A sea change on solo cruising
The most frequently asked question I’ve received in the past few months concerns cruising by yourself, as a solo traveller. While many readers want to explore the world this way, most are unsure of which lines cater to the solo explorer. As it turns out, there has never been a better time to be an independent cruiser.
Solo travel can be extremely rewarding, as it lets you indulge in your own interests unfettered by friends and partners. Want to spend six hours browsing the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam? Great — no one is there to say no. Or, maybe you’d rather just sip coffee and watch the world go by in Vienna. Or stay on the ship in St. Thomas while everyone else runs themselves into a state of sunburned exhaustion.
As a solo traveller, you can do everything you want — and then some. But there’s just one stumbling block, and it’s a big one: the dreaded “single supplement.”
A single supplement is a fee applied to solo travellers wishing to occupy a double-occupancy stateroom. This can range from just a few dollars over the standard per-person fare to a whopping 200 per cent — the equivalent of paying for a second guest.
Traditional cruise line thinking was that you’re taking valuable revenue space away from what could be another paying guest, hence the surcharge. But that’s all changing now, and for the better. Many ocean and river cruise lines now sport single-occupancy staterooms with no supplement, and some lines have frequent sales or discounts on doubleoccupancy staterooms.
On the oceans, Norwegian Cruise Line was one of the first to make solo travel cool again. Its 4,100-guest Norwegian Epic debuted in 2010 with a total of 128 “studio staterooms” designed specifically for solo travellers. At 100 square feet, they’re only suited for one person, but mood lighting, clever design, and special features such as dedicated corridors and key card-access-only lounges proved to be so popular that Norwegian has added these Studio staterooms to every ship it has launched since, retrofitting them on other vessels like the Hawaii-based Pride of America.
If you’re looking for something a little more upscale, one of my favourite experiences is a transatlantic crossing aboard Cunard Line’s massive ocean liner Queen Mary 2. She was recently refitted with a handful of Britannia Single Staterooms, all of which offer ocean views. With hundreds of activities such as high tea, dancing in the largest ballroom at sea, evening music, pub trivia, lectures, and even an on-board planetarium, boredom is never on the menu.
Luxury lines like Silversea and Crystal also offer single-occupancy rates, particularly if you choose an entry-level suite like Silversea’s windowed Vista Suites. Luxury ships are a great choice for the solo traveller, and offer plenty of dinners and events hosted by crew members to help break the ice.
On the river cruise front, many river cruise lines — including AmaWaterways, Avalon Waterways, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, Viking River Cruises and even all-inclusive Tauck — frequently reduce or waive the single-supplement rate on select river cruises. Promotions such as this typically apply to a handful of stateroom categories and departure dates, so it’s best to check with the cruise line or your travel agent to see what promotions are currently on offer.
River cruises have the added advantage of being very costeffective, with most beverages and experiences ashore included, which can be a real benefit to the traveller looking to keep costs in check. They’re also great ships for socializing due to their small size, and most guests will be naturally curious (and welcoming) to travellers sailing on their own.
Happy (solo) cruising.