So..how hard is the first SOLO cruise?

[maywell]

Reading your posts has give me a much needed confidence boost. I'll be cruising solo for the first time on 17 May, by circumstances and not choice. My DH passed away last November, we loved cruising and always had a fantastic time. We particularly wanted to do the cruise I'm going on - the 3 Queens salute in Liverpool for the 175th centenary - then he took ill. After much deliberating I finally booked it last week, with a lot of coaxing from my daughter.

 

Yes, it's going to be very strange and totally different to my previous cruises but I want to try it to see if I still enjoy it as much. To be honest on sea days we always went our separate ways to different lectures, activities etc so I'm used to spending time on my own. I've always loved eating in the MDR on a large table and meeting people so that's what I'm going to do this time too. I'm very happy and comfortable with my own company but also enjoy meeting others too. My one concession has had to be lower heeled evening shoes as I won't have my darling man to hold on to if it's a little bumpy. I know he would be very happy and proud that I've decided to go on this cruise, and will be with me in spirit, no way would he miss the fun.

 

Condolences for your lost, I hope you enjoy your trip and many more.

 

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk

[Jay Sam]

A question for you solo cruisers, what type of cabin do you usually book? I realize there are certain things that can determine this but I was just wondering. I am single and my daughter was usually my travel partner but she has a young son now and eventually I think I may be cruising solo. We most often booked a balcony cabin but I am thinking if I book this type of cabin as a solo I would become a hermit on a ship full of people. What do you choose?

 

Especially when I cruise solo, I go with the lowest price. Now if a balcony or ocean view are a bit more, then I will move up to the better cabin, but if a lot more I take the budget choice. As a solo, I am not in the cabin all that often.

[Jay Sam]

My husband passed away last year and I have gone through quite a lot of grieving, re-connecting with old and finding new friends.

 

We loved to cruise, I think I did more than he.

 

Now I'm ready to try it alone - I think. :confused: But I feel so ambivalent. I have had at least four 24-hour holds that I did not confirm. Yikes.

 

I want to leave from Baltimore which has the Carnival Pride and Grandeur of the Seas (Royal Caribbean). Do not want to have to fly for my first solo cruise. How can I make the leap?

 

Doing something unknown for the 1st time is a bit disconcerting, but I have heard the saying that in 20 years we will regret the things we did not do, more than what we did do. So give it a go and take a chance.

 

It will be different for the 1st time, and maybe a bit tearful at times, but tears what will heal and tears of joy too as you remember your dear man. I feel you will come back feeling renewed.

 

I have tears in my eyes now writing these words. So fear not and just take the cruise. Talk to everybody and enjoy meeting new friends. Carnival does a marvelous job seating solo travelers together. Pride is a great ship, so that would be my choice.

[bottomfeeder]

A question for you solo cruisers, what type of cabin do you usually book? I realize there are certain things that can determine this but I was just wondering. I am single and my daughter was usually my travel partner but she has a young son now and eventually I think I may be cruising solo. We most often booked a balcony cabin but I am thinking if I book this type of cabin as a solo I would become a hermit on a ship full of people. What do you choose?

 

I always book a balcony because a big part of my enjoyment of a cruise is having that balcony to relax on and the big balcony doors to be able to look through and see the ocean when I'm lying in bed. If my budget got to the point where the only way I could cruise would be to book an inside or studio, I would do that...but for now where time is in shorter supply than money, I'm booking a balcony.

 

And if that makes me a hermit (and I admit it probably contributes to hermitlike qualities!) then that's fine with me--it's my vacation and I'm doing what I enjoy! :)

[Angule]

I'm going on my first solo cruise in 2 weeks! I've done one solo land trip. In some respects, I'm less nervous about the cruise. The hardest part for me solo on a land trip was finding places to eat every night, and so I appreciate that it's already provided for me on the ship.

 

The thing that I'm really nervous about is leaving the ship in 5 different countries alone. The first day of my solo land trip, I got so lost. It improved with time as I got to know my surroundings. I just have an irrational fear that I'm not going to be able to find a taxi to get back to the ship in time. But, on the other hand, I absolutely hate doing ship or group excursions. The reason I wanted to go solo was so that I could just take a taxi to a beach and read by myself all day. So, I've decided to do my own thing. I'm still nervous about it though.

[evandbob]

My 1st cruise in 2003 was solo, and I've always had a good time.....I cruise solo maybe 75% of my sailings......have sat at MDR 8 or 10 tops for dinner, ate lunch by myself, done seaday brunches with whomever I got seated with, have gone on independent and ships' excursions, enjoyed the sauna and steam room and gym, went to shows with people I met on board or by myself.

 

I do the same with my land vacays too.

