Sailing solo

SAILING on a ship with thousands of other people may seem strange or scary to the introvert in search of relaxation, but a cruise might just be the ticket for a solo vacation. And with cruise companies increasingly wooing the single traveller, such deals are getting sweeter.

By now, it is not uncommon for cruise lines to waive or reduce the 10-100 per cent above standard rate fare supplement for lone travellers. Other perks include singles-friendly cocktail hours (offered by Cunard), solo traveller parties (Holland America), and even companion-hosts to dine and dance with (Crystal).

"We do get a lot of singles who sail with us regularly," says Melvyn Yap, regional director for Asia at Silversea Cruises, the Italian family-owned ultra-luxe line. "On selected sailings, we lower the single supplements. It is much easier for singletons to mingle on a smaller ship as compared to a mega ship." The line's Silver Cloud and Silver Wind ships, for instance, each cater to fewer than 300 passengers at a time.