Picture it. You step aboard in Southampton with one suitcase, nobody to negotiate with over dinner times, and a room that was built for one person rather than squeezed out of a double. By the first sea day you’ve a table of new friends, a quiz team and somebody to share a taxi with in Lisbon. That’s the reality of most singles cruises sold to UK travellers in 2026. They’re ordinary sailings with dedicated solo rooms and hosted get-togethers, rather than a boat full of people looking for romance.
This guide covers which lines have single cabins, how solo pricing really works, and where a hosted group fits in.
What are singles cruises, and how are they different from a solo cruise?
Here’s the honest answer. Apart from a handful of chartered sailings, mostly sold in the US, there’s no such thing as a vessel full of single people. Every sailing carries couples, families, friends and solo travellers side by side, and the big lines know that a growing share of their guests are booking alone.
So when people in the UK look for cruises for singles, they usually mean one of three things:
- A single room on a normal cruise, with no supplement or a reduced one, plus the line’s own solo meet-ups.
- A hosted group sailing run by a solo travel company, where everyone in your group is travelling alone and a host or holiday director looks after you.
- A dating-style charter, which is rare from the UK and mostly an American thing.
Most readers want the first or second, and neither is a hook up holiday. They’re about having company when you want it and a door you can close when you don’t.
Which cruise lines have single cabins for solo travellers?
More than ever. The table below covers the main lines selling to UK passengers, using each line’s own solo pages where we could open them (checked in October 2026). Numbers change after refits, so always check the exact ship you’re looking at.
| Cruise line | Solo rooms | Where you’ll find them | Hosted solo meet-ups | Adults only |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Norwegian Cruise Line | Studio, Solo Inside, Solo Oceanview, Solo Balcony | Solo Inside, Oceanview and Balcony fleetwide; Studios on selected ships | Yes | No |
| P&O Cruises | Inside, sea view or balcony singles | Every ship in the fleet | Yes | No |
| Fred. Olsen | Single interior, ocean view and balcony | Bolette, Borealis and Balmoral | Yes | No |
| Saga | Single balcony rooms | Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure, 109 each | Yes | No |
| Celebrity Cruises | Single stateroom with Infinite Veranda; inside singles | Edge, Apex, Beyond and Ascent; four inside singles on Silhouette | Yes | No |
| Royal Caribbean | Studio staterooms, some with balconies | Quantum-class ships | Yes | No |
| Virgin Voyages | Insider and Sea View rooms priced for one | All four ships | Yes | Yes |
| Cunard | Single staterooms | 15 on Queen Mary 2; none on Queen Anne | Yes | No |
| Ambassador Cruise Line | Dedicated single-occupancy rooms | Spread across each ship | Yes | No |
Norwegian Cruise Line: the studio pioneer
Norwegian introduced the solo studio on Norwegian Epic back in 2010, and it’s still the name most solo sailors mention first. Studios are compact inside rooms of roughly 100 square feet, but the real draw is the Studio Lounge, a private bar “exclusively for solo guests” on the ships that have one. On its UK solo cruising page NCL says traditional double occupancy rates don’t apply, and Solo Inside, Oceanview and Balcony rooms are now available fleetwide.
The onboard entertainment is big and lively, which suits younger solo sailors who want a full evening out.
P&O Cruises: easy from Southampton
P&O says every ship in its fleet has single cabins, in inside, sea view or balcony grades. Britannia is the one solo regulars talk about. Its 27 singles all sit together on the Lido Deck, according to both Cruise Critic and the CruiseMummy guide, so your neighbours are fellow solo travellers before you’ve even unpacked.
Solo get-togethers are listed in the daily programme, and on traditional dining you’ll be seated with other guests rather than at a table for one.
Fred. Olsen and Saga: smaller ships, older crowd
Both lines sail smaller ships and attract a mostly retired, like-minded crowd, which suits a lot of our readers. Fred. Olsen’s solo guide lists 43 single rooms on Bolette, 49 on Borealis and 65 on Balmoral, in interior, ocean view and balcony grades, with reduced supplements, a solo cruisers’ meet-up in the Daily Times and dance hosts onboard.
Saga goes further, with 109 single balcony rooms in each of Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure, more than 20% of the accommodation. Its fares include a chauffeur from home, drinks, gratuities, Wi-Fi and travel insurance. You’ll also get an invitation to a singles mingle party and lunch. Saga sells its solo cruises to the over-50s, so it overlaps with our guide to the best solo holidays for over 60s.
Celebrity Cruises: the smartest single room at sea
On board Celebrity’s Edge-class ships, the single stateroom measures 184 square feet including a 42 square foot Infinite Veranda, which opens the room to the sea air at the touch of a button. Silhouette adds four inside singles of 103 square feet. Expect a grown-up atmosphere and a big spa.
Royal Caribbean and Virgin Voyages: livelier ships
Royal Caribbean has studio staterooms on its Quantum-class ships, some with balconies and some inside with a “virtual balcony” screen showing the view outside. These are huge resort ships, packed with onboard activities from surf simulators to a casino, karaoke and fitness classes. You won’t be bored!
Virgin Voyages is adults only, which changes the mood completely. Its Insider and Sea View rooms are pitched at solo sailors, there are solo meet-ups through the day, and a capacity-controlled solo offer on Sea Terrace balcony rooms comes and goes, while some itineraries call at its beach club on Bimini in the Bahamas.
