fresh fruit from the buffet. Watermelon water beats the heck out of lemon or orange water IMO. I’m still trying to figure out if paying the gratuity fee ahead of time is more or less expensive than seeing what is charged if you pay it at the end when many of the additional perks are not included.
Basically, you're better off going with a standard cabin than a "single cruiser" cabin, then... they might as well hold off on adding those extra cabins because there's no way people will use them unless they stop charging higher prices than what you could get in a standard cabin.
If you are a disabled single cruiser it’s worse, you have no access to single cabins if they exist, then the accessible excursions are twice the price along with they expect a companion and you are paying for a ticket for someone who will not be there
we stopped sailing with celebrity due to their nickle and diming, and we were always in the highest end suites.. Celebrity is just driving the high end customers to other lines..
I agree. They do the same thing when you go from 3 to 4 people in the cabin. The individual rate increases per person when you go down from 4 to 3 people in the room.
Is this the same on RCCL? That is ridiculous. My parents booked a cruise for myself, my husband and 2 kids. We knew my husband was not able to get off of work, but they said instead of cancelling him, we will do a no show because it's cheaper. Is that the same thing??
Thank you for speaking out on behalf of all the solo travelers. I have seen pricing for the solo cabins costing more than a balcony cabin for two! We are definitely being penalized as solo cruisers.
Hi Don.You are on my major gripe with most cruise lines. The examples you mentioned, are tame compared to some gouging I have seen & experienced & is the only reason I don't cruise much,much more. Loyalty means absolutely nothing! I spend very, very little because the fare impost is often prohibitive. Solo cabins are a scam! They are always priced close to, or even more than for 2 two people in an inside cabin.-& they are claustrophobic!. No way would I book one. On a recent NCL back to back, I paid double port fees & taxes. When more than 50% of those ports were cancelled, I did not receive 1c of those fees back. I don't even bother with Princess. Sometimes their solo fares are 500% more than travelling as a couple- made worse by often being locked out of anything less than a balcony or suite . There are solutions but companies will continue to gouge us relentlessly - unless we back up & don't accept the fares. Problem is they are back to making super profits & don't really care if we cruise or not. Thanks for highlighting this.
I did the same experiment you did and was shocked. I expected it to be the same price but not more. What the other person “might” spend is offset by what they won’t consume that’s included in the fare.
OMG! I love Celebrity but have noticed big changes in the recent years. Thanks so much Don for sharing this information. Makes me question my loyalty with celebrity.
I totally agree. I was to get a 6 day balcony to Bermuda on MSC for my first solo cruise for $800 with $200 OBC . They had a reduced supplement then but are always atleast $100 or two less for a solo when I checked. So true we eat half as much is enough to give us a discount.
Thanks for another great and informative video Don. I love how real you are…thank you. Celebrity has been our cruise line of choice for years and we have many many sailings under our belt with them. Due to the many recent changes X is making and our lack of love for their new style of cruise ships, we are definitely looking to other cruise lines. So much for being faithful to one brand…
Thank you , I am new on cruising , did my first , last October with holland because it was convenient , Zaamdam was leaving from Montreal, I got hooked on cruising , I already book for this upcoming October 2024 , A transatlantic, Barcelona to Fort L. Being solo , I will check , the taxes etc..this spring coming i am looking for a short disney cruise , again solo in my cabine . I think if the prices was more reasonable more solo will travel. Thank you for all the info!
Yeah, I'm a solo traveler, and I think Celebrity will be dropped from consideration now. I'm fine with the double occupancy rate, but getting a surcharge is crossing the line.
I agree with your comments on Celebrity. Solo travelers deserve a fair price and not be penalized with these awful policies. Everyone deserves to have fun with or without a partner.
Great video, Don! Agree completely that it's not fair - and also not a good business move by X. My theory as to why they're doing it is not the explanation that was given to you about making up for monies not spent by second person, but, rather, to make up for the Daily Automatic Gratuities that they can't charge for the second person. But, whatever the reason, it totally stinks. As does removing DAG's from the "not-so-inclusive" package. Are they still charging the same amount for the package as when it included the DAG's?
Really good point on the Celebrity's loss of gratuities if no second passenger per cabin. But the gratuity dollars theoretically should be for service staff and not to enhance profits. And Celebrity's All Included pricing is not really clear either. At least Princess Plus and Premier packages (more included with either compared to Celebrity) have set dollars per day. Changes implemented by Celebrity's new CEO have been a big turn off. I will finally be Elite after a February Ascent cruise, but may change to Holland America, Princessor even Oceana
@@carolcrawford5831 Theoretically, to give to service staff. But, in reality, with the way the lines aggregate and disperse the gratuities, it is to enhance profits.
