Which cruise line are good for single man? Which cruise ship have single cabin?

[Tallships18]

Hi,

I am new to this Cruisecritic. I went on cruising with my parents between 1995 and 2001. I haven't seen cruise since 2001. I would like to know which cruise ships have single cabin and special fare for single passenger. I am thinking about take cruise from Montreal or Old Quebec City to Boston next year or in two year. Also I may take cruise trip from Seattle and return there. Thank you

[kochleffel]

NCL has single (studio) cabins on its larger ships and, as a result, many solo passengers, but you won't find those ships on New England-Canada itineraries. The ships with studio cabins also have a studio lounge for those cabins, and all NCL ships have a "solo host" who organizes group dinners, etc., for solo passengers who want to participate. The best solo host in my cruises was on a ship that did not have studio cabins.

 

Here is a list of Royal Caribbean ships with single cabins:

Note, however, that the Radiance-class ships (Radiance, Serenade, Brilliance, Jewel) have only three studio cabins per ship. I have succeeded in booking one, in the first week that bookings were open for that season, but haven't sailed in one (cruise would have been last summer).

 

RCI has a policy that is favorable to solo bookings: whatever discount applies to the second passenger in a double cabin will also apply to the single supplement for a solo booking. Thus, if the second passenger's fare would have 50% off, the single supplement also has 50% off.

 

 

[Joebucks]

Be wary of the "single cruiser fare". It is often not as cheap as you think. Sometimes, you are legitimately better off booking a normal room at double occupancy.

[AF-1]

Several Norwegian Cruise Line ships feature solo cabins. You can book them on Norwegian Epic (128 cabins), Norwegian Escape (82), Norwegian Bliss (82), Norwegian Breakaway (59), Norwegian Getaway (59) and Pride of America (four)

[Tallships18]

On 4/3/2021 at 8:51 AM, kochleffel said:

NCL has single (studio) cabins on its larger ships and, as a result, many solo passengers, but you won't find those ships on New England-Canada itineraries. The ships with studio cabins also have a studio lounge for those cabins, and all NCL ships have a "solo host" who organizes group dinners, etc., for solo passengers who want to participate. The best solo host in my cruises was on a ship that did not have studio cabins.

 

Here is a list of Royal Caribbean ships with single cabins:

Note, however, that the Radiance-class ships (Radiance, Serenade, Brilliance, Jewel) have only three studio cabins per ship. I have succeeded in booking one, in the first week that bookings were open for that season, but haven't sailed in one (cruise would have been last summer).

 

RCI has a policy that is favorable to solo bookings: whatever discount applies to the second passenger in a double cabin will also apply to the single supplement for a solo booking. Thus, if the second passenger's fare would have 50% off, the single supplement also has 50% off.

On 4/3/2021 at 11:26 AM, AF-1 said:

Several Norwegian Cruise Line ships feature solo cabins. You can book them on Norwegian Epic (128 cabins), Norwegian Escape (82), Norwegian Bliss (82), Norwegian Breakaway (59), Norwegian Getaway (59) and Pride of America (four)

 

Thank you. I saw photo of studio and single lounge online. It looks great. 

[caribsun]

I sail solo but beside solo cabins its more important about the solo/single experience and hands down NCL is the best. In the past I have found great deals booking a regular cabin such as $470 for a aft balcony on MSC, $275 for a side balcony on Carnival. I have never paid  more than $175 a day for a cabin. It takes time, it takes work but the deals were out there, who knows what the future will bring . 

[Roz]

Don't limit your search to ships with single cabins.  Sometimes you can book cabins at 150-175% for a single, depending on category and itinerary.  Also, ask yourself what you're looking for - time to be alone and decompress?  Meet new people and participate in group activities?  Dine alone or with others?  Do you have a preference as to who your fellow passengers are in terms of age and interests? 

 

I've done solo cruises on 3 different ocean cruise lines and 1 river cruise line.  As @evandbobpointed out, CC's Single and Solo Cruiser forums are a good resource.

[farmersfight]

On 4/3/2021 at 8:41 AM, Tallships18 said:

Also I may take cruise trip from Seattle and return there. Thank you

 

Royal Caribbean home ports on of their Quantum-class ships (Quantum of the Seas, I think) in Seattle for the Alaska cruising season. Another Quantum-class, Ovation of the Seas, home ports out of Vancouver, BC for the Alaska cruising season as well. @coastcatcould probably tell you.

 

These Quantum-class ships have studio balcony cabins (somewhat unique in the industry), 12 on each ship (decks 6 &  7). And, as @kochleffeland @Rozpointed out, RCI will offer sales, which right now is 60% off the 2nd guest. This lowers the solo supplement to 40%. I have booked multiple cruise on RCI with this sale. What's nice about this is that you get a full size stateroom (i.e. balcony) all to yourself! So, you're looking at anywhere between 165-185 sq ft. Compare that to NCL's studio cabins at a mere 99 sq ft.

