Anyone done a Birthday cruise solo?

[chill6x6]

Thank you for all your comments/thoughts on this topic. I though I should let you know the outcome - I just booked my birthday cruise and I sail in less than 2 months! :D

I always write long blog type reviews of my travels so you will be able to see how it went...

 

I bet you'll have a GREAT time! If anyone can pull it off, YOU can! You may need to purchase an extra OUTFIT or two of course!!! ;)

[BARBARA J.W.]

I have Cruised afew times for my Birthday..........:)Sept-10th.....

Happy Cruising to meeeeeee.....

(Sing to the tune Happy Birthday)...:)

Your Birthday is your Holiday...........:)

Edited October 17, 2013 by BARBARA J.W.

[teddymouse53]

AHave agreat time Lara. My birthday prezzie to myself, is a solo 30nighter on Fred Olsen Bouldicca to the redsea and Egypt 18november 13

This will be my 2nd solo birthday cruise. And if it goes the same way as the first, I know it will be fun.

 

 

Angie

Edited October 18, 2013 by teddymouse53

[MIZZ_K]

I cruised solo for my 50th birthday in February, it was my gift from me to me, on my birthday I enjoyed a wonderful dinner in the steakhouse, I also cruised solo for my birthday in 2007.

Edited October 19, 2013 by MIZZ_K

[TravellingLiz]

I'm cruising solo on the breakaway in 3 weeks and will turn 30 on the cruise. My first solo cruise (2nd cruise) but have travelled solo before. I'm also a little apprehensive but am in a studio and have signed up to the roll call.

Liz

 

Sent from my GT-N8000 using Forums mobile app

[arhillbilly]

My birthday is Dec 13. Last year I left on Dec 9th out of New Orleans for a 7 night cruise. Because of the Cruise Critic meet & greet, I had met some wonderful people. Also because my birthday was on the 5th night of the cruise I had made friends from the CC group. We had a table for 8 in the MDR for dinner and it was one of the best birthday's ever......This was on the Norwegian Star......Looking into doing it again this year....

[watson61]

Hey, I just returned from my Canada/NE cruise and I'm glad I went during my birthday week. I had a great dinner table which made all the difference. Ten of us - two couples and six single ladies, including two solos, me and a very nice woman around my age. The waiters did sing and my tablemates kept pouring me wine :). Frankly it was more than I usually get from birthdays on land :)

 

 

Send from device_name using Cruise Critic your_app_name App

[watson61]

I should add that I was worried when I sat down on the first night and one of the married women said to me, after I told her I was solo, "bless your heart". Then she told the person next to her I was alone and the "wow, she's by herself" buzz passed around the table like that old game Telephone. One of the women who was traveling with her friend said "oh, I would never do that" as she stared at me. I felt like punching her (wouldn't that have been the talk of the cruise). She ended up being my least favorite tablemate; we just didn't gel.

 

I was also annoyed that the other solo didn't say a word while this was going on, leaving me to take one for the team, lol.

 

Other than that initial awkwardness, it was fine.

 

 

Send from device_name using Cruise Critic your_app_name App

[LandlockedCruiser01]

I should add that I was worried when I sat down on the first night and one of the married women said to me, after I told her I was solo, "bless your heart". Then she told the person next to her I was alone and the "wow, she's by herself" buzz passed around the table like that old game Telephone. One of the women who was traveling with her friend said "oh, I would never do that" as she stared at me. I felt like punching her (wouldn't that have been the talk of the cruise). She ended up being my least favorite tablemate; we just didn't gel.

 

I was also annoyed that the other solo didn't say a word while this was going on, leaving me to take one for the team, lol.

 

Other than that initial awkwardness, it was fine.

Sorry to hear you had to go through that. Did you ask to be reseated at another table. I'd never be able to get over the awkwardness of sitting at a table like that more than once.

 

I had a less severe version of that happen to me. (If it makes a difference, I'm male.) I went to breakfast in the MDR, and when asked by the maitre d', I told him I wanted to share a table. I was seated with 5 people who all knew each other: 3 women (not sure if friends or family) and a couple. We shared brief introductions. When I said that I was cruising solo, one person said: "well, that's bizarre!" (nothing nice, but still better than "bless your heart", in my opinion). Another said: "don't you have to pay double if you do that?" (valid question). I told them I couldn't care less and that I having a blast with the new friends I made (which was 100% true). That shut them up pretty well, and the topics quickly shifted to more cruise-oriented "what was your favorite port?" and stuff. The man at the table seemed to enjoy my company the most, probably because he was tired of being the only dude in the group.

 

It was like night and day later at lunch. I was seated alone at a 2-top, but there was a couple younger than me sitting at an adjacent table. They were very welcoming, and I ended up having a really nice conversation with them. My solo station was briefly mentioned at the beginning of the conversation, then pretty much forgotten, save for a quick compliment about my decision to do it in the first place. My cruise friends were the same way. Once they got over the initial shock that someone went on a cruise alone, they were very accepting of me and never made me feel "less than" for not having someone to go with.

