Solo travellers are one of the fastest-growing demographics booking river cruises, industry leaders told the Clia RiverView Conference in Budapest.
In a panel discussion, Riviera Travel vice-president of international sales Stuart Milan said this type of customer was the line’s “biggest” for growth, prompting it to add “a lot more capacity” to its solo programme for 2025 and 2026.
“Our solo programme is huge, and we have put a lot more capacity into that for 2025 and 2026,” he said. “It’s our fastest-growing sector, definitely.”
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Riviera Travel offers dedicated solo departures across the Rhine, Danube, Seine, Rhone and Douro, which do not carry a supplement.
Milan attributed this growing trend to solo travellers “feeling more comfortable” on smaller river ships which have a maximum of 190 passengers and so have more “intimacy” and “community”.
He added: “A solo traveller doesn’t necessarily mean someone who is single – many are in relationships but want to do something different for themselves.”
Kristin Karst, co-founder and chief brand ambassador at AmaWaterways, revealed solo travellers made up 15% to 20% of passengers – a jump from less than 10% pre-pandemic.
She said regular solo supplements of 50% had been waived for the first year of the line’s Flavours of Burgundy itinerary and a 20% solo supplement had been extended on other departures.
Karst also reported increased demand, particularly from younger passengers, for private and smaller-group excursions than the typical 10-20 passengers on daily tours.
She said “a lot could be done” to provide such tours, but cost would depend on local resources and destination.
The growing solo trend was also reflected in an annual survey by Cruise.co.uk of 8,000 of it and sister company Seascanner’s customers, which found solo travellers now make up 5% of the cruise market, with price and itinerary “the most important factors” for their trips.
Tony Andrews, Cruise.co.uk managing director, said: “We’re seeing more solo travellers embracing the cruise experience, and it’s clear that affordability and the destinations visited are key drivers for this market.
“As the popularity of cruise continues to grow across the board, we expect cruise lines to further cater to this growing segment, with more tailored offerings and competitive pricing.”