HELP!! - Bored Need A Change Of Cruise Line - Which One

[husky]

I was hoping that some of you cruisers could help me out as I seem to be in a bit of a dilemma.

I have been on about 7 cruises and always go with Carnival, as I’m a single cruiser they seen to have a younger crowd and have found they have a lot more groups of cruisers and singles, rather then couples, so its easier to make friends and hang out with people.

However I thought I would take a chance and try Royal Caribbean, great ship but all couples, so spent my entire cruise on my own. So went back to cruising with carnival this year in January, had fantastic 2 weeks. However I’m bored with the destinations and really want to go to Hawaii. SO WHICH CRUISE LINE, I was looking at NCL, but with there free dining how can I meet other singles, as carnival sits you on a dinning table with all other singles.

[MikenAZ]

I was hoping that some of you cruisers could help me out as I seem to be in a bit of a dilemma.

 

I have been on about 7 cruises and always go with Carnival, as I’m a single cruiser they seen to have a younger crowd and have found they have a lot more groups of cruisers and singles, rather then couples, so its easier to make friends and hang out with people.

 

However I thought I would take a chance and try Royal Caribbean, great ship but all couples, so spent my entire cruise on my own. So went back to cruising with carnival this year in January, had fantastic 2 weeks. However I’m bored with the destinations and really want to go to Hawaii. SO WHICH CRUISE LINE, I was looking at NCL, but with there free dining how can I meet other singles, as carnival sits you on a dinning table with all other singles.

 

I'm thinking about going on a cruise by myself over Thanksgiving on Holland America (5-star rating). It's a 10-day cruise that stops in Manzanillo, Acapulco, Xtapa, Puerto Vallerta, Matzalan, and Cabo. Never been to Mexico before with the exception of the border cities. I've only been on one cruise before in my life and it was on NCL to Alaska. In spite of the fact that everyone on that particular cruise (aside from myself and a couple others) had one foot in the grave, I still had an awesome time. The freestyle cruising experience was awesome, the boat was amazing, and the scenery was gorgeous. Although I don't have much to compare it to, NCL was great. My wife went on a cruise on Carnival to Mexico and complained about it the whole time. Personally I think it all depends on what you expect, your destination, and which cruiseline/ship you take. I'm guessing that a cruise to Hawaii on any cruiseline will be a lot of retirees, couples, and families (depending on when you go). Alaska is almost entirely retirees. Cruises to Mexico and the Carribean are more likely to have singles, but 4-7 day cruises are more likely to have more singles than longer cruises. Which makes me rethink my 10-day cruise option. With a cabin all to myself, it's a $318 (plus tips) more to take a 10-day cruise than it is to take a 8 day cruise.

[CruiseIsGood]

I understand your dilemma, Husky. I really enjoyed being seated with other singles (no matter the age) at dinner on Carnival. I doubt I'll ever cruise solo without a group on a ship that has personal choice dining.

 

You could try HAL. I've heard they're very good to solo travelers too. But the Hawaii itins are longer, and the longer the cruise, the older the passengers, except for the 12-day Carnival Spirit from HI to Vancouver, which has a ton of Aussies of all ages (it then cruises Alaska so many of the Aussies do a back-to-back).

 

And Alaska is not all old people. I went on Carnival Spirit 3 times (one solo) and there were all ages, from kids to families to older, more like any typical cruise, although less nightlife outside of the Casino.

[Guest CRUZIN' SUZIN]

I was hoping that some of you cruisers could help me out as I seem to be in a bit of a dilemma.

 

I have been on about 7 cruises and always go with Carnival, as I’m a single cruiser they seen to have a younger crowd and have found they have a lot more groups of cruisers and singles, rather then couples, so its easier to make friends and hang out with people.

 

However I thought I would take a chance and try Royal Caribbean, great ship but all couples, so spent my entire cruise on my own. So went back to cruising with carnival this year in January, had fantastic 2 weeks. However I’m bored with the destinations and really want to go to Hawaii. SO WHICH CRUISE LINE, I was looking at NCL, but with there free dining how can I meet other singles, as carnival sits you on a dinning table with all other singles.

 

I was on NCL Pride of America in October 2005. There were NO other solo cruisers on that ship. Luckily I am rather outgoing and very friendly and hooked up with several couples on the ship who became my drinking buddies. If not for them, I would have been alone throughout most of the cruise. The open sitting dining is horrible for solo diners unless you relish eating alone every night. Also the average age of the passengers was somewhere between 65-75 years old. The dance club was asleep every night by midnight (except for my drunking buddies and I ). The ship shut the club down every night with us in it. :eek: The itinerary was lovely but the ship was nothing more than a rolling hotel with most activities ignored by the passengers who for the most part seemed to disappear at around 9 p.m. or so. By 1 a.m., there is no one around - again, except the drunks in the dance club (that being me and my posse).

[Roz]

Husky,

 

I've done 4 solo cruises on HAL, and loved every one of them. Like Carnival, they offer a break on the single supplement, as long as you don't sail during peak times like holidays or spring break. The crowd tends to be a little older on the cruises over 7 days. Unlike Mike's experience, I found Alaska to be a great cruise destination for all ages. There are lots of active outdoor excursions that you may not want to wait to do until you retire, when maybe you won't be able to walk or move as well as you do now. :D

 

Suzin, my sister took her first solo cruise on Norwegian, and said the freestyle dining is a big drawback for people by themselves.

 

Roz

[trish1c]

Just got off the NCL Dawn as a single but not a solo. My friends & I went to the singles event the 1st night. We were the ONLY ones at it.

 

I know you want to go to Hawaii but if you can't bring a friend I'd stay off NCL even though it's a line I love.

[rochelle_s]

I cruised on Celebrity in the fall of '05. I went to the scheduled singles meet and greet and I was the only one there, not even a crew member. Thought if I went to the the nightclub I might meet some people (younger) who enjoyed staying awake a little longer. Again no one there. Thought well theres always the casino, they even closed that a few times while I was in it. Oh well I still had a great trip. Met plenty of people during the day. Best place to get talking to others was at trivia.