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Whatever happened to Singleworld? I have very fond memories of sailing with Singleworld groups on the Carnival Celebration and NCL's Seaward and Skyward (back in the old days before DH and DDs) I sailed solo and met such nice people and had wonderful times. I hear they're no longer in business.

 

Anyone else with fond memories of Singleworld sailings?

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  • 2 weeks later...

NJ,

 

I sailed with Singlewworld on many cruises and always had a great time. My favorite SW escorts were Julie McCormack and Julia Stramm. I remember that there was also this other guy Dominic O'something and a guy who looked like a California beach boy. However, I preferred Julia and Julie. My fondest memories were of the parties onboard and in ports...lots of drinking! The group photos were always a nice momento of the cruise.

 

I was sorry to see SW go out of business and am not sure of the actual reason since I believe they had a corner of the singles cruise market that was one that could have grown larger over time. I had heard that the travel agency that owend SW, Gramercy Travel had been sold to another company that had no interest in the SW concept...don't know how accurate this story is. I tried for a while to find a replacement for SW and gave up and just cruise on my own and make my own parties.

 

Regards

 

Mark:)

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Thanks for yoru response -- I thought I was the only one who had every sailed with Singleworld. I can't remember the names of a single escort, though -- that's a shame because they were all so great. I have some very fond memories of partying on the ship, picnics on the beach, snorkeling from a sailboat off St. Thomas, riding in a rickety bus up and down the hills in Tortola, climbing the falls in Ocho Rios, learning to swing dance -- and meeting so many, many nice people.

 

I've been married for 11 years now (did a cruise for our honeymoon too) but I"ll always remember my single cruisng days.

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  • 1 month later...

For inquiring minds...I used to work at Singleworld, but I left in 1990. At some point after that (around 1993 or so), some investors bought the cruise part from Gramercy Travel, and basically ran it into the ground. You can't spend more money than you take in. (ok, you can, but you won't last too long :) ) I understand that there were a lot of deposits and final payments that didn't make it to the cruise lines and ruined a lot of vacations.

 

Bad place to work, but I understand that a lot of people had a good time at a really good price.

 

I was glad to see the post. I knew Julie and Julia. Most of the folks on the ships were cool people. Dominick O'Carroll was a nice feller as well; apparently quite the lady's man ... :eek: Not surprising that "Mark" wasn't as taken with him hehe.

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Wow How I Remember My First Cruise... I Was Guess Single. 23 And Dedcided On A Whim To Book A Cruise And Take Off. Mom Had A Fit . First Time Flying And Then On Cruise That I Knew No One. But Had A Blast And Havent Stopped Cruising Since. I Still Have A Visor That I Got From Them When I Booked... Anyone Else.

 

Steph

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I think I still have a few of the T-shirts from singleword hanging around -- they gave me one on each cruise.

 

I booked my first Singleworld cruise on my own too -- sat next to a couple on the flight to Miami that rehashed every single detail of their wedding. I got off the plane wondering if I'd done the right thing! But I ended up with a terrific Singleworld group and had the time of my life!

 

I'm still cruisng too. Introduced DH to it on our honeymoon and we just took our two DD's on the Zenith to Bermuda. We're all hooked!

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What I do remember about Dominick was that when we would meet him in the morning he would always have dark sunglasses on (in the ship) and look like he had one royal hangover...probably did!

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  • 11 months later...
Anyone else with fond memories of Singleworld sailings?

You never felt alone on a Singleworld cruise. The escorts were so knowledgable about the ships and the ports. It was the perfect environment for a single person. I sailed with SW on the Carla C twice, the Norway, Rotterdam and then later on the Holiday. When I sailed on the Rotterdam with SW, there were so few of us that there was no escort. They did arrange a cocktail party for us, but the 2 or 3 people were pretty dull. At first, I felt badly, but soon met lots of fun people on my own. Best part was that I had a quad room all to myself. It was huge by today's standard....just love those old ships. The ship left NYC and broke down at sea one day. We just drifted for hours with no electricity, no working toilets, no air conditioning...nothing! Later, the CD announced that the bar would be open for the entire evening and the formal night turned into a casual bbq on deck. It was so much fun. Luckily, we made every port on the 10 day itinerary. The best time...that I can remember...was on the Carla C. Joe Venegas was our escort. Our group did everything together....had our own private excursions. Never again did I explore each port so extensively. I was always sad to leave my Singleworld friends at the end of each cruise. It's a shame there is no such organization for singles these days.

