Singles and solo cruises from Australiaup to -44%

Why solo cruising works — and why it’s growing

Cruising is one of the few holiday formats that genuinely suits solo travellers. You unpack once, your accommodation moves with you, and every meal, activity and evening is already taken care of. The social rhythm of a ship — shared tables, deck lounges, shore excursions — means you meet people naturally, without any effort on your part. And unlike a resort or a tour, you set the pace entirely. Spend a sea day at the pool or in your cabin with a book; nobody is waiting for you.

Departures cover sailings ranging from short breaks to voyages of up to 42 nights, with a median length of around 14 nights — long enough to properly relax, short enough that you won’t need to plan a leave of absence. A large share of what’s on offer are Australian cruises, sailing from ports you can drive or take a train to.

Which cruise lines sail solo-friendly itineraries?

Several of the biggest names in cruising have made real moves to accommodate solo travellers, from dedicated solo cabins to reduced single supplements. Here’s who is most active on these itineraries:

• Princess Cruises — the most sailings on these routes, with strong Australian coastal and New Zealand programmes. The Princess Plus fare bundles casual dining, Wi-Fi, beverages and crew appreciation into one price, which is particularly good value when you’re not splitting costs with a travel companion.
• Carnival Cruise Lines — a lively fleet that suits solo travellers who want entertainment, multiple dining options and a busy social atmosphere. Australian departures are a particular strength.
• Royal Caribbean — known for large ships with a wide range of activities. Royal Caribbean offers a dedicated Single/Solo Fare for guests travelling alone in a stateroom, alongside fare types such as last-minute offers and early booking bonuses.
• Celebrity Cruises — a polished, modern fleet. Fare options run from cruise-only (add what you want later) through a value tier covering drinks and Wi-Fi, up to The Retreat suite experience with premium drinks, private dining and exclusive lounge access.
• Regent Seven Seas Cruises — fully all-inclusive fares that make budgeting simple for a solo traveller: shore excursions, drinks, speciality dining and gratuities are all covered.
• Cunard — for those who want a classic ocean voyage. Cunard’s 2027–2028 world cruise and season launch includes sailings suited to experienced solo voyagers who appreciate the structured social life of a traditional liner.

Solo cruises — where do these sailings go?

The clear majority of solo-friendly sailings are concentrated in Australian waters, with New Zealand and the South Pacific well represented, and a smaller selection reaching into Southeast Asia and beyond.

Close to home — Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific

Australian coastal sailings are where most of the action is. Ships depart from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne, sailing the eastern seaboard, rounding the continent to Fremantle (Perth) or heading north to Darwin, Broome and Cairns. If you live near a departure port, you can board the same afternoon and be at sea before dark — no airport, no check-in queue, no luggage carousel.

New Zealand sailings are a natural extension of the Australian programme, with some itineraries sailing all the way through. Sydney to New Zealand cruises are particularly popular — the voyage ends in Auckland, and a domestic flight or onward connection brings you home. We can book that return leg as part of the same holiday so nothing is left hanging. The South Pacific adds island stops for those who want a tropical flavour without a long-haul flight.

Further afield — Asia and beyond

A smaller share of itineraries reach into Southeast Asia, with Singapore and Bali (Benoa) appearing as embarkation or disembarkation ports. Japan sailings are also available for solo travellers looking for something truly different. These itineraries are the middle of a longer trip — our team can build the flights, hotel nights either side and transfers into one DreamAway Package so you don’t need to piece it together yourself. Transpacific crossings suit the solo traveller who genuinely wants extended sea time and the quiet satisfaction of crossing an ocean.

Solo cruises from Sydney and Brisbane

Sydney is the single busiest embarkation point for solo travellers on these itineraries, with ships departing from the Overseas Passenger Terminal in the heart of the city. You can arrive by train, stay the night before at a harbourside hotel (we can add that to your booking), and walk aboard in the morning. For last-minute Sydney sailings, the short notice actually works in your favour — solo supplement reductions are common when ships want to fill single cabins before departure. Christmas sailings from Sydney are also worth noting if your schedule is flexible over the festive period.

