Solo Cabin Guide: What to Expect (Sizes, Layouts, and the Best Lines)
Everything you need to know about solo cabins on cruise ships — sizes, layouts, locations, facilities and which cruise lines have the best ones.
A solo cabin is a single-occupancy cabin designed and priced for one person. Not a double cabin with an empty bed. Not a converted space awkwardly retrofitted at the end of a corridor. A cabin built from the start with a solo traveller in mind.
They’re not available on every cruise line, and the quality varies significantly. This guide covers what solo cabins actually look like, what to expect from the different types, and which lines do them best.
Solo Cabin vs. Booking a Double Cabin Solo
The distinction matters before anything else.
When you book a double cabin at single occupancy, you’re sleeping in a cabin built for two. The second bed exists, the bathroom is sized for two, and — crucially — you’re paying either the full two-person fare or a per-person fare plus a single supplement (typically 50–100%). You get the space; you pay the penalty.
When you book a dedicated solo cabin, you’re in a cabin designed for one. The layout is efficient rather than empty. The price is set for a solo traveller. You pay the solo cabin rate, full stop — no supplement calculation involved.
Solo cabins are the cleaner option financially and practically. The drawback: there are far fewer of them, and they book out first on popular sailings.
Solo Cabin Types
Inside Solo Cabin
No window, no porthole. Artificial lighting only.
Inside solo cabins are the most common solo cabin type and typically the entry-level option. On well-designed ships they’re compact but functional — everything placed thoughtfully rather than crammed. On less well-designed ships they can feel claustrophobic.
Typical size: 10–14 square metres (compared to 16–22 for a standard double inside cabin).
Who suits them: Solo travellers who spend most of their time out of the cabin — in public spaces, on deck, at meals, on excursions. If the cabin is just a place to sleep and dress, an inside solo works fine. If you want to spend time in your cabin reading, working, or watching films, the confined space can wear on you over a longer sailing.
Key question to ask: Where is the cabin on the ship? Inside solo cabins are sometimes located in less desirable positions — lower decks, near the engine room, or at the very bow where movement is felt more. Check the deck plan before booking.
Ocean View Solo Cabin
A fixed window or porthole — natural light and a view, though not openable.
Ocean view solo cabins give you a meaningful quality-of-life upgrade over inside cabins, particularly on longer sailings. Waking to natural light and being able to see the weather and the sea makes a tangible difference to how you experience the cruise.
Typical size: 12–16 square metres.
Who suits them: Solo travellers on voyages of a week or more who want natural light without the balcony price. A sensible middle ground. Saga’s single ocean view cabins and Fred. Olsen’s solo ocean view cabins are consistently well regarded.
Solo Balcony Cabin
A private outdoor space — your own slice of deck with a chair and usually a small table. The window opens.
Solo balcony cabins are the premium solo option and are genuinely transformative for many travellers who’ve used them. The ability to have coffee on your own balcony at sea, watch port arrivals without moving from your chair, or simply sit outside alone with a book — solo travellers who’ve tried a balcony cabin describe it as the upgrade that changed solo cruising from good to outstanding.
Typical size: 14–18 square metres plus balcony (3–6 square metres).
Who suits them: Anyone on a sailing of seven nights or more who spends meaningful time in their cabin. The additional cost is easiest to justify on longer itineraries where you’ll get regular use from the outdoor space. Also particularly valued by solo travellers who want private outdoor space without competing for a sun lounger.
Availability: Rarer than other solo cabin types. Saga has the most dedicated solo balcony cabins of any UK cruise line. NCL has added solo balconies to newer ships (Prima, Viva, Bliss). Cunard’s QM2 has a small number of single staterooms with balconies.
Studio Cabin (NCL)
NCL’s Studio concept deserves its own category because it doesn’t map neatly onto the above.
Studio cabins on Norwegian ships are purpose-built for solo travellers — but they’re inside cabins with no window. What they add is access to the Studio Lounge: a keycard-only common area exclusively for solo travellers, with complimentary coffee, snacks, and a coordinator who organises group activities, dinners, and excursions.
The cabin itself is compact. The Lounge is the value proposition.
This trade-off — a smaller private space in exchange for a dedicated community hub — suits solo travellers who are actively looking to meet people. If you’re a solitude-seeker, the Studio cabin is fine but the lounge premium may not appeal.
