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This cruise line is making 2025 cruises cheaper for solo travelers

Kristy Tolley
Kristy Tolley
Editor
Kristy Tolley is an editor on the cruise team at TPG. She specializes in editing and writing content that focuses on cruises, though she has also contributed her expertise to hotel and destination content.
Jan. 14, 2025
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4 min read
tauck-river-solo-traveler
This cruise line is making 2025 cruises cheaper for solo travelers
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Let's face it: Solo travelers often get the short end of the stick when it comes to cruise vacations.

Why? Because most cruise lines impose a "single supplement" fee on travelers sailing alone in a cabin intended for two people. Essentially, you'll be forced to pay both fares (thankfully, you only pay taxes and fees for one).

Related: The best cruise lines for solo travelers

But Tauck, a luxury tour operator with a Europe river cruise division, has your back. The line announced Monday it will waive the single supplement on Category 1 cabins on all Europe river cruises in 2025, which could save single travelers up to $1,000 on their cruise fare. It's also reducing the single supplement by $1,000 on other cabin categories (most often categories 4 and 5) on 52 departures.

Category 1 cabins are the smallest rooms on the ship, measuring 150 square feet. They have a large fixed window instead of a balcony and two European twin beds that can be combined to make one bigger bed.

The waived single supplement applies to more than 250 Tauck river cruise departures in 2025, including the line's popular Christmas market itineraries.

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Tauck river cruises are all-inclusive. Your cruise fare includes gratuities, all shore excursions, complimentary beverages (specialty coffee, tea, soft drinks, house wine, beer and premium spirits) and transfers. Additionally, all sailings feature Tauck Exclusives. These offer behind-the-scenes access to landmarks and special cultural experiences, such as dinner and entertainment in a 15th-century German castle.

Below is a sampling of itineraries available with no single supplement fee:

  • Seven-night Romantic Rhine: Amsterdam to Basel sailing, with opportunities to tour Amsterdam's Rijksmuseum, explore Germany's Heidelberg Castle and sample wines in Alsace, France. Cruise fares start at $6,390 for solo travelers.
  • Seven-night Impressions from the Seine: Paris to Normandy voyage, which features visits to King Louis XIV's Chateau de Versailles, the beaches of Normandy and Monet's Giverny home in France. Fares start at $5,190.
  • Seven-night Seine: Holiday Magic sailing, showcasing Christmas markets in Paris and Normandy. Fares start at $4,890.

In addition to significant solo savings on river cruises, Tauck is also offering discounts on select land journeys across five continents. Travelers can get up to $600 off the single supplement on tours to destinations such as Hawaii, Mexico, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Australia and New Zealand. The offer applies to 39 tours (with 84 departures).

If you hope to save on a solo cruise with Tauck this year, make haste. Category 1 cabins for solo cruisers are a hot commodity. At the time of writing, available cabins were limited and often sold out completely.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

Featured image by TAUCK
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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    Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

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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.

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.