Solo Gatherings on RCL ships

[latebuyer]

I've been trying to find out what type of solo activities are on Royal Caribbean ships. Someone posted that they were on Ovation of the Seas and there was some solo gatherings. I phoned and tried to get some information and they couldn't tell me anything, not even generally if they have any solo gatherings on there ships. I was not impressed as they should be able to give a basic statement about it. Just venting. In any event, if you've been on any solo gatherings on a RCL ship, please post.

Edited June 17, 2019 by christinand

[ONECRUISER]

They have Lunch get together's, meet at Lounge gatherings and such for Singles...

[AlanF65]

7 minutes ago, christinand said:

I've been trying to find out what type of solo activities are on Royal Caribbean ships. Someone posted that they were on Ovation of the Seas and there was some solo gatherings. I phoned and tried to get some information and they couldn't tell me anything, not even generally if they have any solo gatherings on there ships. I was not impressed as they should be able to give a basic statement about it. Just venting. In any event, if you've been on any solo gatherings on a RCL ship, please post.

After the Meet and Mingle there was a solo lunch organized by RCI, a woman who was in our group for dinner the night beofre saw me and invited me along. Join your roll call, you or someone could organize a group dinner at one of the specialty venues, join in on some of the roll call events, go to the meet and mingle.

 

There are about 3-4 quasi organized events a day

https://issuu.com/hochmania/docs/ovation_cc_11_nt_glacier_may_13_201/6

day 1

 

day 2

 

 

 

 

 

[smplybcause]

Maybe because it might be new? When I sailed on Oasis both times they only had a nightly unhosted singles meet. That was sparsely attended. 

[latebuyer]

Thanks for sharing this. I just don't understand why they can't say if it is offered. I'm just wondering if it is only offered on larger cruise ships like Ovation or on smaller cruise ships like Serenade as well. Surely they must know in general. My cruise isn't until next year so maybe i'll try again later.

[ONECRUISER]

14 minutes ago, smplybcause said:

Maybe because it might be new? When I sailed on Oasis both times they only had a nightly unhosted singles meet. That was sparsely attended. 

Nope, been seeing Singles Lunch and the Late Nite Bar at least 7yrs on 4 different ships. Arranged/Scheduled by Royal. But as with anything Royal, experiences vary

Edited June 17, 2019 by ONECRUISER

[smplybcause]

15 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Nope, been seeing Singles Lunch and the Late Nite Bar at least 7yrs on 4 different ships. Arranged/Scheduled by Royal. But as with anything Royal, experiences vary

 

Interesting that it varies so much from ship to ship! Over on NCL their single meets are consistent across ships, figured it was the same on Royal. Something to ask about before I go solo on a Royal ship again. 

[AlanF65]

38 minutes ago, christinand said:

Thanks for sharing this. I just don't understand why they can't say if it is offered. I'm just wondering if it is only offered on larger cruise ships like Ovation or on smaller cruise ships like Serenade as well. Surely they must know in general. My cruise isn't until next year so maybe i'll try again later.

They had similar items last year on Explorer of the Seas to Alaska.

 

I don't like the 7pm time for the evening meets, I usually eat around that time. I just can't stress how signing up for the meet and mingle https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/ccEntry.do  and joining the roll call exposes you to your fellow cruisers before you leave and offers opportunities to share excursions and meet.

[Truluv]

I've cruised RCL solo several times, and I've only noticed one singles bar meeting (I'm a widow & singles gatherings aren't my thing).  If I remember right, it was also scheduled during the early dinner seating. 

 

I had one Allure experience about 4 years ago where I was placed at a double table by myself in the middle of the dining room for dinner.   When I asked if I could be seated at a large table, the Maitre De suggested that I talk to  couples at tables around me if I wanted someone to talk to. .   I mentioned this experience at the Pursar's Desk and suggested that RCL consider offering large table seating for people who wanted to sit with others.  Instead, I received MULTIPLE calls the next day, from the Dining Room Manager apologizing & stating they would try to find someone to sit with me to someone from the Pursar's Office offering to have coffee with me if I was "lonely."  I ended up choosing the Windjammer for the rest of the cruise.

 

RCL simply doesn't have the solo traveler experiences of NCL (with its solo traveler lounge and more single cabins) or even HAL (with its loyal older passengers).  It has a lot of pluses, but I wouldn't say solo travelers are their target market.

 

Someone suggested posting something on the bulletin board or trying to coordinate a Meet N' Greet with the Pursar's office.  Based on my experiences with RCL, I wouldn't be too optimistic though. 