On newer ships (Prima, Viva, Bliss), NCL has also introduced solo balcony options — a proper window and outdoor space at the Studio social setup level.
What’s Typically in a Solo Cabin
Regardless of type, most solo cabins on quality lines will include:
| Feature | Standard |
|---|---|
| Single bed (usually double width, not a narrow single) | Yes |
| Wardrobe with hanging space | Yes |
| Small desk or dressing table | Yes |
| En-suite bathroom (shower, toilet, basin) | Yes |
| TV | Yes |
| Safe | Yes |
| Hairdryer | Yes |
| Tea and coffee making facilities | Sometimes — more common on British lines |
| Fridge | Sometimes |
| Sofa or reading chair | On larger or ocean view/balcony grades |
The bed width in a solo cabin is often a practical concern. Most dedicated solo cabins have a double-width bed (around 120–140cm), not a narrow single. On smaller inside cabins the bed sometimes runs lengthways along the wall to save space — this works well for most people but is worth checking if you have mobility considerations.
Which Lines Have the Best Solo Cabins?
Saga — Best Overall
The strongest solo cabin offering in British cruising. Spirit of Discovery and Spirit of Adventure together have over 100 solo cabins, covering inside, ocean view, and balcony grades. The balcony solo cabins are the standout — private outdoor space at a solo fare is rare on any line.
Cabin quality is high throughout. The inside solo cabins are compact but well-designed; nothing feels like an afterthought.
Browse Saga solo cabin sailings →
NCL — Best Solo Social Setup
Studio cabins are the industry benchmark for solo community infrastructure. The cabin is modest; the Lounge access is the differentiator. For newer ships with solo balcony options, this is also among the best private space available to solo travellers at a no-supplement price.
Check NCL Studio cabin availability →
Fred. Olsen — Best Value
56 solo cabins across the three-ship fleet (Bolette, Borealis, Balmoral). Compact, functional, and priced at a no-supplement rate. The cabins are not luxurious, but the experience around them — staff quality, atmosphere, community feel — compensates significantly.
Borealis and Bolette are the better ships if you’re choosing; Balmoral’s solo cabins have attracted more criticism for size and condition.
Browse Fred. Olsen solo cabins →
Cunard — Best for Occasion
QM2 has 30 single staterooms, some with balconies — a generous allocation for any cruise line. The staterooms themselves are well finished and sized appropriately. On a ship this traditional and formal, the private space matters more than on livelier ships.
Explore Cunard solo staterooms →
P&O — Best for First-Timers on a Budget
Solo cabins are available on Iona and Arvia — P&O’s two newest and largest ships. The cabins are modern and well laid out. The supplement situation on P&O is more complex than the above lines (variable by sailing and cabin grade), but the dedicated solo cabins bypass it.
Older P&O ships don’t have dedicated solo cabins — if you’re on Arcadia or Aurora you’re booking a double cabin at single occupancy.
Practical Tips for Booking a Solo Cabin
Book as early as possible. Solo cabins are the scarcest cabin type on any ship. They sell out first. If you have a specific sailing in mind, move quickly.
Check the deck plan before confirming. Position on the ship matters — solo cabins are sometimes tucked into less desirable locations. Look at where yours sits relative to public spaces, restaurants, and the waterline. Midship and higher decks tend to have less motion.
Ask about bed configuration. Most solo cabin beds are double-width and arranged as a double bed. A small number of compact inside cabins have a narrower bed or a bed positioned against the wall. Ask the cruise line or your travel agent before booking if this matters to you.
Read recent reviews for that specific cabin grade. Cruise line descriptions are optimistic. TripAdvisor, Cruise Critic, and solo cruiser Facebook groups will give you honest dimensions and photos. Search for the ship name plus the cabin grade (e.g. “Saga Spirit of Discovery single balcony cabin”).
Consider upgrading on longer sailings. An inside cabin on a 4-night taster cruise is fine. On a 14-night Norway sailing, the case for a balcony is stronger. Spending more time in your cabin as the nights grow longer makes the outdoor space and natural light increasingly valuable.
Related Guides
- How to avoid the single supplement — seven strategies including booking the right cabin type
- Cruise lines with no single supplement UK — full supplement policy comparison
- Saga Cruises for solo travellers — detailed look at Saga’s solo cabin programme
- NCL for solo travellers — Studio cabin and Lounge in detail
- What does a solo cruise cost? — full pricing breakdown