There are a multitude of reasons why cruise holidays are the perfect holiday choice for people who are travelling solo. Friendly cruise passengers, high safety levels and plenty of entertainment and group activities are just a few of the reasons why cruises are wonderfully suited for those travelling alone. Read the many comments below.
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Solo Cruising is Friendly
If you’ve ever been on a cruise holiday before you’ll agree with me when I say how much friendlier people seem to be on a cruise.
People are always striking up conversations with those around them, whether they’re in a queue for an elevator, sitting next to you in the casino, in a bar or whilst enjoying some entertainment in the evening. Because people are friendly and talkative it’s easy to strike up new friendships with fellow cruise passengers.
Dining Solo
You will also have the option of dining with other cruise passengers on board at meal times and especially in the evening for dinner. When you book your cruise holiday, with the majority of cruise lines you will be asked what size of table you would like to eat you evening meal at, if you pick the fixed dining option.
This would see you seated at a table with the same people and the same waiters every night of your cruise holiday. This can be the perfect opportunity to make friends, chat to new people and generally enjoy your holiday in good company. Perfect for those who might be travelling alone, but who don’t want to be lonely.
🛳️ Pro Tip: Stowaway Piano Player
One of the coolest hidden gems I’ve come across on some Royal Caribbean ships is the “stowaway” piano player. This musician roams around with a portable piano, setting up impromptu performances in random spots. It’s a fun and unique way to enjoy live music in a chill, unexpected setting
Cruising Solo is Safer
There is also the safety aspect to consider when thinking of booking a cruise holiday. If you are otherwise reluctant to travel alone without the reassurance of being with other people then a cruise could be the answer.
On board safety and security of guests is always of paramount importance. You needn’t feel intimidated or at risk when on board or during ship organised shore excursions as you will always be with other people and security officers are always working on board.
If you are travelling alone and wouldn’t decide to go to a traditional land based holiday resort for fear you might become bored of the usual monotonous holiday entertainment then a cruise would provide the perfect alternative.
Cruise holidays offer a plethora of entertainment options available including Broadway style stage shows, casinos, live music, dancing, nightclubs, numerous bars and much more to enjoy in the evening.
During the day there are also dance classes, art classes and events, culinary shows, swimming pools and Jacuzzis, podium talks, destination talks and much more. There’s definitely something to keep every cruise passenger occupied throughout their holiday.
So, with all of these reasons why cruise holidays can be perfect for the solo travellers out there, what are you waiting for? Why not book a cruise holiday and find out for yourself how great they can be!
Have you cruised alone before? If so we would like to hear your comments below.
Thanks Emma
Cruise Travel Agent
🛳️ Pro Tip: Fully Hosted
As a single travelling alone, I love joining fully hosted cruises made just for solos. Companies like The Solo Cruise Company have trips where a professional host is with the group the whole time, making it super easy to meet other singles. Norwegian Cruise Line and Cunard also have great options for solo travellers with special events and social spaces designed just for us
46 responses
P&O ships are lacking in host dancers thats why I go with fred olsen.
I am stuck with holidays in the school holidays so I have almost no chance of finding a good value cruise for solo occupancy .
I have cruised on the NCL Epic and they have over 100 single cabins at a reasonable price.
They also have a lounge specifically for these single cabins and a host to introduce the passengers to each other. I had a wonderful time and met a great bunch of people.
We made our own way on the shore adventures usually by taxi and saved by not paying the hefty prices charged by the cruise line.
I have cruised as a single passenger on 26 occasions in the past 12 years and have noticed that many single travellers tend to spend a considerable amount of money on drinks.
We all know that the sale of beverages on cruise ships generates considerable revenue for cruise companies when you consider the massive ‘mark up’ they enjoy on these sales.
I can remember in the seventies that every cruise brochure you picked up would always ram home to potential passengers the fact that duty free prices were charged for beverages but of course they finally cottoned on to the fact that they need not charge these lower prices.
They perhaps should conduct some research into single passenger spend and therefore realise this fact when costing cruises for single travellers, the result would be far fewer empty cabins on ships.
I would take a lot more cruises if it wasn’t for the single supplement.
I have the other hitch of living in the north and to get the best deals have to travel to places like Portsmouth and Southampton.
I would put up with that if the price was right and more in line with the price per person as two sharing a cabin.
It’s not what you’re paying for, it’s what you aren’t paying for.
They make very little money on your cruise these days, but they hope to make it up with tours, gambling, spa, drinks etc.
They think that on our own, we don’t spend enough, and that’s why they’d rather we went to Eastbourne!
I love cruising but it is so expensive for solo travellers.
I could understand a small surcharge say 10-20% but why pay 60% plus up to 100%.
Even those cruise agents who advertise solo travelling without single surcharges just charge you a higher price to start with.