[Alter Ego]

My experiences are a few years old and both relate to the Anthem.

 

Like others mentioned, there was a coffee meet up (did not go) and lunches for solos on the calendar on sea days. On my first Anthem Cruise, I met a Royal Rep and others by the robot bar and then we made our way to the restaurant.  The rep ate with us and it was a nice sized group  - maybe 6 people. Enjoyed it so I went later in the cruise.  Smaller size group (but same people) and the Royal rep needed to leave mid meal.

 

On my next Anthem Cruise, I still met a Royal rep and anyone else interested by the robots.  This time, it was just one other person and the Royal rep left after they walked us to the restaurant.

 

For both cruises, I arranged some dinners with fellow cruisers on my roll call.  However, as it seems like roll calls are getting less and less popular, this may not be so easy anymore.  But, honestly, I’m also perfectly fine eating by myself and will likely do so in December.

[latebuyer]

Thanks I created a roll call and signed up for the meet and mingle. First time solo cruising and it would be nice to meet some people even once.

[Grandma Dazzles]

Have attended solo luncheons on the Oasis, Serenade and Navigator. Each one was in the Compass and organized by a member of the Cruise Director’s staff, who was in attendance. On each ship there were only a couple of attendees.  As a solo traveler i have always requested a large table for dinner in the MDR, and never had problem being seated.  Often eat lunch and breakfast in MDR and again request a shared table. 

[hallux]

12 hours ago, smplybcause said:

Over on NCL their single meets are consistent across ships,

It was primarily the solo program that encouraged me to buy CruiseNext certificates on my last cruise (my first NCL).  I should qualify that by saying that I HAVE sailed on RCI but I was with family so the solo meets weren't of much interest to me.

[Snit13]

13 hours ago, christinand said:

Thanks for sharing this. I just don't understand why they can't say if it is offered. I'm just wondering if it is only offered on larger cruise ships like Ovation or on smaller cruise ships like Serenade as well. Surely they must know in general. My cruise isn't until next year so maybe i'll try again later.

My guess is that many of the employees we speak to on the phone have NEVER been on a cruise or even near a cruise ship.  They simply read from prepared scripts.

On the bulletin board near Guest Services there are postings at times..Unless it is one of the Friends groups I don't recall ever seeing anything posted about solo activities.  I have not cruised since November 2018 so maybe something has changed.  When we sailed NCL they had activities each day in the solo lounge.

[smplybcause]

8 hours ago, hallux said:

It was primarily the solo program that encouraged me to buy CruiseNext certificates on my last cruise (my first NCL).  I should qualify that by saying that I HAVE sailed on RCI but I was with family so the solo meets weren't of much interest to me.

 

I agree. I've currently been on more royal cruises than NCL, but only sailed solo on Royal once (technically my family was on it but only single in the group). I've been on NCL solo 3 times with 2 more booked. I keep looking at Royal, but NCL has been cheaper especially with the Cruise Next certs. 

[hallux]

2 hours ago, smplybcause said:

especially with the Cruise Next certs. 

 

Yup, love the CruiseNext certs idea.  You have that money "in your back pocket" without having to actually book the next cruise while on board.  I know they make the same offers on EVERY SHIP, so it really should be considered to be $250 toward $500 in future cruising when you buy 2 certificates.  I'm in search of that next one, Mexican Riviera this Fall looks enticing...

[brillohead]

On 6/17/2019 at 6:36 PM, christinand said:

I've been trying to find out what type of solo activities are on Royal Caribbean ships. Someone posted that they were on Ovation of the Seas and there was some solo gatherings. I phoned and tried to get some information and they couldn't tell me anything, not even generally if they have any solo gatherings on there ships. I was not impressed as they should be able to give a basic statement about it. Just venting. In any event, if you've been on any solo gatherings on a RCL ship, please post.

 

On 6/17/2019 at 7:09 PM, christinand said:

Thanks for sharing this. I just don't understand why they can't say if it is offered. I'm just wondering if it is only offered on larger cruise ships like Ovation or on smaller cruise ships like Serenade as well. Surely they must know in general. My cruise isn't until next year so maybe i'll try again later.

The thing is, this type of stuff is planned by the Activities Staff -- it's not a Royal Caribbean policy, like Traditional Early Dining or My Time Dining that is handled the same way on all ships.  Each ship has a different Activities Staff, and each cruise can have a different demographic.  

So even if the phone staff could tell you that "there generally is a lunch meet for singles"... if the Activities Staff doesn't organize one on your particular ship on your particular week, you're going to be angry and/or disappointed if you were counting on it happening. 

