Solo Cabins and Options for Single Expedition Cruise Travelers

Following our single traveler guides to solo cabins onboard ocean cruises and river cruises, we’re rounding out with a final one for expedition voyages. 

Because the standard on most cruise lines is double occupancy in staterooms and suites, travel advisors booking solo clients often face the challenge of finding the right solution for these single travelers. However, as with ocean and river lines, expedition lines offer some options, including dedicated solo cabins, reduced single supplements or sharing a stateroom with another lone cruiser.

Here’s our guide to solo travel offerings from 16 expedition cruise brands.

Albatros Expeditions

When sailing with Albatros Expeditions, solo travelers can opt to occupy a cabin alone, with a single supplement applied, or share a cabin with same-gendered solo cruisers in either a Category C (Balcony Stateroom) or a Category F (Triple Porthole Stateroom).

Antarctica21

With Antarctica21, both single cabins and shared cabins are available to solo cruisers onboard Ocean Nova or Magellan Explorer. The latter has porthole and veranda categories available for room sharing. On Ocean Nova, singles are sized at 87 square feet, and on Magellan Explorer, they are 210 square feet.

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Atlas Ocean Voyages originally offered solo cabins but no longer does, instead charging a 50% single supplement across all staterooms or 100% for all suites. Select sailing specials reduce supplement to 25% or eliminate them entirely.

Aurora Expeditions

Aurora Expeditions’ Greg Mortimer and Sylvia Earle vessels do not have any dedicated solo staterooms, but its upcoming Douglas Mawson will. Otherwise, single supplements are 50%. To waive the fee, the line will pair up a traveler with a like-minded companion based on gender. If someone to share is not found for the sailing, the supplement is still waived.

Ecoventura

Onboard Ecoventura, promotional rates may be available to solo travelers for single cabins on certain departure dates, limited to two staterooms per sailing.

HX

While HX (previously Hurtigruten Expeditions) does not have any staterooms designed specifically for solo occupancy, the line accommodates single travelers with a combination of completely waived single supplements and reduced ones on every voyage. This is true until any sailing reaches its solo cabin cap.

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions

National Geographic-Lindblad Expeditions may offer single travelers savings up to 33% on solo cabins on select departures. For clients who seek to pay just the per-person double-occupancy rate, the line will attempt to pair the cruiser with another guest of the same gender (and the fee remains the same whether or not Lindblad finds a pairing). The latter program is subject to availability and limited by ship and category.

Ponant and Paul Gauguin Cruises

Ponant and corporate cousin Paul Gauguin Cruises together offer a single supplement waiver on several select sailings, including onboard the Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot icebreaker vessel.

Quark Expeditions

Quark Expeditions offers its own set of dedicated solo cabins: six 132-square-foot Solo Panorama rooms with windows on Ultramarine, and six 166-square-foot Studio Single cabins with portholes and one 238-square-foot Studio Veranda Single on Ocean Explorer.

The line may also offer solo travel deals in the form of reduced single supplements for standard cabins on select sailings. And its matching program waives the supplement for those willing to share a cabin with another traveler of the same gender. 

Quasar Expeditions

Given Quasar Expeditions’ limited capacity onboard Evolution (16 cabins) and Grace (8 cabins), its single supplement waivers are limited to a 50% surcharge over C and D category staterooms and a 75% one over A category suites onboard both yachts.

Seabourn

Seabourn may not offer any single-specific accommodations, but the brand does extend lone adventurers special offers on its Seabourn Solo Traveler website.

Scenic and Emerald Cruises  

Scenic and corporate cousin Emerald Cruises do not offer solo cabins on their expedition ships and yachts. But the brands do make their single supplements free of charge or set them to a reduced 25% or 45% depending on certain dates and terms.

Silversea

Silversea is another luxury line adventuring with a fleet of expedition ships. And while it does not have any solo cabins, it does offer a competitive rate. On select sailings, single supplements may only be 25%.

Swan Hellenic

Swan Hellenic offers variable solo rates, with single supplements ranging from zero to 75% depending on the departure.

UnCruise Adventures

Each of UnCruise Adventures’ vessels showcases dedicated solo cabins, and in addition, solo rates often waive single supplements.

Viking

Like on its riverboats, Viking’s expedition ship staterooms are not designed for single occupancy. However, the line does promote solo traveler rates periodically.