Cruising solo — the single supplement, studio cabins, and which lines suit it
A cruise is one of the easiest ways to travel alone — there's company at meals and on tours, without the awkwardness of a table for one or an empty hotel room. The one problem is the price: most lines charge a 'single supplement'.
What the single supplement is
The cruise price is advertised 'per person, double occupancy'. A solo traveller taking a whole cabin pays 150–200% of the per-person price — because the line loses the second passenger. On a 7-night sailing that can add $500–1,500. There are three ways around it.
Studio cabins
Some lines build small single-occupancy cabins with no single supplement — usually with access to a solo-travellers' lounge (meetups, events). Norwegian (NCL) leads here — 'Studios' across most of the new fleet. MSC, Carnival (some ships), P&O and Cunard also offer them. Book early, they go fast.
Deals and itineraries
Lines periodically run a 'no single supplement' promo or a reduced 25–50% supplement — usually on hard-to-sell sailings (many sea days, a weak season, a repositioning route). River cruises tend to have lower single supplements and include a few single cabins. Lines like Virgin Voyages and Viking (adults only, 18+) have an atmosphere that suits a solo traveller particularly well.
Answers to your questions
Which cruise line is best for a solo traveller?
How much does the single supplement add?
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About this page
Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.