jrose1982

Take a look at the description of Ocean Medallion Class. That's how Princess will be charging for drinks in the future.

Nice! Thank you!

Sorry to resurrect an old thread, but I have some ideas...

I'm glad to see them moving away from receipts. All the receipts on my first cruise drove me crazy. I'd be sitting by the pool, in a swimsuit, and order a drink. I get the receipt and... what do I do with this? No pockets, no bag. I had put my room key on a lanyard just for that situation. I got home and found a couple dozen receipts tucked into the pages of the books I read, just cause I didn't have anywhere else to put them.

Here's what I'd like to see: Have customers sign a touch screen with all the receipt information shown, then save the receipt w/signature to the account page. Then we can check our account, click on a charge, and see the receipt. If, for some reason, a charge was erroneously posted to our room, it'll be obvious with a glance at the receipt. And no more scraps of paper. We wouldn't have to stand in line to dispute a charge either, just use the room phone and tell them which charge it is, they would be able to see the same thing we see.

Square already does something similar. There is a cafe in my office building that uses Square Cash. The first time I bought something from them, I entered my email address to have the receipt emailed to me. Since then, anytime I use that card with a business that uses Square, I get a receipt in email without having to re-enter it. If anybody else tries to use that card at a retailer that uses Square, I will get an email automatically.

Another example of good charge management is Capital One's Wallet App. When I use my Capital One credit card for anything, I get a notification on my iPhone that there's been a charge. I see it as soon as it posts to my account, so I will see anything fraudulent right away. Since Princess is now letting you see your on-board account from your smartphone, they could do a similar system to alert you the moment somebody authorizes a charge to your account, allowing you to call it out right after it happens.

I get it just fine. People are complaining about a POTENTIAL PROBLEM. When there's a real problem, it's easy to fix. Maybe I just have a different approach to things.

Not a single person here as said "I couldn't find a place to sit, and somebody was reading, and they wouldn't move." Everybody has said (basically) "I saw somebody reading". whine, whine, whine.

If it's really a problem you ask somebody to move. If you don't have to ask somebody to move, then it's not really a problem.

Cranky? Some folks are just plain shy or need a whole table. A person taking up the whole table just reading while folks are walking around looking for places to eat is just rude. No other word for it. There are plenty of places on a ship to sit and read during meal times. I experienced this very problem last year when Sally and I took our elderly mothers on a cruise. I never noticed it before because Sally and I typically eat out doors or on the balcony. But our mothers insisted eating inside and my eyes were opened to the number of single readers holding a table.

 

Burt

I understand that. What I'm calling Cranky, is when you label somebody else rude simply because you're not getting what you want. I'll be honest, I've done it (usually when I can't make a turn while my light is green because somebody is crossing the street I'm turning onto; or for other whiny crap like that). These labels don't stand up to examination and neither does this one. You don't get what you want, you start looking for somebody to blame, and you find somebody whose behavior is in some way not what you think it should be. That's when the labels start. That's the scenario I'm talking about.

What I'm seeing here, is people who don't want to share a table see somebody occupying a seat; envision how that could potentially lead to them having to share a table; and then they decide that it's positively wrong.

And putting one person's selfish desire to not share a table against somebody else's selfish desire to sit at a table and read does not make sense. One is not better than the other, they are equal.

I can also balance your "there of plenty of places to sit and read" with there were seven other chairs at that one table alone where somebody could sit and eat.

Because, while there are many places to sit and read, there are not many places outside the eating areas where you can pull a chair up to a table (which some might prefer just as much as others prefer to have a table to themselves). So one person's insistence that she not read in the buffet is equal in merits with her choice to do it anyway.

Further, nobody seems to consider that she might have been hoping that others would join her. Sitting at a 2-seater is just shy of a guarantee nobody is going to share your table. Even if it's crowded, it's more likely somebody will the take the empty chair to another table. Sitting alone at a table for 8 says "there's room here, come join me".

And whether you think this behavior is rude or not, there is absolutely no need or excuse to deal with it by being rude. In fact, responding with rudeness is counterproductive.

You can politely ask if you can share the table. If you need a whole table, you can politely ask if they will be done with the table soon. These are good manners.

If I were reading and somebody asks politely to share my table, I will say yes. And it will pull my attention away from my book long enough to notice if the area is really crowded. It which case, I'll probably decide to leave. If somebody politely asks me if I'll be done with my table soon, it will have the same affect.

