New travel agency for single cruisers

The cruise industry is not always welcoming to singles. Cabin rates are based on double occupancy, so solo guests can be forced to pay 100 percent more than cruisers sharing a room. Communal dining can be intimidating to a traveler walking in alone, especially on ships without assigned tables. And, many lines assume that if you’re cruising solo you’re unattached and interested in meeting your mate onboard.

What’s a single traveler to do? One new option is to head to the website of SoloCruiser. This just-opened travel agency sells cruises with low or no single supplement. It also hosts three types of escorted cruises: 55+ cruises, themed cruises, and all-inclusive cruises.

SoloCruiser is not in the business of facilitating romance, though it provides opportunities for guests to meet new friends and lovers. Instead, the agency is committed to improving the travel experience for guests cruising alone. The company offers a roommate-finding service to cruisers who’ve booked one of its itineraries, and plans exclusive shore excursions and onboard events for its clients on the hosted cruises. Tour participants can also join a dine-around program, so they can sit with different group members each night at dinner.

The founders of SoloCruiser are Anne Campbell, a prominent cruise journalist, and Rick White, president of White Travel, a cruise travel agency. They’ve both been on hundreds of cruises, often as solo travelers. So you can be sure they know a thing or two about the product they’re selling.

As always, you should shop around before booking. But if you’re planning on cruising solo, SoloCruiser.com might be a good site to add to your research list.