 

Good luck with your search and I hope you find what you are looking for.

[coastcat]

A little clarification...

 

Royal Caribbean will (at least as of the current schedule) homeport both Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas in Seattle for the 2022 Alaska cruise season. Both ships include some Studio Interior cabins as well as the Studio Balconies, and of course you can book any regular cabin. The advantage to the latter is that you get double loyalty points.

 

NCL will homeport NCL Bliss and NCL Encore in Seattle for the 2022 Alaska season. Both have the small but well-designed Studio interior rooms plus the Studio Lounge. If you like espresso, it's free in the Studio Lounge! And again, you can book any cabin you like if you're willing to pay the supplement. Studios aren't always the cheapest option though, even with that supplement.

 

I think the only single-occupancy cabins in the New England/Canada market are on NCL's Breakaway (2022) and Escape (2023), both of which have Studio areas.

 

It will probably be more challenging to find discounted single supplements early on. In the past you would see nice discounts after the final payment date when the cruise lines knew how many cabins were left to fill. If you don't need to plan too far in advance, it's worth exploring.

Edited April 21, 2021 by coastcat

[farmersfight]

14 hours ago, coastcat said:

A little clarification...

 

Royal Caribbean will (at least as of the current schedule) homeport both Quantum of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas in Seattle for the 2022 Alaska cruise season. Both ships include some Studio Interior cabins as well as the Studio Balconies, and of course you can book any regular cabin. The advantage to the latter is that you get double loyalty points.

 

NCL will homeport NCL Bliss and NCL Encore in Seattle for the 2022 Alaska season. Both have the small but well-designed Studio interior rooms plus the Studio Lounge. If you like espresso, it's free in the Studio Lounge! And again, you can book any cabin you like if you're willing to pay the supplement. Studios aren't always the cheapest option though, even with that supplement.

 

I think the only single-occupancy cabins in the New England/Canada market are on NCL's Breakaway (2022) and Escape (2023), both of which have Studio areas.

 

It will probably be more challenging to find discounted single supplements early on. In the past you would see nice discounts after the final payment date when the cruise lines knew how many cabins were left to fill. If you don't need to plan too far in advance, it's worth exploring.

 

Thanks, regarding Ovation of the Seas. I am currently booked on her B2B, partial TP from Sydney, Australia to Honolulu, HI, April 15- May 12, 2023. I intend on staying on her for the final leg of the TP to the mainland. I'll have to look again (double check) but I thought I saw that for 2022, Ovation was going to Vancouver, BC vice Seattle. It's the year before my cruise but I thought they would keep her in Vancouver for 2023 (my cruise year).

 

*update: o.k., I just checked (on the RCI website) and interestingly enough, both Ovation and Quantum are slated to go to Vancouver, BC in 2022. BUT, this doesn't mean they are going to home port out of Vancouver for the 2022 Alaska season. They may be required to go to Vancouver from Honolulu because of the PVSA (that leg of the TP is considered it's own "cruise" and it would violate the PVSA to embark passengers in one U.S. port - Honolulu and disembark them in another U.S. port - Seattle). After the passengers get off in Vancouver, they could shift one or both ships to Seattle. I guess if they kept one in Vancouver, it would be for one-way Alaska cruises (like I took on the now covid-infamous Diamond Princess) from Vancouver to Whittier (or Seward), AK. The ship in Seattle would do R/T cruises (with the required PVSA stop in Victoria) and not go as far north in Alaska.

 

So, if I am correct about the PVSA, it looks like I will be going from Honolulu to Vancouver (and disembarking there). Another "twist", I note that (for 2022 also) the port before Vancouver is Victoria for Quantum and is Seattle for Ovation! I guess this doesn't really matter, either ship or both could still end up home-ported in Seattle for the 2022 Alaska season. But if I were a betting man, I would put my $$ on that Ovation stays and home-ports in Vancouver (for the one-way Alaska cruises) and Quantum shifts (w/o passengers) down to Seattle to home-port there for the 2022 Alaska season (for the R/T Alaska cruises).

 

Regarding the studio interior cabins, yeah, I forgot about them. I looked at cruisedeckplan.com and it looks like there are 16 of them (mid-ship area) on decks 6-13. The cabins are 166 sq ft (so, 67 sq ft bigger than NCL's studio cabins). Interesting, I saw were these studio interiors were situated right near the virtual interior cabins ("virtual" meaning the cabin has those virtual balconies in them). The studio interiors don't have the word "virtual" in the name on the plans, so I'm not sure if they also have the virtual balconies in them (they should, imo).

