Top 5 cruises for solo travellers

With small and easy to navigate ships, Oceania Cruises is known for its warm and welcoming on-board atmosphere, appealing to experienced and first-time solo travellers alike.

Explore new places independently or on excursions with like-minded guests. With regular cocktail receptions and mixed dining tables, new faces will become friends in no time.

• Suitable for: singles seeking small vessel cruises which promise great food and indulgent culinary experiences.
• Solo perks: Solo staterooms and a program of solo-cruiser gatherings.
• Single supplements: Yes, but lower on average than other cruise lines.

Whichever one of Holland America’s cruises has your name on it, the cruise line prides itself on catering for every type of solo traveller, giving you the freedom to choose your own adventure day by day.

There are a whole host of activities on offer, from competitive sports challenges and trivia nights, to lectures and cooking demonstrations to help you recalibrate and capitalise on your ‘me’ time.

• Suitable for: 50+ singles looking for premium experience at a mid-range price point.
• Solo perks: the Singles Partner Program, where you share a cabin with another passenger of the same gender and pay a per-person double occupancy rate.
• Single supplements: yes, except for Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam ships which offer solo cabins priced for one.

Elegant French cruise line Ponant carries a maximum of 64 passengers in its single, shared, or personal double cabins.

During small group excursions and themed get-togethers, meeting and mingling with fellow passengers is effortless. The crew are attentive, and the food and wine, which includes French classics, is top notch. If you’re hoping to be inspired, you're spoilt for choice, with exceptional destinations including the Arctic, Mediterranean and Caribbean.

• Suitable for: well-travelled over 50s looking for a 5-star setting.
• Solo perks: small boat cruises make for a more intimate cruising experience.
• Single supplements: single supplement waived on certain departures.

Visit bucket-list worthy destinations with Norwegian Cruise Line, the first cruise line to fit out its ships for singles cruises.

The Studio Lounge, available exclusively for guests in Solo Studio rooms, is where you’ll be able to relax and trade stories with like-minded travellers, help yourself to complimentary beer and wine throughout the day, enjoy the big-screen TV, and order room service if the mood strikes. And, if you’re lucky enough to score a Solo Balcony room, you’ll be treated to a first-class view from your own private balcony.

• Suitable for: the young and the young at heart. Some ships host a pub crawl, and there’s always a Friends of Dorothy happy hour.
• Solo perks: private key card access to the sociable Studio Lounge, a dedicated space for Studio guests.
• Single supplements: No single supplement on Studio Staterooms and reduced supplements on other solo room categories.

Sail in ultra-luxury aboard Silversea’s small, well-appointed ships. Each voyage kicks off with a champagne welcome reception, to help you break the ice with fellow solo travellers from the get-go.

Voted the best luxury cruise line, all-inclusive fares include a spacious, ocean-view suite, personalised butler service, complimentary wines and spirits, fine dining, plus a suite of onboard activities to keep you entertained and enrich your journey.

• Suitable for: ultra luxury small ship experience with itineraries including iconic cities to remote, unspoilt shores.
• Solo perks: champagne welcome reception, and with a staff to guest ratio of almost 1:1, the personalised service you’ll receive is second to none.
• Single supplements: yes, single supplements at only 25% above Silver Privilege Fares.

We work closely with trusted cruise lines to get access to the best deals in market. On top of this, as an RACV Member you get extra savings on ocean cruises – the more you spend, the more you save.