If somebody behaves rudely about my reading in an eating area, I'll still share the table if they need a place to sit. But I'm going to stay put and continue to read until they leave (that's the counterproductive part).

There are lot's of places on the map that have malaria.

The Center for Disease Control create a map application to find out if a place you are visiting has malaria:

http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/map/

Here's a snapshot of the Caribbean (since that's such a popular cruise destination).

The red and yellow have malaria.

Good point. See, I never pay attention to those questions unless my answer is yes. I just vaguely remember seeing a whole page about Mad Cow Disease in the information book. But I've never been to any of the countries listed, so I skimmed it and moved on.

But you understand what I mean right? I'm just discovering that my interest in blood donation has many potential conflicts with my desire to travel the world. I'm just gonna have to pay more attention when I'm making my future travel plans.

I returned from my first cruise about 6 weeks ago. This morning I attempted to donate blood at my local blood bank and was deferred for a year because two ports of call (Cozumel and Costa Maya) are in "malarial areas".

This is very disappointing. My niece has a bad liver, and helping others by donating blood was something I intended to vent my frustration over all the ways that I can't help her. And now I learn I can't donate again until 1 year after I visited Cozumel.

And I'm planning another international vacation for next year - into "Mad Cow Disease" areas. So I'll have a time window to donate once (maybe twice, if I time it right) and then I'll probably have to wait another year.

If donating blood is something that's important to you, be sure to add it to your pre-cruise checklist.

Be aware that certain vaccinations can also disqualify you if get them within 8 weeks of donating. And you probably don't want to donate blood the day before you get on the plane either. You should give yourself a couple days before doing anything as stressful as cross-country travel.

I still don't see that she did anything wrong. There's no reason a larger group or some mix of singles and couples couldn't share the table with her. The only reason she would need a smaller table is if she didn't want to share.

But now I think I understand why this bothers some people: People lingering in the buffet probably doesn't often cause others to not sit down and eat, it just makes them share a table with strangers. Somebody that doesn't like to share could get offended by this (I sometimes get cranky too, if I don't get what I want).

She wasn't eating on any of the days that I saw her. She plunked herself down at a large table to read, not eat. Why would I want to join her, even if I were were eating? Sorry, not interested.

Now I really don't understand. Wasn't it your complaint that it was busy and she was occupying a table? In which case, there are other seats at that table that somebody that needs a table can occupy. That's a reason why you, or somebody else looking for a seat, might want to join her. My point is that her sitting there and reading was occupying 1 seat, not a whole table. There is nothing at all preventing others from using that table if they only have enough manners to ask.

And if there are other tables to sit at, than why do you care that was reading and not eating?

I've been a single cruiser on several cruises, so I can relate. However, when it's lunchtime and there are a lot of people looking for tables where they can eat in a designated eating area, it's plain rude and selfish for anyone to be sitting at a table reading and not eating. I have seen that several times. The worst was a woman sitting at a table where eight people could have sat. She was not eating, she sat there reading, and I saw her do it every day.

She was probably reading because she felt awkward eating alone, and probably sitting at an 8-person table hoping somebody would join her. I don't suppose you ever asked her if you could join her?

I spend a lot of time alone, and I'm very shy. I often read to distract myself and sometimes it works too well. But if I've got a table to myself, and somebody asks to use the empty seats, I will happily say yes.

If we (DH and I) were not having any luck finding a seat. I would have no trouble parking myself at their table.

I might ask "Are you alone"? If they answer yes. We're sharing, like it or not.

It seems kind of silly hearing people complain about tables not available - especially this one about singles. I went on my first cruise alone and had no problems at all finding a seat, even when the buffet was full. I simply asked "can I join you?" and the answer was always "yes" or "be my guest" or (worst case) "somebody's sitting there, but you can sit here". Nobody would say no unless they have a reason ("our friends are joining us", etc.)

Sure, if you're looking for your own table there's gonna be a problem. But if you're willing to sit with others, even a busy meal time can be quite pleasant. Just ask.

I think the Getaway is a brand new ship, just launched last month (I think?)

So I wouldn't expect to find as many reviews as you'll find for Liberty of the Seas.

Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful time!

He was adopted by our tablemates and was always seen with them having a great time.

Yup, I think that happens quite often. Everybody I met was very accepting.

