Why Cruising is Great for Solo Travel
On a shoulder-season solo cruise to the Mediterranean, one writer discovered community, safety and confidence.
By Bianca Bujan
A solo cruise is a great opportunity to explore on your own — and connect with others. | VIDEO: BLACKBOXGUILD/ENVATO
“Table for one?” the hostess asks.
I’m waiting for a seat at Manfredi’s Italian Restaurant aboard the Viking Vesta. It’s my first night on Viking’s Ancient Mediterranean Treasures fall cruise, where I’ll spend the next eight days travelling between Istanbul and Athens. It’s also my first time cruising solo.
“Yes please,” I reply, feeling self-conscious about dining alone.
But the hostess doesn’t seem fazed. As I’m guided to my table, there are no curious glances, no second looks from other guests. I even notice a few other fellow solo diners. By the time my meal is served and I’m sipping a glass of wine, I realize that my solitude has barely registered with anyone. I let out a big exhale, feeling my discomfort dissolve. Maybe solo cruising will be an opportunity to get comfortable with something entirely new.
Writer and first-time solo cruiser Bianca Bujan in the captain’s seat; the Viking Vesta’s Explorers Lounge; a decadent high tea service invites conversation. | PHOTOS: COURTESY OF BIANCA BUJAN
Natural social connections
I embarked upon this cruise nervously, unsure of what to expect. But soon, I found my rhythm: morning walks on deck, late evening soaks at the Nordic spa. I even join activities that nudge me out of my comfort zone.
On day two, I go to the ship’s high tea, hesitating before choosing a single seat near the bar. A singer and a cellist are performing, and it isn’t long before a chatty older couple sits down beside me and introduces themselves, eager to hear my story.
I sign up for a cooking class, where a small group learns to make spring rolls and hot pot. As we gather around the communal kitchen counter, we swap stories. One couple shares that they’re celebrating their 50th anniversary, and the group cheers as we’re served surprise glasses of champagne.
One quiet afternoon, I pop into the theatre for a cooking demonstration. As I settle into a front row seat, I feel myself flush — I’m the only person sitting by myself in the crowd. But my self-consciousness fades quickly.
“Is this seat taken?” a smiling woman asks, slipping into the seat beside mine.
There’s a surprising ease to these interactions, and opportunities for natural social connections are everywhere. And although my new friends and I cross paths throughout the voyage, there’s no expectation about sticking together. It gives me the confidence to venture out alone — or just to enjoy my own company on board.
The Vesta’s sleek spa lounge area; the writer attending a cooking class on board; an infinity pool with a view. | PHOTO: COURTESY OF VIKING CRUISES; COURTESY OF BIANCA BUJAN
“I embarked upon this cruise nervously, unsure of what to expect. But soon, I found my rhythm: morning walks on deck, late evening soaks at the Nordic spa. I even join activities that nudge me out of my comfort zone.”
Shore excursions made simple
The cruise includes preplanned shore excursions, and each stop brings new adventure. In Istanbul, a local guide leads us beyond the city’s main attractions to off-the-beaten-path sites including the blue-tiled Rustem Pasha Mosque and a spice market, where stalls overflow with pistachios, dried apricots, fragrant teas and jewel-toned sweets. On the Greek island of Rhodes, I venture away from the group and stroll the sun-bleached lanes of Lindos accompanied only by a friendly stray cat. When I pop into a small shop to purchase a handcrafted bracelet, the friendly silver-haired proprietor helps me secure it on my wrist before waving farewell.
In Athens, I join a food tour through the Monastiraki and Plaka neighbourhoods led by a local, sampling sesame-crusted koulouri and honey-drenched loukoumades before a traditional souvlaki lunch. Enjoying the meal with my fellow cruise guests, I realize that my stress about navigating solo through unfamiliar cities is completely absent. With excursion details taken care of, I can just relax and enjoy myself.
