Sailing Solo? These 3 Cruise Lines Don’t Charge Extra For Solo Travelers

Looking for a cruise that you can take solo? These days, more and more people are choosing to travel alone, rather than with family or friends and there’s nothing wrong with that. However, solo travelers often have to pay a surcharge for not staying or cruising with a significant other. Meanwhile, cruises are becoming hugely popular after the restrictions of the pandemic. How can solo travelers and cruise lines agree on a fair deal?

Solo passengers on a cruise ship

Mostly, cruise ship fares are based on double occupancy, with an option to add a third or fourth passenger at a lower price. However, most cruise lines give no discount to solo travelers. Even though they are alone in the cabin they still have to pay the double rate.

While irritating, it is understandable, as they would normally have two persons in that cabin at the full rate. Meanwhile, some cruise lines do offer a reduced rate for singles – for example, 75 percent rather than 100 percent – but it still costs quite a bit.

However, there are four cruise lines that welcome solo travelers with no single supplements. Instead of hiking up the price, solo passengers get the option to book single cabins at a much more reasonable rate and less than a standard double-occupancy cabin. Read on to find out which cruise lines are giving solo travelers a fair deal.

1. Royal Caribbean Cruise Line

Recently named America’s favorite cruise line, Royal Caribbean now offers cabins for solo travelers, which is sure to make them even more popular. The following seven Royal Caribbean ships offer studio cabins:

• Anthem of the Seas
• Harmony of the Seas
• Odyssey of the Seas
• Ovation of the Seas
• Quantum of the Seas
• Spectrum of the Seas
• Symphony of the Seas

Each of these cruise ships offers cabins priced specifically for solo travelers. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean offers a mix of interior, exterior, and balcony cabins for single passengers. Moreover, these cabins range in size from 96 to 119 sq ft.

2. Norwegian Cruise Lines

Norwegian Cruise Lines is among the best cruise lines for solo travelers and six of their ships offer “studio cabins” priced for one solo passenger. The ships are:

• Norwegian Bliss
• Norwegian Breakaway
• Norwegian Encore
• Norwegian Epic
• Norwegian Getaway
• Norwegian Joy

Norwegian’s studio cabins are small at around 100 sq ft. However, they come with all the same amenities as a double occupancy cabin. What makes this even better is that solo cruisers, staying in studio cabins, have access to a shared common space dubbed the Studio Complex and Lounge. This serves as a social gathering place with events planned to meet other solo travelers (if they want to).

3. Holland America Line

Holland America Line is a popular cruise line and also doesn’t charge extra for solo passengers. At this moment, only three of their ships offer solo cabins and there are fewer of these onboard than the other cruise lines, with only 12 per ship. The cruise ships with studio cabins are:

• Koningsdam
• Nieuw Statendam
• Rotterdam

On these cruise ships, studio cabins are priced for one person and are more spacious than most single cabins, ranging from 127 to 172 sq ft.

Are other cruise lines considering studio cabins?

At this time, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Lines and Holland America are the only major lines offering solo cabins priced for one guest. However, smaller cruise lines like Oceania Cruises do offer single cabins. Meanwhile, occasionally other cruise lines offer deals for those cruising solo. While this is rare, occasionally the cruise line will waive the single supplement, or offer reduced prices for specific voyages.

For readers who want to keep up with news of deals for solo travelers, Cruise Specialists regularly posts updates of cruises with waived or reduced solo supplements.