First solo cruise

[wowomen]

I just wanted to say, I have read these posts for a number of weeks. What a wonderful forum. I've been considering a solo trip for awhile. Friends and family do not have the resourses to travel with me and at this time of my life (the second part of my life) I have the desire to travel. Well today I booked an Alaska cruise on the Hal. Amsterdam Aug 2008, I am so excited:D I want to tell everybody. I will be posting back from time to time with questions.

 

Thanks

[FinelyRetired]

I just wanted to say, I have read these posts for a number of weeks. What a wonderful forum. I've been considering a solo trip for awhile. Friends and family do not have the resourses to travel with me and at this time of my life (the second part of my life) I have the desire to travel. Well today I booked an Alaska cruise on the Hal. Amsterdam Aug 2008, I am so excited:D I want to tell everybody. I will be posting back from time to time with questions.

 

Thanks

 

Bravo for you! You'll love HAL.

 

You picked a wonderful destination for your 1st solo cruise!

 

I got lots of info here for my 1st solo this summer to the British Isles. Best info I got was to select assigned dining at a large table. Met some great people and it was nice to see familiar faces about and on tours. What did you pick?

 

Was on Amsterdam with DH last Dec to Panama Canal. Great ship and crew. So pretty. DH not a huge cruise fan or long air flight person. We eyed that trip knowing I might want to do a longer, more distant one on my own this summer and he was most supportive after our cruise on the Amsterdam. He felt it was a terrific, safe way to 'see the world' for a solo. Like you, most of my friends have neither time nor resources to join me.

 

Have fun planning.

 

Martha

[airlink diva]

Welcome to solo cruising!! I like sailing with others, but love sailing by myself!!

I sailed on HAL solo three times (Oosterdam 2004,Westerdam 2005 & Maasdam 2007) with another solo cruise on HAL late 2008.

Go to the solo cruise lunch that they offer on the first sea day. You have a chance to meet other solo cruisers. Go to the anything that perk your intrest.

Also join your roll call on this website. It put you in touch with other people on your sailing. There are some that you will only meet when you have a roll call. There are others that you will end up doing tours and other things with.

I also love HAL ships because of the small size and the great crew. They make me feel like a V.I.P.

Enjoy!!!

[gxchan]

You will love Alaska and solo cruising. My first cruise was to Alaska and I went solo. It was great. I met a lot of people, the crew was terrific, it is so beautiful there. And HAL has a reputation for being solo-friendly, so I'm sure that will make it nicer. I was really lucky that my Alaska cruise was great, it was on NCL which isn't solo-friendly. Fortunately, my next Alaskan cruise in next May on RCI. Go forth and have a great cruise. Be sure to post your review when you return.

[wowomen]

Thank you, Thank you all for making my debut on this site welcoming me. I will try to remember all your suggestions, to answer finelyretired-- The dining arangement I think is first seating, table for six according to my TA, but I mean to ask more questions if I can get a table of solo's

I have to say again this is a welcome site knowing there are so many other people (lots of women) traveling solo. I am going to Chicago next month as my test for three days to experience solo travel .

airlink --I wont forget to ask about the solo cruise lunch that sounds nice.

[JoKen1]

You will LOVE it. I just got back a few weeks ago from my first solo cruise. I was a bit worried at first but all fears went away the minute I got on the ship. Everyone was nice!

 

It's great because you will get to be around tons of people if you want and if you want to be alone you can do that too.

 

I found that when I was at a show or eating or any type activity people were quick to talk to me. I would just smile and say "Hi, are you having a nice trip". From then on everyone would just talk and talk. Everyone is in a good mood and very happy to tell you where they are from, what they have been doing and what shore excursions they are going to do or have done. So it's easy to start a conversation with others on the ship.

 

In the ports, almost everyone was on a cruise so again everyone was happy.

 

I booked several shore excursions ahead of time so I had stuff to look forward to and it was fun to try and find others doing the same thing I was. On every trip I found everyone fun and easy to talk to.

 

People kind of take you under their wing when they find you are solo. In fact I had so many people asking me to join them for different things I couldn't do all of them.

