Cruising by yourself: Why cruise ships are great for travelling solo

The upsurge in demand for solo travel hasn't gone unnoticed by cruise lines.Credit: iStock

Cruising is a great way to holiday if you're going solo: a cruise ship is a safe, predicable environment, and provides abundant opportunity to socialise – or do your own thing. The upsurge in demand hasn't gone unnoticed by cruise lines, which are increasingly offering single supplement waivers, better studio cabins and on-board singles activities.

Although single supplements remain a bane, there are a few ways around them. You could convince a friend or family member to come with you; a benefit of cruising is that you can do things together but don't have to be constantly in each other's company.

If you're by yourself, then you'll have to accept that cruise fares are invariably priced per person based on double occupancy, so at worst you'll have to cough up double fares. However, single supplements are waived or reduced depending on projected cabin occupancy.

Book very early, as supplement waivers get less exciting, or disappear altogether, the more cabins are sold. Alternatively, wait for the last-minute deals that cruise lines offer to fill unsold cabins – although you might find last-minute airfares unpalatable. Last-minute deals are about the only way you'll find supplements waived on Australian cruises, which largely focus on the family market.

It can help to consult travel agents that specialise in cruising, since they're often well informed about special promotions.

The limited number of cabins on river ships means supplement waivers are less common, although Tauck doesn't charge supplements on lowest category staterooms. Riviera Travel is a standout for offering occasional supplement-free cruises exclusively for solo travellers, and for reserving a small number of supplement-free cabins on every voyage.

The alternative to bagging a waiver is to book solo cabins, but do your homework, since solo cabins can sometimes be more expensive than waivered double cabins. There aren't many and demand is high and increasing, so plan well in advance.

Big ships are your greatest chance. The best for singles (and a pioneer of solo cabins over a decade ago) is Norwegian Cruise Line, many of whose ships have an exclusive singles lounge for guests in Studio Cabins, and singles social events.

Norwegian's are inside cabins, though that isn't necessarily a problem if you're a social type haunting the ships' lounges and bars and participating in activities and enrichment courses.

Holland America's solo cabins are larger (though the beds are smaller) and have ocean views. You could also consider Royal Caribbean and Cunard.

Luxury ships are a mixed bag. Oceania's feature a good number of solo cabins, for example, while Silversea has none, although its supplement is as low as 10 percent on some voyages. Like all lines, it sometimes runs no-supplement specials.

Finally, an out-of-the-box solution: small expedition companies such as Adventure Canada and Aurora Expeditions have a cabin-sharing service for those willing to take the chance on a fellow traveller. Given the intimacy of ship's cabins this isn't for everyone but, if it's the only way you can afford to see the domain of polar bears or penguins, you may be prepared to compromise.