Best Cruise Lines for Solo Travelers

[rafinmd]

I found this on the Crystal forum:

 

http://travel.yahoo.com/blogs/compass/7-best-cruise-lines-sailing-solo-203101689.html?page=1

 

I don't fully agree with them, but think they're pretty close. These would be my rankings, leaving the ones I've never sailed in yahoo's places:

 

1. HAL((5)

2. NCL(NS)

3. Fred Olson(NS)

4. Silversea (Not on my list, replaced by Cunard)

5. Crystal(1)

6. Tauck River Cruises(NS)

7. International Expeditions(7)

 

Roy

[cruz chic]

Thanks for the info.

[rafinmd]

Thanks for the info.

 

Stay dry and best wishes for your surgery.

 

Roy

[Scrapnana]

Thanks for the interesting article. I don't suffer from claustrophobia but I don't think I could handle the NCL studio.

[rafinmd]

With all my Blount and Amtrak travel I think I'd find 99 square feet really spacious. I was a bit surprised by the price though. I did a test booking on the Breakaway and a double inside was $599, $899 for a solo studio. I thought the 2 prices were more comperable.

 

Are you doing the entire WC on QE? I think we have somebody on the entire Amsterdam WC who has never been on HAL. That seemes like a huge commitment for somebody who has never sailed on the line.

 

Roy

[cruz chic]

Stay dry and best wishes for your surgery.

 

Roy

 

Thank you:).

[wander]

Interesting list. Thanks.

 

I have no problem cruising alone and have done so successfully numerous times, primarily on HAL and Princess. HAL is my favorite for solo cruising though. I have also sailed with International Expeditions with DH and would gladly do so as a solo. In fact, there has not been a cruise line that I have been on yet that I would not happily go solo if I were to cruise them again. Some I would probably not cruise on alone OR with DH again, but still had fun on my/our first experience.

 

I personally can enjoy solo travel of almost all types, but also love travel with my DH.

[Scrapnana]

With all my Blount and Amtrak travel I think I'd find 99 square feet really spacious. I was a bit surprised by the price though. I did a test booking on the Breakaway and a double inside was $599, $899 for a solo studio. I thought the 2 prices were more comperable.

 

Are you doing the entire WC on QE? I think we have somebody on the entire Amsterdam WC who has never been on HAL. That seemes like a huge commitment for somebody who has never sailed on the line.

 

Roy

 

Yes, I am on the full world cruise. I was hoping to go on HAL even though I had never been on it before. The almost $30,000 difference between a balcony on QE and on the Amsterdam changed my mind. Oh, well, I'll get on HAL yet!

[rafinmd]

Yes, I am on the full world cruise. I was hoping to go on HAL even though I had never been on it before. The almost $30,000 difference between a balcony on QE and on the Amsterdam changed my mind. Oh, well, I'll get on HAL yet!

 

Wow. That goes to one of my mantras that "every cruise is different". I remember a thread here, I think last year, wondering why HAL's WC was so much more expensive than Cunard's, and now a complete reversal.

 

If you had been on HAL, we'd have met in Cape Town. With 17 ships, your time on HAL will come.

 

Roy

[cruisemom42]

Wow. That goes to one of my mantras that "every cruise is different". I remember a thread here, I think last year, wondering why HAL's WC was so much more expensive than Cunard's, and now a complete reversal.

 

 

 

Roy

 

I read the previous post as saying that HAL's cruise was much more than the Cunard one, which is why she booked Cunard.

 

:confused:

 

 

Re: the rankings for solo cruisers -- I read it with interest. Unfortunately it is the usual "skim the surface" job -- the rationales they provide for their rankings make it seem as if they only took one particular aspect of the line into account. For instance, if one is not interested in HAL's "share a cabin" program, would they still rank it highly? I've been on HAL as a solo cruiser and find them no better or worse than Princess (to use a comparably placed line as an example).

 

By the same token, I have zero interest in the solo "studio" cabins aboard NCL. They are only available on Epic and Breakaway (large ships), and they are actually pretty expensive per square foot (they are tiny).

[travlin]

I cruise solo and feel the most comfortable on HAL. However, the waiving of the single supplement is very tempting. Uniworld River Cruises drops the single supplement charge on some sailings. I did one a few years ago. I loved the river cruise itself, but dinners were uncomfortable. The dining room is small. Seating is open, so you have to ask if you can sit with a table. It is embarrassing when you are told that you cannot sit with them. That only happened once, but I was mortified. It was a table of 6 and only had two people seated at it. They were not saving the seats for others; they just wanted it to be the two of them. Most people were happy to have me join them, but I felt like I was intruding. That may have been my own insecurities after the earlier turn down. There were no other solo travelers on the cruise. I was perfectly happy on the tours and at other times, but dinners were uncomfortable for me. HAL does a great job of seating solo travelers. I have made life-long friends from dining companions on HAL. I look forward to my upcoming Baltic cruise with them.

