Solo cruise cabins haven’t been a reality on most cruise lines until recently. In the past, you paid a lot more to travel alone, but not anymore.
Cruise lines spent decades punishing people who travel alone with something called the single supplement. Book a cabin to travel by yourself, and you’ll pay almost double the normal rate. Now that’s changing fast.
Solo travel creates a need for single traveler cruise accommodations
Norwegian Cruise Line kicked things off in 2010 when they built the first ship with studios designed specifically for solo passengers. Other major lines followed. Royal Caribbean added 28 solo cabins on several ships. Holland America put 12 on their newest vessels. The timing makes sense because solo cruising doubled between 2023 and 2024, jumping from six percent to twelve percent of all passengers.
The solo cruising trend in 2025 makes use of solo cruise cabins
The broader solo travel boom is driving this shift. The U.S. solo travel market hit nearly $95 billion in 2024, with Millennials and Gen Z leading the charge. Younger travelers prefer the freedom to explore on their own schedule without group compromises.
The dedicated solo cabins fix the old pricing problem by charging one reasonable rate with no penalty. Some ships now feature solo lounges where single passengers can meet each other, plus balcony and ocean view options, not just cramped inside rooms. Solo doesn’t mean lonely anymore. Most solo cruisers still want to meet people and join activities, just on their own terms.
Here are some great cruise lines with solo cruise cabins:
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian is the first of the cruise lines to offer solo stateroom and waive the single supplement cruise fee that was required in the past. Solo travel on these cruise ships means access to the private Studio Louge. This is a space where you can socialize with other solo travelers and enjoy refreshments. There are several single meetups during the cruise, which means lots of fun as you make some new friends and mingle with other people who are traveling on the ships alone.
MSC Cruises
MSC Cruises embraces the movement in the cruise industry of solo passengers who want the same experience as other passengers. Their solo cruise cabins include 10 Studio Interior cabins and 18 Studio Ocean View staterooms. These rooms are great for solo travelers and make you extremely comfortable. You’ll also enjoy access to a complimentary, hosted cocktail party to meet other solo travelers. There are tons of activities and amazing ports where you can enjoy your time on and off the ship while on the cruise.
Holland America Line
Three of the newest ships in the Holland America Line family have 12 solo cruise cabins each. These ocean view staterooms offer various sizes to give you plenty of room to move about and stretch out while on the ship. You’ll find lots of cool activities for solo passengers, including cocktail mixers, wine tastings, exercise classes, daily quizzes, sports challenges, and much more. There are also some AARP benefits that give you credits and discounts, making your time on the ship more relaxed, affordable, and enjoyable.
Royal Caribbean International
The solo cruise cabins on Royal Caribbean include interior rooms, virtual balcony staterooms, and super studio ocean view staterooms with a balcony. The cabins don’t have single supplement fees, and the cruise line offers several great activities for solo travelers. There are world-class shows and entertainment offered, along with rides and attractions that make being on the ocean on one of these ships extremely fun. You can meet lots of new people or enjoy time on the cruise line’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Atlas Ocean Voyages
Ocean view solo cruise cabins aboard Atlas Ocean Voyages feature a queen bed, a panoramic picture window, a private spa bathroom with rain shower and body jets, a stocked minifridge, and other luxurious items. Single guests don’t get charged extra and get to enjoy several fun activities and adventures that are designed to allow solo passengers to enjoy time together. This cruise line heads to polar locations and offers expeditions that you might not get on other cruise lines.
Several major cruise lines have been adding solo cruise cabins and activities for several years, in anticipation of the solo travel boom that has become part of the tourism industry. Are you ready to take a cruise on your own? You can book one of the many solo cruise cabins and enjoy your time at sea on one of these amazing cruise lines.
