First solo cruise, any tips?

I just booked my first solo cruise last min for next week! [emoji4] Never cruised by myself but wanted a vacation before I started a new job in 2 weeks. My husband and kids couldn't go but I got a great last min. deal

This would be my 13th cruise so I know the ins and out on cruising.... I still can't believe I'm doing it!!!! Only thing I'm nervous about is dining at night

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Forums mobile app

I just booked my first solo cruise last min for next week! [emoji4] Never cruised by myself but wanted a vacation before I started a new job in 2 weeks. My husband and kids couldn't go but I got a great last min. deal

 

This would be my 13th cruise so I know the ins and out on cruising.... I still can't believe I'm doing it!!!! Only thing I'm nervous about is dining at night

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Forums mobile app

I've cruised solo numerous times and always had a great time. I'm a guy, so dining wasn't a problem for me and I usually chose late MDR and got seated at a large table with other solo cruisers. I also ate in the Steakhouse by myself each solo cruise.

You can choose what you want to do on sea days, and either be by yourself or with new friends you meet on the ship. You can do things on your time when you want to, and not have to consider what the rest of the family is doing. Go to the spa, read a book, meditate on the ocean, do the excursion you always secretly wanted to do, it's all your choice.

Go ahead and have a great cruise!

I just booked my first solo cruise last min for next week! [emoji4] Never cruised by myself but wanted a vacation before I started a new job in 2 weeks. My husband and kids couldn't go but I got a great last min. deal

 

This would be my 13th cruise so I know the ins and out on cruising.... I still can't believe I'm doing it!!!! Only thing I'm nervous about is dining at night

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Forums mobile app

I always ask John on his Facebook page to arrange for me to sit at a large round table with others on the main floor of the MDR at the late sitting. Never been disappointed. 49 of my cruises have been solo.

I've cruised solo numerous times and always had a great time. I'm a guy, so dining wasn't a problem for me and I usually chose late MDR and got seated at a large table with other solo cruisers. I also ate in the Steakhouse by myself each solo cruise.

 

You can choose what you want to do on sea days, and either be by yourself or with new friends you meet on the ship. You can do things on your time when you want to, and not have to consider what the rest of the family is doing. Go to the spa, read a book, meditate on the ocean, do the excursion you always secretly wanted to do, it's all your choice.

 

Go ahead and have a great cruise!

I agree with evandbob. I've done many solo cruises and absolutely love them for the reasons he stated. Sometimes I don't even get off the ship, but I've been to most of the ports over and over. I just love being on the ship, on the water, and away from daily life and work. It's very relaxing to cruise solo because you get to do exactly what you want to do when you want to do it. I'm not the type of person that minds eating alone. Sometimes I eat a big table with others and sometimes ask to be seated by myself. I enjoy both.

Enjoy that solo cruise!

Good advise from the others above. I too, cruise SOLO quite a lot, and many times the highlight of the evening is dining with my new friends at a BIG table, with other SOLO sailors. No "funny stuff" but just folks who might enjoy going to the show, the comedy club, karaoke or the piano bar with their new friends. I too, rarely leave the ship, but enjoy the serenity deck, with a good book, my I-pod or whatever. Bottom line,,,relax, and enjoy the relaxation.

"SKY"

I've been on 3 solo cruises and I guess I'm a little strange when it comes to eating. I don't mind eating on the Lido by myself (especially breakfast & lunch)- I just read my Kindle while eating - but I wouldn't feel comfortable eating alone in the MDR. As far as asking to be at a large table with other solos - when I went it was strictly to get away by myself and I had no desire to meet up with people.

For dinner, I would go to the Lido, make a plate & take it back to my room (sometimes I'd just grab a table but most of the time I'd go back to the cabin, eat and watch t.v. for 30 - 45 minutes, then back out again. On one of the cruises I was in a balcony & I would eat every meal out on the balcony enjoying the peace & quiet.

Although I love cruising with my family, those 3 cruises (out of 20) were also very enjoyable & I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

I always ask John on his Facebook page to arrange for me to sit at a large round table with others on the main floor of the MDR at the late sitting. Never been disappointed. 49 of my cruises have been solo.

I've never asked John for anything. Just request this with the MDR personnel when you arrive at the MDR. .

You don't even have to show them your card, all they ask is your room number.

Great thread. Although I've never cruised solo I just wanted to say that on my last cruise there was a solo cruiser who came to the Piano Bar every night and was the life of the party. The Piano Bar seems to be a great place to come if you're solo or not!