I'm with you Don. I only have a few bucket list cruises i want to do soon & it turns me off past that goal. I don't see how or why i should pay more than double. A fair fee, i would feel more comfortable with would be 1 & a half fare. Because i understand they lose that revenue but it's also kind of an empty excuse. If a couple doesn't gamble or drink or even go on excursion, then my bit of gambling is more than that couple spends. I do enjoy the poker slots. I don't know anyone to cruise with & that's fine too. But why punish me for being solo? That's how it feels😢
Yes, i m solo since loosing my husband in 2015 *& do my own shore visits as cruised everywhere with him.I don t gamble or do speciality dining but like a drink
I totally agree Don. I think Celebrity is shooting themselves in the foot. I'm not sure why they have such an issue with solo cruisers. I would rather have a single person in a cabin versus have no one in a cabin.
Yes! Also, I believe that solo travelers in general have more disposable income, and Celebrity knows it. Yet, they fail to realize that solo travelers also have a lot of single time to look into various travel opportunities. We don't have to choose to cruise, and we certainly don't need Celebrity if we do choose to cruise. Thank you, Don for this helpful information. We all have choices when we travel; I have always chosen land-based tours since I have been single because the upcharge is usually only about 30% more and I get my own room for the entire trip. Tipping is not obligatory it is always my choice. Also, I carry around my own single-use water bottle and my own life straw because I refuse to pay for water and unnecessary plastic waste along the way.
@@gigi9301 exactly, if cruise ships decide to rip off cruisers specifically solo I will travel on land and hotels. Screw the snakes should they CELEBRITIZE SOLO CRUISES,
@@beekeepermariadelgado6806 Right!! I suppose, according to them, in order to be a "celebrity", one needs to have a partner and or a family in order to travel? Nonsense!!
@@gigi9301 I have for years been anti cruise and went on my first one in October. I have never been a party person but I am “testing the cruise waters” if cruises capitalize on Buggering cruisers I will go back to regular traveling. It is so wrong, getting too big for themselves because an uptick in cruisers.
@@beekeepermariadelgado6806 I can see why many people would prefer cruising because of convenience, and Bon Voyage to you if and when you go again! I'm glad that Don is reminding us that we have choices (many!).
Thank you for this update. I am a solo cruiser and I disagree with this policy. Businesses today just keep looking for new and innovative ways to raise their revenue in the short-term, at the cost of losing future business from loyal customers. Common sense is no longer common. Heck, car manufacturers are now trying to implement monthly subscription charges to access certain features of your car like heated seats and remote start. When consumers have less and less disposable income, that is not the time to start increasing fees. In these times this is when consumers stop buying from these companies and start to hope that these companies go out of business for their own stupidity.
My wife and I have been disappointed with Celebrity with the recent changes they have made in the drink package and the food offerings. We have now started looking at alternative lines and also resorts.
Isn't the Royal Caribbean doing the same things? .... In the past 9 -10 months.... from Cape Liberty New Jersey?....Every time I checked prices I've been very disappointed.... There is an extra charge on the top of the double .... I noticed it... Someone said it's discrimination ....I agree!!😒
Yes they are assuming and yes we do know what that breaks into. I am a solo cruiser for the past 20 cruises. I have had the same complaint as your video stated today. You hit the nail on the head. They "assume"😮
I saw this last night on a JaydonJudson Short. I decided to check this for myself and did a comparison on a cruise of the sort I might easily choose for myself - a 16-night Sydney to Honolulu Celebrity Solstice in April. I selected a Veranda cabin, and used the exact same cabin for both enquires. The prices are in Australian dollars and are inclusive of all fees and taxes.
Here are the results:
For Cabin Only, the Solo cost was $2,506 more than the total cost for two, Double Occupancy
For All-Inclusive, the Solo cost was $3,761 more than the the total cost for two, Double Occupancy.
Celebrity has now gone from a main contender to snowball’s chance.
I love Celebrity but their new policy for solo travellers like myself is turning me away from them. Trust me as us Baby Boomers become solo travellers they are shooting themselves in the foot
Exactly. At least Royal Carribean gives double credit for crusing solo in the cabin. I need to call Celebrity and cancel my future cruise that I just booked in 2023. smh I don't want to share my space and don't feel comfortable being penalized for cruising solo. I like Celebrity HOWEVER they might lose me and my deposit. smh
We have 17 Celebrity cruises under our belts. But they have priced us out.
