Solo travel and cruises are two travel trends that have been increasing in popularity lately, and yet at first glance, they may not seem like they mix well.
More travelers than ever are venturing out solo for their vacations rather than traveling with friends, family, or significant others.
Cruising is also exploding in popularity right now after the industry was dealt a heavy blow due to travel restrictions for several years.
However, most cruise ship fares are based on double occupancy, with the option to add a third or even fourth passenger to the cabin for a lower price.
On most cruise lines, there’s no discount for solo travelers, so even if you’ll be the only one in your cabin, you’ll still have to pay the two-person rate. Some cruise lines offer a reduced single supplement (for example, 75% instead of 100%) but you’ll still end up paying quite a bit.
The following four cruise lines don’t charge single supplements.
Instead, solo travelers have the option to book single cabins on these cruise lines at a rate that is much more reasonable and less than a standard double-occupancy cabin.
1. Norwegian Cruise Lines
Norwegian is one of the best cruise lines for solo travelers. Six of Norwegian’s ships offer “studio cabins” priced for just one person:
These studio cabins are only around 100 square feet but come with all the same amenities as a double occupancy cabin.
As a bonus, solo travelers staying in studio cabins will have access to a shared common area called the Studio Complex and Lounge which functions as a social gathering place with events to meet other solo travelers.
2. Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean was just named America’s favorite cruise line, and offering cabins for solo travelers is just one more reason to love this popular cruise line.
The seven Royal Caribbean ships that offer studio cabins are:
Quantum of the Seas
Spectrum of the Seas
Ovation of the Seas
Anthem of the Seas
Odyssey of the Seas
Harmony of the Seas
Symphony of the Seas
These cabins are priced specifically for single travelers. Unlike Norwegian, which only offers interior studio cabins, Royal Caribbean has a mix of interior, exterior, and balcony cabins for solo travelers.
Cabins range in size from 96 to 119 square feet.
3. Holland America Line
Finally, Holland America Line is another popular cruise line that doesn’t charge extra for passengers who are traveling solo.
Right now, only three Holland America ships offer solo cabins, and there are fewer of these onboard (only 12 per ship) compared to Norwegian and Royal Caribbean.
The Holland America ships with studio cabins are:
Koningsdam
Nieuw Statendam
Rotterdam
Studio cabins are priced for just one person and are on the more spacious end, with cabins ranging in size from 127 to 172 square feet.
What About Other Cruise Lines?
Norwegian, Royal Caribbean, and Holland America are the only major cruise lines to offer solo cabins priced for one person. Smaller cruise lines like Oceania Cruises also offer single cabins.
And other popular cruise lines occasionally offer deals for solo travelers.
Although rare, sometimes the single supplement may be waived or greatly reduced for specific voyages.
If you want to keep up with these offers and score a great deal, Cruise Specialists has a regularly updated list of cruises with waived or heavily reduced single supplements.
Other cruise lines may not offer solo traveler-friendly pricing, but many do host meet-ups and events for solo travelers onboard to meet other cruisers.
In recent weeks, we’ve seen a huge furor on the internet after Europe announced tourists will be charged an entry fee from 2023. Millions of U.S. citizens, who had been allowed to travel to the continent for years requirement-free, were not exactly thrilled at the prospect… Except they should be. On this article, we will explain why this is good news.
And while you read it, you may find out things about your own country that may surprise you…
For years, Europe has been mulling over the introduction of a travel authorization system, which would require non-European travelers to apply online for a permit to visit ahead of flying to the region. After dealing with several delays resulting from Covid and other internal issues, it seems like European lawmakers’ new priority is introducing this scheme.
Trust us, although it feels like being picked on by the cold-hearted politicians in Brussels, Americans will in fact benefit from this:
What Exactly Is Europe’s New Entry Fee?
The ETIAS, an acronym for European Travel Information Authorization, is a system the European Union and its Schengen Area-associates will put in place starting in 2023, aimed at increasing security at their external borders and cutting down irregular migration. On top of that, it aims making the screening process easier for foreigners.
Once it launches, the ETIAs will have an official website, as well as a mobile app, where visitors will be able to apply. Americans (as well as Canadians and Brits) who were allowed to travel to the Schengen Area with only their passports, as of now, will not be allowed to board their flights unless they hold a valid travel authorization.
It will cost €7 (or roughly $8) and it will be valid for up to 3 years. This means that, once you have obtained your first ETIAS in January 2023, you will be able to travel to Europe as many times as you want until January 2026, provided that you respect other Schengen Area rules, such as not staying for longer than 90 days out of every 180-day period.
So Why Should Americans Europe Is Charging Them?
