Are some itineraries more solo-friendly than others?

[LandlockedCruiser01]

I've been cruising solo exclusively, and tried 3 itineraries so far, all 4-day cruises.  (See my signature for a full list.)  Which got me wondering: Are some itineraries more solo-friendly than others?  This factors in both safety and social parts of it.  

 

From a safety standpoint, I'd say Alaska cruises top the list.  Most of their stops are in US ports, in cities without serious crime problems, and the only foreign port (usually Victoria, BC) is safe as well.  Caribbean itineraries vary; I'd say Grand Cayman is the safest for solos, and Jamaica is the least safe.

 

From a social standpoint, it's more complicated.  It's driven by factors outside the cruise lines' control, let alone the solo cruiser's.  But it still seems like certain itineraries attract passengers with a specific mindset, which includes being welcoming of solos.  (Length of cruises probably affects it as well, but I can only afford the 4-day ones.)  All of my itineraries provided equally good experiences in terms of making friends.  But did anyone else notice a pattern, where some itineraries provided a more solo-friendly environment than others?

[mef_57]

In my opinion, Safety is often a personal perception and often based on limited self education.  I am a 60+ solo woman traveler who typically does land based travel including a month in Ecuador and my first volunteering - in my 50's and in Africa which included a 3 hour local transport commute every day. I also believe that safety is personal awareness and a personal respoonsibility....as far as you can take it. So, my perception of unsafe is going to be different than a 20 something that hits a port and Senor Frogs and worries about whether they will get rolled or abused before they stagger back to the ship....or even a middle-aged couple who has never left middle America.  Ultimately, there is going to be no definitive answer to that part of the question.

As the social aspect, the more sea days a trip has the more opportunity to meet your fellow ship mates.  A port heavy trip is going to be just that - focus on the port and recovering from being in the port. I can't fathom a 4 day only trip. That is a whole different clientele to those who travel for 10 days or more.  If you want to look at itineraries that are affordable and more than 4 days, try Cruise Plum...hmm, but I recall you won't consider Costa or MSC, so perhaps not.  But there are some good deals for this week for Canada and the NorthEast. 12 days for under $500 base price. You'll meet friendly people there but perhaps not your demographic.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

10 hours ago, mef_57 said:

As the social aspect, the more sea days a trip has the more opportunity to meet your fellow ship mates.  A port heavy trip is going to be just that - focus on the port and recovering from being in the port.

Most of the times, I've made new friends on port days, but hung out with them on sea days.  Although on my Inspiration cruise, I made friends on the ship at night, so it was mostly irrelevant whether it was a sea day or a port day.  I didn't care whether or not I had to get up early next morning.  I maximized my partying with my new friends as much as I could.  Sleep is for home.

 

But by and large, you're right: sea days do help cement cruise friendships.  Especially considering that it's quite uncommon to have the same shore excursions pre-booked, unless you happen to do it by accident.  One of the highlights of my latest cruise was hanging out with my new friends in the Lido pool all afternoon.  Can't really do that on a port day.

[calliopecruiser]

Just like the question of a cruise line being better for solos, the question of what type of itineraries are more solo-friendly depends on what you think constitutes "solo friendly".   From a safety point of view, it depends on whether you will be taking excursions in ports or investigating/sight seeing on your own.  If you're taking excursions or other planned tour groups, I don't think of any port as more unsafe than any other, even for solos.....after all, you're not solo if you're part of a tour group.   If you're investigating out on your own, I think there are some places that are less solo friendly, but only if you are a woman: in some countries there is a tradition against unaccompanied women in public, or a particularly high rate of harassment and assault.  I would not travel solo around India, Morocco, or Brazil, for instance. 

 

As for the social aspect, I guess it depends (again) on what you want.  I think that mid-sized ships and lots of sea days are better for socializing, because there's a balance between sea day activities and not so many people that you won't see and recognize people on board. 

 

[Go-Bucks!]

On 9/23/2019 at 10:47 AM, LandlockedCruiser01 said:

From a safety standpoint, I'd say Alaska cruises top the list.  Most of their stops are in US ports, in cities without serious crime problems, and the only foreign port (usually Victoria, BC) is safe as well.  Caribbean itineraries vary; I'd say Grand Cayman is the safest for solos, and Jamaica is the least safe.

 

I agree with this!👍

 

Hawaii is very safe too...as well as much of Europe, British Isles, Australia, New Zealand, Japan and Canada.

Edited September 25, 2019 by Go-Bucks!

[Lois R]

Good morning...…….

That social aspect relating to "partying and sleeping"? Personally, I don't do a lot of the first and enjoy the 2nd. Yes, I sleep at home too but I love the feeling of the water while I am sleeping on the ship.