@@mariebrooks7341 Celebrity Cruises gives solo passengers double credit but for the last 10-15 whenever I sailed solo, I had to email or call customer support to get it changed to the double rate because it wasn’t automatic! Bet there’s a crazy amount of people who have sailed solo and are owed tons of Captain’s Club points based upon on this! They’re very slow to respond to emails in changing your points! Sailed Nov. 12-19 on Reflection and about a week after getting off the per person rate of points posted like normal and nearly 4-5 emails later and many weeks after they finally changed it to what it should be!
I love your new intro, much better than previous. Good Job
@@mariebrooks7341I would recommend you tell them why you are cancelling.
I’m glad you’re calling them out. That’s horrible.
I'm skipping 5 Celebrity cruises because of the solo discrimination, even with non-refundable deposits. I cruised once with a phantom roommate/no-show, but now I'm seeing solo fares up to 5x the double cabin rate, which is just offensive. Royal is doing the same, so they're also losing my business. It's obviously an attempt to justify their high stock price by increasing profits, but if you treat me unfairly, I'll go elsewhere. If they charged more by gender, race, nationality, or sexual orientation because of perceived spending patterns, lawsuits and bad PR would cost them, yet they openly discriminate against solos.
Royal owns Celebrity so it's not surprising they are doing this ridiculous thing on both lines.
Exactly....its a form of discrimination bases off of data. Law suit!
Cruise on NCL!!!!!
5x the double cabin rate? that doesn't sound true, I'm doubting this number without seeing the evidence. charging solo cruisers for using up 2 people's space on the ship capacity is reasonable because of the decreased onboard spending. 5X = 500% that means for example you seen a $2000 cabin increased to $10,000
Thanks for letting people know about this nonsense. Time for folks to VOTE WITH THEIR FEET. Don't cruise with Celebrity, or any cruise line which pulls this kind of scam. When they realize they have shot themselves in the foot with their greed, they will change the policy, but until they feel the economic pinch they will continue this unfair policy.
I am single and have given up going on cruises altogether because I can fly around the World for the price of a tour of out of the way European ports. That said, it sounds like Celebrity is having no trouble filling its cabins with couples and can afford to be choosy. Of course, this might change in the future, but now I am used to doing things when I feel like it, I won't be returning to regimented six hour stops.
We used to love Celebrity but all the changes they've made to their packages, the price gouging and their nickel and diming have really turned us off the brand. Princess, Oceania and Holland America now get our cruise dollars.
Holland America, as i reported in a separate comment, had this same policy about six years ago. If they have changed it, I’d be surprised.
the nickel and diming is every bit as bad on Princess and the food has gone down hill significantly. We just did a Princess cruise - never again.
We took a Holland America cruise this summer. Our last Holland America cruise was exactly 10 years earlier to the week. Service, food, entertainment is way down in quality.
It seems that many lines are moving towards charging us for everything on the ship. So many of the things that were included are now an extra charge. I have opted to do other vacations because of the new class system they are creating on many cruise lines. They only allow passengers who pay enough to go to many areas of the ship. This detracts from the experience when so many doors do not welcome you in!
I agree with you 100%. As someone who is a solo traveler this is one of the main reasons why I am so reluctant to do any type of cruising. The cost for me to go on a cruise is ridiculous. And stories, like this makes me even more, determined not to take a cruise.
I cruised on Silversea to Alaska last summer when the single supplement was waived. I also booked a cruise on Ponant with no single supplement and Silversea offers a number of cruises where the single supplement is 25%. My TA is good at finding solo deals!
I checked 2025-2026 sailings on Ascent when they were recently added and found some to be 3.25 times the per person rate. Celebrity Edge to Alaska was going for $798 per person but for a solo passenger was $2,400 without port fees and taxes! I’ve never seen this sort of thing in all the years sailing, but unless they change their tune quickly I’ll be sailing exclusively with Princess and Holland America who don’t engage in such hostile tactics! This is coming from an Elite Plus member too!
I usually cruise solo, and if celebrity is going to charge more than a double occupancy for a solo traveler, then I for one will not be choosing that cruise line ever and I’m sure a lot of other people are right behind me
Yes
Even worse, on some deals, they discount the 2nd person considerably. As a solo cruiser who likes Celebrity, I will not be cruising with them until they treat solo cruisers fairly. Another bad business decision by a cruise line.
