Solo travel

[westmount]

I’ve been a long time Seabourn fan for a long time, my last cruise we were lost at sea for 19 days during the height of the COVID panic in March of 2020 on our way to Perth. Unfortunately., my spouse lost her battle to cancer recently , and I’m taking the plunge and going solo in April . The question I have is whether Seabourn is the right place for a solo traveller, as I’ve only seen it as part of a couple. I love travelling and loved Seabourn, but  not sure how the solo experience is going to go, save for the fact nothing ventured is nothing gained. 
  Not sure if there’s going to be other solo travellers on this cruise or what to expect, but it should be interesting. 

[Isklaar]

I'm very sorry for your loss.  

I've sailed solo on SB a few times and have always had a great cruise, they were always very proactive with hosted tables for solo travellers and so on. However, my cruises were all pre Covid so things may have changed since.

 

One of our regulars on the board, SunViking, has taken several solo cruises since Covid. I believe she is currently on a lengthy cruise on Quest, hopefully she will see your post and tell you more. 

[wesport]

I am sorry for your loss. I lost my partner of 30 years  one year ago. I did an Alaskan cruise 6 months after his death as we had to cancel our Seabourn cruise.  Every night I was invited to a hosted table. I did not go every night, but I got an invitation to a table. I met many people at the observation bar. I have several more Seabourn cruises scheduled this year. One more suggestion is that you review the list of solo cruises on the website. Solo cruise only charge 1.5 as the single supplement. Many lines just double the fair. What I have found out is that when booking one of these cruises, it is around the same or slightly higher than let’s say a HAL cruise once you add HSC, drinks, internet, etc. Our passion was travel. I will continue the travel for both of us as hard as it is. 

[Sunviking]

I too lost my husband of nearly 50 years in mid-2020.  I love to travel, particularly cruising, so in November 2021 I took my first solo cruise on the Ovation and had a marvelous time. I'm currently on my fifth cruise since then (including that Ovation one), all on Seabourn.  I'm on the 58 day Santiago to Miami cruise.  Seabourn takes very good care of us solo travelers.  As Wesport said we are invited to hosted tables nearly every night and you meet people playing trivia or in the bars or on tours. I think you'll have a great time.  You'll miss your partner of course, but I like to think that my husband is watching and happy that I'm continuing to live and enjoy the things we always did together.

[nancygp]

West mount,

 

Very sorry for your loss.

 

Nancy

[iramack]

11 hours ago, wesport said:

 I have several more Seabourn cruises scheduled this year. 

Hello.  Sorry you have lost your partner...............

I am an avid Seabourn cruiser and I am looking at solo cruises for myself this year as my partner does not/will not travel...................

Can you list the trips you have booked for this year? That would help me decide what to book for myself this coming year.  It would be nice to have some "like minded" people to socialize with on board.

 

Steve in Dallas

Edited February 1, 2023 by iramack

[Cantara24]

Westmount; we are sorry to hear the  loss  of your partner, thanks for sharing and sincere condolences. While not having experienced solo travel ourselves, we have met many solo’s on our cruises, we always have enjoyed those we’ve encountered. I do know that the staff and crew treat you as extra special, as they should!! Do venture and let us know how goes it.

[wesport]

56 minutes ago, iramack said:

Hello.  Sorry you have lost your partner...............

I am an avid Seabourn cruiser and I am looking at solo cruises for myself this year as my partner does not/will not travel...................

Can you list the trips you have booked for this year? That would help me decide what to book for myself this coming year.  It would be nice to have some "like minded" people to socialize with on board.

 

Steve in Dallas

Right now I have three scheduled.

 

5/27/23-6/16/23 Sojourn Riviera Romance and Tyrrhenian Treasures. 20 nights. This is a combination cruise. Not sure what the segments are.

 

8/6/23-8/20/23 Encore. Treasures of the Holy Land. Two 7 days back to back. showing sold out, but both 7 day segments seem to be available.

 

10/11/23-11/5/23 Encore Mediterranean Intrigue 25 nights. This one is several combined also.

 

It’s a lot, but our passion was travel, and so it goes. 

 

 

[iramack]

11 minutes ago, wesport said:

Right now I have three scheduled.

 

5/27/23-6/16/23 Sojourn Riviera Romance and Tyrrhenian Treasures. 20 nights. This is a combination cruise. Not sure what the segments are.

 

8/6/23-8/20/23 Encore. Treasures of the Holy Land. Two 7 days back to back. showing sold out, but both 7 day segments seem to be available.

 

10/11/23-11/5/23 Encore Mediterranean Intrigue 25 nights. This one is several combined also.

 

It’s a lot, but our passion was travel, and so it goes. 

 

 

Thanks for the quick response!!

Those sound fantastic................I will have a look at those and the segments comprising them.  I am still working and can't really be away for more than 2 weeks +/- a couple of days.  I was looking at the 12 day Dover R/T on Ovation in late April............Great itinerary and easy access from LHR. My birthday celebration on board  too! Single supplement is only 1.5 on that as well..............