Europe is overhauling its whole immigration policy. Besides bringing in the ETIAS, it may also be moving its cumbersome visa application process online, in a move that would make it easier for visa-requiring nationals (like Indians, the Chinese, Turkish) to submit applications via the internet. Americans have, luckily, been exempt from the latter.
Many U.S. passport holders do not know, but the travel freedom they enjoy is not shared by all other nationalities. Americans can visit up to 186 countries either visa-free, or by paying for a visa on arrival – Iran citizens are not so privileged, being welcome in only 42 other countries without visa restrictions.
Applying for one is not the easiest task either. Unless they are traveling to an obscure African or Asian nation that demands visas, Americans will never have to fill out an application form, schedule a visa appointment at a Consulate, fly thousands of miles all the way to D.C. to attend a scrutinizing interview, surrender their passport, and then still risk getting a hard ‘no’.
That is the reality for many travelers, usually those coming from low-income countries when they seek entry into the Western World, namely the U.S., Canada and Europe. It is not as straightforward or simple as it is for Americans. In order to enter the Schengen Area, those subject to this regime currently need to apply for a new visa every single time they travel.
Even if they have a layover in Europe, or a short four-day vacation in Barcelona or Athens, certain categories of travelers are subject to the grueling procedure we have detailed above. Not once, but on every individual trip they take, and refusal rates are getting higher. Fortunately, Americans are not among them.
Instead, they can simply pack their passport, other travel essentials and hop on a plane the day after booking a ticket. Doesn’t freedom feel awesome? Well, believe it or not, Europe is in truth extending that freedom through its ETIAS scheme. Once the new border regulations are rolled in, all nationalities who will not require a visa will need instead an ETIAS.
By being subject to a Travel Authorization, Americans are being granted the privilege to continue visiting Europe visa-free. Unlike other media news outlets have wrongly pointed out lately, the ETIAS is far, very far from being equivalent to tourist visas. As you have learnt today, those are much harder to obtain.
Main Differences Between Schengen Visas And ETIAS
Here’s a quick comparison between both:
Actual visas
Face-to-face interviews are usually required
A visa sticker is glued to the passport page every time an applicant seeks entry into Europe, making they run out of pages faster
Visa nationals are granted the right to travel for the exact amount of dates they inform the Consulate, whether it’s 7 days, 14 days, etc
It costs $81 to apply
Refusal rates are high and a majority of fees are non-reimbursable
ETIAS
It is a simple online form that can be filled out in a matter of minutes
You can use a single ETIAS for travel up to the 3 years
The fee is only $8
If your 7-day vacation plans change, you can still stay in Europe for up to 90 days without being penalized
95% of ETIAS will be automatically granted, while the remaining 5% will be processed within a few days, and an even smaller percentage denied
The ETIAS will facilitate screening once arriving to Europe. Were you ever welcomed by one of those grumpy border guards that grilled you about the purpose of your trip? Those holding a Travel Authorization will still need to go through customs, but they will have an ‘approved traveler’ status, dramatically reducing wait times.
You get it now? As strange as it may seem, Americans are not being punished by Europe’s new entry conditions: they are being included on the ‘fast-track’ group. ETIAS in hand, they will be allowed to keep country-hopping across a restriction-free Europe – as will Canadians, Brits (now that they are out of the EU), Australians and New Zealanders.
The U.S. Has A Travel Authorization Scheme Of Its Own
Europe is not the only destination that has a travel authorization scheme in place. Many Americans will not be aware of this, but the U.S. has its own, called the ESTA, which Europeans themselves have had to apply for years. Of course, U.S. passport holders (as well as Canadians) do not need an ESTA for travel, but it still applies to all of these countries.
America’s ESTA has been in place since 2009, much earlier than Europe’s, and has proved a powerful tool in stopping ‘undesirable’ foreigners, such as criminals, from visa-waiver countries from entering. Europe is merely ‘returning the favor’, and that is not necessarily a bad thing for travelers on both sides of the pond.
Countries like Australia and New Zealand also demand a travel authorization of visa-exempt nationals, and they are not necessarily a bad thing. They are a pact of mutual trust between countries, seeing that, beyond the Western World bubble, most of the world still requires traditional visas.
Earlier this year, the U.K. was the latest to announce its own ‘ETA‘, signalling this online pre-approval form is the future of travel. So Americans, rejoice: Europe has not identified you as risky travelers who might overstay their time as tourists and will, thus, need visas starting in 2023. All that’s needed is a quick, easy-to-fill online form, a negligible $8 fee, and that’s you.
For more information on ETIAS, including its implementation date, please visit this page.
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Disclaimer: Current travel rules and restrictions can change without notice. The decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling. Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories
