SSLDR

After 8 consecutive Disney Cruises I'm starting to venture out and try other cruise lines.  I've sailed on HAL, RCCL and next month I will sail on NCL.  So far compared to HAL and RCCL I do prefer DCL for two reasons... Service and Entertainment which are at the top of my list. I do not agree that it's worth 2 or 3 times more than the other cruise lines but people are paying these prices. 

I'll be sailing solo and staying in one of those studio cabins on NCL in January 2019.  I've sailed solo on DCL, RCL, and HAL and all of them have some sort of single/solo cruisers meet & greet so there is ample opportunities to meet up with other solo cruisers if that's your thing. Based on what I read for NCL studio cabins they host gatherings in the solo lounge everyday to arrange for group, couple or single dinner reservations and to discuss happenings around the ship. I'm looking forward to my upcoming cruise to see what NCL has to offer.

The majority of my cruises have been with Disney and they seat you with others in the MDR.  As a solo cruiser I prefer to dine alone but I was willing to go with the flow, however after my first dinner I knew I didn't want to be around these negative people so I asked the head waiter to move me to a solo table and he did.  Ever since that bad experience I've always requested my own table and received it.

I've dined solo numerous times in specialty restaurants on DCL, RCL and HAL and never gave it a second thought.  Don't worry about what others might think just do whatever you want and enjoy yourself.

I have a 3-foot ship model of the Disney Magic that my friends gifted me for my birthday a few years ago.  The detail is amazing and everyone that comes into my home gravitates towards it (it's such a big conversation piece). 

I'm a solo cruiser and I have stayed in balcony, ocean view and inside cabin categories on my 10+ cruises.  I don't spend a lot of time in the cabins but having a window stateroom helps me adjust to any timezone changes and I use the morning sunlight to wake me up.  However,  last year I sailed on the Anthem of the Seas and tried an inside cabin with virtual balcony which I found to be nice.  The virtual balcony was a full wall of the cabin with fake drapes and I enjoyed the added feature of having a remote control to turn it off if I wanted to.  What I typically do when booking a cruise is select an inside cabin for the cost savings but if the price of the cruise goes down I always upgrade.

Out of my 10+ cruises most have been on Disney Cruise Line and I have several wonderful items that I've collected from these various cruises.  My top favorites are; a one of a kind art piece made from the same steel used to make the Disney Fantasy, replica keel coin from the maiden voyage on the Disney Fantasy and various signed lithographs (which I had framed and matted). I have many more collectibles from my Disney Cruises.

I've been a confirmed light packer for years and have done several month long land/sea cruises with only a carry-on bag so packing cubes are essential. Actually I use compression packing cubes and I find them extremely useful for my travel needs.  Yeah, on these month long trips I may have to do laundry once or twice and the packing cubes help separate my dirty laundry from my clean.  As far as where I got them or how much they cost I really don't remember since I purchased them so long ago.  

I've used the same TA for about 8 years and for me the advantages of using them have varied but depending on the ship I'm on it can be shipboard credit, bottle of wine/champagne or fruit/cheese platter delivered to my stateroom.  Another advantage is that I like giving my TA my cruise parameters (dates, destinations, ships, budget, etc.) and I let them do the research and report back to me their findings for me to choose from. 

After 10+ solo cruises the best advice I provide is to pack half as much and bring twice as much money as planned. 

As a solo cruiser I once received an stateroom upgrade but I'm positive it had nothing to do with cruising solo. 

As a confirmed solo cruiser I like to sit in one of the lounges, maybe even near a pool, find a nice spot to read, watch a movie in the theatre (if the ship has a theater) or participate in an activity around the ship (arts and crafts, rock climbing, etc).   As far a dining well I prefer to be alone and have no problems requesting my own table and sitting alone. At ports I typically go scuba diving but I’ve also done all sorts of other activities like bicycle riding, kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling to name a few.  However I’ve also just explored the ports on my own.

I cruise and travel solo because I enjoy visiting new places and different cultures.  I’m a bit of an introvert and usually keep to myself and not talk to anyone but I’m active when I travel/cruise and will either go scuba diving, kayaking, bicycling, hiking, etc.  

I’m 52 and I’ve been on at least 10 solo cruises mostly on DCL but I’ve also been on cruises on HAL and RCCL.  I have an upcoming cruise on NCL in January 2019 and I’m excited to experience the solo stateroom and lounge area.