Cruising without your spouse

No, not trying to hide anything, but I was curious...

How many people take cruises without thier spouse? I have a job that allows me 6 weeks of leave a year and I want to cruise more. However, my wife only gets 2 weeks a year. She loves to cruise, but is restricted by her commitment to work. She has told me to take friends, Brothers, Sisters, kids, Mom when she cant go, but they dont always match up with my travel times. I am thinking about taking a few solo cruises just to relax...

Suggestions? Opinions?

Thanks!

In the span on 6 months I went on 3 cruises without the Mr. and 2 with. I think you'll find that a good percentage of solos that sail are married. Not a large percentage, but enough so that it's not odd.

There are those that I can invite when my husband isn't available but the truth is that I really enjoy traveling alone by plane, ship, car, train or anything else and when I have the chance to go on vacation by myself I take it.

I say, enjoy the extra 4 weeks you have available on a few different ships and buy your wife something nice from each port! :D

DH is not keen on cruising. My mom was my cruise buddy and I started cruising solo after she passed away. I had met a lot of folks by cruising on the same ship at the same times of year, so it worked out well for me. I join the roll call and make an effort to meet people. I downgraded to steerage, but I found I liked having a cabin all to myself even though I spend almost no time there. For me one of the important things is to be close to the elevators so I can get places quickly. My cabins are easily accessible - no long hallway walks for me. I also try to stay on the Library deck so I have a giant living space outside my door.

I sometimes cruise with other solos - one person is married and the other is not. There are also a lot of folks floating around that are traveling with others, but doing their own thing at the same time. I stay away from the peak travel times. Sep to Bermuda is good as is the Caribbean after Christmas and before Presidents Day.

I'm married but most of my cruises (usually 2 per year) are solo. In our case I love cruising - DH merely "likes" it and finds 7 days on a ship to be too long. So, he cruises with me rarely (every few years or so) and I enjoy cruising without him! My next 3 cruises will be without him.

Sue/WDW1972

Noordam 11/16/12

Ryndam 3/3/13

DCL Dream 11/10/13

Count me in as another one who cruises without the DH. He has cruised with me before, but its not really his thing. I cruise with family, girl friends and alone. My last cruise was with my Mom but the 2 before that were solo. Next cruise is with family.

Some people say they would never cruise without their spouse - but I love cruising and if I waited until he wanted to go I'd never get to go. I say whatever works for you. As long as your spouse isn't against it - go for it.

Actually to me solo cruising is the most relaxing - not having to worry about anyone but me.

No, not trying to hide anything, but I was curious...

 

How many people take cruises without thier spouse? I have a job that allows me 6 weeks of leave a year and I want to cruise more. However, my wife only gets 2 weeks a year. She loves to cruise, but is restricted by her commitment to work. She has told me to take friends, Brothers, Sisters, kids, Mom when she cant go, but they dont always match up with my travel times. I am thinking about taking a few solo cruises just to relax...

 

Suggestions? Opinions?

 

Thanks!

I have taken 5 cruises so far, all without my wife. The first cruise was a professional continuing education cruise and I shared a cabin with a collegue. After that it was always solo with one along with my elderly parents. My wife does not want to go on a cruise at all because she fears the open ocean ("fear of floating" instead of "fear of flying") but she allows me one or two cruises a year because she knows that I love it so much.

I've cruised twice with my husband for a roomate and twice with my son for a roomate. Going with an old friend on the upcoming cruise.

I've learned that just because you have someone in your cabin doesn't mean you are not solo. My teen son spent much of the time in kids club and my husband likes naps. It's about connecting with others on ship. I've made friends through roll call or just meeting people in the hottub.

I'm another - just did my first solo cruise, and it won't be my last! DH isn't all that crazy about cruising, and I get more vacation than he does.

I love having the cabin to myself - going to bed at 9 or reading until 3 is great. And there's always enough going on onboard that I didn't get lonely!

I'm a very happily married woman and I have cruised three times solo and loved it! I did try cruising with two friend's and vowed never again! DH does not enjoy the cruising experience as much as I do. He will go once a year though.

When I'm solo it's so relaxing. No one to please except myself. Love the freedom and the "ME" time.

Never really have I ever felt lonely. Attend the meet and mingle and then you know someone onboard. I have found that most people are shocked and want to adopt you. No way!!

The hardest part of going solo is going your first time for about the first hour or so.

I've cruised solo twice and loved it. My DH can only cruise once a year and that is enough for him. I have gone with a friend once but said not again. The two times alone were great. I go for R&R to be off the grid - telephones, computers etc. I am an outgoing person who enjoys meeting people so it is not difficult at all. I talk when I want and do what I want when I want. Looking forward to doing another when the time becomes available. I enjoy when my DH can go and enjoy a different vacation when he cannot.

