Silversea Cuts Singles a Break

Silversea's Silver Spirit at sea.

Photo courtesy of Silversea.

If you've ever taken a cruise by yourself, chances are you are all too familiar with the dreaded "single supplement."  For the uninitiated, a single supplement is an additional fare charged to solo cruisers who want to occupy a cabin that would otherwise be meant for two passengers.  The additional fare can range from a few dollars to two hundred per-cent of the fare: the equivalent of paying for another passenger.

Which is why Silversea's announcement last week is such a boon for solo travelers looking for a luxury cruise that won't break the bank.  More than 20 sailings in 2011 have had their single supplement reduced to between ten and twenty five per cent - both of which can be combined with the line's Silver Savings, Free Air and $250 onboard credit offers.

So what's on offer?  Here's just a few of the voyages that are rolling out the red carpet to solo travelers.

Arabian Peninsula Voyage 2101 - Silver Wind, January 3, 2011.  Dubai to Dubai.  $5,058 including Free Air from select cities.

Caribbean Voyage 1109 - Silver Cloud, March 14, 2011.  Ft. Lauderdale to Ft. Lauderdale.  $4,422 including Free Air from select cities, and $250 Onboard Credit.

Far East Voyage 3109 - Silver Shadow, May 7, 2011.  Shanghai to Tokyo.  $7,398.  Our personal favorite. 

A typical Caribbean voyage on a mainstream cruise line can easily run double the price of the per person fare, particularly for balcony staterooms.  If you're going to pay more money to sail solo, you might as well have something to show for it.  Silversea's offer is a deal because it represents a considerable value: solo travelers get to enjoy the same fantastic service, ships, itineraries, and culinary delights at their attached counterparts without paying through the nose for it.

As someone who's cruised solo in the past, I know how difficult it can be to get a truly good deal on a voyage as a single passenger, which is why I applaud Silversea all the more for taking the initiative to offer these twenty voyages to solo travellers, and I can only hope other lines will follow suit and make a serious effort to court those who choose to travel on their own.

To learn more about the reduced single supplements on select 2011 sailings, visit Silversea's website for full details.