Royal Caribbean publishes that a solo guest pays "200% of the category rate" for a stateroom to themselves. Norwegian is the exception: its Solo Staterooms are "always priced for one" with no single supplement, on ships including Aqua, Bliss, Encore, Epic, Escape, Prima and Viva, with a Studio Lounge reserved for solo guests.
If you are widowed, divorced, or simply have a spouse who would rather stay home, this is the page that decides whether cruising is affordable for you. The honest answer is that it depends enormously on which line you pick.
Royal Caribbean tells you the number
Credit where it is due — they publish it plainly: "All rates posted on this website are based on double occupancy. A single guest who wishes to have a stateroom to themselves will be expected to pay 200% of the category rate, unless otherwise noted in the pricing."
Two hundred per cent. You pay for the empty half of the room. That is the single supplement, and most lines simply do not say it out loud.
They do offer an alternative: Studio Interior cabins, category 2W, on Quantum and Oasis class ships. Their own guide says these are designed for solo travellers and "you can say goodbye to single supplement fees."
Norwegian has actually built for this
This is where Norwegian is genuinely ahead. They publish that "Solo Staterooms are always priced for one" and that "traditional double occupancy rates do not apply" — no single supplement.
Four categories: Solo Balcony, Solo Oceanview and Solo Inside fleetwide, plus Solo Studios on Aqua, Bliss, Breakaway, Encore, Epic, Escape, Getaway, Prima, Viva and Pride of America.
And the part that matters more than the cabin: Solo Studio guests get private keycard access to the Studio Lounge, with complimentary coffee, espresso and snacks. It is a room where the other people are also travelling alone. If what you are worried about is not the money but the evenings, that is the single most useful thing any line has built.
The Studio Lounge is not available on Pride of America.
Celebrity: cabins, but no published number
Celebrity publishes single staterooms on Edge, Apex, Beyond and Ascent (Edge Single with Infinite Veranda, 184 sq ft plus a 42 sq ft veranda) and inside singles on Silhouette at 103 sq ft. They publish that these "offer all the same amenities and services as a double stateroom."
What they do not publish anywhere is the supplement for a solo traveller in a normal cabin.
Princess and Carnival: not much at all
Princess publishes that "select ships offer dedicated solo-friendly staterooms designed for one guest" and mentions "organized mixers, hosted gatherings or informal meetups designed specifically for solo travelers" — but names no ships, no schedule and no supplement.
They do publish one concrete benefit: Captain's Circle gives two cruise credits instead of one when you sail solo on the exclusive occupancy fare, so you reach loyalty tiers twice as fast. Excludes mini-suites.
Carnival publishes essentially nothing. Their promotional terms say fares are "based on double occupancy," and that is the extent of it. No solo cabin information, no supplement figure, no published meet-up programme on any page we could read. Their solo travel guide talks about meeting people and never mentions what it costs.
What I would do if I were sailing alone
- Start with Norwegian's solo cabins. Priced for one, no supplement, and the Studio Lounge solves the evenings.
- Then Royal Caribbean's Studio Interiors on Quantum and Oasis class, and note the bonus loyalty point per night.
- Then Celebrity's single staterooms if you want the Edge-class ships.
- Compare a solo cabin against a cheap inside at 200%. Sometimes the supplement on a bargain fare beats a solo cabin on an expensive one. Price both.
- Tell the maître d' on day one that you are travelling alone and would like a shared table. Royal Caribbean publishes that they often match solo travellers together if you ask in advance. It is the easiest social thing you can do on a ship.
Questions I get asked
Do I really pay double?
On Royal Caribbean, yes, unless you book a studio — they publish 200% of the category rate. Other lines do not publish a figure.
Are solo cabins tiny?
Celebrity publishes 103 sq ft for an inside single and 184 sq ft for the Edge Single with veranda. Compact, but they are real cabins with real amenities.
Will I be sat on my own at dinner?
Only if you want to be. Ask for a shared table when you board.
Do solo travellers pay double gratuities?
Gratuities are charged per person per day, so you pay for one person. It is the fare, not the tips, where the supplement bites.
Which line is genuinely best for solos?
On published evidence, Norwegian, and it is not close. Purpose-built cabins, no supplement, and a lounge only solo guests can enter.
Where these facts come from
- Royal Caribbean, single occupancy pricing
- Royal Caribbean, solo cruise tips
- Royal Caribbean, points earned travelling solo
- Norwegian Cruise Line, studio and solo staterooms
- Norwegian Cruise Line, solo cruising
- Celebrity Cruises, single staterooms
- Princess, Captain's Circle membership benefits
Ports change their rules and their prices. Check the official pages above before you sail.
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