Travel Q&A.(Travel & Leisure)

Byline: ANDREA SACHS, AND ELISSA LEIBOWITZ POMA The Washington Post

Q My wife recently passed away. I wish to continue taking cruises, but I got sticker shock when I learned of the cost for a single supplement. Are there any cruise lines sailing the Caribbean that waive the single supplement or offer half-price options for single travelers? I am a senior and can travel last-minute.

A For solo cruisers, the most obvious options are: Pay twice as much for a cabin (i.e., buy two beds, sleep in one); be matched with a total stranger and share a room as small and intimate as a bathroom; or find a friend -- and fast. "The cruise lines have not been very open-minded about lowering their fares for single travelers," says Tammy Weiler, president of Singles Travel International, an agency that assists solo …