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It looks like single travelers are finally going to get a break from the cruise industry with Norwegian Cruise Line’s recent announcement that its newest ship will feature 128 cabins that are specifically designed and priced for solo sailors.

For those not familiar with the way most cruise lines currently treat single travelers, here’s how it works.

Cruise lines build cabins that are big enough for at least two people and price them accordingly.  So if you see a cruise advertised for $799 per person, that price is based on two people sharing the same cabin for a total cost of $1,598.  

If you’re traveling with a spouse, partner, friend, etc., the double occupancy policy is no problem. But if you’re travelling alone, the cruise line requires you to pay a single supplement which normally ranges between 150 to 200% of the per person fare. In other words, solo sailors can end up paying double the per person fare.

There are some exceptions among the major cruise lines. For example, Holland America has a handful of single cabins on the Prinsendam. P&O Cruises will have 18 of them on the Azura when it is launched.  And Cunard Line used to have some single cabins aboard the old QE2 and Caronia when they were still in service (originally built to accommodate nannies traveling with wealthy families).

But beyond that, single travelers have had to rely on cruise lines or online message boards to find someone with whom to share a cabin. Or, if they’ve been willing to sail on less-popular cruises or travel at the last minute, solo sailors have sometimes been able to book a cabin with little or no single supplement.

Why the cruise industry has ignored the single traveler for so long is puzzling. After all, there are more than 100 million single adults in North America, 35 million of whom take a vacation alone every year. But less than 5% of them take a cruise.

So what has NCL done to take advantage of this potentially huge and lucrative new source of business?

The cruise line is building its latest ship, the Norwegian Epic, with the single traveler in mind. For example, the ship will feature 128 single cabins on two decks with private access to a common lounge area.

The studio-style cabins will have 100 square feet of living space, a full-size bed, and separate bathroom with sink and shower. Guests in these “studio cabins” will also have access to an exclusive lounge area where they can grab a coffee, meet up with fellow singles, and relax with a cocktail in the evening.

These single staterooms will also be competitively priced. For example, when the Norwegian Epic begins service this July, fares on the ship’s alternating Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries will start at just US$799 for a seven-day voyage. And more importantly, because these are single cabins, there will be no single supplement charge!

So hats off to the very creative folks at NCL. After leading the way on cruise industry innovations like anytime dining and incorporating brand-name groups into its shipboard entertainment, they’re blazing another trail with single cabins.

Let’s just hope the rest of the industry is paying attention.

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