The Best Cruise Lines with Solo Cabins (and the Best Cruises for Singles)

It used to cost a small fortune if you wanted a cruise cabin to yourself, as you were basically paying the price for two people. 

But then solo cruising became one of the hottest trends in travel. 

Indeed, Google searches for “solo cruises” by U.S. users have recently more than doubled. 

“I've seen an increase year after year in the solo travel community, especially among single females,” says Shelby Frenette, a solo travel expert and manager of the TravelFun.Biz agency, which caters to singles. “Their desire to travel is so strong that most major cruise lines are starting to design their ships with solo occupancy cabins to accommodate this growing population.”

Most importantly, they’re pricing these cabins for individual travelers. And they’re also waiving or reducing the dreaded “single supplement” fee, which charges vacationers for two full cruise fares even when they stay alone in a double-occupancy room. That supplementary cost can be a budget-busting 100% more.

But it’s not just affordability that defines a good cruise. To help lone travelers feel welcome on board, cruise lines are also rolling out additional opportunities for them to meet other singles at exclusive receptions, get-togethers, and group dining just for solo cruisers.

Unfortunately, demand still outstrips supply on most of these lines, so if you want one of these special rooms, you have to book early, and you should always make sure you’re getting a special single-cabin rate and not paying a single supplement to stay in a room categorized as a double.

Based on price, cabin options, and a solo-friendly environment, here are 10 lines that are now offering smoother sailing for cruisers traveling alone or who want a private room. 

(Pictured above: a specially designed Studio cabin on the Norwegian Epic)

Cruise lines with solo accommodations

Celebrity Cruises’ commitment to singles is evident in its mast-high growth in solo bookings, up an annual 225% over the past two years. Perhaps that’s because its ships offer great options for cruisers on their own.

Celebrity offers interior, windowless cabins to solo bookers, but the premium line's two newest vessels, Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent (which launched in December 2023), each stock 32 single staterooms with the line’s so-named Infinite Veranda (pictured above). That's a hard-sided, ocean-facing balcony with motorized slide-down window that turns an interior sitting area into an oceanview space. That feature extends the 184 square feet of cabin space by an additional 42. Celebrity Apex features 24 of them, while Celebrity Edge (which debuted them in 2018) is home to 16. Each has a queen-size bed, rare for single rooms. Celebrity Silhouette has four inside digs-for-one at 103 square feet each.

These one-person cabins, which have the same upscale amenities as double-occupancy ones, charge no single supplements. The Infinite Veranda staterooms are especially popular, with 71% of Celebrity's solo travelers booking these rooms with a view. Guests on their own can also take advantage of special promotions that waive the single supplement in standard cabins, but only on select voyages.

Celebrity offers events for travelers on their own, including a gathering hosted by the activities team, which helps break the ice. An un-hosted solos table is also available every night for those who want to dine with new friends, but you can also eat alone if you choose. All that is why Celebrity Cruises won industry awards in the Solo Travel category from Travel Weekly's 2022 and 2023 Magellan Awards.

Cunard is famous for its elegant liner-style ships that evoke the Golden Age of ocean voyages. But in a departure from that traditional era, three of its four ships now offer solo cabins ranging from 178 to 183 square feet in size: Queen Mary 2 (15), Queen Victoria (nine), and Queen Elizabeth (nine, including one pictured above). All have twin-size beds and especially large windows with coveted ocean views, except for one inside cabin on both the Queen Mary 2 and Queen Elizabeth. Cunard's Queen Anne is not slated to include solo staterooms when it begins service in 2024.

Singles pay a solo fare for these cabins far less than the single supplement of 175% for staying in a double-occupancy stateroom. 

Cunard also hosts coffee meet-ups and cocktail receptions for its solo guests. Select voyages also have “gentleman hosts” onboard to serve as dance partners and shore excursion escorts.

From its solo-oriented activities to its cabins for one, Holland America’s commitment to singles is full steam ahead. Since 2016, it has introduced 12 single staterooms in each of its three Pinnacle Class ships, Nieuw Statendam, Rotterdam, and Koningsdam (pictured above). At 127 to 172 square feet each, they have ocean views and the same amenities as double-occupancy cabins but with a double bed.

The single cabins are priced for one. Single supplements for double-occupancy staterooms, meanwhile, are as much as 100% extra and are rarely reduced or waived.

But Holland America, which attracts older cruisers, stands out for its Single Partner Program, whereby singles can join a wide variety of activities for solo passengers, from mixers and cocktail parties to game nights, cooking classes, wine tastings, and line dancing. Plus, some shore excursions are geared just to singles, from solo parasailing and ATV adventures to private day touring. Finally, those traveling alone can also arrange to dine together. 

As European-owned MSC Cruises rapidly expands its fleet of 22 ships, it’s making leeway on accommodating travelers who are on their own. Six of its ships have a total of 136 cabins for one, 38 of which have windows and 20 with prized balconies. All have twin-size beds. The World America, set to debut in 2025, will also feature solo staterooms. MSC’s shipboard ambiance is international with a cosmopolitan vibe.

