Anyone travelled solo on Cunard?

Hi

Im thinking of booking as a solo cruiser on Cunard QV in september. I'd be interested in hearing about the experiences of any solo cruisers. The itinerary looks great but I'm worried that the onboard experience may be too geared around couples. Any views?

Thanks in anticipation

Nothing to worry about at all. There are dozens of solo guests on Cunard each voyage ( I've just got off QM2, 175 celebration and there were 106 solo guests onboard for almost the 20 day trip)

Believe me, travelling solo on Cunard is the best kept secret there is so much to do and You'll end up meeting, talking and making new friends with so many people, I doubt if couples get to do that ;)

I traveled on last year's QV World Voyage solo. I'm a male and had a great time. There were many other solo passengers and became friends with many of them along with many of the couples.

They had activities for solo passengers although I attended few. Most of the time I didn't feel "alone". Traveling solo has it's advantages. One seat left on a tour bus, easy seating in the theater. I would not hesitate to travel solo on Cunard again.

Go and have a great time.

Don

I've only sailed solo but on QM2 not the QV. I ask to be seated at a table for 6-8 for dining so I'm assured of conversation at meals. They will mix solos together with couples.

You'll find that people are friendly and you will have no problem making conversation or interacting with fellow passengers. (I've only encountered a cold reception once. This might have been due to the couple having had a past bad experience where a needy and lonely solo latched on to them.)

Hello Brimming irk,

My wife and I have been on two cruises,not with,but sometimes in the company of Bell Boy.

If you are ever fortunate enough to meet him, don't blink,follow him,he is like a social butterfly.

Rodger.

I've traveled solo on the QE2, QM2, QV, and QE and had a great time on all 4 Cunard ships.

Thanks everyone .... your comments are really helpful in allaying my concerns ..off to book my cruise. Happy cruising everyone

Thanks everyone .... your comments are really helpful in allaying my concerns ..off to book my cruise. Happy cruising everyone

I have done two half world cruises on QE these past two years and love travelling solo. Always ask for a table of 8 and there will be a mixture of solos and couples. I so enjoyed my trips.

I have spent 130 days sailing solo on Cunard (QE). There is a solo travellers get together each sea day, usually a solo luncheon in the MDR during the cruise and a meeting place for any solos who want to explore a port together (who are not on excursions). Cunard attracts many solo travellers - on the 2014 QE World Voyage there were over 80 solos out of about 525 doing the full world cruise.

Hi

 

Im thinking of booking as a solo cruiser on Cunard QV in september. I'd be interested in hearing about the experiences of any solo cruisers. The itinerary looks great but I'm worried that the onboard experience may be too geared around couples. Any views?

 

Thanks in anticipation

Bar one cruise, I have always cruised solo. It's great having the entire stateroom to yourself. While there are elements geared to couples, I have never found myself without anything to do.

Dining is never a lonely affair, unless that is what you desire. And all the shipboard daytime activities are geared towards solos and couples alike. In fact, you'll find there are a number of couple who split up during the mornings to do their own thing before coming together at lunch. Others are inseparable - but even then I have casually chatted to many couples on cruises.

Yes, there will be the odd person or couple who pities solo travellers, but as I said to one, I pity those who have to share a stateroom! I don't know how people do it for longer than a couple of days (which is the length of my shared cruise - great but never again without two separate staterooms).

If you are comfortable in your own skin, solo cruising can be a rewarding holiday experience.

Hi

 

Im thinking of booking as a solo cruiser on Cunard QV in september. I'd be interested in hearing about the experiences of any solo cruisers. The itinerary looks great but I'm worried that the onboard experience may be too geared around couples. Any views?

 

Thanks in anticipation

I kind of hope "Jimsgirl" can post here. She's traveled solo for years & is one of the best to answer this question. We've seen many pax travel solo & they all seem to have a ball.A cruise is simply what YOU decide to make of it. The refitting of single cabins,obviously shows Cunard is concerned about making single pax more comfortable.

I kind of hope "Jimsgirl" can post here. She's traveled solo for years & is one of the best to answer this question. We've seen many pax travel solo & they all seem to have a ball.A cruise is simply what YOU decide to make of it. The refitting of single cabins,obviously shows Cunard is concerned about making single pax more comfortable.

I don't agree with your thoughts as to why Cunard are fitting single cabins to their ships. I believe that they are merely responding to what other lines are offering and the prices that they charge still contain about a 50% surcharge on top of the usual fare. For this they provide a small cabin when for slightly more you could get a "normal" double cabin. I know what I would prefer for such a minimal difference in price. I have travelled solo on all three Cunard ships many times. I don't think that Cunard could care less about making solo travellers comfortable.

I agree. If there is not a significant price decrease then I will continue to book a regular cabin. On the topic of is there enough for a solo traveler to do on Cunard -- definitely! Much more than other lines I have sailed. Katherine

That, and the new "solo" staterooms are to have double bed. Sometime in the future they might be sold as double occupancy, just with the understanding the bed cannot be twinned as in a standard stateroom.

I'm about to embark on my first solo cruise with Cunard so it's good to read the responses to this very timely question. I've done many solo trips with Crystal, and enjoyed the company of some amazing travelers by always choosing to sit at the table for 8. I met a group of fun-loving Aussies on my last cruise and I've booked to cruise the Caribbean with one of them in November. It's a great way to meet people from all over the world and it certainly beats staying home alone!

I just finished a trip and was solo. Believe me, if you are the least bit outgoing at all you will find fellow travelers to link up and do things with. On the QM2 last week there was a solo traveler coffee group on the itinerary that met pretty much every morning which was nice for finding others to do things with.

I don't agree with your thoughts as to why Cunard are fitting single cabins to their ships. I believe that they are merely responding to what other lines are offering and the prices that they charge still contain about a 50% surcharge on top of the usual fare. For this they provide a small cabin when for slightly more you could get a "normal" double cabin. I know what I would prefer for such a minimal difference in price. I have travelled solo on all three Cunard ships many times. I don't think that Cunard could care less about making solo travellers comfortable.

Oh well..The thought was there!

I'm soloing on QM2 in November - first time for me.

That reason I'm going solo is that I'm actually "travelling" somewhere as opposed to just "cruising" - this being an ocean liner as opposed to a cruise ship.

For that reason I would imagine that TA crossings have more solos than any other category of sailing - I just wish that we still lived in the era of 4 day TA crossings, for me it's the perfect compromise between flying across in 8 hours and crawling across in 8 days.

Of all the cruises I have been on in the last 15 years, this one holds more excitement for me than any of them. Sailing alone and with the purpose of actually going somewhere as opposed to just steaming in a circle really brings out my spirit of adventure.

for me it's the perfect compromise between flying across in 8 hours and crawling across in 8 days.

There is SO much to do on board that the 8 days felt like 8 hours! I absolutely could not believe it when the last couple days arrived.

Hi,

I have sailed solo aboard Cunard ships many times and always had a wonderful time. Most recently, I did solo transatlantic crossings on the QM2 (November 2014) and Queen Victoria (April 2015) and loved it. I always request a large table in the restaurant for dinner. In addition to dinner, I usually meet people at the following activities: Cruise Critic Meet & Greet, afternoon tea, trivia, lectures, and at open seating in the restaurant for breakfast and lunch. The passengers on Cunard ships always seem to be particularly interesting.

Chuck