One cruise might have 100 solo travelers, so the Activities Staff might set up a couple events every single day.  The next week might only have three solo travelers, so the Activities Staff doesn't bother to set up anything.

Maybe instead of relying on the cruise staff to make sure you're not lonely, you take the necessary steps to find people to hang out with on your own?  

Breakfast and lunch in the MDR are always a shared-table event (unless you specifically request a table alone).  If you have traditional fixed seating for dinner, your travel agent can request a larger table as part of your reservation (if there's a mix-up and you end up as the only person at a table, you can ask to be moved to a different table).  

There are a gazillion activities around the ship where you can meet people and strike up a conversation.  I started a conversation in the nightclub with a couple people back in 2017 and we hit it off so well that they invited me to join them for dinner the rest of the week.  I have cruised with them twice since, and we have another planned for this fall.  

 

There are Roll Calls here where you can meet people online before your cruise.  I met a couple of brothers this way in 2013, and we've stayed in closed contact since that time.  I attended the cruise/wedding of one in 2015 and am attending the cruise/wedding of the other in September.  

Even if the ship's staff does set up single/solo events, there's no guarantee that people will show up to them, or that you'll be compatible with the people who do show up.  A single/solo event could be filled with 20yos looking to hook up, or it could be filled with 85yos.  It might be all male or all female or all non-English-speaking or any number of other demographics.  

It's like Forrest Gump's mama always used to say.... life is like a box of chocolates -- you never know what you're going to get.  

 

[latebuyer]

Thanks for your post. As i said i'm new to cruising and not sure what to expect. I appreciate your trying to excuse the phone staff, but i still think she could have said something like rcl sometimes has single events but i'm not sure on your particular ship as the activity staff plans them instead of a blanket denial that she's never heard of single events when clearly people on this forum have been to them.

 

Thanks everyone for all your comments. If not for you my assumption would have been there are no single activities on any RCL ships.

Edited June 19, 2019 by christinand

[Hogbay]

Royal has 26 ships sailing to all parts of the Earth from 1 day cruise to weeks long relocation cruises . The Cruise Director and his/her staff are on board and responsible for activities , it.s totally inappropriate to judge phone staff , calling them poorly paid foreign workers . They DO NOT know what is a "single event" is , as there norm is multigenerational homes with big family . Phone staff are all bilingual and have a vast knowledge of ships operations as for asking what grade is the pin pong tournament is and do they supply ITTF approved STGA Pro Paddle I think not . 

[latebuyer]

You're seriously equating a solo event with pro paddle!? As others have said cruiselines like norwegian consistently offer solo events while rcl won't acknowledge they have solo events on any of their trips. Not sure why that is expecting too much to know that is on offer when it is something important to me when choosing a cruise. Fyi i had edited my post, knowing it was a bit inflammatory but i haven't been impressed with their knowledge overall when i called them.

[138east]

Christinand - I did a round trip Alaska on the Radiance (same class as Serenade) as a solo.  Others have given you good suggestions like requesting a fixed dining table of 8 people and eating breakfast and lunch at a shared table in the MDR.

 

What kind of cabin do you have?  I always have an inside, so I spend very little time in my cabin. The Radiance class ships have a ton of glass.  For Alaska on cruising days I practically lived in the Viking Crown Lounge on deck 13 (did this for the Panama Canal as well) where I met a lot of people.  Easy access outside to see things closer if necessary.  Binoculars are good to have.

 

Playing trivia is good if you join a group.  There should also be group activities in the Centrum area - usually some sort of individual dancing as a large group.  The daily Compass will have these times.

 

Did you join the roll call for your cruise?  I have connected with solos that way.  Sometimes there are slot pulls, cabin crawls, pub hops, etc.  Sign up for the meet and mingle and go.  If no invitation, ask guest services.  It should be the morning of your first sea day, most likely in the Safari Club deck 6 aft.

[latebuyer]

Thanks. I will remember to check around the centrum. I was interested in the sushi making class as well. Only 2 sea days on alaskan cruise so that will be alright. I may splurge and get a manicure. 🙂 Sounds like there is a lot of opportunities to meet other peolpe.

[patattack]

I cruise solo often.  The first solo cruise with Royal was on the Enchantment of the Seas out of Baltimore.   There was a solo luncheon that was advertised.  We had a meeting place and the Cruise Director actually hosted the event.  Several cruises I was placed at large tables of solo cruisers ages 24-60.  We all enjoyed the dining experience and even met at different activities during the cruise.

 

Pat