If you've ever priced a cruise for yourself and felt like you were being charged twice, you weren't imagining it. Cruise fares are advertised per person based on double occupancy, meaning two people sharing one cabin. When you book that same cabin alone, the line often asks you to cover the missing second fare through what's called the single supplement.
The good news is that solo cruising has never been more accessible. A handful of lines now build cabins specifically for one person, more sailings advertise reduced or waived supplements, and the onboard social scene for solo travelers has grown into something genuinely welcoming. This guide walks through why solo costs more and, more importantly, the real ways to pay less.
What is the single supplement and why do solo cruisers pay it?
Cruise fares are priced per person assuming two people share a cabin. Booking that cabin alone means the line loses the second fare, so solo travelers typically pay a single supplement of roughly 150 to 200 percent of the per-person double rate.
The advertised price you see for a cruise almost always assumes double occupancy: two people in one cabin, each paying the same per-person rate. The fixed cost of the cabin, plus the onboard spending the line expects from two guests, is baked into that number. When just one person books the cabin, the line makes up the difference by charging a single supplement.
In practice, that usually means paying somewhere between 150 and 200 percent of the per-person double-occupancy rate. A full 200 percent supplement is the worst case, essentially paying for two people. On promotional or slower-selling sailings, the supplement sometimes drops to around 125 to 150 percent, and it's occasionally waived entirely. It's worth confirming the exact figure for any specific sailing before you book.
Which cruise lines offer dedicated studio or solo cabins?
Norwegian Cruise Line pioneered studio cabins priced for one with no supplement. Royal Caribbean, P&O, Cunard, MSC, and Holland America now offer single cabins too, in formats ranging from windowless insides to balconies.
The cleanest way to avoid the supplement is to book a cabin that was built and priced for one person, so there's no second fare to make up. Norwegian Cruise Line is the leader here, with its signature Studio cabins of around 99 square feet, priced for a single guest with no solo supplement. Studios appear across much of the modern NCL fleet, on ships like Prima, Bliss, Encore, Escape, and Epic. NCL also introduced lower solo pricing on some inside, ocean-view, and balcony categories starting in 2024, coming in below the usual 200 percent.
Other lines have followed. Royal Caribbean offers solo cabins on selected ships, including virtual-balcony insides and larger studio balcony solos of up to roughly 199 square feet on vessels like Anthem, Quantum, and Odyssey. P&O Cruises has single cabins on Britannia, Iona, Ventura, and Azura; Cunard offers interior solos on Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria; MSC has studio solo accommodations on ships including Virtuosa and Grandiosa; and Holland America offers single ocean-view staterooms on Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam. You can browse cruise lines and individual ships to see which ones carry solo cabins on the itineraries you're considering.
Which sailings reduce or waive the single supplement?
Repositioning cruises, shoulder-season sailings, and slower-selling itineraries often advertise reduced or waived single supplements. Booking very early or very late, and watching for periodic solo fare promos, can also cut the surcharge.
If a studio cabin isn't available or you want more space, the next best move is hunting for sailings that reduce or waive the supplement outright. These deals show up most often on repositioning cruises, shoulder-season departures, and soft-selling itineraries where the line would rather fill a cabin at a discount than sail with it empty. Select 2026 voyages are already marketing special solo savings along these lines.
Timing helps too. Booking early can lock in solo-friendly promotional pricing, while booking very late sometimes catches lines discounting hard to fill remaining cabins. Several lines also run periodic solo travel fare promotions throughout the year, so it pays to keep an eye out and compare a few departure dates rather than settling for the first quote.
Is a small studio cabin worth it for solo travelers?
Studios eliminate the supplement but are small, often windowless, and limited in number. For travelers who mainly sleep in the cabin they're a great value; those wanting real space may prefer a reduced-supplement sailing in a larger room.
The trade-off with studio and solo cabins is size. NCL studios run about 99 square feet, and most solo cabins across the industry are inside, windowless rooms, with virtual or real balconies being the exception rather than the rule. Inventory is also limited, so studios tend to sell out fast on popular sailings, which makes booking early important.
Whether that's worth it comes down to how you cruise. If you spend most of your day out exploring the ship and ports and only use the cabin to sleep and shower, a studio is hard to beat on value. If you want room to spread out or a balcony to yourself, a reduced-supplement sailing in a larger cabin may serve you better. Our guide to inside versus balcony cabins walks through that same size-versus-experience trade-off in more detail.
Is cruising safe for solo travelers, and what should I know?
Cruising is widely regarded as one of the safest ways to travel alone, especially for solo women, thanks to its secure, contained environment. Ship-sponsored shore excursions add group structure in port, and standard travel precautions still apply.
Safety is one of the strongest arguments for cruising solo. A ship is a secure, contained environment that still visits multiple destinations, which is a big part of why cruising is widely regarded as one of the safest ways to travel alone, particularly for solo women. You unpack once, you're surrounded by staff and fellow passengers, and you wake up somewhere new without navigating unfamiliar transit on your own.
A few practical habits go a long way. Booking ship-sponsored shore excursions adds built-in group structure and safety in port, and joining a pre-cruise roll call means you'll recognize people from day one. Beyond that, the usual travel precautions apply. If you're new to all of this, our roundup of first-time cruise questions covers the practical basics worth knowing before you sail.
Solo cruising no longer has to mean paying double. Between dedicated studio cabins priced for one, a growing list of sailings with reduced or waived supplements, and a social scene built to help solo travelers connect, there are more ways than ever to sail on your own terms. Start by comparing a few
and the lines that offer solo-friendly cabins, and you may be surprised how affordable going it alone can be.