I agree with the other contributor that singles tend to spend more on board anyway.
Hi, try MSC I did my first solo cruise with them in February/March and really enjoyed it.
Look out for their supplement free single prices, met lots of lovely people of all nationalities including Russian, Japanese and French.
I shared a dinner table with 3 others, Mum, Dad and adult son they were so friendly even asked me to join them (if I wanted to) for dinner in the Mexican restaurant, not included in cruise; had a lovely, enjoyable evening with them.
I have no qualms about cruising solo again if the price is right.
I share your frustration. Cunard has adopted the same policy.
Last year I booked Getaway and as a single I paid 100% supplement.
This year I can`t benefit from Getaway offer.Have to book Vantage and on top of that pay 100% supplement.
I`ve checked one cruise, if I book solo Vantage (only this one as a solo I am allowed to book), I will pay £1400.oo more than Gateaway for two people.
Something is very wrong with the system.!
I would love to go on a solo cruise but the price for one person in a cabin just scares me.
I went on a small cruise boat with a friend but the cost was almost £800 for 7 days which made me think I could not afford the solo thing.
I think many more people are like myself.
Hazel, i have found the P&O 60% supplement to be correct until this year when some I have enquired about have sometimes been 150% more.
My favourite ships are Cunard but now that I am single the supplement stops me using them.
As a ballroom & latin dancer I found them very good .
It seems there is an attitude problem with the treatment of single passengers.
Reading all the comments it appears many single people would cruise more often if there was a smaller supplement for single people
Thanks for your feedback Liz.
I have cruised on the Epic twice in one of their single studios. I am aged over 60 and can assure anyone that they quite big enough for any age. I would say they could, if needed, suit a couple.
Hi Janet. A specialist will be in touch shortly. Many Thanks
Could someone give me details on the relocation cruises please.
I have cruised on my own with the Epic and I’m over 60. It’s a lovely ship and I would recommend it.
It would help when advertising cruises that single prices were quoted.
No point in sending me details about offers for couples.
What I need to know is how much does it cost for one without having the hassle of ringing up. Where I choose to go in most cases is based on price.
I would be very interested in taking a cruise but the prohibitive single supplement costs have really put me off – as much the principle as the actual supplement itself.
I wonder if, going by the number of other comments on this site, the cruise companies have ever actually carried out market research on the number of solo travellers they are losing out on – the financial statistics might come as a surprise!
I too am against the high charge for single travellers. I wonder if you would be kind enough to give me information on the “relocation cruises in March and November”. I have not heard about these.
Thank you.
Trish
I was looking at a first time cruise holiday and was staggered at this single occupancy penalty (I refuse to call it a “supplement”).
When ringing up to find out the “real” price, I was as often as not quoted more than double the advertised price.
This pricing structure seems to make no sense. Why not have standard cabin charges based on the grade of the cabin and then a per head charge for the passengers?
That way everyone would know what it’s going to cost them and more importantly it would be fair.
l did 10-12 cruises with my husband and love cruising. I went with P&O after my husband died and had to pay double. I cruised with Fred Olsen with no single supplement but no single supplement cruises are few and far between.
I have been on the lookout since the new year to cruise this year but so far failed to find a cruise.
I would love to go on a Baltic cruise but I’m not prepared to pay double. So it looks like another Coach Tour with no single supplement asked.
If you can go at quite short notice, say one or two months before sailing many cruise lines will sell you a two berth cabin with a low or zero supplement.
Find comments very interesting as I am thinking of a solo cruise.
I don’t like the sound of the single supplements which sound very high.
Anyway around this? Would welcome some advice please.
Have cruised alone many times and it is my preferred method holidaying as a single.
Met lots of lovely people, including couples. With so much to do there is never a dull moment. Would do it more often if the price was better.
Why do they lower the double cabins so much at the last minute.
That only attracts the bargain hunters who only want the food and shows and don’t care where the ship goes.
They also never go on the excursions, so the cruise makes no money there.
Why not leave the doubles at the price and lower the singles who are likely to go on more excursions for the company? We also meet up in the bars to have a drink and be with people.
Many (but not all) couples like a drink in their cabin before dinner and get upset because they can’t take it onboard!
I have cruised 17 times mainly with P&O and Cunard I think I have platinum status with P&O and Gold with Cunard but now that I have to go alone there are no concessions for loyalty.
I once rang P&O who were offering cruises at very low prices to couples however I would have had to pay double the original fare before it was reduced.
I asked the ‘gentleman’ on the phone whether it would be worth leaving it till the very last minute only to be told that NO they would prefer to sail with empty cabins than sell to solo travellers.
Hello Trish. We have just sent a link to you, to request more information. Many Thanks
I agree. I went on 2 land holidays to resorts and mealtime was the worst.
