What Does a Solo Cruise Cost? A Realistic UK Guide (2026)
A realistic breakdown of solo cruise costs for UK travellers — base fares, single supplements, what’s included, what’s extra, and three worked budget examples.
The headline cruise fare is rarely the full story. Understanding what it includes — and what it doesn’t — is the most important step in budgeting accurately for a solo cruise.
This guide breaks it down honestly, with realistic figures for UK solo travellers in 2026.
What the Base Fare Covers
Most cruise fares include:
- Your cabin for the duration of the voyage
- All meals in the main dining room and buffet
- Onboard entertainment (shows, lectures, activities)
- Use of pools, gym, and most public spaces
- Port taxes and fees
What it does not typically include:
- Drinks (alcoholic or otherwise on most lines)
- Gratuities / service charges
- Speciality restaurant dining
- Shore excursions
- Wi-Fi
- Spa treatments
- Travel insurance
- Getting to and from the port
These extras can add significantly to the total. On a 7-night cruise, drinks, tips, and one or two excursions can easily add £400–£700 to the base fare.
The Single Supplement: The Solo Cost Reality
The single supplement is the extra charge applied when one person occupies a cabin designed for two. On most mainstream lines, this adds 50–100% to the base fare.
Example — 7-night P&O cruise, inside cabin:
| Scenario | Per-person fare | Supplement | Total for solo traveller |
|---|---|---|---|
| Couple sharing | £750 each | — | £750 per person |
| Solo, 100% supplement | £750 | £750 | £1,500 |
| Solo, 50% supplement | £750 | £375 | £1,125 |
| Solo cabin (no supplement) | £950 | — | £950 |
This is why finding lines that offer no-supplement deals matters so much. A dedicated solo cabin at a fair price, or a no-supplement promotion, can save hundreds of pounds on a single sailing.
What Different Lines Include
Not all cruise fares are equal. This is particularly important when comparing Saga against mainstream lines:
| Item | Saga | Fred. Olsen | P&O | Cunard | NCL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Meals | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Drinks | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Gratuities | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Travel insurance | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Port transfers | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Speciality dining | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ |
Saga’s higher headline fare frequently narrows or disappears when you add the cost of drinks, tips, and insurance to a mainstream line’s base fare.
Realistic Cost Ranges by Cruise Type
These figures include a typical solo supplement where applicable:
| Cruise type | Budget option | Mid-range | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Short break (3–5 nights, UK) | £400 – £700 | £700 – £1,200 | £1,200+ |
| Week-long Europe (no fly) | £800 – £1,200 | £1,200 – £2,000 | £2,000 – £4,000 |
| 2-week Mediterranean | £1,500 – £2,500 | £2,500 – £4,000 | £4,000 – £7,000 |
| 3–4 week voyage | £2,500 – £4,000 | £4,000 – £6,500 | £6,500+ |
These are base fares only — add extras below for a realistic total.
The Extras: What to Budget For
Drinks package
If drinks aren’t included, a package typically costs £40–£70 per person per day. On a 7-night cruise: £280–£490. Worth it if you drink regularly; poor value if you don’t. Calculate honestly — multiply your likely daily spend by the days and compare.
Gratuities / service charges
If not included, most lines charge £12–£18 per person per day. On a 7-night cruise: £84–£126. Some lines (P&O, NCL) add this automatically to your onboard account.
Shore excursions
Ship-organised excursions typically cost £40–£150 per excursion depending on destination and duration. Budget £100–£300 for a week if you want organised activities at most ports. Independent exploration of most European ports costs nothing beyond entry fees to attractions.
Travel insurance
Non-negotiable — and for over-55s, specialist cruise cover is essential. Typically £80–£200 for a single-trip policy depending on age, health, and trip length. See our cruise insurance guide for what to look for.
Get a cruise insurance quote →
Wi-Fi
Cruise ship internet is rarely included and typically costs £15–£30 per day, or £50–£120 for the full voyage. For occasional email and WhatsApp, the basic package is usually sufficient.
Port parking
If driving to Southampton, port parking costs £80–£140 per week depending on how far in advance you book. Pre-booking saves significantly.
Pre-cruise hotel
If travelling a long distance to the departure port, one night at a port hotel typically costs £80–£150 including parking options. Not essential but removes same-day travel stress.
Three Worked Budget Examples
Budget: 7-night Fred. Olsen, no-supplement inside cabin
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| No-supplement inside cabin fare | £950 |
| Travel insurance | £90 |
| Train to Southampton (return, advance) | £40 |
| 2 shore excursions | £160 |
| Drinks (pay as you go, moderate) | £120 |
| Gratuities (included on Fred. Olsen) | £0 |
| Spending money | £100 |
| Total | ~£1,460 |
Mid-range: 7-night P&O, solo cabin on Iona
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Solo cabin fare (Iona) | £1,300 |
| Travel insurance | £100 |
| Drinks package (classic) | £280 |
| Gratuities | £105 |
| Port parking (pre-booked) | £90 |
| 2 shore excursions | £180 |
| Spending money | £150 |
| Total | ~£2,205 |
Premium: 7-night Saga, solo balcony cabin
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Solo balcony fare (all-inclusive) | £2,800 |
| Drinks | £0 (included) |
| Gratuities | £0 (included) |
| Travel insurance | £0 (included) |
| Door-to-door transfers | £0 (included) |
| 1 optional excursion | £80 |
| Spending money | £100 |
| Total | ~£2,980 |
The Saga premium option — often assumed to be significantly more expensive — frequently comes within a few hundred pounds of a mid-range mainstream cruise once you account for everything included.
How to Reduce the Total Cost
Book early for solo cabins. No-supplement and solo cabin deals go first. Early booking locks in the best availability and often the best price.
Travel in shoulder season. April–May and September–October offer meaningfully lower fares than peak summer on most routes.
Choose inside over balcony. The supplement on a balcony cabin as a solo traveller is highest. An inside cabin brings the base fare down significantly.
Sail from a UK port. Eliminating flights, airport hotels, and transfers removes several hundred pounds from the total cost before you’ve even looked at the cruise fare.
Skip the drinks package if you drink lightly. Pay-as-you-go is often better value for moderate or occasional drinkers.
Explore ports independently. Most European ports are walkable from the cruise terminal. Save organised excursion budget for ports where the distance or language makes independent exploration harder.
Related Guides
- Cruise lines with no single supplement UK — where to find the best supplement deals
- What is the single supplement? — explained simply
- Best cruise insurance for over 55s UK — what you need and why
- Saga Cruises for solo travellers — all-inclusive pricing explained
- Fred. Olsen for solo travellers — best value no-supplement deals
- Solo cruises from the UK — no flying — cutting the cost of getting there