Cindra

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  • 1 year later...

OK I know this is an old thread, but I just had to put my 2-cents in. I too cruised many times with SingleWorld, back in the late 80's to early 90's. My first time was when I had always wanted to cruise, I finally saved up some money, but none of my friends had any money to join me, so I decided that wasn't going to stop me and asked a travel agent if there were any such groups for single travelers. I have such GREAT memories from all my trips, and made so many great friends! I got lucky with the cabin mates I got booked with, because they were all wonderful! I eventually took 7 cruises with SingleWorld. I even met my (now) wife on a SingleWorld cruise! Me from Ohio and her from Buffalo NY!

 

Oh let's see how many SingleWorld reps I can remember. In no particular order, I remember Dominic, Jeff, Jackie, Coleen, and one 'California tan' guy I remember vividly but can't recall his name. Oh, the stories I could tell!

 

I'm very sad to see that SingleWorld is no longer around. I'm sure they had thousands of satisfied customers like myself. I would have never taken my first cruise alone if it wasn't for them!

 

Dave

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  • 2 weeks later...

I went on the old Norway in 1979 or 1980 through Singleworld. I was in my mid 20's and my memories are of a fantastic time and a fantastic cruise. The Norway was gorgeous at that time. I dont remember any of the escorts, but I do remember meeting so many friendly people and having a blast. - Rhona

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Thanks for reviving this thread. My story is similar to others -- got my first big bonus (at least it seemed big at the time) and I used some of it to do something I'd always wanted to do -- go on a cruise. I couldn't get any of my friends to go so I went myself. It was on the Celebration out of Miami! My flight down, I sat next to a couple that rehashed every single detail of their wedding the day before! Boy, I thought I'd end up with a boatload of honeymooners, but it turned out to be the nicest Singleworld group I cruised with. We had a wonderful beach picnic in St. Martin, snorkeling off the Virgin Islands, and the sweetest, kindest southern gentleman taught me to swing dance! Until my honeymoon (on the Majesty of the Seas in 94!) that had to be my best vacation.

 

Please share your Singleworld memories. It's a shame there isn't something like that today -- I know a few people who might be interested!

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I found this thread completely by accident.

 

I took my first Singleworld cruise in the late 1970s, and I took my last one in 1993 or 1994, a few months before they abruptly went out of business.

 

I remember Julia and Dominic. I also remember Cynthia and Larry. There was also a guy named Bill, who might be the California guy.

 

I don't think I ever would have cruised by myself as a solo cruiser if it weren't for Singleworld. While I never wished to share a cabin with strangers, it was great having compatible people to hang around with. I took more than a dozen cruises with Singleworld, and I can't remember even one rotten apple in a Singleworld group.

 

It was so nice to get into my cabin at the start of the cruise and find my Singleworld invitation to the welcoming cocktail party that evening, so that we could all meet each other and find out our seating arrangements in the dining room. It was so nice not to have to worry about being seated with people on their honeymoon who might decide to get room service every night.

 

I went on two NBA cruises on the Norway in the early 1990s with Singleworld. Their brochure said that those cruises were supposed to be for people in their twenties and thirties, but I went anyway, and I found out that I wasn't the only person in the group over forty years old.

 

I especially liked Dutch-treat cocktails before dinner. The Singleworld host/hostess always said that he/she would be in a certain bar at a certain time before dinner, and anyone who wanted to have a drink before dinner but didn't like drinking alone could join him/her.

 

Dominic was the host on my last Singleworld cruise. He said that Singleworld didn't do a good job advertising itself, and I had to agree. I said that I had lost their telephone number, and when I called Information for "800" numbers, I was told that their "800" number was unlisted. But I managed to find their non-800 number. He said that on a number of cruises that he hosted, he saw a number of passengers that he recognized from former cruises who weren't booked with Singleworld. He asked them why they weren't booked with Singleworld, and they said that they thought it had gone out of business.