[MazziB]

 

While reading your post, I was thinking exactly what you ended with. ********** I know he would be very happy and proud that I've decided to go on this cruise, and will be with me in spirit, no way would he miss the fun.

 

All I can say is go for it. I'm reading these posts because I have been thinking about doing a solo and there have been many good thoughts.

[Bizmark'sMom]

My first solo cruise was last year, in Australia, with Lindblad. It was an itinerary I found fascinating. I have friends scattered all around the continent. I knew I liked cruising. I decided to jump and just do it.

 

I had a fantastic time, even on a small ship (the 102 passenger Orion) with set dining times. I was one of 5 solo people aboard, and never had a problem with finding somebody interesting to dine with. Having a cabin all to myself was wonderful, too, because I could be a hermit when I wanted to. Mostly, I found that people were fascinated that I had the guts to travel alone. I had worried that people would feel sorry for me that I had no one to travel with, but it was the opposite. People were interested, and we had great conversations. Over the course of the cruise, some couples would save places for me at the lounge, and at dinner.

 

Book the trip. You will have a fantastic time. After the first day, you won't understand what you were so worried about.

[cruisevv]

My first solo a month ago was interesting. It was liberating, isolating, and amazing. I really enjoyed picking-and-choosing the events I wanted to go to without comprises but it could get a little lonely when everyone was with their families. So to combat that I forced my introspective self to eat some meals with acquaintances along the way. I spent far more time enjoying the quiet seat on my balcony but I figured I paid for it so why not enjoy it?

 

P.S. - the only thing that REALLY annoyed me as a solo cruiser were the two couples dry humping in elevators. No consideration. Guess it was their honeymoon. ;)

[cruisevv]

For my very 1st solo trip, I had the 8:15pm seating which was fine, a table for 10 solo travelers, which for most of the week only 5 show up (me included).:p

 

Is this standard? All solos being put at a table together for MDR? I was worried I'd be stuck with families and life-long friends which is why I didn't go.

[OldKnight]

Is this standard? All solos being put at a table together for MDR? I was worried I'd be stuck with families and life-long friends which is why I didn't go.

 

I don't know if it's standard and it was my experience on my solo cruise. I did set dining time. YMMV for any time dining.

[GaryT-UK]

Is this standard? All solos being put at a table together for MDR? I was worried I'd be stuck with families and life-long friends which is why I didn't go.

The only time I've had formal dining I was on the "singles" table, although that also seemed to include friends sharing a cabin who were not couples. We had a great time together.

All the other times I've had flexible dining and, if I'm not asking for a table for 1, I ask to share a mixed table, as it is a bit awkward when its just you and a large family, but I'm happy to share with a group of people who don't know each other.

Edited May 14, 2015 by GaryT-UK

[bottomfeeder]

I think the way solos are seated may vary by cruise line. I had very good experience with Celebrity and Azamara both, where I was seated at large tables with a mix of couples, families and other solos. NCL on the other hand just doesn't seem to "do" these mixed tables and seem to seat people with the group they came to the dining room with and nobody else. I didn't try to sit at a group table on my one HAL cruise or my one RCCL cruise, though I suspect that HAL at least would do a good job with it since their passenger base tends to be older and therefore with more non-paired-up cruisers.

[Desert Cruizers]

I did my first Solo Sept of 2013 when friends of ours asked if we wished to join them on a Coastal since we were within 6 months of our trip to Australia, DH passed so I went Solo. I make friends quickly and it was very relaxing. As far as dining, I dined with our friends and another couple we knew yet met a couple ladies for breakfast or lunch during the cruise.

[MiddleAgedBroad]

I can't tell you how happy I am to find this forum and this thread. I am a 60-year-old widow; my husband died in 2013, and I am getting ready to retire next year so I will have time to travel if I want to. The part of travel that I can't stand is what I call the "shlepping." So cruising seems like an attractive option.

 

My husband and I did a Canada cruise a few years ago before he got sick and we both really enjoyed it. We ate exclusively at the buffet because neither of us wanted to get dressed up and with that option we could stay casual. I'll put on some "nice casual", but I'm not into the whole gowns-and-spangles thing...I don't even OWN any dressy clothes.

 

I'm more social than he was, so for me the option of having dinner with others is more attractive than it was to him. I'm fine with sitting with either sociable couples or solos of similar age. (I hate the word "singles" -- it implies "young and on the prowl" and I am neither. I had my husband and I am NOT looking for another one; dating was horrible enough in my 20s!)

 

I'd be interested in knowing the age group of some of you. Are any of you solos also "on the shady side of 50"? And those of you who are social, do you find you gravitate more towards younger people or around your age or both? For me, I'd enjoy both some activities AND sitting on deck or my balcony with a nice cup of coffee and a good book.

