Solo Cruise Guide: Solo Cabins, Single Supplements and Tips

A solo cruise is one of the easiest ways to travel alone: your cabin, meals, entertainment and transport between ports all come in one booking, and you can be as social or as private as you like. The main catch is the single supplement, the extra charge for using a cabin priced for two. You can avoid it or cut it down by booking a dedicated solo cabin, and lines such as Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Holland America, Cunard, P&O, Fred. Olsen and Saga all have them on at least some ships.

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This guide explains how solo pricing works, compares solo cabins line by line, and covers meeting people, dining, safety and practical tips. Cabin details were checked against cruise line and trade sources as of October 2026. Ships get refitted and categories change, so always confirm on the deck plan before you book.

How the Single Supplement Works on a Solo Cruise

Cruise fares are quoted per person, based on two people sharing. Book a standard cabin alone and the line still expects most of the revenue two guests would bring, including onboard spending. That gap is charged as a single supplement, typically somewhere between 25% and 100% of the per-person fare. In other words, a solo cruiser often pays 125% to 200% of what one person in a shared cabin would pay.

There are four main ways to bring that cost down:

• Book a dedicated solo cabin. These are priced for one person. They are not always cheap, because demand is high and many lines now use dynamic pricing, but you are not paying for an empty second berth.
• Watch for reduced or waived supplements. Lines regularly run offers on regular cabins. Virgin Voyages, for example, cuts the second-guest portion of the fare by up to 70% on selected Sea Terrace sailings, and Fred. Olsen and P&O often release no-supplement or low-supplement fares on chosen grades.
• Be flexible on dates. Shoulder-season, repositioning and late-booking sailings that are not selling well are where supplements tend to drop.
• Use a travel agent who tracks solo fares. Solo cabins are a small share of any ship and sell out first. A good agent can hold one while you decide.

One thing many guides skip: compare the total cost, not just the headline fare. A tiny solo inside cabin on one line can cost more than a regular balcony with a 50% supplement on another, once drinks packages, gratuities and Wi-Fi are added. Price both options before you commit.

Cruise Lines With Solo Cabins: Comparison Table

Here is a summary of the main cruise lines with solo cabins for US travelers, plus the British lines worth knowing about if you sail from Southampton or Europe. Counts are approximate and can change after refits.

Solo Cabins by Cruise Line, in More Detail

Norwegian Cruise Line Studios

Norwegian is the line most associated with solo cruising. Its Studios are compact inside cabins of roughly 100 square feet with a full-size bed, and some have a window onto the corridor or a virtual porthole. The big draw is the keycard-only Studio Lounge, where solo guests can get coffee and snacks and meet at hosted gatherings before dinner. NCL also sells solo-priced inside, oceanview and balcony cabins across the fleet, which helps if Studios are sold out or you want daylight.

Royal Caribbean Studio Cabins

Royal Caribbean’s studio staterooms are on selected ships rather than fleetwide. Quantum-class ships have the widest choice, including studio balconies and inside studios with a “virtual balcony” screen showing the live view outside. Older ships tend to have just a few small inside studios with twin beds. The newest Icon-class ships do not have a dedicated studio category, so if you want a Royal Caribbean solo cabin, start with Quantum, Anthem, Ovation, Spectrum or Odyssey of the Seas.

Celebrity Edge-Class Single Staterooms

Celebrity’s Edge-class ships have single staterooms with an Infinite Veranda, where the glass wall slides down at the touch of a button so the cabin and balcony become one space. That makes Celebrity one of the few premium lines where solo travelers can get outdoor space without paying a supplement on a double cabin. Celebrity Apex has the most singles in the fleet.

Holland America Single Ocean-View and the New Oosterdam Solo Verandahs

Holland America currently has 12 single ocean-view cabins on each of its three Pinnacle-class ships: Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam. The bigger news is the line’s Holland America Evolution refit program. Its first ship, Oosterdam, will get 30 new Solo Verandah cabins of more than 200 square feet each, with private balconies, glass-walled showers and a workspace, from fall 2027. Zuiderdam follows later. Holland America has said these will use dynamic pricing based on demand, so solo fares will not be fixed, and early sailings appear to be selling quickly.

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages is adults-only, has no fixed dining times and puts communal tables in The Galley food hall. All of that suits solo travelers well. Rather than relying on a large block of solo cabins, its main solo offer is a reduced single supplement on balcony (Sea Terrace) cabins on selected sailings. The discount is capacity-controlled and changes with each sailing, so check the current list before you plan around it.

Cunard

Queen Mary 2 has 15 single oceanview cabins, and Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth each have nine (eight oceanview, one inside). Newest is not always best for solo cruisers here: Queen Anne, which entered service in 2024, was built without dedicated single cabins. A Queen Mary 2 transatlantic crossing in a single cabin is one of the classic solo trips at sea.

UK Lines: P&O, Fred. Olsen and Saga

If you are open to sailing from the UK or Europe, British lines have far more solo cabins than most American lines. P&O Cruises has more than 130 single cabins across its fleet, including balcony singles on Arvia, Iona and Britannia, and it often runs sailings with no single supplement. Fred. Olsen’s smaller ships have inside, oceanview and some balcony singles. Saga, which sails only for guests over 50, sets aside more than 20% of the cabins on its two ships for solo guests, all with balconies.