 

He told me that another problem that Singleworld had was that at that time, most cruises were booked through travel agents, and if people booked a Singleworld cruise through a travel agent, the travel agent would have to share the commission with Singleworld, and a lot of travel agents didn't want to do that.

 

I really missed Singleworld when I took my first cruise since the time they went out of business. It was on NCL. I had taken three cruises on the Norway, and I didn't realize that NCL had switched to freestyle. I booked the cruise at the last minute, and when I was told that there wasn't any such thing as first and second sittings anymore, I asked if there was a way that I could be seated with other people. The NCL rep assured me that it wouldn't be a problem, that it happened all the time.

 

This was not the case. I found out that I couldn't sit with strangers unless they wanted to sit with me, and most of them didn't want to. In fact, a lot of people in the NCL threads say that not having to eat with strangers was the best part of their cruise. So I brought a book with me each time I went to the dining room. Last summer, I cruised NCL with a friend, and I am going to cruise NCL in May with a friend, but if I ever cruise again solo, it certainly won't be on NCL. Gosh, I miss Singleworld.

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  • 5 weeks later...

I took my first solo cruise on the Starward on 09/13/92 through Singleworld and am sorry that Singleworld is out of business. I prefer travelling alone and Singleworld made that more comfortable.

 

While my cabin on the Starward was off-putting (inside cabin, lower deck), I enjoyed meeting with other solo diners at dinner and discussing our daily activities. I haven't sailed on NCL since then, in part because of the lack of set dining. I enjoy having the option of not dining in the diningroom, but if I chose to, it's nice to have someone to talk with whom I didn't spend the entire day.

 

 

 

Next cruise - Carnival Valor 05-18-2008 (yea!)

NCL Starward 09-13-1992

RCL Adventure of the Seas 12-05-2004

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I am very surprised that with topics such as this one that we never see any of the old Single World team positng responses...people like Dominick, Julie, Julia and Beth? Cruising was part of their life and I am surprised they don't all still have an interest...

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  • 2 weeks later...

You never felt alone on a Singleworld cruise. The escorts were so knowledgable about the ships and the ports. It was the perfect environment for a single person. I sailed with SW on the Carla C twice, the Norway, Rotterdam and then later on the Holiday. When I sailed on the Rotterdam with SW, there were so few of us that there was no escort. They did arrange a cocktail party for us, but the 2 or 3 people were pretty dull. At first, I felt badly, but soon met lots of fun people on my own. Best part was that I had a quad room all to myself. It was huge by today's standard....just love those old ships. The ship left NYC and broke down at sea one day. We just drifted for hours with no electricity, no working toilets, no air conditioning...nothing! Later, the CD announced that the bar would be open for the entire evening and the formal night turned into a casual bbq on deck. It was so much fun. Luckily, we made every port on the 10 day itinerary. The best time...that I can remember...was on the Carla C. Joe Venegas was our escort. Our group did everything together....had our own private excursions. Never again did I explore each port so extensively. I was always sad to leave my Singleworld friends at the end of each cruise. It's a shame there is no such organization for singles these days.

 

Cindra

 

OMG i was on the carla c twice also.....singleworld was the best !

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I just finished reading all the posts - wow do they bring back memories. Bill was the person that was on the two singleworld cruises that i took on the carla c. I have such wonderful memories of the places that i went to. I'm still cruising with my family and my kids love it. We've got a cruise planned for August and this will probably be our last for awhile - my son is starting college in september and i'm already hearing..........do i have to go?

 

thank you all for the great posts and for bringing back such great memories

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Talk about memories of Singleworld... My first cruise was on the S.S. NORWAY in Nov. of 87 with Singleworld. I sailed on the Norway 28 times - I too remember Julia and Dominic. I heard that Dominic is working for one of the companies that runs the Art Auctions and is mostly on Costa.

