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How do I avoid paying single supplements on a cruise?

Share a cabin with another single One way to find a roommate for a cruise is to search for a hosted singles cruise. These special groups are put together by travel agencies or companies specializing in single cruises. Booking a cruise far in advance can also help solo travelers avoid a single supplement.



Avoiding the "single supplement"—the extra fee charged to solo travelers to cover the "lost" revenue of a second person in a cabin—requires strategic booking. In 2026, the most effective way is to book with cruise lines that offer dedicated solo cabins, such as Norwegian Cruise Line, Royal Caribbean (on newer ships), and Virgin Voyages. These cabins are specifically designed for one person and do not carry a supplement fee. Another tactic is to look for "Solo Traveler Deals" where lines like Holland America or Cunard waive the supplement during the shoulder season or on specific "repositioning" cruises. You can also utilize "Roommate Matching" programs offered by some lines, though this involves sharing a room with a stranger. For luxury seekers, many river cruise lines (like AmaWaterways or Tauck) frequently waive single supplements on European sailings to fill remaining capacity. Finally, working with a specialized travel agent who can track "Solo-Friendly" promotions can save you thousands of dollars, as these deals are often unadvertised and sell out extremely quickly.

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G Adventures Tours are hosted in over 100 countries and run the gamut from classic and 18–30 tours to wellness, rail and local living tours that base travellers with a host family. Most of the trips do not have a single supplement and accommodation is based on a twin-share basis with another traveller of the same sex.

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Sometimes cruise lines completely waive the solo supplement fare, meaning you travel for the cost of a per person, double occupancy fare even though you have the room to yourself.

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Many of the major cruise lines including Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Lines and Norweigan Cruise Lines offer Senior Citizen Rates for guests age 55 or older. Senior Cruise Discounts are typically available on last minute cruises when cruise lines need help filling the last remaining cabins on their ships.

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How to prevent roaming charges while at sea
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  3. Use the ship's wifi.


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A few cruise lines feature a limited number of cabins designated for single occupancy sparing the solo cruiser from having to pay double. While cruise lines advertise these single cabins as having no supplement, the single rate is usually slightly higher than the per-person rate of comparable double occupancy cabins.

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A solo cruise is an excellent vacation choice if you're looking to experience exciting destinations around the world and make new friends along the way. Sometimes you don't want to wait to see a destination until you have a travel partner who can go with you.

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Solo travellers think it's unfair, but hotels and tour operators say it's simply math. Not only do they lose the income from having two people in a room, but they also don't get full value from extras like food and drinks. So hotels and cruise lines tack on the single supplement, much to our chagrin.

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