These 8 solo cruise cabins are great for travelers sailing alone
If you’re new to cruising, you might not know that cabins on most ships are designed for a minimum of two people.
That means the lines expect each room to bring in revenue in the form of at least two cruise fares. If you choose to sail by yourself in a cabin meant for two or more, you’re almost always charged the double-occupancy rate (the fare for one person plus a “single supplement”), meaning you’ll pay two full cruise fares even though it’s just you in the room.
With solo cruising on the rise, cruise lines are adding accommodations for one to their newest ships. Some have even outfitted older vessels to offer solo cruise cabins. Although they can be pricey, single cruise cabins usually represent some savings versus what you’d pay for a voyage in a cabin meant for two.
These are the best solo cruise cabins to book across the major cruise lines.
Royal Caribbean's studio staterooms
Royal Caribbean boasts the most single cruise cabins of any line, with about half of the ships in its fleet housing at least two. However, the most impressive are Super Studio staterooms with balconies, found on Anthem of the Seas, Quantum of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas, Harmony of the Seas, Spectrum of the Seas and Odyssey of the Seas.
These cabins, which can reach up to 199 square feet with 55-square-foot balconies, are outfitted with a mix of bedding types and plenty of space for one person.
Oceania's Concierge Level Veranda staterooms
Oceania Cruises' newest ship, Vista, offers six 270-square-foot solo cabins. Dubbed Concierge Level Veranda staterooms, they all have balconies and entitle cruisers staying in them to Concierge Level amenities. This includes free laundry service, room service from the dining room menu, exclusive keycard-only access to the dedicated Concierge Lounge, priority embarkation and a complimentary bottle of Champagne.
The cabins also each include an ultraluxurious Tranquility memory foam bed, a seating area that overlooks a private balcony and ample storage space.
Oceania has also outfitted four of its older vessels — Regatta, Nautica, Insignia and Sirena — with cabins for one. Each now has 14 solo ocean-view accommodations that offer 143 square feet of space.
Celebrity's Infinite Veranda solo rooms
Cruisers looking for a little bit more space on a line that falls somewhere between Royal Caribbean and Oceania will have luck with Celebrity Cruises' Infinite Veranda solo cabins. Unlike traditional balconies, Infinite Verandas extend the overall square footage of the cabin, featuring a window that raises and lowers with the push of a button.
Passengers can find 16 of these 131-square-foot staterooms on Celebrity Edge, 24 on Celebrity Apex and 32 each on Celebrity Beyond and Celebrity Ascent.
Norwegian Cruise Line's studio cabins
Norwegian was a forerunner in the solo accommodation space, introducing its studio cabins on Norwegian Epic in 2010. The solo cruise cabins are on the small side at roughly 100 square feet. These inside cabins might have a window, but there’s no view to the outside. They’re great if you’re not planning to spend much time in your room.
What’s unique about NCL’s studios is that they allow occupants access to the studio lounge, where they can meet other cruisers sailing alone and partake in daily snacks. Studio cabins are available on Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway, Norwegian Getaway, Norwegian Encore, Norwegian Escape, Norwegian Bliss, Pride of America, Norwegian Prima and Norwegian Viva.
Cunard's ocean-view Britannia Single staterooms
Three ships in Cunard's fleet offer solo cabins, but only one — the iconic Queen Mary 2, which most often sails transatlantic voyages between New York and Southampton, England — has 15 that feature ocean views. The line’s Britannia Single staterooms are anywhere from 178 to 183 square feet in size, and they include large windows and single beds.
Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria each have nine single cruise cabins, but they’re a mix of ocean-views and insides with no view. The line's newest vessel, Queen Anne, has no solo cabins at all.
Holland America's ocean-view single cabins
Holland America stands out for its Alaska itineraries and the impressive music scenes on its newest vessels. Solo travelers will be pleased to know that the cruise line offers 127- to 172-square-foot solo cabins on Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam.
Each of the single rooms on these ships has an ocean view and a twin bed.
Virgin Voyages' Solo Insider and Solo Sea View Cabins
Virgin Voyages is relatively new to the cruise industry, but it knows what’s up. Positioning itself as a hip anticruise line, it has built its vessels — Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady and the soon-to-debut Brilliant Lady — to include 46 cabins for single passengers, 40 of which are insides and six of which provide rare forward-facing views of the sea.
These solo cruise cabins are a bit small at just larger than 100 square feet, but the Solo Insider and Solo Sea View rooms are cleverly appointed with full-sized beds and sleek, stylish furniture, decor and bathrooms.
MSC's solo inside rooms for one
MSC Cruises has undertaken a shipbuilding boom, rapidly increasing the size of its fleet in a bid to make itself the largest cruise line (in terms of number of ships) by 2030. As the line's ships grow in size and amenities, MSC has begun to add cabins for solos.
Currently, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Grandiosa and MSC Bellissima are outfitted with rooms for one. All of the solo rooms are inside cabins with a single bed and roughly 129 square feet of space.
Bottom line
Cruising solo might sound like a daunting feat, but many cruise lines are making it easier and more affordable by offering solo cruise cabins. If you want to snag accommodations for one, be sure to book early. The popular solo rooms sell out quickly, as many travelers wish to avoid being charged the single supplement.
Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:
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- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.