[cruz chic]

I cruise solo and feel the most comfortable on HAL. However, the waiving of the single supplement is very tempting. Uniworld River Cruises drops the single supplement charge on some sailings. I did one a few years ago. I loved the river cruise itself, but dinners were uncomfortable. The dining room is small. Seating is open, so you have to ask if you can sit with a table. It is embarrassing when you are told that you cannot sit with them. That only happened once, but I was mortified. It was a table of 6 and only had two people seated at it. They were not saving the seats for others; they just wanted it to be the two of them. Most people were happy to have me join them, but I felt like I was intruding. That may have been my own insecurities after the earlier turn down. There were no other solo travelers on the cruise. I was perfectly happy on the tours and at other times, but dinners were uncomfortable for me. HAL does a great job of seating solo travelers. I have made life-long friends from dining companions on HAL. I look forward to my upcoming Baltic cruise with them.

 

I'd react the same way as you for the dining situation. I'm amazed at some people. Was there only larger tables to sit at? I wonder why those people wouldn't sit at a smaller table. I've met some seriously unsociable people on my cruises but by far most are good.

[travlin]

There were open tables for four, but those tables did not have as good of a view. :) It was just a one time event, but unless the price and itinerary are too tempting, I will stick with larger ships.

[rafinmd]

cruisemom42, you're right. My mistake.

 

Roy

[hrhdhd]

It is embarrassing when you are told that you cannot sit with them. That only happened once, but I was mortified. It was a table of 6 and only had two people seated at it. They were not saving the seats for others; they just wanted it to be the two of them.

 

I don't know why you were embarrassed or mortified that two people wanted to dine with just themselves. :confused: It doesn't speak poorly of them or of you; they just wanted to eat together. And I wouldn't want to sit with people who didn't want me there, anyway. Just find another table.

 

A cruise line that's not mentioned on the list above is Azamara. I am taking my second solo cruise with them in August. They have a very reasonable 125% supplement on many of their cruises, and my current booking included a special with a balcony for the price of an inside. I was very pleased with the small ship and the service last time.

[celle]

I don't know why you were embarrassed or mortified that two people wanted to dine with just themselves. :confused: It doesn't speak poorly of them or of you; they just wanted to eat together. And I wouldn't want to sit with people who didn't want me there, anyway. Just find another table.

 

A cruise line that's not mentioned on the list above is Azamara. I am taking my second solo cruise with them in August. They have a very reasonable 125% supplement on many of their cruises, and my current booking included a special with a balcony for the price of an inside. I was very pleased with the small ship and the service last time.

 

Still, expecting to be able to keep a table set for six just for themselves and no-one else seems a little inconsiderate of the couple.

[cruz chic]

Still, expecting to be able to keep a table set for six just for themselves and no-one else seems a little inconsiderate of the couple.

 

You are so right. There is no way to defend that in my mind but I guess so folks are very antisocial. What a shame.

[buckirj1]

Yabbut...until you're stuck at a table for 6 with an extended family of 5 whose first language wasn't English...

 

Nice folks, and we all made the best of it (I learned tiny bits of Mandarin), but it was still awkward. I'm not likely to sail the American Queen solo again anytime soon.

 

Anyway, that's an interesting list, Roy. Thanks for posting it. NCL is by far my favorite cruise line, but the studio cabins have nothing to do with it. NCL simply does the best job at those cruise aspects that are important to me. Also, HAL is at the very top of my list of cruise lines I'd like to try when I've exhausted NCL options. HAL ships look very comfortable, and would be perfect on a lazy itinerary.

 

The other lines aren't likely ones I'd sail; that level of luxury is wasted on the likes of me. I'd never consider spending that kind of money on a mere vacation.

[whogo]

I was surprised that Holland America scored so highly in spite of their 150-200% single supplement, but price does not seem to factor into the ratings. My only solo cruise was a transatlantic on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas. I paid a rock bottom price for a cruise that was every bit as good as my cruises on Holland America.

[cruisetrail]

I found this on the Crystal forum:

 

http://travel.yahoo.com/blogs/compass/7-best-cruise-lines-sailing-solo-203101689.html?page=1

 

I don't fully agree with them, but think they're pretty close. These would be my rankings, leaving the ones I've never sailed in yahoo's places:

 

1. HAL((5)

2. NCL(NS)

3. Fred Olson(NS)

4. Silversea (Not on my list, replaced by Cunard)

5. Crystal(1)

6. Tauck River Cruises(NS)

7. International Expeditions(7)

 

Roy

 

What cruise line is the best for solo cruisers?

The one that does not charge the full fare (double).

Dead wrong!

1. Quality of the product is deciding factor no matter how many cruisers are in your party. I would rather pay double fare than ruin my cruise vacation for 1/2 price.

2. What is "1/2 price" BTW? Now let's look at real prices, not at % of double fare...

 

November 10, 2013 (prices for solo cruiser):

 

NCL Epic Solo cabin - $1,013

NCL Epic Regular inside - $1,312

Nieuw Amsterdam Regular inside - $1,217

 

Comparable prices for incomparable products.

 

Case closed.

[wander]

travelin,

 

I do empathize about how you felt when denied a seat, however, I seriously doubt it had anything to do with cruising solo. If you had been part of a "couple" the response would probably have been the same.

[travlin]

travelin,

 

I do empathize about how you felt when denied a seat, however, I seriously doubt it had anything to do with cruising solo. If you had been part of a "couple" the response would probably have been the same.

 

 

You are probably correct. If I had been with a group, it would have been irritating. I think that I was just uncomfortable because I was alone. Again, that is my own insecurities.