Exactly Don! You are spot on point! Hence why me as a single cruiser have not been back on them since my September 2021 cruise! I loved the cruise experience with them, but I can find the same itinerary for much less!
It is absolutely ridiculous. I think they should be charging solos less than double the price, probably 75-80% or so of the second fare due to the reduced expenses. But it sounds like they just don't want solo travelers.
Why do they let couples have like up to three kids in the cabin with them for free but then treat us "onlies" so badly? I guess I am just not ever going to take another cruise again and stick to land/air packages that include excursions and transfers.
Thanks Don for the research…….keep shedding light on these greedy executives
I couldn't agree more. I particularly enjoyed a cruise on the Celebrity Solstice so I have been trying to book a solo cruise on one of her sister ships but discovered this totally unfair pricing policy when I tried to do so. I just now refuse to book with Celebrity until this changes.
Thank you so much for calling out these crooks, I am a newbie to cruising and I need all the help I can to beware of these thieves.
Don you are absolutely correct! We as solo cruisers are already paying the cruise fare for another person. Now they want us to pay for that extra persons spending money on a cruise too. It’s wrong.
So if you were a cruise CEO and you had comparisons that showed the lost revenue from a solo cabin versus a true 2 person occupied cabin and, knowing how every penny counted and how you were still recovering from over a year of losing millions bc of covid you wouldnt do anything about that lost revenue??
I really appreciate your passion for raising awareness about issues that you feel strongly about. And in this case it does seem very unfair, but unfortunately it's par for the course when you're a single person in a world designed for couples.
Agreed; I just went on a land-based solo tour to ecuador and the galapagos, now I'm looking at upcharges for just being one person. Actually cruises upcharge a lot more than land-based tours do. Cruise cabins are really small unless you are getting a suite; on the land-based tour I just mentioned, I paid about 35% more than going with another person, which I thought was about fair in order to have my own room for all 10 nights.
I had been thinking about trying Celebrity next year, but as a solo cruiser I will rethink that. Since I am alone I tend to spend more money than when I am with friends. Charging extra on top of the double fee is to much. They are saving not only on the foods, but the room steward doesn’t have to work as hard and you create less laundry for them.
Exactly what o was going to point out
I was a solo cruiser and have decided not to cruise anymore. I always thought it was not fair so I stopped cruising. It's a shame that solo cruisers get ripped off like that. When I was cruising I started staying in an inside cabin being I didn't see the cabin other than to sleep and shower. It's just not worth it. I know a lot of other solo cruisers who are quitting cruising. I'm buying an RV. I always go to Mexico and live not far from the border, so I will just drive there and have my RV to save on hotels.
does it cost you LESS to fill up the gas tank when you travel alone ? Is your insurance cheaper ? I travel solo as well, AND have an RV too ! It is simple economy of scale. They do not pay for extra captains on the ship because there is 3000 instead of 2000 on board. We have the unfortunate situation where if you truly believe free market system, in this case solo travelers pay a premium. Do I like it HELL NO ! but a ship with only singles in all of the cabins would cost us more per person in the long run
@@paulbunion6233 I don't get charged twice for food and drinks when I'm on land.
After i had the same experience with HAL in 2018, i cruised with them only once more (a cruise i had already agreed to do with a couple, but me in a single inside cabin.) i was pretty miserable on that trip because i saw my friends only at dinner and, occasionally, breakfast. I also got injured on that trip and HAL would not refund me for prepaid shore excursions i could not do because of my injury.
@@paulbunion6233 This is one of the people right here who takes price hikes on the chin and whips his wallet out with a happy face willing to pay it.
I agree completely @@paulbunion6233
This may be your best public sailer video ever Don. I don’t have time to analyze the cruise line pricing formulas so it is great to know when they are behaving unethically and are taking advantage of loyal customers.
Try to make a reservation for 4 people in a room and then go back and try to make a reservation under a kids sail free promotion. The price goes way up!
Yikes! Not a good move, Celebrity.
I always book for two people but don't name the second person. That way I can add whomever I want later - or go alone.
Agree 100% Don. All inclusive should be all inclusive. Solution: Have gratuities removed. Pay those you want to, and the hell with the rest. Blame your employer not me.
Auto gratuities only benefits the cruise line, not the service provider. Makes it easier to track the income of personnel that work for tips and receive a lesser hourly wage due to that. Pay cash in tips and it works out better for the cruise members who have directly helped you.