 

Regarding finding discounted solo supplements, I consider RCI's 60% off the 2nd guest sale (currently ongoing) to be a 60% discount on the solo supplement. So, as a solo, you get a regular stateroom (like you, I got to have me a balcony, lol), for 140%. As you can see in my expanded signature block, I have booked multiple RCI ships with this sale. Interestingly enough, on my Ovation of the Seas TP, I'm also in a regular balcony (again, because of the 60% off the 2nd guest sale) and not in a studio balcony.

 

Apologize for the long post.

Edited April 22, 2021 by farmersfight

[coastcat]

2 hours ago, farmersfight said:

 

Thanks, regarding Ovation of the Seas. I am currently booked on her B2B, partial TP from Sydney, Australia to Honolulu, HI, April 15- May 12, 2023. I intend on staying on her for the final leg of the TP to the mainland. I'll have to look again (double check) but I thought I saw that for 2022, Ovation was going to Vancouver, BC vice Seattle. It's the year before my cruise but I thought they would keep her in Vancouver for 2023 (my cruise year).

 

*update: o.k., I just checked (on the RCI website) and interestingly enough, both Ovation and Quantum are slated to go to Vancouver, BC in 2022. BUT, this doesn't mean they are going to home port out of Vancouver for the 2022 Alaska season. They may be required to go to Vancouver from Honolulu because of the PVSA (that leg of the TP is considered it's own "cruise" and it would violate the PVSA to embark passengers in one U.S. port - Honolulu and disembark them in another U.S. port - Seattle). After the passengers get off in Vancouver, they could shift one or both ships to Seattle. I guess if they kept one in Vancouver, it would be for one-way Alaska cruises (like I took on the now covid-infamous Diamond Princess) from Vancouver to Whittier (or Seward), AK. The ship in Seattle would do R/T cruises (with the required PVSA stop in Victoria) and not go as far north in Alaska.

 

So, if I am correct about the PVSA, it looks like I will be going from Honolulu to Vancouver (and disembarking there). Another "twist", I note that (for 2022 also) the port before Vancouver is Victoria for Quantum and is Seattle for Ovation! I guess this doesn't really matter, either ship or both could still end up home-ported in Seattle for the 2022 Alaska season. But if I were a betting man, I would put my $$ on that Ovation stays and home-ports in Vancouver (for the one-way Alaska cruises) and Quantum shifts (w/o passengers) down to Seattle to home-port there for the 2022 Alaska season (for the R/T Alaska cruises).

 

Regarding the studio interior cabins, yeah, I forgot about them. I looked at cruisedeckplan.com and it looks like there are 16 of them (mid-ship area) on decks 6-13. The cabins are 166 sq ft (so, 67 sq ft bigger than NCL's studio cabins). Interesting, I saw were these studio interiors were situated right near the virtual interior cabins ("virtual" meaning the cabin has those virtual balconies in them). The studio interiors don't have the word "virtual" in the name on the plans, so I'm not sure if they also have the virtual balconies in them (they should, imo).

 

Regarding finding discounted solo supplements, I consider RCI's 60% off the 2nd guest sale (currently ongoing) to be a 60% discount on the solo supplement. So, as a solo, you get a regular stateroom (like you, I got to have me a balcony, lol), for 140%. As you can see in my expanded signature block, I have booked multiple RCI ships with this sale. Interestingly enough, on my Ovation of the Seas TP, I'm also in a regular balcony (again, because of the 60% off the 2nd guest sale) and not in a studio balcony.

 

Apologize for the long post.

Yup, it’s a PVSA thing. I’m booked for a spring repositioning cruise on NCL between LA to Vancouver on a ship which will then home port in Seattle for the Alaska season. Okay, I’ve been booked and cancelled on this route three times now, but the next attempt isn’t until April 2023 (on Encore) so it should be okay. 
 

The mega ships are based in Seattle because Vancouver is tricky to access. To reach the cruise terminal you must sail under a bridge (Lion’s Gate) and the big ships can only squeeze under at low tide. The bridge clearance is 61 meters. NCL Bliss is 60 meters high. That’s why smaller ships like NCL Jewel and Radiance of the Seas are based in Vancouver. Seattle and Victoria don’t have a bridge in the way!
 

Some (most?) of the RC and MSC solo interior cabins seem to be designed and placed as additional sleeping space for groups. On MSC Meraviglia, there are studio interiors squashed between, and connecting to, aft balcony cabins. On Quantum-class ships we have those 3-cabin clusters with a balcony, junior suite, and studio interior all sharing a little hallway off the main corridor. 

[farmersfight]

8 minutes ago, coastcat said:

Yup, it’s a PVSA thing. I’m booked for a spring repositioning cruise on NCL between LA to Vancouver on a ship which will then home port in Seattle for the Alaska season. Okay, I’ve been booked and cancelled on this route three times now, but the next attempt isn’t until April 2023 (on Encore) so it should be okay. 
 

