Solo-Friendly Cruise Lines with Single Occupancy Cabins or No/Low Single Supplements
by Dori Saltzman /Travel advisors with solo clients understand the angst of trying to find travel options with no or low single supplements, especially when it comes to cruising.
But with solo travel a rapidly growing piece of the travel market, several cruise lines see the opportunities therein. Some, such as Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean, have provided a limited number of single occupancy staterooms for several years. Others have added them more recently.
Still others that don’t have dedicated single occupancy cabins allow solo cruisers to book lower level rooms with no single supplement. Others set aside a certain percentage of their ships’ overall capacity to be sold to solo travelers at significantly reduced single supplements.
In general, river cruise ships tend to have the most capacity for single travelers, but there are some ocean-going exceptions.
Here are all the cruise lines (river and ocean) that offer single occupancy staterooms and/or no/low single supplements.
Ocean-going cruise lines with single-occupancy cabins or no/low single supplements
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity provides a limited number of single occupancy Infinite Veranda and Inside staterooms on its Edge Class ships only.
Cunard
Solo cruisers will find single occupancy cabins without a single supplement on Queen Mary 2.
Crystal
Both of Crystal’s ships offer single guest rooms. Onboard activities include special solo programming and there is always a solo table in the dining room for solo travelers.
Holland America Line
Solo cruisers will find 12 single occupancy ocean view staterooms on the Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam, and Koningsdam.
HX
HX offers a mix of free and reduced solo supplements (capacity controlled) on bookings of inside twin cabins on ever sailing. The line offers dedicated solo travel meet-ups and cocktail hours on every sailing as well.
Norwegian Cruise Line
All Norwegian Cruise Line ships have single occupancy cabins with no single supplement. Depending on the ship, categories may include studios, solo insides, solo ocean views, and solo balconies. Nine of NCL’s ships feature studio staterooms, which include access to the Studio Lounge. These ships are: Norwegian Bliss, Breakaway, Encore, Epic, Escape, Getaway, Prima, Viva, and Pride of America. Norwegian Aqua will also feature studio staterooms with access to the Studio Lounge when it launches in spring 2025.
PONANT
PONANT offers a free solo supplement on nearly 200 voyages through the end of 2025 in a variety of cabin categories on Le Commandant Charcot, Le Boreal, L’Austral, Le Soleal, Le Lyrial, and the six PONANT Explorers ships.
Royal Caribbean International
All of Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Class ships feature single occupancy balcony staterooms; some also have single occupancy interior rooms. All Radiance Class ships have some single occupancy interior rooms, as well, as do some Voyager Class ships.
Virgin Voyages
Each Virgin Voyages ship features 46 single occupancy cabins including six solo Sea Views and 40 solo Insiders.
Windstar Cruises
Windstar always has a selection of itineraries that are available to solo travelers at a single supplement of 120%.
River cruise lines with single occupancy cabins or no/low single supplements
AmaWaterways
AmaWaterways has four European river ships that offer single occupancy staterooms with no single supplement: AmaCello, AmaDante, AmaDolce, and AmaLyra.
Additionally, a 25% single supplement is available on fixed window staterooms on all Europe sailings, as well as on Category C staterooms on all Mekong sailings (based on availability).
American Cruise Lines
American Cruise Lines offers single occupancy cabins on every small ship and riverboat in its fleet. All have either a balcony or a window that opens to let in fresh air.
Emerald Cruises
All Emerald river ships have single occupancy cabins except for on the Douro and Mekong Rivers.
Riverside Luxury Cruises
For all reservations through the end of 2025, Riverside is offering no single supplement when booking select Harmony Suites on Riverside Mozart and select Melody Suites on Riverside Ravel and Riverside Debussy, for virtually every voyage.
Riviera River Cruise
Riviera offers a number of solo-only departures (on all of its itineraries) on which all cabins are entirely single supplement free. For instance, in 2025, there will be 30 dedicated solo sailings. Additionally, on every sailing, Riviera offers four or five cabins with a 25% single supplement.
Scenic
Several of Scenic’s river ships feature single occupancy balcony suites. On the Rhine, Main, and Danube Rivers these ships include Scenic Jasper, Opal, Amber, Crystal, Jade, Jewel, Ruby, and Pearl. Other ships with single occupancy balcony suites are Scenic Sapphire in the south of France and Scenic Diamond in Bordeaux.
Tauck
Tauck waives the single supplement entirely on every Category 1 cabin on every Tauck river ship, for every sailing of every itinerary. Additionally, on nearly every itinerary, there will always be select departure dates where the single supplement is reduced by $1,000 on one or two of the higher cabin categories.