Absolutely correct. Just ask any Cabin Steward, or Waiter. They hate the automatic gratuities. They would much rather have cash direct to them. Cost you less, and gives the people who actually serve you more. Wake up. Cancel daily gratuity at your first opportunity. Norwegian makes this somewhat difficult, but if they fail to remove them, do a charge back with credit card company. It is a gratuity, not a mandatory payment.
We need to stop Cruising for two years and make COVID losses look like good times. Maybe things might change. But not while they are making record profits and still stealing more.
Another sore point is cruises that change overnight due to Port over crowding. The Monstrosities of the Sea that we are seeing are flooding the Port with just one or two ships forcing others to have to miss the Port and go somewhere they didn't choose. Eventually it will just become floating around in circles on a floating amusement park. That is not cruising, and it is not fun!!!!
Well they did just get "most unfriendly cruise line"...Happy New Year Don!
You are absolutely correct Don in your analysis of what celebrity cruise line is doing
Very informative as usual. Not fair what they are doing to the single traveler.
Then Again, It's All about finding ways to make MORE $$$$ by ALL the Cruise Lines. Not Only Celebrity. We are South Florida residents since 1962 and have cruised All over the World. Know the Industry very well. We commend folks like you for continuing to keep us informed of all these constant changes. Then, As seasoned cruisers , we are able to plan and make smart decisions on our future cruise adventures. Thank-you so much. We Love what you bring to the Table !
My wife and I have been cruising Celebrity for more than a decade in Aqua Class but have made the decision not to cruise with them in the future because of the decisions made of late- Less for more money. Our contact for years was fired along with many others 😢.
That is ridiculous !
As a long time Celebrity cruiser, I feel they are going in the wrong direction in food quality, quanity, and on and on.....its too bad this is happening.
I completely agree!
Wow!! That's reason enough to NOT book with Celebrity.
In the past few years Celebrity has priced itself of the market. They use the excuse that they are a luxury cruiseline but I'm sorry, they are still a premium cruiseline just like Holland and Princess. Just because you charge more doesn't mean you are better.
Thank you for calling this out. As a solo cruiser the cruise lines make it look like they don’t want the solos on their ships. PS… love the shirt! I’m honored. 😊
I agree with you that that’s not right!
NCL has been the preferred cruise line for solo travellers here, but we are limited to one ship since we will only choose Solo Balcony cabins. Would love to see more solo balconies offered on more ships.
Celebrity Cruise line is loosing clients to Princess and HAL due to their very unpopular recent decisions; for instance a change to their All Inclusive package. This is not just an opinion, as I am also a cruise agent. This is happening! That is just one example of a very poor policy decision recently made. They really need to rethink their decisions and not let ego get in the road of saying “we made a mistake”, and simply reverse their bad policy moves. Agree with you 100% Don.
They aren't going to Princess because Princess are doing the exact same thing. People we met on our recent Princess cruise who were very loyal to Princess cancelled their next booked cruise with Princess because of how bad it has become. Nickle and diming, less and less in packages that cost more and more and the food was awful. They also were not given the cabin they had booked.
This is sad. I wonder if it’s the same thing for solo rooms. I have a solo balcony on Celebrity in Aug. but won’t be shopping with them again if this keeps up. They prob thought no one would notice. Great job Don!!
Often the solo rooms cost more than the standard. At least on NCL you have the solo lounge with some freebies.
I have ALWAYS been a solo cruiser on Celebrity, my cruise line of choice. However, their recent decisions have been designed to push me away from them. This policy just adds another nail in the coffin. I cruised solo on Celebrity Beyond in November on a 9 night cruise to the ABC's and Grand Cayman. While I found the food in the MDR and Specialty Restaurants to be excellent, I notice a distinct drop in service from my November 2022 cruise on Celebrity Constellation. I'm not sure if I will ever cruise on Celebrity again.
Don't worry. They are only overcharging because they can. There will eventually be more cabins than cruisers (it may take years) and all the cruise lines will be competing to get your business. I just hope they don't start selling tickets to their shows with assigned seating based on the location within the theatre, time of the night, class of your cabin, etc. I will absolutely draw the line if they install turnstiles or turn the buffet into an a fee per item cafeteria.
Well we are going on the Celebrity Ascent in a week. Our daughter was originally thinking of coming with us and I told her they had solo cabins. Now I'm glad she decided not to come! I LOVE to cruise but they are making it harder and harder!! Happy New Year!
