Fourteen years after introducing solo cabins, Norwegian Cruise Line plans to more than double the number of solo staterooms across its fleet.
NCL will introduce 1,000 solo cabins across its fleet of 19 ships. The solo cabins, available Jan. 2, 2024, will come in three categories: Solo Inside, Solo Oceanview and Solo Balcony. The solo cabins open for sale this week.
Pricing and availability will depend on the destination and demand, although solo travelers can expect to pay less for a solo cabin than a traditional double-occupancy room.
Guests in solo staterooms on select ships will have key-card-only access to the Studio Lounge, which features a beer and wine bar with snacks served daily. In addition to the lounge, NCL said it will provide activities for single travelers to mingle.
NCL said the change comes in response to a surge in solo travel. The line pointed to statistics from Travelport finding that nearly 18% of global travel bookings were for solo travel. The cruise line also noticed an increase in single-occupant non-studio staterooms from 2019 to 2022.
The cruise line introduced solo staterooms in 2010 on the Norwegian Epic.
Several sectors of the travel industry have reported a surge in demand for solo travel, especially tour operators.