I am on email for several cruise TA's and they send me emails regularly. It seems to be mainly Fred Olsen Marco Polo who have specials.

Some Princess cruises like at the moment Royal princess if overing a 20% supplement.

A lot of companies like RCI and Celebrity charge 100% supplement but I don't let it deter me. There will be a reduction for flights and the Port taxes etc.

Otherwise get yourself on some TA email list and just keep an eye on the teletext. Again these offers would be available at late dates rather than a year out.

Sue

My sentiments exactly Elaine - 100% supplement is outrageous - I said what you said (to theTA) about a QM2 cruise this Sept - I would be as well paying for my friend to join me!

Does anyone know if Cunard drop these supplements down nearer the time if they have empty cabins?

Thanks

I think you have it about right single deals do come up but not that often and the 0% sup are usualy late deals so if you have fixed travel dates you will have to get lucky.

It really depends if you just want a cruise or are particular about where you go.

If ship is important read up the reviews to decide if it will be right for you, if itinery is more important then you can give a bit of lea way.

Another option is to look for the dirt cheap cruises like the transatlantics since even if you pay 100% on the cruise only fair you only pay for one flight and taxes.

Royal Caribbean have reduced their single supplements lately- but this is not standard- some are 25% over and some 50% so not too bad.
Do a google search for 'Royal Caribbean Tuesday Happy Hour sales' and then 'Royal Caribbean Promowave specials'. These sales come out weekly,you may find something that interests you. These reduced rates are not going to be for the most popular dates obviously,and some of them are for cruises that are imminent and have not sold out .

Look at Italian Lines MSC or Costa. I sailed MSC Sinfonia last year with no single supliment and as an added bonus got upgraded to an outside cabin! I beleive some Costa ships have single cabins.

Thanks for advise guys...appreciated

My mum was going to be travelling as a single and the supplement was huge.

However, thomson said that there was a shared service where they could offer people shared cabins!!

My mum thought it was a bit strange and although was willing to share, found it easier to pay for my sister to go and she contributed a small amount which still worked out cheaper for my mum.

How about having a vetting service on here for travelling companions?

Luci, your thoughts?

Andy

hi.........all .........P.andO...used to do shared cabins for up to four to share .
regards..........john-doe......

Hmmm not really something we would like to get involved in Andy I'm afraid. Too many possible pitfalls.

luci

hi elaine, i have been on quite a few cruises on my own, i have done cabin share with thomsons and found it ok, as they try to put you with someone around same age group[ and same sex] and they have a solo meeting which is good to get to know the other solo passengers, the marco polo does the same and they are doing no single supps at the moment, its an old ship and everybody is friendly, i ended up on the captains table and it was a brilliant night, good luck

Does anyone know of any cruise lines that do special offers on single cabins,is it better to wait till last minute in case they want to fill empty cabins.I got a good deal earlier this year with Fred Olsen.that was booking it nine months in advance but would be interested in others experiences

I get offers from several agents especially Gill Travel. Scotlands Cruise Centre have just started their solo club. With this you register and they will send each week offers of single occupancy offers. They asked me to write something for this launch and this is in their new style magazine. I sent an email to Karen at the weekend saying that I now saw my story in print.
I received an email to day saying that they have had a good response to this and a lot of people registering.
I do a lot of solo cruising and today I got an offer for the Queen Victoria in the Med starting on the 6th or 8th September but I will be away on Celebrity Summit in the Med from 26th August for 12 nights. If you go on line with both travel agencies and just sign up then you will be able to look at their web site and also receive any offers. I think the Victoria cruise is £1650 including flights which is pretty good. I got 12 nights last year on the QM2 for £1200 again a good deal.
Cruising is fantastic for people travelling alone as I always meet like minded people and also the freedom is so liberating. I would never share with anyone and provided you are able to afford it then just go ahead and treat yourself.
I am also going to New Zealand /Australia for an extended holiday and cruise starting on the 17th November not back until the 13th January.

Just keep your ear to the ground and I often look on teletext. When I see an offer I will phone Ali my trusted TA and she can usually do a good deal for me. If someone else has that offer then in all probability she can do it too. I like to have a trusted TA who works hard to put a deal together for me. Often I will have done the ground work myself and then get them to match or beat a price.

Good luck any questions just ask.

Sue

I had been thinking about this a bit more and for many cruise taking the rock bottom late booking inside cabin and just paying the single sup will still get you a OK priced cruise.

Take our NCL Jade north cape this Sunday 12night can get on the ship as a solo for under $2k

which is not cheap but an ok price and the original discount uk brochure price was £1299pp 2share so still cheaper than that.

Many thanks for your helpful replies I will sign up for offers to be sent to me,I can travel last minute but part of the enjoyment of cruising is the looking foward to it

I have Scotland's Cruise Centre's magazine here and they are promoting singles cruising. You can join their Single Cruisers Club by emailing singles@scotlandscruisecentre.co.uk

Here are some of the singles deals in the magazine.

Voyager of the Seas
29 Nov 2008
16 nights Transatlantic
From £999

Oceana
5 April 2009
7 nights Europe from Southampton
From £759

Aurora
7 Dec 2009
12 nights Canaries
From £1029

Their telephone number is 0845 389 2211

luci

Thanks Luci,I have now signed up.

thomson have some single cabins on some of their cruises,approx £260 extra supplement

NCL have 12 nights on the Jewel to the Baltic this Saturday for a BALCONY room £1050. SINGLE good offer with Scotlands Cruise Centre. Not being advertised until tomorrow but I was talking to them today about another matter. Offered it to me too soon and already 2 cruises booked.

Sue