{"id":20974,"date":"2016-03-09T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2016-03-09T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/?p=20974"},"modified":"2022-05-26T09:09:47","modified_gmt":"2022-05-26T13:09:47","slug":"single-supplements-how-solo-travelers-can-river-cruise-for-less","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/2016\/03\/single-supplements-how-solo-travelers-can-river-cruise-for-less\/","title":{"rendered":"Single Supplements: How Solo Travelers Can River Cruise For Less"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

We\u2019re huge advocates for cruising solo, be it on the oceans of the world or on the rivers. It\u2019s nice to cruise with friends, family and loved ones, but some of you need \u2014 or want \u2014 to sail somewhere by yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People cruise solo for many reasons, and doing so doesn\u2019t always imply that they\u2019re single. Many are happily married individuals, or people in long-term relationships, who have massive circles of friends. Others are widowed, divorced, or indeed single travellers who don\u2019t see the point to waiting around for someone to do the same things they\u2019d like to do.<\/p>\n\n\n

\n
\"S.S.<\/a>
S.S. Catherine docked in Tain L’Hermitage. \u00a9 2014 Ralph Grizzle<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Booking a solo cruise, however, can be a trying experience. Increased fares, raised with the introduction of what feels like a punitive \u201csingle supplement,\u201d can make it seem like you\u2019re paying for two full guests when you\u2019re only sailing for one \u2013 and indeed, some supplements do just that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But cruise lines are growing more accustomed (and informed) about the increasing number of guests who want to sail solo \u2013 and lines are answering the call in a number of different ways. Here\u2019s what you should look for if you\u2019re planning a solo river cruise (or, frankly, ocean cruise) in the upcoming months.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Single Occupancy Staterooms<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Viking<\/a>
Solo staterooms are typically small but functional. Photo \u00a9 2015 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Possibly the best invention for the solo traveller, Single Occupancy Staterooms are just that: smaller rooms designed for one. Sure, you\u2019re trading off some space for a lower fare, but isn\u2019t that the point? And let\u2019s be frank: While small, these rooms offer everything their larger counterparts do in terms of amenities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many newer river cruise ships feature at least a handful of solo occupancy staterooms, although their sizes and availability will vary from line to line. It\u2019s best to take a look at some brochures and deck plans to see which lines offer what.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Single Supplement Sales<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Royal<\/a>
One of Avalon’s Royal Suites. Solo sales and savings can make upscale rooms like this more affordable than ever to the solo cruiser. Photo courtesy of Avalon Waterways.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

So you looked, and your river cruise line of choice offers no Single Occupancy Staterooms. Look to see if the company is offering something called a Single Supplement Sale, or waiver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Essentially, this makes certain stateroom categories (typically lower-level accommodations) more palatable to the solo cruiser. The cruise companies either reduce \u2014 or altogether eliminate \u2014 the onerous Solo Supplement fare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, that\u2019s not to say that if you\u2019re travelling solo that you have <\/em>to book one of these staterooms; you can go ahead and book the biggest suite on the ship, if you\u2019d like. Just be forewarned that nearly all upper-level accommodations will have a single supplement fare pegged at 200 percent, so you’re essentially doling out the equivalent of two full-paying guests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you want to get onboard for a reduced cost, a Single Supplement sale or waiver may be just the answer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Off-Peak Travel<\/h3>\n\n\n
\n
\"Antwerp,<\/a>
Antwerp, Belgium, seen on a beautiful April morning. Photo \u00a9 2014 Aaron Saunders<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Although it doesn\u2019t get around the single supplement, travelling during off-peak months can seem like you\u2019re saving a bundle \u2013 because you are. For the solo traveller looking to see Europe and maximize their Euros, traveling off-peak has a number of advantages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Firstly, your airfare will typically cost less than during the high-season summer months. That goes for hotels as well, which regularly offer discounts to lure travelers during the off-season. Museums are less crowded, bike paths are less busy, and the experience on the whole is generally more pleasant. And, you\u2019re saving money at the same time; who doesn\u2019t love that?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The golden ticket, of course, is a solo supplement sale or waiver during off-peak season \u2013 which does happen. So keep an eye out for those deals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also see Single Supplements<\/a> for a company-by-company rundown on which cruise lines offer savings for single travelers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out 2019 solo sailings on Riviera. See Riviera River Cruises Expands 2019 Solo Traveler Program<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

We\u2019re huge advocates for cruising solo, be it on the oceans of the world or on the rivers. It\u2019s nice to cruise with friends, family and loved ones, but some of you need \u2014 or want \u2014 to sail somewhere by yourself. People cruise solo for many reasons, and doing so doesn\u2019t always imply that they\u2019re single. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":13052,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[462],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20974"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20974"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20974\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13052"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20974"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20974"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rivercruiseadvisor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20974"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}