Solo River Cruises for 55 and Up
This is a question I love helping with, because solo travelers are some of my favorite travelers to plan for. Can you travel solo without paying double? The short answer is: you will usually pay more than the per person double occupancy fare, but not always double. A single supplement typically adds 50 to 100 percent. Shoulder season waivers, sharing with a friend, and solo cabins on some lines are the workarounds. Ask me to hunt them, because they are limited, and I will.
What is a single supplement?
Here is how it works, in plain words, because this confuses everyone at first. Fares are priced for double occupancy. One person in a twin cabin typically adds 50 to 100 percent, so you pay 150 to 200 percent of the per person fare. A favourable supplement is 125 percent. A waived supplement is 100 percent, the same per person rate. When I check a sailing for you, I look for the waived ones first.
How to reduce it
- My first move is always the same. Book shoulder season sailings 9 to 12 months ahead. Waived and reduced supplements are limited, often about 10 cabins per sailing, so I ask you to bring this to me early.
- Share a twin cabin with a friend.
- Look for dedicated solo cabins, and let me do the looking. AmaWaterways has solo cabins of about 140 sq ft on select ships. Avalon waives supplements on most European sailings and sets aside solo staterooms. These are third party reports, so ask me to confirm them for your sailing, and I will.
- Viking offers reduced supplements on select and shoulder sailings. No dedicated solo cabins are widely advertised for Viking, so ask me to confirm it for your sailing, and I will check before you get your hopes up.
Will I feel alone?
This is the worry I hear most from solo travelers, and I understand it. Small ships of 100 to 200 guests, communal dining, welcome receptions, and included excursions make it easy to meet people. Viking is mostly travelers in their 60s to 70s, mostly retired, and well traveled, according to third party reports, not an official Viking figure. The structure, open seating, and small ship are the reassurance, especially for solo women and widowed travelers. I name this plainly, because it matters, and because you deserve a straight answer.
Solo checklist
- Book early for waiver inventory
- Ask about solo cabins and supplements on each line
- Choose a cabin near the elevator and the lounge
- Join the welcome reception on day one
- Bring medicines in your carry on, and travel insurance with medical cover
Questions people ask
What is a single supplement?
It is the extra cost for one person in a cabin priced for two. It typically adds 50 to 100 percent to the per person fare.
Can I avoid the single supplement?
Sometimes, and I will be honest about your odds. Shoulder season waivers, sharing with a friend, and solo cabins on some lines can reduce it or remove it. These are limited, so book early and ask me to check for your sailing.
Is a river cruise good for solo travelers 55 and up?
Yes, and I book solo river cruises often. Small ships, communal dining, and included tours make it sociable. The mature, mostly 60s to 70s age profile on Viking is often cited as a natural fit, but that is third party, not an official Viking figure, so take it as a guide, not a promise.
Not sure where to start?
Take the two minute quiz. It points you to one river, one line, and one cabin.
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Tell me what you are thinking about, and I will check a sailing for you. No payment here. No account here.
I read every request myself, and I will reply by email.
Prefer email? Email me at ashleyhendrickson@travelmation.net