I think there's something about cruising that brings out the best in most people.

I found it was much easier to make friends on my cruise than it ever is in my real life.

Perhaps it's just the matter of not having any stress to distract you from behaving the way you really want to. Or not having any agendas to get in the way of appreciating people for who they are instead of what they can do for you.

One more point: I never felt like anybody pitied me for being alone. I felt like they were curious to start, and then impressed once I confirmed that I was alone.

Most the times that I was adopted were during excursions. When I left the ship I felt vulnerable because I was alone, and obviously a tourist, therefore an easy target to somebody with bad intentions. That's why I booked my excursions through the cruise line and stayed close to my fellow passengers. They all knew I was alone, but an outsider probably couldn't tell.

On excursions, I was very open to making friends with anybody with good intentions, and I think my fellow passengers picked up on that and stuck with me until we were all back on board.

Some ideas about your excursions:

Key West: I'm guessing this will be your first port day? If it is, then you might not have time to make friends before you go. Maybe book a tour through the cruise line and then you can meet people on the tour. Once it's over, tell them what you want to do and invite them to join you. It'll cost a bit more than it needs to, but you'll have the advantage of being able to find your fellow passengers while you're in port. If you've already been there and know some cool stuff to do, other passengers that have never been there will appreciate having you.

Cozumel: I didn't spend any time in Cozumel. I took the ferry to Playa del Carmen. But I recall there was a beautiful beach right there by the ferry dock. You probably won't need to book a tour to find fellow passengers there. Just pay attention to faces while you're on the boat and if you recognize somebody just ask if you can join them.

thank you so much... I have actually considered switching my early dining to late.. but do you think if they put me with much younger solos, it will be awkward for them... ?? I don't mind what age group they put me with... just as long as they are a fun group and not looking at me, feeling sorry for me...

You know, when I think about it, years ago, I was on a cruise with my bf and we were sitting on the main floor at a ten top. 3 other couples showed up for dinner so there were two empty seats. At a ten top nearby, there was a fellow sitting all alone. We all decided that we would ask him if he wanted to join us... and he did. He was adopted by our tablemates and was always seen with them having a great time.

Sitting with younger passengers won't be awkward at all, for anybody really. I'm 31. On my recent cruise I was definitely aware of being in a minority age-group. But people are fun at all ages. My first meal on the ship was in the buffet where I found a seat with a nice couple in their 60's. I only mentioned the younger crowd in case it meant something to you (I didn't know how old you are). I started my first cruise looking for people my own age because I thought I would have a better chance of making friends that way. That proved to be false (at least for me). Most of the people I met were in their 50's or older.

The important thing is to do what you want. Imagine if you were going with a friend. And the friend didn't know which dining to sign up for, so it's up to you. Which would you choose? That's what you should choose for your solo cruise.

On my cruise there was a singles group that met every day at 5, then went to dinner at 6. Some of us stopped having dinner with the group just because it was too early for us to eat. But I heard later that they still had 20-30 people at every event. And those of us that liked to eat later often ran into each other on the ship and made dinner plans that way. Those ended up being the people that I exchanged emails with at the end. (That was on Norwegian Epic, with the solo cabins and freestyle dining).

Just do what you want to do. You'll meet others that want to do the same thing. If you try to manipulate your plans to meet people and it doesn't quite work, you'll be alone AND doing something you don't really want to be doing.

There was one night when I left the adult-only pool because it was too crowded and went to one of the hot tubs in the family area. I was soon joined by a woman and her daughter who was probably less than 2 years old. I don't think either of them spoke English well. But the daughter was curious and just tall enough that she could walk on the seat with her chest and shoulders out of the water. She would walk right up to me and I would make funny faces or funny noises. She would laugh, run back to her mom, and then come back and wait for me to do something again. We all had fun. That 30 year age difference wasn't awkward at all. :)

When they left, I was joined by two very talkative girls about 9-10 years old. They told me all about the big water slide and how I seriously had to try it - which I did.

I have been on 25 cruises, have my 26 booked for May. The first 16 were with my bf that I lived with. Since our breakup, I met someone else that I was with for long time and we went on one cruise together. Unfortuneatly, I found he was a liar and had been stringing me along for two and a half years, pretending to be going through a very difficult divorce. So, that ended. I continued cruising with my sweet daughter. After many cruises together, several of her friends joined us. It became what was to be a yearly girls cruise. last year my daughter couldn't go because she was pregnant. So I went with our friends, and a guy that used to work with me.