This has to be worst decision i have ever heard of!!! I am a loyal celebtity traveler and am ashamed this is happening!!!! :(
Thanks for putting this out there! Hope more solo guests become aware that Celebrity is fleecing them! Might need to get a new CEO!
I noticed this for my solo clients and I simply book them as a double with a phantom person as the second, and the. They then have the phantom no show at the port, and have their port fees, taxes and expenses refunded back to the original form of payment.
Problem solved.
This is why to always use a good TA.
Yes it’s underhanded and a horrible policy. Thank you for pointing this out Don, but it is easy to work around.
We have been cruising with Celebrity since it's Horizon ship, and we did so because it was affordable, but our last cruise this past November was so expensive and the food was not what it use to be, and the expectation was to spend, spend, spend. It has put Celebrity on the back burner for us.
Don't expect Princess to be any better. This is exactly what we experienced on the Princess cruise we did in December 23.
Thank you for the advice. We are trying something completely different in March and that is Virgin Voyages. They are trying to be different and do not want to follow the tactics of the traditional cruise lines. @@warpedweft9004
I am retired, my wife is not, I have looked numerous times at cruising solo, but I refuse to be ripped off.
Exoticca has many land-based tours that don't upcharge crazy amounts for solo (just an idea); I just went on an ecuador and galapagos trip and was only upcharged about 35% for having my own room . It is quite a bit more rigorous to change hotel rooms more often, but you really do wind up paying a lot more for a solo cruise; also, you decide when and where to tip.
I guessed the company reasoning before you said it, but what are the suite supposedly spending more on?
@@Reed-2big I believe Don was saying that they progressively charge more for being solo as the room gets fancier because they figure if you can spend more money by yourself for a single room, then if you had someone with you, they would spend more as well/ something along those lines?
@@gigi9301 I still don’t understand what extra revenue a second person, in a suite, would generate except perhaps a shore excursion.
@@Reed-2big Buying more drinks, more crap from the gift shop, paying for dining options vs. the same old buffet that everyone else gets included. Tips that would have been generated from having a second person in that suite?
That is unbelievable. Their reasoning is even more insulting. I guess they don't want solo cruisers.
Hi Don most of the time I'm a solo cruiser and my go to cruise line is celebrity I agree with you the pure greed of charging a solo cruiser more than two people 😔 I went on celebrities Facebook page and express my opinion about what they're doing I think if more and more people did that they may get the message that they may be losing customers to other cruise lines that welcome solo cruisers not gourge them and by the way I was just on the silhouette in the buffet they show full cakes but when you want a piece they take it out of a sheet cake behind it the old bait and switch
I was almost 40 when I first left the states to go overseas. This was in 1990. I had my first taste of single surcharges. I didn’t have much money, and no savings, but I had a deep desire to go somewhere! I opted to ask for a strange to share my room with. It always has seemed unfair to pay extra just because my life has had no one to share it. I haven’t traveled for over 5 years now. I am 75 and struggling to get around my house!
A small piece that you didn't mention was that there are no gratuities being paid by that second occupant. This would easily make up the $100 difference in the balcony category, but your point about the rediculous upcharge in the suite catergory is valid.
If that's how they're justifying it, then why wouldn't they do the same thing when only two people are in a cabin that sleeps four? That is price gouging and it's ridiculous!
Very well explained and reasoned. That pricing policy is indefensible.
Hello Don! First things first…love your new intro. Very nicely done.
Second is this solo booking thing. Yes, Celebrity has been doing this since cruising has returned. The solo infinite cabins cost an arm and a leg and are limited. I have learned to book for 2 and have saved me a ton of money. I have also taken advantage of the allowed soft drinks and wine permitted per passenger to save on the horribly inflated prices onboard. Not to forget how easy it is to whip up a nice cup of water with fresh fruit from the buffet. Watermelon water beats the heck out of lemon or orange water IMO.
I’m still trying to figure out if paying the gratuity fee ahead of time is more or less expensive than seeing what is charged if you pay it at the end when many of the additional perks are not included.
Basically, you're better off going with a standard cabin than a "single cruiser" cabin, then... they might as well hold off on adding those extra cabins because there's no way people will use them unless they stop charging higher prices than what you could get in a standard cabin.
If you are a disabled single cruiser it’s worse, you have no access to single cabins if they exist, then the accessible excursions are twice the price along with they expect a companion and you are paying for a ticket for someone who will not be there
we stopped sailing with celebrity due to their nickle and diming, and we were always in the highest end suites.. Celebrity is just driving the high end customers to other lines..
