This cruise line is making 2025 cruises cheaper for solo travelers
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.
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:
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