This year, she is going on her first with her bf and the girls are skipping a year.

So, lo and behold, i will be on my first solo(really need a vacation). This will be my first cruise without having loved ones to share it with. While I know, I can have fun, i am afraid i will be very sad because no loved ones will be with me.

I have had thoughts of cancelling, but people keep telling me to just go ahead and go, and enjoy myself.

I won't be afraid to leave my cabin. I have done it many times by myself because the ones I travel with all sleep in. As far as excursions.. key west.. seems like it will be boring by myself... have been there before with family... it just seems like you should be with someone to have good time there. Cozumel... probably will take a cab to a beach. Been there many times... but never alone. I am not afraid. Just not sure about that feeling of loneliness. Maybe I will hop on the catamaran to Passion Island. I have done Passion Island before, but seemed like it was mostly couples. And I don't want to be the only solo there with all these very happy couples. Won't have to worry about a cab. Can hop on right at the pier.

Dinner?? this one baffles me. I chose early dining... but am considering changing to late. maybe more solos will be on late dining. If I were younger, maybe it would be easier for me... but in my mid fifties... feeling quite nervous. Should I cancel until I feel more comfortable?

Don't cancel. Putting it off will only make it look scarier. And you're gonna have a great time.

Like others have said, you already know what to expect from cruising, so the solo part is just an adjustment.

Once you get over your nerves, you'll probably have MORE fun than you ever did before.

Here are some tips:

Excursions: If you're worried about doing excursions alone, you can try to meet other people on board and invite them to join you. You can also go on cruise line excursions, because then you're pretty much guaranteed you'll be with other cruisers. I went with the cruise line excursions and found that once other people found out I was solo, they kind of adopted me into their group (even if only for that excursion). So I never felt lonely. I noticed cruise line passengers seem to have an unspoken code of watching out for each other when on shore. This is more so when you actually have a conversation with somebody and learn each others' names.

Dinner: You might meet more solos at late dining, and probably a younger crowd. But if you usually prefer early dining than do early dining. The important thing is to do what you naturally do. Others who are like you in whatever way will be drawn to you.

Don't worry about just meeting other solos. You can have just as much fun making friends with couples. The thing about solo travelers is that, once you've done it a few times, you become very accustomed to doing whatever you want. So the solos will be happy to hang out with you, but they are also going to enjoy their freedom above all else. Whereas couples will sympathize more with how you're feeling, because traveling alone probably seems a little scary to them too. Seasoned solo travelers don't feel that fear anymore, and many might not remember it very clearly either.

It sounds like you are not accustomed to the level of freedom you will have while traveling alone. That can be overwhelming. All this freedom, what am I gonna do with it? So, give yourself a mission to take your mind off it. Meet lots of people, and make it a game to remember as many names as you possibly can. You might get to see them again later on the ship, and if you remember their name it will make them like you even more.

As you start to get comfortable you'll find yourself thinking "I want to..." And then you'll realize that there's no reason whatsoever why you can't. That's the turning point.

I have short, wide, flat feet. So finding comfortable shoes has always been a challenge. So challenging that buying online is extremely frustrating and I won't even try it anymore.

I finally found a local shoe store that specializes in comfortable shoes. My store is in Anchorage and called The Alaska Walking Store. I suggest you look for a good shoe store in your home town and try some shoes on.

Look for a store that sells Keen, Merrill, Dansko, and other brands known for comfort and quality. You should be aware that what is comfortable for one person won't be comfortable for everyone. For example, my friend loves her Merrills. I can't wear them. I've heard some complain about Keens being too heavy, but I love mine and wear them everywhere. I've heard people complain that Dansko are too inflexible. Again, I love mine.

Be ready to spend some money. I think each of my comfortable shoes cost $100-150. But they are cute, comfortable, and durable.

I went on my first cruise last month. It was 7-days in the Western Caribbean.

I made a few mistakes, but I think there's one thing I did very, very right. I thought I should share here for anybody that finds it helpful.

I went to REI and bought clothes made out of quick drying, moisture wicking fabric.

I bought 2 shirts: 1 long sleeve, 1 short sleeve, both button-front so I can layer them with a swim suit to get a different look.

