The best solo cruises for single travellers
There are many reasons that you might want to travel solo. Perhaps you’re single or want to try something your friends or family don’t. Maybe travelling solo isn’t your first choice, but you don’t want a lack of a travel companion to stop you from exploring the world.
Cruise holidays are the perfect holiday for solo travellers. You’ll step aboard a beautiful ship where you’ll stay for the duration of your holiday, but you’ll also visit lots of new places, so it feels both reassuringly familiar and adventurously exciting. And while you can spend as much time in your own company as you wish, you’re never truly alone as there are usually other solo travellers — and holidaymakers on cruise ships are usually a particularly sociable bunch!
Solo supplements can prove a bit of a sting because you often must make up the shortfall of not sharing your cabin with another traveller. The good news is that solo cruises with no single supplements are opening the world for single travellers to head off on a nautical adventure this year. Cruises with no single supplements are also an excellent choice when travelling with friends, but you each want your own cabin. So, you could find a friend interested in wildlife, art, or food – or simply one with a keen sense of adventure that you’ll enjoy the company of during a memorable cruise holiday.
Discover our solo cruises collection
A Scottish solo cruise
A cruise that departs from UK shores with a busy itinerary can be a great first toe in the water for solo travellers. The modern, environmentally progressive M.S. Spitsbergen is taking a wildlife-themed voyage to see the best of Scottish nature, from seabirds and seals to dolphins and whales. You can join a team of onboard experts on the decks to scan the skies for buzzards, hen harriers and mighty golden eagles.
There’s also beautiful scenery to enjoy in these parts, from the colourful houses that line Tobermory on the Isle of Mull to the drama of the Highlands. Plus, all your meals and drinks at mealtimes are included, helping you get that relaxing, away-from-it-all feeling on a cruise.
A solo sailing along the Danube
If you can’t tempt your other half to join you on the Danube, sail away with others that also want to get to know this glorious slice of Europe on a voyage that takes you from Budapest to Bratislava, Vienna, Dürnstein, and Salzburg before arriving in Passau.
Treat yourself to a luxury cruise aboard Uniworld’s S.S. Maria Theresa. All the cabins have river views, so you’ll wake up each morning to gorgeous scenery passing by. Everything’s taken care of on this cruise holiday, including exceptional dining and a choice of excursions — particularly handy as planned group trips are an excellent way for solo travellers to share experiences with others. This sailing also includes a private classical concert in Vienna, sure to be a memorable moment to share with new friends.
An art and wine cruise through France
Savour the scenery that inspired paintings by Cézanne and Gauguin on a cruise along the peaceful Rhone and Saone rivers. Join a French cruise and sail from Lyon to Tournon, Viviers, Avignon and Arles on a beautiful boutique-style ship, the S.S Catherine.
As well as being exceptionally picturesque, this five-star cruise has a food and wine theme, with a visit to the wine cellar of Paul Jaboulet Ainé and decadent dining onboard and unlimited drinks, including a selection of excellent wines.
A cruise through the Venetian Lagoon for solo travellers
The S.S. La Venezia is a beautiful ship that doesn’t stray from the home waters of the Venetian Lagoon. The opulent interior mirrors intricately and lavishly Venetian design, complete with accents of Murano glass and displays of painted masks that Venice is famous for.
Sail through the Venetian Lagoon and get to know its islands on an eight-day cruise to visit Burano, Mazzorbo, Torcello, Chioggia, and Murano. If you’re travelling solo, you can still spend days out with fellow passengers as excursions are included. Perhaps you’ll get to know others with similar interests and take the opportunity to dine together on delicious Italian dishes in the ship’s restaurant.
A British voyage for cruise soloists
You don’t have to fly thousands of miles for a memorable adventure — M.S. Maud, a Hurtigruten ship, is taking an incredible 12-night expedition cruise around British waters with departures in the spring and summer of 2023.
The cruise sails from Dover and visits ports along the west coast of the British Isles as far north as Scotland’s Stornaway. A fleet of small expedition boats gets you closer to wildlife, with onboard lectures to tell you more about the nature you’ll see.
A journey through Bordeaux
When choosing a cruise as a solo traveller, it makes sense to find one with a busy itinerary where you’ll stop somewhere new every day. The beautiful S.S. Bon Voyage fits the bill nicely. It’s akin to a floating boutique hotel and sails from Bordeaux to call at traditional wineries and charming châteaux in Cussac Fort Médoc, Cadillac, and Saint-Émilion. Choose a summertime sailing for sunny days and make the most of the beautiful infinity pool as you sail.
Find a fellow passenger to share the photogenic scenery with, but with views as glorious as those you’ll find along these riverways, you’d be forgiven for savouring every moment for yourself.
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