Again,  thanks for your time and feel free to email me......... smacofsky2@gmail.com

 

SM

 

 

Edited February 2, 2023 by iramack

[Mr Luxury]

14 hours ago, wesport said:

Right now I have three scheduled.

 

5/27/23-6/16/23 Sojourn Riviera Romance and Tyrrhenian Treasures. 20 nights. This is a combination cruise. Not sure what the segments are.

 

8/6/23-8/20/23 Encore. Treasures of the Holy Land. Two 7 days back to back. showing sold out, but both 7 day segments seem to be available.

 

10/11/23-11/5/23 Encore Mediterranean Intrigue 25 nights. This one is several combined also.

 

It’s a lot, but our passion was travel, and so it goes. 

 

 

Good to see you still doing what you always did.

I will be on Encore also from the start of August.

[wesport]

19 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

Good to see you still doing what you always did.

I will be on Encore also from the start of August.

See you on board!

[Mr Luxury]

3 hours ago, wesport said:

See you on board!

Look forward to it

[westmount]

Thank you all for your good wishes. I was reading a few threads on the “solo” forums where everyone felt free to do what they wanted when they wanted to, which is a bit funny, as I never felt my late wife held me back from exploring the world when I wanted to wonder off at any port. 
  In any case, if I’m nice to the Maitre’d and everyone else, I’m sure I won’t have to eat alone in my room every night , life is too short for that. The ship is full and Dubai itinerary easy to take, so while I’m a bit nervous of Seabourn life going solo, it is Seabourn after all, I’m worrying about nothing. 
   Happy sailing to all and thank you again. 
 

[RD64]

Thank you all for the head’s up regarding the single supplement. I am a HAL and Princess regular, but this info is truly a game changer.

[PSahoy]

Like many of you who have posted taking the leap to cruising solo after many years with husband was not easy—but so glad I did and particularly on Seabourn. They take great care of their solos particularly with the hosted tables. Have made many friends both other solos and couples. The atmosphere throughout the ship, on excursions etc is always warm and friendly. Off to Norway on Ovation in June. 

[SLSD]

25 minutes ago, PSahoy said:

Like many of you who have posted taking the leap to cruising solo after many years with husband was not easy—but so glad I did and particularly on Seabourn. They take great care of their solos particularly with the hosted tables. Have made many friends both other solos and couples. The atmosphere throughout the ship, on excursions etc is always warm and friendly. Off to Norway on Ovation in June. 

We are a couple and have enjoyed meeting solo travelers on SB.  We still correspond with some of them.  We sometimes had dinner with one or more solo travelers (not at a hosted table) and had such a good time.  

[PhD-iva]

I’m usually an Oceania or Regent cruiser (upgraded from X years ago). Regent has some low single supplement fares, as low as 0% (20 cruises listed on website as of yesterday) and many more at 25%. Regent takes excellent care of solos! Hosted get togethers every night, dinners and breakfasts. Lovely passengers. 
Am browsing other cruiselines out of curiosity, hence my presence on Seabourn forum.

Thx!

[joyb52]

I, too, am going to venture on a solo cruise after many happy years of travel with my husband. I have never gone on Seabourn and am also considering a Regent Seven Seas 10 day Mediterranean cruise (have been on that line already with my husband) in July 2024 or a Seabourn Ovation 10 day Mediterranean Cruise August 2024. The itinerary looks nice and I am feeling good about all the positive remarks on solo travel on Seabourn that I have read here. I am going on a River Cruise on The Seine in May, but I know someone on that trip, so it's not the same as venturing out by myself. 

Edited June 23, 2023 by joyb52

[labonnevie]

Don’t know about Seabourn, but the social hostess on board Regent does a fantastic job with the solo travelers. Nightly meetups in the Observation Lounge, followed by dinner, other events. The solo travelers always seem to be having a fantastic time. Happy cruising!

[tv24]

Westmount:  Condolences on your loss, and much support for your courage in starting this thread.  We are a couple, but we have spent many hours with solo travelers on Seabourn (and other lines), over dinner, in the bar, or on excursions.  The ambience on Seabourn is so social that we find that solo travelers have an easy time finding pleasant people to spend time with.

[Mahogany]

I have been sailing solo since 2011, including Antarctica. Silversea does a decent job of solo get togethers for drinks and/or dinner (and their fares can be better than other CruiseLine's), and Regent does also, but Seabourn's hosting of dinner tables in The Restaurant is the best. Printed invitations and a request to RSVP (of course), and dinner can be with staff, entertainers or guest lecturers. Very accommodating for us solos - and couples who like to share tables.

[PSahoy]

I’ve just returned as a solo traveler on Ovation. The opportunities for socializing are the best of the many lines I’ve cruised. In addition to the first night’s hosted meet and greet, each night solos were each invited to different hosted tables, your choice to accept or decline. Not only did I get to meet other guests (either solo or couples) I met various crew and officers, all engaging and gracious. This made for having met so many nice and interesting people who I’d run into throughout the trip, grab a coffee with, interact during excursions etc. or just exchange a few pleasantries. All of the other solos I met felt similarly and while some had taken their first solo cruise with some trepidation, all said they would do so again. Best of both worlds: spend time alone if you choose or join in with others.