(Clockwise from top left) Loukoumades, a honey-drenched treat; Istanbul’s Rustem Pasha Mosque; the writer admiring the mosque’s intricate interior walls; vibrant wares at a Turkish spice market. (Below) Lindos, on Rhodes in the Dodecanese Islands. | PHOTOS: ANONYMOUSSTUDIOSS/ENVATO; MB_PHOTO/ALAMY; PEDALTOTHESTOCK/ENVATO; COURTESY OF VIKING CRUISES; DIMITRIS KIRIAKAKIS/UNSPLASH
A new kind of freedom
On my last evening on board, I work my way through the ship, nodding and smiling at the many familiar faces. I pass the couple celebrating their anniversary, and they call me over by name.
“Bianca! That went quickly, didn’t it?”
After stopping to reminisce for a few minutes, I move on and find a poolside seat, piña colada in hand. As I settle in to watch the sunset among my fellow cruise guests — previously strangers, now friends — it hits me. Cruising solo isn’t lonely at all. It’s liberating. CAA
4 Tips for Solo Cruises Ready to try a solo cruise? Here’s how to make the most of your first time. Choose your ship wisely
The ship you choose can shape your experience. “There are solo cruisers whose worst nightmare is feeling lonely, and those who happily enjoy their own company,” says Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon, a travel writer and cruise expert. “For the latter, I’d recommend a large ship, because it’s easier to be anonymous and slip under the radar. Small ships are perfect for reluctant solo cruisers because the fewer passengers on board, the friendlier and more sociable they are.”
Book shoulder-season sailings
If you’d like to avoid or reduce the “single supplement,” an additional cost that is sometimes applied to solo travellers booking a room, consider cruising in spring or fall rather than summer. Shoulder-season sailings also often mean quieter ships and smaller group excursions in less crowded destinations.
Be open to natural connections
On small-ship expeditions, social interactions tend to happen more naturally. “People assume solo travel means being alone, but on these voyages it’s usually the opposite — there’s plenty of space for independence, but also a natural sense of community that forms through shared experience,” says Maureen Gordon, co-owner of Maple Leaf Adventures. Shared meals, shore landings and wildlife encounters create easy ways to connect without structured programming.
Stick with ship-sponsored excursions
Cruise-run tours take care of all the logistics and offer a built-in group to travel with. This makes it easier to explore safely and meet other travellers without having to plan the excursion yourself.
Choose Your Cruise: 4 cruise lines that cater to solo travellers
Viking offers reduced single supplement promotions during off-season sailings. Plus, with no casinos or kids on board, and a destination-focused approach, voyages are more serene.
Norwegian Cruise Lines is one of the more solo-friendly cruise lines, with studio cabins designed for individual travellers and a dedicated lounge designed to host solo meetups and social gatherings.
Royal Caribbean International offers a lively environment with plentiful entertainment options, organized solo meetups and select ships with studio accommodations for single guests.
Canadian-owned Maple Leaf Adventures offers intimate-scale expedition cruises. With just eight to 24 guests per trip, it’s easy to connect through shared meals, excursions and wildlife encounters, all without the need for formal mixers.
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3 Tips for Solo Cruises Ready to try a solo cruise? Here’s how to make the most of your first time. Choose your ship wisely
The ship you choose can shape your experience. “There are solo cruisers whose worst nightmare is feeling lonely, and those who happily enjoy their own company,” says Sarah Greaves-Gabbadon, a travel writer and cruise expert. “For the latter, I’d recommend a large ship, because it’s easier to be anonymous and slip under the radar. Small ships are perfect for reluctant solo cruisers because the fewer passengers on board, the friendlier and more sociable they are.”
Book shoulder-season sailings
If you’d like to avoid or reduce the “single supplement,” an additional cost that is sometimes applied to solo travellers booking a room, consider cruising in spring or fall rather than summer. Shoulder-season sailings also often mean quieter ships and smaller group excursions in less crowded destinations.
Be open to natural connections
On small-ship expeditions, social interactions tend to happen more naturally. “People assume solo travel means being alone, but on these voyages it’s usually the opposite — there’s plenty of space for independence, but also a natural sense of community that forms through shared experience,” says Maureen Gordon, co-owner of Maple Leaf Adventures. Shared meals, shore landings and wildlife encounters create easy ways to connect without structured programming.
Stick with ship-sponsored excursions
Cruise-run tours take care of all the logistics and offer a built-in group to travel with. This makes it easier to explore safely and meet other travellers without having to plan the excursion yourself.