Solo Sailing on Silversea's Silver Ray

Why Silversea?

It’s an ultra-luxury line offering an all-inclusive, highly personal experience. Their service is exceptional, with a near one-to-one crew-to-passenger ratio and butlers assigned to every suite (yes, every stateroom is a suite). No matter which category you book, you’re treated the same onboard. The Silver Ray and its sister ship, the Silver Nova, are the largest in Silversea’s fleet of 12 vessels (eight ocean, four expedition), yet still intimate with a maximum of 728 guests. It was the most luxurious cruise I’ve ever booked—and thanks to the ship’s size, I was able to transit the original 1914 locks of the Panama Canal rather than the newer ones built in 2016.

Transiting through the Miraflores locks

Solo, not alone

A quick note: solo doesn’t necessarily mean single. There are plenty of reasons someone might choose to travel solo, regardless of relationship status. It can feel intimidating—especially on a cruise where most passengers are couples or groups—but Silversea made it easy to connect without pressure. The hosted cocktail hour on the first night was a simple way to meet other solo travelers, and from there, shared meals became one of the highlights of the trip. I dined each evening with different combinations of fellow solos, and the structure was just enough to make introductions feel natural without forcing interaction. For an introvert like me, it struck the right balance.

Some itineraries include gentlemen hosts who join the solo group for pre-dinner cocktails and offer dance partners if desired. On my sailing, two hosts took their roles seriously and were genuinely helpful. On sailings without hosts, an officer typically steps in to support the solo group. You’re always free to dine alone or with whomever you choose, but if—like me—you appreciate the option to meet and mingle with likeminded travelers, this is a welcome touch.

Solos group

There’s no guarantee how many solo travelers will be onboard, but I’d be surprised if there were none. My best advice: attend the very first solo cocktail hour—usually held at 7 pm on embarkation day. The exact time and location will be listed in your daily schedule, called Chronicles, which is printed in your suite and available on your in-room tablet and TV.

If the nightly solo gathering isn’t your thing, there are plenty of other ways to connect. I joined the onboard art classes (four watercolors, two jewelry-making sessions), attended cooking classes (called S.A.L.T. lab), played bingo in the lounge, and teamed up for daily trivia. These activities are relaxed, low-pressure ways to enjoy shared experiences. Trivia, by the way, gets surprisingly competitive. Pro tip: Never let other teams overhear your correct answers.

S.A.L.T. (Sea And Land Taste) cooking class

Silversea also includes one shore excursion in each port (except for last-minute Essential fare bookings). These small-group tours—mine maxed out at 15 people—are another great way to meet fellow passengers.

Understanding solo pricing

Cruise pricing for solo travelers can be confusing. Most lines charge a solo supplement ranging from zero to 100 percent, with 100 percent being the norm. That means a cruise listed at $5,000 per person (based on double occupancy) would cost $10,000 for a solo traveler. Some larger, mainstream lines offer dedicated solo cabins with no supplement, though these are typically smaller and often limited to inside categories.

Deals with low or zero solo supplements do exist, but they’re fleeting. I’m now hyper-focused on finding these offers—especially on luxury and ultra-luxury lines. My upcoming Silversea cruise in September was a zero-supplement deal I jumped on quickly. Less than a week later, it was gone.

Silver Ray

Another option, especially on expedition cruises to the Arctic and Antarctica, is cabin sharing. Some operators offer to match solo travelers in shared suites to avoid the supplement. I’ll be using this approach for my Antarctica cruise in January with Quark Expeditions aboard the Ultramarine—sharing a suite with another solo female traveler and paying the standard per-person fare. It’s a smart workaround if you're open to sharing and want to access bucket-list destinations without doubling your cost.

Final sunset

One final note on pricing: While ultra-luxury lines like Silversea may appear more expensive upfront, the all-inclusive model changes the math. Once you factor in all the add-ons many other lines charge for—drinks, gratuities, Wi-Fi, specialty dining, shore excursions—the pricing often ends up surprisingly comparable. And you get to be pampered on a small ship without swiping a key fob or signing every time you order a drink. Your suite is stocked with your preferred alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, caviar is served on demand, and the experience is genuinely all-inclusive and ultra-luxury.

If you’re curious about cruising solo, I’d be happy to share more about what it’s really like—and keep you in the loop when I spot solo-friendly deals.

For more inspiration and insider recommendations, visit our cruises page.