5 ways to avoid cruise single supplements

It’s a fact that if you’re single you can end up paying up to 50% more for your cabin than two people sharing – which is infuriating in itself, but even worse is the way that single passengers then have to find associated costs that they just don’t consider. Example, you order a drink – you tip. A family of four orders drinks – they tip. Their tip, and your tip, will be the same amount, but theirs is (in a way) shared between four of them, while yours is all down to you to pay. You change money at the ship desk – you pay the fee. A family of four changes money at the ship desk – they pay the fee. You both pay fees to your bank, proportional to the amount you change, but they changed enough money for four of them, and only paid the same ship fee as you! Here’s how to cut the supplements: • Cruise companies are hungry for anyone's money when they haven't filled their cabins and off season prices can be half the high season ones. Get a travel agent. An agent can alert you when companies drop or lower their single supplements • Ask for a discount – then beg, then demand. Ask if there are any deals on offer, then ask if there is any way to cut your cruise costs – if you keep asking persistently you will often find there is a little loophole or sweet offer lurking in the paperwork somewhere • Chum up – either find a friend to travel with you, or find out if your cruise company will try to match you with a cabin mate to cut the supplement • Join every cruise loyalty programme you can – and check your union or professional association for deals too. Quite often you can get discounts and if you can’t, stating you’re a loyalty scheme member will sometimes get you a lower price • Don’t book until the last minute – make the most of being single and flexible and get a wonderful deal.