Edited May 30, 2015 by MiddleAgedBroad

[Lois R]

I can't tell you how happy I am to find this forum and this thread. I am a 60-year-old widow; my husband died in 2013, and I am getting ready to retire next year so I will have time to travel if I want to. The part of travel that I can't stand is what I call the "shlepping." So cruising seems like an attractive option.

 

My husband and I did a Canada cruise a few years ago before he got sick and we both really enjoyed it. We ate exclusively at the buffet because neither of us wanted to get dressed up and with that option we could stay casual. I'll put on some "nice casual", but I'm not into the whole gowns-and-spangles thing...I don't even OWN any dressy clothes.

 

I'm more social than he was, so for me the option of having dinner with others is more attractive than it was to him. I'm fine with sitting with either sociable couples or solos of similar age. (I hate the word "singles" -- it implies "young and on the prowl" and I am neither. I had my husband and I am NOT looking for another one; dating was horrible enough in my 20s!)

 

I'd be interested in knowing the age group of some of you. Are any of you solos also "on the shady side of 50"? And those of you who are social, do you find you gravitate more towards younger people or around your age or both? For me, I'd enjoy both some activities AND sitting on deck or my balcony with a nice cup of coffee and a good book.

 

Good morning.:)...if you peruse this forum, you will find solo cruisers

of ALL ages. I am 57 and have been cruising solo for the past 12 years.

I meet people quite easily and age doesn't have much a factor me.

30 or 70......if folks are friendly their age doesn't matter (to me).

 

Hope you have a wonderful cruise:D

[Cpt Pugwash]

P.S. - the only thing that REALLY annoyed me as a solo cruiser were the two couples dry humping in elevators. No consideration. Guess it was their honeymoon. ;)

 

Well it would certainly have been 'different' holiday pictures to show your friends. :eek:

[bottomfeeder]

I can't tell you how happy I am to find this forum and this thread. I am a 60-year-old widow; my husband died in 2013, and I am getting ready to retire next year so I will have time to travel if I want to. The part of travel that I can't stand is what I call the "shlepping." So cruising seems like an attractive option.

 

My husband and I did a Canada cruise a few years ago before he got sick and we both really enjoyed it. We ate exclusively at the buffet because neither of us wanted to get dressed up and with that option we could stay casual. I'll put on some "nice casual", but I'm not into the whole gowns-and-spangles thing...I don't even OWN any dressy clothes.

 

I'm more social than he was, so for me the option of having dinner with others is more attractive than it was to him. I'm fine with sitting with either sociable couples or solos of similar age. (I hate the word "singles" -- it implies "young and on the prowl" and I am neither. I had my husband and I am NOT looking for another one; dating was horrible enough in my 20s!)

 

I'd be interested in knowing the age group of some of you. Are any of you solos also "on the shady side of 50"? And those of you who are social, do you find you gravitate more towards younger people or around your age or both? For me, I'd enjoy both some activities AND sitting on deck or my balcony with a nice cup of coffee and a good book.

 

I'm 53 for another few months, and honestly I have found there are lots of solos in my age range and older, mostly women, often widowed or divorced. While there are certainly some with the "singles" mindset, I think most people are more like you and me--I wouldn't OBJECT to falling madly in love with someone and living happily ever after, but I'm doing absolutely nothing to make that happen so I don't expect it will. And I certainly don't cruise in hopes of meeting someone. :)

 

I'm not very sociable but it is easy to strike up conversations on a cruise, whether at dinner, at activities, on tours, etc. and it seems the age of folks at all those locations varies depending on the cruise line and type of cruise. Longer cruises, and transatlantics, tend to have an older crowd while shorter (3 to 7 days) cruises to the Caribbean tend to have the youngest crowds in my experience.

 

Since you are quite sociable, I'd very much recommend that you eat dinner in the main dining room (at least a couple times during your next cruise to try it out.) Most nights the dress code is fairly casual--most lines now are fine with jeans as long as they aren't ripped. Some are fine with shorts as well. There is no need to get "dressed up" except on formal nights--and even those are becoming optional or disappearing altogether from some cruise lines. Most lines have "your time" dining options where you can show up at the dining room anytime during opening hours, and ask to be seated at a shared table. I found that Celebrity and Azamara are very good at the shared table concept and it's a great way to meet others. Norwegian doesn't seem to do shared tables. I can't tell you about other cruise lines as I've no experience trying to do shared tables with other lines.

 

Norwegian is probably the most casual line so far as dress codes, and their larger newer ships also have studio cabins and studio lounges to make it easier for solo travelers to meet others. Even if you stay in a balcony cabin you should be able to attend the evening studio lounge gathering to meet and make plans for dinner and other activities with fellow solos. If I had the preferences you've expressed in your post, I'd definitely try the Getaway, Epic, Breakaway or Escape.

 

Enjoy your solo cruise!