Solo cabins carry no single supplement on MSC. But a single traveler choosing between solo cabins and comparable interior or balcony ones designed for two would save an average of 40% for a balcony and 25% for an interior. Lone cruisers have to pay a single supplement of 100% if they book a double-occupancy cabin, which MSC sometimes discounts. 

Solos looking to meet other single travelers can attend a special hosted cocktail party. 

The pioneer in solo cruising, Norwegian turned the tide when it introduced 128 studio cabins designed and priced exclusively for one on the Norwegian Epic back in 2010. Yes, they were small, at just 100 square feet, but they enabled solo travelers to consistently avoid the single supplement. Located on the inside, they had a full-size bed and a window feature, but not one that faced the water. 

Today, this line known for its specialty dining is still trailblazing. It’s the first one to offer a wide variety of cabin categories dedicated to singles. As of Jan. 2, 2024, the line introduced solo inside, solo oceanview, and solo balcony categories, bringing to 1,500 the number of solo cabins across its 19-ship fleet—although some of those are regular double-occupancy rooms that are assigned single-occupancy status on a per-voyage basis. More than 150 Studio cabins feature true oceanview window rooms and more than 300 have balconies, a rarity for solo accommodations. 

In addition, guests staying in the solo category staterooms can meet other single travelers, relax, and get cocktails during limited hours at the dedicated Studio Lounge (pictured above) for the exclusive use of guests who booked these cabins. Lounges are available on Norwegian Bliss, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Getaway, Pride of America, Norwegian Prima, and Norwegian Viva. It’s not surprising, then, that Norwegian was named Best Cruise Line for Solo Travelers six years in a row by Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine and was named Best for Solo Travelers by CruiseCritic.com's U.S. editors in 2023.

Small, intimate, and easy to navigate, Oceania Cruises’ six ships are especially conducive to solo travelers and the line is stepping up to meet the increased demand from this group. Its four 600-passenger ships—Regatta, Insignia, Nautica, and Sirena—each have 14 solo oceanview staterooms, while the newest ship, Vista (launched in May 2023), has six 270-square-foot solo cabins with prized oversized balcony verandas.

Although these Concierge Level Veranda units only have twin beds (pictured above), they entitle cruisers to keycard-only access to a Concierge Lounge with extra amenities. Oceania’s upcoming 1,200-passenger ship Allura, scheduled to launch in 2025, will have solo accommodations similar to Vista’s. 

Solo cabins cost less than comparable double-occupancy rooms (though not quite half as much). But travelers can also book regular cabins with a reduced single supplement of up to 50% for specific categories, along with 2-for-1 Cruise Fare deals. Oceania also creates special opportunities on board for solo cruisers, including welcome cocktail receptions and group dining tables—the line is known for its high-quality cuisine. 

Famous for its megaships—including the world’s largest ones for passenger cruises—and for first-at-sea attractions, Royal Caribbean knows how to stand out. If you want to sail on a behemoth vessel with a tidal wave of amenities and attractions, this line is for you, especially if you’re traveling alone. 

Five of its blockbuster Quantum Class ships—Anthem of the Seas, Odyssey of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, and Spectrum of the Seas—harbor 28 studio cabins for one. They represent a mix of inside cabins with virtual balconies (false windows that are digital screens projecting real-time views from outside; pictured above) and balcony rooms with 55-square-foot open-air terraces, generous for solo accommodations.

Studios range in size from 101 to 119 square feet and have full-size beds but might lack features such as couches. Two additional vessels, Harmony of the Seas and Symphony of the Seas, offer 15 solo staterooms starting at 96 square feet located in both inside and outside locations. However, the highly anticipated Icon of the Seas, new in January 2024 and the largest cruise ship ever, has no solo cabins.

Royal Caribbean's studio solo cabins don't charge a single supplement, while regular cabins come with single supplements up to 100% over standard double-occupancy fares.

Young, hip, and for adults only, Richard Branson’s Virgin Voyages is taking its appeal to sole cruisers seriously. Each of its superyacht-style ships—Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, and Resilient Lady—includes 46 cabins for one with full-size beds, including 40 Solo Insider rooms and six Solo Sea View ones that provide rare forward-facing views of the water.

That's a significant number dedicated to travelers alone out of 1,330 cabins on each ship. At 105 to 130 square feet each, they may be smaller than some competitors, but they display the sleek, stylish design that’s a hallmark of the line.

Solo cabins are priced for one, while singles in a double-occupancy room pay about 20%–30% less than two people, a substantial savings compared to other lines. That extra amount is sometimes waived on special promotions.

Virgin’s young, adult-focused atmosphere hits the mark with sole cruisers looking to have fun with other singles. From an organized “grog walk” (Virginese for pub crawl) through the many shipboard bars to solo meet-ups to a dedicated solo travelers’ table in each signature restaurant, the line ensures lone travelers aren’t lonely. In fact, finding new friends seems like half the point.

Lines without solo accommodations