 

I didn't spend much time alone at all and I thought I would spend a lot of time alone and reading or resting. No time for that! To much fun stuff to do.

 

I felt 100% safe at all times. The staff watches out for you when they find out you are solo also.

 

I loved it so much and met so many nice people that I've already booked another cruise and can't wait!

[DiveMaster]

Welcome to the board.

 

Good ship, good time, good length, good time of dinner seating, good itineray for first time solo. Would suggest table for 8 (hedge against the no show factor), but 6 is OK. Go to the singles mixers, but also try to spot the singles at breakfast in the dining room or Lido.

 

 

 

Thank you, Thank you all for making my debut on this site welcoming me. I will try to remember all your suggestions, to answer finelyretired-- The dining arangement I think is first seating, table for six according to my TA, but I mean to ask more questions if I can get a table of solo's

I have to say again this is a welcome site knowing there are so many other people (lots of women) traveling solo. I am going to Chicago next month as my test for three days to experience solo travel .

airlink --I wont forget to ask about the solo cruise lunch that sounds nice.

[Faith77]

I took my first cruise in the late 1990s and it was to Alaksa. I had such a good time that I've tried to cruise once a year. I also do land travel and usually take tours when I travel solo. I'm also in the second part of my life and devote time, energy, and money to travel.

 

Cruising is a great way for a solo gal to travel. Thats all I have to do is show up, I feel very safe both on and off the ship (I do the ship's excursions), I love being with the sea, and people are friendly and open to chatting if you are so inclined.

 

Faith

[SantaAna,CA]

Hi! That's just great. My first "real" solo cruise was also on the Amsterdam to Alaska. I had a blast. What a beautiful ship. You'll have a wonderful time. Wish I could do it all over again! Congratulations on "taking the plunge"!

 

Jane

[wowomen]

Oh my goodness I'm I there yet, All the comments are so great I love this site:D

[Tuneful]

Congratulations! I hope you have a great time. IMHO it will have its ups, and it may have a few downs at times (you ride them out), but overall mostly ups for you.

I'm new here, too, and new to solo travel... I have an anxiety disorder (although I work full time and live life quite well, but it is quite hard for me to go new places alone and I don't have the family and friends available to go with me on trips). So, I guess it is progress for me that at my age (over 50) I'm beginning to do it! (solo travel) I do think cruises are a safe, structured (if you want it) and sociable way to go. Not to mention having people cook for you 24-7, thank goodness for walking and stationary bike...

My first cruise was on Celebrity in the Western Carib... the itinerary was a little too much "island hopping" for me (just a few hours here or there in each port) but Celebrity was really good, although that ship wasn't clued in about solos.

I broke up with a guy recently who's based in Alaska (but I met him while he was mostly based in the Lower 48 on a job) so I just wasn't emotionally ready to cruise up there this summer -- went to Bermuda instead -- and I have the "NCL hard time " thread <L!>. You will have a memorable trip!

[Lois R]

Hi, I have been sailing solo for 4 years now and love it:)

 

I went to Alaska last summer and it was spectaculor:D

Majestic is the word that comes to mind....loved it so much!!!

 

Tuneful, I sail Celebrity quite often and love the service, crew,

everything. When you say they don't have a clue? To what end?

I have 11 cruises with them and loved each and every one!

 

I cruise for me....it really doesn't matter to me if there are

other solo cruisers on board or not. I am going again next month

and cannot wait! It is so easy to meet folks on a cruise:)

The entire experience is just wonderful....and solo (for me is

the only way to go)......I can do what I want, when I want:D

 

To the OP...I hope you have a fantastic time!

[JoKen1]

I really believe that a great time for anyone going solo is there for the taking if you want. If you go in with a great attitude and a smile you are going to have a blast! If you go there thinking it's going to be lonely and dull then most likely that's what will happen.

 

One of the biggest things I think that most solo people have is feeling a bit strange going solo and thinking others are looking at them thinking they have no friends. Well that couldn't be further from the truth. Everyone is having so much fun themselves that no one gives a thought about the other people.

 

Many people who travel with someone often take off and go their own ways on the cruise. Everyone likes to do different things so even if someone is traveling with someone you may see them alone many times. So no one knows if you are with someone who is just doing something else or if you are alone............unless you tell them.