 

I miss Singleworld too- it was the way to go. I have a group of people that I travel with that are past singleworld travelers. Our next cruise is on Carnival's Victory the week of Nov. 2nd.

 

We were on NCL's Star last November... I was not happy with the FreeStyle cruising and the lack of organization regarding the reservation policy for the "restaurants"... we were not able to eat when or where we wanted to- and when we settled for a time and place... the food wasn't worth it-- the traditional dining rooms were 100% better!

 

If you miss the Norway... do not look for it on the web.. it is sad.. I cried when i saw it.. what a shame....

 

Thanks for listening!

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Hi

I traveled with Singleworld several times in the mid 1970's to early 1980's. All my cruises were on Oceanic. I loved it too. I don't remember any of the hosts names. But I remember on female host who wanted to be an actress. She had blond hair.

Maria

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I sailed with Singleworld back in 1984. That was my first cruise. Been hooked ever since. I was on the SS Norway. Had a pretty good time. I loved that ship. ;0

 

Our host lady if you could call her that was awlful. I Can't remember her name though.

 

I enjoyed meeting new people. We had fun. My room mate was alot older than I was. I was supposed to have a room mate who was my age.

 

I always wondered what happened to singleworld. Now I know.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Hi. Just ran across some stuff that reminded me my first Singleworld cruise was twenty years ago last month. Wow, it doesn't seem that long. It was aboard the Carnival Celebration (at the time, one of the newer ships.) It was the best cruise I ever took (at least til my honeymoon 14 years ago!) Seems fitting I'll be aboard the Mariner of the Seas in a week and half.

 

Cruising just gets in your blood.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

I also took my first cruise with Singleworld, several of us at my office had planned an Xmas trip to Cancun that fell thru, but I still wanted to go somewhere for New Years but the prices were so high to go as a single, luckily my travel agent knew about Singleworld, I paid my "dues", signed up for my first cruise at the discount Singleworld price! It was out of San Juan on a Carnival cruise. I was the only one from the west coast there, but we all had a blast, it was nice to be by yourself, travel across the country to San Juan, board a ship and instantly have "friends" via Singleworld.

I took I think it was 5-6 cruises with Singleworld, had Dominic as an escort a couple times, plus a nice gal from Coconut Grove FL named Kathy once, they were all nice and helpful.

I took NCL about this same time of year several years in a row as in the late 80's early 90's they had a rock n roll themed cruise that was SO much fun! Unfortunately, as with now, it was during hurricane season, and Gilbert was out there one time, Hugo followed us back towards Miami once too...but that just added to the fun. I was always finding single people who were traveling alone, did not know about Singleworld and bringing them back to our group like stray kittens so they could be with our group. Loved the fact we always got second seating at dinner too, that always worked out so well.

I was usually on the Norway, and they had single cabins for slightly more than the price of half a double thru Singleworld, so I usually booked one of them, very small rooms, but the point was to be there. Loved cruising. Can't afford it now but sure would love to go again. Too bad about the Norway being scrapped.

Too bad they did not advertise properly so as to keep going because most of our groups were good in size, between 20-30 people each cruise.

Good memories and I guess that is all one can ask for. ;)

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  • 2 months later...

On our first cruise (10/29-11/4/83 SS Norway, Eastern Caribbean), my friend and I saw a group of people having a great time a few tables away from ours. We made a point to find out who they were ... Singleworld Cruisers! We joined and the next two cruises were through Singleworld (9/29-10/6/84 Starward, Western Caribbean, and 10/5-12/85 to Bermuda). The first Singleworld group we were in had 21 people -- 6 men and 15 women. My friend and I spent a lot of time with two of the men. Our tour guide was Judy. Our trip to Bermuda only had a handful of Singleworld cruisers so we had no escort. I took a a cruise to celebrate my birthday in October of 1989 (Seaward - Western Caribbean). I didn't have anyone to travel with so booked a quad share. We had a good time. On that cruise, Dominic was our escort. It was nice to travel with this group because you never felt alone. There was always something going on ... or you could choose to do nothing. We had our own excursion for snorkeling and private beach BBQ in Cozumel. Lots of tequila. I sure miss Singleworld.

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