SOME SINGLES SOLUTIONS FOR SOLO CRUISERS

As a potential single passenger, you're always caught between a rock and a hard place. More often than not, the single voyager pays a hefty supplement for the privilege of being able to take a cruise, ranging anywhere from ten to an eye watering one hundred per cent. It hardly seems fair and, in many ways, it isn't.

Shipowners, of course, see it differently. They are out to maximise on board revenue, as well as cabin sales. As a rule of thumb, single cabins take up only slightly less space than a double- if there are any available in the first place. At the same time, a single person buying a double cabin effectively occupies the space meant for two people, while adding the spending revenue of only one. For many cruise lines, that justifies them in charging single supplements. Even the biggest ships are not infinite spaces at the end of the day; every inch of living space on board is expected to pay it's way.

But bridges are slowly being built between these two polar extremes. If you're lucky enough to live in the UK, you'll find that the smaller, more intimate ships of both Cruise and Maritime Voyages and, more especially, Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, now offer a large number of single cabins, both inside and outside, at prices that will not break the bank.

Larger in scale and more lavish in terms of luxury, both P&O Cruises and even Cunard now offer a relative handful of single cabins. These are usually more expensive- and, in the case of Cunard- more expansive, but it remains a fact that the locations of these can leave something to be desired. Most of these ships were built before the swell in demand for single cabins arose, and so their ships had to be retro fitted, with cabins often sprouting up in some improbable spaces.

Going the American way, maybe? The newer ships of Norwegian Cruise Line have clusters of hip, single studio cabins that have been hugely successful- so much so that main rival, Royal Caribbean International, is now dipping it's toe in the same waters, so to speak. The price point also looks good.

But before you book one of those funky Norwegian studios, do yourself a favour; check what the single supplement would be to book a double inside for sole occupancy on that same cruise. Because, quite often, the fares will come in lower than booking a studio, mainly because there is more availability. And, at the end of the day, who wouldn't want a larger room for a smaller price?