 

I found that going solo more people were willing to start talking to me then when I traveled with someone. Like I said, just keep that smile and people will reach out to you. If they don't just sit down and start talking to the person next to you. Start by saying "So how is your trip so far". Most people will love talking about what they have been doing and want to hear about what you have done.

 

Have a great great trip. Wish I was going! :D

[Stevesan]

I just wanted to say, I have read these posts for a number of weeks. What a wonderful forum. I've been considering a solo trip for awhile. Friends and family do not have the resourses to travel with me and at this time of my life (the second part of my life) I have the desire to travel. Well today I booked an Alaska cruise on the Hal. Amsterdam Aug 2008, I am so excited:D I want to tell everybody. I will be posting back from time to time with questions.

 

Thanks

 

Rotterdam VI, sister ship to Amsterdam, is my favorite ship. I think you'll find Amsterdam very user friendly. Don't miss the on board naturalist lectures. Ours was expert and added significantly to the total experience.

 

We took our grandson, then 9YO, on an Alaska B2B. It was his, and my, favorite cruise.

 

Alaska is magnificent. All of the ports have something for everyone. Don't be afraid to book independent tours. The tour operators in Alaska have more than one hundred years experience dealing with Holland America passengers. The ship's tours were fine, but you'll get a much better experience with fewer people on an independent tour. Besides, part of the fun is researching the ports to find things that interest you.

 

here are a few port review extracts for your ports (you didn't say whether you're on the Tracey Arm or Glacier Bay cruise so I included both Sitka and Ketchikan). I wrote at the time:

 

Our best independent tour was a three hour Whale Watching Cruise with Orca Enterprises, aka Capt. Larry, while in Juneau. Capt Larry’s boat is custom built and seats a maximum of thirty-two passengers; however, he normally books only twenty-four, leaving extra wiggle room. The “Awesome Orca” is a forty-two foot water-jet propulsion craft with an enclosed lower deck. There is a roomy and comfortable exposed viewing deck on the aft end. The top deck is totally open for SRO viewing. Up-top limit is eight at a time, so we all periodically rotate. The trip through Auke Bay to the viewing area is at high speed, but the waters are calm throughout. The still waters in the bay combine with the smoother jet engines for a far smoother ride than our Sitka experience. We saw a number of whales, one of whom breeched directly in front of our bow. Two humpbacks were deep diving in tandem as a ballet duo, showing their flukes with each dive. Sea Lions and Dall’s Porpoises were abundant. Alas, no seals or orcas appeared today. Orca Enterprises is a truly first class operation. Capt. Larry provides the narration and finds the wildlife. His web site is: http://www.alaskawhalewatching.com/. You need to book this tour about one month in advance.

For the northbound leg, we had booked a helicopter/glacier landing tour in Juneau. The ship contracts with Temsco Helicopter who is the only operator licensed to land on Mendenhall Glacier. The weather was rainy, but open for flying, so we took off. Unfortunately, when we arrived over Mendenhall the weather shut down. Landings were cancelled and we had to return to base. One advantage of a back-to-back cruise is the potential to make up for lost opportunities. Since I had scheduled Orca Enterprises for the southbound leg, I stopped by their office on the pier and asked Becky to schedule Coastal Helicopter in conjunction with the boat tour. This permitted Orca to coordinate our boat tour and helicopter trip. The shuttle bus from the boat dropped us off at Coastal’s base. Coastal took us flight seeing over a few glaciers and landed on Norris Glacier. We had a beautiful sunny day, so both the boat trip and glacier landing came off great. Coastal is a much smaller operation than Temsco, but our pilot was skilled and an excellent tour guide.

 

 

Another first rate independent operator is Ketchikan City Tours who offer a Sea Kayak tour. We were provided with excellent guides and safe, well maintained and easy to operate kayaks. This is another tour you can book dockside. They’re at desk #11 and their web site is: http://citytours.alaskamade.com/.

