Solo cruising

[molly361]

1 hour ago, KimA75 said:

I know pre-Covid you were able to be seated at a larger table with various other passengers. I'm not sure if that is still an option.  If it is, we met some really interesting people that when we did this.  I've read that some others made lifelong friends this way.  I am recently divorced and while I am cruising with my kids now, I fully expect to cruise solo later.  I am hoping this will still be, or will become, an option.   

Although I still find it awkward to sit and eat alone I prefer that to being at a large table. I'm pretty much an eat and go person ,not a fan of an 1 1/2 hour dinner.  

[Sunshine3601]

10 hours ago, time4u2go said:

I'm curious...as a solo cruiser, how do you handle eating in the Windjammer during a busy time (like breakfast)?  If you want to go back for more food, how do you prevent the crew from removing your dishes and thereby giving up your seat?

I almost always ate breakfast in WJ on my solo cruises.   I would first get my coffee and bowl of fruit, set it down down at a table with my unused silverware then go get my omelet, etc.   Never had a problem.

If I left the table for more coffee or juice I would let table next to me know I would be right back.

[Raddo]

Another perk of travelling solo with RC is finding the ships that do the single balcony cabins!! I have overnight booked a 7 days Japan cruise sailing from Shanghai for March 2026 and got myself a Solo Balcony cabin. 😊

[Tina99]

On 4/16/2024 at 4:31 AM, time4u2go said:

I'm curious...as a solo cruiser, how do you handle eating in the Windjammer during a busy time (like breakfast)?  If you want to go back for more food, how do you prevent the crew from removing your dishes and thereby giving up your seat?

Having personally experienced this as a solo cruiser in the Windjammer and other ship buffets, I bring a few table place-holders.  Just write whatever you think will work best.

[WELDON]

 I have been on many solo cruises. Going to Bermuda next month on Celebrity. When I go to the WJ, I also leave a sign "Occupied, coming right back" and I take an old paperback and leave it on the table. After getting a beverage and silverware, I go back for food and try to get whatever I want at once. After getting the food, I go back to see what the desserts are and I either get one or fruit. I try to get everything I want so I don't need to get up.

 

Tipping your chair forward also shows the table is occupied.

 

 

[firefly333]

I use a paperback and put my glasses on the table. Never had a issue so far, knock on wood. 

[OCSC Mike]

Clearly I'm not well-versed in the ways of solo cruising. I've never done one but I do eat quick snacks or in-between meals alone at times, especially at El Loco Fresh... where a crew member was doing too good of a job of clearing tables while I went back for more and I "lost" half a margarita once. 😭

[Bailey & Sophie]

9 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

I use a paperback and put my glasses on the table. Never had a issue so far, knock on wood. 

 

We do this too. I think most people respect a book or something personal left on a table as a "hold." We've never had a problem. 

[crzndeb]

12 hours ago, Raddo said:

Another perk of travelling solo with RC is finding the ships that do the single balcony cabins!! I have overnight booked a 7 days Japan cruise sailing from Shanghai for March 2026 and got myself a Solo Balcony cabin. 😊

Unless you want double points. You don’t get them in solo cabins.

[time4u2go]

13 hours ago, Raddo said:

Another perk of travelling solo with RC is finding the ships that do the single balcony cabins!! I have overnight booked a 7 days Japan cruise sailing from Shanghai for March 2026 and got myself a Solo Balcony cabin. 😊

Other than the cruise line designating it as such, what makes a cabin a single/solo cabin? Does it only have a twin bed in it?

[firefly333]

20 minutes ago, time4u2go said:

Other than the cruise line designating it as such, what makes a cabin a single/solo cabin? Does it only have a twin bed in it?

The one on radiance they assigned to me with my inside gty was 104 sf, and only had a twin bed. 

 

Some newer ships I think might have a full bed idk. In fact I have the list of which have which beds.

 

 

[jennellen]

When I was booking my upcoming solo cruise the TA I was using kept trying to give me a studio oceanview, which is 96sf.  And even when I would search RC's site the first option that would pop up was the studio OV when I put in one person.

 

I ended up doing an interior balcony.  The price difference was like $70 more for the week to have the balcony and it's double the size.  I could have done an interior, too but the price difference between a regular interior and the balcony wasn't very much so I opted to treat myself.  Ha! 

 

The studio OV that is 96sf has the regular bed in it, which is nice but the room is literally the bed and maybe space to turn around in and the bathroom.  And for many that is plenty of room, but even alone I knew that I wanted more space than that.  And when the price difference is so minimal, it was an easy decision for me to go with the bigger room.

 

[OCSC Mike]

15 minutes ago, jennellen said:

The price difference was like $70 more for the week to have the balcony and it's double the size.

 

I'm frugal and we almost always sail interiors b/c we don't care about our cabin and never use our balcony if we have one... and even I'd pay the $70. You get double points this way too (if that matters).

[jennellen]

1 hour ago, OCSC Mike said:

 

I'm frugal and we almost always sail interiors b/c we don't care about our cabin and never use our balcony if we have one... and even I'd pay the $70. You get double points this way too (if that matters).

Even without the double points, I'm going to reach Diamond once the cruise is complete and the double just puts me that much closer to Diamond+.  I'm just missing Diamond by a few points too.  I was closer and the last time they redid the levels I got further away.  Oh, well, next time.