Because most cruise ship staterooms are meant to hold at least two people, booking a room by yourself often means you still have to pay higher prices that are equivalent to two people. According to Cruise Critic, this is because most cruise ships don't have solo cabins that are meant for just one person. Some do, but it's not common. For example, mine didn't.
The listed rates for my ship were per person, not per room when I booked my cruise. But when switching between one and two guests in my search, the cost per person doubled when I had just one person selected. This is known as paying a "single supplement," as it helps the cruise line make up for the lost revenue that would have come from having a second person on board, according to the LA Times.
For $2,000, I got an ocean-view stateroom to myself. It would have cost about half the price per person if I had brought someone with me.
Insider paid for the room, per the company's reporting standards.
Read more: I spent 7 nights in a 179-square-foot room on the world's largest cruise ship. Take a look inside my cabin.