Brisbane is the second-largest departure hub. Ships sailing from Brisbane tend to head to the Pacific islands or down the coast toward Sydney, making one-way itineraries particularly practical — the voyage ends in a different city, and a short domestic flight connects the two. We’ll handle both ends.

Which ships are worth knowing about?

Six ships stand out on these itineraries. Each has something specific that suits solo travellers.

Grand Princess — Princess Cruises

Grand Princess sails Great Barrier Reef voyages from Sydney and is a strong choice for solo travellers who want a mid-sized ship with genuine personality. You can curl up under a blanket and watch a film under the stars on deck, order food and drinks anywhere on board using the Princess app (no queuing, no tables to find), and retreat to The Sanctuary — an adults-only top-deck space with sun loungers, light meals and views across the Coral Sea. Solo travellers who want a quiet hour without booking a spa treatment will find it here. See the Grand Princess cabin and deck plans to find the grade that suits you.

Carnival Adventure — Carnival Cruise Line

Built with Australian tastes in mind, Carnival Adventure sails from Sydney and is one of the livelier ships on Australian coastal routes. Solo travellers who want activity have plenty to choose from — a zip line and climbing above the deck, movies under the stars, and the Serenity Retreat adults-only area for when you want peace. The ship uses fresh local produce and the service style is laid-back rather than formal, which suits the solo traveller who doesn’t want to feel conspicuous dining alone. Check the Carnival Adventure cabins and deck plans for solo-appropriate cabin grades.

Royal Princess — Princess Cruises

Step out onto the glass-bottomed SeaWalk — a walkway that extends 40 metres above the ocean — and you get a strong sense of what sets Royal Princess apart. The ship sails Australia’s coast with the same Princess app ordering, The Sanctuary adults-only retreat, and Movies Under the Stars on deck. In the evenings, duelling pianos at Crooners and a dancing fountain light show give you things to do that are easy to enjoy alone. The Royal Princess cabin and deck plans show the full range of grades.

Celebrity Edge — Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity Edge is built around the idea of the ship as a destination in itself. The Magic Carpet — a cantilevered platform that moves between decks and serves as a dining venue suspended 16 storeys above the ocean — is unlike anything else at sea. The Infinite Veranda design means your cabin balcony can be opened fully, bringing the outside in from the moment you wake up. Solo travellers who value design and food over organised entertainment will feel at home here. Browse the Celebrity Edge cabin and deck plans before you choose.

Norwegian Spirit — Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Spirit is a mid-sized ship with a relaxed, freestyle dining philosophy — you eat where and when you like, which suits solo travellers who find set dining times awkward. The ship sails to the South Pacific and New Zealand, and the adults-only Spice H2O open-air beach club is a genuine asset on warm-weather itineraries. Cagney’s Steakhouse and Le Bistro give you serious dining options when you want them. See the Norwegian Spirit cabin and deck plans for more detail.

Azamara Pursuit — Azamara

For solo travellers who travel primarily to explore places rather than to be on a ship, Azamara Pursuit is worth serious attention. With 777 guests it is genuinely small — you’ll know the crew by name within a day or two, and the ship docks at ports long enough to actually feel them rather than just photograph them. Overnight and late-night port stays are built into the itinerary. Your fare includes a private cultural evening ashore — symphony concerts, vineyard dinners, events exclusive to Azamara guests. See the Azamara Pursuit cabin and deck plans for cabin options.

Cabin grades for solo travellers — what’s on offer?