Meeting People on a Solo Cruise

Many first-time solo cruisers worry about spending a week alone. In practice, ships make it easy to meet people if you want to:

• Solo meetups. Most mainstream lines hold a solo travelers’ get-together early in the cruise, often on the first sea day. Check the daily program or app. If none is listed, cruise forums and roll calls for your sailing often arrange one.
• Group activities. Trivia, dance classes, wine tastings, cooking demonstrations and fitness classes put you in a room with the same faces every day.
• Shore excursions. Ship-run tours mean you are not exploring a new port on your own, and you will often end up having lunch with the people beside you on the bus.
• Bars with counters. Sitting at the bar rather than a table makes casual conversation far easier.

For more ideas, see our list of 15 ways for singles to meet other singles at sea.

Dining Alone or With Others

Dining is where solo cruisers have the most choice. In the main dining room you can usually ask for a table for one or a shared table with other guests. Ask the maître d’ on embarkation day, because shared tables are set up early. Traditional fixed-time dining means you see the same tablemates each night, which many solo travelers like. Flexible dining gives you more freedom but fewer repeat faces.

The buffet, casual venues and room service are easy places to eat alone without feeling noticed. Some lines also host solo dinners. Saga holds a singles lunch, and P&O and Fred. Olsen set aside mixed tables. Speciality restaurants tend to be quieter, so they are a good place to bring a book.

Solo Cruise Safety Tips

Cruise ships are generally safe, with security staff, cameras and controlled access. Still, the usual travel sense applies, and a few points are specific to cruising:

• Keep your cabin door closed and use the safe for your passport and valuables.
• Do not tell people you have just met your cabin number. Meet in public areas instead.
• Watch your drinks, and keep an eye on how much you are drinking, especially on a drinks package.
• Know the “all aboard” time and allow a margin. If you go ashore independently and are late back, the ship will not wait, and nobody else is checking on you.
• Leave your itinerary, the ship’s contact details and your cabin number with someone at home.
• Buy travel insurance with good medical cover. Medical care at sea is billed privately and can be very expensive.

Practical Tips for Your First Solo Cruise

1. Book early for solo cabins. There are often only a dozen or two per ship, and the best ones go first.
2. Pick a ship that matches your style. Big resort ships have the most activities and organized meetups. Smaller and British ships tend to have more solo cabins and a larger share of solo guests.
3. Consider sea days. Itineraries with a few sea days give you more time to meet people at activities.
4. Check what’s included. On some lines, solo cabins are excluded from promotions, while on others they qualify. Read the fare terms.
5. Join the roll call. Online forums for your sailing often connect solo travelers before you board.
6. Keep an eye on deals. Solo-friendly offers appear in the lines’ big sales. Our roundup of cruise deals for 2027 is a good place to start.

Is a Solo Cruise Right for You?

If you like having a plan for the day and the freedom to change it, a solo cruise works very well. You unpack once, see several destinations, and decide each day how much company you want. The best value usually comes from booking a dedicated solo cabin early, or from watching for reduced-supplement offers on regular cabins. If you want a balcony, look at Celebrity’s Edge class, Holland America’s Oosterdam from late 2027, or UK lines such as P&O and Saga.

If you are weighing up cabin types, our guide to balcony vs inside cabin explains when the extra cost of a balcony pays off.

Once your cabin is sorted, our practical tips for cruising solo cover meeting people, dining, port safety and packing for your first sailing.

Solo travellers considering Virgin’s Solo Insiders should also read which Virgin Voyages cabins to avoid.

FAQs

Is it worth going on a cruise by yourself?

For many people, yes. A cruise bundles accommodation, meals and entertainment, has a built-in social life if you want it, and lets you see several places without organizing transport. The main downside is cost if you have to pay a single supplement, so look for dedicated solo cabins or reduced-supplement offers.

What cruise lines offer single-person cruises?

Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Holland America and Cunard all have dedicated solo cabins on at least some ships, and Virgin Voyages offers reduced single supplements on selected sailings. In the UK, P&O Cruises, Fred. Olsen and Saga have some of the largest numbers of single cabins.

How much is the single supplement on a cruise?

It typically ranges from 25% to 100% of the per-person fare, so a solo guest pays 125% to 200% of a sharing guest’s price. Dedicated solo cabins avoid the supplement, though they may be priced dynamically.

Which cruise ships have solo balcony cabins?

Celebrity’s Edge-class ships have single staterooms with Infinite Verandas, and Royal Caribbean’s Quantum-class ships have studio balconies. Holland America’s Oosterdam adds 30 Solo Verandahs from fall 2027. In the UK, Saga’s two ships and P&O’s Arvia, Iona and Britannia have balcony singles.

Do solo cruisers get to meet other people on board?

Yes. Most lines run at least one solo meetup per cruise, and Norwegian has a dedicated Studio Lounge. Shared dining tables, group activities and ship-run shore excursions also make it easy to meet people.