Edited May 30, 2015 by bottomfeeder

[Truluv]

MiddleAgedBroad - My spouse also died in 2013. I'm 62, and taking my 1st solo cruise (RCL) at the end of the month. Last year I cruised with my kids on NCL Epic, and I remember seeing a meet-up in the daily bulletin for solo cruisers at one of the bars before dinner.

 

Since I booked my solo cruise so late, I've been put into RCL's flexible dining. I don't know if RCL has tables for people who want to sit with others at dinner or not. I thought I'd check with the dining room and get some advice when I board. Otherwise, I'm going to be perfectly happy with the buffet all week and my Kindle. I wonder if I'll spot others in the same boat there (no pun intended) as the week goes on.

 

I smiled at your comments about "solo" vs "single." Me too.

[bottomfeeder]

MiddleAgedBroad - My spouse also died in 2013. I'm 62, and taking my 1st solo cruise (RCL) at the end of the month. Last year I cruised with my kids on NCL Epic, and I remember seeing a meet-up in the daily bulletin for solo cruisers at one of the bars before dinner.

 

Since I booked my solo cruise so late, I've been put into RCL's flexible dining. I don't know if RCL has tables for people who want to sit with others at dinner or not. I thought I'd check with the dining room and get some advice when I board. Otherwise, I'm going to be perfectly happy with the buffet all week and my Kindle. I wonder if I'll spot others in the same boat there (no pun intended) as the week goes on.

 

I smiled at your comments about "solo" vs "single." Me too.

 

You can always ask to be seated alone in the dining room if you prefer that to the buffet but want to read. I do that sometimes. :)

[MiddleAgedBroad]

@Truluv: I look forward to hearing about your cruise!:)

[Truluv]

Realized I was on NC Breakway, not Epic, last year - but it did have that solo meet-up before dinner! I will definitely report back as to how my first solo went. I'll be on RCL Freedom

 

For my first solo, I weighed

1) RCL - drive-able Port (within 8-9 hours) and could continue to accrue RLC loyalty points. Have cruised with them multiple times, so decided it would feel familiar.

2) Carnival (have always had a great time on Carnival and could have afforded a suite, but the crowd has always seemed generally younger to me -- so I didn't think it was a good choice for my first solo),

3) NCL (just don't like it as much as RCL - both of my NCL cruises felt a little more crowded and noisier than the other lines I've cruised with, although the prices are certainly good. Pluses to NCL are that it's the only cruise line I've actually won some money in the casino on -- not a big gambler, but I usually put about $100 in the slots. I won $500 on a NCL cruise, and I've found the beds to be very comfortable),

4) Celebrity (felt it was too quiet and formal when we cruised on Celebrity before, but have decided that I may have aged into it -- unfortunately, I would have had to fly. Decided to try again in the future if I like solo cruising.) and

5) Princess (I've paid for Princess cruises twice and had to cancel both cruises the day before due to work emergencies; I still haven't gotten on a Princess ship, although I supposedly have loyalty points from my cancelled cruises :-(.) Decided to stick with a familiar line for my first solo cruise.

6) Holland America (my TA recommended that it's a good line for older solos. However, I wanted to stick with something familiar...back to RCL.)

 

If it goes well, I'm going to start saving up for my bucket list Mediterranean cruise.

Edited May 31, 2015 by Truluv

[GaryT-UK]

I'd be interested in knowing the age group of some of you. Are any of you solos also "on the shady side of 50"? And those of you who are social, do you find you gravitate more towards younger people or around your age or both?.

 

I'm 44 and have generally found the average age to be slightly older than me, especially outside the summer months - I often choose to travel in school holidays as that's when people with kids who are more my age group tend to travel, but there's a mix of ages on most ships I've been on.

I don't get too hung up on meeting other solos, I actually find you tend to meet like minded people doing the same things as you, so the party animals are all at the late bar, the gamblers in the casino (I've made a few friends at the roulette wheel!), or trivia or bingo in the day...

If there's something you like doing chances are there'll be a bunch of others who do the same and you see them every day. I've always found people are friendly to talk to whatever their ages.

[crusinpsychRN]

I started cruising solo when the kids went to college. I read these boards to learn all I could before venturing off. I had the anxiety of what will I do, who will I be seated with in MDR.

 

Walked onto the ship and all my worries just dropped off and I had a blast. Loved not having to tell the kids the cabin must be tidy--no size 13 shoes left for one of us to trip over. Loved not having to sign parental approval for the ropes course or the wave rider or ice skating. Loved not worrying about where my kids were. Especially loved doing what I wanted when I wanted.

[honestguy]

Just booked my first solo. An 11 day cruise. Go big or go home right.:eek: I can't wait. My only worry, is i might be the youngest solo on board. I'm 37.