 

And as for the solo based itineraries? I am in the genre of not caring about that part.  If I meet other solo cruisers, fine, but that is not part of my thought process when I book a cruise.

 

[rkacruiser]

9 hours ago, Lois R said:

And as for the solo based itineraries? I am in the genre of not caring about that part.  If I meet other solo cruisers, fine, but that is not part of my thought process when I book a cruise.

 

I agree with this thought.  The reasons why a book a cruise has nothing to do with my marital status.

[calliopecruiser]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

nothing to do with my marital status

Just to point out that marital status really has nothing to do with travelling solo......I've met many married people travelling solo, and single people who were travelling with others. 

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, calliopecruiser said:

Just to point out that marital status really has nothing to do with travelling solo......I've met many married people travelling solo, and single people who were travelling with others. 

 

Please forgive me for that choice of words "marital status".  Truthfully, seconds after I posted those words, I wondered if those were the best thoughts I could have said.

 

I am a solo.  I have been a solo.  I will remain a solo by choice until the day that my good God calls me home.  Would I have wished to be a solo?  These are questions for which are not appropriate to be discussed on a public message forum and are certainly not relevant to Cruise Critic.  

 

 

[calliopecruiser]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

These are questions for which are not appropriate to be discussed on a public message forum and are certainly not relevant to Cruise Critic. 

I agree......and totally unrelated to cruising, solo or not. 

[PerfectlyPerth]

On 9/24/2019 at 2:39 AM, mef_57 said:

. I can't fathom a 4 day only trip.

 

Me neither. I would feel like I barely unpacked and already had to start packing to disembark again. Even my 30 day ones feel too short to me 🙂 I long for my retirement when I can start doing longer than 30 day cruises. 

 

Itinerary wise - in all my land and cruise travels since I was a young teen in the early 80s - I have chosen my itineraries based on where I want to go, and what I want to see and experience. My travel is all about me !

 

I have never considered whether a destination is 'for solos' or 'solo friendly'. Destinations are for humans. I'm a human. My life choices and travel choices don't alter that. 'Safety' is irrelevant in my decision making because I take sensible precautions in both everyday life and when travelling. 

 

The only place in the world I have found myself confronted by a mugger was in my own city in the park below my inner city apartment! And I told him in no uncertain terms where he could shove his request for my phone and handbag. The look on my voice and the tone in my voice sent him running in fear. 

 

The only real real danger I have ever actually been in was when I found myself in the path of two huge bull Fur Seals eyeing each other off and preparing to charge through me at each other - on South Georgia Island in Antarctic waters. I yelled at them like toddlers and they froze on the spot in shock - giving me time to back away slowly. 

[PelicanBill]

Safety discussion aside,  A lot of what makes a port solo friendly depends on what you like to do.  If you're signing for excursions there isn't much to make a difference.  But if you like to explore on your own, then after safety, there are definitely ports that are better for solos.   Ports with interesting and walkable city centers come to mind.  San Juan, Cozumel (from Punta Langosta or by a short taxi ride), Nassau, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Aruba, Curacao.    If you're a beach person, pick ports with good public beaches and bring a beachsafe for your stuff.  My favorites for beaches suitable for solos would be Grand Cayman, Costa Maya, St. Lucia, Tortola, and private islands Great Stirrup Cay and Labadee.

[TTEllis]

That's how I interpreted the question. A solo friendly port is totally about what you like to do.

St. Thomas is always has been a great island for solo's like us. I'm solo since 1997. St. Thomas never fails me, walk off the ship at Havensight grab a beer or two hop on and taxi and they'll take you anywhere you want. Or you can meander around Havensight and shop and drink till you drop, solo done it many time's and it's always a LOT of fun. I'm always by myself everybody is always very friendly, I know it's US but it's still the Caribbean.

St. Kitts I have found the same concept very solo oriented, Aruba I see more solo's on Aruba than I do couple's or families. 

St. Lucia done it solo many time's never a problem, nothing but fun from start to finish. Always by myself I can't imagine it any other way. Todd

 

Edited October 1, 2019 by TTEllis
typo

[SandraDJ]

There's no straight answer to any of these questions.  NCL big ships are the most solo friendly, and I am in contact with a few people that I have sailed with.  However, I have made friends on other cruise lines.

 

As for mini cruises, I do them from time to time.  My last cruise was just over a week ago, a 3 night cruise on MSC Meraviglia from Kiel to Southampton.  It was incredibly cheap, and a couple of friends decided to join me.

 

My preference is for ports where I can just wander on my own.  I am a hobby photographer, so anyone coming with me would get bored.  I have found that the private tours in mini buses are the friendliest, rather than the big coaches that the cruise lines use.

 

My next cruise is from Fort Lauderdale to LA, through the Panama.  From what others have said, I don't think that I want to wander around on my own.