Single Supplement Explained and How to Dodge It

Updated 29 October 2026 · 4 min read · Cruise Questions Canada editorial team

The single supplement is the extra a solo traveller pays to have a double cabin alone, usually 50–100% of a second fare. It exists because a cabin is priced to earn two fares. That also tells you how to beat it: look where the line would rather fill a cabin with one person than leave it empty.

How the supplement is calculated

Cruise fares are quoted per person, based on two sharing. If an inside cabin is US$900 per person, the line expects US$1,800 for that cabin. A solo traveller is typically charged the US$900 fare plus a supplement of US$450–900, so US$1,350–1,800 in total.

The supplement applies to the fare. Taxes, port fees and gratuities are generally charged per person, so you pay one set of those, not two. That makes the real premium on the total trip a little smaller than the headline percentage.

Six ways to pay less, best first

1. Book a solo studio cabin. Several large lines, including Norwegian, Royal Caribbean and Holland America, build cabins designed for one on some ships, and Cunard has single cabins on its liners. They are priced for one person from the start. There are only a handful to a few dozen per ship, so they sell early.
2. Watch for reduced-supplement promotions. Lines cut or waive the supplement where they expect empty cabins: shoulder-season dates, less popular itineraries and sailings that are filling slowly. These offers change often and rarely make headlines.
3. Choose a cheaper season. A supplement on a low base fare can cost less than no supplement on a peak fare. A September Alaska inside cabin with a full supplement can undercut a July sailing for a couple sharing.
4. Look at repositioning voyages. Long one-way sailings are among the most common places for reduced supplements. Our guide to repositioning cruises explains the trade-offs.
5. Consider river and small-ship lines. Some run periodic solo promotions with reduced or no supplements on selected departures, though their base fares are higher.
6. Share with a friend. Two solo travellers sharing pay the standard two-person fare. Group and club trips sometimes help match roommates.

Is a studio cabin small?

Yes. Studios are often around 100 square feet, smaller than a standard inside cabin, and many have no window. What you get is a fair price, and on some ships a key-card lounge for solo guests with daily meet-ups.

A worked example from Winnipeg

A Winnipeg retiree wants a 7-night Alaska cruise from Vancouver. A July balcony with a full supplement is out of budget. The same ship in mid-September, inside cabin, with a 50% supplement promotion, costs far less, and the flight to Vancouver is cheaper after the summer peak. The best value, if available, is a studio on a ship sailing the same route. Check the solo options in solo cabins on Alaska cruises.

Mistakes to avoid

• Comparing the solo fare with the per-person rate instead of the full cabin price
• Waiting for a last-minute deal on studios, which usually sell out first
• Forgetting that a cheap fare on a non-refundable deposit can't be repriced to a later solo promotion on some lines

For the social side of sailing alone, see solo cruising and supplements for Canadians and cruise lines that suit solo women over 50.

Building your solo plan

Pick your months and routes, check which ships on them have studios, and book a refundable fare early. Then keep an eye out for solo promotions on the same sailing before final payment, since you can often reprice. The supplement becomes something you shop around, not a fee you just accept.

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