You're spot on Don. BULLSEYE!!
You're absolutely right Don. We totally agree with you Done. Greetings from West Australia
I agree. They do the same thing when you go from 3 to 4 people in the cabin. The individual rate increases per person when you go down from 4 to 3 people in the room.
Is this the same on RCCL? That is ridiculous. My parents booked a cruise for myself, my husband and 2 kids. We knew my husband was not able to get off of work, but they said instead of cancelling him, we will do a no show because it's cheaper. Is that the same thing??
They probably think that after a while, we won't care because all the cruise lines will follow suit. There's no way I'll go along with that BS.
Carnival does that too
I am a solo cruiser and Carnival charged me more as a solo cruiser than a 2 person cruiser. Not fair
Hi Don! We agree. This sounds unreasonable.
Thank you for discussing this hot subject. There is no justification for some of the wild changes they have been making.
Go get'em Don, thanks for being our spoke person. That is ridiculous.
Scandalous😮
Thank you for speaking out on behalf of all the solo travelers. I have seen pricing for the solo cabins costing more than a balcony cabin for two! We are definitely being penalized as solo cruisers.
Hi Don.You are on my major gripe with most cruise lines. The examples you mentioned, are tame compared to some gouging I have seen & experienced & is the only reason I don't cruise much,much more. Loyalty means absolutely nothing! I spend very, very little because the fare impost is often prohibitive. Solo cabins are a scam! They are always priced close to, or even more than for 2 two people in an inside cabin.-& they are claustrophobic!. No way would I book one. On a recent NCL back to back, I paid double port fees & taxes. When more than 50% of those ports were cancelled, I did not receive 1c of those fees back. I don't even bother with Princess. Sometimes their solo fares are 500% more than travelling as a couple- made worse by often being locked out of anything less than a balcony or suite . There are solutions but companies will continue to gouge us relentlessly - unless we back up & don't accept the fares. Problem is they are back to making super profits & don't really care if we cruise or not. Thanks for highlighting this.
I really hope their is a HUGE Backlash to this. If their isn't it will spread to other cruise lines.,
I did the same experiment you did and was shocked. I expected it to be the same price but not more. What the other person “might” spend is offset by what they won’t consume that’s included in the fare.
OMG!
I love Celebrity but have noticed big changes in the recent years.
Thanks so much Don for sharing this information.
Makes me question my loyalty with celebrity.
I love Notwegian solo csbins..definitely small but the lounge makes up 4 it..still an interior room is cheaper😢
I totally agree. I was to get a 6 day balcony to Bermuda on MSC for my first solo cruise for $800 with $200 OBC . They had a reduced supplement then but are always atleast $100 or two less for a solo when I checked. So true we eat half as much is enough to give us a discount.
Agree with you Don, 100%!!
Thanks for another great and informative video Don. I love how real you are…thank you. Celebrity has been our cruise line of choice for years and we have many many sailings under our belt with them. Due to the many recent changes X is making and our lack of love for their new style of cruise ships, we are definitely looking to other cruise lines. So much for being faithful to one brand…
Good for you Don
Thank you , I am new on cruising , did my first , last October with holland because it was convenient , Zaamdam was leaving from Montreal, I got hooked on cruising , I already book for this upcoming October 2024 , A transatlantic, Barcelona to Fort L. Being solo , I will check , the taxes etc..this spring coming i am looking for a short disney cruise , again solo in my cabine . I think if the prices was more reasonable more solo will travel. Thank you for all the info!
Thank you, Don. Very well put.
Yeah, I'm a solo traveler, and I think Celebrity will be dropped from consideration now. I'm fine with the double occupancy rate, but getting a surcharge is crossing the line.
I agree with your comments on Celebrity. Solo travelers deserve a fair price and not be penalized with these awful policies. Everyone deserves to have fun with or without a partner.
🎉 Happy Friday, put them on Blast Don..possibly trying to force you to bring a buddy..😅
Great video, Don! Agree completely that it's not fair - and also not a good business move by X. My theory as to why they're doing it is not the explanation that was given to you about making up for monies not spent by second person, but, rather, to make up for the Daily Automatic Gratuities that they can't charge for the second person. But, whatever the reason, it totally stinks. As does removing DAG's from the "not-so-inclusive" package. Are they still charging the same amount for the package as when it included the DAG's?
