Speaking of staterooms, mine was cozy but came with a catch as a solo traveler. Apparently, cruising can be more challenging and expensive when you go alone, so I recommend taking a vacation buddy.
Because most cruise-ship staterooms are meant to hold at least two people, booking a room by yourself often means paying higher prices that are equivalent to two people. According to Cruise Critic, some cruise ships have solo cabins priced for one passenger, but it's not common. For example, Royal Caribbean has some ships with single occupancy staterooms, but my ship didn't offer them.
The listed rates for my ship were per person, not per room like most hotels. 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 the "single supplement," as it helps the cruise line make up for the revenue that would have come from a second person on board, according to the LA Times.
My total cost was $2,000 for an ocean-view stateroom. It would have cost about half the price per person if I had brought someone with me.
It would have been more fun, too. While there were many social activities and friendly cruisers who chatted with me, I found myself feeling lonely on the ship. I longed to have a conversation with someone who knew me and to share my experiences in new places with a loved one. I usually enjoy solo trips, but being surrounded by so many families and groups of friends made me wish I could be with mine.