The mega ships are based in Seattle because Vancouver is tricky to access. To reach the cruise terminal you must sail under a bridge (Lion’s Gate) and the big ships can only squeeze under at low tide. The bridge clearance is 61 meters. NCL Bliss is 60 meters high. That’s why smaller ships like NCL Jewel and Radiance of the Seas are based in Vancouver. Seattle and Victoria don’t have a bridge in the way!
 

Some (most?) of the RC and MSC solo interior cabins seem to be designed and placed as additional sleeping space for groups. On MSC Meraviglia, there are studio interiors squashed between, and connecting to, aft balcony cabins. On Quantum-class ships we have those 3-cabin clusters with a balcony, junior suite, and studio interior all sharing a little hallway off the main corridor. 

 

Thanks, great information! Now that you mention it, I do recall that bridge clearance issue with Vancouver. The Diamind Princess fit underneath but like you said, it was probably low tide. (Btw, you're quite knowledgeable about the subject. You should be a ship's pilot! They make big $$). Looks like RCI's Quantum-class ships have no problem fitting under that Vancouver bridge (at low tide). It will be interesting to see which ship will home-port where (Vancouver or Seattle). Oh and by the way, I'll be up in Seattle for my Norwegian Encire "ocean'to-ocean" Panana Canal repo cruise to Miami (21 day cruise).

 

Yeah, it does seem that RCI has positioned those studio interiors to be extra rooms for extra family members or friends. With 16 of those studio interiors plus the 12 studio balconies, that's 28 studio staterooms. I'd say that is pretty "solo-friendly". Imo, RCI is as "solo-friendly"as NCL but just in a different way. I'm booked as a solo on both RCI and NCL. so I'm looking forward to comparing the solo experience on both cruise lines.

[coastcat]

1 hour ago, farmersfight said:

 

Thanks, great information! Now that you mention it, I do recall that bridge clearance issue with Vancouver. The Diamind Princess fit underneath but like you said, it was probably low tide. (Btw, you're quite knowledgeable about the subject. You should be a ship's pilot! They make big $$). Looks like RCI's Quantum-class ships have no problem fitting under that Vancouver bridge (at low tide). It will be interesting to see which ship will home-port where (Vancouver or Seattle). Oh and by the way, I'll be up in Seattle for my Norwegian Encire "ocean'to-ocean" Panana Canal repo cruise to Miami (21 day cruise).

 

Yeah, it does seem that RCI has positioned those studio interiors to be extra rooms for extra family members or friends. With 16 of those studio interiors plus the 12 studio balconies, that's 28 studio staterooms. I'd say that is pretty "solo-friendly". Imo, RCI is as "solo-friendly"as NCL but just in a different way. I'm booked as a solo on both RCI and NCL. so I'm looking forward to comparing the solo experience on both cruise lines.

Ah, interesting cruise schedule...  both Ovation and Quantum will be based in Seattle. They both will reposition across the Pacific to Vancouver, then do one Alaska cruise departing Vancouver and ending in Seattle, sail from Seattle for the rest of the season, finish with a final Alaska cruise departing Seattle and ending in Vancouver, and then back across the Pacific. So they’re using a revenue cruise to move the ship between Vancouver and Seattle.

But NCL sails empty (at least of paying passengers) between Vancouver and Seattle. My Encore trip will arrive in Vancouver on May 6, 2023, and then she’ll sail out of Seattle starting May 7. 

IIRC, Princess sells their 1-day repositioning cruise between Vancouver and Seattle. I should hop on one of those!

[farmersfight]

25 minutes ago, coastcat said:

Ah, interesting cruise schedule...  both Ovation and Quantum will be based in Seattle. They both will reposition across the Pacific to Vancouver, then do one Alaska cruise departing Vancouver and ending in Seattle, sail from Seattle for the rest of the season, finish with a final Alaska cruise departing Seattle and ending in Vancouver, and then back across the Pacific. So they’re using a revenue cruise to move the ship between Vancouver and Seattle.

But NCL sails empty (at least of paying passengers) between Vancouver and Seattle. My Encore trip will arrive in Vancouver on May 6, 2023, and then she’ll sail out of Seattle starting May 7. 

IIRC, Princess sells their 1-day repositioning cruise between Vancouver and Seattle. I should hop on one of those!

 

Thanks! That makes perfect sense and a smart way to do it by RCI. Once I book the final leg on Ovation (waiting for RCI to open the books for May 2023). It looks likeOvation will call at Seattle before her final disembarkation port of Vancouver. I'm sure RCI would frown on me jumping ship in Seattle (a total violation of the PVSA). That's o.k., I liked Vancouver when I was up there pre-cruise on my Diamond Princess one way Alaska cruise. I look forward to exploring Vancouver again before I fly home. Plus, I'll be able to check out Seattle before my Norweguan Encore cruise to Miami (via the Panama Canal).