Really good point on the Celebrity's loss of gratuities if no second passenger per cabin. But the gratuity dollars theoretically should be for service staff and not to enhance profits. And Celebrity's All Included pricing is not really clear either. At least Princess Plus and Premier packages (more included with either compared to Celebrity) have set dollars per day. Changes implemented by Celebrity's new CEO have been a big turn off. I will finally be Elite after a February Ascent cruise, but may change to Holland America, Princessor even Oceana
@@carolcrawford5831 Theoretically, to give to service staff. But, in reality, with the way the lines aggregate and disperse the gratuities, it is to enhance profits.
Yes your absolutely right dawn, they are tipping people off 😡
Thanks for sharing. You are right, thats not fair!
No. No. No. I agreee totally with you.
Yup u are so right.
you are right. Thanks for the info.
I've always been a fan of Celebrity but I totally agree with you.
I'm with you Don. I only have a few bucket list cruises i want to do soon & it turns me off past that goal. I don't see how or why i should pay more than double. A fair fee, i would feel more comfortable with would be 1 & a half fare. Because i understand they lose that revenue but it's also kind of an empty excuse. If a couple doesn't gamble or drink or even go on excursion, then my bit of gambling is more than that couple spends. I do enjoy the poker slots. I don't know anyone to cruise with & that's fine too. But why punish me for being solo? That's how it feels😢
Yes, i m solo since loosing my husband in 2015 *& do my own shore visits as cruised everywhere with him.I don t gamble or do speciality dining but like a drink
Thank you very much for letting people know about these greedy corporations. I will be extra careful with this cruise line.
I totally agree Don. I think Celebrity is shooting themselves in the foot. I'm not sure why they have such an issue with solo cruisers. I would rather have a single person in a cabin versus have no one in a cabin.
Yes! Also, I believe that solo travelers in general have more disposable income, and Celebrity knows it. Yet, they fail to realize that solo travelers also have a lot of single time to look into various travel opportunities. We don't have to choose to cruise, and we certainly don't need Celebrity if we do choose to cruise. Thank you, Don for this helpful information. We all have choices when we travel; I have always chosen land-based tours since I have been single because the upcharge is usually only about 30% more and I get my own room for the entire trip. Tipping is not obligatory it is always my choice. Also, I carry around my own single-use water bottle and my own life straw because I refuse to pay for water and unnecessary plastic waste along the way.
@@gigi9301 exactly, if cruise ships decide to rip off cruisers specifically solo I will travel on land and hotels. Screw the snakes should they CELEBRITIZE SOLO CRUISES,
@@beekeepermariadelgado6806 Right!! I suppose, according to them, in order to be a "celebrity", one needs to have a partner and or a family in order to travel? Nonsense!!
@@gigi9301 I have for years been anti cruise and went on my first one in October. I have never been a party person but I am “testing the cruise waters” if cruises capitalize on Buggering cruisers I will go back to regular traveling. It is so wrong, getting too big for themselves because an uptick in cruisers.
@@beekeepermariadelgado6806 I can see why many people would prefer cruising because of convenience, and Bon Voyage to you if and when you go again! I'm glad that Don is reminding us that we have choices (many!).
Thank you for this update. I am a solo cruiser and I disagree with this policy. Businesses today just keep looking for new and innovative ways to raise their revenue in the short-term, at the cost of losing future business from loyal customers. Common sense is no longer common. Heck, car manufacturers are now trying to implement monthly subscription charges to access certain features of your car like heated seats and remote start. When consumers have less and less disposable income, that is not the time to start increasing fees. In these times this is when consumers stop buying from these companies and start to hope that these companies go out of business for their own stupidity.
Yes the stinks. It's been a long time since I sailed as a single but I remember it being very expensive. It's unfortunate that cruise lines do this.
My wife and I have been disappointed with Celebrity with the recent changes they have made in the drink package and the food offerings. We have now started looking at alternative lines and also resorts.
Wow! That’s crazy!! And so wrong. There’s no justification for that and without doing the sample bookings - many single cruisers don’t even know!
Isn't the Royal Caribbean doing the same things? .... In the past 9 -10 months.... from Cape Liberty New Jersey?....Every time I checked prices I've been very disappointed.... There is an extra charge on the top of the double .... I noticed it... Someone said it's discrimination ....I agree!!😒
Thanks Don! They will likely recalculate your fare if Angelina didn't show up! 🤣
Yes they are assuming and yes we do know what that breaks into. I am a solo cruiser for the past 20 cruises. I have had the same complaint as your video stated today. You hit the nail on the head. They "assume"😮
Is Royal doing that, too? Crazy!!!