Why do cruise lines charge a single supplement?

In order to not lose money on solo travelers, cruise lines require a person staying alone in a cabin to pay double the regular fare. In actuality, single supplements can be anything from an additional 10 percent of the rate up to the full 100 percent.



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For solo travelers, they also have to pay an additional charge to occupy the room alone, for the 'privilege' of not having to share with someone else. This charge often means a solo traveler will pay the same, if not more, than the price of two people sharing. This is known as a single supplement.

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Most cruise ship staterooms are designed for two people. To make up for lost revenue from addons like drink packages, shore excursions, and other extras, some cruise lines will charge single travelers who book a double occupancy stateroom a single supplement fee on top of the base per person fare.

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Norwegian Cruise Line These cabins, at an average size of 100 square feet, are designed and priced with the solo traveler in mind. They have no single supplements – and studio rooms on board Norwegian Bliss even boast virtual windows. Guests of the studios get access to the private Studio Lounge.

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Aside from the main benefit of enjoying the cruise with friends and/or family a group cruise most often is priced lower (for the same cabin categories) than regular rates. In addition to the rate reduction, most cruise lines offer certain amenities to the group such as onboard spending credit, welcome parties, etc.

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In many cases, no. Several of the biggest cruise lines, including Carnival, Holland America and MSC Cruises, have a rule that if one adult in a cabin orders a drinks package, all adults in the cabin must order the package. This is to prevent two or more people in a cabin from sharing a single drinks package.

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The cruise lines' profit model is based on getting bodies onboard and then upcharging the heck out of them. They want to have at least two people in every cabin. If you're a solo in a cabin, you are basically paying for two bodies, much of the time (in other words, the cruise lines charge you a 100% supplement).

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Cruise prices are typically shown per person, based on double occupancy, which means that the price is based on two people sharing a cabin. If you're traveling solo, you may be required to pay a single supplement fee, which is an additional fee that covers the cost of the second person in the cabin.

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Even if you can't score a free cabin, group rates for cabin pricing are generally lower. When signing a group contract, you block out a number of cabins at a specified rate, which is usually the lowest available and in some cases, discounted from the price you would pay if you were booking the cabins separately.

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A few cruise lines feature a limited number of cabins designated for single occupancy sparing the solo cruiser from having to pay double. While cruise lines advertise these single cabins as having no supplement, the single rate is usually slightly higher than the per-person rate of comparable double occupancy cabins.

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After subtracting overhead costs, a ship will make out with roughly $291 in net profit per passenger, per cruise. That means that at full capacity, a single ship like Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas might make $9.8m in revenue ($1.7m of which is profit) during one 7-day excursion.

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Booking Your Next Cruise Onboard Saves Time and Money Remember, once you are off the ship, the offer will no longer be available. With the reduced deposit, extra shipboard credit, and flexible change policy, it's really a no-brainer to place a future cruise deposit, and look forward to your next exciting voyage!

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Cruise lines often discount their prices a month or two before sailing to fill vacant cabins. However, it's worth noting that a last-minute cruise doesn't always offer the most savings to travelers. Those who plan far ahead may be able to save even more.

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Interior or inside staterooms are typically the least expensive category on a cruise. Those cabins are generally the smallest on board and rarely accommodate more than three people, according to Joy Hess, owner and lead travel consultant at Outside the Lines Travel.

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