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Unique Cruise Solutions The news you need to know |
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Cruise News for the Corporate Travel Professional |
February 2010 Edition |
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The end of prohibitive "Single Supplement" surcharge? |
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For years most travel deals were based on two
people traveling together. Single travelers would see a price on line and we've had to break the news that if you're going by yourself, it's 150 to 200 percent more, so many were left high and dry. But times are changing, cruise lines in particular are stepping up. MSC Cruises is currently offering trips that waive the dreaded single supplement, which accounts for the price hike. Norwegian Cruise Line is introducing 'Studio' staterooms built and priced solely for the single traveler which is actually something new in the cruise industry." Maria Miller, of Norwegian Cruise Line, said the 4,200-passenger Epic that is due to launch in July, is equipped with 128 studio staterooms designed specifically to give the solo traveler a room of one's own. "This is a great opportunity for us to go after the solo traveler market," she explained. "We've tapped into an unmet need." With research showing 35 million adults take solo vacations but only five percent opt for cruises, Miller said the potential is huge. "There's a sizable market out there, but discontent around the single surcharge," she explained. So, solo prices on the Epic will not include a single surcharge. "And we're talking solo, not singles," Miller said, distinguishing solo travelers from the meet-and-mate crowd. "There certainly is a place for singles cruises, but that's not what we're trying here. The solo traveler is independent. They're not looking for us to create an experience for them." Kate Moeller, of Club Med North America, knows a thing or two about changing demographics. "We used to be really a singles destination, but then we became more family oriented," she said. Moeller said Club Med's Solo Savings program waives the single supplement to accommodate the solo traveler at certain resorts. "We have these deals in specific theme weeks in specific resorts," she said. "Recently, we had a Zumba week, food blogger week, food and a wine week." Everybody is looking for the newest, most innovative thing. We've seen really creative things with cruise ships: bowling, surfing. The cruise lines are looking for who else they can bring in. For certain other cruise lines are waiting to see if Norwegian's solo experiment succeeds. Look for Carnival or Royal Caribbean follow suit by introducing studio cabins when refurbishing in dry dock, |
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Worldwide Travel & Cruise Assoc., Inc. 150 S. University Dr. Ste E, Plantation, FL 33324 - USA Tel: +1 954 452 8800 Fax: +1 954 252 3945 EMail: sales@cruiseco.com |
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