If you really want to lean into that delightful self-prioritisation, few travel formats can offer a better experience than a solo cruise.

This might sound like a surprise. Cruising, after all, is usually sold as a group exercise. Honeymoons. Family reunions. Group getaways with matching T-shirts and fully-synced itineraries. But for the solo traveller? Cruising might just be the holy grail of hassle-free, low-pressure, high-reward escapes. Here’s why.

You don’t have to compromise. Ever.

No debates about whether to book the steakhouse or stick with the buffet. No polite nodding while someone suggests a group excursion involving mountain bikes at 7 o'clock in the morning. No waiting in line because your partner “just wants to ask the concierge one more thing.” You are the committee, the delegation, and the final deciding vote. Your only job is to decide what you want to do and then do it, gleefully.

It’s structured freedom at its best

One of the biggest myths about solo travel is that it’s lonely. But on a cruise ship, you’re never far from friendly faces, and it's pretty easy to opt in or, perhaps more crucially, out of socialising when it suits you. Strike up a conversation with the person next to you at the bar, or retreat to the spa for an entire day of uninterrupted silence. Join a trivia team, or claim a window seat and lose yourself in a book. Ultimately, a solo cruise is about the freedom to do as much or as little socialising as you like. You're equally as likely come home with an address book filled with new cruise companions as you are to return feeling fully socially recharged after seven days of total and complete 'you' time.

Cruise lines are (finally) getting better at solo travel

For years, solo travellers were punished with the dreaded “single supplement”, essentially this means a financial penalty for daring to go it alone. But as demand grows and demographics shift, cruise lines are catching on. Many ships are now offering single-occupancy cabins (no awkward twin beds pushed together), solo social events, and flexible dining that doesn’t involve apologising for being a table for one.

Here are our tips for how to best avoid the single supplement

Wait it out (strategically)
Cruise lines don’t like empty cabins, and when sailing day looms, they’ll often slash or scrap the single supplement altogether. If you’re flexible and a little patient, booking late can pay off handsomely.

Try a roomate matching service
Not keen to fork out, but open to sharing? Some cruise companies offer a roommate-matching service, pairing solo travellers in twin cabins. It’s not for everyone, but you might just end up with a new trivia partner.

Just ask
Pick up the phone, email the cruise line, or have your travel agent enquire. Supplements aren’t always set in stone, and a polite nudge can sometimes unlock a better deal or a cheeky little waiver.

Get alerts before everyone else
Set up a Google Alert for “no single supplement cruises” and let the internet do the legwork. You’ll get a ping when new deals drop, perfect for the opportunistic adventurer.

The world comes to you

One of the joys of solo travel is the sense of discovery, but also, being really honest, there's an awful lot of effort involved too. Organising transfers, navigating foreign train stations, schlepping your own bags up cobbled hills. On a cruise, you can enjoy all the joys of discovering a new place, without the faff. Wake up somewhere different every day, then return to your cabin where your bed is made, your towels are fluffed, and you didn’t have to Google exactly how to get there (or remember the code to a key safe).

You’ll learn what kind of traveller you actually are

When you travel alone, you can’t rely on someone else to fill the awkward silences, make the dinner reservations or know the difference between port and starboard. That might sound terrifying, but speaking from experience, it’s also wildly empowering. Cruising solo gives you the space to reconnect with your own pace, preferences, and sense of adventure and find out a little about yourself along the way, too. You might discover you love early-morning deck walks. Or that you actually do enjoy getting dolled up for a formal night. Or that you’re actually a secret pickleball pro.

To know before you go (alone)

Cruising solo isn’t about isolation. It’s about liberation. It’s not for everyone but it does offer a chance to put your own joy first (for once) whether that means journalling at sunrise, or ordering three desserts because nobody’s watching. So if you’ve ever toyed with the idea, let this be your sign. Book the trip. Pack the book you've still yet to finish. And prepare to become your own favourite travel companion.

Selfish? Maybe.
Brilliant? Absolutely.