I cruise about 80% of the time solo. You do what you want to do, when you want to with no one else to have to worry about. You will meet plenty of people on the ship that will fill the void and if you’re willing, you might even get lucky! Enjoy

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Usually I cruise with my family but a couple of years ago I took advantage of a dirt cheap rate that had no single "supplement" and cruised solo. It was one of the best cruises I've ever experienced. My day was not affected by what other people wanted to do and I thoroughly enjoyed doing what I wanted to do. I booked early dining and table for two in the main dining room. I looked at the menu every morning and chose to eat in the dining room only when they offered food that I liked. Carnival assigned me to a table that was kind of private and away from the large tables. If you enjoy meeting new people, ask the Maitre d' to seat you at a large table with other solo travelers. The nights that I did not eat in the MDR, I took advantage of the buffet, deli, or pizza. I met some great people in the casino, bar, lido deck, etc.

A solo cruise provided me with the options to sleep late, eat whenever I was hungry, take naps on the deck in a lounger, gamble, attend tea time, miss shows that I've seen numerous times, stay on the ship in ports that I've visited many times, or just get off the ship and walk around the port area.

Please come back and post a review of your solo cruise. Have a great time!!!!

I have been on three solo cruises(fourth coming up in January ). I go to the MDR and sit by myself and have an enjoyable dinner. I use my time / any time dining and usually arrive at 5:45pm.

I attend most comedy shows and do spend a lot of time in the casino. I like traveling solo as I get to decide what I want to do and when I do it. Maybe it's because I have been lucky in the casino but I have always had a great time.

I have done a few solo cruises, lol, mostly mine are solo, by choice.

Advice is, go do it, try it, see if you like it, most likely you will, but just try at least once to see.

Things to enjoy, you room and bathroom to yourself, meet with others or not, up to you.

For the first solo cruise , I recommend fixted time dining, early or late, you usually end up at a larger table of solo cruisers, and can make friends or just nice to have some one to talk to over dinner.

Or do anytime dining, go alone, table alone if you prefer. but first solo cruise, I say go for a fixed table early or late.

Bests about solo cruises, get up when you want, go wherever do what you want and when you want. Enjoy

I always ask John on his Facebook page to arrange for me to sit at a large round table with others on the main floor of the MDR at the late sitting. Never been disappointed. 49 of my cruises have been solo.

You must have some really great stories from all of those solo cruises. Do you ever post reviews? (And, not to get off topic, do you always have to pay double occupancy, or do you finds deals that get around that?)

I've been on 3 solo cruises and I guess I'm a little strange when it comes to eating. I don't mind eating on the Lido by myself (especially breakfast & lunch)- I just read my Kindle while eating - but I wouldn't feel comfortable eating alone in the MDR. As far as asking to be at a large table with other solos - when I went it was strictly to get away by myself and I had no desire to meet up with people.

 

For dinner, I would go to the Lido, make a plate & take it back to my room (sometimes I'd just grab a table but most of the time I'd go back to the cabin, eat and watch t.v. for 30 - 45 minutes, then back out again. On one of the cruises I was in a balcony & I would eat every meal out on the balcony enjoying the peace & quiet.

 

Although I love cruising with my family, those 3 cruises (out of 20) were also very enjoyable & I wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

You are just like me in that regard. Sometimes it is truly great to just take the meal back to the cabin and eat.

Sit at a mixed tabel, and make some new friends! I have met some of my closest friends through travel, you never know who you'll come across. During the day, either spend some time with your new friends, or take some time to relax by yourself. I think you will enjoy the time of tranquility, and maybe you'll make some new friends along the way as well!

I always ask John on his Facebook page to arrange for me to sit at a large round table with others on the main floor of the MDR at the late sitting. Never been disappointed. 49 of my cruises have been solo.

Out of curiosity why did you pick late seating? I too am going on my first solo cruise on 11/25 and have always done Anytime Dining. However, I really want to be with other solo people so I need to pick either early or late seating. It has been many years since I have done late seating so I am tending to lean toward early seating but I can do either one.

Great thread. Although I've never cruised solo I just wanted to say that on my last cruise there was a solo cruiser who came to the Piano Bar every night and was the life of the party. The Piano Bar seems to be a great place to come if you're solo or not!

I have only cruised solo and I am a Piano Bar-Barian, lol! I don't go to any of the shows, the piano bar is my place; so far, so good, knock wood, haven't had a bad piano bar entertainer.