My husband is a HS teacher which means he can only cruise when pretty much everyone else does. Since I can cruise anytime, I can take advantage of reduced solo supplements during the school year and on repositioning cruises. I have been on 10 or 11 cruises and he has only joined me on three of them. He is all about the ports, I am all about the ocean, could care less what the ports are or if there are any at all. My first transatlantic he asked me what I did for 11 days and I told him that truthfully I couldn't really remember anything specific but I was never bored. He would have gone stir crazy. He will go on the spectacular cruises (Alaska, Allure of the Seas, etc.) but otherwise he just lets me cruise whenever I want to and I let him play golf whenever he wants to.

Both my partner and I get a lot of time off work, but I can basically take off whenever I want. We both love to cruise, but I am able to go more often. Sometimes I will do a short solo cruise in-between our together cruises. I enjoy it immensely. I am constantly interacting with people at work and love my alone time. I use my solo trips as a time to read, relax and just chill out. I meet people here and there, but I really don't go for any social reasons. I mainly just like to get away from it all.

We own a cabin in the mountains and he goes up there just about every weekend while I stay at our condo in the city and work. We have always been a very independent couple with no need to be around each other every minute. Honestly, I think that is the secret to our relationship.

I have considered cruising solo, but how does the room situation work? Does the cruise line have single rooms? Do you share a room with a stranger?

No - you pay a single supplement which can be 200% but if you search around you can get 150% or even lower and the cabin is all yours. No sharing anything. You can separate the beds and use one to sleep in and one to dump stuff on or you can have them put together. I cruise RCL and the insides, oceanviews and cheaper balcony cabins are all the same size on the Voyager class. I try to book an inside cabin close to the elevators so I can be outside quickly. No reason to be in the cabin except to sleep and change. A whole huge ship is there to enjoy.

NCL does offer single cabins on the Epic, but someone else will have to speak to that.

I have considered cruising solo, but how does the room situation work? Does the cruise line have single rooms? Do you share a room with a stranger?

I have been cruising solo for 9 years and I love it:) How does the

room situation work? I get my own room:D;)

I believe NCL has single cabins but someone who sails with them

would have to help you with that information.

Most all cruiselines charge for 2 people so you pay double. I have

been on my own for many years and would never share a cabin with

a stranger. For me? It is worth every penney for me to have my

own cabin as I value my own space too much to give it up.

It is all about priorities and what is important to the individual.

Anyone ever do the NCL POA Hawaii cruise as a solo? I was planning on going in the Spring with my daughter, but she has backed out on me. I've wanted to go to Hawaii for years, but just can't find anyone willing to go. I don't mind going alone, but tend to be a little shy, so not sure who it would be to rent cars and drive around the islands by myself, or dine alone. any thoughts?

I'm a very happily married woman and I have cruised three times solo and loved it! I did try cruising with two friend's and vowed never again! DH does not enjoy the cruising experience as much as I do. He will go once a year though.

 

When I'm solo it's so relaxing. No one to please except myself. Love the freedom and the "ME" time.

 

Never really have I ever felt lonely. Attend the meet and mingle and then you know someone onboard. I have found that most people are shocked and want to adopt you. No way!!

 

The hardest part of going solo is going your first time for about the first hour or so.

I could not have said this better myself! It is always kind of weird for the first hour or so. Glad to know I am not the only one..lol.

My current husband has gone on 3 cruises with me and really does not enjoy the cruise experience like I do. I have booked a solo cruise for January 2018 and I am so excited. Let the planning begin.

I cruise without my wife at least once a year. She can't get away when I have spring break, and doesn't mind if I go alone.

Ha! Cruising seems to be saving a lot of marriages-ONE person at a time

Interesting thread

I don't recollect any marriage vows that state "must be joined at the hip for life".

In my many decades of travelling I have met many solo travellers who are married and take separate holidays to their spouses for any number of reasons - freedom from each other - different interests or travel styles etc etc. And the majority of my circle of friends do the same.

My late husband I cruised as often as we could. We both loved it. We each went our own way during the day, met for lunch and then cocktail hour onward.

To say my SO tolerates cruising is being kind. We are going on an 11-night cruise for my birthday. I firmly expect to hear that this is too long to be on a ship.

After that, I have three solo cruises booked. He is perfectly happy to see me go and have a good time. Would I like him to join me? Yes, but not worth the cajoling.

And as others have said- having the cabin to myself, doing exactly what I want without having to consult anyone else- is heaven.

I discovered cruising in 2005 and went on about eight solo cruises before my wife agreed to go on one. At the end of that cruise she said "I see now why you're so cruise crazy". We have been on 4 cruises together so far. In 2017 we have two cruises together and I get one solo cruise.

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An interesting thread! My DW and I enjoy cruising together on Cunard and go at least once a year, and she has gone alone once or twice when I wasn't able to get leave from work. I've cruised solo on the NCL Boston to Bermuda run 3 times and have enjoyed it immensely. We both know that NCL would not be to her liking (the polar opposite of Cunard!), but she's perfectly happy for me to go as long as I return with a suitcase full of Bermuda rum cakes. ;)

I call it the best of both worlds. I enjoy sharing my life with a spouse. But being on my own for cruise vacations, without catering to please anyone else, is a good thing for me.