I also bought 2 pairs of convertible pants: 1 that converts between pants and shorts, 1 that converts between pants, capris, and shorts.

I added to those 4 items: 1 sundress, 1 cocktail dress, 2 swim suits, and the normal underwear that I wear at home.

The idea was that with the quick drying fabric, I can wash my clothes in the sink in my room and they would dry over night. This worked great for my new clothes, not so great with my old clothes. Even my underwear took too long dry.

(Note: I was prepared for the dresses to take a while to dry. And since I only wore those for a couple hours in the evening, I just sprayed them with Febreeze and hung them up. I did not expect my underwear to take so long, but I brought more than I thought I would need, so that was ok.)

Another benefit to the quick drying clothes: I'm from a cold climate and I tend to sweat if there's any humidity. These clothes kept me dry, cool, and comfortable even in the humidity of Miami. I loved them so much that I ordered some quick-drying underwear as soon as I got home (as the sweat around my crotch was really annoying).

And one more benefit I should mention: These clothes were designed for travel. They all have zippered pockets in the front so it's difficult for somebody to get into your pockets without you catching them.

If you're trying to pack light, I highly recommend getting some quick drying clothes.

If you think this idea will suit you, just search for "quick drying" or "moisture wicking" at REI or other sporting goods store websites. I found several companies that sell them, but I'm a big girl and only REI had the items I wanted in my size.

This was the best expense of my whole trip, one that I have no regret at all (not even wishing for a lower price).

My experience was that I wouldn't wear a pair of boots or shoes that I was afraid of getting dirty or wet. It's rough terrain in Alaska. I wore boots that were water-resistant and warm. We went in early Aug.:D

Yes, definitely. As I live here, I don't BUY shoes if getting them dirty or wet is gonna cause me problems.

I guess I should have paid more attention when I was reading the OP.

I've lived in Anchorage for 3 years and have not needed boots in June, ever. Last May we got a freak snow storm that dumped several inches of snow on us. But that's extremely rare. And locals were still wearing tennis shoes.

People around here really like Bogs. They can be worn with warm socks in the winter and keep their feet warm and dry. They can also be worn with lighter socks in the summer just to keep their feet dry. I have seen people wear them year-round.

If you like your boots, and they're comfortable, and you can wear them even if it's warm and dry out, then bring 'em.

Don't worry too much about fashion in Alaska. This is a very practical state, nobody is going to criticize your clothes (unless you look like your fashion choices are leaving you cold, wet, and miserable; we'll criticize you for that ;)).

Wear comfortable shoes for the activity. If you also like how they look, that's a bonus.

Bear in mind, that the stops on most Alaska Cruises are small towns (very few come into Anchorage). These towns have a lot of gravel roads, not many sidewalks, and what they have is heavily damaged by frost heave, earthquakes, and other problems.

So don't wear any shoes you're not comfortable wearing on uneven terrain.

Also, when I got to the metrorail station at the airport there was an employee there ready to help anybody that needed it. She kept asking people "where are you trying to go, I can help."

Thanks for posting these pics Darkewolfe. Small camera or not, they're great pictures.

I'm consider a cruise on Serenade of the Seas for next year, so I especially appreciate your pictures of the ship.

Cheat sheets are a good idea. You can print the system map from Miami-Dade's website. There are individual route maps as well, but those are mostly worthless to somebody that doesn't know the area (the Route 11 map started to make sense to me on my last day there).

If you visit the station at the airport (or any station for that matter) you can pick up all kinds of maps and guides. I found a "Visitors' Guide" that tells you exactly which routes to take to get to popular tourist destinations. I think that one's on their website as well.

In my hotel I found brochures for some of the things I wanted to do and they included specific directions on how to get there by transit (i.e. take the green line south, get off here, turn left, walk 2 blocks, cross at the light, etc.)

I used the system map to identify one route to get from my hotel to the nearest Metrorail station, then mostly just used the visitors guide to get everywhere else.

Seriously, take some time to explore their website, they've got lots of resources.

Also, I think Miami-Dade has a phone number you can call to get trip planning help. Find it on the website and load it into your cell phone before you go (just in case).

I found the most cost-effective way to get around was to buy day passes at the station in the airport. I got 1 for each day I was there ($5.65 each). Each one becomes active the 1st time you use it and after that it's good for the rest of the day. I ended up spending 2 days "recovering" from my travels so I gave the 2 remaining unactivated passes to a hotel employee when I checked out. I told him they were unactivated and good for a full day each, and he said "that will make somebody very happy".

