Welcome to Byte Size Cruises! This is Part 1 of a short series on solo cruising, which could mean you are single and looking to mingle or you are just traveling solo. This could also apply if you are traveling in a large group but booking a solo cabin. Keep reading for tips, tricks and hacks to create the best solo cruising experience for you. 

What are the best lines and how much will it cost?

Regarding cabins, Norwegian Cruise Lines does a really great job of providing studio cabins for solo travelers. These studio cabins are slightly smaller, indoor cabins that are designed for solo cruisers. On most of the newer Breakaway and Breakaway Plus class ships, there is actually a studio lounge that can only be accessed by those staying in the studio cabins. This lounge is open 24/7 and has coffee and other beverages, snacks, a bar for happy hour, and a nice space to relax. Norwegian will often host meetups there to give solo travelers an opportunity to meet other people and mingle. (Photo 1)

Norwegian in our opinion also has the best rates for single or solo travelers booking a studio cabin. Royal Caribbean and some other cruise lines also have some studio cabins now for solo cruising, however they simply don’t have as many as Norwegian. (Photo 2)

To get the best solo cruising rate, studio cabins are the way to go as they are only designed for one person so you’re only paying for your space on the ship. When you book a cabin that is meant for two people or a balcony cabin, it generally will be pretty expensive which isn’t always fun. You’ll be paying for the space of two people, just without the extra port fees and taxes of two travelers. (Photo 3)

To get the best rate for solo cruising, we also recommend you keep an eye on group space. Talk to your travel agent and see if they have group space available. In this case, it might actually be cheaper to get a double room vs. a single if the space has been purchased ahead of time in bulk. 

Single Cruising vs. Solo Cruising

Most cruise lines have more of a focus on solo cruising vs. single cruising. If you are single, you might want to check out Virgin Cruise Lines, as they do tend to have itineraries that focus on single cruisers who are looking to meet other singles. For solo cruisers who are simply traveling on their own, our recommendation would be to check out the Norwegian Breakaway ships for a solo traveling experience with the best bang for your buck. Royal Caribbean would be our second choice, however the studio cabins on those ships are not going to all be in the same area and give you the opportunity to meet other solo cruisers. 

Have you been a solo cruiser? What was your experience like? Check out the next post in this series for more information on solo cruising!