Choosing the right cabin grade matters more when you’re not sharing costs. Here’s how the grades work across the key ships, ordered from most compact to most spacious:

• Inside cabins — the most affordable grade, with no window. Grand Princess Inside IA (14.9 m²) sits on the middle decks with minimal ship motion and easy lift access. Royal Princess Inside IA (15.4 m²) includes a minibar, safe and desk. Carnival Adventure Inside 4A (15 m²) comes with a walk-in wardrobe — useful on a longer voyage.
• Ocean-view cabins — a window makes a meaningful difference on a longer sailing. Royal Princess Sea-view O6 (20 m²) has a large panoramic window with a forward-facing ocean view. Grand Princess Premium sea view O3 (19.1 m²) uses a floor-to-ceiling Panoramic window. Carnival Adventure’s ocean-view option has two round portholes on the ship’s quieter lower decks.
• Balcony cabins — your own outdoor space. Grand Princess Premium Balcony B2 (25.5 m²) has floor-to-ceiling sliding glass doors. Royal Princess Deluxe Balcony DA (23.4 m²) gives you a private balcony for breakfast or sundowners. Carnival Adventure Balcony 8A (16 m²) uses a glass bifold door for direct outdoor access.
• Suites — for the solo traveller who wants to spread out. Grand Princess Grand Suite S1 (67.8 m²) is the largest cabin on board, with a private hot tub. Royal Princess Penthouse Suite S3 (54.5–63.4 m²) has an aft balcony. Carnival Adventure’s Byron Beach Club Presidential Suite SB (58 m²) has a dressing area and deluxe bathroom.

Our cruise experts can walk you through which grade makes financial sense for your budget — solo supplement rules vary by cruise line and sailing date, and knowing where the savings are makes a real difference.

Fares and what they include

Fare tiers vary by cruise line and it’s worth understanding what’s in the price before you compare. Princess Cruises offers a Standard fare (cruise only, with packages available to add) and a Plus fare that bundles 4 casual dining meals per voyage, beverages up to A$15 each (up to 15 per day), MedallionNet Max Wi-Fi, crew appreciation, unlimited digital photos and reserved theatre seating. For a solo traveller, having Wi-Fi and gratuities pre-paid removes daily cost uncertainty.

Royal Caribbean’s fare options include a dedicated Single/Solo Fare for guests occupying a stateroom alone, alongside fare types such as last-minute discounts and early booking bonuses with onboard credit. Celebrity Cruises runs from a cruise-only rate through a value tier (classic drinks and Wi-Fi included) up to The Retreat, where premium drinks, private dining and suite accommodation are bundled together. Regent Seven Seas’ all-inclusive model covers shore excursions, drinks, speciality dining and gratuities — the bill at the end of the voyage is essentially zero, which makes budgeting straightforward.

Are there deals on solo cruises?

Solo supplement reductions and discounted fares do appear on these itineraries — and CruiseAway’s Best Price Guarantee means that if you find a lower price elsewhere after booking, we’ll match it. Discounts on these sailings can reach up to 54% on individual departures, though that’s the maximum on a single sailing; most discounted fares are reduced by around 8% from the previously listed price for that cabin grade. It’s worth checking regularly, as fare reductions on solo-friendly sailings tend to appear closer to the departure date when lines want to fill single-occupancy cabins. Our team monitors availability and can alert you when a fare you’re watching moves.

You can also browse cheap cruise deals across the full Australian programme, or look at short cruises if you want to test the water with a 3- or 4-night sailing before committing to a longer voyage.

Make it a complete holiday

CruiseAway is a cruise specialist — every booking is a cruise or a cruise-inclusive package. But we know that for many solo travellers, the cruise is only part of the trip. Our team can add flights (including the return leg on one-way itineraries, so nothing is left for you to sort separately), hotel nights before or after, tours, transfers and insurance — all on one booking, all in one conversation. That’s what a DreamAway Package looks like in practice. If you’re departing from or arriving into Singapore, Bali or further afield, we handle the whole trip, not just the ship.

You can also explore the full range of Australian cruise offers or read more about 28-day cruises around Australia if a longer solo voyage is what you’re after.

*Prices are per person based on 2 people sharing, and are subject to change. This price is not kept up to date and therefore does not reflect live pricing and availability. Prices and any discounts shown were checked on 14 October 2026.

Where a discount is shown, it is a reduction from the price previously listed for that cabin grade on that sailing, not a comparison between cabin grades or against a brochure rate. Discounts and prices shown are not kept up to date: the reduction available now may be smaller, or may have ended, and prices may have changed.