A don’t miss is the Raptor Center in Sitka. You don’t need to book a tour. The Center provides frequent guided tours through their site. Each tour finishes with a video and a talk by one of the Naturalists. A Metro shuttle bus stops at the dock, runs through town out to The Raptor Center and circles back every half hour. The shuttle fare is $7.00, good all day. The Raptor center’s web site is at: http://www.alaskaraptor.org/. There are great photo ops here

A “Naturalist” was assigned to Veendam. Kurt offered daily talks on numerous subjects significant to our trip. Subjects such as “Fire and Ice” and “Glaciers, Rivers of Ice” were explored. Kurt also scheduled “desk” sessions for one-on-one discussions and questions. While cruising glaciers, he provided a running narrative over the PA system. Kurt possesses a perfect voice for this, a smooth baritone which you can mentally tune in or out at will. During these times, he was usually on the forward promenade viewing deck. Entering Glacier Bay, Veendam boarded Park Rangers who also provided narration and talks. Later in the afternoon, the rangers set up a table in The Crow’s Nest Lounge selling mementoes and souvenirs of Glacier Bay. Bring your passport to have a Glacier Bay visa stamp imprinted.

[gxchan]

I really believe that a great time for anyone going solo is there for the taking if you want. If you go in with a great attitude and a smile you are going to have a blast! If you go there thinking it's going to be lonely and dull then most likely that's what will happen.

 

One of the biggest things I think that most solo people have is feeling a bit strange going solo and thinking others are looking at them thinking they have no friends. Well that couldn't be further from the truth. Everyone is having so much fun themselves that no one gives a thought about the other people.

 

JoKen, I agree that the attitude you bring with you makes a difference but it doesn't mean that if you have a difficult experience it is your fault or your attitude wasn't good enough. Sometimes stuff happens; see Tuneful's experience on NCL. As a solo traveler for 35 years I can tell you sometimes just being on your own is enough to make people give you a difficult time, especially if you are a woman. And people do stare, both on land and on cruises. Not all, but it happens often enough.

 

Now, having said that, obviously having traveled for 35 years on my own there is much good to be said about it. The thrill of travel/adventure, meeting new people, time on my own, not having to share a bathroom, the difficulties that make the good times even better, etc. Solo travel is what I've always done and will continue to do because it works for me 99% of the time. The times when it doesn't work, I remind myself how blessed I am 99% of the time.

[JoKen1]

Gennie,

 

Well that's true that sometimes things will happen that can upset your trip. However, that can happen if you are solo or with people. There are some strange people out there and sometimes we cross paths with them while we travel.

 

Even if we do come across one or two of them it's how we deal with it that can make or break our trip.

 

When I was in Canada some nut case went up to a friend of mine while she was waiting outside a coffee shop for her sister to come. This guy asked her if she would give him some money for food in exchange for sex, drugs or smokes. Of course she said no but he went on and on to her as he continued to cross the street.

 

Now she could have gotten very upset and let it ruin her day but she just crossed the street to where the rest of us were and told us the story and we all just laughed at the guy.

 

So what I'm trying to say is, don't let anyone or anything put a damper on your trip. If something bad happens just brush it off and move on. If someone says something bad about you traveling alone, who cares. It's their problem, not yours. Just move on and continue to have fun. Don't give in to the jerks and nut cases.

[gxchan]

JoKen, Sometimes good people disagree. I'm sorry you missed my point which is there is no perfection, not in life and not in travel, regardless of one's attitude. You imply that nothing can detract from a vacation if the traveler has the "right" attitude. It would be nice if that were true but some things are beyond our control. The example you cite of inappropriate comments from a homeless person is nothing; that sort of thing happens in every city in the country, daily. You also missed that I said attitude does make a difference and it does but it isn't ever and always going to be the sole determining factor in whether one has a good vacation/life/whatever. It is a huge plus but it isn't everything. That is what makes life what it is, the good and the bad. You can't enjoy the good without having a touch of the bad occasionally. In fact, a touch of bad every great once in a while makes the good all the sweeter.

[JoKen1]

Yes I guess you are right. I just have been very blessed to have always had an enjoyable vacation I guess.

 

However, there are things that could be very bad such as a sickness, injury and so on that could end up making the vacation bad.