Edited October 20, 2013 by LandlockedCruiser01

[FireMedT]

I should add that I was worried when I sat down on the first night and one of the married women said to me, after I told her I was solo, "bless your heart". Then she told the person next to her I was alone and the "wow, she's by herself" buzz passed around the table like that old game Telephone. One of the women who was traveling with her friend said "oh, I would never do that" as she stared at me. I felt like punching her (wouldn't that have been the talk of the cruise). She ended up being my least favorite tablemate; we just didn't gel.

 

Maybe by saying "oh, I would never do that" she was saying that she didn't have the courage to do it or couldn't do it because of being in a relationship.

 

I think I would have looked right back at her and said "Why thank you so much! It's great to be able to travel alone and be free to do what I want! You really should try it some time."

[shrtswt2thpt]

I went solo last year on my 55th birthday. It was on the Disney Magic. I had a great time and everyone at my table for dinner was solo. I met some great people. One of my co-workers had my stateroom decorated for my birthday. I do a lot of things by myself, so going solo was no biggie.

[solorizor]

I haven't yet but thAts about to change in two days time! 17 days of me time from genoa to brazil !!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Free

[buttrfly78]

Headed out on my first solo cruise in December. It's also my birthday so I'm super excited!

[maureencruiser]

I recently returned from my 50th birthday on the Allure and I loved it. I'm heading out again in 2 weeks on the Grandeur, too bad I don't have another birthday! ;)

[harleymouse]

Was a great time.

[Virtopia]

My first solo cruise was my birthday weekend and I had an amazing time! I always try to cruise the month of my birthday but that particular year, my birthday fell on a sea day, although I was suppose to be in Nassau - a storm kept us on the water till the following day.

 

I loved it and would do it again in a heartbeat.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using the Cruise Critic App

[Tralfie]

I'll be taking my first official cruise (I did a Cruise-To-Nowhere overnighter in October) in March, and it'll be a birthday solo trip on the Breakaway. I can't wait! I'm an itsy-bitsy bit nervous about the dining situation, but seeing as I'm not at all picky about when or where I eat, I suspect I'll be fine!

 

Richard/Tralfie

[luv-2-go-cruising]

If so, how was it? I can't decide whether it would be great or awful and I need to decide very soon...

Lara Lox, you alway's have a great time and find many friends on your cruises. Treat yourself to a birthday cruise!!

[luv-2-go-cruising]

I'll be taking my first official cruise (I did a Cruise-To-Nowhere overnighter in October) in March, and it'll be a birthday solo trip on the Breakaway. I can't wait! I'm an itsy-bitsy bit nervous about the dining situation, but seeing as I'm not at all picky about when or where I eat, I suspect I'll be fine!

 

Richard/Tralfie

I've been on the Epic a couple of times and they have a happy hour before dinner. You meet your fellow solo travelers and go to dinner as a group. Hopefully the Breakaway does that. Enjoy. I was nervous my first solo cruise and it was great. You can do what YOU want when YOU want too!

[luv-2-go-cruising]

I've been on the Epic a couple of times and they have a happy hour before dinner. You meet your fellow solo travelers and go to dinner as a group. Hopefully the Breakaway does that. Enjoy. I was nervous my first solo cruise and it was great. You can do what YOU want when YOU want too!

Edited December 17, 2013 by luv-2-go-cruising

[luv-2-go-cruising]

Lara Lox, you alway's have a great time and find many friends on your cruises. Have a wonderful birthday!!

[lara_lox]

Hi everyone, well I did my birthday cruise and it was amazing! My birthday itself was far better than I could have ever expected. I've almost finished my review now so here's the link if you would like to read exactly how it went:

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1955033

[jo24]

I know I am a little late joining the conversation but I was on Allure for my 26th birthday in August by myself.

 

I was having a rough time and decided to get away - best decision ever! I met wonderful people and at the C&A welcome back party, I met the Hotel Director. I told him it was my 3rd cruise on Allure in 10 months and it was my birthday 'that week'. Roll on Thursday in St Maarten, my birthday, and a bottle of Champagne and chocolate covered strawberries were delivered to my cabin with a handwritten note of thanks and birthday wishes - I was truly touched at the gesture and I wouldn't think twice about doing it again!

 

Jo :)

[lilyflower80]

So great to hear the positive experiences here. I'll be going solo on the Grandeur for my birthday in May and I have had some doubts but I'm sure it'll be fine.

 

Plus, worse comes to worse, I have yummy food and look at the ocean by myself instead of work :)

[uncleg]

This bites, I just realized duh My 50th birthday at the end of 2015 also coincides with the cruise rates doubling for people celebrating the New Year. I already pay double now...no way I can do a Birthday cruise. Darn end of December Birthdays...screwed over once again because of my date of birth.:( Always get $%#^$&^%& over because of Christmas and New Years. Almost 50 and never had a real Birthday party.