Solo cruisers - which 'budget' cruiseline in Australia

[flick_au]

Hi all

 

I appreciate there is a "solo cruises" forum but that is predominantly international users so I thought my query might fit better here. 

 

After recently going on my first cruise I am keen to keep going, but am interested in cruising solo for my next one and am just wondering the reality of how the "affordable" cruiselines (i.e., P&O, carnival and royal caribbean) with Australian port departures stack up in terms of catering to solo's once on board? 

 

I appreciate its probably fairly easy to socalise as little or us much as you want with other passengers, but I am interested in whether there are:

• are the solo mixers/ meet and greets? is there more than one the first night? and are they actually attended?
• are there solo traveler dinning options, where solo travelers can be seated with other solo's (I gather RC does a solo lunch on sea days, is this attended)? 
• or anything else I should know of?

 

Thank you for your time 🙂

[MicCanberra]

some tips on the other thread - 

 

[GUT2407]

I’ve never sailed solo, (Mrs Gut wouldn’t like it, and she is on scared lady) but every line I have sailed on seemed to have numerous solo meet ups going off the various newsletters.

[The_Big_M]

I've sailed solo a few times, but never attended one of those functions so probably not much help.

 

In the programs where it appears I don't recall seeing it more than once a day, so think that's the standard.

 

With solo dining they normally just allocate you a table just as in any other situation i.e. there'd be some solo and some not. You can check with the maitre d' in advance and try to swap to a more solo in number table, but the limitation is often availability i.e. ships sail full so there isn't usually much flexibility. Also many ships have mytimedining or some form where you're just allocated a table as you arrive so don't have any control over being with solos in any case.

 

In short, I sail for the cruising side. Any solo arrangements that may happen is just a bonus. There are some specific singles group cruises which better cater for that.

[Tigerlily75]

The only cruise line that really goes all out to cater for solos is Norwegian, but I’ve only sailed them from the US, so I don’t know what it’s like when sailing in Australia. They have hosted solo gatherings every evening as well as dinner every night, well attended.

 

I’m sailing solo next year on Ovation of the Seas from Sydney to Honolulu and there’s a heap of solos going and we’ve already planned dinners etc.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, Tigerlily75 said:

The only cruise line that really goes all out to cater for solos is Norwegian, but I’ve only sailed them from the US, so I don’t know what it’s like when sailing in Australia. They have hosted solo gatherings every evening as well as dinner every night, well attended.

 

I’m sailing solo next year on Ovation of the Seas from Sydney to Honolulu and there’s a heap of solos going and we’ve already planned dinners etc.

Some ships do it better than others, I have seen some gatherings when on X (walking past or getting a quick drink) and they look like a fun time but then as I am not a single, I do not linger.