Cunard and Ambassador: crossings and short breaks
Cunard is the classic choice for a transatlantic crossing. Queen Mary 2 gained 15 single staterooms with big ocean-view windows in her 2016 refit, though the newest ship, Queen Anne, was built without any dedicated singles.
Ambassador, sailing from UK ports such as Tilbury, has dedicated single rooms on each ship with no single supplement; it said in 2024 that Ambition alone had 78.
How solo cruise pricing really works
Fares are priced per person based on two sharing. Book a double on your own and you’ll usually pay a single supplement, sometimes close to the cost of a second fare. A dedicated single avoids that, but it’s priced by sailing and demand, so it isn’t automatically the cheapest choice.
Compare three prices every time:
- The dedicated single room.
- A double or twin for sole occupancy, especially when a line runs a reduced supplement offer.
- The per-person price of sharing a twin with another solo traveller, which some hosted groups arrange for you.
Singles are limited and they sell first, often the day a new season goes on sale. Book early, or sign up for the solo offers emails from the lines above. Our singles holiday deals page rounds up the current offers too.
Solo fares move fast. If you spot a single at a price you’re happy with, it rarely gets cheaper closer to sailing, as there are so few of them.
Hosted group cruises with a holiday director
Prefer to travel alone but not on your own? A hosted group is the closest thing the UK has to a true singles cruise, and it takes the nerves out of a first sailing.
Just You, one of the best known solo holiday specialists, runs escorted solo cruises with a Holiday Director on every departure and no single supplement: you get your own twin or double room. Its river cruises use Nicko Cruises ships on the Danube, Douro, Rhône, Rhine and Moselle, with an 8-day Danube or Douro cruise from £4,049 when we checked in October 2026. There’s also an 8-day Croatian Island Explorer on a small motor yacht with no more than 20 guests, from £3,599.
What a hosted cruise usually includes
- Flights or Eurostar from the UK and transfers to the ship
- Your own room with no single supplement
- A Holiday Director who arranges welcome get-togethers and guided visits
- ATOL protection, as Just You is ATOL protected and an ABTA member
Most Just You guests are in their 40s, 50s and 60s, so you’ll be among people at a similar stage of life. Read our full Just You review before you book.
River ships are small and sociable, so you’ll see the same faces at breakfast, on the walking tour and at the bar, and by day three you’ve a handful of new friends.
How do you meet people when you cruise alone?
Ships are built for socialising, with activities and entertainment from breakfast until late, so it’s far easier than on a land holiday. A few things solo regulars swear by:
- Go to the first solo meet-up, usually on day one or two, even if you’re shy. Everyone else is new too.
- Choose shared tables at dinner, and ask for the biggest table on traditional dining.
- Join the quiz, a dance class, a cooking class or a wine tasting. Teams form fast.
- Book the ship’s own shore excursions or a walking tour in each destination rather than going it alone, at least at first.
- Look for the line’s solo Facebook group before you sail, where people arrange to meet.
- Talk to the crew. Bar staff and hosts know exactly what’s on and who goes.
And when you’ve had enough company? Take a book to a quiet deck. Nobody minds, and that freedom is half the point of cruising solo.
When’s the best time to cruise solo from the UK?
School holidays fill ships with families and push fares up, so solo travellers often get better value and a more grown-up crowd in term time. Here’s how the year looks for each destination, whether you sail from a UK port or fly out to join the ship.
If you’d rather not be at home on 25 December, our guide to singles holidays at Christmas covers festive trips on land and water.
Your first-timer’s checklist
- Compare the single room, sole occupancy and share prices
- Check where the singles are on the deck plan
- Ask whether the ship has a solo lounge or a social host
- Choose traditional or shared dining if you want company at dinner
- Join the line’s solo Facebook group
- Buy travel insurance that covers cruising
- Book a shore excursion for the first stop
- Pack a smart outfit for formal or dressy nights
- Download the ship’s app before you leave home
- Note the all-aboard time at every stop
Questions solo cruisers ask
Will I be the only person travelling alone?
Almost certainly not. Lines with dedicated singles fill them every sailing, and the solo meet-up on the first evening is often busier than people expect.
Is a solo cruise safe for a woman travelling alone?
It’s one of the easiest ways to travel alone safely, with security onboard, a room you can lock and organised trips ashore. Use the same common sense you would at home, especially late at night ashore.
Which cruise line has no single supplement?
Dedicated single rooms on lines such as Norwegian, P&O, Saga and Ambassador are priced for one, so there’s nothing extra on top. Just You’s hosted cruises also come with no supplement.
Is a singles cruise just for dating?
No. In the UK it’s about company and freedom. Lots of solo cruisers are widowed, divorced, or have a partner who simply doesn’t like ships.
What age are people on solo cruises?
It depends on the line. Saga is aimed at the over-50s, Fred. Olsen and Cunard lean older, and Virgin Voyages and Norwegian attract a younger, livelier crowd.
Is a river cruise good for solo travellers?
Yes, if you like small ships and guided sightseeing. Single rooms are rarer on river ships, which is why a hosted trip with no supplement can be good value.
Solo cruising has never had more choice, from studios with their own lounge to hosted river trips where everyone’s travelling alone. Pick the style that suits you, compare those three prices, and book as soon as you’re sure. For more ideas on holidays without a partner, start with our guide to singles holidays or browse Holiday Alone for trips built around you.