I wished these places would set up a table for singles and so we could share a meal together.
Club Meds do it that way and it was always fun!
I’ve been on tours that I’ve paid the single supplement and received worse rooms than the others which is very annoying.
Agree with all the previous comments, single travellers, generally are not catered for and charged exhorbitant prices for the priviledge.
I have been on many cruises as a solo passenger and last year did a 114 night world cruise as a solo.
It’s a great way to travel but I get fed up of the huge single supplement.
I have found that a twin cabin for sole use is often the same price as a single. You get more room and on a lot of ships they are better situated than the singles.
Am off on another solo adventure in January for 77 nights.
Should have said sole use!!
I would urge anyone to try it.
Hello Rob. We have sent a link to you. Please complete the form and a specialist will get back to you. Many Thanks!
I wonder if you would be kind enough to give me information on the “relocation cruises in March and November”.
I have been on several MSC cruises with no single supplement especially on re-positioning cruises and have really enjoyed them even though the South American cruises can be very chaotic at mealtimes.
It is a great way to cruise and see different cities.
Give it a go!
I have travelled once solo on a cruise and really enjoyed it. I travelled with P&O and although I paid a small single supplement, I was upgraded to a lovely double stateroom.
I also like your other correspondents really object to being charged almost double by some cruise lines (notably Fred Olsen) for being dumped into a poky little inside stateroom. How can they justify this, we solo travellers are only eating one person’s ration of food, only using one person’s ration of hot water etc.
It is absolutely scandalous that cruise lines can get away with this.
It’s lovely to be able to let off steam.
Regards, Maureen (from Kent)
Please contact me if you revise your pricing for a solo occupant.
I have done lots of cruising and am just looking for a Baltics cruise which included Germany and especially St. Petersburg.
I can travel at short notice.
I would love to travel on a solo cruise but it is too expensive for me – I have to wait until a last minute cruise who fill up their cabins if they have not been reserved by two persons.
I just read your comment about the epic and the single cabins they have ,are they very small as they look it on the web site ?
Would you cruise with this line again and reccommend it to solo travellers over the age of 60 as there are a few ladies in my group who would be interested from feedback .
Kind regards Jeanette Merseyside
Last year I had to pay £1610, more than double the price of £765, was told it was for a better cabin, next deck higher, but it was the very last cabin at the front of the ship, and at 82 years old, with breast cancer, it was an ordeal to go back to it.
On the Sunday afternoon there was an engine room fire, and if I had had to go to the cabin for my life jacket I would probably have been roasted alive.
Also, as my travel agent had not sent me details of the tours, every time I went to the booking desk I was told they were all full, but to keep trying in case there was a last minute cancellation, I usually got a seat last minute, and on boarding the coach found many empty seats, so it was obvious they were hoping to get bookings from couples.
I have cruised on Norwiegen Cruise Line ship “Epic” which has about 130 single cabins.
It also has a lounge exclusively for passengers in these cabins and a host that is available each day. This allows all singles to meet in the lounge daily and plan where and when to meet up for meals.
I and about six others made our own arrangements for trips ashore at each port and saved on the cost of these organised by the ship. I can recommend this great ship for singles. Never a dull moment.
I would love to cruise more but the old chestnut, the single supplement.
I think it unfair I think a supplement of about 10% to 15% would be better making it more accessible to singles.I think value for money is the relocation cruises in march and november(18 days for the price of a singles 7 days).
I have cruised alone twice. A Nile cruise and a Red Sea cruise and thoroughly enjoyed both. I enjoyed being in company with people as well as quiet times by myself.
What I didn’t enjoy was paying approx. 50% more than other people just because I was travelling alone.
I would love to cruise again but find the ‘single supplement’ puts quite a lot of cruises out of my financial reach, particularly now I am retired
I am very aware of the advantages of cruising for the solo traveller and would like to go on one myself but the cost is way out of my price range.
I love cruising and as a single traveller it is definitely my preferred mode of travel. I’ve cruised 4 times on my own and love it.
The down side can be the single supplement which I detest but I did manage to find one with MSC with NO single supplement whatsoever and it was fab!
I have cruised alone several times since my husband died, and agree that it an ideal way to holiday alone.
The thing I like best of all is having someone to share a meal with,as I find there is nothing more soul destroying than sitting eating alone.
Because it is such an ideal way of holidaying alone I find it all the more frustrating that I have to pay double the price of other passenger for the dubious pleasure of travelling alone.
I fail to see how a cruise line can actually charge for two lots of food even if they have to charge double for the stateroom, but I have certainly had to do that on occasions.
I have in April used the Holland and America line and enjoyed it very much met up in an evening with 3 other single ladies whom I met at the arranged meeting on the first day.
All went well and I would cruise again solo at a good price .rgds JNTT