 

I'm just one of those people who always look for the good even in the bad. I've found that if you look hard enough and long enough soon you find it.

 

I'm not really sure what the post was that you were talking about that I should have read. Can you explain?

 

Joanne

[JoKen1]

Oh wait, I just found the post. I think that a lot of the "bad" was having to do with attitude really.

 

I don't care who thinks I'm with someone or even if they think I'm sad to be alone. I know I'm secure with being alone and I can have fun with or without traveling with someone. So how the staff acted or what people assumed wouldn't have bother me in one bit.

 

As far as being crowded, well I go expecting the ship to be crowded so I don't get upset when it is.

 

As far as finding a quiet place alone to read. Well I would go in my cabin if I wanted total quiet and to be fully alone. Otherwise I would go to the library or outside on the deck. I was on the Noordam and it was sold out. There were way more people on board and I found tons of places one could be alone if they wanted.

 

Nothing to do on board???? That throws me. I like going to all sorts of things, being BINGO, trivia, shows and so on. So that would not be anything I would be upset about. I'll try anything once (almost anything) and if I don't like it then I wouldn't go again.

 

To me I found there was not enough time in the day to do everything offered and I brought a book but never found the time to read even one page because I was out doing things.

 

I did scrapbooking (I don't even do that) because it was offered. Since I'm not really into that I ended up just tossing out the pages I did but at least I had fun giving it a go. I got to meet some nice people while I was doing it and we shared some laughs. So it was worth it to me.

 

Now if I went with the attitude that I didn't want to try new things or I wanted to be alone and not around a lot of people I'm sure I would have been upset too. Again, it's all about the mind frame.

 

We are all responsible for our own good time when we go solo. We can't expect others to conform to our way and when they don't get upset.

 

I'm not saying everyone can just brush things off as easy as I can and many people don't want to try things they are not interested in. I'm just saying that it's really about finding the good when you are in the bad.

 

I'll never scrapbook again but I'm happy I did it on the ship. Even though I didn't keep the work I did I had fun doing it.

 

Does that make sense? I'm not sure if what I'm trying to say is coming through on my posts.

[wowomen]

Congratulations! I hope you have a great time. IMHO it will have its ups, and it may have a few downs at times (you ride them out), but overall mostly ups for you.

I'm new here, too, and new to solo travel... I have an anxiety disorder (although I work full time and live life quite well, but it is quite hard for me to go new places alone and I don't have the family and friends available to go with me on trips). So, I guess it is progress for me that at my age (over 50) I'm beginning to do it! (solo travel) I do think cruises are a safe, structured (if you want it) and sociable way to go. Not to mention having people cook for you 24-7, thank goodness for walking and stationary bike...

My first cruise was on Celebrity in the Western Carib... the itinerary was a little too much "island hopping" for me (just a few hours here or there in each port) but Celebrity was really good, although that ship wasn't clued in about solos.

I broke up with a guy recently who's based in Alaska (but I met him while he was mostly based in the Lower 48 on a job) so I just wasn't emotionally ready to cruise up there this summer -- went to Bermuda instead -- and I have the "NCL hard time " thread <L!>. You will have a memorable trip!

Hi Tuneful

I just saw your post, I too am in my 50's and consider this my second half of life and I'm in a learning process myself, divorced just three years and I need to learn to live, and by that I want to get out and experience exactly who I am. I have been on several cruises with a group, and did things on my own. That is why I know I will be ok as a solo. The only challange I have is eating dinner alone, but I will conquer that. On this cruise my TA states the ship knows I will be solo so they will have an idea of the arrangement for seating at dinner(table of 6). I understand when you say there are no family and friends to go with you on trips, so if we must go we will go alone, tuneful, you sound like you are doing well so far.

Thanks for sharing Oh to answer Stevesan, Inside passage Glacier Bay:D

[gxchan]

We can't expect others to conform to our way . . .

 

My point exactly.

[wowomen]

Just testing my clock

Can anyone tell me how to insert the list of cruises I have taken?

I see this list on many of the post

 

Thanks

[crdtrnr]

go to your profile..and add to signature. You can adjust at any time.

[wowomen]

Thanks crdtrnr for the information on signatures;)