Have you ever wanted to take a Cruise but had no one to go with? Didn't want to pay the Higher 150-200% rate. Then here are some ideas for you:
On a cruise, everyone's "in the same boat." The atmosphere is social and making friends can be as easy as leaving your cabin and joining in the various ship activities and shore excursions.
Some cruise lines cater to single customers by hosting special get-togethers. Orient hosts
singles gatherings. Holland America throws a Solo Traveler's party each sailing. If you're
interested in meeting singles in other ways, request to be seated with other singles at
dinner. Many cruise lines will make these special efforts for you.
One of the most popular services for mature, single women is something called the gentlemen
host or social host program. Gentlemen hosts act as dance partners and conversationalists for
single women on board. You need only to venture to the evening's entertainment to find yourself a delightful new friend. Gentlemen hosts may usually be found on Cunard's Queen Elizabeth II,Discovery World Cruises' MV Discovery and on most sailings on Crystal and Silversea. You'll also find them on Orient and Holland America's longer cruises.
So, what will it cost you to cruise as a single? That depends on the ship and the option you
choose. Some cruise lines have a limited number of single cabins available. Orient's Marco Polo
has single cabins (category K), as does Discovery World Cruises' MV Discovery (category C).
Cunard's QE2 has both inside and outside staterooms available for single travelers
(categories M1 and M2). Cruise West's ships Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of 98 have single
cabins, and on their Spirit of Columbia and Spirit of Alaska, you can book a double room at
the single rate (categories B and C), subject to availability. Silversea provides single staterooms, with categories and availability varying between sailings.
One way to cut costs as a single traveler is to participate in a singles share program. Clipper,
Cruise West, Delta Queen, Holland America, Orient, Princess, Uniworld and Windjammer will
offer to pair you with a roommate of the same sex in a double stateroom. Both singles pay the per person, double occupancy rate, and if they find no one suitable for you to room with, you will get your own double stateroom for the single price! These singles share programs are
restricted by category and limited in availability, as are the single cabins. If you want to participate in the singles share program, you'll need to book early!
If you'd rather not share your room or be limited by category, you will have to pay a single
supplement fare. These fares can run anywhere from 110-200% of the per person double occupancy rate, with 6-star lines (Crystal, Silversea, Radisson and Seabourn) charging the smallest supplement for singles. Most other cruise lines charge 150-200% of the per person, double occupancy rate for their single supplement fares.
Call me for more info
Michael and Susan Tietjen
1-866-849-9605