Frankly, I live alone in 1000 square feet, so I'm not keen on sharing less that 300 square feet with someone else. You can come and go as you please, eat when and where you want without having to have a meeting about it :D I just got off of the Breeze last Sunday and I spent a lot of time solo in my cabin, just to decompress and get some rest.

I've never bothered John Heald, just state your preference when you show up for dinner. Some nights I want to be alone, some nights I am open to sharing a table. On the Breeze last week I had an amazing head waiter who kept me entertained so I stayed solo all week, although there was cross-talk in the area.

Enjoy!

Out of curiosity why did you pick late seating? I too am going on my first solo cruise on 11/25 and have always done Anytime Dining. However, I really want to be with other solo people so I need to pick either early or late seating. It has been many years since I have done late seating so I am tending to lean toward early seating but I can do either one.

As a guy I picked late MDR because I thought my dinner tablemates might be of a similar age or share similar views on excursions. Most of my solo cruises were in the 2000's decade. I remember one table of 8 or 10 and I was the only male present.

I have this idea, right or wrong, that more families and elderly opt for the early dining. Having said that I now realize I belong in that aging demographic, yikes! I'll be solo on the Breeze in December, may be my last solo for a while.

As a guy I picked late MDR because I thought my dinner tablemates might be of a similar age or share similar views on excursions. Most of my solo cruises were in the 2000's decade. I remember one table of 8 or 10 and I was the only male present.

 

I have this idea, right or wrong, that more families and elderly opt for the early dining. Having said that I now realize I belong in that aging demographic, yikes! I'll be solo on the Breeze in December, may be my last solo for a while.

I take it you didn't have anything in common with those ten ;p I do agree that most elderly people enjoy early dining. There in bed by ten . :halo:

I have cruised solo , just once before, i did enjoy the freedom of it. I cruise solo now because i prefer to cruise much more often than my friends. I now have two future solo cruises booked. I will be cruising solo on a 14 day Journey cruise in september. I chose late seating for the main dining room. I enjoy dinner with the other solo cruiser, sharing information and meeting new people is always fun. Now i can cruise whenever i want, as long as the price is right. I don't have to stress over who can i get to go with me.

Never cruised by myself but wanted a vacation before I started a new job in 2 weeks.

You will never go back to sharing a cabin again! lol You can spread out stuff in the bathroom...sailing solo is the best.

Agree with the others, you can do what you want, when you want. I love to read, so will stuff my suitcase with paperbacks up to the 50lb limit. Then I just hand them out when I'm done; the female crew always enjoys getting my romances, etc. That then gives me extra space for bring goodies home.

Seems like on a cruise I end up eating very badly at weird times,;p so I don't usually go to the dining room. Lido is perfect, and I will usually partake of the salad bar for a lite dinner. I bring my Kindle and a glass of wine from my cabin and I'm good to go. Lido is usually pretty quiet at dinner, so its always a good way to just chill.

Enjoy!

I have solo’d twice and each time did “my time dining.” I never asked to be seated with others and always sat alone in the MDR (aside from the one time I had a date, sort of). I am definitely going to try this late dining, sitting with other solos concept next time!

I have made friends when cruising solo on excursions, at the muster drill, at dance classes, at trivia, and at various bars. When I want company, I just sit somewhere in the midst of things that are happening and strike up conversations or, after having a drink, ask someone to dance (which is what led to me to having a dinner date one night). When I want to be alone, I stay off to the side or hide out in a more secluded spot reading and writing.

Cruising solo is the best!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

What a great thread and info! I booked my 1st solo cruise yesterday for a 7 day trip in December on the Carnival Breeze! I'm now googling though to get advice, wondering if I did the right thing, but am pleasantly surprised to see that it's a relatively normal thing! I'm recently divorced and overworked so very much looking forward to the downtime and solitude. It will be my first trip to ever make by myself though so a little apprehensive there but still super excited about it!

If u eat on the lido deck make sure it's a down time..people will see your full glass, silverware and food and just move it and take your table..

I just booked my first solo cruise last min for next week! [emoji4] Never cruised by myself but wanted a vacation before I started a new job in 2 weeks. My husband and kids couldn't go but I got a great last min. deal

 

This would be my 13th cruise so I know the ins and out on cruising.... I still can't believe I'm doing it!!!! Only thing I'm nervous about is dining at night

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using Forums mobile app

I'm going on my first solo cruise in January. This will be my 15th cruise, and will likely be the first one that I eat dinner on the lido deck every night. I'm really just looking forward to some "me" time for those 4 days, so I'm okay with eating at the buffet instead of being seated by myself, or with others in the MDR.

I hope you have a great time on your cruise! :)