One more thing (I think somebody may have already mentioned this) finding the bus station at the airport is easy because it's well-signed. But it took me about 1/2 hour to walk to it. Wear good walking shoes.

You can also use the trip planner tool on Miami-Dade County's website:

http://www.miamidade.gov/transit/fares.asp

Personally, I would use both. Neither is perfect.

I'd be hesitant to use public transit if I'd never used it close to home. It can be a little overwhelming. And the more developed the network is, the harder it is to navigate.

I just completed my first solo cruise (also my first cruise), so I thought I should follow up. Partly because I largely disagree with the guy that said not to do NCL. I was on Norwegian Epic, and I liked the freestyle dining.

On the Epic, they have a singles meetup every day at 5 o'clock, then the group goes to dinner at one of the main dining rooms at 6. I only went once (because 6 is way to early for me to eat). After that, I would run into people I met in the group (who also didn't like eating at 6) and would make dinner or entertainment plans with them. I really liked the freestyle dining because I like doing what I want, when I want. You need to know yourself. If you find structure to be comforting, than freestyle cruising is probably not the best choice for you.

My dining experiences:

Day 1) Had lunch in the buffet. I found a couple that had a big table to themselves. I asked if I could join them, they said yes, and we had a nice lunch together. I realized in this meal that sitting with older couples is really good idea if you're shy. Because most of them have cruised dozens of times before and they look forward to sharing their past cruising experience. If they're talking, than I don't have to.

Dinner was during the Superbowl. They had a buffet in Spice H2O (they usually only have snacks there). I found another person sitting alone, and asked if I could join her. She ended up being very outgoing (which makes it easier for me) so we ended up talking and having a great time. She became my Epic BFF, so to speak. If she was shy like me, I probably would have read my book, watched the game, and made small talk. But we both would have been fine.

Day 2) Slept through breakfast, had lunch at the buffet again. Sat with another older couple and had a good time. For dinner I went with the singles group. Afterwards, several of us went to the FABBA party in Spice and had a great time.

Day 3) In port. Had a quick breakfast before leaving the ship. Got back early, had a quick lunch alone, and sat in the hot tub with some couples that have cruised so many times that they don't even leave the ship any more. Again, more stories about past cruises. I left the pool area at about 7, and went to the main dining room. I asked to be seated with other people, and I was seated at a table for 6 - 1 couple and 3 other singles. Ended up going to the Legends show with the other singles.

Day 4) Spent most the day reading and soaking up the sun. I had no interest in talking to people, so I didn't. Just before 6, I went to my room to start thinking about dinner. I ran into 2 guys I met in the singles group and learned they were ditching the group to go to a specialty restaurant. So I broke a record getting dressed and joined them. This was a very fun dinner (at Teppenyaki). The food was worth every penny of the cover charge, but I wouldn't have done it if I wasn't invited by those guys.

Now the days are starting to blend together. I made more plans with people as I ran into them. I had dinner 2 more times in the main dining room. Both times requested to be seated with other people. One time they couldn't do it for some reason, so I ate alone. But the staff was friendly and kept popping up to keep me company.

For most of the cruise, I simply did whatever I felt like doing in the moment. And it worked out well every time. Oh, if you do go on the Epic, be sure to go down the big slide. At least once.

The best tips I have for shy people: If you don't know what to say, just smile. Focus hard on remembering people's names. This should distract you from your nerves quite well. Don't be afraid to admit to other cruisers that you're cruising alone. Most people seemed to respond with admiration. On excursions when people learned I was alone they kind of adopted me, so it wasn't immediately obvious to anybody outside the tour group that I was alone. This made me feel very safe. Most cruisers seem to have the "look out for each other" philosophy towards other cruisers, especially other cruisers who are alone. That doesn't mean you won't run into a bad seed. But the more people you talk to, you're less vulnerable to the bad seeds, because the good ones will have your back.

My toughest cruising-alone-moment was getting into and out of the wet suit at Rio Secreto. The others all had partners to help them with the zippers in back. But the women closest to me helped without hesitation when they realized I was alone. Traveling alone makes others more open to you, so it's actually easier to be social than it would be if you had a friend with you.